提到古埃及，我們的腦海中會浮現(xiàn)出一幅幅泛黃的古老畫卷，畫卷上描繪著古埃及的眾神、法老還有許許多多復雜的圖案與符號，處處透露著一種神秘的氣息。你可曾想過，那些神秘的符號到底有什么含義嗎？

Egyptian hieroglyphs1) symbols are known all over the world because of their magical quality and the mysteries that they hold. These symbols were called \"the words of gods\" and were used mainly by priests. Commonly seen ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic symbols include the ankh， the Eye of Horus， the feather of Maat2) and scarabs3). These symbols were historically used as amulets4) of protection and to bring luck. They were also frequently used in both religious and magical rituals for both the living and the dead.

古埃及的象形符號以其神秘的特性和其中包含的諸多奧秘而舉世聞名。這些符號被稱為“圣書體”，主要由僧侶們使用。常見的古埃及象形符號包括安卡、何露斯之眼、瑪亞特的羽毛以及圣甲蟲。這些符號在歷史上曾被古埃及人用作護身符，或是用來祈求好運。在一些為生者或往生者舉行的宗教及巫術(shù)儀式中也常常會用到這些符號。

The Ankh 安卡

A Symbol of Eternal Life

The ankh is the Egyptian hieroglyphic character that means \"life\". Only pharaohs， kings， queens and gods were allowed to carry this potent5) symbol; for the person holding it had the power to give life or take it away from lesser6) mortals.

A symbol of the life-giving elements of air and water， it was held to someone's lips as an offering of the breath he will need in the afterlife.

A combination of two universal symbols， the cross and the circle， the ankh evokes images of the sun rising over the cross path of the horizon， indicating daily rebirth.

The ankh appears frequently in ancient Egyptian writing with two other hieroglyphs meaning \"strength\" and \"health\". In later years， it came to be known as the Egyptian Cross and the \"key of life\"; its key-like shape inspired the belief that it could unlock the \"gates of death\".

The horizontal and vertical bars of the lower tau7) cross represent the feminine and masculine energy， respectively. This combination of male and female symbols (the cross and circle) in the ankh suggests fertility and creative power.

永生的象征

安卡是象征“生命”的一種古埃及象形符號。只有法老、國王、王后和眾神才有資格持有這個具有超凡力量的符號，因為擁有它就擁有了對凡人生殺予奪的大權(quán)。

安卡是維持生命的要素空氣和水的象征，它被放到一個人的唇邊，給予他在死后的世界生活所需要的呼吸。

安卡由十字和圓環(huán)這兩個十分常見的符號組合而成，它的形狀會讓人聯(lián)想到太陽從地平線的十字路上升起的景象，象征著日復一日的重生。

在古埃及文獻中，安卡常常與另兩個表示“力量”和“健康”的象形符號同時出現(xiàn)。在稍晚一些的年代里，它又被稱作“古埃及十字架”和“生命之鑰”，那酷似鑰匙的形狀讓人們相信它具有開啟“死亡之門”的神奇力量。

安卡下半部分T形十字架上的橫、豎兩道直線分別代表女性和男性的力量。集陰、陽兩種性別符號(即十字和圓環(huán))于一身的安卡象征著繁殖力和創(chuàng)造力。

The Eye of Horus 何露斯之眼

A Symbol of Protection， Wisdom and Health

Designed to resemble the eye of a falcon8)， this symbol is also called the Eye of Ra. Horus， also known as the sun god Ra， was a falcon-headed sky god from ancient Egypt. He is associated with vitality， health and regeneration.

Horus was the son of Osiris and Isis. His right eye was white， and represented the sun， and his left eye was black， and represented the moon. According to Egyptian myth， Seth， Horus's uncle， killed Osiris. Horus fought Seth to avenge this death and lost his left eye in the fight. Thoth， the god of magic and the moon， used his powers to restore Horus's eye. Upon presenting his eye to Osiris， Osiris experienced rebirth. Hence， the Eye of Horus was often used to symbolize sacrifice， healing， restoration， and protection.

守護、智慧和健康的象征

這個外形設計與鷹眼相似的符號又被稱作“拉神之眼”。何露斯鷹首人身，是古埃及的天空之神，他的另一重身份就是太陽神拉。他是與生命力、健康和重生相關(guān)的神。

何露斯是奧西里斯與伊希斯的兒子。他的右眼是白色的，代表太陽；左眼是黑色的，代表月亮。在古埃及神話中，何露斯的叔叔塞特殺死了奧西里斯。為報殺父之仇，何露斯與塞特展開激戰(zhàn)，在戰(zhàn)斗中失去了左眼。魔法及月亮之神透特用他的神力治好了何露斯的眼睛。何露斯把自己的眼睛獻給了奧西里斯，奧西里斯便獲得了重生。因此，何露斯之眼常象征獻祭、治愈、復原和守護。

The Feather of Maat 瑪亞特的羽毛

A Symbol of Truth， Justice， Morality and Balance

The ostrich feather was an attribute of the goddess Maat.

