Apep, the ancient serpent-like dragon demon of Egyptian Mythology.
Apep (also known as Apophis in Greece) was the ancient Egyptian serpent-like dragon demon who was the living embodiment of chaos and was the greatest nemesis of the Egyptian gods and the concept of Ma`at (order).
Etymology[]
His name was reconstructed by Egyptologists as *ʻAʼpāpī, as it was written ꜥꜣpp(y) and survived in later Coptic as Aphōph.
Description[]
Apep was viewed as the ultimate enemy of the sun god Ra, and thus was given the title "Enemy of Ra", and also "the Lord of Chaos". As the personification of all that was evil and darkness, Apep was seen as a giant snake/serpent, or occasionally as a dragon in later years, leading to such titles as Serpent from the Nile and Evil Lizard. Some elaborations even said that he stretched 16 yards in length and had a head made of flint. Other descriptions say he was massive golden snake large enough to swallow the sun itself.
Mythology[]
When the gods Set, Isis, and Ra decided that they should be given power to rule over Egypt; Apep refused to give them anything. The three Gods rebelled against Apep and were able to defeat him and throw him to the underworld. Apep was furious and vowed to take his revenge on them. He made his way through the underworld, to a place near the horizon where he knew Ra must travel on his solar barge to put the sun into the sky. From every morning on, Ra is forced to have a great battle with Apep. Most of the time, aided by Set, Bastet, or other the other gods, Ra prevails and kills Apep so that the Sun rises. Because Apep was already at the underworld's edge, he comes back to life in the underworld every time he is killed. So, the fight continues every day. On the rare occasion of a solar eclipse, the Egyptians say that Apep has actually managed to swallow Ra. The eclipse ends because the gods traveling with Ra kill Apep and cut him open to free Ra.
Culture[]
Apep was not worshiped in ancient Egypt, rather being hated and prayed against by those that worshiped Ra from far back as 4000 BC.
In Popular Culture[]
- Apep appears in Dungeons & Dragons, first appearing in Deities and Demigods Cyclopedia and has been present ever since. In the series, he is frequently associated with fire, being depicted as a molten snake in Deities and Demigods.