The Babylonian Legends of the Creation and the Fight

Between Bel and the Dragon (Enuma elish )

[NamedforLine1:enumaelilanabumamu=Whentheskyabovewas
notnamed]
byE.A.WallisBudgewiththeassistanceofSidneySmithasToldbyAssyrian
TabletsFromNineveh
London:HarrisonandSons,ltd.
1921

Discovery of the Tablets.

Thebakedclaytabletsandportionsoftabletswhichdescribetheviewsand
beliefsoftheBabyloniansandAssyriansabouttheCreationwerediscoveredby
Mr.(laterSir)A.H.Layard,MormuzdRassamandGeorgeSmith,Assistantinthe
DepartmentofOrientalAntiquitiesintheBritishMuseum.Theywerefoundamong
theruinsofthePalaceandLibraryofAshurbanipal(B.C.668626)atKuyunjik
(Nineveh),betweentheyears1848and1876.Between1866and1870,thegreat
"find"oftabletsandfragments,some20,000innumber,whichRassammadein
1852,wasworkedthroughbyGeorgeSmith,whoidentifiedmanyofthehistorical
inscriptionsofShalmaneserII,TiglathPileserIII,SargonII,Sennacherib,
Esarhaddon,andotherkingsmentionedintheBible,andseveralliterary
compositionsofalegendarycharacter,fables,etc.Inthecourseofthiswork
hediscoveredfragmentsofvariousversionsoftheBabylonianLegendofthe
Deluge,andportionsofseveraltextsbelongingtoaworkwhichtreatedofthe
beginningofthings,andoftheCreation.In1870,RawlinsonandSmithnoted
allusionstotheCreationintheimportanttabletK.63,butthetextsof
portionsoftabletsoftheCreationSeriesatthattimeavailableforstudywere
sofragmentarythatitwasimpossibleforthesescholarstofindtheircorrect
sequence.DuringtheexcavationswhichSmithcarriedoutatKuyunjikin1873and
1874fortheproprietorsoftheDailyTelegraphandtheTrusteesoftheBritish
Museum,hewas,hetellsus,fortunateenoughtodiscover"severalfragmentsof
theGenesisLegends."InJanuary,1875,hemadeanexhaustivesearchamongthe
tabletsintheBritishMuseum,andinthefollowingMarchhepublished,inthe
DailyTelegraph(March4th),asummaryofthecontentsofabouttwentyfragments
oftheseriesoftabletsdescribingthecreationoftheheavensandtheearth.
InNovemberofthesameyearhecommunicatedtotheSocietyofBiblical
Archaeologycopiesof:(1)thetextsonfragmentsoftheFirstandFifth
TabletsofCreation;(2)atextdescribingthefightbetweenthe"Godsand
Chaos";and(3)afragmentarytextwhich,hebelieved,describedtheFallof
Man.Inthefollowingyearhepublishedtranslationsofalltheknownfragments
oftheBabylonianCreationLegendsinhis"ChaldeanAccountofGenesis"(London,
1876,8vo,withphotographs).Inthisvolumewereincludedtranslationsofthe
ExploitsofGizdubar(Gilgamish),andsomeearlyBabylonianfablesandlegends
ofthegods.

Publication of the Creation Tablets.

Thepublicationoftheabovementionedtextsandtranslationsprovedbeyondall
doubtthecorrectnessofRawlinson'sassertionmadein1865,that"certain
portionsoftheBabylonianandAssyrianLegendsoftheCreationresembled
passagesintheearlychaptersoftheBookofGenesis."Duringthenexttwenty
years,theCreationtextswerecopiedandrecopiedbymanyAssyriologists,but
nopublicationappearedinwhichallthematerialavailableforreconstructing
theLegendwasgiveninacollectedform.In1898,theTrusteesoftheBritish
MuseumorderedthepublicationofalltheCreationtextscontainedinthe
BabylonianandAssyrianCollections,andthelateMr.L.W.King,Assistantin
theDepartmentofEgyptianandAssyrianAntiquities,wasdirectedtopreparean
edition.Theexhaustivepreparatorysearchwhichhemadethroughthecollections
oftabletsintheBritishMuseumresultedinthediscoveryofmanyunpublished
fragmentsoftheCreationLegends,andintheidentificationofafragment
which,althoughusedbyGeorgeSmith,hadbeenlostsightofforabouttwenty
fiveyears.Heascertainedalsothat,accordingtotheNinevitescribes,the
TabletsoftheCreationSerieswereseveninnumber,andwhatseveralversions
oftheLegendoftheCreation,theworksofBabylonianandAssyrianeditorsof
differentperiods,musthaveexistedinearlyMesopotamianLibraries.King's
editionoftheCreationTextsappearedin"CuneiformTextsfromBabylonian
TabletsintheBritishMuseum,"PartXIII,London,1901.Asthescopeofthis
workdidnotpermittheinclusionofhistranslations,andcommentaryandnotes,
hepublishedtheseinaprivateworkentitled,"TheSevenTabletsofCreation,
ortheBabylonianandAssyrianLegendsconcerningthecreationoftheworldand
ofmankind,"London,1902,8vo.Asupplementaryvolumecontainedmuchnew
materialwhichhadbeenfoundbyhimsincetheappearanceoftheofficial
editionofthetexts,andinfactdoubledthenumberofCreationTextsknown
hitherto.
Babylonianmapoftheworld,showingtheoceansurroundingtheworldandmaking
thepositionofBabylonontheEuphratesasitscentre.Itshowsalsothe
mountainsasthesourceoftheriver,thelandofAssyria,BitIakinu,andthe
swampsatthemouthoftheEuphrates.[No.92,687.]

The Object of the Babylonian Legend of the Creation.

AperusalofthetextsoftheSevenTabletsofCreation,whichKingwasenabled,
throughtheinformationcontainedinthem,toarrangeforthefirsttimein
theirpropersequence,showsthatthemainobjectoftheLegendwasthe
glorificationofthegodMarduk,thesonofEa(Enki),astheconquerorofthe
dragonTiamat,andnotthenarrationofthestoryofthecreationofthe
heavens,andearthandman.TheCreationproperlyspeaking,isonlymentionedas
anexploitofMardukintheSixthTablet,andtheSeventhTabletisdevoted
whollytotheenumerationofthehonorifictitlesofMarduk.Itisprobablethat
everygreatcityinBabylonia,whilstacceptingthegeneralformoftheCreation
Legend,madethegreatestofitslocalgodstheheroofit.Ithaslongbeen
surmisedthattheprominenceofMardukintheLegendwasduetothepolitical
importanceofthecityofBabylon.Andwenowknowfromthefragmentsoftablets
whichhavebeenexcavatedinrecentyearsbyGermanAssyriologistsatKal'at
Sharkat(orShargat,orShar'at),thatinthecityofAshur,thegodAshur,the

nationalgodofAssyria,actuallyoccupiedintextsoftheLegendinusethere
thepositionwhichMardukheldinfouroftheLegendscurrentinBabylonia.
ThereisreasonforthinkingthattheoriginalherooftheLegendwasEnlil
(Bel),thegreatgodofNippur(theNafar,orNufaroftheArabwriters),and
thatwhenBabylonroseintopowerundertheFirstDynasty(aboutB.C.2300),his
positionintheLegendwasusurpedatBabylonbyMarduk.

Excavations in Babylonia and Assyria.

Variant Forms of the Babylonian Legend of the Creation.
TheviewsabouttheCreationwhicharedescribedintheSevenTabletsmentioned
abovewerenottheonlyonescurrentinMesopotamia,andcertainlytheywerenot
necessarilythemostorthodox.ThoughintheversionoftheLegendalready
referredtothegreatgodofcreationwasEnlil,orMarduk,orAshur,weknow
thatintheLegendofGilgamish(SecondTablet)itwasthegoddessAruruwho
createdEnkidu(Eabani)fromapieceofclaymoistenedwithherownspittle.And
inthesocalled"bilingual"versionoftheLegend,wefindthatthisgoddess
assistedMardukasanequalintheworkofcreatingtheseedofmankind.This
version,althoughMardukholdsthepositionofpreeminence,differsinmany
particularsfromthatgivenbytheSevenTablets,andasitisthemost
importantofallthetextswhichdealdirectlywiththecreationoftheheavens
andtheearth,arenderingofitisheregiven.

The "Bilingual" Version of the Creation Legend.

1."Theholyhouse,thehouseofthegodsintheholyplacehadnotyetbeen
made.
2."Noreedhadsprungup,notreehadbeenmade.
3."Nobrickhadbeenlaid,nostructureofbrickhadbeenerected.
4."Nohousehadbeenmade,nocityhadbeenbuilt.
5."Nocityhadbeenmade,nocreaturehadbeenconstituted.
6."Enlil'scity,(i.e.,Nippur)hadnotbeenmade,Ekurhadnotbeenbuilt,
7."Erechhadnotbeenmade,EAenahadnotbeenbuilt,
8.TheDeep(orAbyss)hadnotbeenmade,Eriduhadnotbeenbuilt.
9."Oftheholyhouse,thehouseofthegods,thedwellingplacehadnotbeen
made.
10."Allthelandsweresea
11."Atthetimethatthemidmostseawas[shapedlike]atrough,
12."AtthattimeEriduwasmade,andEsagilwasbuilt,

13."TheEsagilwhereinthemidstoftheDeepthegodLugaldulazaga
dwelleth,
14."Babylonwasmade,Esagilwascompleted.
15."ThegodstheAnunnakihecreatedatonetime.
16."Theyproclaimedsupremetheholycity,thedwellingoftheirheart's
happiness.
17."Marduklaidarushmatuponthefaceofthewaters,
18."Hemixedupearthandmouldeditupontherushmat,
19."Toenablethegodstodwellintheplacewheretheyfainwouldbe.
20."Hefashionedman.
21."ThegoddessAruruwithhimcreatedtheseedofmankind.
22."Hecreatedthebeastsofthefieldand[all]thelivingthingsinthe
field.
23."HecreatedtheriverIdiglat(Tigris)andtheriverPurattu(Euphrates),
andhesetthemintheirplaces,
24."Heproclaimedtheirnamesrightly.
25."Hecreatedgrass,thevegetationofthemarsh,seedandshrub;
26."Hecreatedthegreenplantsoftheplain,
27."Lands,marshes,swamps,
28."Thewildcowandthecalfshecarried,thewildcalf,thesheepandthe
youngshecarried,thelambofthefold,
29."Plantationsandshrubland,
30."Thehegoatandthemountaingoat...
31."ThelordMardukpiledupadamintheregionofthesea(i.e.,hereclaimed
land)
32."He...aswamp,hefoundedamarsh.
33."...hemadetobe
34."Reedshecreated,treeshecreated,
35."...inplacehecreated

36."Helaidbricks,hebuiltabrickwork,
37."Heconstructedhouses,heformedcities.
38."Heconstructedcities,creaturesheset[therein].
39."Nippurhemade,EKurhebuilt.
40."[Erechhemade,EAnna]hebuilt.
[Theremainderofthetextisfragmentary,andshowsthatthetextformedpart
ofanincantationwhichwasrecitedintheTempleofEZida,possiblythegreat
templeofNabuatBorsippa.]
[No. 93,014.]
Terra-cotta figure of a god. From a foundation deposit at Babylon. [No. 90,9961]

Bronze figure of a Babylonian god. [No. 91,147]

The Legend of the Creation According to Berosus and Damascius.

VersionsinGreekoftheLegendsfoundbyGeorgeSmithhadlongbeenknownto
classicalscholars,owingtothepreservationoffragmentsofthemintheworks
oflaterGreekwriters,e.g.,Eusebius,Syncellus,andothers.Themost
importantoftheseisderivedfromtheHistoryofBabylonia,whichwaswritten
inGreekbyBEROSUS,apriestofBelMarduk,i.e.,the"LordMarduk,"at
Babylon,about250B.C.InthisworkBerosusreproducedalltheknown
historicalfactsandtraditionsderivedfromnativesourceswhichwerecurrent
inhisday.Itisthereforenotsurprisingtofindthathisaccountofthe
Babylonianbeliefsabouttheoriginofthingscorrespondsverycloselywiththat
giveninthecuneiformtexts,andthatitisofthegreatestuseinexplaining
andpartlyinexpandingthesetexts.Hisaccountoftheprimevalabyss,outof
whicheverythingcame,andofitsinhabitantsreads:

"There was a time in which there existed nothing but darkness and an abyss of waters, wherein resided
most hideous beings, which were produced on a two-fold principle. There appeared men, some of whom
were furnished with two wings, others with four, and with two faces. They had one body but two heads;
the one that of a man, the other of a woman; and likewise in their several organs both male and female.
Other human figures were to be seen with the legs and horns of goats; some had horses' feet; while
others united the hind-quarters of a horse with the body of a man, resembling in shape the hippocentaurs. Bulls likewise were bred there with the heads of men, and dogs with four told bodies,
terminated in their extremities with the tails of fishes; horses also with the heads of dogs; men too and
other animals, with the heads and bodies of horses and the tails of fishes. In short, there were creatures
in which were combined the limbs of every species of animals. In addition to these, fishes, reptiles,
serpents, with other monstrous animals, which assumed each other's shape and countenance. Of all
which were preserved delineations in the temple of Belus at Babylon."
Babylonian Monster. [No. 108,979.]

Babylonian Demon. [No. 93,089.]

