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891.95. Supplementary Evidence on the antiquity of the material in the Defloratio Berosi:
A Comparison of the Circuit of Janus in the Defloratio Berosi with Mesopotamian Tradition
891.96. Though Sumerian, Assyrian, and Babylonian tradition has much to say about Ziusudra (Noah) and the Flood, it does not provide a clear picture of Ziusudra’s history after the Flood. The little that it does say meshes well with the account in the Defloratio. Ziusudra is said to have been transported “by the gods” at the end of his life to the “land of Dilmun” where “the sun rises.” The precise location of Dilmun is disputed, but it was certainly reached by sea, sailing south and east down the Persian Gulf. Some think it was, or included, the island of Bahrein in the Persian Gulf. Others locate it on the coast of the Arabian peninsula, or of the Indian Ocean thereabouts. This is precisely the direction Janus-Noa is said in the Defloratio to have embarked on at the beginning of his colonizing enterprise: from Armenia, through southern Mesopotamia, via the Persian Gulf, to Arabia Felix (the Arabian peninsula). Thereafter, according to the Defloratio, he migrated to Africa and Kittim.
A Comparison of the Circuit of Hercules in the Defloratio Berosi with the Circuit of Horus of Edfu
891.97. The Circuit of the Libyan Hercules in the Defloratio takes the hero 1) from Egypt to Phoenicia (the territory of the Canaanites), that is from Pelusium east and north along the coast of the Mediterranean, 2) to the far North, the land of Brygus of the Aramaean Mysians, then 3), southwards across the Mediterranean in the Sabaean/Minaean maritime zone (around Crete, and the Libyan, Egyptian, and Levantine coastlands), and 4) to Libya, that is the western bank of the Nile; finally he heads back 5) north and eastwards across the Mediterranean to the land of Tubal (Asia), and then 6) to the Mediterranean coastlands (Kittim); he dies and is buried amongst the people of Tubal.
891.98. This pattern is duplicated in the Ptolemaic myth of Horus inscribed on the walls of the Temple of Edfu, which is a reworking of primitive Egyptian material dating back to the Old Kingdom. Heru-Behutet (meaning “Horus of Edfu”) is the Elder Horus, Arueris, who is referred to in the Defloratio as Hercules Liby(c)us. In the Ptolemaic myth, Horus commences his campaigns against Seth (Typhon in the Deforatio Berosi) and his confederates (the other Typhonic or gigantic foes in the Defloratio), who take the form of hippopotami and crocodiles, in Upper Egypt. This long introductory section is omitted in the translation infra. Thereafter he 1) advances to the marshlands on the coast of the Mediterranean, located around Tanis, that is east and north along the Delta coast. 2) He then proceeds to the region of the “Lake of the North,” that is northwards, then 3) chases the enemy across the waters of the Mediterranean to the desert regions west of the Nile, that is southwards, 4) defeating the enemy in the same Libyan deserts. 5) He then returns with his father Ra north and eastwards to Setet (Semitic Asia) and 6) the waters and shores of the Mediterranean seaboard, finally mounting up on the boat of his father the sun-god Ra to sail across the night-sky (viz. Death).
891.99. The relevant geographical passages are highlighted in bold:
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XIV ….
4. Then those enemies rose up to make their escape from before him, and the face of the god was towards the Land of the North, and their hearts were stricken through fear of him. And Heru-Behutet {Horus of Edfu} was at the back (or, side) of them in the Boat of Ra, and those who were following him had spears of metal and chains of metal in their hands;
5 and the god himself was equipped for battle with the weapons of the metal workers which they had with them. And he passed a whole day before he saw them to the north-east of the nome of Tentyra. Then Ra said unto Thoth, “The enemies are resting …….. their lord.”
6. And the Majesty of Ra-Harmachis said to Heru-Behutet, “Thou art my exalted son who didst proceed from Nut. The courage of the enemies hath failed in a moment.” And Heru-Behutet made great slaughter among them. And Thoth said, “The Winged Disk shall be called…. in the name of this Aat;”
7 and is called Heru-Behutet …. its mistress. His name is to the South in the name of this god, and the acacia and the sycamore shall be the trees of the sanctuary. Then the enemies turned aside to flee from before him, and their faces were [towards the North, and they went] to
8 the swamps of Uatch-ur {the “Great Green,” that is, the Mediterranean}, and [their courage failed through fear of him]. And Heru-Behutet was at the back (or, side) of them in the Boat of Ra, and the metal spear was in his hands, and those who were in his following were equipped with the weapons for battle of the metal workers.
