III. Mut (μαῖα {maîa}, matter, Demeter, Leto, Latona, Bhavani), the primitive, passive, or female element of nature.
IV. Num (Nu, Kneph, ChNUbis, the Indian VischNU, Noah, Neptun). In Arabic nef means to breathe. The breath of the universe when condensed—‘water;’ the creative spirit, the Ἀγαθοδαίμων {Agathodaίmôn}; the πνεῦμα {pneûma} (the wind, the air) of the Greeks.
V. Seti (in Koptic Sate), the ray, the arrow; at a later period the frog-headed goddess, the consort of Kneph; the sun-beam, the fructifying heat in union with water (cosmical moisture), producing the inner force of creation.
VI. Phtah (Ptah, Phthah, S’iva, Vulcan), the creator of the world, which sprang from the mouth of Kneph, meaning at his bidding. His symbol became at a later period the scarabæus. The more numerous this animal was in the Nile valley after the subsidence of the inundation, the more fruitful was the year. Phtah was in reality telluric heat.
VII. Net (Neith, Athene, Pallas, Minerva, Doorga), the bright goddess of intellectual power, wisdom, knowledge, virtue, passionless happiness. Isis was her substitute. Her temple at Saïs had no roof, but was vaulted over by the sunny or starry canopy of heaven, and bore the mysterious inscription: ‘I am all that was, and is, and is to be; no mortal has lifted up my veil, and the fruit I bore is Helios.’ Past, present, and future, are mysteriously entwined in the conception of intellect, pervading and ruling the universe.
VIII. Ra (Helios, Apollo, Adonis, Adonaïs, the Lord, Baal, Mithras, Moloch, Teotl, Toth, Hermes, Odin, Thor, Atys, Janus, Kekrops, Endymion, &c.), the sun, the reflected light (with the Cabalists Hachoser, in opposition to the expanding light, Hajashor).
The representations of these divinities were not monstrous, like those of the Indians; the human form predominates, but the symbolic is still the most important element. The outward form has an inward, secret meaning. ‘Meaning’ and ‘meant’ are still in wild conflict. The sublime forces of the deity were to be hewn in stone, or given in outlines, or painted; the result was a grotesque product of art, and as such a complete failure.
The twelve gods of the second order were the children of four of the gods of the first order.
I. Amn had only one son, Khunsu (Chous, Chaos, the prototype of Herkules).
II. Kneph had also only one son, Teth (Toth, Thoth, Hermes), who taught men to write and to read.