[THESLAUGHTEROFTHEQUEENOFTHEABYSS.]
"Theperson,whopresidedoverthem,wasawomannamedOMUROCA;whichinthe
ChaldeanlanguageisTHALATTH;inGreekTHALASSA,thesea;butwhichmight
equallybeinterpretedtheMoon.Allthingsbeinginthissituation,Beluscame,
andcutthewomanasunder:andofonehalfofherheformedtheearth,andof
theotherhalftheheavens;andatthesametimedestroyedtheanimalswithin
her.Allthis(hesays)wasanallegoricaldescriptionofnature."
[THECREATIONOFMAN.]
"For,thewholeuniverseconsistingofmoisture,andanimalsbeinggenerated
therein,thedeityabovementionedtookoffhisownhead:uponwhichtheother
godsmixedtheblood,asitgushedout,withtheearth;andfromwhencewere
formedmen.Onthisaccountitisthattheyarerationalandpartakeofdivine
knowledge."
[BELUSCREATESTHEUNIVERSE.]
"ThisBelus,bywhomtheysignifyJupiter,dividedthedarkness,andseparated
theHeavensfromtheEarth,andreducedtheuniversetoorder.Buttheanimals
notbeingabletobeartheprevalenceoflight,died.Belusuponthis,seeinga
vastspaceunoccupied,thoughbynaturefruitful,commandedoneofthegodsto
takeoffhishead,andtomixthebloodwiththeearth;andfromthencetoform
othermenandanimals,whichshouldbecapableofbearingtheair.Belusformed
alsothestars,andthesun,andthemoon,andthefiveplanets.Such,according
toPolyhistorAlexander,istheaccountwhichBerosusgivesinhisfirstbook."
(SeeCory,AncientFragments,London,1832,pp.2426.)
InthesixthcenturyofoureraDAMASCIUStheSYRIAN,thelastoftheNeo
Platonicphilosophers,wroteinGreekinaworkontheDoubtsandSolutionsof
thefirstPrinciples,inwhichhesays:"ButtheBabylonians,liketherestof
theBarbarians,passoverinsilencetheOneprincipleoftheUniverse,andthey
conceiveTwo,TAUTHEandAPASON;makingAPASONthehusbandofTAUTHE,and
denominatingherthemotherofthegods.Andfromtheseproceedsanonly
begottenson,MOYMIS,whichIconceiveisnootherthantheIntelligibleWorld
proceedingfromthetwoprinciples.Fromthese,also,anotherprogenyis
derived,DACHEandDACHUS;andagain,athird,KISSAREandASSORUS,fromwhich
lastthreeothersproceed,ANUS,andILLINUS,andAUS.AndofAUSandDAUCEis
bornasoncalledBelus,who,theysay,isthefabricatoroftheworld,the
Demiurgus."(SeeCory,AncientFragments,London,1832,p.318.)

The Seven Tablets of Creation. Description of Their Contents.

InthebeginningnothingwhateverexistedexceptAPSU,whichmaybedescribedas
aboundless,confusedanddisorderedmassofwaterymatter;howitcameinto
beingisunknown.Outofthismasstherewereevolvedtwoordersofbeings,
namely,demonsandgods.Thedemonshadhideousforms,evenasBerosussaid,

whichwerepartanimal,partbird,partreptileandparthuman.Thegodshad
whollyhumanforms,andtheyrepresentedthethreelayersofthecomprehensible
world,thatistosay,heavenorthesky,theatmosphere,andtheunderworld.
Theatmosphereandtheunderworldtogetherformedtheearthasopposedtothe
skyorheaven.ThetextssaythatthefirsttwogodstobecreatedwereLAKHMU
andLAKHAMU.Theirattributescannotatpresentbedescribed,buttheyseemto
representtwoformsofprimitivematter.Theyappeartohavehadnoexistencein
popularreligion,andithasbeenthoughtthattheymaybedescribedas
theologicalconceptionscontainingthenotionsofmatterandsomeofits
attributes.
Terra-cotta figure of a Babylonian Demon. [No. 22,458.]

AftercountlessaeonshadpassedthegodsANSHARandKISHARcameintobeing;
theformerrepresentsthe"hostsofheaven,"andthelatterthe"hostsof
earth."
AfteranotherlongandindefiniteperiodtheindependentgodsoftheBabylonian
pantheoncameintobeing,e.g.,ANU,EA,whoisherecalledNUDIMMUD,and
others.
Bronze figure of a Babylonian Demon. [No. 93,078.]

Assoonasthegodsappearedintheuniverse"order"cameintobeing.WhenAPSU,
thepersonificationofconfusionanddisorderofeverykind,sawthis"order,"
hetookcounselwithhisfemaleassociateTIAMATwiththeobjectoffinding
somemeansofdestroyingthe"way"(alkaat)or"order"ofthegods.
FortunatelytheBabyloniansandAssyrianshavesupplieduswithrepresentations
ofTiamat,andtheseshowuswhatformancienttraditionassignedtoher.Sheis
depictedasaferociousmonsterwithwingsandscalesandterribleclaws,and
herbodyissometimesthatofahugeserpent,andsometimesthatofananimal.
Inthepopularimaginationsherepresentedallthatwasphysicallyterrifying,
andfoul,andabominable;shewasneverthelessthemotherofeverything,and
wasthepossessoroftheDUPSHIMATIor"TABLETOFDESTINIES".Nodescription
ofthisTabletoritscontentsisavailable,butfromitsnamewemayassume
thatitwasasortofBabylonianBookofFate.Theologically,Tiamat
representedtotheBabyloniansthesamestateinthedevelopmentoftheuniverse
asdidtohuwabhohu(Genesisi.2),i.e.,formlessnessandvoidness,of
primevalmatter,totheHebrewsSheisdepictedbothonbasreliefsandon
cylindersealsinaformwhichassociatesherwithLABARTU,afemaledevil
thatprowledaboutthedesertatnightsucklingwildanimalsbutkillingmen.
Anditistolerablycertainthatshewasthetype,andsymbol,andheadofthe
wholecommunityoffiends,demonsanddevils.
Terra-cotta plaque with a Typhonic animal in relief. [No. 103,381.]

IntheconsultationwhichtookplacebetweenAPSUandTIAMAT,theirmessenger
MUUMMUtookpart;ofthehistoryandattributesofthislastnamedgodnothing
isknown.Theresultoftheconsultationwasthatalongstrugglebeganbetween
thedemonsandthegods,anditisclearthattheobjectofthepowersof
darknesswastodestroythelight.Thewholestoryofthisstruggleisthe
subjectoftheSevenTabletsofCreation.Thegodsaredeificationsofthesun,
moon,planetsandotherstars,andAPSU,orCHAOS,andhiscompanionsthe
demons,arepersonificationsofdarkness,nightandevil.Thestoryofthefight
betweenthemisnothingmorenorlessthanapicturesqueallegoryofnatural

phenomena.Similardescriptionsarefoundintheliteraturesofotherprimitive
nations,andthestoryofthegreatfightbetweenHerur,thegreatgodof
heaven,andSet,thegreatcaptainofthehostsofdarkness,maybequotedasan
example.Setregardedthe"order"whichHerurwasbringingintotheuniverse
withthesamedislikeasthatwithwhichAPSUcontemplatedthebeneficentwork
ofSin,theMoongod,Shamash,theSungod,andtheirbrothergods.Andthe
hostilityofSetandhisalliestothegods,likethatofTiamatandherallies,
waseverlasting.
Battle between Marduk (Bel) and the Dragon. Drawn from a bas-relief from the Palace of Ashur-nasir-pal, King of Assyria, 885-860 B.C.,
at Nimrud. [Nimrud Gallery, Nos. 28 and 29.]

AtthispointanewTextfillsabreakintheFirstTablet,anddescribesthe
fightwhichtookplacebetweenNudimmudorEa,(therepresentativeofthe
established"order"whichtheruleofthegodshadintroducedintothedomainof
ApsuandTiamat)andApsuandhisenvoyMummu.Eawentforthtofightthepowers
ofdarknessandheconqueredApsuandMummu.ThevictoryoverApsu,i.e.,the
confusedandboundlessmassofprimevalwater,representsthesettingof
impassableboundariestothewatersthatareonandundertheearth,i.e.,the
formationoftheOcean.Theexactdetailsoftheconquestcannotbegiven,but
weknowthatEawasthepossessorofthe"pure(orwhite,orholy)incantation"
andthatheovercameApsuandhisenvoybytheutteranceofapowerfulspell.
IntheEgyptianLegendofRaandAapep,themonsterisrenderedspellboundby
thegodHerTuati,whoplaysinitexactlythesamepartasEaintheBabylonian
Legend.
WhenTiamatheardofEa'svictoryoverApsuandMummushewasfilledwithfury,
anddeterminedtoavengethedeathofApsu,herhusband.
ThefirstactofTIAMATafterthedeathofApsuwastoincreasethenumberof
herallies.Weknowthatacertaincreaturecalled"UMMUKHUBUR"atonce
spawnedabroodofdevilishmonsterstohelpherinherfightagainstthegods.
NothingisknownoftheoriginorattributesofUMMUKHUBUR,butsomethinkshe
wasaformofTIAMAT.Herbroodprobablyconsistedofpersonificationsofmist,
fog,cloud,storm,whirlwindsandtheblightinganddestroyingpowerswhich
primitivemanassociatedwiththedesert.Anexactparallelofthisbroodof
devilsisfoundinEgyptianmythologywherethealliesofSetandAapepare
called"Mesubetshet"i.e.,"spawnofimpotentrevolt."Theyaredepictedin
theformofserpents,andsomeofthembecamethe"NineWormsofthatare
mentionedintheBookoftheDead(Chap.Ia).
NotcontentwithUmmuKhubur'sbroodofdevils,Tiamatcalledthestarsand
powersoftheairtoheraid,forshe"setup"(1)theViper,(2)theSnake,(3)
thegodLakhamu,(4)theWhirlwind,(5)theraveningDog,(6)theScorpionman,
(7)themightyStormwind,(8)theFishman,and(9)theHornedBeast.These
bore(10)the"merciless,invincibleweapon,"andwereunderthecommandof(11)
Kingu,whomTiamatcalls"herhusband."ThusTiamathadElevenmightyHelpers
besidesthedevilsspawnedbyUmmuKhubur.Wemaynoteinpassingthatsomeof
theabovementionedHelpersappearamongtheTwelveSignsoftheZodiacwhich
Marduk"setup"afterhisconquestofTiamat,e.g.,theScorpionman,theHorned
Beast,etc.ThisfactsuggeststhatthefirstZodiacwas"setup"byTiamat,who

withherElevenHelpersformedtheTwelveSigns;theassociationofevilwith
certainstarsmaydatefromthatperiod.ThattheBabyloniansregardedthe
primitivegodsaspowersofevilisclearfromthefactthatLakhamu,oneof
them,isenumeratedamongthealliesofTiamat.
ThehelpersofTiamatwereplacedbyherunderthecommandofagodcalledKINGU
whoisTAMMUZ.Hewasthecounterpart,orequivalent,ofANU,theSkygod,in
thekingdomofdarkness,foritissaidinthetext"Kinguwasexaltedand
receivedthepowerofAnu,"i.e.,hepossessedthesamepowerandattributesas
Anu.WhenTiamatappointedKingutobehercaptain,sherecitedoverhima
certainspellorincantation,andthenshegavehimtheTABLETOFDESTINIESand
fastenedittohisbreast,saying,"Whatsoevergoethforthfromthymouthshall
beestablished."Armedwithallthemagicalpowersconferreduponhimbythis
Tablet,andheartenedbyallthelaudatoryepithetswhichhiswifeTiamatheaped
uponhim,Kinguwentforthattheheadofhisdevils.
WhenEaheardthatTiamathadcollectedherforcesandWasdeterminedto
continuethefightagainstthegodswhichApsuandMummuhadbegun,andthatshe
hadmadeherhusbandKinguherchampion,hewas"afflicted"and"satinsorrow."
Hefeltunabletorenewthefightagainstthepowersofdarkness,andhe
thereforewentandreportedthenewhappeningstoAnshar,representativeofthe
"hostofheaven,"andtookcounselwithhim.WhenAnsharheardthematterhewas
greatlydisturbedinmindandbithislips,forhesawthattherealdifficulty
wastofindaworthyantagonistforKinguandTiamat.Agapinthetexthere
preventsusfromknowingexactlywhatAnsharsaidanddid,butthecontext
suggeststhathesummonedAnu,theSkygod,tohisassistance.Then,having
givenhimcertaininstructions,hesenthimonanembassytoTiamatwiththe
viewofconciliatingher.WhenAnureachedtheplacewhereshewashefoundher
inaverywrathfulstate,andshewasmutteringangrily;Anuwassoappalledat
thesightofherthatheturnedandfled.Itisimpossibleatpresenttoexplain
thisinterlude,ortofindanyparalleltoitinotherancientOriental
literature.
Shamash the Sun-god rising on the horizon, flames of fire ascending from his shoulder. The two portals of the dawn, each surmounted by a
lion, are being drawn open by attendant gods. From a Babylonian seal cylinder in the British Museum. [No. 89,110.]

WhenAnureportedhisinabilitytodealwithTiamat,acouncilofthegodswas
called,andEainducedhisson,Marduktobepresent.WenextfindAnsharin
conversewiththegodMarduk,whoofferstoactasthechampionofthegodsand
tofightTiamatandherallies.MardukbeingaformoftheSungod,thegreatest
ofallthepowersoflight,thusbecomesnaturallytheprotagonistofthegods,
andtheadversaryofTiamatandherpowersofdarkness.ThenAnsharsummoneda
greatcouncilofthegods,whoforthwithmetinaplacecalled"Upshukkinaku",
whichmaybedescribedastheBabylonianOlympus.Itwasallimportantfor
Marduktoappearatthecouncilofthegodsbeforeheundertookhistask,
becauseitwasnecessaryforhimtobeformallyrecognisedbythemastheir
champion,andheneededtobeendowedbythemwithmagicalpowers.The
primitivegodsLakhmuandLakhamu,andtheIgigi(or),whomayberegardedas
stargods,werealsosummoned.Abanquetwasprepared,andthegodsattended,
andhavingmetandkissedeachothertheysatdown,andatebreadanddrankhot
andsweetsesamewine.Thefumesofthewineconfusedtheirsenses,butthey

continuedtodrink,andatlength"theirspiritswereexalted."Theyappointed
Marduktobetheirchampionofficially,andthentheyproceededtoinvesthim
withthepowerthatwouldcauseeverycommandhespaketobefollowed
immediatelybytheeffectwhichheintendedittoproduce.NextMarduk,withthe
viewoftestingthenewpowerwhichhadbeengivenhim,commandedagarmentto
disappearanditdidso;andwhenhecommandedittoreappearitdidso.
Shamash the Sun-god setting (?) on the horizon.
In his right he holds a tree (?), and in his left a ... with a serrated edge. Above the horizon is a goddess who holds in her left hand an ear of
corn. On the right is a god who seems to be setting free a bird from his right hand. Round him is a river with fish in it, and behind him is an
attendant god; under his foot is a young bull. To the right of the goddess stand a hunting god, with a bow and lasso, and a lion. From the
seal-cylinder of Adda ..., in the British Museum. About 2500 B.C. [No. 89,115.]

