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The Egyptian myth of Isis and the seven scorpions

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    A woman in rags emerged from the swamp
    flanked by seven giant scorpions.
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    Carrying a baby, she headed for the
    nearest village to beg for food.
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    She approached a magnificent mansion,
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    but the mistress of the house took one
    look at her grimy clothes
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    and unusual companions and slammed the
    door in her face.
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    So she continued down the road until she
    came to a cottage.
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    The woman there took pity on the stranger
    and offered her what she could:
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    a simple meal and a bed of straw.
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    Her guest was no ordinary beggar.
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    She was Isis, the most powerful goddess
    in Egypt.
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    Isis was in hiding from her brother Set,
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    who murdered her husband and wanted
    to murder her infant son, Horus.
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    Set was also a powerful god, and he was
    looking for them.
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    So to keep her cover, Isis had to be very
    discreet––
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    she couldn’t risk using her powers.
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    But she was not without aid. Serket,
    goddess of venomous creatures,
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    had sent seven of her fiercest servants
    to guard Isis and her son.
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    As Isis and Horus settled into their humble
    accommodation,
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    the scorpions fumed at how the wealthy
    woman had offended their divine mistress.
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    They all combined their venom and gave
    it to one of the seven, Tefen.
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    In the dead of night, Tefen crept over
    to the mansion.
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    As he crawled under the door,
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    he saw the owner’s young son sleeping
    peacefully and gave him a mighty sting.
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    Isis and her hostess were soon awakened
    by loud wailing.
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    As they peered out of the doorway of
    the cottage,
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    they saw a mother running through the
    street, weeping as she cradled her son.
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    When Isis recognized the woman who
    had turned her away,
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    she understood what her
    scorpions had done.
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    Isis took the boy in her arms and began
    to recite a powerful spell:
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    "O poison of Tefen, come out of him and
    fall upon the ground!
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    Poison of Befen, advance not, penetrate
    no farther, come out of him,
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    and fall upon the ground!
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    For I am Isis, the great Enchantress,
    the Speaker of spells.
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    Fall down, O poison of Mestet! Hasten
    not, poison of Mestetef!
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    Rise not, poison of Petet and Thetet!
    Approach not, poison of Matet!"
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    With each name she invoked, that
    scorpion’s poison was neutralized.
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    The child stirred, and his mother wept
    with gratitude
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    and lamented her earlier callousness,
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    offering all her wealth to
    Isis in repentance.
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    The woman who had taken Isis in
    watched in awe—
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    she had had no idea who she’d brought
    under her roof.
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    And from that day on,
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    the people learned to make a poultice
    to treat scorpion bites,
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    speaking magical incantations
    just as the goddess had.
Title:
The Egyptian myth of Isis and the seven scorpions
Speaker:
Alex Gendler
Description:

more » « less
Video Language:
English
Team:
closed TED
Project:
TED-Ed
Duration:
03:19
lauren mcalpine approved English subtitles for The Egyptian myth of Isis and the seven scorpions Feb 18, 2020, 6:02 PM
lauren mcalpine edited English subtitles for The Egyptian myth of Isis and the seven scorpions Feb 18, 2020, 6:02 PM
lauren mcalpine accepted English subtitles for The Egyptian myth of Isis and the seven scorpions Feb 18, 2020, 5:59 PM
lauren mcalpine edited English subtitles for The Egyptian myth of Isis and the seven scorpions Feb 18, 2020, 5:59 PM
Tara Ahmadinejad edited English subtitles for The Egyptian myth of Isis and the seven scorpions Feb 17, 2020, 10:16 PM
Tara Ahmadinejad edited English subtitles for The Egyptian myth of Isis and the seven scorpions Feb 17, 2020, 6:14 AM

English subtitles

Revisions Compare revisions

  • Revision 4 Edited
    lauren mcalpine Feb 18, 2020, 6:02 PM
  • Revision 3 Edited
    lauren mcalpine Feb 18, 2020, 5:59 PM
  • Revision 2 Edited
    Tara Ahmadinejad Feb 17, 2020, 10:16 PM
  • Revision 1 Edited
    Tara Ahmadinejad Feb 17, 2020, 6:14 AM