The Tale of Isis and Osiris
Who is Isis? She looks like a woman wearing a crown on her head, a hieroglyphic sign used to write her name. Daughter of Nut and Geb, sister and wife of Osiris, she brings civilization to earth. She is a faithful wife and protector of children. Along with Nephthys, Neith, and Selkis, she is responsible for protecting one of the four canopic vases, that of Amsèt, with a man's head and containing the liver. Her cult is venerated in many places in Egypt, notably on the island of Philæ. The representation of Isis suckling Horus inspired the Coptic Christian iconography of the Virgin and Child.
Among the Egyptian gods are Isis, Osiris, Anubis, and Horus; all are shrouded in mystery and intrigue. Many of these deities were represented with animal heads. Let's look at the legend that surrounds this powerful deity. One of the main figures in Egyptian religion was Isis, the mother goddess and loving wife of Osiris. Starting in the third century BC, her cult progressively expanded throughout the Mediterranean region, where she was worshipped as a goddess of magic and a guardian of the dead.
Osiris was the god of the dead, and Isis was his sister, wife, and mother goddess of immense magical power. Their son, Horus, was considered the ideal child. Isis and Horus were revered as symbols of motherhood and protection. According to a tale, Osiris and Isis' brother was Seth, also spelled Set. Seth was a violent and chaotic god. He had Osiris get into a wooden box by deceiving him. Seth forcefully closed the lid after Osiris climbed inside. Throwing the box into the Nile River, he killed Osiris.
According to legend, Isis grieved her husband's passing profoundly. She retrieved Osiris's body and laid him to rest. Then, Osiris was given a fresh start by Isis using her powerful abilities. From then on, he was revered as the monarch of the underworld, or the land of the dead. It was thought that Osiris granted individuals life after death in the underworld.
There are actually several stories about the fate of Osiris in Egyptian mythology. But while some details differ, the main events are similar. Here's the version of the Greek thinker and historian Plutarch: Osiris was one of the sons of the first couple of Egyptian gods, Shu and Tefnut. This union also produced another son, Seth, and two daughters, Isis and Nephthys.
Osiris, a good king, protector of vegetation, and discoverer of nourishing seeds, was jealous of his brother, who ended up locking him up in a sarcophagus and throwing it into the Nile. His sister-wife, Isis, finds him and hides him in the marshes. But when Set discovers him, he cuts his brother's corpse into 14 pieces, which he scatters in the river.
With the help of her sister Nephthys, Isis collects all the parts of their brother's body, and reconstitutes it by wrapping it tightly in bandages, thanks to the god Anubis. She revives him sufficiently to unite with him and give birth to a son, Horus. Osiris returns to the world of the dead, where he becomes king, while his son drives his uncle from power.
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