368 THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS. CHAP. XIII. 



were the same as Isis and Osiris, and had sovereign 

 power in the lower regions." An inscription of 

 Arrius Balbinus, found at Capua, calls "Isis one 

 and all tilings:" and Diodorus* makes the Goddess 

 say, "I am Isis, Queen of the country, educated by 

 Mercury (Thoth). What I have decreed, no one 

 can annul. I am the eldest daughter of Saturn (Seb), 

 the youngest of the Gods. I am the sister and wife 

 of King Osiris. I am the first who taught men the 

 use of corn. I am the mother of Horus ; I am she 

 who rises in the Dog-star : the city of Bubastis was 

 built in my honour. Rejoice, O Egypt, which 

 hast been to me a nurse." The same author also 

 says, " There is a great question respecting this 

 Goddess, as well as Osiris ; some calling her Isis, 

 others Ceres, Thesmophoron, the Moon, or Juno ; 

 and many give her all these names. t 



Phitarch considers *' Isis to be the Earth t, the 

 feminine part of nature §, or that property which 

 renders her a fit subject for the })roduction of all 

 other beings" ; and he thinks ll "that the dresses 

 of her statues were made with a variety of colours, 

 from her power being wholly conversant about 

 matter, which becomes and admits all things." The 

 notion of Isis being the Earth agrees with her 

 supposed resemblance to Ceres, under the name of 

 Demeter, or mother Earth ; and Diodorus % says, 

 that " the Egyptians, considering the Earth to be 



* Diodor. i. 27. f Diodor. i. 25. 



t Plut. de Is. s. 38. 



§ Plut. de Is. s. 53. Conf. Athenagor. Supplic. pro Christianis, " Inv 

 (pvffiv (niovoQ, tK »/g TravrtQ t(pvtyav" 



II Plut. de Is. s. 78. H Diodor. i. ] 2. 



