We all have our own tales of family feuds, fights with our loved ones that whilst initially
burn bright, are quickly dampened by the underlying love and bond we share with our closest relations.
But what if that is not always enough? On the rare occasion, these fallouts can get
a little bit out of hand. Our story today is a fascinating example of
one of those very occasions, as a sibling rivalry turns acutely ugly. Some of the most
famous names from ancient mythology clashing as the world burns down around them, their
stories are laced with jealously and betrayal in a truly dramatic saga.
I am talking of course about the Great God Osiris and his transition from Lord of the
Earth, to the Lord of Death. Our story begins, oddly enough, at the beginning.
Not just the beginning of the tale however, but of everything. In Egyptian mythology,
the creation of the world is credited to the union of the earth and sky, and it is said
that this union produced five children. The first five Gods.
Osiris, Isis, Set, Nephthys and Horus. The focus of our story today was the first
born amongst these gods and thus assumed the rule of ancient Egypt, taking his sister Isis
as his queen and consort. Osiris, lord of the earth.
Finding Egypt uncivilised and lawless, Osiris was disgusting by the kingdom he had inherited
and set about making changes. He created laws, culture, religion and farming, his expertise
and generosity knowing no bounds as Egypt flourished under his rule, becoming a paradise
where food was plentiful and suffering unknown. His wife and sister Isis worked closely with
him, giving to the world the gifts of compassion and equality, and they reigned together as
a prosperous and beloved royal couple. But even amongst immortal beings, basic emotions
can not always be controlled and in many cases, are amplified to devastating levels. Watching
from afar, the god of war Set struggled to cope with the success of his brother and the
jealousy and envy in his heart began to grow and dominate his thoughts.
This divine family feud was already at breaking point when the wife of Set and sister to Osiris,
Nephthys, made her move, tipping the fragile peace finally over the edge and triggering
the start of a truly horrifying sequence of consequences.
Unknown to Set, Nephthys was herself lusting after Osiris, enthralled by his beauty and
power. She disguised herself as Isis and seduced the Egyptian king, laying with him and becoming
pregnant with the god Anubis. Upon hearing word of his wife’s betrayal,
made all the worse given the identify of her lover, Set was enraged and hatched a plan
to remove his brother once and for all. He had an elaborate and magnificent casket
created, adorned with gems and finished in dazzling gold. It was tailored to the exact
measurements of Osiris, his brother and great rival.
With the trap prepared, Set threw a grand party for all the gods, ensuring his brother
was invited. After the banquet and with the guests merry and fulfilled, Set informed them
he had a special surprise. He revealed the wondrous casket and declared that whoever
could fit perfectly inside could take it home as their own.
One by one the guests got into the casket, hoping that it would fit them precisely, but
as expected, each was left disappointed. Finally it was the turn of Osiris and suspecting no
foul play from his brother, he happily climbed inside. Of course, he was a perfect fit and
before he even had a moment to celebrate, Set leapt forward and slammed shut the casket,
trapping his brother inside. Whisking his prize up into his arms, Set charged
from the party and rushing outside, threw the casket and the God it contained straight
into the great river Nile. He watched in glee as the golden box was captured by the current
and swept away out of sight. The casket rushed down the immense river and
out to sea, floating for days until it suddenly hit land, becoming lodged in the roots of
a huge tamarisk tree near the city of Byblos. There it remained for some time, Osiris still
trapped inside, slowly dying. The tree grew and extended around the coffin until it was
completely contained within its roots, hidden from view.
It was at this point that the king of Byblos passed by the tree, declaring it magnificent
and demanding it was cut down and brought to his palace to be made into an ornamental
pillar. And so it was, Osiris found himself permanently stuck, hopeless and unable to
break free, buried inside a coffin, inside a tree, inside a pillar in a distant foreign
palace. Time continued to pass and his life eventually gave out, the dead lord of the
earth frozen in time, his presence unknown to those that walked around him.
During this time, Isis had fled Egypt herself in search of her lost husband. Set had taken
the throne and Egypt had since fallen from its prosperous and peaceful perch, descending
into chaos and poverty under the rule of the god of war, the harmonious reign of Osiris
and Isis a distant memory, a story of hope told to children to dull the pain of reality.
Isis had searched far and wide, desperate and in pain, but to no avail. She had not
been able to find any trace of her missing husband. Eventually she happened across Byblos
and disguised as an older woman, she sat down by the shore to cry for her lost love. Spotted
by royal handmaidens who did not like to see an older woman in such pain, they invited
her into the palace. She spent time within the city and gained the trust of the King
and Queen, becoming the nursemaid for their young sons.
It was during this time that she discovered Osiris, sensing him in the magnificent ornamental
pillar. Her heart soared and she wasted no time revealing herself to the king and Queen
in her true goddess form. They were both terrified and in awe, promising her anything she wanted.
She requested the tamarisk pillar, which they quickly gave her, and she fled the city with
her prize in tow. Breaking apart the great tree and forcing
open the coffin, she found her husbands body, lifeless and unmoving. A mixture of grief
and joy overcame her as she beheld his motionless form, but at least she had finally found him.
There was hope yet, for they were not as mere humans, death held a different meaning for
the Gods. Returning to Egypt with the body of Osiris,
she hid him in the swampy marshes of the Nile delta while she went to gather the herbs and
tools she required to revive him, leaving her sister and the wife of Set Nephthys to
guard the body. Whilst she was gone, Set received word of
his brothers return and confronted his wife, manipulating her into revealing where the
body was hidden. Rage encircling him once more, he raced to retrieve his brother and
upon locating Osiris, this time was determined to make sure of his work. He hacked the body
into several pieces and scattered them all across the land and into the Nile. Content
finally that his task was complete, he retreated back to the palace to continue his rule.
Isis returned to find a distraught Nephthys who revealed through tear filled eyes what
had happened. Initially horrified, Isis quickly composed herself and the two goddesses set
off together to hunt down the pieces of Osiris. They were able to locate all but one, but
this was enough to reform Osiris and eventually bring him back to life. Isis assumed the form
of a kite and flew around her husband, drawing the seed from his body into her own and becoming
pregnant with the god Horus. Whilst Osiris was now once more alive, the
single missing part meant that he was incomplete. He was no longer able to rule the land of
the living and unable to challenge Set to regain his kingdom. Instead, he was forced
to withdraw into the afterlife where he became Lord
of the underworld and Judge of the dead. He had been the Lord and God of so many amazing,
vibrant, wonderful things in his time on the earth, but never death itself.
Isis was overjoyed that her husband was once more alive, but distraught that he was unable
to remain by her side. But her time for grief was short, as she gave birth to their son
Horus and was forced to focus her attention on ensuring his survival, desperately hiding
him from Set as he grew into a strong and powerful young God.
In time, Horus would rise to challenge Set and attempt to reclaim his father’s kingdom,
but that is a story for another day. Instead let us focus on the tragic tale of
Osiris, who represented so much that was glorious and good about the gods and their rule over
Egypt, and of Isis, who fought so hard for the man she loved, never giving up, determined
to bring him back to life when all hope looked lost. Whilst she succeeded in her mission,
fate still somehow managed to taint her story with a cruel final act.
From Lord of the earth to the lord of death, Osiris endured quite the transition. His name
is yet one of the most revered and well known of the entire Egyptian pantheon, worshipped
for centuries and despite his downfall, he is remembered as a great and benevolent ruler.
His life marked the beginning of a truly enthralling legacy that would produce some of the most
captivating stories ever told and remind us all that there is always hope.