This is a general statement. I should not make it if I could not go a little further. There is an astronomical test of its validity, to which I must call attention. The effect of precession is extremely striking on the constellations near the pole, for the reason that the pole is constantly changing, and the changes in the apparent position of the stars there soon become very obvious. The stars in Draco were circumpolar, and could, therefore, have been destroyed (or rendered invisible), as the hippopotami were destroyed in the myth by the rising sun, about 5000 years B.C.; and be it noted that at that time there was only one star in the Great Bear (or the Thigh) which was circumpolar. But at 2000 years B.C. the stars in Ursa Major were the circumpolar ones, and the chief stars in the constellation Draco, which formed the ancient constellation of the Hippopotamus, rose and set; so that, if there is anything at all in the explanation of the myth which I have given, and if there is anything at all in the idea that the myth is very ancient and refers to the time when the constellation of the Hippopotamus was really circumpolar—a time 7000 years ago—we ought to find that as the myth existed in more recent times, we should no longer be dealing with Draco or the Hippopotamus, because Draco was no longer circumpolar.
HORUS AND CROCODILES.
As a matter of fact, in later times we get Horus destroying no longer the Hippopotamus or the Crocodile, but the Thigh of Set; and, as I have said, 2000 years B.C. the Thigh occupied exactly the same position in the heavens with regard to the pole as the Hippopotamus or the Crocodile did 3000 years before.
Thus, I think, we may claim that this myth is astronomical from top to bottom; it is as old as, and probably rather older than, Naville thought, because it must certainly have originated in a period somewhere about 5000 years B. C., otherwise the constellation of the Hippopotamus would not have figured in it.
The various illustrations of Horus on the crocodiles are a reference to the myth we have just discussed.
It is easy to understand that if the myth were astronomical in origin there was no reason why it should be limited to Horus representing the rising sun; we accordingly find it extended to the god Ptah.
PTAH AND CROCODILES.
But although I hold that the astronomical meaning of the myth is that the rising sun kills the circumpolar stars, I do not think that is the last word. A conflict is suggested between a people who worship the rising sun and another who worship the circumpolar stars. I shall show in the sequel that there is an astronomical suggestion of the existence of two such distinct races, and that the companions of the sun-god of Edfû must probably be distinguished from the northern Hor-shesu.