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During the Imperial Age, many religious streams claimed that a member of the pantheon, one of the most important gods or goddesses, took a multiplicity of forms. Damascius, the last Neoplatonist, says: "Theologists call the polymorphic gods Aiônes because of the first Aiôn's nature."1 Indeed, Proteus, for example, is only one feature among a constellation of multiform gods. These divine rulers were continuously changing their forms or contained in themselves all the forms of living beings.
On many magical gems and other monuments an Egyptian god appears (see Figure 3.6, p. 78), whose head is decorated with many animal heads or even with vegetal2 elements. This god has been known in Egyptian iconography since the first millenium BC. His name varies. In modern literature he is labeled as Pantheos, Bes Pantheos, or a polymorphic god. Sometimes he is depicted with seven or nine heads.3 The speculations of theologists of the Imperial Age connected this god to the Orphic traditions, as is proved by the inscription on a gem from Byblos.4 He was considered a creator god, after whom all the living beings in the world were shaped.5 Several Gnostic sects were interested in the study of this god, who was considered to be the creator and was known by the Egyptians.6
A quite ancient Egyptian tradition claimed that the sun god changed his form during the day: He was a lotus leaf in the morning, a lion at noon, and a ram in the evening. Consequently, he could be called Serphouthmouisrô.7 Several gems and passages of the magical papyri depict four forms of the sun during the day.8 It was thought by several Gnostic sects that Christ himself was a changeable being, alternately young and old.9 Like the sun god, the moon goddess was considered to be a changeable being. In particular, the threeform Hekate - who was identified with the moon - was called amoibousa, "the changing one" or "producing changes."10
It is highly probable that the importance given to the polymorphic or metamorphic gods by Imperial Age theologists conferred some dignity on an ancient demon of Greek mythology: Empousa. She was similar to Hekate11 in that she was a shapeshifter, continuously changing into different animals; she...