CHAPTER XXXIX.

[From the Papyrus of Mes-em-neter (see Nayille, op. cit., Bd. I. BI. 53). ]
Vignette : The deceased spearing a serpent.
Text: (1) Tue CHAPTER OF DRIVING BACK THE SERPENT REREK IN THE UNDERWORLD. Osiris Mes- em-neter saith :—
(2) “Get thee back, depart, retreat (?) from [me], O ‘‘ Aaapef, withdraw, or thou shalt be drowned at the ‘Pool of Nu, at the place where thy father (3) hath “ ordered that thy slaughter shall be performed. Depart “thou from the divine birthplace of Ra wherein is thy “terror, Iam Ra who dwelleth in his terror. (4) Get “thee back, Fiend, before the darts of his beams. Ra “hath overthrown thy words, the gods have turned thy “face backwards, the Lynx hath (5) torn open thy breast,
168 THE OVERTHROW OF APEP _ [Chap. xxxix. 5
“the Scorpion! hath cast fetters upon thee; and Maat ‘hath sent forth thy destruction. Those who are in “(6) the ways have overthrown thee; fall down and “depart, O Apep, thou Enemy of Ra! O thou that ‘“‘passest over the region in the eastern part of heaven ‘with the sound of the roaring thunder-cloud, (7) O Ra “‘ who openest the gates of the horizon straightway on thy ‘appearance, [Apep] hath sunk helpless under [thy] “oashings. IJ have performed thy will, O Ra, I have per- ‘formed thy will; I have done that which is fair, I have “done that which is fair, I have laboured for the peace “of (8) Ra. [I] have made to advance thy fetters, O “Ra, and Apep hath fallen through thy drawing them “tight. The gods of the south and of the north, of the “west and of the (9) east have fastened chains upon him, “and they have fettered him with fetters ; the god Rekes “hath overthrown him and the god Hertit hath put him “in chains. Ra setteth, Ra setteth; Ra is strong at ‘‘{his] (10) setting. Apep hath fallen, Apep, the enemy “of Ra, departeth. Greater is the punishment [which “hath been inflicted on] thee than the sting (?) which “is in the Scorpion goddess, and mightily hath she, “whose course is everlasting, worked it upon thee and “with deadly effect. (11) Thou shalt never enjoy the “delights of love, thou shalt never fulfil thy desire, O “ Apep, thou Enemy of Ra! He maketh thee to go “back, O thou who art hateful to Ra; he looketh upon
1 J.e., the goddess Serqet or Selket. 2 T.e., the goddess of right and truth.
Chap. xxxix. 18] THE OVERTHROW OF APEP 169
“thee, (12) get thee back! [He] pierceth [thy] head, “The| cutteth through thy face, [he] divideth [thy] “head at the two sides of the ways, and it is crushed “in his land; thy bones are smashed in pieces, thy “members are hacked off thee, and the god |A]ker! hath “condemned (13) thee, O Apep, thou enemy of Ra! “Thy mariners are those who keep the reckoning for “thee, [O Ra, as thou] advancest, and thou restest “there wherein are the offerings made to thee. [As “thou] advancest, [as thou] advancest towards the ‘ House (14) the advance which thou hast made towards “the House is a prosperous advance ; let not any baleful “obstacle proceed from thy mouth against me when “thou workest on my behalf. I am Set who let loose “the storm-clouds and the (15) thunder in the horizon “of heaven even as [doth] the god Netcheb-ab-f.” “*Ffail” saith the god Tem, ‘Make strong your faces, “QO soldiers of Ra, for I have driven back the god (16) Nentcha in the presence of the divine sovereign “princes.” ‘Hail,’ saith the god Seb, ‘Make ye firm “those who are upon their seats which are in the boat “of Khepera, (17) take ye your ways, [grasping] your “weapons of war in your hands,’ ‘ Hail,’ saith Hathor, “*Take ye your armour. ‘Hail, saith Nut, ‘Come “and repulse the god (18) Tcha who pursueth him that “dwelleth in his shrine and who setteth out on his way “alone, namely, Neb-er-tcher, who cannot be repulsed.’
! T.e., the double Lion-god who presided over the sun’s course in the night sky.
170 THE OVERTHROW OF APEP [Chap. xxxix. 19
“Hail,” say those gods who dwell in their (19) com- ‘panies and who go round about the Turquoise Pool, ““Come, O mighty One, we praise and we will deliver “the Mighty One [who dwelleth in] the divine Shrine, ‘from whom proceeds the company of the gods, (20) let “commemorations be made for him, let praise be given “to him, let words [of praise] be recited before him by “you and by me.’ ‘ Hail,’ saith Nut to thy Sweet One. “* Hail,’ say those who dwell among the gods, (21) ‘He “cometh forth, he findeth [his] way, he maketh captives “among the gods, he hath taken possession of the “goddess Nut, and Seb standeth up. Hail, thou “terrible one, the company of the gods is on (22) the “march. Hathor quaketh with terror, and Ra hath “triumphed over Apep.”