the religion of babylonia and assyria-第7部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　And　choose　Merodach　as　their　champion。

The　choice　fell　upon　Merodach；　the　Belus　（Bel…Merodach）　of　Damascius's　paraphrase；　and　at　once　met　with　an　enthusiastic　reception。　The　god　asked　simply　that　an　〃unchangeable　command〃　might　be　given　to　him　that　whatever　he　ordained　should　without　fail　come　to　pass；　in　order　that　he　might　destroy　the　common　enemy。　Invitations　were　sent　to　the　gods　asking　them　to　a　festival；　where；　having　met　together；　they　ate　and　drank；　and　〃decided　the　fate〃　for　Merodach　their　avenger；　apparently　meaning　that　he　was　decreed　their　defender　in　the　conflict　with　Tiawath；　and　that　the　power　of　creating　and　annihilating　by　the　word　of　his　mouth　was　his。　Honours　were　then　conferred　upon　him；　princely　chambers　were　erected　for　him；　wherein　he　sat　as　judge　〃in　the　presence　of　his　fathers；〃　and　the　rule　over　the　whole　universe　was　given　to　him。　The　testing　of　his　newly　acquired　power　followed。　A　garment　was　placed　in　their　midst：

　　〃He　spake　with　his　mouth；　and　the　garment　was　destroyed；　　　He　spake　to　it　again；　and　the　garment　was　reproduced。〃


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Merodach　proclaimed　king。

On　this　proof　of　the　reality　of　the　powers　conferred　on　him；　all　the　gods　shouted　〃Merodach　is　king！〃　and　handed　to　him　sceptre；　throne；　and　insignia　of　royalty。　An　irresistible　weapon；　which　should　shatter　all　his　enemies；　was　then　given　to　him；　and　he　armed　himself　also　with　spear　or　dart；　bow；　and　quiver；　lightning　flashed　before　him；　and　flaming　fire　filled　his　body。　Anu；　the　god　of　the　heavens；　had　given　him　a　great　net；　and　this　he　set　at　the　four　cardinal　points；　in　order　that　nothing　of　the　dragon；　when　he　had　defeated　her；　should　escape。　Seven　winds　he　then　created　to　accompany　him；　and　the　great　weapon　called　/Abubu/；　〃the　Flood；〃　completed　his　equipment。　All　being　ready；　he　mounted　his　dreadful；　irresistible　chariot；　to　which　four　steeds　were　yokedsteeds　unsparing；　rushing　forward；　rapid　in　flight；　their　teeth　full　of　venom；　foam…covered；　experienced　in　galloping；　schooled　in　overthrowing。　Being　now　ready　for　the　fray；　Merodach　fared　forth　to　meet　Tiawath；　accompanied　by　the　fervent　good　wishes　of　〃the　gods　his　fathers。〃


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　fight　with　Tiawath。

Advancing；　he　regarded　Tiawath's　retreat；　but　the　sight　of　the　enemy　was　so　menacing　that　even　the　great　Merodach　（if　we　understand　the　text　rightly）　began　to　falter。　This；　however；　was　not　for　long；　and　the　king　of　the　gods　stood　before　Tiawath；　who；　on　her　side；　remained　firm　and　undaunted。　In　a　somewhat　long　speech；　in　which　he　reproaches　Tiawath　for　her　rebellion；　he　challenges　her　to　battle；　and　the　two　meet　in　fiercest　fight。　To　all　appearance　the　type　of　all　evil　did　not　make　use　of　honest　weapons；　but　sought　to　overcome　the　king　of　the　gods　with　incantations　and　charms。　These；　however；　had　not　the　slightest　effect；　for　she　found　herself　at　once　enclosed　in　Merodach's　net；　and　on　opening　her　mouth　to　resist　and　free　herself；　the　evil　wind；　which　Merodach　had　sent　on　before　him；　entered；　so　that　she　could　not　close　her　lips；　and　thus　inflated；　her　heart　was　overpowered；　and　she　became　a　prey　to　her　conqueror。　Having　cut　her　asunder　and　taken　out　her　heart；　thus　destroying　her　life；　he　threw　her　body　down　and　stood　thereon。　Her　followers　then　attempted　to　escape；　but　found　themselves　surrounded　and　unable　to　get　forth。　Like　their　mistress；　they　were　thrown　into　the　net；　and　sat　in　bonds；　being　afterwards　shut　up　in　prison。　As　for　Kingu；　he　was　raised　up；　bound；　and　delivered　to　be　with　Ugga；　the　god　of　death。　The　tablets　of　fate；　which　Tiawath　had　delivered　to　Kingu；　were　taken　from　him　by　Merodach；　who　pressed　his　seal　upon　them；　and　placed　them　in　his　breast。　The　deity　An？ar；　who　had　been；　as　it　would　seem；　deprived　of　his　rightful　power　by　Tiawath；　received　that　power　again　on　the　death　of　the　common　foe；　and　Nudimmud　〃saw　his　desire　upon　his　enemy。〃


