. The Mythology of all races .. . rict avoid- FiG. 216. Profile of Amen- ^nce of the human or animal typesBOTEP IV -,,.., . , 01 the deities who were retained or tolerated. Nevertheless it remains a very remarkable rational-istic attempt, and it reveals independence of thought by re-fusing the support of the pantheistic amalgamations of oldnames and forms which we have described above.^^ It is quite true that the only motive of Amen-hotep inavoiding this pantheism seems to have been, not philosophicalthought, but simply the fear that he might be compelled toretain all the traditional names and
. The Mythology of all races .. . rict avoid- FiG. 216. Profile of Amen- ^nce of the human or animal typesBOTEP IV -,,.., . , 01 the deities who were retained or tolerated. Nevertheless it remains a very remarkable rational-istic attempt, and it reveals independence of thought by re-fusing the support of the pantheistic amalgamations of oldnames and forms which we have described above.^^ It is quite true that the only motive of Amen-hotep inavoiding this pantheism seems to have been, not philosophicalthought, but simply the fear that he might be compelled toretain all the traditional names and cults, and thus to admitAmon also as a manifestation of the universal god of thefree-thinkers. Yet we must give him credit for breakingaway from the crude old beliefs which, after theoretically re-moving the deities to heaven, had in reality kept them onearth within the touch of man and in the human and animalforms of primitive tradition. Although the thought was farfrom new, nevertheless it was a radical step actually to remove. EGYPTIAN RELIGION 227 the supreme divinity to the sky and to worship him only in theform in which the sun appears daily to every eye. This breakwith traditionalism, however, was the fatal difhculty. Theconservative mind of the masses was unable to abandon thetime-hallowed names and cults of the forefathers. We mayadmire the great boldness of the Kings step, may view it withsympathy, and may regret its failure, yet Amen-hotep IVmust not be overrated and compared with the great thinkersand reformers in the worlds history. As an illustration of his doctrine and of the literaturedeveloped at his court we here quote his famous hymn to thesun.^^ The praise of the sun-god [by the King N. N.]:Thou appearest beautiful in the horizon of the sky,O living Disk, beginning of life!When thou risest in the eastern horizon,Thou fiUest every land with thy art beautiful, great,Resplendent and exalted over every rays encompass the landsTo the extent
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectmythology, bookyear19
