Page:Books on Egypt and Chaldaea, Vol. 32--Legends of the Gods.pdf/142

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

( 15 )

THE LEGEND OF THE DESTRUCTION OF MANKIND.

[Here is the story of Rā,] the god who was self-begotten and self-created, after he had assumed the sovereignty over men and women, and gods, and things, the One god. Now men and women were speaking words of complaint, saying:--"Behold, his Majesty (Life, Strength, and Health to him!) hath grown old, and his bones have become like silver, and his members have turned into gold and his hair is like unto real lapis-lazuli." His Majesty heard the words of complaint which men and women were uttering, and his Majesty (Life, Strength, and Health to him!) said unto those who were in his train:--"Cry out, and bring to me my Eye, and Shu, and Tefnut, and Seb, and Nut, and the father-gods, and the mother-gods who were with me, even when I was in Nu side by side with my god Nu. Let there be brought along with my Eye his ministers, and let them be led to me hither secretly, so that men and women may not perceive them [coming] hither, and may not therefore take to flight with their hearts. Come thou[1] with them

  1. The god here addressed appears to have been Nu.