Early Israel and the Surrounding Nations Part 25

With my mouth like you will I give the oracle.

What I create shall never be changed, the word of my lip shall never go back or be unfulfilled!'

TABLET III.

Thereupon Ansar opened his mouth, to [Gaga] his [messenger] he uttered the word: 'O angel [Gaga] who rejoicest my heart, [to Lakhmu and Lakh]amu will I send thee; [the command of my heart] thou shalt gladly hear(?): 'Ansar, your son, has sent me, the wish of his heart he has caused me to know.

Tiamat our mother has risen up against us, gathering her forces, madly raging.

The G.o.ds, all of them, have united themselves unto her, all whom she has created march at her side.

Banning the day they have followed Tiamat, wrathful, devising mischief, untiring (?) day and night, prepared for the conflict, fiercely raging, they have gathered themselves together and begin the fray.

The mother of the deep (?), the creatress of them all, has given them victorious weapons, creating monstrous serpents with sharp fangs, unsparing in the onset.

With poison for blood she has filled their bodies.

Horrible adders she has clothed with terror, she has decked them with fear, and raised high their ...

'May their appearance ...

May their bodies grow huge so that none may stand before them!'

She has created the adder, the horrible serpent, the Lakhamu, the great monster, the raging dog, the scorpion-man, the dog-days, the fish-man and the ram, who carry weapons that spare not, who fear not the conflict, insolent of heart, unconquerable by the enemy.

Moreover that she may have eleven such monsters, among the G.o.ds, her sons, whom she has summoned together, she has raised up Kingu and magnified him among them: 'To march before the host, be that thy duty!

Order the weapons to be uplifted and the onset of battle!'

That he may be first in the conflict, the leader in victory, she has taken his hand and set him on a throne: 'I have uttered the spell for thee, exalt thyself among the G.o.ds, a.s.sume dominion over all the G.o.ds!

Highly shalt thou be exalted, thou that art alone my husband; thy name shall be magnified over [all the world]!'

Then she gave him the tablets of destiny, and laid them on his breast: 'Let thy command be obeyed; let the word of thy mouth be established!'

When Kingu had exalted himself and made himself as Anu she determined for the G.o.ds her sons their destiny: 'The opening of your mouth shall quench the fire, the exalted of Kidmuri shall dissolve its flame.'

I sent forth Anu, but he would not meet her; Ea was terrified and turned back.

Then I bade Merodach, the counsellor of the G.o.ds, your son; to attack Tiamat his heart urged him.

He opened his mouth and spake unto me: 'If I am indeed your avenger, Tiamat to overpower, you to rescue, make ready an a.s.sembly, prepare a banquet (?).

Enter joyfully into Ubsugina, all together.

With my mouth, like you, will I then p.r.o.nounce an oracle, what I create shall never be changed; the word of my lip shall never go back or be unfulfilled.'

Hasten therefore and determine at once for him his destiny that he may go forth and meet your mighty foe!'

Lakhmu and Lakhamu heard this and lamented, the G.o.ds of heaven, all of them, bitterly grieved: 'Foolish are they who thus desire battle (?); nor can we understand the [design] of Tiamat.'

Then they came together and marched ...

the great G.o.ds, all of them, who determine [destinies].

They came before (?) Ansar, they filled [his abode], they crowded one on the other in the gathering ...

they sat down to the feast, [they devoured] the food; they eat bread, they drank [wine], with sweet honey wine they filled themselves, they drank beer, and delighted their soul (?) ....they ascended into their [seats], to determine the destiny of Merodach their avenger.

TABLET IV.

Then they set him on a princely throne; before his fathers he seated himself as ruler.

'Yea, thou art glorious among the great G.o.ds, thy destiny has no rival, thy name (?) is Anu; from this day forward unchanged be thy command, high and low entreat thy hand!

Let the word of thy mouth be established, thy judgment never be violated, let none among the G.o.ds overpa.s.s thy bounds!

as an adornment has (thy hand) founded the shrine of the G.o.ds, may the place of their gathering (?) become thy home.

O Merodach, thou art he that avenges us, we give unto thee the sovereignty over the mult.i.tudes of the universe.

Thou givest counsel, let thy word be exalted; may thy weapons be victorious, may thine enemies tremble!

O lord, be gracious to the soul of him who putteth his trust in thee, but pour out the soul of the G.o.d who has hold of evil.'

Then place they in their midst a robe; they spake to Merodach their first-born: 'May thy destiny, O lord, excel that of the G.o.ds; command destruction and creation, and so it shall be done.

Set thy mouth that it may destroy the robe; bid it return and the robe shall be restored!'

He spake and with his mouth destroyed the robe; he spake to it again, and the robe was re-created.

When the G.o.ds his fathers beheld (the power) of the word of his mouth, they rejoiced, they saluted Merodach the king, they bestowed upon him the sceptre, the throne and reign, they gave him a weapon unrivalled, consuming the hostile: 'Go,' (they said,) 'and cut off the life of Tiamat, let the winds carry her blood to secret places.'

(Thus) the G.o.ds, his fathers, determined for Bel his destiny, they showed his path, and they bade him listen and take the road.

He made ready the bow and used it as his weapon; he made the club swing, he fixed its seat; then he lifted up the weapon which he caused his right hand to hold; the bow and the quiver he hung at his side.

He set the lightning before him, with glancing flame he filled its body.

He made also a net to enclose the dragon Tiamat.

