if it is alone
with itself, for if its lower nature lays hold of it, it must perish.
Man must construct for himself the boat which is to carry him over the
flood of the transitory from the one shore, the sense-nature, to the
other, the eternal, divine world.

Let us look at the Egyptian mystery of Osiris in this light. Osiris
had gradually become one of the most important Egyptian divinities; he
supplanted other gods in certain parts of the country; and an
important cycle of myths was formed round him and his consort Isis.

Osiris was the son of the Sun-god, his brother was Typhon-Set, and his
sister was Isis. Osiris married his sister, and together they reigned
over Egypt. The wicked brother, Typhon, meditated killing Osiris. He
had a chest made which was exactly the length of Osiris' body. At a
banquet this chest was offered to the person whom it exactly fitted.
This was Osiris and none other! He entered the chest. Typhon and his
confederates rushed upon him, closed the chest, and threw it into the
river. When Isis heard the terrible news she wandered far and wide in
despair, seeking her husband's body. When she had found it, Typhon
again took possession of it, and tore it in fourteen pieces which were
dispersed in many different places. Various tombs of Osiris were shown
in Egypt. In many places, up and down the country, portions of the god
were said to be buried. Osiris himself, however, came forth from the
nether-world and vanquished Typhon. A beam shone from him upon Isis,
who in consequence bore a son, Harpocrates or Horus.

And now let us compare this myth with the view which the Greek
philosopher, Empedocles (B.C. 490-430) takes of the universe. He
assumes that the one original primeval being was once broken up into
the four elements, fire, water, earth, and air, or into the
multiplicity of being. He represents two opposing forces, which within
this world of existence bring about growth and decay, love and
strife. Empedocles says of the elements:

They remain ever the same, but yet by
combining their forces
Become transformed into men and the
numberless beings besides.
These are now joined into one, love binding the
many together,
Now once again they are scattered, dispersing
through hatred and strife.

What then are the things in the world from Empedocles' point of view?
They are the elements in different combinations. They could only come
into being because the