The Seven Tablets of the History of Creation: The Third Tablet

The Third Tablet

1. Anshar opened his mouth, and

2. [Unto Gaga], his [minister], spake the word:

3. "[O Gaga, thou minis]ter that rejoicest my spirit,

4. ''[Unto Lahmu and Lah]amu will I send thee.

5. "[...] thou canst attain,

6. ''[...] thou shalt cause to be brought before thee.

7. [... let] the gods, all of them,

8. "[Make ready for a feast], at a banquet let them sit,

9. "[Let them eat bread], let them mix wine,

10. ''[That for Marduk], their avenger, they may decree the fate.

11. "[Go,] Gaga, stand before them,

12. ''[And all that] I, tell thee, repeat unto them, (and say):

13. "[Anshar], your son, hath sent me,

14. "[The purpose] of his heart he hath made known unto me.

15. "[He saith that Tia]mat our mother hath conceived a hatred for us,

16. "[With all] her force she rageth, full of wrath.

17. "All the gods have turned to her,

18. "With those, whom ye created, they go at her side.

19. ''They are banded together, and at the side of Tiamat they advance;

20 . "They are furious, they devise mischief without resting night and day.

21. ''They prepare for battle, fuming and raging;

22. "They have joined their forces and are making war.

23. "Ummu-Hubur, who formed all things,

24. "Hath made in addition weapons invincible, she hath spawned monster-serpents,

25. "Sharp of tooth and merciless of fang.

26. "With poison instead of blood she hath filled heir bodies.

27. "Fierce monster-vipers she hath clothed with terror,

28. "With splendour she hath decked them, she hath made them of lofty stature.

29. "Whoever beholdeth them, terror overcometh him,

30. "Their bodies rear up and none can withstand their attack.

31. "She hath set up vipers, and dragons, and the (monster) Lahamu,

32. "And hurricanes, and raging hounds, and scorpion-men,

33. "And mighty tempests, and fish-men, and rams;

34. They bear merciless weapons, without fear of the fight.

35. "Her commands are mighty, none can resist them;

36. "After this fashion, huge of stature, hath she made eleven (monsters).

37. "Among the gods who are her sons, inasmuch as he hath given her [support],

38. "She hath exalted Kingu; in their midst she hath raised [him] to power.

39. ''To march before the forces, [to lead the host],

40. "[To] give the battle-signal, to advance [to the attack],

41. "[To direct] the battle, to control the [fight],

42. "Unto him [hath she entrusted; in costly raiment] she hath made him sit, (saying):

43. "'[I have] uttered thy spell, in the assembly of the gods [I have raised thee to power],

44. "'[The] dominion over all the gods [have I entrusted unto thee].

45. "'[Be] thou exalted, [thou] my chosen spouse,

46. "' May they magnify thy name over all of [them ... the Anunnaki].'

47. "She hath given him the Tablets of Destiny, on his breast she laid them, (saying):

48. "'Thy command shall not be without avail, and the word of [thy] mouth shall be established.'

49. "Now Kingu, (thus) exalted, having received [the power of Anu],

50. "Decreed the fate for the gods, her sons, (saying):

51. "'Let the opening of your mouth quench the Fire-god;

52. "'Whoso is exalted in the battle, let him display (his) might! '

53. ''I sent Anu, but he could not withstand her;

54. "Nudimmud was afraid and turned back.

55. "But Marduk hath set out, the director of the gods, your son;

56. ''To set out against Tiamat his heart hath prompted (him).

57. "He opened his mouth and spake unto me, (saying):

58. "'If I, your avenger,

59. "'Conquer Tiamat and give you life,

60. "'Appoint an assembly, make my fate preeminent and proclaim it.

61. "'In Upshukkinaku seat yourselves joyfully together;

62. "'With my word in place of you will I decree fate.

63. "'May whatsoever I do remain unaltered,

64. "'May the word of my lips never be changed nor made of no avail.'

65. "Hasten, therefore, and swiftly decree for him the fate which you bestow,

66. "That he may go and fight your strong enemy!"

