Apep/ApophisEvil deity of darkness and the enemy

of light…

Egyptian God of Darkness Apep is worshipped

by none, his only allies are the demons who plague my boat as I sail across the sky. He dwells in eternal darkness, unable to be reasoned with, and immune to death.

He commands an army of demons that plague mankind. Even to this day he plots his vengeance against me and all the light. Because of my defenders he has so far failed to destroy my spirit.

Giant SerpentApep is a portrayed as a giant serpent that or legless lizard (a skink). images humans have made of him portray him a black with a white under belly and a giant wavy body. Occasionally he had wings in order to assault my boat. I not quite sure why he does not always wing, or why he occasionally breathes fire but that’s not important.

Dwelling in the Underworld

• Every night as I make my journey through the underworld Apep attempts to consume my sun boat by hypnotizing myself and my companions. Luckily Set is able to resist this and thrash Apep.

• Occasionally Apep is temporarily successful causing the sun to be blotted out, and great storms, and other catastrophes until my companions slice him open and free me and my boat.

Or sometimes not…

• Some believed Apep dwelled in the Nile, but from my experience he lives in the darkest crevices of the underworld. Some also believe that it is actually the cat goddess, my daughter, Bast, who slays him when she is in her cat form. However I don’t even know how many children I have so I haven’t really had time to look into it.

The Uncreated

• Apep was not created therefore he has no family and because he was not created he cannot be destroyed permanently, but he can be torn to pieces and ripped apart. He has no friends other than his horrible demons allies, but they don’t really have an opinion of him.

Where did Apep come from?

As I said Apep was not created, but some believe that Apep was once in my position until I usurped him, but I’m old an do not remember this so I’m not sure if it really happened. Some persons believe that Apep was there in the beginning with chaos, but haven’t been able to ask him myself.

As I mentioned before…

• Apep can never be truly destroyed. He may be the only god who is truly immortal and all powerful. Unlike the other gods he is not required to eat or rest or such things the other beings must do. He cannot ever be truly defeated and will always return to siege me and my followers. However humans had a ritual that they believe assisted me in my journey through the underworld.

The Banishing of Apep

Once a year a ritual was conducted by the “Priest of Ra” a wax model of him was taken into the temple and supposedly imbued with all the evil in the lands. The priest then went though a drawn out process a destroying this tiny model before it was burned. Also there was a set of spells to banish Apep. I did not have the heart to tell them but none of the things the humans did actually seemed to help me, but they were not hurting anything so I did not bother them.

Worship of Apep

No one worshipped Apep, everyone feared and hated him. This may have been why he was so evil, but he may have just been naturally evil. Although two of the rulers of Hyksos used him as their coronation names, but they may have just made a spelling error.

Boring citations!• Hill, Jenny. "Gods of Ancient Egypt: Apep (Apophis)." Gods of Ancient Egypt: Apep (Apophis). Ed. Jenny Hill. N.p., 2010. Web. 21 Aug. 2012.

<http://www.ancientegyptonline.co.uk/apep.html>.

• "Apophis (Apep), the Enemy of Re." Apophis (Apep), the Enemy of Re. Tour Egypt, n.d. Web. 21 Aug. 2012. <http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/apep.htm>.

• McDevitt, April. "Ancient Egypt: The Mythology - Apep." Ancient Egypt: The Mythology - Apep. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Aug. 2012. <http://www.egyptianmyths.net/apep.htm>.

• Iles, Susanne. "Apep, The Egyptian Dragon of Chaos by Susanne Iles." Apep, The Egyptian Dragon of Chaos by Susanne Iles. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Aug. 2012. <http://www.susanneiles.com/essayapep.html>.

Apophis in other fiction

Apophis is not featured in many modern day pieces of media, other than Stargate.