9. And the god spent four days and four nights in the water in pursuit of them, but he did not see one of the enemies, who fled from before him in the water in the forms of crocodiles and hippopotami. At length he found them and saw them. And Ra said unto Horus of Heben, “ O Winged Disk, thou great god and lord of heaven,
10 seize thou them ….. ; ” and he hurled his lance after them, and he slew them, and worked a great overthrow of them. And he brought one hundred and forty-two enemies to the forepart of the Boat [of Ra], and with them was a male hippopotamus
11 which had been among those enemies. And he hacked them in pieces with his knife, and he gave their entrails to those who were in his following, and he gave their carcasses to the gods and goddesses who were in the Boat of Ra on the river-bank of the city of Heben. Then Ra said unto Thoth,
12 “See what mighty things Heru-Behutet hath performed in his deeds against the enemies: verily he bath smitten them! And of the male hippopotamus he hath opened the mouth, and he hath speared it, and he hath mounted upon its back.” Then said Thoth to Ra, “Horus shall be called ‘Winged Disk, Great God,
13 Smiter of the enemies in the town of Heben’ from this day forward, and he shall be called ‘He who standeth on the back’ and ‘prophet of this god,’ from this day forward.” These are the things which happened in the lands of the city of Heben, in a region which measured three hundred and forty-two measures on the south, and on the north, on the west, and on the east.
XV.
1. Then the enemies rose up before him by the Lake of the North, and their faces were set towards Uatch-ur {the Mediterranean} which they desired to reach by sailing; but the god smote their hearts and they turned and fled in the water, and they directed their course to the water of the nome of Mertet-Ament, and they gathered themselves together in the water of Mertet in order to join themselves with the enemies [who serve] Set and who are in this region. And Heru-Behutet followed them, being equipped with all his weapons of war to fight against them.
2. And Heru-Behutet made a journey in the Boat of Ra, together with the great god who was in his boat with those who were his followers, and he pursued them on the Lake of the North twice, and passed one day and one night sailing down the river in pursuit of them before he perceived and overtook them, for he knew not the place where they were. Then he arrived at the city of Per-Rehu. And the Majesty of Ra said unto Heru-Behutet, “What hath happened to the enemies? They have gathered together themselves in the water to the west (?) of the nome of Mertet in order to unite themselves with the enemies [who serve] Set, and who are in this region,
3 at the place where are our staff and sceptre.” And Thoth said unto Ra, “Uast in the nome of Mertet is called Uaset because of this unto this day, and the Lake which is in it is called Tempt.” Then Heru-Behutet spake in the presence of his father Ra, saying, “I beseech thee to set thy boat against them, so that I may be able to perform against them that which Ra willeth;” and this was done. Then he made an attack upon them on the lake which was at the west of this district, and he perceived them on the bank of the city ….. which belongeth to the Lake of Mertet.
4. Then Heru-Behutet made an expedition against them, and his followers were with him, and they were provided with weapons of all kinds for battle, and he wrought a great overthrow among them, and he brought in three hundred and eighty-one enemies, and he slaughtered them in the forepart of the Boat of Ra,
5 and he gave one of them to each of those who were in his train. Then Set rose up and came forth, and raged loudly with words of cursing and abuse because of the things which Heru-Behutet had done in respect of the slaughter of the enemies. And Ra said unto Thoth, “This fiend Nehaha-hra uttereth words at the top of his voice because of the things which
6 Heru-Behutet hath done unto him;” and Thoth said unto Ra, “Cries of this kind shall be called Nehaha-hra unto this day.” And Heru-Behutet did battle with the Enemy for a period of time, and he hurled his iron lance at him, and he threw him down on the ground in this region,
7 which is called Pa-Rerehtu unto this day. Then Heru-Behutet came and brought the Enemy with him, and his spear was in his neck, and his chain was round his hands and arms, and the weapon of Horus had fallen on his mouth and had closed it; and he went with him before his father Ra, who said, “O Horus, thou Winged Disk,
8 twice great (Urui-Tenten) is the deed of valour which thou hast done, and thou hast cleansed the district.” And Ra, said unto Thoth, “The palace of Heru-Behutet shall be called, ‘Lord of the district which is cleansed’ because of this;” and [thus is it called] unto this day. And the name of the priest thereof is called Ur-Tenten unto this day.
