CHAP. XIII. THE MKINIBERS OF OSIRIS. 333 



liusband, in order that, if Typho should overcome 

 Horus in the approaching conquest, he might be 

 unable to find the real sepulchre. Isis succeeded 

 in recovering all the different members, with the 

 exception of one, which had been devoured by the 

 Lepidotus, the Phagrus, and the Oxyrhinchus ; for 

 which reason these hsh are held in abhorrence by 

 the Egyptians. To make amends, therefore, for 

 this loss, she consecrated the Phallus, and instituted 

 a solemn festival to its memory." 



" A battle at length took place between Horus 

 and Typho, in which the latter was taken prisoner. 

 Isis, however, to whose custody he was committed, 

 so far from putting him to death, set him at liberty; 

 which so incensed Horus, that he tore off the royal 

 diadem she wore ; but Hermes substituted in its 

 stead a helmet made in the shape of an ox's head. 

 After this, Typho publicly accused Horus of illegi- 

 timacy ; but, with the assistance of Hermes, the 

 question was set at rest by the judgment of the 

 Gods themselves ; and at length two other battles 

 were fought, in which Typho was defeated. 



*' It is also related, that Isis had intercourse with 

 Osiris after his death, and, in consequence, brought 

 forth Harpocrates, who came into the world before 

 his time, and lame in his lower limbs." 



Proceeding with the examination of the different 

 parts of this allegorical fable, Plutarch observes*, 

 that, " Osiris being the inundation of the Nile, and 

 Isis the land irrigated by it," from the conjunction 

 of these two, Horus was born, meaning thereby, 



* Plut. de Is. s. 38. 



