Tablet III

Translated by L. W. King, The Seven Tablets of Creation, vol. 1 (1902), pp. 39–57

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p. 39see the 1902 page (opens archive.org in a new tab)
1Anšar opened his mouth, and
2[Unto Gaga], his [minister], spake the word:
3“[O Gaga, thou minis]ter that rejoicest my spirit,
4“[Unto Laḫmu and Laḫ]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):
p. 41see the 1902 page (opens archive.org in a new tab)
13“[Anšar], 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-Ḫubur, 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 their bodies.
p. 43see the 1902 page (opens archive.org in a new tab)
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) Laḫamu,
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],
p. 45see the 1902 page (opens archive.org in a new tab)
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!’
p. 47see the 1902 page (opens archive.org in a new tab)
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 pre-eminent and proclaim it.
61“‘In Upšukkinaku 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,
p. 49see the 1902 page (opens archive.org in a new tab)
66“That he may go and fight your strong enemy!”
67Gaga went, he took his way and
68Humbly before Laḫmu and Laḫamu, the gods, his fathers,
69He made obeisance, and he kissed the ground at their feet.
70He humbled himself; then he stood up and spake unto them, (saying):
71“Anšar, 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;
p. 51see the 1902 page (opens archive.org in a new tab)
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-Ḫubur, 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) Laḫamu,
90“And hurricanes, and raging hounds, and scorpion-men,
p. 53see the 1902 page (opens archive.org in a new tab)
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):
p. 55see the 1902 page (opens archive.org in a new tab)
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“To 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 pre-eminent and proclaim it].
119“‘In Upšukkinaku [seat yourselves joyfully together];
120“‘With my word in place of [you will I decree fate].
121“‘May whatsoever [I] do remain unaltered,
Note On p. 55 the line number and the words "whatsoever" and "do remain unaltered" are printed in italic type; "May" and the bracketed "[I]" are in roman. As with King's other italics (for example in III.111), the italic is not reproduced here.
122“‘May the word of [my lips] never be changed nor made of no avail.’
p. 57see the 1902 page (opens archive.org in a new tab)
123“Hasten, therefore, and swiftly [decree for him] the fate which you bestow,
124“That he may go and fight your strong enemy!”
125Laḫmu and Laḫamu heard and cried aloud,
126All 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!”
129Then did they collect and go,
130The great gods, all of them, who decree [fate].
131They entered in before Anšar, they filled [ . . . ];
132They kissed one another, in the assembly [ . . . ].
133They made ready for the feast, at the banquet [they sat];
134They ate bread, they mixed [sesame-wine].
135The sweet drink, the mead, confused their [ . . . ],
136They were drunk with drinking, their bodies were filled.
137They were wholly at ease, their spirit was exalted;
138Then for Marduk, their avenger, did they decree the fate.