CHAP. XIII. NEPHTHYS, THE END. 439 



pression of a malevolent Deity ; corruption or the 

 termination of life not being looked upon as anni- 

 hilation, as I have already had occasion to observe.* 

 All persons, therefore, who died, were thought to 

 pass, through the influence of Nephthys, into a 

 future state; and the presence of Netpe on the 

 coffins of the dead also purported that, being born 

 again and assuming the title of Osiris, each indivi- 

 dual had become the son of Netpe, even as the great 

 Ruler of Amenti, to whose name he was entitled 

 when admitted to the mansions of the blessed. 

 But though Nephthys was the " End," she was 

 distinct from " Deaths'** whom I have mentioned 

 as a separate Deity, t 



I have once met with an instance of Nephthys 

 with the adjunct Sothis, connecting her with the 

 Dog-star. This is perhaps an assumption of the 

 attributes of her sister, or may refer to that star at 

 the end instead of the beginning of the year, from 

 which its heliacal rising was usually calculated : 

 but, being of rare occurrence, it is not import- 

 ant, nor does it suffice to connect the Dog-star 

 with the sister of Isis. According to Hesychius, 

 " the Egyptians worshipped a Goddess, whom the 

 Greeks called A4>po6iT7] SxoT<a, * the dark or noc- 

 turnal Venus,' whom Prichard supposes to be 

 Nephthys t J*' but this rather applies to the Egyp- 

 tian Athor. 



* Firfe jswpra, p. 315. 407, 408. 



-j- Vide supra, p. 432., on the God Morx, who was himself distinct 

 from Fttnus, infra, p. 44-^. 

 J Prichard, p. 146. 