He seized the four winds that they might not issue out of it, the south wind, the north wind, the east wind (and) the west wind; he made them enter the net, the gift of his father Anu.

He created the evil wind, the hostile wind, the storm, the tempest, the four winds, the seven winds, the whirlwind, the unending wind: he caused the winds he had created to issue forth, seven in all, confounding the dragon Tiamat, as they swept after him.

Then Bel lifted up the Deluge, his mighty weapon: he rode in a chariot incomparable, (and) terrible.

He stood firm, and harnessed four horses to its side, [steeds] that spare not, spirited and swift, [with sharp] teeth, that carry poison, which know how to sweep away [the opponent].

[On the right] ... mighty in battle, on the left they open ...

......before thee.

[Bring to the feast] the G.o.ds, all of them, [let them sit down and] satisfy themselves with food, [let them eat bread], let them drink wine, [let them ascend to their seats?] and determine the future.

[Go now,] Gaga, approach before them, deliver unto them [the message I entrust to] thee: 'Ansar, your son, has sent me, the wish of his heart he has caused me to know.

Tiamat, our mother, has risen up against us, gathering her forces, madly raging.

The G.o.ds, all of them, have united themselves unto her, even those who created you march at her side.

Banning the day they have followed Tiamat, wrathful, devising mischief, untiring(?) day and night, prepared for the conflict, fiercely raging, they have gathered themselves together and begin the battle.

The mother of the deep(?), the creatress of them all, has given them victorious weapons, creating monstrous serpents, with sharp fangs, unsparing in their attack.

With poison for blood she has filled their bodies.

Horrible adders she has clothed with terror, she has decked them with fear, and raised high their....

'May their appearance,' (she has said)....

'Let their bodies grow huge so that none may stand before them!'

She has created the adder, the horrible serpent, the Lakh-amu, the great monster, the raging dog, the scorpion-man, the dog-days, the fish-man and the ram, who carry weapons that spare not, who fear not the fight, insolent of heart, unconquerable by the enemy.

Moreover that she may have eleven such monsters, among the G.o.ds, her sons, whom she has summoned together, she has raised up Kingu and magnified him among them.

'To march before the host, be that thy duty!

Order the weapons to be uplifted and the onset of battle!'

That he may be the first in the conflict, the leader in victory, she has taken his hand and set him on a throne: 'I have uttered the spell for thee,' (she has said); 'exalt thyself among the G.o.ds, a.s.sume dominion over all the G.o.ds!

Highly shalt thou be exalted, thou that art alone my husband; thy name shall be magnified over [all the world]!'

Thereupon she has given him the tablets of destiny, and laid them on his breast: 'Let thy command be obeyed, let the word of thy mouth be established!'

When Kingu had exalted himself and made himself like Anu she fixed for the G.o.ds, her sons, their destiny 'The opening of your mouth shall quench the fire; the exalted of Kidmuri shall dissolve its flame.'

I sent forth Anu, but he would not meet her; Ea was terrified and turned back.

Then I sent forth Merodach, the counsellor of the G.o.ds, your son; to attack Tiamat his heart urged him.

He opened his mouth and said unto me: 'If I indeed am your avenger, Tiamat to overpower and you to rescue, make ready an a.s.sembly, prepare a banquet (?).

Enter joyfully into Ubsugina all together.

With my mouth like you will I p.r.o.nounce the oracle.

What I create shall never be changed, the word of my lip shall never go back or be unfulfilled!'

Hasten therefore and determine for him at once his destiny, that he may go forward and meet your powerful foe!'

Then went Gaga and completed his journey unto Lakhmu and Lakhamu the G.o.ds, his fathers, he prostrated himself and kissed the ground at their feet, he bowed himself and stood up and spake unto them: ... clothed with fear; with l.u.s.tre and terror he covered his head.

He directed also his way, he made his path descend, to the place where Tiamat [stood] he turned his countenance; with his lip he kept back ...

his finger holds the....

On that day they extolled him, the G.o.ds extolled him, the G.o.ds, his fathers, extolled him, the G.o.ds extolled him.

Then Bel drew near, eager for the struggle with Tiamat, looking for victory over Kingu her husband.

When she beheld him, her resolution was destroyed, her understanding was overthrown, her plans confounded.

And the G.o.ds, his helpers, who marched beside him beheld (how Merodach) the prince amazes their eyes.

He laid judgment on Tiamat, yet she turned not her neck; with her hostile lips she uttered defiance: 'Let the G.o.ds, O Bel, enter on battle behind thee, [behold,] they are gathered together to where thou art.'

Bel [launched] the Deluge, his mighty weapon; against Tiamat, who had raised herself (?), thus he sent it.

'Thou wert mighty [below,' he cries,] 'exalted above, yet thy heart [has urged thee] to begin the strife, [to lead the G.o.ds from] their fathers to [thy side]; [thou hast gathered them around thee] and raisest thyself [against us], [thou hast made] Kingu thy husband [and hast bestowed on] him divine power.

... thou hast devised evil, [against the] G.o.ds, my fathers, hast thou directed thy enmity.

[May] thy host be fettered, thy weapons be restrained!

Stand up, and I and thou will fight together.'

When Tiamat heard this, she uttered her former spells, she repeated her command.

Tiamat also cried out vehemently with a loud voice.

From her roots she rocked herself completely.

She uttered an incantation, she cast a spell, and the G.o.ds of battle demand for themselves their arms.