From Stoicism to Maat: The Nile (Hapi) river and Lukewarm
By Andre Austin
George G.M. James taught us “That Plato drew the four cardinal virtues from the Egyptian Ten” (Stolen legacy p.31). The Stoics taught that “virtue is sufficient for Happiness”. The Nile river was original called Hapi and his name is probably the source of the word happy (The Nile Valley Contribution to Civilization p.84 by Anthony T. Browder).
The Stoics in turn took these 4 from Plato:
1. Wisdom
2. Courage
3. Justice
4. Temperance
To be in virtue you must be balanced in justice which required elements of the other three. The stoics taught that to be in excess or deficiency of heat or cold would lead to destruction. Passions were a reaction to external events that were + or -. A person in virtue are self-control of feelings either in correct/incorrect judgement.
Likewise, the Egyptians taught that Justice was a balance between a deficiency or an excess. This balance was towards the truth and not a mixture of the above two. Just like the Stoics said that a stick was straight or crooked.
The trinity that created mankind was Atum (light), Shu (air) and Tefnut (moisture/justice) and the condition of the body was a warm and moist heart and eyes. The Stoics taught the soul breath was warm.
The church in Laodicea was a waterless city and had hot and cold water piped into its city becoming warm at its arrival. The church was accused of being “Wretched and Pitiful” (=Unhappy) because they were neither Hot or Cold but balanced in “Lukewarm”. If they were influenced by the stoics they would have been content like Socrates in drinking warm water.
Now let me turn to a metaphor in Egypt about the Nile (Hapi) flood and its relationship with the people from the writings of Strabo and Diodorus.
“The crop was the largest and the rise the highest when the Nile (Hapi) would rise to 14 cubits, and when it would rise to only eight a famine would ensue” (Geography 17,1:3). Now we know that Noah Flood was symbolic of the Nile flood and 1 cubit over 14 when means 15 cubit is destruction (Genesis 7:20). Plutarch states that a normal rising is 14 cubits (Isis & Osiris point 43 or p.105). Therefore, the ancient Egyptian invented the Nilometer and hope for a rise in the Nile to be balanced above 8 Cubits to 14 so that they could be free of anxiety and be Hapi. And Diodorus states:
“The masses of the people, being relieved of their labors during the entire time of the inundation, turn to recreation, feasting all the while and enjoying without hindrance every devise of pleasure. And because of anxiety occasioned by the rise of the river the kings have constructed a Nilometer…to know in advance how large the next harvest will be, since the Egyptians have kept an accurate record of their observations of this kind over a long period of terms” (Diodorus Book 1:36).
This is the exact behavior of the people before Noah’s flood we know is symbolic of the Nile flood.
The Egyptians consider the Nile (Hapi) water to be Holy. The NT has the Laodicea church being unhappy because their passions are Lukewarm (balanced) towards the Hot and Cold. But if Luke is a spin off pun for Look or for healing their eyes and heart were pure from incorrect judgment and feelings of the Hot & Cold. You can be able to separate by judgement the good from the bad of the Sheep who Look out for others or the goats where no one see them doing any good deeds.
The 2nd century Christians knew the Laodicea church was getting a bum rap so they wrote a lost letter of Paul to them in his name saying they were doing good deeds and keep looking for judgement day.
In heaven souls get to feast on Shu and Tefnut. You might know them by their other names of the Tree of life and tree of knowledge.
Notes:
Also see Herodotus Book 2:13 says a flood is about 24 feet (14 cubits)
Lukewarm could be symbolic of balanced water of the Hapi Nile river
The Nilometer was Looked at to see if the people would be happy or sad with its results. They were Looking for a balance between 9-14 their sweet spot was not excess or deficiency. Lukewarm was a balance between Hot & Cold with correct vision or readings.
By Andre Austin
George G.M. James taught us “That Plato drew the four cardinal virtues from the Egyptian Ten” (Stolen legacy p.31). The Stoics taught that “virtue is sufficient for Happiness”. The Nile river was original called Hapi and his name is probably the source of the word happy (The Nile Valley Contribution to Civilization p.84 by Anthony T. Browder).
The Stoics in turn took these 4 from Plato:
1. Wisdom
2. Courage
3. Justice
4. Temperance
To be in virtue you must be balanced in justice which required elements of the other three. The stoics taught that to be in excess or deficiency of heat or cold would lead to destruction. Passions were a reaction to external events that were + or -. A person in virtue are self-control of feelings either in correct/incorrect judgement.
Likewise, the Egyptians taught that Justice was a balance between a deficiency or an excess. This balance was towards the truth and not a mixture of the above two. Just like the Stoics said that a stick was straight or crooked.
The trinity that created mankind was Atum (light), Shu (air) and Tefnut (moisture/justice) and the condition of the body was a warm and moist heart and eyes. The Stoics taught the soul breath was warm.
The church in Laodicea was a waterless city and had hot and cold water piped into its city becoming warm at its arrival. The church was accused of being “Wretched and Pitiful” (=Unhappy) because they were neither Hot or Cold but balanced in “Lukewarm”. If they were influenced by the stoics they would have been content like Socrates in drinking warm water.
Now let me turn to a metaphor in Egypt about the Nile (Hapi) flood and its relationship with the people from the writings of Strabo and Diodorus.
“The crop was the largest and the rise the highest when the Nile (Hapi) would rise to 14 cubits, and when it would rise to only eight a famine would ensue” (Geography 17,1:3). Now we know that Noah Flood was symbolic of the Nile flood and 1 cubit over 14 when means 15 cubit is destruction (Genesis 7:20). Plutarch states that a normal rising is 14 cubits (Isis & Osiris point 43 or p.105). Therefore, the ancient Egyptian invented the Nilometer and hope for a rise in the Nile to be balanced above 8 Cubits to 14 so that they could be free of anxiety and be Hapi. And Diodorus states:
“The masses of the people, being relieved of their labors during the entire time of the inundation, turn to recreation, feasting all the while and enjoying without hindrance every devise of pleasure. And because of anxiety occasioned by the rise of the river the kings have constructed a Nilometer…to know in advance how large the next harvest will be, since the Egyptians have kept an accurate record of their observations of this kind over a long period of terms” (Diodorus Book 1:36).
This is the exact behavior of the people before Noah’s flood we know is symbolic of the Nile flood.
The Egyptians consider the Nile (Hapi) water to be Holy. The NT has the Laodicea church being unhappy because their passions are Lukewarm (balanced) towards the Hot and Cold. But if Luke is a spin off pun for Look or for healing their eyes and heart were pure from incorrect judgment and feelings of the Hot & Cold. You can be able to separate by judgement the good from the bad of the Sheep who Look out for others or the goats where no one see them doing any good deeds.
The 2nd century Christians knew the Laodicea church was getting a bum rap so they wrote a lost letter of Paul to them in his name saying they were doing good deeds and keep looking for judgement day.
In heaven souls get to feast on Shu and Tefnut. You might know them by their other names of the Tree of life and tree of knowledge.
Notes:
Also see Herodotus Book 2:13 says a flood is about 24 feet (14 cubits)
Lukewarm could be symbolic of balanced water of the Hapi Nile river
The Nilometer was Looked at to see if the people would be happy or sad with its results. They were Looking for a balance between 9-14 their sweet spot was not excess or deficiency. Lukewarm was a balance between Hot & Cold with correct vision or readings.
