For more than three years, therefore, the Prince of Bekhten kept Khonsu
within his domains, and would not allow him to depart. But one night
he had a dream which altered his determination. In his dream he stood
before the shrine of Khonsu, Expeller of Demons. And as he looked,
behold! the doors of the shrine were flung wide, and the god himself
issued forth, took the form of a hawk with wonderful golden plumage, and
flew toward Egypt. When he awoke the Lord of Bekhten knew that the real
god had departed to Egypt, and that it was useless to keep any longer
his statue. Moreover, he feared the vengeance of Khonsu. So on the
morrow he loaded the statue of Khonsu, the Expeller of Demons, with rich
and beautiful gifts, and sent him away to Egypt with a princely retinue.
When the return journey was accomplished Khonsu, Expeller of Demons,
bestowed all the costly gifts on Khonsu in Thebes Neferhetep, keeping
nothing for himself of all he had received.
Minor Deities
There were hundreds of minor gods surrounding the Egyptian pantheon, and
the characteristics of only a few of these can be dealt with. Each hour
of the day had its representative deity, as had each hour of the night.
The four winds were also represented in the Egyptian pantheon, as in the
Greek. The north wind was called Qebui, and is pictured as a four-headed
ram with wings; the south wind, Shehbui, is represented as a man with
a lion's head, and wings; and the west wind, Huzayui, has a serpent's
head on the body of a winged man. The east wind, Henkhisesui, sometimes
times occurs in anthropomorphic shape, and, like the north wind, has a
ram's head, but he is occasionally figured as a winged beetle with the
head of a ram.
The senses were also symbolized by deities. Saa was the god of the sense
of touch or feeling. He is depicted in human shape and wears upon his
head a sign composed of parallel lines, which as they rise grow smaller.
In the Theban Recension of the _Book of the Dead_ he is shown in the
judgment scene amongst those gods who watch the weighing of the heart
of the deceased. Saa is sometimes shown as sailing with Thoth and other
gods in the boat of Ra. In one passage he is alluded to as the son of
Geb. He is the personification of intelligence, human and divine.
The god of taste was called Hu. He is also depicted as a man, and is
said to have come into existence from a drop of blood which fell from
Ra. He became the personification of the divine food upon which the gods
and the blessed dead lived.
Maa was the god of sight. He is also drawn as a man having an eye placed
over his head, which is also the symbol of his name.
Setem was the god of hearing, and in his case his head is surmounted by
an ear.[10]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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