CHAP, XIII. CHILDREN OF SEB. 311 



children, the two first of them (Osh'is and Aroeris) 

 are said to have been begotten by the Sun, Isis 

 by Mercury, Typho* and Nephthys by Saturn; 

 and accordingly the third of these superadded 

 days, because it was looked upon as the birth- 

 day of Typho, was regarded by the Kings as in- 

 auspicious, and consequently they neither trans- 

 acted any business on itt, nor even suffered them- 

 selves to take any refreshment until the evening. 

 They further add, that Typho married Nephthys ; 

 and that Isis having a fond affection for Osiris 

 while they were yet together in their mother's 

 womb, became pregnant by her brother, and from 

 this commerce sprang Aroeris, whom the Egyp- 

 tians likewise call the elder Horus, and the Greeks 

 Apollo." 



According to this account, Osiris was the son of 

 Netpe (or Rhea), by the Sun ; Isis, by Mercury : 

 how, then, could they be twins? And " Saturn," 

 we are told by Plutarch, " intrusted the care of 

 the child Osiris to Paamyles ; " which could not 

 reasonably be expected, unless he were his own son. 

 Were Plutarch our only guide, we might remain in 

 uncertainty upon the subject ; but fortunately the 

 hieroglyphics solve the difficulty, and establish the 

 claims of Seb (or Saturn) to the title of father of 

 Osiris. 



Seb is sometimes represented with a goose stand- 

 ing upon his head, which is the initial of his pho- 



* The word T3pho is to be preferred to T^plum. 

 -|- An unlucky day. Some [jcrsons are eijually superstitious about 

 unlucky days, even in these enlightened times. 



X 4 



