For someone who loves spells and everything supernatural, the famous Book of Thoth will be an insightful piece to read. It contains many spells and experts believe that reading it can allow humans to communicate with animals.
Legends also say that anyone who reads this book will understand how seas, air, earth, and other celestial bodies operate. It’s definitely a mysterious book. It is sacred to the ancient Egyptians, and has become one of the world’s most famous, sought after books.
Written By an Ancient Egyptian God
History tells us that the book of Thoth is a collection of texts written by the God Thoth himself, who was an ancient Egyptian deity. Thoth is said to have succeeded the Sun God, Ra. Some people illustrate him as a human who has an Ibis bird head.
According to historians, he was full of wisdom in both reading and writing, and legend has it, that is was Thoth himself who invented writing, and he loved collecting other texts on the Gods. He is also attributed with having wrote the Book of the Dead and Book of Breath.
Although much of his powers promised happiness, they also promised sufferings.
This book also features texts of ancient writers. Since it was published, individuals have described it as a magical publication that is centered on Egyptian fiction. Although it mostly relates to the 2nd century, during Ptolemaic period, some fragments in the Papyri period have also been featured inside.
Associated with Attempt on Pharaoh’s Life
This book was first cited in the 18th century in the Turis papyrus. This had just been published in Paris, and it explained an attempt on Pharaoh’s life using spells that failed. It was cited since the spells that were used were from this book.
Turin Papyrus comes from the Turin Papyrus of Kings, also called Turin Cannon. It was an Egyptian manuscript that contained the names of all the Egyptian kings.
This list starts from the 19th dynasty (1292–1190 bce), and finishes with the reign of Ramses II 1279 & 13 BC, under which is was written. The scroll is fragmented, but is currently housed at the Egyptian museum in Turin, Italy.
Some individuals also claim that there are different versions of this book. However, as these versions were combined, they talk of a shared history. It is mostly a conversation between Thoth and a disciple who is said to have been seeking knowledge. However, some legends also claim that another god, probably Osiris, might also have been present, talking to this disciple as well.
Comparison to hermetic Greece Philosophical Texts
There are some similarities in this book’s framework and that of hermetic Greece texts. These texts of Greece also show conversations that Thoth, Hermes, and other disciples had. Some texts also seem to come before the first century, which means that this book came before the first hermetic Greek philosophical texts. Also, note that texts from this book have been cited in several other publications.
Manetho, an ancient Egyptian priest, says that Thoth wrote 36,525 books. However, some individuals, such as Seleukos, investigated, and concluded that there were only twenty thousand books.
The Book of Thoth was first referenced in an ancient story in Egypt that was from the Ptolemaic period. This story described the life of an Egyptian prince, Neferkaptah, who was believed to be the first person to find this Book of Thoth, as it was hidden in the bed of the River Nile.
Was It Really Hidden in River Nile?
So many stories suggest that this mysterious book was hidden in the Nile close to Coptos. People say that it was found locked away in boxes that were guarded by serpents that were impossible to kill. This wasn’t enough to stop people from trying to find it though.
Neferkaptah, a great prince, set out to retrieve this book. After bravely fighting off these serpents, he recovered the book and brought it back with him. But, this landed him in serious trouble with Thoth, who murdered the prince’s wife and son. Neferkaptah later killed himself, and legends say that the book was buried with his body.
Again after many generations, someone else stole it from Neferkaptah’s tomb. Sente Khamwas allegedly fought with Neferkapatah’s ghost to get this book. But after some time, Sente fell in love with a woman, not knowing that she was an illusion sent by Neferkapatah to seduce him. She made him kill his children and return this book back to the tomb.
Neferkapatah then told Sente to find his wife’s and children’s bodies. He was then instructed to put these bodies with him in the tomb. After, this tomb was sealed completely and forever. This story was told to Egyptians as a warning that humans shouldn’t seek knowledge about gods.
Until today, no one has found a trace of this book. Some people believe that it lies underneath the Sphinx’s giant paws. But, others also claim that it could be among the many papyrus texts which are still being translated.
One thing remains, if the Book of Thoth is not discovered, no one will for sure know what precisely lies in its pages, but given the punishments that those who find it suffer, is it worth trying to find?
Contents Inside
There are so many tales that try to explain what this book entails. All the stories of the book of Thoth throughout history, claim it’s a book full of secrets.
Some individuals believe that it contains secrets of parallel worlds. Others believe that the book could help us discover secret communication as well as methods of bringing people back to life.
Other believe the book possesses vital knowledge of past civilizations as well as the Egyptian Gods.
Where Is The Book of Thoth Now?
It has been written many times, and those who knew its secret kept it safe. It has traveled from different epochs. But one thing that’s common is whoever has possessed it suffered a cruel death.
Today, it’s said that this book has been preserved as some torn pages from its first copies in the Library of Alexandria. However, there haven’t been any publications, not even in fragments. This, therefore, means that no one has truly read or seen this legendary book.
What Happens Once It’s Discovered?
Many individuals believe that discovering this book could allow us to live in a pristine world once again. However, it’s also said to contain warnings about the tragedy and pain that will happen to the person who finds it. Anyone that dares to read this book will be punished by the gods, since this knowledge is not meant for humans.
So if the mysterious Book of Thoth was discovered today, would you still read it?
The Book of Thoth is now also associated with Tarot reading.