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Tiawath's　fate。

The　dismemberment　of　Tiawath　then　followed；　and　her　veins　having　been　cut　through；　the　north　wind　was　caused　by　the　deity　to　carry　her　blood　away　into　secret　places；　a　statement　which　probably　typifies　the　opening　of　obstructions　which　prevent　the　rivers　flowing　from　the　north　from　running　into　the　southern　seas；　helped　thereto　by　the　north　wind。　Finally　her　body　was　divided；　like　〃a　/ma？dê/…fish；〃　into　two　parts；　one　of　which　was　made　into　a　covering　for　the　heavensthe　〃waters　above　the　firmament〃　of　Genesis　i。　7。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Merodach　orders　the　world　anew。

Then　came　the　ordering　of　the　universe　anew。　Having　made　a　covering　for　the　heavens　with　half　the　body　of　the　defeated　Dragon　of　Chaos；　Merodach　set　the　Abyss；　the　abode　of　Nudimmud；　in　front；　and　made　a　corresponding　edifice　abovethe　heavenswhere　he　founded　stations　for　the　gods　Anu；　Bel；　and　Ae。　Stations　for　the　great　gods　in　the　likeness　of　constellations；　together　with　what　is　regarded　as　the　Zodiac；　were　his　next　work。　He　then　designated　the　year；　setting　three　constellations　for　each　month；　and　made　a　station　for　Nibiru　Merodach's　own　staras　the　overseer　of　all　the　lights　in　the　firmament。　He　then　caused　the　new　moon；　Nannaru；　to　shine；　and　made　him　the　ruler　of　the　night；　indicating　his　phases；　one　of　which　was　on　the　seventh　day；　and　the　other；　a　/？abattu/；　or　day　of　rest；　in　the　middle　of　the　month。　Directions　with　regard　to　the　moon's　movements　seem　to　follow；　but　the　record　is　mutilated；　and　their　real　nature　consequently　doubtful。　With　regard　to　other　works　which　were　performed　we　have　no　information；　as　a　gap　prevents　their　being　ascertained。　Something；　however；　seems　to　have　been　done　with　Merodach's　net　probably　it　was　placed　in　the　heavens　as　a　constellation；　as　was　his　bow；　to　which　several　names　were　given。　Later　on；　the　winds　were　bound　and　assigned　to　their　places；　but　the　account　of　the　arrangement　of　other　things　is　mutilated　and　obscure；　though　it　can　be　recognised　that　the　details　in　this　place　were　of　considerable　interest。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　creation　of　man。

To　all　appearance　the　gods；　after　he　had　ordered　the　universe　and　the　things　then　existing；　urged　Merodach　to　further　works　of　wonder。　Taking　up　their　suggestion；　he　considered　what　he　should　do；　and　then　communicated　to　his　father　Ae　his　plan　for　the　creation　of　man　with　his　own　blood；　in　order　that　the　service　and　worship　of　the　gods　might　be　established。　This　portion　is　also　unfortunately　very　imperfect；　and　the　details　of　the　carrying　out　of　the　plan　are　entirely　wanting。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Berosus'　narrative　fills　the　gap。

It　is　noteworthy　that　this　portion　of　the　narrative　has　been　preserved　by　Abydenus；　George　the　Syncellus；　and　Eusebius；　in　their　quotations　from　Berosus。　According　to　this　Chald？an　writer；　there　was　a　woman　named　Omoroca；　or；　in　Chald？an；　Thalatth　（apparently　a　mistake　for　Thauatth；　i。e。　Tiawath）；　whose　name　was　equivalent　to　the　Greek　Thalassa；　the　sea。　It　was　she　who　had　in　her　charge　all　the　strange　creatures　then　existing。　At　this　period；　Belus　（Bel…Merodach）　came；　and　cut　the　woman　asunder；　forming　out　of　one　half　the　earth；　and　of　the　other　the　heavens；　at　the　same　time　destroying　all　the　creatures　which　were