Legends of the Gods

Legends of the Gods is a collection and translation of ancient Egyptian religious myths compiled by E. A. Wallis Budge, first published in 1912. It presents a wide range of creation stories, divine legends, and mythological texts drawn from ancient Egyptian sources. The book brings together material from funerary papyri, temple inscriptions, and other ancient manuscripts, translating them into English for a general readership. Budge focuses on major Egyptian deities such as Ra, Osiris, Isis, Horus, and Set, and explains how these gods appear in different mythological cycles. A major portion of the work deals with Egyptian creation myths, including accounts of how the world emerged from primordial chaos (Nun) and how the sun god Ra came into being and established cosmic order. Another central narrative is the Osiris myth, which describes Osiris’s murder by Set, his resurrection through Isis, and the rise of Horus as avenger and rightful heir. The book also includes stories about divine conflicts, magical transformations, and the relationship between gods and kingship in ancient Egypt. Budge presents these myths as part of a unified religious system that reflects Egyptian beliefs about life, death, and the afterlife.