Enuma Elish Tablet III

1. Anshar opened his mouth

2. And addressed (these) words to Kaka, his vizier:
3. "Kaka, my vizier, who gaddenest my heart,
!. "nto #ahmu (and) #ahamu $ wi send thee%
&. 'hou knowest (how) to (dis)e*rn (and) art a+e to reate.
,. -ause the gods may .athers to +e +rought +e.ore me.
/. (#et* them +ring a the gods to me0
1. #et them )onverse (and) sit down to a +an2uet.
3. #et them eat +read (and) prepare wine.
14. 5or (6arduk*, their avenger, et them de)ree the destiny.
11. 7et out, 8 Kaka, go, and stand thou +e.ore them.
12. 9hat i am a+out to te thee repeat unto them:
13. :Anshar, your son, has sent me.
1!. ('he )ommand o.* his heart he has )harged me to )onvey,
1&. (7aying: "'ia*mat, our +earer, hates us.
1,. 7he he(d a meeting* and raged .uriousy.
1/. A the gods went over to her%
11. ;ven those whom ye have )reated mar)h at her side.
13. 'hey separat&ed themseves(<) and went over to the side o. 'iamat%
24. 'hey were angry, they potted, not resting day or night%
21. 'hey took up the .ight, .uming and raging%
22. 'hey hed a meeting and panned the )on.i)t.
23. 6other =u+ur, who .ashions a things%
2!. Added (thereto) irresisti+e weapons, +earing monster serpents
2&. 7harp o. tooth and not sparing the .ang(<).
2,. 9ith poison instead o. +ook she .ied their +odies.
2/. 5ero)ious dragons she )othed with terror,
21. 7he )rowned them with .ear>inspiring gory (and) made them ike gods,
23. 7o that (they* might )ause him who woud ook upon them to perish .rom terror,
34. 7o that their +odies might eap .orward and none turn +a)k their +reasts.
31. 7he set up the viper, the dragon, and the aha(mu*,
32. 'he great ion, the mad dog, and the s)orpion>man,
33. ?riving storm demons, the dragon.y, and the +ison,
3!. @earing unsparing weapons, una.raid o. +atte.
3&. Aower.u are her de)rees, irresisti+e are they.
3,. Atogether(<) eeven (kinds o. monsters) o. this sort she +rought (into +eing*.
3/. 8. those among the gods, her .irst>+orn, who .ormed her (assem+y*,
31. 7he eBated Kingu% in their midst she made (him gr*eat.
33. 'o mar)h at the head o. the army, to (dire)t the .or)es*,
!4. ('o rai*se the weapons .or the engagement, to a(un)h the atta)k*,
!1. 'he high )om(mand o. the +*atte,
!2. (7he intrusted* to his hand% she )aused him to sit (in the assem+y*, (saying:)
!3. :($ have )a*st the spe .or thee, ($ have made thee great* in the assem+y o. the gods.
!!. 'he dominion over a the gods ($ have given* into thy hand.
!&. (6ayest* thou +e highy eBated, (thou*, my uni2ue spouse0
!,. 6ay thy names +e)ome greater than (those o.) (the Anunnaki*0:
!/. 7he gave him the ta+et o. destinies, she .astened (it) upon his +reast, (saying:)
!1. :As .or thee, thy )ommand sha not +e )hanged, the word o. they mouth sha +e
dependa+e0:
!3. Cow when Kingu had +een eBated (and) had re)eived supreme dominion,
&4. 'hey de)reed the destinies o. the gods, her sons, (saying:)
&1. :6ay the opening o. your mouths 2uiet the .ire>god0
&2. 6ay thy overpowering poison van2uish the (opposing) might0:
&3. $ sent Anu, (+ut) he )oud not .a)e her.
&!. Cudimmud (aso) was a.raid and turned +a)k.
&&. ('hen) 6arduk, the wisest o. the gods, your son, )ame .orward.
&,. =is heart prompted (him) to .a)e 'iamat.
&/. =e opened his mouth (and) said to me:
&1. :$. $ am indeed to +e your avenger,
&3. 'o van2uish 'iamat and to keep you aive,
,4. -onvene the assem+y and pro)aim my ot supreme.
,1. 9hen ye are Doy.uy seated together in the -ourt o. Assem+y,
,2. 6ay $ through the utteran)e o. my mouth determine the destinies, instead o. you.
,3. 9hatever $ )reate sha remain unatered,
,!. 'he )ommand o. my ips sha not return (void), it sha not +e )hanged.:
,&. =asten to me (then) and speediy .iB .or him your destiny,
,,. 'hat he may go to meet your power.u enemy0":"
,/. Kaka went and pursued his way.
,1. @e.ore #ahmu and #ahamu, the gods his an)estors,
,3. =e prostrated himse. and kissed the ground at their .eet%
/4. =e sat up, stood .orth, and said to them:
/1. "Anshar, your son, has sent me.