Thenthegodssalutedhimastheirking,andgavehimtheinsigniaofroyalty,
namely,thesceptre,thethroneandthepala,whateverthatmaybe.Andasthey
handedtohimthesethingstheycommandedhimtogoandhackthebodyofTiamat
inpieces,andtoscatterherbloodtothewinds.ThereuponMardukbegantoarm
himselfforthefight.Hetookabow,aspear,andaclub;hefilledhisbody
fulloffireandsetthelightningbeforehim.Hetookinhishandsanet
wherewithtocatchTiamat,andheplacedthefourwindsnearit,topreventher
fromescapingfromitwhenhehadsnaredher.Hecreatedmightywindsand
tempeststoassisthim,andgraspedthethunderboltinhishand;andthen,
mountingupontheStorm,whichwasdrawnbyfourhorses,hewentouttomeetand
defeatTiamat.Itseemsprettycertainthatthisdescriptionoftheequipmentof
MardukwastakenoverfromaveryancientaccountoftheFightwithTiamatin
whichtheherowasEnlil,i.e.,thegodoftheair,oroftheregionwhichlies
betweenheavenandhell.Mardukapproachedandlookeduponthe"Middle"or
"Inside"or"Womb"ofTiamat,anddivinedtheplanofKinguwhohadtakenup
hisplacetherein.IntheSeventhTablet(l.108)Mardukissaidtohave
"enteredintothemiddleofTiamat,"andbecausehedidsoheiscalled
"Nibiru,"i.e.,"hewhoenteredin,"andthe"seizerofthemiddle."Whatthe
words"middleofTiamat"meanttotheBabylonianwearenottold,butitis
clearthatMarduk'sentryintoitwasasignalmarkofthetriumphofthegod.
WhenKingufromthe"middleofTiamat"sawMardukarrayedinhisterrible
panoplyofwar,hewasterrifiedandtrembled,andstaggeredaboutandlostall
controlofhislegs;andatthemeresightofthegodalltheotherfiendsand
devilsweresmittenwithfearandreducedtohelplessness.TiamatsawMardukand
begantorevilehim,andwhenhechallengedhertobattlesheflewintoarage
andattemptedtooverthrowhimbyrecitinganincantation,thinkingthather
wordsofpowerwoulddestroyhisstrength.Herspellhadnoeffectonthegod,
whoatoncecasthisnetoverher.Atthesamemomenthemadeagaleoffoul
windtoblowonherface,andenteringthroughhermouthitfilledherbody;
whilstherbodywasdistendedhedrovehisspearintoher,andTiamatsplit
asunder,andherwombfelloutfromit.Mardukleapeduponherbodyandlooked
onherfollowersastheyattemptedtoescape.ButtheFourWindswhichhehad
stationedroundaboutTiamatmadealltheireffortstofleeofnoeffect.Marduk
caughtalltheElevenalliesofTiamatinhisnet,andhetrampleduponthemas
theylayinithelpless.MardukthentooktheTABLETOFDESTINIESfromKingu's
breast,andsealeditwithhissealandplaceditonhisownbreast.

ThenreturningtothedeadbodyofTiamathesmashedherskullwithhiscluband
scatteredherbloodtothenorthwind,andasarewardforhisdestructionof
theirterriblefoe,hereceivedgiftsandpresentsfromthegodshisfathers.
ThetextthengoesontosaythatMarduk"devisedacunningplan,"i.e.,he
determinedtocarryoutaseriesofworksofcreation.Hesplitthebodyof
Tiamatintotwoparts;outofonehalfhefashionedthedomeofheaven,andout
oftheotherheconstructedtheabodeofNudimmud,orEa,whichheplacedover
againstApsu,i.e.,thedeep.Healsoformulatedregulationsconcerningthe
maintenanceofthesame.Bythis"cunningplan"Mardukdeprivedthepowersof
darknessoftheopportunityofrepeatingtheirrevoltwithanychanceof
success.HavingestablishedtheframeworkofhisnewheavenandearthMarduk,
actingasthecelestialarchitect,settoworktofurnishthem.Inthefirst
placehefoundedESharra,orthemansionofheaven,andnexthesetapartand
arrangedproperplacesfortheoldgodsofthethreerealmsAnu,BelandEa.
Tablet sculptured with a scene representing the worship of the Sun-god in the Temple of Sippar. The Sun-god is seated on a throne within a
pavilion holding in one hand a disk and bar which (like in Egyptian) may symbolize eternity. Above his head are the three symbols of the
Moon, the Sun, and the planet Venus. On a stand in front of the pavilion rests the disk of the Sun, which is held in position by ropes grasped
in the hands of two divine beings who are supported by the roof of the pavilion. The pavilion of the Sun-god stands on the Celestial Ocean,
and the four small disks indicate either the four cardinal points or the tops of the pillars of the heavens. The three figures in front of the disk
represent the high priest of Shamash, the king (Nabu-aplu-iddina, about 870 B.C.) and an attendant goddess. [No. 91,000.]

ThetextoftheFifthTablet,whichwouldundoubtedlyhavesupplieddetailsas
toMarduk'sarrangementandregulationsforthesun,themoon,thestars,and
theSignsoftheZodiacintheheavensiswanting.Theprominenceofthe
celestialbodiesinthehistoryofcreationisnottobewonderedat,forthe
greaternumberofthereligiousbeliefsoftheBabyloniansaregroupedround
them.Moreover,thescienceofastronomyhadgonehandinhandwiththe
superstitionofastrologyinMesopotamiafromtimeimmemorial;andatavery
earlyperiodtheoldestgodsofBabyloniawereassociatedwiththeheavenly
bodies.ThustheAnnunakiandtheIgigi,whoarebodiesofdeifiedspirits,were
identifiedwiththestarsofthenorthernandsouthernheaven,respectively.And
alltheprimitivegoddessescoalescedandweregroupedtoformthegoddess
Ishtar,whowasidentifiedwiththeEveningandMorningStar,orVenus.The
Babyloniansbelievedthatthewillofthegodswasmadeknowntomenbythe
motionsoftheplanets,andthatcarefulobservationofthemwouldenablethe
skilledseertorecognizeinthestarsfavourableandunfavourableportents.
Suchobservations,treatedfromamagicalpointofview,formedahugemassof
literaturewhichwasbeingaddedtocontinually.Fromthenatureofthecase
thisliteratureenshrinedaveryconsiderablenumberoffactsofpureastronomy,
andasearlyastheperiodoftheFirstDynasty(about2000B.C.),the
Babylonianswereabletocalculateastronomicaleventswithconsiderable
accuracy,andtoreconcilethesolarandlunaryearsbytheuseofepagomenal
months.TheyhadbythattimeformulatedtheexistenceoftheZodiac,andfixed
the"stations"ofthemoon,andtheplacesoftheplanetswithit;andtheyhad
distinguishedbetweentheplanetsandthefixedstars.IntheFifthTabletof
theCreationSeries(l.2)theSignsoftheZodiacarecalledLumashi,but
unfortunatelynolistoftheirnamesisgiveninthecontext.Nowtheseare
suppliedbythelittletablet(No.77,821)ofthePersianPeriodofwhicha

reproductionisheregiven.Ithasbeenreferredtoanddiscussedbyvarious
scholars,anditsimportanceisverygreat.Thetranscriptofthetext,whichis
nowpublished(seep.68)forthefirsttime,willbeacceptabletothestudents
ofthehistoryoftheZodiac.Egyptian,Greek,SyriacandArabicastrological
andastronomicaltextsallassociatewiththeSignsoftheZodiactwelvegroups,
eachcontainingthreestars,whicharecommonlyknownasthe"Thirtysix
Dekans."Thetextofline4oftheFifthTabletoftheCreationSeriesproves
thattheBabylonianswereacquaintedwiththesegroupsofstars,forweread
thatMarduk"setupforthetwelve"monthsoftheyearthreestarsapiece."In
theListofSignsoftheZodiacheregiven,itwillbeseenthateachSignis
associatedwithaparticularmonth.
Tablet inscribed with a list of the Signs of the Zodiac. [No. 77,821.]

Atalaterperiod,sayabout500B.C.,theBabyloniansmadesomeofthegods
regentsofgroupsofstars,forEnlilruled33stars,Anu23stars,andEa15
stars.Theyalsopossessedlistsofthefixedstars,anddrewuptablesofthe
timesoftheirheliacalrisings.Suchlistswereprobablybaseduponvery
ancientdocuments,andprovethattheastralelementinBabylonianreligionwas
veryconsiderable.
(Brit. Mus., No. 90,858)

Theaccompanyingillustration,whichisreproducedfromtheBoundaryStoneof
RittiMarduk(Brit.Mus.,No.90,858),suppliesmuchinformationaboutthe
symbolsofthegods,andoftheSignsoftheZodiacinthereignof
NebuchadnezzarI,KingofBabylon,about1120B.C..ThusinRegister1,wehave
theStarofIshtar,thecrescentoftheMoongodSin,andthediskofShamash
theSungod.InReg.2arethreestands(?)surmountedbytiaras,which
representthegodsAnu,Enlil(Bel)andEarespectively.InReg.3arethree
altars(?)orshrines(?)withamonsterinNos.1and2.Overthefirstisthe
lanceofMarduk,overthesecondthemason'ssquareofNabu,andoverthethird
isthesymbolofthegoddessNinkharsag,theCreatress.InReg.4areastandard
withananimal'shead,asignofEa;atwoheadedsnake=theTwins;anunknown
symbolwithahorse'shead,andabird,representativeofShukamunaand
Shumalia.InReg.5areaseatedfigureofthegoddessGulaandtheScorpion
man;andinReg.6areforkedlightning,symbolofAdad,aboveabull,the
Tortoise,symbolofEa(?),theScorpionofthegoddessIshkhara,andtheLamp
ofNusku,theFiregod.Downthelefthandsideistheserpentgodrepresenting
theconstellationoftheHydra.
ThemutilatedtextoftheFifthTabletmakesitimpossibletogainfurther
detailsinconnectionwithMarduk'sworkinarrangingtheheavens.Weare,
however,justifiedinassumingthatthegapsinitcontainedstatementsabout
thegroupingofthegodsintotriads.Inroyalhistoricalinscriptionsthekings
ofteninvokethegodsinthrees,thoughtheynevercallanyonethreeatriador
trinity.Itseemsasifthisarrangementofgodsinthreeswasassumedtobeof
divineorigin.IntheFourthTabletofCreation,onetriad"AnuBelEa"is
actuallymentioned,andintheFifthTablet,anotherisindicated,"SinShamash
Ishtar."InthesetriadsAnurepresentstheskyorheaven,BelorEnlilthe
regionundertheskyandincludingtheearth,Eatheunderworld,SintheMoon,
ShamashtheSun,andIshtarthestarVenus.Whentheuniversewasfinally
constitutedseveralothergreatgodsexisted,e.g.,Nusku,theFiregod,Enurta,

asolargod,Nergal,thegodofwarandhandicrafts,Nabu,thegodoflearning,
MardukofBabylon,thegreatnationalgodofBabylonia,andAshur,thegreat
nationalgodofAssyria.
WhenMardukhadarrangedheavenandearth,andhadestablishedthegodsintheir
places,thegodscomplainedthattheirexistencewasbarren,becausetheylacked
worshippersattheirshrinesandofferings.Tomakeawayoutofthisdifficulty
Mardukdevisedanother"cunningplan,"andannouncedhisintentionofcreating
manoutof"bloodandbone"DAMIISSIMTUM.Wehavealreadyquoted(seep.11)
thestatementofBerosusthatmanwascreatedoutofthebloodofagodmixed
withearth;here,then,istheauthorityforhiswords.MardukmadeknowntoEa
hisintentionofcreatingman,andEasuggestedthatifoneofthegodswere
sacrificedtheremainderofthemshouldbesetfreefromservice,presumablyto
Marduk.ThereuponMarduksummonsacouncilofthegods,andasksthemtoname
theinstigatorofthefightinwhichhehimselfwasthevictor.Inreplythe
godsnamedKingu,Tiamat'ssecondhusband,whomtheyseizedforthwith,andbound
withfettersandcarriedtoEa,andthenhaving"inflictedpunishmentuponhim
theylethisblood."FromKingu'sbloodEafashionedmankindfortheserviceof
thegods.
NowamongthetextswhichhavebeenfoundonthetabletsatKal'atSharkatisan
accountofthecreationofmanwhichdiffersfromtheversiongivenintheSeven
TabletsofCreation,buthastwofeaturesincommonwithit.Thesetwofeatures
are:(1)thecouncilofthegodstodiscussthecreationofman;(2)the
sacrificewhichthegodshadtomakeforthecreationofman.Inthevariant
versiontwo(ormore)godsaresacrificed,,IluNagarIluNagar,i.e.,"the
workmengods,"aboutwhomnothingisknown.Theplaceofsacrificeisspecified
withsomecare,anditissaidtobe"Uzumua,orthebondofheavenand
earth."UzumuamaybetheboltwithwhichMarduklockedthetwohalvesof
Tiamatintoplace.
TheAnunnaki,wishingtogiveanexpressionoftheiradmirationforMarduk's
heroism,decidedtobuildhimashrineortemple.TothisMardukagreed,and
choseBabylon,i.e.,the"GateofGod,"foritssite.TheAnunnakithemselves
madethebricks,andtheybuiltthegreattempleofESagilaatBabylon.When
thetemplewasfinished,Mardukreenactedthesceneofcreation;for,ashehad
formerlyassignedtoeachgodhisplaceintheheavens,sonowheassignedto
eachgodhisplaceinESagila.Thetabletendswithalonghymnofpraisewhich
theAnunnakisangtoMarduk,anddescribesthesummoningofanassemblyofthe
godstoproclaimceremoniallythegreatFiftyNamesofthisgod.Thusthegods
acceptedtheabsolutesupremacyofMarduk.
FromtheaboveitisclearthatadisputebrokeoutbetweenMardukandthegods
afterhehadcreatedthem,andthetraditionofithasmadeitswayintothe
religiousliteraturesoftheHebrews,Syrians,Arabs,CoptsandAbyssinians.The
cuneiformtextstellusnothingaboutthecauseofthedispute,buttradition
generallyascribesittothecreationofmanbythesupremeGod;anditis
probablethatalltheapocryphalstorieswhichdescribetheexpulsionfrom
heavenoftheangelswhocontendedagainstGodundertheleadershipofSatan,or
Satnael,orIblis,arederivedfromaBabylonianoriginalwhichhasnotyetbeen
found.The"FiftyNames,"orlaudatoryepithetsmentionedabove,findparallels

