Sobek receives the bodies of the drowned
“Thou art the white crocodile, which is under (?) the ... of the sea of
fire, whose belly is full of bones of every drowned man.” – The London-Leyden Papyrus Col. XIX 23-24
Epiphany of Sobek
"I am Sobek, who dwelleth amid his terrors. I am Sobek, and I seize [my
prey] like a ravening beast. I am the great Fish which is in Kamui. I am the
Lord to whom bowings and prostrations are made in Sekhem. And the Osiris Ani
is the lord to whom bowings and prostrations are made in Sekhem." - The
Book of the Dead, The Chapter of Making the Transformation into the
Crocodile God
Sobek respects the goddess Isis
“Isis learned of this and sought for them again, sailing through the
swamps in a boat of papyrus. This is the reason why people sailing in
such boats are not harmed by the crocodiles, since these creatures in
their own way show either their fear or their reverence for the
goddess.” – Plutarch, On Isis and Osiris 358a
First-hand account of a visit to Sobek
"Our host, one of the most honoured men in Arsinoe, showed us holy
things and accompanied us to the lake taking with him a cake, roasted
meat and a little bottle of honey mead left over from the meal. We
found the animal lying on the shore. The priests approached it, two of
them opened its mouth, the third one pushed the pastry and then the
meat into it and then poured the honey mead into it. The animal jumped
into the lake and swam to the opposite shore." - Strabo Geography, 17.1
Offerings to Sobek described
"About the Apis in Memphis, the Mnevis in Heliopolis, the Ram in
Mendes, the Crocodile in the Lake of Moeris, the Lion kept in
Leontopolis and many other such animals much may be said, but the
reporter will gain little credence with people who have not been
eye-witnesses. These animals are kept in sacred enclosures, and many
noble men feed them, offering them the most delicious food. They
provide them constantly with a mash made of finest flour or wheat
groats and milk, prepared with all kinds of honey pastries, with goose
meat, at times boiled, at times roasted. They catch birds for the
carnivorous animals which they offer to them in great amounts." -
Diodorus Siculus 84
Sobek punishes the guilty
"Those who do away utterly sins and offences, and who are in the
following of the goddess Hetepsekhus, are the god Sobek and his
associates who dwell in the water. The goddess Hetepsekhus is the Eye
of Ra. " - The Book of the Dead, Texts Relating to the Weighing of the Heart of Ani
Those eaten by a crocodile or drown in the Nile given divine honors
"When anyone, be he Egyptian or stranger, is known to have been carted
off by a crocodile or drowned by the river itself, such a one must by
all means be embalmed and tended as fairly as may be and buried in a
sacred coffin by the townsmen of the place where he is cast up; nor may
his kinfolk or his friends touch him, but his body is deemed something
more than human, and is handled and buried by the priests of the Nile
themselves." - Herodotus, 2.90
The cult of Sobek
"There, in every place one crocodile is kept, trained to be tame; they
put ornaments of glass and gold on its ears and bracelets on its
forefeet, provide for it special food and offerings, and give the
creatures the best of treatment while they live; after death the
crocodiles are embalmed and buried in sacred coffins" - Herodotos 11.69
Oracular question for Sobek
"To the most great and mighty god
Socnopaeus, from Asclepiades son of Arius. Is it granted me to marry
Tapetheus daughter of Marres; will she certainly be none other's wife?
Show me and give me authoritative answer to this written inquiry ...
Formerly Tapetheus was Horion's wife" - Letter from Karanis
Roman senator is to be shown the sights, including the crocodile of Soukhos
“Hermias to Horos, greeting. A copy of the letter to Asklepiades is
appended. Take care that things take place accordingly. Farewell. Year
5, Xandikos 17, Mecheir 17.
“To Asklepiades. Lucius Memmius, a Roman senator, who occupies a
position of great dignity and honor, is making the voyage from the city
[Alexandria] to the Arsinoite Nome to see the sights. Let him be
received with special magnificence, and take care that at the proper
spots the guest-chambers be prepared and the landing-places to them be
got ready with great care, and that the gifts of hospitality mentioned
below be presented to him at the landing-place, and that the furniture
of the chamber, the customary bites of food for Petesouchos and the
crocodiles, the necessaries for the view of the labyrinth, and the
victims to be offered and the supply for the sacrifices be properly
managed; in general take the utmost pains in everything that the
visitor may be satisfied, and display the utmost zeal.” - P. Tebt. I 33
Woman performs proskynema to Soukhos on behalf of a loved one
“Tabatheus to Claudius Tiberianus, her brother, many greetings. Before all else I pray that you are well and make
proskynema for you before the lord Souchos.” -
P. Mich. 8.473
Actor and musician sought to help celebrate the birthday of Kronos
“Aurelli Agathos gymnasiarch and incumbant prytanis, Hermanubammon, exegete, Didymos chief priest, and Kaprias kosmetes
of Arsinoe, to Aurelli Euripas actor and Sarapas rhapsodist, greeting!
Come at once, in your usual way for assisting in holiday-making, to
join us in celebration of the birthday of Kronos, god most great. The
performance will run from tomorrow, the 10th, for the customary number
of days, and you will receive your usual pay and presents.” - P. Oxy. 1025
Dedication to the crocodile gods in Roman Karanis
“For Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus Imperator and all his
house. To Pnepheros and Petesouchos, great gods, when Iulius Vestinus
was prefect, year 7 of the holy Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus
Germanicus Imperator, Epeiph 13.” - SB 8.10166
Dedication of a temple to the crocodile gods in Roman Karanis
“For the emperor Caesar Vespasianus Augustus and emperor Titus Caesar
and Domitianus Caesar and all their house, under Tiberius Iulius Lupus,
prefect, dedication of the temple to Pnepheros and Petesouchos and the
temple-sharing deities, great great great. Phamenoth of 5 year Emperor
Caesar Vespasian Augustus.” - SB 8.9818
The temple-sharing gods of Tebtunis and their festival dates
“To Apollonios strategos of the Arsinoite, Polemon district, from
Pakebkis of Phanesis and Marepsemis of Markaimis and Pakebkis of
Onnophris the three stolistes and Harpokration of Marepsemis and
Marsisouchos of Onnophris and Marepsemis of Marepsemis and Maresoushos
of Pakebkis and …. of Pakebkis the five priestly elders of the renowned
temple of Soknebtunis alias Kronos and Isis and Sarapis and
Harpokration and the temple-sharing gods being in the village of
Tebtunis in the Polemon district. Register of the priests of year 11
Emperor Caesar Nerva Trajan Augustus Germanicus Dacicus. Of the
hereditary, exempt, examined 50 men, being listed below …. Month of
Choiak, festival of Serapis …. festival of Soknebtunis alias Kronos,
procession of Soknebtunis, days 30 …. and for the food for them wheat 2
artabas, and for their wages wheat artabas …. making for the year 9 artabas, 2000 drachmas.” - P. Tebt. 2.298
More on Tebtunis’s religious life
“To the Lord prefect from … of Kronos and the remaining hereditary
priests being of Soknebtunis alias Kronos and Isis and Serapis and
Harpochratos and the temple-sharing gods of the renowned temple being
in the village of Tebtunis of the Polemon district of the Arsinoite
nome. We have assigned to us from the public funds instead of a
subsidy, 5001/4 arouras near the village of Tebtunis which formerly
belonged to the gods but was transferred into Royal land by Petronius
the former prefect, now, for the first time, in the current year 4 of
Vespasian, the komogrammateus asked in the register for the coming
fifth year that [an additional] charge of 200 artabas of barley be
levied....”. - P. Tebt. 2.302
