Wesir

Wesir is the Kemetic Netjer of life, death, and fertility. He is one of the oldest netjeru for whom records have been found and first appears in the Pyramid Texts around 2400 BCE, when his cult is already well established. He was widely worshiped until the forceable suppression of paganism in the Christian era. Wesir was not only the redeemer and merciful judge of the dead in the afterlife, but also the underworld agency that granted all life, including sprouting vegetation and the fertile flooding of the Nile River. The Kings of Egypt were associated with Wesir in death such that as Wesir rose from the dead so would they, in union with him, inherit eternal life through a process of imitative magic. By the New Kingdom all people, not just pharaohs, were believed to be associated with Wesir at death if they incurred the costs of the assimilation rituals.Wesir is the eldest son of the Earth Netjer, Geb, and the sky Netjerut, Nut as well as being brother and husband of Aset, with Heru being considered his posthumously begotten son. He is usually depicted as a green-skinned pharaoh wearing the Atef crown, a form of the white crown of upper Kemet with a plume of feathers to either side. Typically he is also depicted holding the crook and flail which signify divine authority in Egyptian kings, but which were originally unique to Wesir and his own origin-gods, and his feet and lower body are wrapped, as though already partly mummified.O my brothers and my sisters, gather around me that I may tell the tale of the Before-Time, of the Golden Age when Netjer walked upon the earth with us. Know then that in those ancient days, long before even the grandfather of our Pharaoh's grandfather was born, Wesir the great-grandson of Ra sat upon the throne of the gods, ruling over the living world as Ra did over the Netjer. He was the first Nisut, and his Queen, Aset, was the first Queen. They ruled for many ages together, for the world was still young and Grandmother Death was not as harsh as she is now.His ways were just and upright, he made sure that Ma’at remained in balance, that the law was kept. And so Ma’at smiled upon the world. All peoples praised Wesir and Aset, and peace reigned over all, for this was the Golden Age.Yet there was trouble. Proud Set, noble Set, the brother of Wesir, he who defended the Sun Boat from Apep the Destroyer, was unsettled in his heart. He coveted the throne of Wesir. He coveted Aset. He coveted the power over the living world and he desired to take it from his brother. In his dark mind he conceived of a plot to kill Wesir and take all from him. He built a box and inscribed it with wicked magic that would chain anyone who entered it from escaping.Set took the box to the great feast of the gods. He waited until Wesir had made himself drunk on much beer, then challenged Wesir to a contest of strength. Each one in turn would enter the box, and attempt, through sheer strength, to break it open. Wesir, sure in his power yet feeble in mind because of his drink, entered the box. Set quickly poured molten lead into the box. Wesir tried to escape, but the wicked magic held him bound and he died. Set then picked up the box and hurled it into the Nile where it floated away.Set claimed the throne of Wesir for himself and demanded that Aset be his Queen. None of the other gods dared to stand against him, for he had killed Wesir and could easily do the same to them. Great Ra turned his head aside and mourned, he did not stand against Set.This was the dark time. Set was everything his brother was not. He was cruel and unkind, caring not for the balance of Ma’at, or for us, the children of the gods. War divided Kemet, and all was lawless while Set ruled. In vain our people cried to Ra, but his heart was hardened by grief, and he would not listen.Only Aset, blessed Aset, remembered us. Only she was unafraid of Set. She searched all of the Nile for the box containing her beloved husband. Finally she found it, lodged in a tamarisk bush that had turned into a mighty tree, for the power of Wesir still was in him, though he lay dead. She tore open the box and wept over the lifeless body of Wesir. She carried the box back to Kemet and placed it in the house of the gods. She changed herself into a bird and flew about his body, singing a song of mourning. Then she perched upon him and cast a spell. The spirit of dead Wesir entered her and she did conceive and bear a son whose destiny it would be to avenge his father. She called the child Heru, and hid him on an island far away from the gaze of his uncle Set. She then went to Djehuty, wise Djehuty, who knows all secrets, and implored his help. She asked him for magic that could bring Wesir back to life. Djehuty, lord of knowledge, who brought himself into being by speaking his name, searched through his magic. He knew that Wesir' spirit had departed his body and was lost. To restore Wesir, Djehuty had to remake him so that his spirit would recognize him and rejoin. Djehuty and Aset together created the Ritual of Life, that which allows us to live forever when we die. But before Djehuty could work the magic, cruel Set discovered them. He stole the body of Wesir and tore it into many pieces, scattering them throughout Kemet. He was sure that Wesir would never be reborn.Yet Aset would not despair. She implored the help of her sister Nebt-het, kind Nebt-het, to guide her and help her find the pieces of Wesir. Long did they search, bringing each piece to Djehuty that he might work magic upon it. When all the pieces were together, Djehuty went to Yinupu, lord of the dead. Yinupu sewed the pieces back together, washed the entrails of Wesir, embalmed him wrapped him in linen, and cast the Ritual of Life. When Wesir' mouth was opened, his spirit reentered him and he lived again.Yet nothing that has died, not even a god, may dwell in the land of the living. Wesir went to Duat, the abode of the dead. Yinupu yielded the throne to him and he became the lord of the dead. There he stands in judgment over the souls of the dead. He commends the just to the Blessed Land, but the wicked he condemns to be devoured by Ammit. When Set heard that Wesir lived again he was wroth, but his anger waned, for he knew that Wesir could never return to the land of the living. Without Wesir, Set believed he would sit on the throne of the gods for all time. Yet on his island, Heru, the son of Wesir and Aset, grew to manhood and strength. Set sent many serpents and demons to kill Heru, but he defeated them. When he was ready, his mother Aset gave him great magic to use against Set, and Djehuty gave him a magic knife.Heru sought out Set and challenged him for the throne. Set and Heru fought for many days, but in the end Heru defeated Set and castrated him. But Heru, merciful Heru, would not kill Set, for to spill the blood of his uncle would make him no better than he. Set maintained his claim to the throne, and Heru lay claim himself as the son of Wesir. The gods began to fight amongst another, those who supported Heru and those who supported Set. Banebdjetet leaped into the middle and demanded that the gods end this struggle peacefully or Ma’at would be imbalanced further. He told the gods to seek the council of Nit. Nit, warlike though wise in council, told them that Heru was the rightful heir to the throne. Heru cast Set into the darkness where he lives to this day.And so it is that Heru watches over us while we live, and gives guidance to the Pharaoh while he lives, and his father Wesir watches over us in the next life. So it is that the gods are at peace. So it is that Set, wicked Set, eternally strives for revenge, battling Heru at every turn. When Heru wins, Ma’at is upheld and the world is at peace. When Set wins, the world is in turmoil. But we know that dark times do not last forever, and the bright rays of Heru will shine over us again. In the last days, Heru and Set will fight one last time for the world. Heru will defeat Set forever, and Wesir will be able to return to this world. On that day, the Day of Awakening, all the tombs shall open and the just dead shall live again as we do, and all sorrow shall pass away forever.Lo, this is my tale. Keep it in your hearts and give it to others, as I gave it to you.