That’s more like it. A proper celebrity deity with impressive headgear and impeccable celestial connections. Unusually, his eyes are the sun and the moon. This made his original worshipers starry-eyed with wonder. You’ve heard of the Eye of Horus, haven’t you? Actually it was more of a squint.

The son of Isis and hapless murder victim Osiris, he fought the evil Set tooth and nail to avenge his father’s brutal death. (See Min’s entry if you want to read some of the nastier details.) What a fight! Horus was eventually declared the winner on points in Round 80.

During the battle his moon eye was poked out, but he managed to get it back afterwards. As it was a bit battered he generously donated it to his shadowy undead father, who was rather in need of some body parts, including some that he was very fond of.

Since then, Osiris, King of the Underworld, has worn the unearthly false eye, especially at night. We reckon this is why the moon always appears a little unreal and spooky.

Meanwhile Horus now has just one eye, although you never see him wearing an eyepatch.

What else do you need to know? He has a falcon on his head but we don’t know its name. He seems to have started out as an old god of light named Haroeris. He also has four sons called (imaginatively) the Sons of Horus. They assist with funeral duties and are dead helpful.

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Article last revised on November 21, 2018 by Rowan Allen.
Editors: Peter J. Allen, Chas Saunders

References: Coming soon.

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