Isis

Also known as: Athene · Family: Egyptian gods · Role: goddess · First appears: The History of Creation — A

In the History of Creation A, Keb and Nut brought forth Isis alongside Osiris, Heru-khent-an-maati, Set and Nephthys; in version B, Shu and Tefnut brought forth the five. Plutarch gives another account: Rhea bore Isis in the marshes of Egypt, and names Hermes as her father. He also says that Isis and Osiris enjoyed each other in their mother’s womb, and that their union produced Aroueris, whom some call Apollo and others the Elder Horus.

In the Legend of Ra and Isis, Isis fashioned a venomous serpent from Ra’s spittle and dust and left it on his road. When the poison struck him, she asked him to reveal his name so she could drive it out; she then spoke words of power and learned Ra’s name. She told her son Horus that Ra must swear to give his two eyes, and Ra yielded his name.

In the account of Osiris, Isis searched for him, mourned him and protected him from his enemies. She drew an heir from him and gave birth to Horus, whom she suckled in seclusion until he grew strong. In Plutarch’s account, she learned of Osiris’s fate, went to Byblos after his chest reached its coast, and brought the chest back toward Egypt. She later searched for his scattered body and buried the portions she found. Plutarch also says that she bore Harpokrates after union with Osiris following his death.

In the Narrative of Isis on the Metternich stele, Isis tells how Set placed her in a dwelling or prison, and how she came forth accompanied by seven scorpions. At the house of Usert, she used words of power to drive poison from a child stung by Tefen; the fire in the house was extinguished after her utterance. In a separate account, Horus was stung while she was away making a libation for Osiris, and she found him without life when she returned. Thoth came to heal him, and declared that Horus lived for his mother.