Story number 17 

The travel from Brindisi to Egypt

Phileaus has enjoyed his time in Europe, but now his adventure really starts as he heads for the East. His journey to the East starts with Suez, Egypt. The Suez Canal is a 101 mile (163 km) long canal that bonds the Mediterranean Sea with the Gulf of Suez, a northern branch of the Red Sea. It was publicly Opened in November 1869. Whilst Phileaus was travelling to Egypt, he found himself feeling a little bit bored and unfortunately he didn't have Angry Birds to play with, so instead he started to think, think and think some more, until he started thinking about the creation of the world. He already knew how it was created according to the Christian belief, but he was interested in the creation myth told by the Ancient Egyptians. He was perplexed by this idea and unfortunately Passeportout did not have a clue, also he was more interested by a toy he had bought in Brindisi. Luckily, he had picked up an Egyptian merchant at the Harbour of Brindisi who was more than excited to tell Phileaus the story about 'Atum - The Creator'... and this is how it goes.

In the beginning there was only the swirling watery chaos, called Nu. Out of these chaotic waters rose Atum, the sun god of the city of Heliopolis. It is believed that he created himself, using his thoughts and will. In the watery chaos, Atum found no place on which to stand. In the place where he first appeared, he created a hill. This hill was said to be the spot on which the temple of Heliopolis was built. (As early as the Fifth-Dynasty, we find Atum identified with the sun god Ra). His emergence on the hill was the coming of light into the darkness of Nu. 

His next act was to create more gods. Because he was all alone in the world, without a mate, he made a union with his shadow. This unusual way of procreating offspring was not considered strange to the Egyptians. We find Atum regarded as a bisexual god and was sometimes called the 'Great He-She'. The Egyptians were thus able to present Atum as the one and only creative force in the universe.

Atum stayed in the waters of Nu to create his son and daughter. He gave birth to his son by spitting him out. His daughter he vomited. Shu represented the air and Tefnut was a goddess of moisture. Shu and Tefnut continued the act of creation by establishing a social order. To this order Shu contributed the 'principles of Life' while Tefnut contributed the 'principles of order'.

After some time Shu and Tefnut became separated from their father and lost in the watery chaos of Nu. Atum, who had only one eye, which was removable. This was called the Udjat eye. Atum removed the eye and sent it in search of his children. In time they returned with the eye. At this reunion Atum wept tears of joy, where these tears hit the ground, men grew. Now Atum was ready to create the world. So Shu and Tefnut became the parents of Geb the earth, and Nut the sky. Geb and Nut gave birth to Osiris, Isis, Seth and Nephthys.

The merchant told Phileaus, that this is only one interpretation of the creation and it Egypt there are many different versions of how the earth was created. Phileaus decided that whilst he was in Egypt he will try and hear as many different versions as possible.