Legends of the Gods The Egyptian Texts, edited with Translations

"Legends of the Gods" by Sir E. A. Wallis Budge is a collection of translated ancient Egyptian texts edited for those interested in Egyptology, authored in the early 20th century. The book presents vital insights into the rich tapestry of ancient Egyptian religion, mythology, and literature through various legendary narratives, shedding light on the gods, creation, and mortality from an ancient civilization's perspective. The opening of this work introduces the purpose of the compilation and the significance of the various texts it encompasses. It begins with a preface explaining the collection's intention to provide accessible translations of seminal Egyptian text, assisting readers in understanding key aspects of the ancient Egyptians' worldview, such as their beliefs in gods like Khepera, Ra, and Isis, and their narratives concerning creation and resurrection. The text highlights the nature of these myths by detailing the profound relationship between gods and humanity, underscoring themes of life, death, and rebirth through vivid storytelling that brings a complex pantheon of deities to life. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Sir Ernest Alfred Thompson Wallis Budge was an English Egyptologist, Orientalist, and philologist who worked for the British Museum and published numerous works on the ancient Near East. He made numerous trips to Egypt and Anglo-Egyptian Sudan on behalf of the British Museum to buy antiquities, and helped it build its collection of cuneiform tablets, manuscripts, and papyri. He published many books on Egyptology, helping to bring the findings to larger audiences. In 1920, he was knighted for his service to Egyptology and the British Museum.