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liverers of mankind,” “ only-begotten sons” ; consequently, it would appear that 
there was a certain urns loquendi governing the interpretation of the Egyptian 
sacred texts, and it is this usus loquendi which has, perhaps, been by myself 
too little regarded, and the apparently Christian analogies interpreted too 
literally. Still, for all that, I verily believe that as I have done and as I have 
read, so in perfect good faith the orthodox Christian fathers and the unortho- 
dox Gnostics and Ebionites understood the hagiography of the Egyptians, 
2 Hail to thee, divine flesh of Ra (the sun-god). 
Elder son, issued from his body. 
Selected by him previous to his birth ; 
3 The valiant, who is Lord of events, 
and overthrows the wicked every day. 
The (solar) barge is sailing joyfully. 
The (solar) ark in jubilation,* * * * § 
4 as they see 
Shu the Son of Ra in (his) triumph : 
he darts his spear against the serpent. 
(Being) Ra, he navigates the heaven on high every morning. 
The goddess Tafnut rests upon his head ; 
5 She gives her fire against his enemies to reduce them to non-existence. 
(Who is) the bolt of Ra, the Oer-hakv, f 
the Divine Heir on 
6 the throne of his father. 
His substance is blended with the substance of Ra, 
as he is the abundant nutriment which is within him. 
He made for him hereditary titles, which are in the writings 
7 of the Lord of Sesun.J the Scribe of the King Ra-Horemakhou,§ in 
the royal palace of On,|| consigned, performed, engraved in script 
under 
8 the feet of Ra-Haremakhou,^[ 
and he transmitted it to the son of his son ** for centuries and eternity. 
[Here begins the traditional text of the magical hymn.] 
Hail to thee ! who art the Son of Ra, begotten 
9 by Tum himself, self-existent, not haviug a mother, 
Truth, Lord of Truths ; 
Commander, commanding the gods ; 
Conveyer of the sacred eye of his father RA.ff 
* The peaceful and regular course of the sun is a constant proof of the 
preservation of the order of things in the universe. The joy of the crew 
rowing the solar barge on the abyss of heaven is therefore an image of common 
occurrence on Egyptian texts. 
t Oer-hciku, literally, “the great magic power,” here personified as a 
goddess. 
^ Ilermopolis magna, the sacred city of Thoth. 
§ Ra-Hor-em-akhou, or The Sun-Harraakhis, is the full royal name of the 
Sun in his character of first king of Egypt. 
|| Heliopolis magna. 
1 Under the feet of a statue of the god. 
** Literally, “ from generation to generation” (de pere en fils). 
ft The sacred eye of Ra is the sun considered as a star. 
