"The Victory of Horus"
Act I, "The Harpoon Ritual"
Scene 2: The Second Strike against Seth

N.B., column numbers in the drawing reflect verse numbers in Fairman's transcription of the text.

Act I, scene 2: 'The Second Strike against Seth'

Description: At the center of the stage, Horus of Behdet and Horus of Mesen each sail a boat on the Sacred Lake of Edfu Temple. Here they lasso the hind legs of Seth (the hippo) with chains, and they thrust more harpoons into him. We are to assume that other hippos are also in the water. King Ptolemy IX continues to stand on a podium on the left (stage right). He wears a simple nemes-headdress, and he raises his arms in adoration while addressing the two gods.

Horus of Mesen, on the right (stage left), jabs his harpoon into the neck of Seth, while the king, the chorus, and Isis (who are not depicted) urge him onward. Horus is assisted by a bull-headed deity named Bull-of-the-Two-Lands.

Horus of Behdet, on the left (stage right), pierces the back of the head of the same hippo (shown twice). He is assisted by another bull-headed deity named Black Bull. Both of the assisting deities carry a spare harpoon and butcher's knife. Seth is now struck with four harpoons, i.e.: in the forehead, snout, neck, and back of the head. Again, although two hippos are depicted, only one is actually the object of these attacks.

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