He was considered the heart (i.e. the mind, as the Egyptians saw it) and tongue of Ra as well as the means by which Ra's will was translated into speech.[4] He has also been likened to the Logos of Plato[4] and the mind of God[5] (see The All). In the Egyptian mythology, he has played many vital and prominent roles, including being one of the two deities (the other being Ma'at) who stood on either side of Ra's boat.[6] He has further been involved in arbitration,[7] magic, writing, science,[8] and the judging of the dead.[9]
Name
Etymology
| Common names for Thoth[10] in hieroglyphs | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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According to Theodor Hopfner,[11] Thoth's Egyptian name written as ḏḥwty originated from ḏḥw, claimed to be the oldest known name for the ibis although normally written as hbj. The addition of -ty denotes that he possessed the attributes of the ibis.[12] Hence his name means "He who is like the ibis".
The Egyptian pronunciation of ḏḥwty is not fully known, but may be reconstructed as *ḏiḥautī, based on the Ancient Greek borrowing Θωθ Thōth or Theut and the fact that it evolved into Sahidic Copticvariously as Thoout, Thōth, Thoot, Thaut as well as Bohairic Coptic Thōout. The final -y may even have been pronounced as a consonant, not a vowel. [13] However, many write "Djehuty", inserting the letter 'e' automatically between consonants in Egyptian words, and writing 'w' as 'u', as a convention of convenience for English speakers, not the transliteration employed by Egyptologists.[14]
Alternate names
Djehuty is sometimes alternatively rendered as Jehuti, Tahuti, Tehuti, Zehuti, Techu, or Tetu. Thoth (also Thot or Thout) is the Greekversion derived from the letters ḏḥwty. Not counting differences in spelling, Thoth had many names and titles, like other goddesses and gods. Similarly, each Pharaoh, considered a god himself, had five different names used in public.[15] Among his alternate names are A, Sheps, Lord of Khemennu, Asten, Khenti, Mehi, Hab, and A'an.[16] In addition, Thoth was also known by specific aspects of himself, for instance the moon god Iah-Djehuty, representing the moon for the entire month,[17] or as jt-nṯr "god father". Further, the Greeks related Thoth to their god Hermes due to his similar attributes and functions.[18] One of Thoth 's titles, "Three times great, great" (seeTitles) was translated to the Greek τρισμεγιστος (Trismegistos) making Hermes Trismegistus.[19]
Depictions
Thoth has been depicted in many ways depending on the era and on the aspect the artist wished to convey. Usually, he is depicted inhuman form with the head of an ibis.[20] In this form, he can be represented as the reckoner of times and seasons by a lunar disk sitting in a crescent moon being placed atop his head. When depicted as a form of Shu or Ankher, he will wear the respective god's headdress. He also is sometimes seen wearing the atef crown and the United Crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt.[21] When not depicted in this common form, he sometimes takes the form of the ibis directly.[20] He also appears as a dog faced baboon or a man with the head of a baboon when he is A'an, the god of equilibrium.[22] In the form of A'ah-Djehuty he took a more human-looking form.[23] These forms are all symbolic and are metaphors for Thoth's attributes. The Egyptians did not believe these gods actually looked like humans with animal heads [24]. For example, Ma'at is often depicted with an ostrich feather, "the feather of truth," on her head [25], or with a feather for a head.[26]
Attributes
Egyptologists disagree on Thoth's nature depending upon their view of the Egyptian pantheon. Most Egyptologists today side with Sir Flinders Petrie that Egyptian religion was strictly polytheistic, in which Thoth would be a separate god. His contemporary adversary, E. A. Wallis Budge, however, thought Egyptian religion to be primarily monotheistic[27] where all the gods and goddesses were aspects of the God Ra, similar to the Trinity in Christianity and devas in Hinduism.[28] In this view, Thoth would be the aspect of Ra which the Egyptian mind would relate to the heart and tongue.
His roles in Egyptian mythology were many. Thoth served as a mediating power, especially between good and evil, making sure neither had a decisive victory over the other.[29] He also served as scribe of the gods,[30] credited with the invention of writing and alphabets (ie. hieroglyphs) themselves.[31] In the underworld, Duat, he appeared as an ape, A'an, the god of equilibrium, who reported when the scales weighing the deceased's heart against the feather, representing the principle of Ma'at, was exactly even.[32]
The ancient Egyptians regarded Thoth as One, self-begotten, and self-produced.[20] He was the master of both physical and moral (ie.Divine) law,[20] making proper use of Ma'at.[4] He is credited with making the calculations for the establishment of the heavens, stars, Earth,[33] and everything in them.[4] Compare this to how his feminine counterpart, Ma'at was the force which maintained the Universe.[34] He is said to direct the motions of the heavenly bodies. Without his words, the Egyptians believed, the gods would not exist.[35] His power was almost unlimited in the Underworld and rivaled that of Ra and Osiris.[20]
The Egyptians credited him as the author of all works of science, religion, philosophy, and magic.[36] The Greeks further declared him the inventor of astronomy, astrology, the science of numbers, mathematics, geometry, land surveying, medicine, botany, theology,civilized government, the alphabet, reading, writing, and oratory. They further claimed he was the true author of every work of every branch of knowledge, human and divine.[37]
Mythology
Thoth has played a prominent role in many of the Egyptian myths. Displaying his role as arbitrator, he had overseen the three epic battles between good and evil. All three battles are fundamentally the same and belong to different periods. The first battle took place between Ra and Apep, the second between Heru-Bekhutet and Set, and the third between Horus, the son of Osiris, and Set. In each instance, the former god represented order while the latter represented chaos. If one god was seriously injured, Thoth would heal them to prevent either from overtaking the other.
Thoth was also prominent in the Osiris myth, being of great aid to Isis. After Isis gathered together the pieces of Osiris' dismembered body, he gave her the words to resurrect him so she could be impregnated and bring forth Horus. When Horus was slain, Thoth gave theformulae to resurrect him as well. Similar to God speaking the words to create the heavens and Earth in Judeo-Christian mythology, Thoth, being the god who always speaks the words that fulfill the wishes of Ra, spoke the words that created the heavens and Earth in Egyptian mythology.
This mythology also credits him with the creation of the 365 day calendar. Originally, according to the myth, the year was only 360 days long and Nut was sterile during these days, unable to bear children. Thoth gambled with Khonsu, the moon, for 1/72nd of its light (360/72 = 5), or 5 days, and won. During these 5 days, Nut gave birth to Kheru-ur (Horus the Elder, Face of Heaven), Osiris, Set, Isis, and Nepthys.
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