Myths and Legends of Ancient Egypt – The Destruction of Mankind
The Destruction of Mankind is a dramatic myth from ancient Egyptian mythology, found in the Book of the Heavenly Cow. It tells the story of how the sun god Ra sought to punish humanity for their rebellion against him.
According to the myth, Ra, growing old and weary, overheard humans plotting against him. Enraged, he summoned the other gods for counsel, and they advised him to unleash his Eye, which took the form of the fierce goddess Hathor (who later transformed into Sekhmet) to carry out the destruction. Sekhmet became a bloodthirsty force, slaughtering humans mercilessly.
However, Ra soon regretted the devastation and sought to stop Sekhmet. To do so, he tricked her by flooding the land with red-dyed beer, making it resemble blood. Sekhmet, thinking it was blood, drank it and became intoxicated, losing her desire for destruction. Thus, humanity was spared, but the myth explains the introduction of suffering and death into the world.
This tale reflects themes of divine justice, punishment, and mercy, showing the balance between destruction and salvation in Egyptian belief systems. It also highlights the power of Ra and the dual nature of Hathor/Sekhmet as both a nurturing and destructive force.
