Editing Mut (section)

===Eye of Ra===
The epithet “[[Eye of Ra]]” has been used for Mut since the nineteenth dynasty, but does not appear to have been used for Mut in the Eighteenth Dynasty. The myth of the Eye of the Sun and the devastation of the Eye of the Sun in Thebes seem to be older than the cult of Mut. In the Leiden hymn to Amun it is the embodiment of Thebes itself as the goddess who, in the form of Sekhmet, drinks from the waters of Isheruh in Thebes. A text from the time of [[Thutmose III|Thutmoses III]] also mentions festivities in honor of lioness goddesses such as [[Bastet]], [[Shesmetet]] and [[Wadjet]].<ref>Te Velde, Herman (1985). ''Mut, the Eye of Re''. in: Akten des Vierten Internationalen Ägyptologen Kongresses Vol. 3, pp.398-400.</ref>

The Demotic [[Papyrus]] of Leiden records the myth of the return of the Eye of Ra to Egypt. The central figure is a wandering goddess, initially named Tefnut, who takes the form of a sacred cat and briefly a lioness. Her name changes to Mut as she enters Thebes and to [[Hathor]] when she reconciles with her father Amun-Ra.In the myth, Ra’s daughter, angered, leaves Egypt and retreats to [[Ethiopia]] as a wild cat. Ra sends the god [[Thoth]], in the form of a baboon, to persuade her to return. Initially, she reacts aggressively, but Thoth calms her with a fable about divine retribution for broken oaths, convincing her to spare his life.Thoth then appeals to her emotions, reminding her of her homeland, her twin brother Shu, and the importance of returning to Egypt. Offering her delightful food, he soothes her anger, and she begins to sing praises of her homeland, reinforcing the longing for one's origin.<ref>Spiegelberg, Wilhelm (1917). Der Ägyptische Mythus vom Sonnenauge, der Papyrus der Tierfabeln, Kufi. Nach dem Leidener demotischen Papyrus I 384.(Papyrus der Tierfabeln – „Kufi“); nach dem Leidener demotischen Papyrus I 384. Schultz, Straßburg 1917. pp.1-20.</ref>

She then transforms into a vulture and flies to Egypt, arriving in Elkab. There, she appears in vulture form and then transforms into a gazelle when she reached Thebes. While resting near Thebes under the protection of the Thoth, she is attacked by followers of [[Apep|Apophis]], the serpent of chaos. The baboon warns her, and they flee together in a boat, hiding in the reeds.The myth then describes rituals performed in Thebes in her honor, including songs sung to her to soothe and welcome her.In the end, Mut resumes her divine form as Tefnut, the goddess of moisture and unites with her father Ra.<ref>Quack, Joachim-Friedrich (2001). Die Rückkehr der Göttin nach Theben nach demotischen Quellen. In Thiers, Christophe (ed.). Documents de Théologies Thébaines Tardives. Université Paul Valéry. pp.135-146.</ref>

The appeasement of the sun's eye and the reconciliation with her father Amun-Ra was celebrated by playing music, dancing and singing in the Mut destrik. The holding of such festivities in honor of Mut can be dated back to the time of [[Ramesses II]].<ref>te Velde 1985, p.401.</ref> These rituals involved dancing, singing, and music, as well as the imitation of noises from the underworld, such as the humming of bees and the lowing of bulls. Women played an active role, drinking narcotic potions, lifting their skirts, and seducing men, identifying themselves with the lion goddess, who in mythology became drunk and seduced the creator god. The Mut Temple had a designated "Hall of Drunkenness", as confirmed by inscriptions from the time of Hatshepsut. This ritual is linked to the Myth of the Destruction of Mankind, where the furious lioness goddess was calmed by drinking red-colored beer. Similarly, the Isheru lake in Mut’s temple was referred to as a "vessel of drunkenness", reinforcing the connection between intoxication and divine appeasement.<ref>van Dijk 2010, p.75.</ref>