9. And Ra said unto Thoth, “Let the enemies and Set be given over to Isis and her son Horus, and let them work all their heart’s desire upon them.” And she and her son Horus set themselves in position with their spears in him at the time when there was storm (or, disaster) in the district, and the Lake of the god was
10 called She-en-aha from that day to this. Then Horus the son of Isis cut off the head of the Enemy [Set], and the heads of his fiends in the presence of father Ra and of the great company of the gods, and he dragged him by his feet through his district with his spear driven through his head and back. And Ra said unto Thoth,
11 “Let the son of Osiris drag the being of disaster through his territory;” and Thoth said, “It shall be called Ateh,” and this hath been the name of the region from that day to this. And Isis, the divine lady, spake before Ra, saying, “Let the exalted Winged Disk become the amulet of my son Horus, who hath cut off the head of the Enemy and the heads of his fiends.”
XVI.
1. Thus Heru-Behutet and Horus, the son of Isis, slaughtered that evil Enemy, and his fiends, and the inert foes, and came forth with them to the water on the west side of this district. And Heru-Behutet was in the form of a man of mighty strength, and he had the face of a hawk, and his head was crowned with the White Crown and the Red Crown, and with two plumes and two uraei, and he had the back of a hawk, and his spear and his chain were in his hands. And Horus, the son of Isis, transformed himself into a similar shape, even as Heru-Behutet had done before him.
2. And they slew the enemies all together on the west of Per-Rehu, on the edge of the stream, and this god hath sailed over the water wherein the enemies had banded themselves together against him from that day to this. Now these things took place on the 7th day of the first mouth of the season Pert. And Thoth said, “This region shall be called Aat-shatet,” and this hath been the name of the region from that day unto this; and the Lake which is close by it
3 hath been called Temt from that day to this, and the 7th day of the first month of the season Pert hath been called the Festival of Sailing from that day to this. Then Set took upon himself the form of a hissing serpent, and he entered into the earth in this district without being seen. And Ra said, “Set hath taken upon himself the form of a hissing serpent. Let Horus, the son of Isis, in the form of a hawk-headed staff, set himself over the place where he is, so that the serpent may never more appear.”
4. And Thoth said, “Let this district be called Hemhemet by name;” and thus hath it been called from that day to this. And Horus, the son of Isis, in the form of a hawk headed staff, took up his abode there with his mother Isis; in this manner did these things happen. Then the Boat of Ra arrived at the town of Het-Aha;
5 its forepart was made of palm wood, and the hind part was made of acacia wood; thus the palm tree and the acacia tree have been sacred trees from that day to this. Then Heru-Behutet embarked in the Boat of Ra, after he had made an end of fighting, and sailed; and Ra said unto Thoth, “Let this Boat be called …… ;” and thus hath it been called from that day to this,
6 and these things have been done in commemoration in this place from that day to this. And Ra said unto Heru-Behutet, “Behold the fighting of the Smait fiend and his two-fold strength, and the Smai fiend Set, are upon the water of the North, and they will sail down stream upon ……..” [And] Heru-Behutet said, “Whatsoever thou commandest shall take place,
7 O Ra, Lord of the gods. Grant thou, however, that this thy Boat may pursue them into every place whithersoever they shall go, and I will do to them whatsoever pleaseth Ra.” And everything was done according to what he had said. Then this Boat of Ra was brought by the winged Sun-disk upon the waters of the Lake of Meh {the Lake of the North}, [and] Heru-Behutet took in his hands his weapons, his darts, and his harpoon, and all the chains [which he required] for the fight.
8. And Heru-Behutet looked and saw one [only] of these Sebau fiends there on the spot, and he was by himself. And he threw one metal dart, and brought (or, dragged) them along straightway, and he slaughtered them in the presence of Ra. And he made an end [of them, and there were no more of the fiends] of Set in this place at [that] moment.
XVII
1. And Thoth said, “This place shall be called Ast-ab-heru,” because Heru-Behutet wrought his desire upon them (i.e., the enemy); and he passed six days and six nights coming into port on the waters thereof and did not see one of them. And he saw them fall down in the watery depths, and he made ready the place of Ast-ab-Heru there. It was situated on the bank of the water, and the face (i.e., direction) thereof was full-front towards the South.
2. And all the rites and ceremonies of Heru-Behutet were performed on the first day of the first month of the season Akhet, and on the first day of the first month of the season Pert, and on the twenty-first and twenty-fourth days of the second month of the season Pert. These are the festivals in the town of Ast-ab, by the side of the South, in An-rut-f. And he came into port and went against them, keeping watch as for a king over the Great God in An-rut-f, in this place, in order to drive away the Enemy and his Smaiu fiends at his coming by night from the region of Mertet, to the west of this place.