in"SeventyfivePraisesofRa,"sungbytheEgyptiansundertheXIXthdynasty,
andinthe"NinetynineBeautifulNamesofAllah,"whichareheldinsuchgreat
esteembytheMuhammadans.TherespectinwhichtheFiftyNameswereheldby
theBabyloniansiswellshownbytheworkoftheEpilogueontheSeventhTablet,
whereitissaid,"Letthembeheldinremembrance,letthefirstcomer(i.e.,
anyandeveryman)proclaimthem;letthewiseandtheunderstandingconsider
themtogether.Letthefatherrepeatthemandteachthemtohisson.Letthembe
intheearsoftheherdsmanandtheshepherd."
TheobjectofthewriteroftheFiftyNameswastoshowthatMardukwasthe
"Lordofthegods,"thatthepower,qualitiesandattributesofeverygodwere
enshrinedinhim,andthattheyallweremerelyformsofhim.Thisfactis
provedbythetablet(No.47,406),whichcontainsalonglistofgodswhoare
equatedwithMardukinhisvariousforms.ThetendencyinthelaterBabylonian
religiontomakeMardukthegodaboveallgodshasledmanytothinkthat
monotheisticconceptionswerealreadyinexistenceamongtheBabyloniansas
earlyastheperiodoftheFirstDynasty,about2000B.C.Itisindisputable
thatMardukobtainedhispreeminenceintheBabylonianPantheonatthisearly
period.Butsomeauthoritiesdenytheexistenceofmonotheisticconceptions
amongtheBabyloniansatthattime,andattributeMarduk'skingshipofthegods
totheinfluenceofthepoliticalsituationofthetime,whenBabylonfirst
becamethecapitalofthecountry,andmistressofthegreaterpartoftheknown
world.Materialfordecidingthisquestioniswanting,butitmaybesafely
saidthatwhatevermonotheisticconceptionsexistedatthattime,their
acceptancewasconfinedentirelytothepriestsandscribes.Theycertainlyfind
noexpressioninthepopularreligioustexts.
BoththesourceoftheoriginalformoftheLegendoftheFightbetweenEaand
Apsu,andMardukandTiamat,andtheperiodofitscompositionareunknown,but
thereisnodoubtthatinoneformoranotheritpersistedinMesopotamiafor
thousandsofyears.Theapocryphalbookof"BelandtheDragon"showsthata
formoftheLegendwasinexistenceamongtheBabylonianJewslongafterthe
Captivity,andthenarrativerelatingtoitassociatesitwithreligious
observances.Butthereisnofoundationwhatsoeverfortheassertionwhichhas
sooftenbeenmadethattheTwoAccountsoftheCreationwhicharegiveninthe
earlychaptersinGenesisarederivedfromtheSevenTabletsofCreation
describedintheprecedingpages.Itistruethattherearemanypointsof
resemblancebetweenthenarrativesincuneiformandHebrew,andtheseoften
illustrateeachother,butthefundamentalconceptionsoftheBabylonianand
Hebrewaccountsareessentiallydifferent.Intheformertheearliestbeings
thatexistedwerefouldemonsanddevils,andtheGodofCreationonlyappears
atalaterperiod,butinthelattertheconceptionofGodisthatofaBeing
Whoexistedinandfromthebeginning,AlmightyandAlone,andthedevilsof
chaosandevilareHisservants.
Marduk destroying Tiamat, who is here represented in the form of a huge serpent. From a seal-cylinder in the British Museum. [No.
89,589.]

AmongtheprimitiveSemiticpeoplestherewereprobablymanyversionsofthe
storyoftheCreation;andthenarrativetoldbytheSevenTabletsis,nodoubt,
oneoftheminacomparativelymodernform.ItisquiteclearthattheAccount
oftheCreationgivenintheSevenTabletsisderivedfromveryancientsources,

andaconsiderableamountofliteraryevidenceisnowavailablefor
reconstructingthehistoryoftheLegend.ThusintheSumerianAccountthe
narrativeoftheexploitsoftheherocalledZIUSUDUbeginswithadescription
oftheCreationandthengoesontodescribeaFlood,andthereislittledoubt
thatcertainpassagesinthistextaretheoriginalsoftheBabylonianversion
asgivenintheSevenTablets.IntheStoryofZIUSUDU,however,thereisno
mentionofanyDragon.AndthereisreasontothinkthattheLegendofthe
DragonhadoriginallynothingwhatevertodowiththeCreation,forthetextsof
fragmentsoftwodistinctAccountsoftheCreationdescribeafightbetweena
DragonandsomedeityotherthanMarduk.InotherAccountstheDragonbearsa
strongresemblancetotheLeviathanofPsalmciv,26;Jobxli,1.Intheone
textheissaidtobe50biruinlength,and1biruinthickness;hismouthwas
6cubits(about9feet)wide,andthecircumferenceofhisears12cubits(18
feet).Hewasslainbyagodwhosenameisunknown,andthebloodcontinuedto
flowfromhisbodyforthreeyears,threemonths,onedayandonenight.Inthe
secondtexttheDragonis60birulongandhisthicknessis30biru;the
diameterofeacheyeishalfabiru,andhispawsare20birulong.Thusthere
iseveryreasonforbelievingthattheLegendasitisgivenintheSeven
Tabletsistheworkofsomeeditor,whoaddedtheLegendoftheCreationtothe
LegendoftheDragoninmuchthesamewayastheeditoroftheGilgamishLegends
includedanaccountoftheDelugeinhisnarrativeoftheexploitsofhishero.
AllformsoftheLegendoftheCreationandoftheDragonwerepopularin
Babylonia,andoneofthemachievedsomuchnotorietythatthepriestemployed
reciteditasanincantationtocharmawaythetoothache.
TheliteraryformofthetextoftheSevenTabletsfulfilstherequirementsof
Semiticpoetryingeneral.Thelinesusuallyfallintocouplets,thesecondline
beingtheantiphonofthefirst,e.g.:
"Whenintheheightheavenwasnotnamed,Andtheearthbeneathdidnotyetbear
aname."
Eachline,orverse,fallsintotwohalves,andawellmarkedcaesuradivides
eachline,orverse,intotwoequallyaccentedparts.Andthehalflinescanbe
furtherresolvedintotwohalves,eachcontainingasingleaccentedwordor
phrase.ThisisprovedbytabletSpartaliii,265A,wherethescribewriteshis
linesandspacesthewordsinsuchawayastoshowthesubdivisionofthe
lines.Thuswehave:

enuma
|elish ||lanabu
|shamamu
shaplish |ammatum
||shuma |lazakrat
Herethereisclearlyarhythmwhichresemblesthatfoundinthepoemsofthe
SyriansandArabs,buttherearemanyinstancesofitsinconsistentusein
severalpartsofthetext.Bothrhymeandalliterationappeartobeused
occasionally.

The Seven Tablets of Creation.--Translation.

FIRST TABLET.

142 lines (1-142)

1.Whentheheavensabovewereyetunnamed,
2.Andthenameoftheearthbeneathhadnotbeenrecorded,
3.Apsu,theoldestofbeings,theirprogenitor,
4."Mummu"Tiamat,whobareeachandallofthem
5.Theirwatersweremergedintoasinglemass.
6.Afieldhadnotbeenmeasured,amarshhadnotbeensearchedout,
7.Whenofthegodsnonewasshining,
8.Anamehadnotbeenrecorded,afatehadnotbeenfixed,
9.Thegodscameintobeinginthemidstofthem.
10.ThegodLakhmuandthegoddessLakhamuweremadetoshine,theywerenamed.
11.[Together]theyincreasedinstature,theygrewtall.
12.AnsharandKisharcameintobeing,andothersbesidesthem.
13.Longwerethedays,theyearsincreased.
14.ThegodAnu,theirson,theequalofhisfathers,[wascreated].
15.ThegodAnsharmadehiseldestsonAnuinhisownimage.
16.AndthegodAnubegatNudimmud(Ea)theimageofhimself.
17.ThegodNudimmudwasthefirstamonghisfathers,
18.Endowedwithunderstanding,hewhothinkethdeeply,theorator
19.ExceedinglymightyinstrengthabovehisfatherAnsharwhobegathim.
20.Unrivalledamongstthegodshisbrothers...
21.Theconfraternityofthegodswasestablished.
22.Tiamatwastroubledandshe...theirguardian.
23.Herbellywasstirreduptoitsuttermostdepths.
24............

25.Apsu(thewateryabyss)couldnotdiminishtheirbrawl
26.AndTiamatgatheredherselftogether...
27.Shestruckablow,andtheirworks...
28.Theirwaywasnotgood,...
29.AtthattimeApsu,theprogenitorofthegreatgods,
30.ShoutedoutandsummonedMummu,thestewardofhishouse,saying
31."[O]Mummu,mysteward,whomakestmylivertorejoice,
32."Come,toTiamatwewillgo."
33.Theywent,theylaydown[onacouch]facingTiamat.
34.Theytookcounseltogetheraboutthegods[theirchildren].
35.Apsutookuphiswordandsaid,
36.ToTiamat,theholy(?)one,hemadementionofamatter,[saying],
37."...theirway...
38."BydayIfindnopeace,bynightIhavenorest.
39."VerilyIwillmakeanendoftheirway,Iwillsweepthemaway,
40."Thereshallbeasoundoflamentation;lo,thenweshallrest."
41.Tiamatonhearingthis
42.Wasstirreduptowrathandshriekedtoherhusband,
43....untosickness.Sheragedallalone,
44.Sheutteredacurse,andunto[Apsu,spake,saying,],
45."Whatsoeverwehavemadewewilldestroy.
46."Verilytheirwayshallbefilledwithdisaster;lo,thenweshallrest."
47.MummuansweredandgavecounseluntoApsu,
48.ThecounselofMummuwas...anddire[inrespectofthegods]:
49."Come,[dothoudestroy]theirwaywhichisstrong.

50."Thenverilybydaythoushaltfindpeace,[and]bynightthoushalthave
rest."
51.Apsuheardhim,hisfacegrewbright,
52.Forthattheywereplanningevilagainstthegods,hischildren.
53.Mummuembracedhisneck...
54.Hetookhimonhisknee,hekissedhim...
55.They(i.e.MummuandApsu)plannedthecursingintheassembly,
56.Theyrepeatedthecursestothegodstheireldestsons.
57.Thegodsmadeanswer...
58.Theybeganalamentation...
59.[Endowed]withunderstanding,theprudentgod,theexaltedone,

60.Ea,whoponderetheverythingthatis,searchedouttheir[plan].
61.Hebroughtittonought(?),hemadetheformofeverythingtostandstill.
62.Herecitedacunningincantation,verypowerfulandholy.
[IntheBritishMuseumtabletslines63108areeitherwantingentirely,orare
toobrokentotranslate,andthelast130linesoftheBerlinfragmentaremuch
mutilated.ThefragmentsoftextshowthatEawagedwaragainstApsuandMummu.
EarecitedanincantationwhichcausedApsutofallasleep.Hethen"loosedthe
joints"ofMummu,whoinsomewaysuffered,buthewasstrongenoughtoattack
EawhenheturnedtodealwithApsu.Eaovercamebothhisadversariesand
dividedApsuintochambersandlaidfettersuponhim.Inoneofthechambersof
Apsuagodwasbegottenandborn.AccordingtotheNinevitetheologiansEa
begatbyhiswife,whoisnotnamed,hissonMarduk,andaccordingtothe
theologiansoftheCityofAshur,LakhmubegatbyhiswifeLakhamuasonwhois
nootherthanAnshar,orAshur.Anursewasappointedtorearhim,andhegrew
upahandsomechild,tothegreatdelightofhisfather.Hehadfourearsand
foureyes,astatementwhichsuggeststhathewastwoheaded,andresembledthe
LatingodJanus.]
109.Theyformedaband,andwentforthtobattletohelpTiamat.
110.Theywereexceedinglywroth,theymadeplotsbydayandbynightwithout
ceasing.
111.Theyofferedbattle,fumingandraging.
112.Theysetthebattleinarray,theyutteredcriesofhostility,

113.UmmuKhubur,whofashionedallthings,
114.Setuptheunrivalledweapon,shespawnedhugeserpents,
115.Sharpoftooth,pitilessinattack(?)
116.Shefilledtheirbodieswithvenominsteadofblood,
117.Grim,monstrousserpents,arrayedinterror,
118.Shedeckedthemwithbrightness,shefashionedtheminexaltedforms,
119.Sothatfrightandhorrormightovercomehimthatlookeduponthem,
120.Sothattheirbodiesmightrearup,andnomanresisttheirattack,
121.ShesetuptheViper,andtheSnake,andthegodLakhamu,
122.TheWhirlwind,theraveningDog,theScorpionman,
123.ThemightyStormwind,theFishman,thehornedBeast(Capricorn?)
124.TheycarriedtheWeaponwhichsparednot,norflinchedfromthebattle.
125.MostmightywereTiamat'sdecrees,theycouldnotberesisted,
126.Thusshecausedeleven[monsters]ofthiskindtocomeintobeing,
127.Amongthegods,herfirstbornsonwhohadcollectedhercompany,
128.Thatistosay,Kingu,shesetonhigh,shemadehimthegreatoneamongst
them,
129.Leaderofthehostsinbattle,disposerofthetroops,
130.Bearerofthefirmlygraspedweapon,attackerinthefight,
131.Hewhointhebattleisthemasteroftheweapon,
132.Sheappointed,shemadehimtositdownin[goodlyapparel]
133.[Saying],"Ihaveutteredtheincantationforthee.Ihavemagnifiedthee
intheassemblyofthegods.
134."Ihavefilledhis[sic,read'thy']handwiththesovereigntyofthewhole
companyofthegods.
135."Mayestthoubemagnified,thouwhoartmyonlyspouse,
136."MaytheAnunnakimakegreatthyrenownoverallofthem."

