According to the Nebular hypothesis our present solar system was once a molten gaseous nebula. This nebula rotated at an enormous speed, and as the mass cooled down it also contracted and developed greater speed. The result was a bulging at the equator and a gradual breaking off of gaseous rings, which formed themselves into planets. These planets in turn threw off gaseous rings, which formed themselves into smaller bodies, until it was just the sun that was left, as the remnant of the original parent Nebula.
From this context it is clear that the original parent nebula was fire or the Sun, and that by throwing off parts of itself, it created some planets, which in turn threw off parts of themselves and created others. According to the context of the Memphite Theology, the creator God was the Sun God or fire God Atum (Atom), who named four pairs of parts of his own body, from which Gods came.
But Atum (Atom) plus the eight other Gods created consisted of the Ennead or Godhead of nine.
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| Ptah |
These similarities make it evident that Laplace inspired by the Nebula hypothesis from the Memphite Theology or other Egyptian sources. Anyway, the entire setting of the Memphite Theology is astronomical, and what could be more natural, than to expect an astronomical interpretation? It seems well within reason, to regard the Ennead as the heliocentric system of history. Atom the sun God, created eight other Gods or planets, from his own body as the Unmoved Mover, teachings which had been falsely attributed to Aristotle.
The Memphite Theology was dated to a very early period of Egyptian history, i.e. the time before the first Dynasties had made their new capital at Memphis: the city of the God Ptah, i.e., between 5000 and 35OO B.C. Intellectual Adventure of Man by Frankfort, p. 55. This consists of three supplementary parts, each of which will be treated separately: Part I presents the Gods of Chaos. Part II presents the Gods of Order and arrangement in creation, and Part III presents: the Primate of the Gods, or the God of Gods, through whose (Logos) creation was accomplished.
Part One
The Primate of the Gods Ptah, conceived in his heart, everything that exists and by His utterance created them all. He is first to emerge from the primeval waters of Nun in the form of a Primeval Hill. Closely following the Hill, the God Atom also emerges from the waters and sits upon Ptah (The Hill). There remain in the waters four pairs of male and female gods
(the Ogdoad, or unity of Eight-Gods), bearing the following names:-
(1) Nun and Naunet, i.e., the Primeval waters and the counter heaven.
(2) Huh and Hauhet, i.e., the boundless and its opposite.
(3) Kuk and Kauket, i.e., darkness and its opposite.
(4) Amun, i.e., (Amon) and Amaunet, i.e., the hidden and its opposite.
(Egyptian Religion by Frankfort, p. 20; 23. Intellectual Adventure of Ancient Man by Frankfort, p. 21).
The Philosophy of Part 1:
(1) Ptah has the following attributes; (a) The Primate of the Gods, i.e.. The God of Gods (b) The Logos. Thought and creative utterance and power (Egyptian Religion by Frankfort, p. 23). (c) The God of Order and form (d) The Divinity Artificer and Potter (Fire Philosophy by Swinburne Clymer Jamblichus; Ancient Egypt by John kendrick, Bk. I, p. 318. and 338).
A. Text of Part II
The Gods of Order and arrangement in the cosmos are represented by nine gods, in one God-head, called the Ennead Here Atum (Atom), the source of the Ogdoad, is also retained as the source of the Gods of Order and arrangement. Atum (Atom) names four pairs of parts of his own body, and thus creates eight Gods, who together with himself become nine. These Eight Gods are the created Gods, the first creatures of this world. And (Atum), the creator God, the Demiurge, of whom Plato spoke. (Atom) projected from his body were:
(i) Shu (Air)
(ii) Tefnut (Moisture)
(iii) Geb (Earth) and
(iv) Nut (Sky);
who are said to have given birth to four other Gods:
(v) Osiris (the God of omnipotence and omniscience)
(vi) Isis (wife of Osiris, Female Principle)
(vii) Seth (the opposite of good)
(viii) Nephthys (Female Principle in the Unseen World).
Plutarch: Isis et Osiris, 355A; 364C;371B; Frankfurt; Intellectual Adventure of Ancient Man, p. 6667.
The Philosophy of Part II.
As we read the text of Part II, we find that the Sun God Atum (Atom) who was present in the Chaos was also presented at the development of orderly arrangement in the cosmos. At this stage Atum (Atom) assumes the role of creator of all Gods except Ptah, the God of Gods. He next proceeds to accomplish this special type of creation in the following manner:
Text of Part lll
In this third part of the Memphite Theology, the Primate of the Gods is represented as Ptah: Thought, Logos and Creative Power, which are exercised over all creatures. He transmits power and spirit to all Gods, and controls the lives of all things, animals and men through His thought and commands. In other words it is in Him that all things live move and have their eternal being.
The Philosophy of Part lll
From Part III we infer the following doctrines:- (a) all things were created by the thought and command of Ptah, the God of Gods. (b) Through the thought and command of Ptah, we all live, move and have our eternal Being, (c) Ptah is Creator and Preserver. Ptah's powers were transmitted by magical means to Atum who performed the work of creation. Intellectual Adventures of Man by Frankfort, p. 52-60.
Sources: History of Science by Sedgwick and Tyler page 141 and 153 C. IX. History of Philosophy by Zeller Introduction page 31. Europe in the Middle Ages by Ault page 216-219. History of the Arabs by Hitti page 370, 629, 665 and 572. Esoteric Christianity by Annie Besant page 107, 128-129. Ancient Mysteries by C.H. Vail page 59, 61, 74-75 and 109.
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