Page:The Chaldean Account of Genesis (1876).djvu/116

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BABYLONIAN LEGEND

doubt subsequent lines continue these topics, but again our narrative is broken, and it only reopens where the gods are preparing for war with the powers of evil, which are led by Tiamat, which war probably arose from the part played by Tiamat in the fall of man.

My first idea of this part was that the war with the powers of evil preceded the Creation; I now think it followed the account of the Fall, but I have no direct proof of this.

Of the subsequent tablets of this series, which include the war between the gods and powers of evil, and the punishment of the dragon Tiamat, there are several fragments.

The first of these is K 4832, too mutilated to translate, it contains speeches of the gods before the war.

The second fragment, K 3473, contains also speeches, and shows the gods preparing for battle. It is very fragmentary.

01. . . . . his mouth opened

02. . . . . his . . a word he spoke

03. . . . . satisfy my anger

04. . . . . of thee let me send to thee

05. . . . . thou ascendest

06. . . . . thee to thy presence

07. . . . . their curse

08. . . . . in a circle may they sit

09. . . . . let them make the vine?

10. . . . . of them may they hear the renown

11. . . . . cover them he set and