From The Alpha and the Omega - Volume III
by Jim A. Cornwell, Copyright © July 20, 2002, all rights reserved "Volume III - Gods/Goddesses of Ancient Egypt"

APEP (Apepi, Aapep, Apophis)

To return to the Mercury Decan (serpent-shaped hieroglyphic), Hydra Decan (Apophis), Denderah Decan 19-Grand Temple Decan 2 (serpent on a boat), Denderah Decan 22-Grand Temple Decan 35 (Apophis), Kau (Keh, Nehebkhau, Nehebkau) (the snake god), Aker (Apophis), Atum (annihilates Apep serpent), List of Netjeru.

    Apep (Apophis) was the symbol of the Primeval Chaos or demon of the underworld, a lethal giant water snake who consistently threatens Creation.    He was depicted as a long snake with several coils and was thought to exist outside the normal world, in the Uncreated where he is trying to swallow up everything and everyone into the void of non-existence, and he can only be temporarily defeated.
    The hieroglyph for a snake is .
    When the sun-god Ra travels in the night-boat through the Underworld, Set stands guard in the fore, spear aloft, and destroys Apep.    In one papyrus dated to 300 B.C., Apep is hacked to pieces and burnt, also using a spell to ensure destruction.
    But every night the story repeats itself as Apep is indestructible.    He is said to be 16 meters long and his head is made of flint.    It was believed that Apep waited at Bakhu - the mountain of the horizon - to swallow the barque of Ra, or during in the seventh hour of the night.    He also could swallow the waters of the celestial river in the underworld, or use his coils as sandbanks, to strand Ra's barque.    When the night boat comes through Apep hypnotizes everyone on board except for Set, who is said to bind him with a spell which enables Ra to continue his journey, so that the sun will rise.

    He was the enemy of the sun god, trying to stop him as he travelled on his barque through the underworld each night.    He was so powerful that little could defeat him, and even then, he was back again the following evening to threaten Ra.    He was a demon outside of ma'at, the opposite of order, a demon of darkness and chaos.
    Apep was first attested to during the Middle Kingdom, but the New Kingdom texts provide the myths and legends of this demon.    During Roman times, Apep's name was thought to mean 'He who was Spat Out'.    He was believed to have been created when Nit spat into the waters of Nun, her spittle turning into the giant water snake.    This was thought to happen at the start of time, and that he lived in the primeval waters.    His name may mean 'Great Snake' (from aah - in words such as 'be great', 'the great', 'greatly'), but the reading is uncertain.    (The sound aah was also the word for donkey, animals that were believed to be followers of both Set and Apep.    This may be part of an ancient Egyptian pun.)
    He was depicted as a giant water snake, almost always shown being pierced by knives or other weapons or under the control of a deity, so his image would not give the demon power.    His roar was so loud that it shook the underworld.    He was called 'Evil Lizard', 'Opponent of Ra', 'Enemy of Ra', 'World Encircler' and 'Serpent of Rebirth'.
    Serqet also used her magic to protect the barque from Apep, as she had power over snakes, reptiles and poisonous animals.    She was also thought to be able to hold Apep's tail.    Maahes also protected Ra on the barque, as he protected the pharaoh while in battle.
    Shu was a defender of the barque, who used spells and magic to protect Ra from the water snake-demon and his followers.    He was also thought to be caught or cut by other deities, including Isis, Nit, Sekhmet, Geb and the Sons of Horus.
    The Egyptians believed that Shu was the second divine pharaoh, ruling after Ra.    Apep's followers, though, plotted against him and attacked the god at his palace in At Nub.    Despite defeating them, Shu became diseased due to their corruption, and soon even Shu's own followers revolted against him.    Shu then abdicated the throne, allowing his son Geb to rule, and Shu himself returned to the skies.
    Neither Shu, Maahes nor Serqet were strong enough to kill Apep.    Only a few could kill him - Set boasts that "Every day I slay the enemy of Ra when I stand at the helm of the Barque of Millions of Years, which no other god dare do."    He was the only deity who was strong enough to withstand the power of Apep, and to kill the water serpent.

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    This file was created on June 18, 2005.

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