The Mythomotor of Integration

The Egypt of the Pharaohs did not have a national historiography that was even remotely comparable to that of the Bible. The first tentative beginnings were made during the period of the Ptolemies (Manetho). The lists of kings, which date back to the New Kingdom, were not meant to be history; they were used instead to measure time (i.e., “cold” memory). This does not mean that the Egyptian self-image did not incorporate any specific memories or solid forms of reconstruction. Such forms, however, were not narrative as we might expect, but they were condensed into a symbol, and in linguistic terms this was: “The unification of the two lands” (in Egyptian zm3 t3wj). “The two lands” was the name that Ancient Egyptians normally gave to their country, and this referred to Upper and Lower Egypt – in Egyptian Shemac and Mehu, two totally different words. The Egyptian king had two titles: njswt for King of Upper Egypt, and bjt for Lower. His two crowns symbolized his dual rule, and they were assigned to two crown goddesses and two crown cities, which were the capitals of earlier, mythical (possibly even historical) states that were united into the Pharaonic Empire (E. Otto 1938). This central political symbol is illustrated on the side panels of the royal throne. Horus and Seth are pictured tying and entwining the armorial plants of Upper and Lower Egypt in a longitudinal pattern that forms a hieroglyph meaning zm3 [to unite]. The state over which the king reigned was the result of a unification brought about in mythical times by the two gods, and renewed by every king on his accession to the throne and throughout his period of rule.

The tale of Horus and Seth gives narrative form to the foundational duality myth of the Egyptian state. But the feuding brothers represent more than just the geographical division into Upper and Lower Egypt. Horus embodies civilization, justice, and order, whereas Seth stands for barbarism, violence, and chaos. Unity is only possible through a reconciliation of these opposing principles; however, this will only be possible if the one is subjugated to the other. Justice, culture, and order must fight and win, but they cannot do so of their own accord. Nor can they drive out chaos, barbarism, and violence – they can only subdue them. Myth, therefore, does not set up a definitive condition – it creates a never-ending project: controlling chaos and establishing order through unity, according to the principle “ab integro nascitur ordo.” Unity is always a potential problem, for it is never given but is something that must be always established and maintained.