3 And Heru-Behutet was in the form of a man who possessed great strength, with the face of a hawk; and he was crowned with the White Crown, and the Red Crown, and the two plumes, and the Urerit Crown, and there were two uraei upon his head. His hand grasped firmly his harpoon to slay the hippopotamus, which was [as hard] as the khenem stone in its mountain bed. And Ra said unto Thoth, “Indeed [Heru-]Behutet is like a Master-fighter in the slaughter of his enemies …. .” And Thoth said unto Ra, “He shall be called ‘Neb-Ahau’ ” (i.e., Master-fighter); and for this reason he hath been thus called by the priest of this god unto this day.
4. And Isis made incantations of every kind in order to drive away the fiend Ra from An-rut-f, and from the Great God in this place. And Thoth said [unto Ra], “The priestess of this god shall be called by the name of ‘Nebt-Heka’ for this reason.” And Thoth said unto Ra, “Beautiful, beautiful is this place wherein thou hast taken up thy seat, keeping watch, as for a king, over the Great God who is in An-rut-f in peace.”
5. And Thoth said, “This Great House in this place shall therefore be called ‘Ast-nefert’ from this day.” It is situated to the south-west of the city of Nart, and [coverethl a space of four schoinoi. And Ra-Heru-Behutet said unto Thoth, “Hast thou not searched through this water for the enemy?” And Thoth said,
6 “The water of the God-house in this place shall be called by the name of ‘Heh’ (i.e., sought out).” And Ra said, “Thy ship, O Heru-Behutet, is great (?) upon Ant-mer (?) …..” And Thoth said, “The name of [thy ship] shall be called ‘Ur’, and this stream shall be called ‘Antmer’ (?).”
7. As concerning (or, now) the place AbBat (?) is situated on the shore of the water. ‘Ast-nefert’ is the name of the Great house, ‘Neb-Aha’ [is the name of] the priest ……. is the name of the priestess, ‘Heh’ is the name of the lake ……, [is the name] of the water,
8 ‘Ain-her-net’ is the name of the holy (?) acacia tree, ‘Neter het’ is the name of the domain of the god, ‘Uru’ is the name of the sacred boat, the gods therein are Heru-Behutet, the smiter of the lands, Horus, the son of Isis [and] Osiris …….
9 his blacksmiths are to him, and those who are in his following are to him in his territory, with his metal lance, with his [mace], with his dagger, and with all his chains (or, fetters) which are in the city of Heru-Behutet. [And when he had reached the land of the North with his followers, he found the enemy.]
10. Now as for the blacksmiths who were over the middle regions, they made a great slaughter of the enemy, and there were brought back one hundred and six of them. Now as for the blacksmiths of the West, they brought back one hundred and six of the enemy. Now as for the blacksmiths of the East, among whom was Heru-Behutet,
11 he slew them (i.e., the enemy) in the presence of Ra in the Middle Domains. And Ra, said unto Thoth, “My heart [is satisfied] with the works of these blacksmiths of Heru-Behutet who are in his bodyguard. They shall dwell in 4 sanctuaries, and libations and purifications and (offerings shall be made to their images, and
12 [there shall be appointed for them] priests who shall minister by the month, and priests who shall minister by the hour, in all their God-houses whatsoever, as their reward because they have slain the enemies of the god.” And Thoth said, “The [Middle] Domains shall be called after the names of these blacksmiths from this day onwards,
13 and the god who dwelleth among them, Heru-Behutet, shall be called the ‘Lord of Mesent’ from this day onwards, and the domain shall be called ‘Mesent of the West’ from this day onwards.” As concerning Mesent of the West, the face (or, front) thereof shall be towards [the East], towards the place where Ra riseth, and this Mesent shall be called ‘Mesent of the East’ from this day onwards.
14. As concerning the double town of Mesent, the work of these blacksmiths of the East, the face (or, front) thereof shall be towards the South, towards the city of Behutet, the hiding-place of Heru-Behutet. And there shall be performed therein all the rites and ceremonies of Heru-Behutet on the second day of the first month of the season of Akhet, and on the twenty-fourth day of the fourth month of the season of Akhet, and on the seventh day of the first month of the season Pert, and on the twenty-first day of the second month of the season Pert, from this day onwards.
15. Their stream shall be called the name of ‘Asti’, their Great House shall be called ‘Abet’, the [priest (?)] shall be called ‘Qen-aha,’ and their domain shall be called ‘Kau-Mesent’ from this day onwards.
XVIII.
1. And Ra said unto Heru-Behutet, “These enemies have sailed up the river, to the country of Setet, to the end of the pillar-house of Hat, and they have sailed up the river to the east, to the country of Tchalt (or, Tchart), which is their region of swamps.” And Heru-Behutet said, “Everything which thou hast commanded hath come to pass, Ra, Lord of the gods; thou art the lord of commands.” And they untied the Boat of Ra, and they sailed up the river to the east. Then he looked upon those enemies whereof some of them had fallen into the sea (or, river), and the others had fallen headlong on the mountains.
