Sekhmet means "The Mighty One," and she was one of the most powerful
of the gods and goddesses. She was the goddess who meted out divine
punishment to the enemies of the gods and of the pharaoh. In this
capacity she was called the "Eye of Ra." She also accompanied the
pharaoh into battle, launching fiery arrows into battle ahead of him.
Sekhmet could also send plagues and disease against her enemies, but
was sometimes invoked to avoid plague and cure disease.