Source of Lily is Isis the mother of Horus

[songbird3411]

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, Nora <nrenka at y...> wrote:

>> So, who's Osiris in this setup?  James?  Nah, JKR only seems to be 
going the incest route with the Gaunts (and maybe some of the Blacks). 
Ever the problem with readings of mythological correspondences on the 
grand scale--everyone goes for the things that fit and ignores as 
detail the things that don't. :)<<

Well, as someone who has taken a fair few classes in Egyptology, I 
suppose I am qualified to comment here.  Egyptian religion and 
mythology is the very definition of a complex topic.  The pantheon was 
never truly defined.  The relationships between the Gods shifted and 
changed with the times.  Each dynasty changed the relationships and 
stories to fit with current events or ideology.

These Horus/Isis/Osiris/Set myths are some of the oldest in 
mythology.  (And Randy managed to pull the tamest versions of them.)  
However, the version Randy is quoting isn't even the most popular of 
the bunch.  In the (supposed) original version, it is Isis who 
reassembles Osiris.  In that version Horus is not even yet born.  
Also, I must point out that in Egyptian myth Seth wasn't even always 
the bad guy.  Some of the dynasties even took his name as the root of 
their dynasty.  Some pharoahs were named for him.  (See: Seti I, 
father of Ramses II)  Also, Seth wasn't always depicted as a serpent.  
Sometimes he was the god depicted as a lion.  I believe that will give 
you a taste of how complex Egyptian myth can get.

Anyway, before I start sounding like an Egyptology geek (though I 
truly am one), I needed to point out that if one was searching for a 
theme or idea in Egyptian mythology, it wouldn't be difficult to 
find.  I imagine just about every version of every kind of myth can be 
found with some God or other playing the lead.  

If JKR is using Egyptian myth as a basis for HP, she is a braver woman 
than I.  There is just a lot of *stuff* to slog through to find what 
you are looking for.  I am fairly well versed in it, but it still 
wouldn't be the place I would first look for HP comparisons.

Sorry if it sounds like I put a damper on Randy's posts.  I prefer the 
original myths, so I tend to see Isis as the one who reassembled 
Osiris, not Horus.  Although, the eye of Horus myths can certainly fit 
some aspects of HP, I will admit.  Something to think about.

Mindy