Sekhmet the Goddess of Vengence and Hathor the Goddess of Love

When Ra rose from the mists, he created night and day, and Apophis, the Dragon of Evil formed in the darkness of the night vapours and tried to spoil all that was bright and good. Apophis was the enemy of the good rule of Ra as Pharaoh, and as Ra grew old, Apophis reached into the hearts of the people of Egypt and many followed his false promises of power and rebelled against Ra.

Ra called a counsel of his children, Shu, Tefnut, Geb, Nut and Hapi. He also called on Nun who ruled the spirit of the primeval waters. And he asked them all what he should do about the evil among the people of Egypt.

"They gather in Upper Egypt to go greater evil even as we meet here," he said. "Should I strike them all down with a burning glance of my all-seeing Eye?"

Nun, the eldest, spoke first. "Pharaoh do not turn your eye upon Egypt, for you will destroy every being and every thing. Destroy only the evil men and women and spare the good."

Ra nodded and spoke the word Sekhmet and a mighty lioness sprang into the counsel circle. She circled the floor and finally stopped in front of the throne of Ra. For many moments Sekhmet looked at the face of Ra, then she twitched her tail and turned and leapt out of the circle and sped to Upper Egypt.

The mighty jaws and claws of Sekhmet slaughtered the evil doers in Upper Egypt until the Nile ran red with their blood. Her hunger was endless and every day she stalked the men and women of Upper Egypt, and hid by night licking her paws and dreaming of new prey in the coming morning.

But Ra did not want to destroy mankind, only the evildoers. He decided to trick Sekhmet to stop her slaughter, but said, "I will not humble her for she has done what I asked, but I will give her a far greater power over men so that she will not be dishonoured." But first he had to catch her.

So to trap Sekhmet he sent messengers to Elephantine Island at the First Cataract of the Nile, telling them to bring red ochre.

He sent the ochre to Heliopolis to the priest of the Temple of the Sun, Ra's temple. He commanded the priests and all the royal court to make beer and to mingle it with the red ochre so that it was red as blood.

"Quickly, carry the blood red beer to Upper Egypt and spread it on the land to trap Sekhmet," commanded Ra.

When Sekhmet came out in the morning to feast on the wicked, she saw no men, but instead saw what looked like pools of blood spread over the land.

She found she was thirsty and she drank the blood until she was drunk and helpless. And Ra called to her, "Come my pretty one," and she staggered down the Nile to Heliopolis.

Ra met her and lay his hand on her head, "Sekhmet, you have come in peace, so peace be with you, and a new name.You will no longer be Sekhmet the Slayer; you will be Hathor the Lady of Love. You will no longer rule man by terror, but will rule them by the passion of love. For Love is stronger than Hate and Terror, and all men will grow weak with love and be in your power."

"And I decree that on the first day of every year that the priestesses of love will mix the ochre of Elephantine with the beer of Heliopolis at a great festival to Hathor."

And the evil of Apophis was stopped and the bittersweet gift of love was bestowed on mankind.

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