+ For the reading, see Zimmern, Keilinschriften und das Alte Testament, P 587; for a recent translation, see Jensen, Keilin- schriftliche Bibliothek, vi. 1, pp. 57-73.
t See Hrozny, Sumerisch-babylonische Mythen von dem Gotte Ninrag (Ninib), Berlin, 1903.
§ Jensen, U.c, 47-57.
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tailing an attempt of this bird, which symbolizes the clouds, to take away from En-lil or Bel, the conqueror of Tiamat, the ‘tablets of fate,’ which Bel himself had snatched away from Kingu, the chief of Tiamat’s army. Zu succeeds, and flies away with the ‘tablets of fate’ to the mountains. As in the Creation story Anshar calls upon Anu, Ea, and Bel in turn to pacify Tiamat, so Anu, the god of heaven, calls upon Adad the storm-god, Ishtar, Bara, and Nin-igi-azag (Ha ?), to pursue Zu ; but they are kept back through fear, and it is left for Marduk * to recapture the tablets, though it is likely that, in the present form of the narrative, Marduk takes the place of some other deity — possibly Shamash—to whom, as the conqueror of the storms, the feat appears to have been originally ascribed. (d) We have a story of a king of Cuthah,+ narrating how the gods had delivered him and his land from monsters which remind us of those in the army of Tiamat.
Interesting as it would be to give an analysis of these and other tales, we must pass them by, and take up three myths,§ which all touch upon one of the most important phases in every religion—the views held of life after death. These three myths are, (i.) the story of Adapa, (ii.) the story of Nergal and Eresh-kigal, and (iii.) the story of the Descent of Ishtar to the world of the dead.
(i.) The purpose of the story of Adapa appears to be to offer an explanation of how man, although the offspring of the gods,—Bel-Marduk, it will be merited forms him of his own blood,—does not share the distinguishing trait of the gods—im- mortality. The story belongs to the ‘Ea’ cycle of myths, and points to Eridu as its source. Ea appears here as the god of humanity, the protector, at one is inclined to add, the creator of man. The principal personage, @ semi - Divine being, Adapa, is a son of Ea, distinguished, like the latter, by wisdom, and serving as a kind of priest at the Eridu sanctuary, which he provides with ‘bread and water.’ One day, while fishing in the waters of Eridu, i.c. the Persian Gulf, his ship is seized by the south wind and sunk in the waters. In his rage Adapa breaks the wings of the south wind, so that for seven days it is unable to blow across the land. News of this occurrence reaches the gods, whose dwelling is placed in heaven, and Anu, the chief god, orders Adapa to be brought before him. Ea intervenes, and gives his favourite, Adapa, instructions how to conduct himself before Anu. In order to arouse the sympathy of the two watchmen at the gate of heaven, Tammuz and Gish-zida, he is to put on a mourning garb, and, in reply to the question as to the meaning of this garb, he is to state that the mourning is for two gods of the earth who have disappeared. Tammuz and Gish-zida, who will know that they are meant, will then intercede in Adapa’s behalf before Anu. But Ea, furthermore, warns Adapa not to touch
* In addition to the evidence for this view presented in the present writer’s Religion of Babylonia and Assyria, p- 537 ff., see the passage in Craig’s Assyrian and Babylonian Religious Tests, i. 29, obv. 15, where Marduk is referred to as the smiter
of Zu.
+ The latest translation by King, Seven Tablets of Creation, i. 140-155.
t A full analysis and discussion of these and other myths and legends will be found in the 24th chapter of the present writer’s Religion Babyloniens und Assyriens (Giessen, 1904). The story of Etana (Jensen, l.c. 100-115), of Ea and Atarkhasis (Jensen, lc. 274-291), and portions of the Gilgamesh epic (Jensen, lc. 116-273; Jeremias, Izdubar-Nimrod, Leipzig, 1891; and Zimmern, J.c. 566-582), also have a bearing on the religious beliefs and conceptions, though of a more indirect character than the other three referred to in the text. :
§ For the transliteration and German translation with com- mentary, see Jensen, Keilinschriftl. Bibliothek, vi. 1, pp- 92-101, 74-79, and 80-91 respectively; also Zimmern, Keilinschriften und das Alte Testament, pp. 520-527, 583-584, and 561-564 ; and for the text, E. J. Harper, *Babylonische Legenden von Etana, Zu, Adapa, and Dibbarra’ in Beitrdge zur Assyriologie, i. 390- 621, and the references further on.
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the food that Anu will place before him, nor to drink the water that will be offered—
‘When thou steppest before Anu, they will offer thee food of death ; do not eat! They will offer thee waters of death ; do not drink! They will offer thee a garment; put it on! They will offer thee oil; anoint thyself! Carry out strictly the orders that I have given thee, cling to what. I have commanded thee !’
It is evident from this speech, that Ea, who had given his favourite wisdom, but had not bestowed on him eternal life, presumably because it was not in his power, anticipates that Anu will punish Adapa with death ; but the unexpected happened. At first Anu shows himself merciless, but the intercession of Tammuz and Gish-zida prompts him to reconsider his decision, and, instead of offering Adapa the food and water of death, he places before him the food and water of life—