Driving Back Rerek

[From the Papyrus of Mes-em-neter (see Naville, op. cit., Bd. I. Bl. 53).]

THE CHAPTER OF DRIVING BACK THE SERPENT REREK IN THE UNDERWORLD. Osiris
Mes-em-neter saith:

“Get thee back, depart, retreat(?) from [me], O Aāapef, withdraw, or thou
shalt be drowned at the Pool of Nu, at the place where thy father hath
ordered that thy slaughter shall be performed. Depart thou from the divine
place of birth of Rā wherein is thy terror. I am Rā who dwelleth in his
terror. Get thee back, Fiend, before the darts of his beams. Rā hath
overthrown thy words, the gods have turned thy face backward, the Lynx
hath torn open thy breast, the Scorpion hath cast fetters upon thee; and
Maāt hath sent forth thy destruction. Those who are in the ways have
overthrown thee; fall down and depart, O Apep, thou Enemy of Rā! O thou
that passest over the region in the eastern part of heaven with the sound
of the roaring thunder-cloud, O Rā who openest the gates of the horizon
straightway on thy appearance, [Apep] hath sunk helpless under [thy]
gashings. I have performed thy will, O Rā, I have performed thy will; I
have done that which is fair, I have done that which is fair, I have
labored for the peace of Rā. [I] have made to advance thy fetters, O Rā,
and Apep hath fallen through thy drawing them tight. The gods of the south
and of the north, of the west and of the 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. Rā setteth, Rā
setteth; Rā is strong at [his] setting. Apep hath fallen, Apep, the enemy
of Rā, 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. Thou shalt never enjoy the delights of love, thou shalt never
fulfil thy desire, O Apep, thou Enemy of Rā! He maketh thee to go back, O
thou who art hateful to Rā; he looketh upon thee, get thee back! [He]
pierceth [thy] head, [he] 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 thee, O Apep, thou enemy of Rā! Thy mariners are
those who keep the reckoning for thee, [O Rā, as thou] advancest, and thou
restest there wherein are the offerings made to thee [As thou] advancest,
[as thou] advancest toward the House the advance which thou hast made
toward 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 thunder in the horizon of heaven
even as [doth] the god Netcheb-ab-f.”

“ ‘Hail,’ saith the god Tem, ‘make strong your faces, O soldiers of Rā,
for I have driven back the god Nentchā 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, take ye your ways,
[grasping] your weapons of war in your hands.’ ‘Hail,’ saith Hathor, ‘take
ye your armor.’ ‘Hail,’ saith Nut, ‘come and repulse the god Tchā who
pursueth him that dwelleth in his shrine and who setteth out on his way
alone, namely, Neb-er-tcher, who cannot be repulsed.’ ‘Hail,’ say those
gods who dwell in their companies 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, 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, ‘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 the march. Hathor quaketh with
terror, and Rā hath triumphed over Apep.”