A Journey Through World Mythology: Egyptian Mythology Episode 1 The Osiris Myth — The Beginning of Egyptian Mythology | Why Did Osiris Become the King of the Underworld?
We will explain the greatest story in Egyptian mythology, the "Osiris Myth," in a way that is easy to understand while remaining faithful to ancient traditions.
Osiris, the god who built peace; Set, the brother burning with jealousy; and Isis, the goddess who traveled the world to save her husband.
This is the origin story of Egyptian mythology, depicting death, resurrection, and the birth of the King of the Underworld.
In this series, we will introduce ancient Egyptian mythology based on traditional lore, without altering the historical settings or worldview.
Long ago, in the land of Egypt where the Nile River nurtured life, there were gods who ruled the world.
Four gods were born between Geb, the god of the earth, and Nut, the goddess of the sky—Osiris, Isis, Set, and Nephthys. Among them, Osiris ruled Egypt as king.
Osiris taught the people agriculture, how to grow wheat, established laws, and quelled conflicts. His reign was prosperous and filled with peace, and the people deeply respected their god-king. The queen who stood by his side was his sister Isis, who presided over wisdom and magic. The two became known as the ideal couple among the gods.
However, there was someone who envied this prosperity: his brother Set, who presided over deserts and storms. Wishing to steal the throne, Set devised a cunning plan.
At a banquet one day, Set presented a magnificent coffin and declared, "I shall gift this to whoever fits perfectly inside." The gods tried one after another, but no one fit.
Finally, when Osiris lay down, the coffin, which had been crafted specifically for him, fit perfectly. At that moment, Set's accomplices closed the lid, hammered in nails, sealed it with lead, and cast the coffin into the Nile River.
Overcome with grief, Isis traveled the world in search of her husband. After a long quest, she found the coffin in the distant land of Byblos and finally brought her husband's remains back to Egypt.
However, when Set learned of this, he was enraged. He stole Osiris's body, cut it into fourteen pieces, and scattered them across Egypt.
Even so, Isis never gave up. Together with her sister Nephthys, she traveled across the land, collecting the scattered remains one by one. Then, through the power of magic, she briefly resurrected Osiris.
During this miracle, Horus, the god who would later become king, was conceived between the two.
However, Osiris could no longer return to the surface. He departed for the underworld to become the king who judges the dead.
Thus, Osiris became the god of "death and rebirth," associated with the life of plants that revive every year, giving people hope for eternal life.
And so, the grown Horus sets out on a grand battle against his arch-enemy Set to reclaim his father's throne.
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A Journey Through World Mythology: Index
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Director: Ko-ji
Story and Prompt: ChatGPT
Images and Video: Flow
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