/2. 'he )ommand o. his heart he has )harged me to )onvey,
/3. 7aying: "'iamat, our +earer, hates us.
/!. 7he hed a meeting and raged .uriousy.
/&. A the gods went over to her%
/,. even those whom ye have )reated mar)h at her side.
//. 'hey separated themseves(<) and went over to the side o. 'iamat%
/1. 'hey were angry, they potted, not resting day or night%
/3. 'hey took up the .ight, .uming and raging%
14. 'hey hed a meeting and panned the )on.i)t.
11. 6other =u+ur, who .ashions a things,
12. Added (thereto) irresisi+e weapons, +earing monster serpents
13. 7harp o. tooth and not sparing the .ang(<).
1!. 9ith poison instead o. +ook she .ied their +odies.
1&. 5ero)ious dragons she )othed with terror,
1,. 7he )rowned them with .ear>inspiring gory (and) made them ike gods,
1/. 7o that he who woud ook upon them shoud perish .rom terror,
11. 7o that their +odies might eap .orward and none turn +a)k their +reasts.
13. 7he set up the viper, the dragon, and the lahamu,
34. 'he great ion, the mad dog, and the s)orpion>man,
31. ?riving storm demons, the dragon.y, and the +ison,
32. @earing unspaing weapons, una.raid o. +atte.
33. Aower.u are her de)rees, irresisti+e are they.
3!. Atogether(<) eeven (kinds o. monsters) o. this sort she +rought into +eing.
3&. 8. those among the gods, her .irst>+orn, who .ormed her assem+y,
3,. 7he eBated Kingu% in their midst she made him great.
3/. 'o mar)h at the head o. the army, to dire)t the .or)es,
31. 'o raise the weapons .or the engagement, to aun)h the atta)k,
33. 'he high )ommand o. +atte,
144. 7he intrusted to his hand% she )aused him to sit in the assem+y, (saying:)
141. "$ have )ast the spe .or thee, $ have made thee great in the assem+y o. the gods.
142. 'he dominion over a the gods $ have given into thy hand.
143. 6ayest thou +e highy eBated, thou, my uni2ue spouse0
14!. 6ay thy names +e)ome greater than (those o.) the Anunna(ki*0"
14&. 7he gave him the ta+et o. destinies, (she .astened (it) upon his +reast*, (saying:)
14,. "As .or thee, they )ommand sha not (+e )hanged, the word o. thy mouth sha +e
dependa+e*0"
14/. Cow when Kingu had +een eBa(ted (and) had re)eived supreme dominion*,
141. ('hey de)reed* the des(tinies* to the gods, her sons, (saying")
143. "(6ay* the opening o. your mouths (2uiet the .ire>god*0
114. (6ay* the overpowering poison (van2uish* the (opposing) mi(ght*0"
111. $ sent Anu, (+ut) he ()oud* not (.a)e her*.
112. Cudimmud (aso) was a.raid and (turned +a)k*.
113. ('hen) 6arduk, the wisest o. (the gods, your son*, )ame .orward.
11!. (=is heart prompted (him)* to .a)e 'iamat.
11&. =e opened his mouth (and) (said to me*:
11,. "$. $ am indeed to +e (your avenger*,
11/. 'o van2uish 'iamat (and) (to keep you aive*,
111. -onvene the assem+y and (pro)aim my ot supreme*.
113. (9hen ye are Doy.uy seated together* in the -ourt o. Assem+y,
124. (6ay $* through the utteran)e o. my mouth (determine the destinies*, instead o.
(you*.
121. 9hatever $ )reate sha remain unatered,
122. 'he )ommand o. (my ips* sha not return (void), it sha (not +e* )hanged."
123. =asten to me (then) and speediy (.iB .or him* your destiny,
12!. ('hat he may* go to meet your power.u enemy0: "
12&. 9hen #ahha (and) #ahamu heard (this), they )ried aoud%
12,. A the $gigi waied pain.uy:
12/. "9hat has happened that she has )ome to (su)h a de*)ision<
121. 9e do not understand 'iamat:s a)(tion*0"
123. 'hey gathered together and departed,
134. A the great gods who determine (the destinies*.
131. 'hey entered into the presen)e o. Anshar and .ied (the -ourt o. Assem+y*%
132. 'hey kissed one another (as they )ame together* in the assem+y%
133. 'hey )onversed (and) (sat down* to a +an2uet.
13!. 'hey ate +read (and) prepared w(ine*.
13&. 'he sweet wine dispeed their .ears%
13,. ('heir* +od(ies* sweed as they drank the strong drink.
13/. ;B)eedingy )are.ree were tgetm tgeur spirit was eBated,
131. 5or 6arduk, their avenger, the de)reed the destiny.
Catch Line
'he ere)ted .or him a ordy throne>dais.
7our)e: 'he @a+yonian Eenesis +y AeBander =eide