"The Victory of Horus"
Act I, "The Harpoon Ritual"
Scene 5: Seth is brought down by the Tenth Harpoon

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

Scene 5: 'Seth is brought down by the Tenth Harpoon'

Description: The scene opens with the chorus (not depicted) chanting and giving adoration to the sacred harpoon of Horus. Thereupon, a lion-headed deity named Death-in-His-Face/Loud-Screamer, shown far right, presents himself as the protector and assistant to Horus of Mesen. He carries a spare harpoon and butcher's knife.

In the scene, Horus of Behdet and Horus of Mesen attack Seth again. They thrust two more harpoons into his body, while King Ptolemy IX stands on the podium left (down stage right). He wears the nemes-headress, as he stands in respectful veneration of the two Horuses, and he silently observes the action.

Horus of Mesen, on the right (stage center left), has lassoed Seth by the hind legs, and he stabs those legs with the ninth harpoon. Isis (not depicted) jubilates, and the chorus (not depicted) chants encouragements and praise. Horus is assisted by Death-in-His-Face/Loud-Screamer.

Horus of Behdet, shown on the left (stage center right), has lassoed Seth and turned him on his back. He stabs Seth in the feet and ankles with the tenth harpoon, and in doing so, cripples the hippo. He is assisted in his attack by a lion-headed deity named Fiery Face-who-Brings-in-the-Mutilated-One and a group of "Young Harpooners" (not depicted). They are armed with harpoons that are smaller than Horus' sacred harpoon.

By now, at least ten harpoons are stuck in Seth's body. Since Scene 1, he has been struck in the following sequence:

  1. forehead and snout
  2. neck and back of head
  3. back and side
  4. testicles and hind parts
  5. legs and ankles
In this manner he has been sequentially wounded and mutilated, proceeding down his body from head to legs. In this manner, his magical power--very great and very dangerous--has been reduced piecemeal.

At this point, Fiery Face-who-Brings-in-the-Mutilated-One and the "Young Harpooners" (not depicted) apparently immobilize Seth and drag him away (for ultimate slaughter in the next acts), while the chorus (not depicted) shouts praise and encouragement.

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