Part 29 (2/2)

Tell my son that the Moon in heaven is terribly eclipsed!

To Hea in the Deep repeat this!

Paku understood the words of his Lord.

Unto Hea in the Deep swiftly he went.

To the Lord, the great Inventor, the G.o.d Nukimmut, Paku repeated the words of his Lord.

When Hea in the Deep heard these words, He bit his lips, and tears bedewed his face.

Then he sent for his son Marduk to help him.

Go to my son Marduk, Tell my son that the Moon in heaven is terribly eclipsed!

That eclipse has been seen in heaven!

They are seven, those evil spirits, and death they fear not!

They are seven, those evil spirits, who rush like a hurricane, And fall like firebrands on the earth!

In front of the bright Moon with fiery weapons (they draw nigh); But the n.o.ble Sun and Im the warrior (are withstanding them).

[The rest of the legend is lost.]

Nukimmut is a name of Hea which occurs frequently: he was the good genius of the earth, and his son Marduk was his incarnation--a Herakles or Saviour. It will be noted that as yet Ishtar is in heaven. The next Tablet, which shows the development of the myth, introduces us to the great female dragon Tiamat herself, and her destroyer Bel.

... And with it his right hand he armed.

His naming sword he raised in his hand.

He brandished his lightnings before him.

A curved scymitar he carried on his body.

And he made a sword to destroy the Dragon, Which turned four ways; so that none could avoid its rapid blows.

It turned to the south, to the north, to the east, and to the west.

Near to his sabre he placed the bow of his father Anu.

He made a whirling thunderbolt, and a bolt with double flames, impossible to extinguish.

And a quadruple bolt, and a septuple bolt, and a ... bolt of crooked fire.

He took the thunderbolts which he had made, and there were seven of them, To be shot at the Dragon, and he put them into his quiver behind him.

Then he raised his great sword, whose name was 'Lord of the Storm.'

He mounted his chariot, whose name was 'Destroyer of the Impious.'

He took his place, and lifted the four reins In his hand.

[Bel now offers to the Dragon to decide their quarrel by single combat, which the Dragon accepts. This agrees with the representations of the combat on Babylonian cylinders in Mr. Smith's 'Chaldean Genesis,'

p. 62, etc.]

(Why seekest thou thus) to irritate me with blasphemies?

Let thy army withdraw: let thy chiefs stand aside: Then I and thou (alone) we will do battle.

When the Dragon heard this.

Stand back! she said, and repeated her command.

Then the tempter rose watchfully on high.

Turning and twisting, she s.h.i.+fted her standing point, She watched his lightnings, she provided for retreat.

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