OSI'RIS (Lat., from Gk. 'oeipic,. from Egypt. //esti, .1 wort-, A sini). One of the principal Egyp tian deities. originally the local god of Abydos and Busiris, who early acquired a solar character and was identified with the setting sun. lie thus came to be regarded as the ruler of the realm of the deal] in the mysterious region below the west ern horizon. According to the legend, Osiris was the son of Seb (the earth) and Nut (the sky), and tIW husband of his sister Isis. When he came to rule over Egypt lie found the people plunged in utter barbarism and raised them from their wretched condition by giving them laws, teach ing them to till the ground, and instructing them in the worship of the gods. lle then traveled over the whole world, spreading the blessings of civili zation in every land. His wicked brother Set (Typhon), the enemy of all good, would have taken advantage of his absence to undo his work and subvert the order lie hail established, but was defeated by the watchfulness of Isis. When the King returned, however, Set plotted to destroy him by treachery. !laving privily taken the measure of Osiris's body, lie made a beautiful chest of like dimensions and brought it with him to a great feast, at which tkiris was present. .As though in jest, he promised to give the chest to any one whose body should fit it exactly. After a number of the guests hail tried in vain. Osiris got into the chest and lay down, when Set and his confederates quickly shut the lid and fastened it securely. They then cast it into the river, and it
was borne out to,sea by the Tanitie mouth of the Nile. Isis, after long wanderings, found her hus band's body and brought it back to Egypt, but while she went to visit her young son Horus, it was discovered by Set, who tore it to pieces and scattered the fragments far and wide. Upon learning of this misfortune, Isis took a boat and carefully sought out the scattered members of her husband. Wherever she found a portion of the body, she buried it, and the spot was ever thereafter revered as sacred ground. When Hollis grew tip, he took vengeance upon the murderer. Set, and ascended his father's throne. Osiris, meantime, lived again in the under world and be came the ruler of the dead. At a very early period the worship of Osiris was connected with the Egyptian doctrine of the immortality of the soul and became popular throughout Egypt. Abydos, where the head of the god was believed to be preserved, enjoyed the reputation of special sanctity, and bodies were brought from all parts of Egypt for burial in its sacred soil. Osiris is usually represented swathed in mummy cloths, holding in Ids hands the crook and the Ilail, sym bols of royalty, and wearing upon Ids head the Atef crown, which was formed of the tall crown of Upper Egypt with a feather on each side. Consult: Iteligimi of the Ancient Egyptians (New York, 189) ; Erman, Life in Ancient Egypt (London, 1894). See also Isis;