Read More
The discipline of evaluation | Human Reinvented | Frank Ng & Ryan Ng
07-07-2026 04:34 HKT
Durian guide: 6 common varieties and how to choose a ripe one
07-07-2026 12:00 HKT
Since history’s dawn by the Nile, ancient Egyptians wove a magnificent foundational tale deeply capturing their conscience: Isis and Osiris. Not merely a passing story, it perfectly mirrored human hopes and fears, beautifully embodying the eternal clash of good and evil, and the duality of life and death.
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
The epic begins when the god Osiris ruled as earth’s greatest king. Heaven and earth’s firstborn, he ruled justly, teaching people agriculture, writing and virtue. The Nile overflowed; fields turned green. Beloved, he symbolized perfection and life. But envy consumed his brother Seth, sparking a deadly plot. Seth crafted an exquisite golden coffin exactly matching Osiris’s size. During a festive banquet, he tricked his brother inside. Instantly, Seth sealed it, casting it into the dark depths of the Nile. It drifted, finally reaching the shores of Byblos.
Here, the greatness of woman and wife emerged through Isis, goddess of magic and devotion. Roaming the earth weeping.
“Return to your home, O god, return to your home, you who have no enemies, O beautiful youth. Return to your home to see me, for I am your sister who loves you, and I must not lose you, O beautiful god. Return to your home. I see you now, yet my heart overflows with love for you and my eyes yearn for you. Return to the one who loves you, return to your wife.”
She found the coffin, and by her magic, she revived him. Living secretly in the Delta marshes, she conceived his heir, Horus. Yet, a cruel fate awaited when Set found Osiris, tearing him into 42 pieces and scattering them across Egypt to become sacred pilgrimage sites.
Unbroken, Isis gathered his remains with rare loyalty. Unable to stay among the living, Osiris descended as Underworld lord and judge.
The myth peaks with Horus and Set’s 80-year battle over Egypt’s throne. But, this is a story for another time …
Amjad Refai is the director of the Arabic Programme at the University of Hong Kong