Page images
PDF
EPUB

Egyptian.

302

remained in an indescribable degree of uncertainty in religious belief, to which only the myth of Osiris gave some life. The religious movements among the priests did not touch them. These movements had led remarkably towards monotheism and a higher conception of the divinity before that revolution. Suppressed for some time, they ended in magic superstitions. Pantheistic ideas, which necessarily sprung up from the identifying systems, found their extreme after 600 and later. The principal and most popular personalities of the innumerable pantheon are: Osiris, worshiped especially at Abydos, and Busiris. Isis appears as his sister and wife, Horus (the young, i.e., rising sun), who had his most famous temple at Edfu, as his son. Nephthys, his other sister, is married to his brother and murderer, Set (Typhon). of the inferior region, is a son of Osiris and Nephthys. Set, originally a personification The shacal Anubis, the guardian of the earthly powers opposed to the sun, then of all irregularities in nature, later of everything violent, therefore also of war, after 1000 B.C. became a Satan. The parents of these four gods are Seb or Keb, and Nut, who are explained as earth and heaven. The parents of these are Shu, the æther, and Tefnut (emanation ?), while the father of all the gods is Nuu, the abyss (other personification Nun or, as woman, Nunet). The ibis Dhoute has become a moon-god and father of sciences, similar to the Greek Hermes. Ptah of Memphis is considered as a creator of the world, being a workingman and artist (Hephæstus). The cow-formed Hathor, whose principal temple was at Dendera, finally received the attributes of a love-goddess. At Thebes, we find Amon, after 1600 the general protector of Egypt, and with him Mut and Khonsu; at Eileithyia, goodess Nakhbet, to whom corresponds Udjoit (Buto), in the Delta; at Sais, the Libyan goddess Neit; in the Fayum, the crocodile Sobk (Souchos); the cat Ubastet (Bast) in Bubastos; the ithyphallic Min at Chemmis; at Elephantine the ram Khum (Chnuphis) and the goddesses Anuket and Satet; at Memphis, the god of medicine, Imhotp; etc. Under the New Empire many Semitic gods were introduced as: Baal, (Rashpu)=lightning, Bes,=Astarte, Anat, Kadesh. Many gods, as Khepre(r), another creator of the world, and many genii of the lower world, had no local worship. The animals worshipped as gods even in latest time were the bulls Apis at Memphis, Mnevis at Heliopolis, Bachis at Hermonthis, and the goat Mendes. Other animals were sacred to particular gods-everywhere the cat, in some places dogs, etc.-but were no incarnation of gods as those named above.

Ancient Inhabitants and their Culture.-Language and anatomy show that these belonged to that branch of the Caucasian race which inhabits northern Africa, and represented this race very purely in most ancient time, only later receiving some negro blood. Already in Dyn. 4, they appear perfectly civilized. Art and architecture were at their full height; the state was well organized. But the power of the country was in the hands of a few noblemen, and the whole of the population seems to have consisted of serfs. Only in the Middle Empire, a middle class of priests and scribes becomes remarkable. During the New Empire the princes of provinces were replaced by officials appointed directly by the crown. as in that time of conquest the soldiers had gained the leading part in the state. HowMilitary officials had precedence over priestly ones, ever, the Egyptians themselves were not warlike, and from earliest times depended upon foreign mercenaries. Although in soldier-families the connection with the army commonly was inherited, the Greek reports concerning the division of the people into priests, warriors, and three or four other " India. There existed no restriction concerning the choice of business or intermarriage classes" must not be mistaken for castes like those of of classes. Education was rather common, although, of course, clerical offices and studies mostly remained with the priests. The commercial activity of Egypt was very great, but in the north soon passed into the hands of the Phenicians, because of the Egyptian disinclination to maritime sailing. The well-developed manufactures furnished material for exporting. It must be remarked that iron was always known and used, but that tools and weapons mostly consisted of bronze or copper, and stone implements were still in use after B.C. 2000. As money, metal in rings was used at least after B.C. 1600. The greater part of the people were devoted to agriculture. Although working with primitive means, they knew how to make their labor very successful, for Egypt had far more numerous a population than now (over 7,000,000 under Nero). The Egyptians were by no means a grave and philosophic people, but gay, and show us enough of their entertainments and pleasures, such as hunting, fishing, music, dancing, and many plays. They were also less sober than other oriental peoples, drinking much beer (less wine), and were hardly more moral than the Greeks. We cannot even say that they were religious, only many superstitious ceremonies and the great care bestowed upon the life after death led foreign peoples to believe this. The mummification was at first a privi lege of the highest classes; later it was cheaper, and therefore general. Much expense was devoted to the equipment of the dead, their protection by talismans and magic papyri in the tomb, and the sacrifices for their souls. After B.C. 2000 the cult of the defunct lost something of its interest. On the contrary, the priests after that time gained more and more in property and influence, which was reduced only by the Ptolemies. The absolute power of the king, who enjoyed divine honors, was limited first by the counts (nomarchs), and then by the priests, and their foreign guards. The poor condition of the agricultural class, the serfs of the king or other great land-owners, was hardly changed during the whole history of Egypt. Justice was well developed, even modern

[graphic][merged small][graphic][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]
[graphic][subsumed][ocr errors][merged small][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][graphic][subsumed][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]
« PreviousContinue »