The hearts of the deceased9) are said to be weighed against Maat's feather. If the heart of a \"truth speaker\" was equal to the feather (\"light-hearted\")， he would be allowed to enter the Kingdom of Osiris10). If the heart was heavy with sin and weighed more than the feather of Maat， the deceased was devoured11) by the monster Ammut.

It was pharaoh's responsibility to establish and maintain Maat， with which he kept the cosmic forces in balance. When a pharaoh died， Maat was temporarily lost and the world was flung into chaos， only the appointment of a new pharaoh could restore Maat.

真理、正義、道德和平衡的象征

女神瑪亞特的一個標志是鴕鳥的羽毛。

據(jù)說，亡者的心臟會和瑪亞特的羽毛分別放到天平兩端稱重。如果一個“誠實的人”的心臟和那根羽毛重量相等(心無負累)，那么他將獲準進入由奧西里斯統(tǒng)治的冥界。如果一個亡者的心臟因為充滿罪惡而比瑪亞特的羽毛重，那么此人將會被怪物阿穆特吃掉。

確立和守護瑪亞特是法老的責任，法老通過瑪亞特使宇宙間的各種力量保持平衡。法老死后，瑪亞特就會暫時消失，致使世界陷入混亂，只有繼任的法老被確立，才能讓瑪亞特重司其職。

Scarabs 圣甲蟲

A Symbol of Creation， Strength and Transformation

The scarab personified the god， Khepri， a sun god associated with resurrection12). As such， the large winged scarab and the heart scarab were considered good luck beetles and placed on mummies for protection against evil.

These amulets were often inscribed with a spell from the Book of the Dead， which entreated13) the heart to \"not stand as a witness against me\".

Scarab beetles lay their eggs in dung14)， which they roll into a ball and roll into a hole. The Egyptians equated15) this with the movement of the sun and its daily resurrection， and Ancient Egyptians believed that a winged scarab flew across the sky each morning carrying the sun. The scarab was a symbol of the rising sun. As a protector from evil， it is also a symbol of rebirth， regeneration16)， creation， transformation and was commonly worn to gain strength.

創(chuàng)造、力量和變形的象征

圣甲蟲是與復活相關(guān)的太陽神凱布利的化身。人們認為巨翅圣甲蟲和心臟形狀的圣甲蟲能夠帶來好運，并將它們放置在木乃伊上以保護木乃伊不受邪靈的侵害。

這些護身符上常常鐫刻有摘自《亡靈書》的咒語，祈求(等待稱重的)心臟“不要做出對我不利的證明”。

圣甲蟲的成蟲把卵產(chǎn)在糞便中，再把糞便團成一個糞球，將其滾到一個洞里。古埃及人將這種行為視為太陽的運行及其每天的重新升起。他們認為，每天早晨都有一只展翅飛翔的圣甲蟲馱著太陽在天際運行，因此圣甲蟲象征著冉冉升起的太陽。圣甲蟲能辟邪，同時也象征著轉(zhuǎn)世、重生、創(chuàng)造和變形。在過去，人們常佩戴著它以期從中獲得力量。

1.hieroglyph [?ha??r?ɡl?f] n. 象形符號

2.Maat: 瑪亞特女神，古埃及代表真相、秩序、法律、道德和公正的女神

3.scarab [?sk?r?b] n. (古埃及人作為護身符、裝飾品等用的)圣甲蟲雕飾物

4.amulet [??mj?l?t] n. 護身符

5.potent [?p??tnt] adj. 強有力的；有權(quán)勢的；有影響的

6.lesser [?les?(r)] adj. 次要的

7.tau [t??] n. 希臘語的第19個字母，相當于英語字母T。

8.falcon [?f??lk?n] n. 獵鷹

9.deceased [d??si?st] adj. 已死的

10.the Kingdom of Osiris: 奧西里斯是古埃及掌管來世、冥界和亡者的神，因此此處指的是奧西里斯掌管的冥界。

11.devour [d??va??(r)] vt. (猛獸等)吞食

12.resurrection [?rez??rek?n] n. 死而復生，復活

13.entreat [?n?tri?t] vt. 懇請；乞求

14.dung [d??] n. (尤指牲畜的)糞；糞肥

15.equate [i?kwe?t] vt. 使相等

16.regeneration [r??d?en??re??n] n. 恢復；新生