Anger of the Eye of Ra blazes across storming skies and battlefields. She burns the crops of evil men and punishes those who seed disorder and show no respect to the gods. Acting in vengeance and fury, she is mighty in her rage.
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The Eye of Ra is most commonly associated with Egyptian war and medicine goddess Sekhmet. She's a lion goddess, with her symbol the lioness. In her warrior aspect she's bloodthirsty, voracious and merciless. However, her consort is creator god Ptah.
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Epitomizing the power of the warrior Goddess, the furious Eye of Ra (Re) might be the winged cobra goddess Wadjet; ancient bovine goddess Hathor; Cat Goddess Bastet in Lioness aspect; Raet-Tawy, female solar deity; or Mut, the ageless Earth Mother Goddess.
In her benevolent aspect the Eye of Ra acts as mother, sibling, consort or daughter of the Sun God Ra. She is his partner in the creative cycle, as Ra renews himself every dawn. For this reason she's seen as mother goddess figures like Mut and Hathor, or a female sun deity.
Displeasing the gods in ancient Egypt comes with dire consequences, from a boil on the nose to rampant destruction and death. The Eye of Ra is typically vengeful, while Ra himself is seen as a nurturing deity. She's an element of absolute chaos needed to create order.
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The violent Eye defends Ra against threats to his rule, and elements of chaos human or not. Ra himself daily defeats Chaos serpent Apep. The vengeful Eye may be represented by a lioness or the uraeus, a cobra symbol of divine protection and royal authority.
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The explosive fury and rampage of the Eye goddess, and the efforts of the gods to appease her, are recurring themes in ancient Egyptian mythology. Depending on the goddess the Eye can assume different characteristics.
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Wadjet the Snake has a venomous bite; Hathor tramples men underfoot and causes famine; Mut shakes and cracks the earth; Raet-Tawy burns the land; Bastet the Lioness tears people apart and feasts on their flesh.
In one popular tale, War Goddess Sekhmet is so ferocious Ra regrets sending her to slay some evil persons. He must stop her from killing all humankind in her bloodthirsty rage.
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He tricks her into drinking a lake of beer dyed red with pomegranate juice to resemble blood. She gets drunk, forgets the mortals and wanders back to the realm of the Gods.
The Eye of Ra is represented by the solar disc or the wedjat symbol, a stylized right eye associated with the sun. The Eye of Horus is the left eye, associated with the moon. Thus, the two deities behold all the events of the human world.
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The Eye of Ra appears in various aspects of ancient Egyptian mythology. She's prominent in the cults of the goddesses equating with the Eye. The goddess Wadjet can act as the Eye in either her lioness or cobra form.
Ritual worship celebrates the benevolent nurturing power of the Eye of Ra. The violent Eye is invoked to protect the Pharaoh, sacred places, ordinary people and households.
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Blessings of the benevolent eye include good health of family and livestock, prosperity, abundance, fertility of land and animals. Ra is a patron of kings and like the crocodile god Sobek gives monarchs the divine right to rule.
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