67. Gaga went, he took his way and

68. Humbly before Lahmu and Lahamu, the gods, his fathers,

69. He made obeisance, and he kissed the ground at their feet.

70. He humbled himself; then he stood up and spake unto them, (saying):

71. "Anshar, your son, hath sent me,

72. ''The purpose of his heart he hath made known unto me.

73. "He saith that Tiamat our mother hath conceived a hatred for us,

74. "With all her force she rageth, full of wrath.

75. "All the gods have turned to her,

76. "With those, whom ye created, they go at her side.

77. "They are banded together and at the side of Tiamat they advance;

78. ''They are furious, they devise mischief without resting night and day.

79. "They prepare for battle, fuming and raging;

80. ''They have joined their forces and are making war.

81. ''Ummu-Hubur, who formed all things,

82. "Hath made in addition weapons invincible, she hath spawned monster-serpents,

83. "Sharp of tooth and merciless of fang.

84. "With poison instead of blood she hath filled their bodies.

85. ''Fierce monster-vipers she hath clothed with terror,

86. "With splendour she hath decked them, she hath made them of lofty stature.

87. ''Whoever beholdeth them, terror overcometh him,

88. "Their bodies rear up and none can withstand their attack.

89. ''She hath set up vipers, and dragons, and the (monster) Lahamu,

90. "And hurricanes, and raging hounds, and scorpion-men,

91. ''And mighty tempests, and fish-men, and [rams];

92. "They bear merciless weapons, without fear of the fight.

93. "Her commands are mighty, none can resist them;

94. ''After this fashion, huge of stature, hath she made eleven (monsters).

95. ''Among the gods who are her sons, inasmuch as he hath given her support,

96. "She hath exalted Kingu; in their midst she hath raised him to power.

97. "To march before the forces, to lead the host,

98. ''To give the battle-signal, to advance to the attack,

99. "To direct the battle, to control the fight,

100. ''Unto him hath she entrusted; in costly raiment she hath made him sit, (saying):

101. "'I have uttered thy spell, in the assembly of the gods I have raised thee to power,

102. "'The dominion over all the gods have I entrusted unto thee.

103. "'Be thou exalted, thou my chosen spouse,

104. "'May they magnify thy name over all of them ... the Anunna[ki].'

105. "She hath given him the Tablets of Destiny, on [his] breast [she laid them], (saying):

106. "'Thy command shall not be without avail, [and the word of thy mouth shall be established].

107. "Now Kingu, (thus) exalted, [having received the power of Anu],

108. "[Decreed the fate] for the gods, her sons, (saying):

109. "'Let the opening of your mouth [quench] the Fire-god;

110. "'Whoso is exalted in the battle, [let him display] (his) might!'

111. "I sent Anu, but he could not [withstand her];

112. "Nudimmud was afraid and [turned back].

113. "But Marduk hath set out, the director of the[gods, your son];

114. "T o set out against Tiamat [his heart hath prompted (him)].

115. "He opened his mouth [and spake unto me], (saying):

116. "'If I, [your avenger],

117. "'Conquer Tiamat and [give you life],

118. "'Appoint an assembly, [make my fate preeminent and proclaim it].

119. "'In Upshukkinaku [seat yourselves joyfully together];

120. "'With my word in place of [you will I decree fate].

121. "'May whatsoever [I] do remain unaltered,

122. "'May the word of [my lips] never be changed nor made of no avail.'

123. ''Hasten, therefore, and swiftly [decree for him] the fate which you bestow,

124. "That he may go and fight your strong enemy!"

125. Lahmu and Lahamu heard and cried aloud,

126. All of the Igigi wailed bitterly, (saying):

127. ''What has been altered so that they should ... [...]

128. ''We do not understand the d[eed] of Tiamat!"

129. Then did they collect and go,

130. The great gods, all of them, who decree [fate].

131. They entered in before Anshar, they filled [...];

132. They kissed one another, in the assembly [...].

133. They made ready for the feast, at the banquet [they sat];

134. They ate bread, they mixed [sesame-wine].

135. The sweet drink, the mead, confused their [...],

136. They were drunk with drinking, their bodies were filled.

137. They were wholly at ease, their spirit was exalted;

138. Then for Marduk, their avenger, did they decree the fate.