Egyptian Gods

Apep was an ancient spirit of evil and destruction, the deification of darkness and chaos, known since the Middle Kingdom. The name Apep, also spelled as Apepi and Aapep, or Apophis in Greek. According to myth, Apep always attempt to devour the sun god Ra as he travelled the heaven at night. He was said to be, as who consistently threatens creation.

Set had been protector of Ra who battle Apep from devouring the Sun Boat of Ra, as it sailed the heavens. However, occasionally Apep do manage to devour but, Set with help of Mehen manage to escape the Sun Boat by cutting a hole in Apep’s belly. If they failed, the world would be plunged into darkness.

Apep depicted as a huge serpent with compressed coils to emphasis the size of it. He was thought to exist from the natural world, where he swallows up everything into non-existence which the Egyptians feared so greatly. Apep was also associated with various frightening natural events such as unexplained darkness such as solar eclipse, storms and earthquakes.

Apep had many titles such as “the evil lizard”, “opponent and enemy to world encircler”, “the enemy of Ra” and “the serpent of rebirth”. He was considered to be all powerful other than Aten. He was believed that he does not require any nourishment other than his own loud and dreadful roar. He never can be completely destroyed but only be temporarily defeated.

Apep was not worshipped but worshipped against. Annually, a ritual called the “Banishing of Apep” would be held by the priests of Ra. The priests would take an effigy of Apep, that full of evil and darkness in the center of the temple and they burn it and destroy it. By destroying it, it was believed that the power of Apep would be curtailed for another year. The “Books of Overthrowing Apep” or the “Book of Apophis” in Greek states the guides to fight Apep by the Egyptian priests.