Yep. I was wondering who Osiris might correspond to in Greek and Roman mythology (if he corresponds to Lazarus in the Christian tradition). Not sure I know for certain yet, but it looks like he morphed from Pluto early on to Zeus later.
Apparently there was a
deliberate bureaucratic effort on the part of the Hellenic pharaos (Greeks who took over Egypt) to identify Osiris (under the new name Serapis) with Zeus. The idea was to bring about "unity."
This passage ascribed to the Emperor Hadrian underscores what you're saying Jess:
There (in Egypt) those who worship Serapis are, in fact, Christians, and those who call themselves bishops of Christ are, in fact, devotees of Serapis. There is no chief of the Jewish synagogue, no Samaritan, no Christian presbyter, who is not an astrologer, a soothsayer, or an anointer. Even the Patriarch himself, when he comes to Egypt, is forced by some to worship Serapis, by others to worship Christ.
Serapis: Zeus: Deus: