Apet

Apet

was an Egyptian goddess, represented under the form of an upright hippopotamus, with long pendent breasts, generally leaning- upon a peculiar crosslike instrument, which has been regarded as a sign of protection. She appears to have been substituted for the goddess Mant in the lower times of the empire; and her titles were, "The Good Nurse," "The Great One who bears the Gods," "The Great Mother of him who is Married to his Mother," i.e. the Ithyphallic Horus. She was also, under the title of "The Great Ta Ouer," or Thoueris, represented as an avenging deity, having a lion's head and armed with a long straight knife, in which character she was called " The Nourisher of those who approach to the Flames (of hell)."