Mortality and Transience

Where it surfaces

• The Tour

  The ancient ruins and tombs evoke reflections on the passage of time and the impermanence of human achievements.

• The Festival of Serapis at Canopus

  The pilgrims lie motionless under dreaming-nets like mummies, awaiting dreams from Serapis who rises from the underworld, emphasizing the boundary between life and death.

• Chapter XV

  The decay of Memphis and the cycle of Apis's death and rebirth highlight the transience of civilizations and life itself.

• XVI

  Lucius reflects on the age-old past swallowed by sands, feeling small and transient in the face of centuries of history.

• The Black Pyramid

  The priest's reflections on vanished mummies, sarcophagi, and the eventual disappearance of the pyramids underscore the theme of impermanence.

• XVIII

  The hermit's vision of a radiant child as a fleeting, transcendent moment that eclipses all past and future knowledge.

• XX

  Caleb's fears of supernatural death and the exhaustion of men and animals reflect the fragility of life in the harsh environment.

• XXI

  The decay of the once-honored temple and statue of Ammon-Râ reflects the impermanence of gods and empires.

• XXIV

  The ruined colossus of Memnon and the empty tombs evoke the passage of time and the fragility of human achievement.

• XXV

  The tales of Typhon, the great serpent, and the dangers of the hunt underscore the fragility of life and the constant presence of death.