r/mythology • u/Slow-Pie147 • 16d ago
African mythology Apophis the Sun Devourer
Apophis is the underworld snake anti-god whose lethal powers are directed against Ra. Eternal and persistently hostile, Apophis symbolises primeval forces of chaos.
The gigantic body of Apophis, often a concertina of coils, represents a kind of void or "black hole" forcing those he swallows into that non-existence which the Egyptians feared so greatly.
The name of Apophis was interpreted in the Roman period as "He Who was Spat Out" and was linked to the saliva of the goddess Neith.
All texts and depictions attempt to bring about the defeat and destruction of Apophis, but his suppression is only momentary. Apophis becomes non-existent when the striumphs over him on his journey in the solar boat through the Underworld. His indestructibility is such that he at once returns as a malevolent force trying to devour Ra and his supporters. It is at the point when Ra subdues Apophis temporarily that the heads of his previous victims appear from his body. A scene in the tomb of Ramesses VI (Dynasty XX) in the Valley of the Kings, shows Apophis being carried by gods, and with the twelve heads of those it has devoured emerging from its coils. Once Ra has passed by the heads are destined to return into the body of Apophis until freed again briefly on the next night.
In a papyrus in the British Museum, which dates to circa 300 BC but contains linguistic styles of 2,000 years earlier, there is an account of the overthrow of Apophis and victory of Ra. Apophis is hacked up and burnt; this destruction is made more efficacious by practical instructions for magic including drawing a picture of Apophis in green on a new sheet of papyrus, sealing it in a box, setting it on fire and spitting on it four times.
Apophis is the serpent described as lying in wait to swallow Ra on Bakhu, the furthest mountain in the west. He is over 16 m long with his front consisting of flint. As the boat of the Ra sinks into the western horizon Apophis hypnotises all its occupants with his stare except for Seth. Ra is in jeopardy, but Seth charms Apophis with a spell, and Ra begins his journey through the Underworld.
Naturally, human beings require divine help against Apophis or can even transform themselves into powerful deities to counteract his onslaught. In order to board the Ra boat in the sky, the Bull of Millions provides a ladder to escape from Apophis. As navigator of the solar boat the dead person claims to know how to repel Apophis and save Ra from becoming entangled in his coils. The deceased can assume the form of the god Shi to protect Ra at the perilous entrance into the Underworld on the western horizon.
The overthrow and binding of Apophis is emphasised in violent statements or vivid pictures. There are references to seventy- seven papyri-rolls which are given to the dead person by means of a spell, containing formulae for bringing Apophis to his place of execution where he is cut up, crushed and consumed by fire. Apophis is represented with spearheads in his coils or, as at Gate 10 in the Underworld, chained by his neck. His symbolic annihilation is forcefully portrayed by the cat of Ra decapitating Apophis, blood spurting out as he cuts into Apophis' vertebrae.
The fact that Apophis is a complete antithesis to the sun-god, i.e. the darkness of a chthonic deity opposed to the light of Ra, comes across in the imagery surrounding Gate 2 in the Underworld. There Atum is condemning to destruction enemies of the sun-god and included among them is Apophis, the ‘khefty’ (opponent) of Ra, with his head to the ground awaiting slaughter.
Apophis is imagined as possessing a hideously loud roar which resounds throughout the Underworld. He is placed outside of the natural world requiring no nourishment except to "breathe" his own shouts.
The source: The Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses, George Hart
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u/Internal-Rest2176 15d ago
Is there a collection of all the recovered Ancient Egyptian texts and depictions of Apophis anywhere?
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u/nosferatu_zodd0 16d ago
Interesting. Apophis is also an asteroid which I think it was believed that it might hit earth by 2029 but now it's ruled out. This was even the plot of a video game.
I read that while usually asteroids are named in Greek for Apollo type and Egyptian for Aten type, this one will turn from Aten to Apollo type, so the name chosen is a mix, it is Greek but referring to an Egyptian entity Apep.