137.ShegavehimtheTABLETOFDESTINIES,shefasteneditonhisbreast,
[saying],
138."Asforthee,thycommandshallnotfallempty,whatsoevergoethforthfrom
thymouthshallbeestablished."
139.WhenKinguwasraisedonhighandhadtakentheheavens(literally,thegod
Anutum)
140.Hefixedthedestiniesforthegodshissons,
141.Openyourmouths,lettheFiregodbequenched,
142.Hewhoisgloriousinbattleandismostmighty,shalldogreatdeeds.
Portion of a tablet inscribed in Assyrian with a text of the First Tablet of the Creation Series. [K. 5419C.]

SECOND TABLET.
140 lines (1-140)
1.Tiamatmadesolidthatwhichshehadmoulded.
2.Sheboundthegodsherchildrenwith[evilbonds].
3.TiamatwroughtwickednesstoavengeApsu.
4.When...hadharnessedhischariothewenttomeetEa,
5.Eahearkenedtohisstory,
6.Hewassorelyafflictedandabodeinsorrow,
7.Thedayswerelong,hiswrathdieddown.
8.HewenthiswaytothedwellingofAnshar,hisfather,
9.HewentintothepresenceofAnshar,thefatherwhobegathim,
10.WhatsoeverTiamathaddevisedherepeateduntohim,
11.MotherTiamatwhogaveusbirthhathsownthesethings.
12.Shehathsetinorderherassembly,sheragethfuriously,
13.Allthegodshavejoinedthemselvestoher.

14.Theymarchbyhersidetogetherwiththosewhomyehavecreated.
15.TheyformedabandandwentforthtobattletohelpTiamat,
16.Theywereexceedinglywroth,theymadeplotsbydayandbynightwithout
ceasing,
17.Theyofferedbattle,fumingandraging,
18.Theysetthebattleinarray,theyutteredcriesofdefiance.
19.UmmuKhubur,whofashionedallthings,
20.Setuptheunrivalledweapon,shespawnedhugeserpents
21.Sharpoftooth,pitilessinattack(?)
22.Shefilledtheirbodieswithvenominsteadofblood,
23.Grim,monstrousserpentsarrayedinterror.
24.Shedeckedthemwithbrightness,shefashionedtheminexaltedforms,
25.Sothatfrightandhorrormightovercomehimthatlookeduponthem,
26.Sothattheirbodiesmightrearup,andnomanresisttheirattack.
27.ShesetuptheViper,andtheSnake,andthegodLakhamu,
28.TheWhirlwind,theraveningDog,theScorpionman,
29.TheStormwind,theFishman,theHornedBeast.
30.TheycarriedtheWeaponwhichsparednot,norflinchedfromthebattle.
31.MostmightywereTiamat'sallies,theycouldnotberesisted.
32.Thusshecausedeleven[monsters]ofthiskindtocomeintobeing.
33.Amongthegods,herfirstbornsonwhohadcollectedhercompany,
34.Thatistosay,Kingu,shesetonhigh,shemadehimthegreatoneamongst
them.
35.Leaderofthehostsinbattle,disposerofthetroops,
36.Bearerofthefirmlygraspedweapon,attackerinthefight,
37.Hewhointhebattleisthemasteroftheweapon,
38.Sheappointed,shemadehimtositdownin[goodlyapparel]

39.[Saying],"Ihaverecitedtheincantationforthee,Ihavemagnifiedtheein
theassemblyofthegods,
40."Ihavefilledhis[sic,read'thy']handwiththesovereigntyofthewhole
companyofthegods.
41."Mayestthoubemagnified,thouwhoartmyonlyspouse,
42."MaytheAnunnakimakegreatthyrenownoverallofthem."
43.ShegavehimtheTABLETOFDESTINIES,shefasteneditonhisbreast,
[saying]
44."Asforthee,thycommandshallnotfallempty,whatgoethforthfromthy
mouthshallbeestablished."
45.WhenKinguwasraisedonhighandhadtakentheheavens(literally,"thegod
Anutum")46.Hefixedthedestiniesforthegodshissons,[saying],
47."Openyourmouths,lettheFiregodbequenched,
48."Hewhoisgloriousinbattleandismostmightyshalldogreatdeeds."
49.WhenAnsharheardthatTiamatwasstirredmightily,
50....hebithislips
51....hismindwasnotatpeace
[Lines5254toofragmentaryfortranslation.]
An'sharthenaddressesEaandsays:
55."ThouhastslainMummuandApsu
56."ButTiamathathexaltedKinguwhereistheonewhocanmeether?
[Lines57and58imperfect;lines5971wanting.]
72.Ansharspakeaworduntohisson[Anu]:
73."...thisisadifficulty,mywarrior
74."Whosepowerisexalted,whoseattackcannotbestayed,
75."GoandstandthouinthepresenceofTiamat,
76."Thatherspirit[bequieted],herheartsoftened.
77."Butshouldshenothearkenuntothyword,

78."Speakthouourworduntohersothatshemaybeabated."
79.[Anu]heardtheorderofhisfatherAnshar.
80.Hetookthestraightroadtoher,andhastenedonthewaytoher.
81.Anudrewnigh,hesearchedouttheplanofTiamat,
82.Hecouldnotprevailagainsther,heturnedback.
Lines83and84containAnu'sreporttoAnshar,buttheyaretoofragmentaryto
translate;line85reads:
83.He(Anu)wenttohisfatherAnsharwhobegathim,
84.Hespakeuntohimaword[concerningTiamat]
85.[Shelaid]handsuponmethatwitheredmeup."
86.Ansharwasdistressed,helookeddownupontheground,
87.Heturnedpale;towardsEahelifteduphishead.
88.AlltheAnunnakiassembledattheirposts.
89.Theyshuttheirmouths,theysatinlamentation.
90.[Theysaid],"NowhereisthereagodwhocanattackTiamat.
91."HewouldnotescapefromTiamat'spresencewithhislife."
92.TheLordAnshar,theFatherofthegods,[spake]majestically,
93.Helifteduphisheart,headdressedtheAnunnaki,[saying]

94."Hewhose[strength]ismighty[shallbe]anavengerfor[us]
95."The...inthestrife,MarduktheHero."
96.EacalledMarduktotheplacewherehegaveoracles,
97.Mardukcameandaccordingtohisheartheaddressedhim,
98.[Saying],"OMarduk,hearthecounselandadviceofthyfather,
99."Thouartthesonwhorefreshethhisheart,
100."DrawnighandenterthepresenceofAnshar,

101."Standthere[withjoy],whenhelookethupontheehewillbeatrest."
113.TheLord[Marduk]rejoicedatthewordofhisfather,
114.HeapproachedandtookuphisplacebeforeAnshar.
115.Ansharlookeduponhimandhisheartwasfilledwithgladness.
116.He(i.e.,Anshar)kissedhis(Marduk's)lips,andhis(Anshar's)fearwas
removed.[ThenMarduksaid]
117."Myfather,letnottheopeningofthymouthbeclosed,
118."Iwillgo,Iwillmaketotakeplaceallthatisinthyheart.
119."Anshar,letnottheopeningofthymouthbeclosed,
120."Iwillgo,Iwillmaketotakeplaceallthatisinthyheart."[Anshar
saystoMarduk]
121."Whatmanisthecauseofthebattlewhichmadetheegoforth
122."...Tiamat,whoisawoman,pursueththeewithweapons.
123."Rejoiceour[hearts]andmakeusglad.
124."ThouthyselfshaltsoontrampleupontheneckofTiamat,
125."Rejoiceour[hearts]andmakeusglad.
126."ThouthyselfshaltsoontrampleupontheneckofTiamat.
127."Myson,whodostcomprehendeverything,
128."CastdeepsleepuponTiamatwiththyholyspell.
129."Betakethyselftothymarchwithallspeed.
130."..."
131.TheLord[Marduk]rejoicedatthewordofhisfather,
132.Hisheartleapedwithjoy,tohisfatherhespake,[saying],
133."OLordofthegods,OverlordoftheGreatGods,
134."ShouldIasyouravenger
135."SlayTiamatandbestowlifeuponyou,
136."Summonameeting,proclaimandmagnifymyposition,

137."SityedowntogetherinfriendlyfashioninUpshukkinaku.
138."Letmeissuedecreesbytheopeningofmymouthevenasyedo.
139."WhatsoeverIbringtopassletitremainunaltered,
140."Thatwhichmymouthutterethshallneverfailorbebroughttonought."
Portion of a tablet inscribed in Assyrian with a text of the Second Tablet of the Creation Series. [No. 40,559.]

THIRD TABLET.
138 lines (1-138)
1.Ansharopenedhismouth,and
2.UntothegodGaga(),hisenvoy,spakeaword[saying],
3."OGaga,myenvoy,whomakestgladmyliver.
4."IwilldespatchtheeuntothegodsLakhmuandLakhamu.
5."Thoumustknowandunderstandthe[intentionofmyheart]
6."...arebroughtbeforethee
7."...allthegods.
8."Letthemmakeacouncil,letthemsitdowntoafeast
9."Letthemeatbread,letthemheatsesamewine.
10."LetthemissuedecreestoMardukastheiravenger.
11."Gettheegone,Gaga,takeupthystandbeforethem.
12."AllthatIamnowgoingtotelltheedothourepeattothem[saying],
13."'[Oyegods],Ansharyoursonhathchargedme,
14."'Theintentionofhishearthehathmademetoknowinthiswise:
15."'MotherTiamatwhogaveusbirthhathsownthesethings,
16."'Shehathsetinorderherassembly,sheragethfuriously,
17."'Allthegodshavejoinedthemselvestoher.
18."'Theymarchbyhersidetogetherwiththosewhomyehavecreated.
19."'TheyformedabandandwentforthtobattletohelpTiamat.

20."'Theywereexceedinglywroth,theymadeplotsbydayandbynightwithout
ceasing.
21."'Theyofferedbattle,foamingandraging.
22."'Theysetthebattleinarray,theyutteredcriesofdefiance.
23."'UmmuKhubur,whoformedallthings,
24."'Setuptheunrivalledweapon,shespawnedhugeserpents,
25."'Sharpoftooth,pitilessinattack(?)
26."'Shefilledtheirbodieswithvenominsteadofblood.
27."'Grim,monstrousserpentsarrayedinterror.
28."'Shedeckedthemwithbrightness,shefashionedtheminexaltedforms,
29."'Sothatfrightandhorrormightovercomehimthatlookeduponthem,
30."'Sothattheirbodiesmightrearup,andnomanresisttheirattack.
31."'ShesetuptheViper,andtheSnake,andthegodLakhamu,
32."'TheWhirlwind,theRaveningDog,theScorpionman,
33."'TheStormwind,theFishman,theHornedBeast.
34."'TheycarriedtheWeaponwhichsparednot,norflinchedfromthebattle,
35."'MostmightywereTiamat'sallies,theycouldnotberesisted.
36."'ThusshecausedEleven[monsters]ofthiskindtocomeintobeing.
37."'Amongthegods,herfirstbornsonwhohadcollectedhercompany,
38."'Thatistosay,Kingu,shesetonhigh,shemadehimthegreatoneamong
them,
39."'Leaderofthehostsinthebattle,disposerofthetroops,
40."'Bearerofthefirmlygraspedweapon,attackerinthefight.
41."'Hewhointhebattleisthemasteroftheweapon,
42."'Sheappointed,shemadehimtositdownin[goodlyapparel]
43."'[Saying]:Ihaverecitedtheincantationforthee,Ihavemagnifiedthee
intheassemblyofthegods.

44."''Ihavefilledhis(i.e.,thy)handwiththesovereigntyofthewhole
companyofthegods.
45."''Mayestthoubemagnified,thouwhoartmyonlyspouse,
46."''MaytheAnunnakimakegreatthyrenownoverallofthem."'
47."ShegavehimtheTABLETOFDESTINIES,shefasteneditonhishead[saying]:
48."'Asforthee,thycommandshallnotfallempty,whatgoethforthfromthy
mouthshallbeestablished.'
49."WhenKinguwasraisedonhighandhadtakentheheavens(literally,thegod
Anutum),
50."Hefixedthedestiniesforthegods,hissons,[saying]:
51."'Openyourmouths,lettheFiregodbequenched.
52."'Hewhoisgloriousinbattleandismostmightyshalldogreatdeeds.'
53."'IsentthegodAnu,buthecouldnotprevailagainsther.
54."'Nudimmud(i.e.,Ea)wasafraidandturnedback,
55."'Marduk,yourson,theenvoyofthegods,hathsetout.
56."'HisheartisstirreduptoopposeTiamat.
57."'Heopenedhismouth,hespokeuntome[saying]:
58."'ShouldIasyouravenger
59."'SlayTiamat,andbestowlifeuponyou,
60."'Summonameeting,proclaimandmagnifymyposition,
61."'SityedowntogetherinfriendlyfashioninUpshukkinaku.
62."'Letmeissuedecreesbytheopeningofmymouthevenasyedo,
63."'WhatsoeverIbringtopassletitremainunaltered.
64."'Thatwhichmymouthutterethshallneitherfailnorbebroughttonought.'
65."Hastenyetherefore,issueyourdecreesspeedily
66."Thathemaygotomeetyourmightyenemy."
67.Gagadepartedandhasteneduponhisway

68.TothegodLakhmuandthegoddessLakhamu,thegodshisfathers,reverently
69.Hedidhomage,andhekissedthegroundattheirfeet.
70.Heboweddown,stoodup,andspakeuntothem[saying]:
71."[Oyegods],Ansharyoursonhathchargedme,
72."Theintentionofhishearthehathmademetoknowinthiswise:
73."MotherTiamatwhogaveusbirthhathsownthesethings,
74."Shehathsetinorderherassembly,sheragethfuriously.
75."Allthegodshavejoinedthemselvestoher.
76."Theymarchbyhersidetogetherwiththosewhomyehavecreated,
77."TheyformedabandandwentforthtobattletohelpTiamat.
78."Theywereexceedinglywroth,theymadeplansbydayandbynightwithout
ceasing.
79."Theyofferedbattle,foamingandraging.
80."Theysetthebattleinarray,theyutteredcriesofdefiance.
81."UmmuKhubur,whoformedallthings,
82."Setuptheunrivalledweapon,shespawnedhugeserpents,
83."Sharpoftooth,pitilessinattack(?)
84."Shefilledtheirbodieswithvenominsteadofblood,
85."Grim,monstrousserpents,arrayedinterror,
86."Shedeckedthemwithbrightness,shefashionedtheminexaltedforms,
87."Sothatfrightandhorrormightovercomehimthatlookeduponthem,
88."Sothattheirbodiesmightrearup,andnomanresisttheirattack.
89."ShesetuptheViper,andtheSnake,andthegodLakhamu,
90."TheWhirlwind,theRaveningDog,theScorpionman,
91."TheStormwind,theFishman,theHornedBeast,
92."TheycarriedtheWeaponwhichsparednot,norflinchedfromthebattle.

