Then was Set very greatly incensed, and decided to come forth in person
to do battle with Horus. Horrible indeed were his cries and curses when
he heard the losses his army had sustained. And Horus and his followers
went out to meet the army of Set, and long and furious was the battle.
At length Horus took a prisoner whom he believed to be Set. The wretched
being was dragged before Ra, who gave him into the hands of his captor,
bidding the latter do with him what he would. Then Horus killed his
prisoner, cut off his head, dragged him through the dust, and cut his
body in pieces, even as Set had done to Osiris. But, after all, it was
only one of Set's associates who had perished thus miserably. The Evil
One himself was still at large, vowing vengeance on his enemies. In
the form of a large snake he hid himself under the earth, while his
followers took courage from the knowledge that he had eluded his enemy.
Yet again, however, were they defeated by Horus, who slew great numbers
of them. The gods remained for six days on the canal, waiting for the
reappearance of the foe, but none were to be seen. Then Horus scattered
abroad his followers to destroy the remnant of Set's army.
The last two battles were fought at Thalû (Zaru), and at Shaïs, in
Nubia. At Thalû Horus took the form of a fierce lion, and slew a
hundred and forty-two enemies. At Shaïs he appeared once more in the
shape of a great shining disk with wings of splendid plumage, and with
the goddesses Nekhbet and Uazet on either side of it in the shape of
crowned snakes. On these occasions also Horus was victorious.
There are various endings to this myth. It is said that the prisoner
whom Horus caused to be decapitated was none other than Set, whose fate,
however, did not hinder him from living again and taking the form of
a serpent. According to this version Horus of Edfû was accompanied by
Horus the Child, son of Isis and Osiris. In the same inscription which
gives an account of the battles Horus the Elder and Horus the Child
are utterly confused at the end. So while Horus the Elder fights the
battles, Horus the Child kills Set. They are looked upon as one and the
same. On capturing Set, therefore, Horus, according to one account,
delivered him into the hands of Isis, who cut off his head.
Another version, again, has it that the decisive battle has not yet been
fought, and that Horus will finally destroy his enemy, when Osiris and
the gods once more return to earth.
Other Horus Legends
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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