name shall pass from my body into hers.” At that moment Rā removed himself from the sight of the gods in his Boat, and the Throne in the Boat of Millions of Years had no occupant. The great name of Rā was, it seems, hidden in his heart, and Isis, having some doubt as to whether Rā would keep his word or not, agreed with Horus that Rā must be made to take an oath to part with his two Eyes, that is, the Sun and the Moon. At length Rā allowed his heart to be taken from his body, and his great and secret name, whereby he lived, passed into the possession of Isis. Rā thus became to all intents and purposes a dead god. Then Isis, strong in the power of her spells, said: “Flow, poison, come out of Rā. Eye of Horus, come out of Rā and shine outside his mouth. It is I, Isis, who work, and I have made the poison to fall on the ground. Verily the name of the great god is taken from him, Rā shall live and the poison shall die; if the poison live Rā shall die.”
This was the infallible spell which was to be used in cases of poisoning, for it rendered the bite or sting of every venomous reptile harmless. It drove the poison out of Rā, and since it was composed by Isis after she obtained the knowledge of his secret name it was irresistible. If the words were written on papyrus or linen over a figure of Temu, or Ḥeru-ḥekenu, or Isis, or Horus, they became a mighty charm. If the papyrus or linen were steeped in water and the water drunk, the words were equally efficacious as a charm against snake-bites. To