2. And Heru-Behutet transformed himself into a lion which had the face of a man, and which was crowned with the triple crown. His paw was like unto a flint knife, and he went round and round by the side of them, and brought back one hundred and forty-two [of the enemy], and he rent them in pieces with his claws. He tore out their tongues, and their blood flowed on the ridges of the land in this place; and he made them the property of those who were in his following [whilst] he was upon the mountains. And Ra said unto Thoth, “Behold, Heru-Behutet is like unto a lion in his lair [when] he is on the back of the enemy who have given unto him their tongues.”
3. And Thoth said, “This domain shall be called ‘Khent-abt,’ and it shall [also] be called ‘Tchalt’ (or, Tchart) from this day onwards. And the bringing of the tongues from the remote places of Tchalt [shall be commemorated] from this day onwards. And this god shall be called ‘Heru-Behutet, Lord of Mesent,’ from this day onwards.” And Ra said unto Heru-Behutet, “Let us sail to the south up the river, and let us smite the enemies [who are] in the forms of crocodiles and hippopotami in the face of Egypt.”
4. And Heru-Behutet said, “Thy divine Ka, O Ra, Lord of the gods! Let us sail up the river against the remainder — one third — of the enemies who are in the water (or, river).” Then Thoth recited the chapters of protecting the Boat [of Ra] and the boats of the blacksmiths,
5 [which he used] for making tranquil the sea at the moment when a storm was raging on it. And Ra said unto Thoth, “Have we not journeyed throughout the whole land? Shall we not journey over the whole sea in like manner?” And Thoth said, “This water shall be called the ‘Sea of Journeying,’ from this day onward.” And they sailed about over the water during the night,
6 and they did not see any of those enemies at all. Then they made a journey forth and arrived in the country of Ta-sti, at the town of Shas-hertet, and he perceived the most able of their enemies in the country of Uaua, and they were uttering treason against Horus their Lord.
7 And Heru-Behutet changed his form into that of the Winged Disk, [and took his place] above the bow of the Boat of Ra. And he made the goddess Nekhebit and the goddess Uatchit to be with him in the form of serpents, so that they might make the Sebau fiends to quake in [all] their limbs (or, bodies). Their boldness (i.e., that of the fiends) subsided through the fear of him, they made no resistance whatsoever, and they died straightway.
8 Then the gods who were in the following of the Boat of Heru-khuti said, “Great, great is that which he hath done among them by means of the two Serpent Goddesses, for he hath overthrown the enemy by means of their fear of him.” And Ra Heru-khuti said, “The great one of the two Serpent Goddesses of Heru-Behutet shall be called ‘Ur-Uatchti’ from this day onwards.”
XIX.
1. And Heru-khuti travelled on in his boat, and landed at the city of Thes-Heru. And Thoth said, “The being of light who hath come forth from the horizon hath smitten the enemy in the form which he hath made, and he shall be called ‘Being of Light who hath come forth from the Horizon’ from this day onwards.” And Ra Heru-khuti said to Thoth, “Thou shalt make this Winged Disk to be in every place wherein I seat myself (or, dwell), and in [all] the seats of the gods in the South, and in [all] the seats of the gods in the Land of the North …… in the Country of Horus,
2 that it may drive away the evil ones from their domains.” Then Thoth made the image of the Winged Disk to be in every sanctuary and in every temple, where they now are, wherein are all the gods and all the goddesses from this day onwards. Now through the Winged Disk which is on the temple-buildings of all the gods and all the goddesses of the Land of the Lily, and the Land of the Papyrus, [these buildings] become shrines of Heru-Behutet. As concerning Heru-Behutet, the great god, the lord of heaven, the president of the Ater of the South, he it is who is made to be on the right hand. This is Heru-Behutet
3 on whom the goddess Nekhebit is placed in the form of a serpent (or, uraeus). As concerning Heru-Behutet, the great god, the lord of heaven, the lord of Mesent, the president of the Ater of the North, he it is who is made to be on the left hand. This Heru-Behutet on whom the goddess Uatebit is placed is in the form of a serpent. As concerning Heru-Behutet, the great god, the lord of heaven, the lord of Mesent, the president of the two Aterti of the South and North, Ra Heru-khuti set it (i.e., the Winged Disk) in his every place, to overthrow the enemies in every place wherein they are. And he shall be called President of the two Aterti of the South and North because of this from this day onwards.”
Source: E. A. Wallis Budge, Legends of the Egyptian Gods