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T. G. PINCHES, LL.D. ; M.E.A.S., ON VERSIONS 



Though the two legends which Smith discovered were written 

 in Semitic Babylonian — now known to be Akkadian — it was 

 clear to all, from the names of the deities and other personages, 

 that they were of non-Semitic or Sumerian origin. The Creation- 

 series, which seems to have been written on six tablets, later 

 increased to seven, recorded how everything was at first created 

 and brought forth by Tiawath, " the sea," and Apsu, " the Deep " or 

 " Ocean." From these came an only son, named Mummu. 

 Other primeval deities, however, were later regarded as the 

 children of Tiawath — Lahinu and Lahamu : Ansar and Kisar, 

 the host of heaven and the host of earth; and then came Anu, the 

 god of the heavens (with, it may be supposed, his spouse Anatum). 

 At this point the record breaks off, but Damascius supplies the 

 wanting portion, namely, the information that the successors of 

 Anu were Illinos (cuneiform Illila) and Aos (i.e., Ea or Aa). 

 Of Illila, the god of the earth, the spouse was called Xinlila : 

 and the spouse of Ea or Aa is given by Damascius as Dauke. the 

 Dam-kina of the inscriptions. " And of Aos and Dauke," adds 

 Damascius, " was born a son called Belos ; who, they say, is the 

 fabricator of the world — the Creator." 



After this period, hostility arose between the gods of the 

 heavens on the one side, and Tiawath, Apsu, and Mummu on 

 the other. On Apsu complaining that he had no peace by day 

 or rest by night on account of the ways of the gods, their sons, 

 they at last decided to make war upon them. The preparations 

 for this are told at great length, and news of the plot at last reached 

 heaven. At first it was thought that the power of Anu would 

 be sufficient to allay Tiawath's rage, but when he tried to subdue 

 her, he failed, and turned back. After this Xudimmud, a deity 

 identified with Aa or Ea, sallied forth to overcome the monster, 

 but with equal want of success. Finally Merodach, the son of Aa, 

 was asked to be the champion of the gods, and having accepted, 

 made a long preparation, and overcame her with the aid of his 

 own miraculous powers and those conferred upon him by " the 

 gods of his fathers." Having divided her body into two parts, 

 and placed one of these as a covering for the heavens (" the 

 waters above the firmament"), he imprisoned her followers. 

 The spoils which he took were the Tablets of Fate held by Kingu, 

 Tiawath's husband. With their aid, and supported by the gods 

 who had helped him, he began to order the world anew, and 

 decide the Fates. First of all he made a glorious abode for his 

 father Nudimmud, built the palace E-sarra, " house of the host," 

 a name designating the heavens, and finally constructed the 

 strongholds of Anu, Bel, and Aa. Then came the ordering of 



