Seth is one of the most misunderstood Gods in Egyptian Mythology. He is the God of violence, chaos, storms and deserts and is usually blamed when things go wrong. According to some myths, unlike his other brothers and sisters, Seth was born by tearing himself out of his mother’s womb, which symbolises violence. His name is usually translated into “instigator of confusion”. He is generally compared with Loki from the Norse mythology and with Hermes from the Greek mythology as all these three Gods are known to be mischievous. Seth has a unique cult of followers who do not believe that he is evil.

Seth is often associated with the colour red which represents evil in Egypt. The Egyptians showed Seth as a man with the head of an animal who had a pointed snout, tall, rectangular ears and a thin body like a dog with a long, forked tail that splits into two parts. He is usually seen holding an ankh and a scepter which signifies authority.

He is the brother of Osiris and Isis, and uncle to Horus, and brother-husband to Nephthys. Seth’s relation with Osiris, his elder brother is the most famous myth when one talks about Seth. As Osiris was the first born, he was selected as the natural ruler of Egypt. Under Osiris’s rule, Egypt and its people prospered. This made Seth jealous. Earlier, Seth was the God of love, but this jealousy towards his brother turned him from a hero to a villain.  In a coup, Seth murdered Osiris and dismembered his body parts to become the ruler of Egypt. He even scattered Osiris’s body parts all over the world so that no one could resurrect Osiris. Seth was feared due to this chaos and destruction that he caused. Isis eventually resurrected Osiris with magic and made him the God of Afterlife. Eventually Seth was beaten and defeated by Osiris’s son, Horus in a combat.

While Seth is known for his complex nature, he is also the God who is responsible for maintaining the balance and order. There is another legend which talks about how Seth is the protector of the Sun God Ra against Apophis who is the evil serpent. It is believed that every night, Seth defends Ra against Apophis and ensures his safe passage to the other side thus helping in the cycle of day and night and the continuation of cosmic order.