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,