93."MostmightywereTiamat'sallies,theycouldnotberesisted.
94."ThusshecausedEleven[monsters]ofthiskindtocomeintobeing.
95."Amongstthegods,herfirstbornsonwhohadcollectedhercompany,
96."Thatistosay,Kingu,shesetonhigh,shemadehimthegreatoneamong
them.
97."Leaderofthehostsinthebattle,disposerofthetroops,
98."Bearerofthefirmlygraspedweapon,attackerinthefight,
99."Hewhointhebattleisthemasteroftheweapon
100."Sheappointed,shemadehimtositdownin[goodlyapparel],
101."[Saying]:'Ihaverecitedtheincantationforthee,Ihavemagnifiedthee
intheassemblyofthegods.
102."'Ihavefilledhis(i.e.,thy)handwiththesovereigntyofthewhole
companyofthegods.
103."'Mayestthoubemagnified,thouwhoartmyonlyspouse.
104."'MaytheAnunnakimakegreatthyrenownoverallofthem.'
105."ShegavehimtheTABLETOFDESTINIES,shefasteneditonhishead
[saying]:
106."'Asforthee,thycommandshallnotfallempty,whatgoethforthfromthy
mouthshallbeestablished.'
107."WhenKinguwasraisedonhigh,andhadtakentheheavens(Anutum)
108."Hefixedthedestiniesforthegods,hissons,[saying]:
109."'Openyourmouths,lettheFiregodbequenched,
110."'Hewhoisgloriousinbattleandismostmightyshalldogreatdeeds.
111."'IsentthegodAnu,buthecouldnotprevailagainsther.
112."'Nudimmud(i.e.,Ea)wasafraidandturnedback.
113."'Marduk,yourson,theenvoyofthegods,hathsetout.
114."'HisheartisstirreduptoopposeTiamat.
115."'Heopenedhismouth,hespokeuntome,[saying]:

116."'ShouldIasyouravenger
117."'SlayTiamat,andbestowlifeuponyou,
118."'Summonameeting(i.e.,council),proclaimandmagnifymyposition,
119."'SitdowntogetherinfriendlyfashioninUpshukkinaku,
120."'Letmeissuedecreesbytheopeningofmymouth,evenasyedo,
121."'WhatsoeverIbringtopassletitremainunaltered.
122."'Thatwhichmymouthutterethshallneitherfailnorbebroughtto
nought."'
123."Hastenyetherefore,issueyourdecreesspeedily
124."Thathemaygotomeetyourmightyenemy."
125.ThegodsLakhmuandLakhamuheard,theywailedloudly,
126.AlltheIgigigodsweptbitterly[saying]:
127."Whowere[our]enemiesuntil[thegods]wereposted[inheaven]?
128."WecannotcomprehendtheworkofTiamat."
129.Theygatheredthemselvestogether,theywent,
130.Allthegreatgods,whoissuedecrees.
131.Theyenteredin,theyfilled[thecourt]beforeAnshar.
132.Brother[god]kissedbrother[god]inthe[divine]assembly,
133.Theyheldameeting,theysatdowntoafeast,
134.Theyatebread,theyheatedthe[sesamewine],
135.Thetasteofthesweetdrinkconfusedtheir...
136.Theydrankthemselvesdrunk,theirbodieswerefilledtooverflowing,
137.Theywereovercomebyheaviness[ofdrink],theirlivers(i.e.,spirits)
wereexalted,
138.TheyissuedthedecreeforMardukastheiravenger.
Portion of a tablet inscribed in Assyrian with a text of the Third Tablet of the Creation Series. [No. 93,017.]

FOURTH TABLET.

138 lines (1-138)

1.Theyfoundedforhimamajesticcanopy,
2.He(i.e.,Marduk)seatedhimselfintheseatofkingshipinthepresenceof
hisfathers[whosaiduntohim]:
3."Thouarthonourablebyreasonofthygreatnessamongthegods.
4."Thypositionisunrivalled,thewordsthouutterestbecomeAnum(i.e.,as
fixedasthesky).
5."Thouarthonourablebyreasonofthygreatnessamongthegods.
6."Thypositionisunrivalled,thewordsthouutterestbecomeAnum(i.e.,as
fixedasthesky).
7."Fromthisdayonwardthycommandshallnotbeabrogated.
8."Thepowertoexalttoheavenandtocastdowntotheearthbothshallbein
thyhand,
9."Thatwhichgoethforthfromthymouthshallbeestablished,againstthy
utteranceshallbenoappeal.
10."Nooneamongthegodsshalloverstepthyboundary,
11."Worship,whichistheobjectofthesanctuaryofthegods,
12."Whensoevertheylack[it]shallbeforthcominginthysanctuary,
13."OgodMarduk,thouartouravenger.
14."Wehavegivenuntotheesovereigntyoverthewholecreation,
15."Thoushaltsitdown,inthecouncilthywordshallbeexalted,
16."Thyweaponshallneverfall[fromthyhands],itshallbreaktheheadof
thyfoe.
17."Lord,whosoeverputtethhistrustinthee,sparethouhislife,
18."Andthegodwhodevisethevil,pourthououthissoul."
19.Thenacloak(literally,onecloak)wassetintheirmidst,
20.TheyaddressedthegodMarduktheirfirstborn[saying]:
21."Thou,Lord,shaltholdtheforemostpositionamongthegods.

22."Decreethouthethrowingdownandthebuildingup,anditshallcometo
pass.
23."Speakbuttheword,andthecloakshalldisappear,
24."Speakasecondtimeandthecloakshallreturnuninjured."
25.Mardukspoketheword,thecloakdisappeared,
26.Hespokeasecondtime,thecloakreappeared.
27.Whenthegodshisfatherssawtheissueoftheutteranceofhismouth
28.Theyrejoicedandadored[him,saying],"MardukisKing."
29.Theyconferreduponhimthesceptre,thethrone,andthesymbolofroyalty
(?)
30.Theygavehimtheunrivalledweapon,thedestroyeroftheenemy[saying]:
31."Go,cutoffthelifeofTiamat.
32."Letthewindcarryherbloodintothedepth[undertheearth]."
33.Thegods,hisfathers,issuedthedecreeforthegodBel.
34.Theysethimontheroadwhichleadethtopeaceandadoration.
35.Hestrung[his]bow,hesetreadyhisweapon[inthestand],
36.Heslunghisspear,heattacheditto[hisbelly],
37.Heraisedtheclub,hegraspeditinhisrighthand.
38.Thebowandthequiverhehungathisside.
39.Hesetthelightninginfrontofhim.
40.Hisbodywasfilledwithaglancingflameoffire.
41.HemadeanetwherewithtoencloseTiamat.
42.Hemadethefourwindstotakeuptheirpositionsothatnopartofher
mightescape,
43.TheSouthwind,theNorthwind,theEastwind,theWestwind.
44.Heheldthenetclosetohisside,thegiftofhisfatherAnu,
45.Hecreatedthe"foul"wind,thestorm,theparchingblast,

46.Thewindof"four,"thewindof"seven,"thetyphoon,thewindincomparable
47.Hedespatchedthesevenwindswhichhehadmade,
48.TomaketurbidtheinwardpartsofTiamat;theyfollowedinhistrain.
49.TheLordraisedupthewindstorm,hismightyweapon.
50.Hewentupintohischariot,theunequalledandterribletempest.
51.Heequippedit,heyokedtheretoateamoffourhorses,
52.Pawingtheground,champing,foaming[eagerto]fly,
53....[theodour]oftheirteethborefoetidness,
54.Theywereskilled[inbiting],theyweretrainedtotrampleunderfoot.
[Lines5557toofragmentarytotranslate;theycontinuethedescriptionof
Marduk'sequipment.]
58.Hisbrightnessstreamedforth,hisheadwascrowned[thereby].
59.Hetookadirectpath,hehastenedonhisjourney.
60.HesethisfacetowardstheplaceofTiamat,whowas...
61.Onhislips...herestrained
62....hishandgrasped.
63.Atthatmomentthegodsweregazinguponhimwithfixedintensity,
64.Thegods,hisfathers,gazeduponhim,theygazeduponhim.
65.TheLordapproached,helookeduponthemiddleofTiamat,
66.HesearchedouttheplanofKingu,herhusband.
67.Marduklooked,Kingustaggeredinhisgait,
68.Hiswillwasdestroyed,hismotionwasparalysed.
69.Andthegodshishelperswhoweremarchingbyhisside
70.Sawthe[collapseof]theirchiefandtheirsightwastroubled.
71.Tiamat[shriekedbut]didnotturnherhead.
72.Withlipsfullof[rebelliouswords]shemaintainedherstubbornness

73.[Saying],"...thatthouhastcomeastheLordofthegods,[forsooth],
74."Theyhaveappointedtheeintheplacewhichshouldbetheirs."
75.TheLordraisedupthewindstorm,hismightyweapon,
76.[Against]Tiamat,whowasfurious(?),hesentit,[saying]:
77."[Thouhastmadethyself]mighty,thouartpuffeduponhigh,
78."Thyheart[hathstirredtheeup]toinvokebattle
79."...theirfathers...
80."...
81."[ThouhastexaltedKingutobe[thy]husband,
82."[Thouhastmadehimtousurp]theattributesofAnu
83."...thouhastplannedevil.
84."[Against]thegods,myfathers,thouhastwroughtevil.
85."Letnowthytroopsgirdthemselvesup,letthembindontheirweapons.
86."Standup!ThouandI,letustothefight!"
87.OnhearingthesewordsTiamat
88.Becamelikeamadthing,hersensesbecamedistraught,
89.Tiamatutteredshrillcriesagainandagain.
90.Thatonwhichshestoodsplitintwainatthewords,
91.Sherecitedanincantation,shepronouncedherspell.
92.Thegodsofbattledemandedtheirweapons.
93.TiamatandMarduk,theenvoyofthegods,rousedthemselves,
94.Theyadvancedtofighteachother,theydrewnighinbattle.
95.TheLordcasthisnetandmadeittoencloseher,
96.Theevilwindthathaditsplacebehindhimheletoutinherface.
97.Tiamatopenedhermouthtoitsgreatestextent,
98.Mardukmadetheevilwindtoenter[it]whilstherlipswereunclosed.

99.Theragingwindsfilledoutherbelly,
100.Herheartwasgripped,sheopenedwidehermouth[panting].
101.Mardukgraspedthespear,hesplitupherbelly,
102.Heclaveopenherbowels,hepierced[her]heart,
103.Hebroughthertonought,hedestroyedherlife.
104.Hecastdownhercarcase,hetookuphisstanduponit,
105.AfterMardukhadslainTiamatthechief,
106.Herhostwasscattered,herleviesbecamefugitive,
107.Andthegods,herallies,whohadmarchedatherside,
108.Quakedwithterror,andbrokeandran
109.Andbetookthemselvestoflighttosavetheirlives.
110.Buttheyfoundthemselveshemmedin,theycouldnotescape,
111.Marduktiedthemup,hesmashedtheirweapons.
112.Theywerecastintothenet,andtheywerecaughtinthesnare,
113.The...oftheworldtheyfilledwith[their]criesofgrief.
114.Theyreceived[Marduk's]chastisement,theywereconfinedinrestraint,
115.And[on]theElevenCreatureswhichTiamathadfilledwithawfulness,
116.Thecompanyofthedevilsthatmarchedather...
117.Hethrewfetters,he...theirsides.
118.Theyandtheirresistancehetrodunderhisfeet.
119.ThegodKinguwhohadbeenmagnifiedoverthem
120.Hecrushed,heesteemedhim[aslittleworth]asthegodDugga,(asadead
god?).
121.MarduktookfromhimtheTABLETOFDESTINIES,whichshouldneverhavebeen
his,
122.Hesealeditwithasealandfasteneditonhisbreast

123.Afterhehadcrushedandoverthrownhisenemies,
124.Hemadethehaughtyenemytobelikethedustunderfoot.
125.HeestablishedcompletelyAnshar'svictoryovertheenemy,
126.ThevaliantMardukachievedtheobjectofNudimmud(Ea),
127.Heimposedstrictrestraintonthegodswhomhehadmadecaptive.
128.HeturnedbacktoTiamatwhomhehaddefeated,
129.TheLord[Marduk]trampledontherumpofTiamat,
130.Withhisunsparingclubheclaveherskull.
131.Heslitopenthechannels(i.e.,arteries)ofherblood.
132.HecausedtheNorthWindtocarryitawaytoaplaceunderground.
133.Hisfathers(i.e.,thegods)lookedon,theyrejoiced,theywereglad.
134.Theybroughtuntohimofferingsoftriumphandpeace,
135.TheLord[Marduk]paused,heexaminedTiamat'scarcase.
136.Heseparatedflesh[from]hair,heworkedcunningly.
137.HeslitTiamatopenlikeaflat(?)fish[cutinto]twopieces,
138.Theonehalfheraisedupandshadedtheheavenstherewith,
139.Hepulledthebolt,hepostedaguard,
140.Heorderedthemnottoletherwaterescape.
141.Hecrossedheaven,hecontemplatedtheregionsthereof.
142.HebetookhimselftotheabodeofNudimmud(Ea)thatisoppositetothe
Deep(Apsu),
143.TheLordMardukmeasuredthedimensionsoftheDeep,
144.HefoundedESharra,aplacelikeuntoit,
145.TheabodeESharra,whichhemadetobeheaven.
146.HemadethegodsAnu,BelandEatoinhabittheir[own]cities.
Portion of a tablet inscribed in Babylonian with a text of the Fourth Tablet of the Creation Series. [No. 93,016.]
Portion of a tablet inscribed in Assyrian with a text of the Fourth Tablet of the Creation Series. [K. 3437.]

