ds
that some deadly creature had bitten him, something the like of which he
had never seen, something which his hand had never made. He said, "Never
before have I felt such pain; there is no pain worse than this." Ra then
went on to describe his greatness and power, and told the listening gods
that his father and mother had hidden his name in his body so that no
one might be able to master him by means of any spell or word of power.
In spite of this something had struck him, and he knew not what it was.
"Is it fire?" he asked. "Is it water? My heart is full of burning fire,
my limbs are shivering, shooting pains are in all my members." All the
gods round about him uttered cries of lamentation, and at this moment
Isis appeared. Going to Ra she said, "What is this, O divine father?
What is this? Hath a serpent bitten thee? Hath something made by thee
lifted up its head against thee? Verily my words of power shall
overthrow it; I will make it depart in the sight of thy light." Ra then
repeated to Isis the story of the incident, adding, "I am colder than
water, I am hotter than fire. All my members sweat. My body quaketh.
Mine eye is unsteady. I cannot look on the sky, and my face is bedewed
with water as in the time of the Inundation."[1] Then Isis said,
"Father, tell me thy name, for he who can utter his own name liveth."

[Footnote 1: _i.e._ in the period of summer. The season Shemmu began in
April and ended about July 15.]

Ra replied, "I am the maker of heaven and earth. I knit together the
mountains and whatsoever liveth on them. I made the waters. I made
Mehturit[1] to come into being. I made Kamutef.[2] I made heaven, and
the two hidden gods of the horizon, and put souls into the gods. I open
my eyes, and there is light; I shut my eyes, and there is darkness. I
speak the word[s], and the waters of the Nile appear. I am he whom the
gods know not. I make the hours. I create the days. I open the year. I
make the river [Nile]. I create the living fire whereby works in the
foundries and workshops are carried out. I am Khepera in the morning, Ra
at noon, and Temu in the evening." Meanwhile the poison of the serpent
was coursing through the veins of Ra, and the enumeration of his works
afforded the god no relief from it. Then Isis said to Ra, "Among all the
things which thou hast named to me thou hast not named thy name. Tell me
thy name, and the poison shall come forth from thee." Ra still
hesitated, but the poison was b