FIFTH TABLET.

83 lines (1-83)
1.HeappointedtheStationsforthegreatgods,
2.HesetinheaventheStarsoftheZodiacwhicharetheirlikenesses.
3.Hefixedtheyear,heappointedthelimitsthereof.
4.Hesetupforthetwelvemonthsthreestarsapiece.
5.Accordingtothedayoftheyearhe...figures.
6.HefoundedtheStationofNibir(Jupiter)tosettletheirboundaries,
7.Thatnonemightexceedorfallshort.
8.HesettheStationofBelandEathereby.
9.Heopenedgreatgatesundershelteronbothsides.
10.Hemadeastrongcorridorontheleftandontheright.
11.Hefixedthezenithintheheavenlyvault(?)
12.HegavethegodNannar(i.e.,theMoongod)hisbrightnessandcommittedthe
nighttohiscare.
13.Hesethimforthegovernmentofthenight,todeterminetheday
14.Monthly,withoutfail,hesethiminacrown(i.e.,disk)[saying]:
15."Atthebeginningofthemonthwhenthourisestovertheland,
16."Make[thy]hornstoprojecttolimitsixdays[ofthemonth]
17."Ontheseventhdaymakethyselflikeacrown.
18."Onthefourteenthday...
[Lines1926dealtfurtherwithMarduk'sinstructionstotheMoongod,butare
toofragmentarytotranslate.Afterline26comesabreakinthetextof40
lines;lines6674aretoofragmentarytotranslate,buttheyseemtohave
describedfurtheractsofCreation.]

75.Thegods,his(Marduk's)fathers,lookedonthenetwhichhehadmade,
76.Theyobservedhowcraftilythebowhadbeenconstructed,
77.Theyextolledtheworkwhichhehaddone.
78.[Then]thegodAnuliftedup[thebow]inthecompanyofthegods,79.He
kissedthebow[saying]:"That..."
80.Heproclaimed[thenames]ofthebowtobeasfollows:
81."Verily,thefirstis'LongWood,'thesecondis...
82."Itsthirdnameis'BowStarinheaven'..."
83.Hefixedastationforit...
[Oftheremaining57linesofthistabletonlyfragmentsof17linesare
preserved,andtheseyieldnoconnectedsense.]
Portion of a tablet inscribed in Assyrian with a text of the Fifth Tablet of the Creation Series. [K. 3567.]

SIXTH TABLET.
144 lines (144)
1.Onhearingthewordsofthegods,theheartofMardukmovedhimtocarryout
theworksofacraftsman.
2.Heopenedhismouth,hespaketoEathatwhichhehadplannedinhisheart,
hegavecounsel[saying]:
3."Iwillsolidifyblood,Iwillformbone.
4."Iwillsetupman,'Man'[shallbe]hisname.
5."Iwillcreatetheman'Man.'
6."Theserviceofthegodsshallbeestablished,andIwillsetthem(i.e.,the
gods)free.
7."Iwillmaketwofoldthewaysofthegods,andIwillbeautify[them].
8."Theyare[now]groupedtogetherinoneplace,buttheyshallbepartitioned
intwo."
9.Eaansweredandspakeaworduntohim
10.Fortheconsolationofthegodsherepeateduntohimawordofcounsel
[saying]:

11."Letonebrother[godoftheirnumber]begiven,lethimsufferdestruction
thatmenmaybefashioned.
12."Letthegreatgodsbeassembled,letthis[chosen]onebegiveninorder
thatthey(i.e.,theothergods)maybeestablished."
13.Mardukassembledthegreatgods,[hecamenear]graciously,heissueda
decree,
14.Heopenedhismouth,headdressedthegods;theKingspakeaworduntothe
Anunnaki[saying]:
15."Verily,thatwhichIspakeuntoyouaforetimewastrue.
16."[Thistimealso]Ispeaktruth.[Sometherewerewho]opposedme.
17."Whowasitthatcreatedthestrife,
18."WhocausedTiamattorevolt,tojoinbattlewithme?
19."Lethimwhocreatedthestrifebegiven[assacrifice],
20."Iwillcausetheaxeintheactofsinkingtodoawayhissin."
21.Thegreatgods,theIgigi,answeredhim,
22.UntotheKingofthegodsofheavenandofearth,thePrinceofthegods,
theirlord[theysaid]:
23."[Itwas]Kinguwhocreatedthestrife,
24."WhomadeTiamattorevolt,tojoinbattle[withthee]."
25.Theyboundhiminfetters[theybrought]himbeforeEa,theyinflicted
punishmentonhim,theylethisblood,
26.Fromhisbloodhe(i.e.,Ea)fashionedmankindfortheserviceofthegods,
andhesetthegodsfree.
27.AfterEahadfashionedmanhe...laidserviceuponhim.
28.[For]thatwork,whichpleasedhimnot,manwaschosen:Marduk...
29.Marduk,theKingofthegods,divided...hesettheAnunnakiuponhigh.
30.HelaiddownforAnuadecreethatprotected[his]heart...asaguard.
31.Hemadetwofoldthewaysontheearth[andintheheavens?]32.Bydecrees
...

33.TheAnunnakiwho...
34.TheAnunnaki...
35.TheyspakeuntoMarduk,theirlord,[saying]:
36."OthouMoongod(Nannaru),whohastestablishedoursplendour,
37."Whatbenefithaveweconferreduponthee?
38."Come,letusmakeashrine,whosenameshallberenowned;
39."Come[at]night,ourtimeoffestival,letustakeoureasetherein,
40."Come,thestaffshallrule...
41."Onthedaythatwereach[thereto]wewilltakeoureasetherein."
42.OnhearingthisMarduk...
43.Thefeaturesofhisface[shonelike]thedayexceedingly.
44.[Hesaid),"Likeunto...Babylon,theconstructionwhereofyedesire
45."Iwillmake...acity,Iwillfashionasplendidshrine."
46.TheAnunnakiworkedthemould[formakingbricks],theirbrickswere...
47.Inthesecondyear[theshrinewasashighas]ahill,andthesummitofE
Sagilareachedthe[celestial]Ocean.
48.Theymadetheziggurat[toreach]thecelestialOcean;untoMarduk,Enlil,
Ea[shrines]theyappointed,
49.It(i.e.,theziggurat)stoodbeforethemmajestically:atthebottomand
[atthetop]theyobserveditstwohorns.
50.AftertheAnunnakihadfinishedtheconstructionofESagila,andhad
completedthemakingoftheirshrines,
51.Theygatheredtogetherfromthe...oftheOcean(Apsu).InBARMAH,the
abodewhichtheyhadmade,
52.He(i.e.,Marduk)madethegodshisfatherstotaketheirseats...
[saying]:"ThisBabylonshallbeyourabode.
53."Nomightyone[shalldestroy]hishouse,thegreatgodsshalldwell
therein.
[Afterline53themiddleportionsofseverallinesoftextareobliterated,but
fromwhatremainsofititisclearthatthegodspartookofamealof

consecrationoftheshrineofESagila,andthenproceededtoissuedecrees.
NextMardukassignsseatstotheSevenGodsofFateandtoEnlilandAnu,and
thenhelaysupinESagilathefamousbowwhichheboreduringhisfight
againstTiamat.Whenthetextagainbecomesconnectedwefindthegodssinginga
hymnofpraisetoMarduk.]
94."Whateveris...thosegodsandgoddessesshallbear(?)
95."Theyshallneverforget,theyshallcleavetothegod(?)

96."...theyshallmakebright,theyshallmakeshrines.
97."Verily,thedecision(concerning)theBlackheaded[belongethto]thegods
98."...allournameshavetheycalled,he(Marduk)ismostholy(elli)
99."...theyproclaimedandvenerated(?)hisnames.
100."His...isexceedinglybright,hisworkis...
101."Marduk,whosefatherAnuproclaimed[hisname]fromhisbirth,
102."Whohathsetthedayathisdoor...hisgoing,
103."Bywhosehelpthestormwindwasbound...
104."Deliveredthegodshisfathersinthetimeoftrouble.
105."Verily,thegodshaveproclaimedhissonship.
106."Inhisbrightlightletthemwalkforever.
107."[On]menwhomhehathformed,thecreatedthingsfashionedbyhisfingers
108."Hehathimposedtheserviceofthegods,andthemhehathsetfree
109."...
110."...theylookedathim,
111."[Heis]thefarseeing(maruku)god,verily...
112."WhohathmadegladtheheartsoftheAnunnaki,whohathmadethemto...
113."ThegodMarudukku()verily,heistheobjectoftrustofhis
country...
114."Letmenpraisehim...

115."The'KingoftheProtectingHeart,'(?),hatharisenandhath[bound]the
Serpent...
116."Broadishisheart,mighty[his]belly.
117."Kingofthegodsofheavenandofearth,whosenameourcompanyhath
proclaimed,
118."Wewillfulfil(?)theutteranceofhismouth.Overhisfathersthegods,
119."Yea,[over]thegodsofheavenandearth,allofthem,
120."Hiskingship[wewillexalt].
121."[We]willlookuntotheKingofalltheheavenandtheearthatnightwhen
theplaceofallthegodsisdarkness(literallysadness).
122."Hehathassignedourdwellinginheavenandinearthinthetimeof
trouble,
123."HehathallottedstationstotheIgigiandtheAnunnaki.
124."Thegodsthemselvesaremagnifiedbyhisname;mayhedirecttheir
sanctuaries.
125."ASARLUDUG,,ishisnamebywhichhisfatherAnuhathnamedhim.
126."Verily,heisthelightofthegods,themighty...
127."Who...allthepartsofheavenandoftheland
128."Byamightycombathesavedourdwellinginthetimeoftrouble.
129."ASARLUDUG,thegodwhomadehim(i.e.man)tolive,didthegod...call
himinthesecondplace
130."[And]thegodswhohadbeenformed,whomhefashionedasthough[they
were]hisoffspring.
131."HeistheLordwhohathmadeallthegodstolivebyhisholymouth."
[Lines132139aretoofragmentarytotranslate,butitisclearfromthetext
thatremainsthatLakhmu,andLakhamu,andAnsharallproclaimedthenamesof
Marduk.WhenthetextagainbecomesconnectedMardukhasjustbeenaddressing
thegods.]
140.InUpshukkinakuheappointedtheircouncilforthem.
141.[Theysaid]:"Of[our]son,theHero,ourAvenger,
142."Wewillexaltthenamebyourspeech."

143.Theysatdownandintheirassemblytheyproclaimedhisrank.
144.Everyoneofthempronouncedhisnameinthesanctuary.

SEVENTH TABLET.
142 lines (1-142)
1.OASARI,giverofplantations,appointerofsowingtime,
2.Whodostmakegrainandfibrousplants,whomakestgardenherbstospringup.
3.OASARUALIMwhoartweightyinthecouncilchamber,whoartfertilein
counsel,
4.Towhomthegodspayworship(?)reverent...
5.OASARUALIMNUNAtheadoredlightoftheFatherwhobegathim,
6.WhomakeststraightthedirectionofAnu,Bel,[andEa].
7.Heistheirpatronwhofixed[their]...
8.Whosedrinkisabundance,whogoethforth...
9.OTUTUcreatoroftheirnewlife,
10.Supplieroftheirwants,thattheymaybesatisfied[or,glad],
11.Letbut[Tutu]reciteanincantation,thegodsshallbeatrest;
12.Letbut[thegods]attackhim(i.e.,Tutu)inwrath,heshallresistthem
successfully;
13.Lethimberaiseduponahighthroneintheassemblyofthegods....
14.Noneamongthegodsislikeuntohim.
15.OgodTUTU,whoartthegodZIUKKINA,lifeofthehostofthegods,
16.Whostablishedtheshiningheavensforthegods,
17.Hefoundedtheirpaths,hefixed[theircourses].
18.Nevershallhisdeedsbeforgottenamongmen.
19.OgodTUTU,whoartZIAZAG,wasthethirdnametheygavehimholder(i.e.,
possessor)ofholiness,

20.Godofthefavourablewind,lordofadorationandgrace,
21.Creatoroffulnessandabundance,stablisherofplenty,
22.Whoturneththatwhichislittleintothatwhichismuch.
23.Insorestraitswehavefelthisfavouringbreeze.
24.Letthem(thegods)declare,letthemmagnify,letthemsinghispraises.
25.OTUTU,whoartthegodAGAAZAGinthefourthplaceletmenexult.
26.Lordoftheholyincantation,whomakeththedeadtolive,
27.Hefeltcompassionforthegodswhowereincaptivity.
28.Herivetedonthegodshisenemiestheyokewhichhadbeenrestingonthem.
29.Inmercytowardsthemhecreatedmankind,
30.TheMercifulOneinwhosepoweritistogivelife.
31.Hiswordsshallendureforever,theyshallneverbeforgotten,
32.InthemouthoftheBlackheadedwhomhishandshavemade.
33.OGodTUTU,whoartthegodMUAZAGinthefifthplacelettheirmouth
reciteaholyincantation[tohim],
34.Whobyhisownholyincantationhathdestroyedalltheevilones.
35.OgodSHAZU,thewiseheartofthegods,whosearchesttheinwardpartsof
thebelly,
36.Whodostnotpermittheworkerofeviltogoforthbyhisside,
37.Establisherofthecompanyofthegods...theirhearts.
38.Reducerofthedisobedient...
[Lines39106arewanting.Thepositionsofthefragmentarylinessuppliedby
duplicatefragmentsareuncertain;inanycasetheygivenoconnectedsense.]
107.Verily,heholdeththebeginningandtheendofthem,verily...
108.Saying,"HewhoenteredintothemiddleofTiamatrestethnot;
109."Hisnameshallbe'Nibiru'theseizerofthemiddle.
110."Heshallsetthecoursesofthestarsoftheheavens,

111."Heshallherdtogetherthewholecompanyofthegodslikesheep.
112."Heshall[ever]takeTiamatcaptive,heshallslituphertreasure
(variant,life),heshalldisembowelher."
113.Amongthemenwhoaretocomeafteralapseoftime,
114.Let[thesewords]beheardwithoutceasing,maytheyreigntoalleternity,
115.Becausehemadethe[heavenly]placesandmouldedthestable[earth].
116.FatherBelproclaimedhisname,"LordoftheLands."
117.AlltheIgigirepeatedthetitle.
118.Eaheardandhisliverrejoiced,
119.Saying,"Hewhosetitlehathrejoicedhisfathers
120."ShallbeevenasIam;hisnameshallbeEa.
121."Heshalldisposeofallthemagicalbenefitsofmyrites,
122."Heshallmaketohaveeffectmyinstructions."
123.Bythetitleof"Fiftytimes"thegreatgods
124.Proclaimedhisnamesfiftytimes,theymagnifiedhisgoing.

EPILOGUE.
Lines 125-142
125.Letthefirstcomertakethemandrepeatthem;
126.Letthewisemanandthelearnedmanmeditateuponallofthem;
127.Thefathershallrepeatthemtohissonthathemaylayholduponthem.
128.Letthem(i.e.,thenames)opentheearsoftheshepherdandtheherdsman.
129.Let[man]rejoiceinMarduk,theLordoftheGods,
130.Thathislandmaybefertileandhehimselfabideinsecurity.
131.Hiswordistrue,hiscommandalterethnot.
132.Nogodhatheverbroughttothegroundthatwhichissuethfromhismouth.
133.They(i.e.,thegods)treatedhimwithcontempt,heturnednothisback[in
flight],

134.Nogodcouldresisthiswrathatitsheight.
135.Hisheartislarge,hisbowelsofmercyaregreat.
136.Ofsinandwickednessbeforehim...
137.Thefirstcomeruttershiscomplaintofhumiliationbeforehim.
[Lines138142aretoofragmentarytotranslate.]
Portion of a tablet inscribed in Assyrian with a text of the Seventh Tablet of the Creation Series. [K. 8522.]

Notes.
1.ThereareintheBritishMuseumseveralfragmentsofNeoBabyloniancopiesof
theSevenTabletsofCreation,theexactpositionofwhichisatpresent
uncertain.Oneofthese(S.2013)isofsomeimportancebecauseitspeaksofone
objectwhichwasinthe"upperTiamat",andofanotherwhichwasinthe"lower
Tiamat".ThisshowsthattheBabyloniansthoughtthatonehalfofthebodyof
Tiamat,whichwassplitupbyMarduk,wasmadeintothecelestialocean,andthe
otherhalfintotheterrestrialocean,inotherwords,into"thewatersthat
wereabove"and"thewatersthatwerebeneath"thefirmamentrespectively.
2.WhenGeorgeSmithpublishedhisChaldeanAccountofGenesisin1876,hewas
ofopinionthattheCreationTabletsintheBritishMuseumcontained
descriptionsoftheTemptationofEvebytheserpentandofthebuildingand
overthrowoftheTowerofBabel.ThedescriptionofParadiseinGenesisii
seemstoshowtracesofBabylonianinfluence,andthecylinderseal,Brit.Mus.
No.89,326,wasthoughttobeproofthataBabylonianlegendoftheTemptation
existed.Infact,GeorgeSmithprintedacopyofthesealinhisbook(p.91).
Butitisnowknownthatthetabletwhichwasbelievedtorefertoman'seating
ofthefruitoftheTreeofKnowledge(K.3,473+7978,296+R.615)
describesthebanquetofthegodstowhichtheyinvitedMarduk.Inlikemanner
thetextonK.3657,whichSmiththoughtreferredtotheTowerofBabel,isnow
knowntocontainnomentionofatowerorbuildingofanysort.Itwasalso
thoughtbyhimthatK.3364containedasetofinstructionswhichGodgaveto
AdamandEveaftertheircreation,butitisnowknownandadmittedbyall
Assyriologiststhatthetextonthistabletcontainsmoralpreceptsandhas
nothingtodowiththeCreationSeries.Enquiriesarefromtimetotimemadeat
theMuseumfortabletswhichdealwiththeTemptationofEve,andthe
destructionoftheTowerofBabel,andtheDivinecommandstoAdamandEve;it
isperhapsnotsuperfluoustosaythatnothingofthekindexists.
ListofthenameoftheStarsorSignsoftheZodiac,withaListShowingthe
MonththatwasAssociatedwithEachStarinthePersianPeriod.

BY SIDNEY SMITH, M.A., and C.J. GADD, M.A., Assistants in the Department.
No.77,821(85430,15).
TRANSLITERATION.

TRANSLATION.

Nisannu (kakkab)(amel)Agru.... TheLabourer.

2 Airu
ofheaven.

"Kakkabu(kakkab)Alapshame

TheStarandtheBull

3 Simanu "Re'ukinushameu(kakkab)tu'amerabuti
faithfulshepherdofheavenandtheGreatTwins.
4

Duuzu

"AL.LUL.(shittu)... TheTortoise.

Abu

"Kalburabu....

Ululu

"Shiru....

The

GreatDog(Lion).

Virginwithearofcorn.

7 Tashritum
"Zibanitum.... ....

8 Arah###804###shamna
"Akrabu....
TheScorpion.

9 Kislimu "PA.BIL.SAG....
Enurta(thegod).

10 Tebetum "SUH###804###UR.MASH.... TheGoatfish.

11 Shabatu "Gula....TheGreatStar

12 Addaru "DIL.GAN.urikisnuni Thestar...andtheBandof

Fishes.

I have been assisted in the preparation of this monograph by Mr. Sidney Smith,
M.A., Assistant in the Department. E.A. WALLIS BUDGE. DEPARTMENT OF EGYPTIAN
AND ASSYRIAN ANTIQUITIES, BRITISH MUSEUM. June 1, 1921.

Footnotes.
^1SeetheTransactions,Vol.IV,PlatesIVI,London,1876.
^2SeetheduplicatefragmentsdescribedintheIndextoEbeling,
KeilschrifttexteausAssur,Leipzig,1919fol.
^3ThetextisfoundonatabletfromAbuHabbah,Brit.Mus.,No.93,014(825
22,1048).
^4APSU.ItisdoubtfulifAPSUherereallymeansthegreatabyssofwatersfrom
outofwhichtheworldwascalled.Itwas,moreprobably,aceremonialobject
usedinthecultofthegod,somethinglikethegreatbasin,or"sea,"inthe
courtofthetempleofKingSolomon,mentionedinIKings,vii,23;2Kings,
xxv,13,etc.
^5ThisisanameunderwhichMardukwasworshippedatEridu.

^6ThegodwhoseheadwastakenoffwasnotBelus,asiscommonlythought,but
thegodwhothecuneiformtextstelluswascalled"Kingu."
^7ThegodwhoseheadwastakenoffwasnotBelus,asiscommonlythought,but
thegodwhothecuneiformtextstelluswascalled"Kingu."
^8Muallidatgimrishun.
^9ItisprobablethattheideaofthisTabletisperpetuatedinthe"Preserved
Tablet"oftheKur'an(Surahx,62),onwhichthedestinyofeverymanwas
writtenatorbeforethecreationoftheworld.Nothingthatiswritten(maktub)
therecanbeerased,oraltered,orfailtotakeeffect.
^10(Cun.Texts,PartXXIV,Plate44,l.142).
^11

Orperhapsthe"bellyofTiamat."TheEgyptiansdistinguishedaportionofthe
heavensbythenameof"KhatNut,""thebellyofNut,"andtwodrawingsofit
areextant.Thefirstshowsanovalobjectrimmedwithstarsandtheothera
pearshapedobject,withagodinsideit.(SeeBrugsch,Inschriften
(Astronomische)Leipzig,1883,p,146.)
^12ThisistheoriginaloftheSyriacwordfortheSignsoftheZodiacmalwashe
(pluralofmalwasha).TheSyriansaddedtoitanm,thusgivingitaparticipial
form.
^13D###789######787######789###alsocalled
###800######801######802######809######800###,
###5473######801######789######802######800######789######793###,
###806######789######802###and
###5392######800######789######800######789######793###.Theywerewellknown
totheEgyptians,who,asearlyasthefourteenthcenturyB.C.,possessedafull
listofthem.SeeLepsius,Chronologie,Berlin,1848,andBrugsch,Thesaurus
(AstronomischeundAstrologischeInschriften),Leipzig,1883.
^14FormerlyknownasNinip.
^15SeeNaville,LaLitanieduSoleil,Paris,1875,Plateiiff.
^16SeeKur'an,Surahvii,v.179.ThattherewereninetynineBeautifulNames
ofGodrestsontheauthorityofAbuHurairah,whorepeatsthestatementasmade
byMuhammadtheProphet.
^17PublishedbyKing,CuneiformTexts,PartXXV,Plate50.
^18ThusheisequatedwithEnUrta,Nergal,Enlil,Nabu,Sin,Shamash,Adad,
etc.
^19SeePoebel,HistoricalTexts,No.1.

^20SeeKing,CuneiformTexts,PartXIII,Plate33;andEbellog,Assurtexte,I,
No.6.
^21Thebiruwasthedistancewhichamanwouldtravelintwohours.
^22ThistranslationismadefromtranscriptsoftheBritishMuseumfragments
(CuneiformTexts,PartXIII),andtranscriptsoftheBerlinfragments(Ebeling,
KeilschrifttexteausAssur,Nos.117,118).
^23Thenameofanobjectwastheobjectitself,anditwasbelievedthat
nothingcouldexistapartfromitsname.
^24Tiamat'swrathwasrousedbyApsu,whohadproposedtoslaythegods,her
children.ShetooknopartinthefirststruggleofApsuandMummuagainstthe
gods,andonlyengagedinactivehostilitiestoavengeApsu.
^25Literally,"theyexcitedthemselvestohostility."
^26AtitleofTiamat.
^27TheseninemonsterswiththeWeapon(Thunderbolt?)andKinguformtheEleven
AlliesofTiamat,anditisclearthatsheandherAlliesrepresenttheTwelve
SignsoftheZodiac.WhenMardukdestroyedTiamatandherassociates,hefound
itnecessarytofixthestars,theimagesofthegreatgods,intheirplaces,as
theTwelveSignsoftheZodiac.(SeetheFifthTabletofCreation,p.55.)
^28ThegodherealludedtoisMardak,who,inoneaspect,isafiregod;see
TabletIV,II.39,40.
^29Seeabove.
^30Lines83,84,88101aretranslatedfromtheBritishMuseumfragmentsand
theBerlinfragments;lines88101containtheequivalenttothewholegapin
theBritishMuseumtablet.
^31i.e.,"letwhatthousayestprevail."
^32I.e.,thedestructionofTiamat.
^33I.e.,theestablishingofanewcreationtotaketheplaceoftheold.
^34Themeaningofpalaisunknown.
^35Thisequipmentofthecharioteerisshownonthebasreliefs.
^36ComparePsalmsxviii,715;civ,iff.
^37I.e.,thegodswereimpatienttobeginthefight.
^38ByimpressinghissealontheTabletMardukprovedhisownershipofthe
Tablet,andmadehisclaimtoitlegal.

^39ThisisanobliquewayofsayingthatMarduksucceededwhereEafailed.
^40Thewordiskupu,i.e.,"reed"or"sedge."ItispossiblethatMarduk
skinnedTiamat.
^41Reading,ishtenishlukuppudumaanashinaluuzizu.
^42I.e.,"tocausethegodstobecontent,"
^43Literally"they(indefinite)opposedme."
^44SeeCuneiformTexts,PartXXIV,Plate50,whereitissaidthatthegodSin
is"Marduk,whomakethbrightthenight."
^45Lines44and45announceMarduk'sdeterminationtobuildBabylon.
^46Thisisthewordcommonlyusedfor"templetower."ThefamouszigguratofE
SagilaherementionedwasbuiltinSevenStagesorSteps,eachprobablyhaving
itsowndistinctivecolour.Itwasdestroyedprobablysoonafterthecaptureof
BabylonbyCyrus(539B.C.)andwhenAlexandertheGreatreachedBabylonhe
founditruins.
^47Thisisthefirstknownmentionofthe"horns"ofaziggurat,andtheexact
meaningofthewordisdoubtful.
^48FromthistextitseemsclearthatUpshukkinakuwasthenameofachamber
inthetempleofESagila.Thisnameprobablymeansthe"chamberofthe
shakkanaku,"i.e.,thechamberinwhichthegovernorofthecity(shakkanaku)
wentannuallytoembracethehandsofthegodBelMarduk,fromwhomhethereby
receivedtherightofsovereigntyoverthecountry.
^49ThislineseemstoimplythatMardukwasregardedastheinstructorofthe
"old"gods;theallusionis,probably,tothe"ways"ofAnu,BelandEa,which
aretreatedastechnicaltermsinastrology.
^50Herethetitle"Blackheaded"referstoallmankind,butitissometimes
usedbythescribestodistinguishthepopulationoftheEuphratesValleyfrom
foreignpeoplesoflightcomplexions.
^51ComparethelanguageoftheKur'an(SurahII,v.256),"He(Allah)knoweth
whatisbeforethemandwhatisbehindthem."
^52TheselinessuggestthatthefightbetweenMardukandTiamatwasrecurrent;
itisincorrecttotranslatetheverbalformsaspreterites.
^53"Toopentheears"togiveunderstanding.
^54TheEgyptianSheta