The
Babylonian Flood Epic, an excrept
THE LEGEND OF THE DELUGE ACCORDING TO BEROSUS.
After the death of Ardates, his son Xisuthrus reigned eighteen sari. In his time happened a great Deluge; the history of which is thus described. The Deity, Cronus, appeared to him in a vision, and warned him that upon the 15th day of the month Daesius there would be a flood, by which mankind would be destroyed. He therefore enjoined him to write a history of the beginning, procedure and conclusion of all things; and to bury it in the city of the Sun at Sippara; and to build a vessel, and take with him into it his friends and relations; and to convey on board everything necessary to sustain life, together with all the different animals, both birds and quadrupeds, and trust himself fearlessly to the deep. Having asked the Deity, whither he was to sail? he was answered, 'To the Gods': upon which he offered up a prayer for the good of mankind. He then obeyed the divine admonition; and built a vessel 5 stadia in length, and 2 in breadth. Into this he put everything which he had prepared; and last of all conveyed into it his wife, his children, and his friends. After the flood had been upon the earth, and was in time abated, Xisuthrus sent out birds from the vessel; which, not finding any food nor any place whereupon they might rest their feet, returned to him again. After an interval of some days, he sent them forth a second time; and they now returned with their feet tinged with mud. He made a trial a third time with these birds; but they returned to him no more: from whence he judged that the surface of the earth had appeared above the waters. He therefore made an opening in the vessel, and upon looking out found that it was stranded upon the side of some mountain; upon which he immediately quitted it with his wife, his daughter, and the pilot. Xisuthrus then paid his adoration to the earth, and, having constructed an altar, offered sacrifices to the gods, and, with those who had come out of the vessel with him, disappeared. They, who remained within, finding that their companions did not return, quitted the vessel with many lamentations, and called continually on the name of Xisuthrus. Him they saw no more; but they could distinguish his voice in the air, and could hear him admonish them to pay due regard to religion; and likewise informed them that it was upon account of his piety that be was translated to live with the gods; that his wife and daughter, and the pilot, had obtained the same honour. To this he added that they should return to Babylonia; and, it was ordained, search for the writings at Sippara, which they were to make known to mankind: moreover that the place, wherein they then were, was the land of Armenia. The rest having beard these words, offered sacrifices to the gods; and taking a circuit journeyed towards Babylonia. (Cory, Ancient Fragments, London, 1832, p. 26 ff.).
THE BABYLONIAN LEGEND OF THE DELUGE AS TOLD TO THE HERO GILGAMISH BY HIS ANCESTOR UTA-NAPISHTIM, WHO HAD BEEN MADE IMMORTAL BY THE GODS.
[THE BUILDING OF THE SHIP.]
48.
As soon as [something of dawn] broke . . .
[Lines
49-54 broken away.]
55. The child . . . brought bitumen,
56.
The strong [man] . . . brought what was needed.
57. On the fifth
day I laid down its shape.
58. According to the plan its walls
were 10 gar, (i.e. 120 cubits) high,
59. And the
width of its deck (?) was equally 10 gar.
60. I laid down
the shape of its forepart and marked it out (?).
61. I covered (?)
it six times.
62. . . . I divided into seven,
63. Its interior
I divided into nine,
64. Caulking I drove into the middle of
it.
65. I provided a steering pole, and cast in all that was
needful.
66. Six sar of bitumen I poured over the hull
(?),
67. Three sar of pitch I poured into the inside.
68.
The men who bear loads brought three sar of oil,
69. Besides a sar
of oil which the tackling (?) consumed,
70. And two sar of oil
which the boatman hid.
71. I slaughtered oxen for the
[work]people,
72. I slew sheep every day.
73. Beer, sesame
wine, oil and wine
74. I made the people drink as if they were
water from the river.
75. I celebrated a feast as if it had been
New Year's Day.
76. I opened [a box of ointment], I laid my hands
in unguent.
77. Before the sunset (?) the ship was finished.
78.
[Since] . . . was difficult.
79. The shipbuilders brought the . .
. of the ship, above and below,
80. . . . two-thirds of it.
[THE LOADING OF THE SHIP.]
81.
With everything that I possessed I loaded it (i.e., the
ship).
82. With everything that I possessed of silver I loaded it.
83.
With everything that I possessed of gold I loaded it.
84. With all
that I possessed of all the seed of life I loaded it.
85. I made
to go up into the ship all my family and kinsfolk,
86. The cattle
of the field, the beasts of the field, all handicraftsmen I made them
go up into it.
87. The god Shamash had appointed me a time
(saying)
88. The sender of . . . . . will at eventide make a hail
to fall;
89. Then enter into the ship and shut thy door.
90.
The appointed time drew nigh;
91. The sender of . . . . . made a
hail to fall at eventide.
92. I watched the aspect of the
[approaching] storm,
93. Terror possessed me to look upon it,
94.
I went into the ship and shut my door.
95. To the pilot of the
ship, Puzur-Enlil the sailor
96. I committed the great house
(i.e., ship), together with the contents thereof.
[THE ABUBU (CYCLONE) AND ITS EFFECTS DESCRIBED.]
97.
As soon as something of dawn shone in the sky
98. A black cloud
from the foundation of heaven came up.
99. Inside it the god Adad
thundered,
100. The gods Nabû and Sharru (i.e., Marduk)
went before,
101. Marching as messengers over high land and
plain,
102. Irragal (Nergal) tore out the post of the ship,
103.
En-urta went on, he made the storm to descend.
104. The
Anunnaki[1] brandished their torches,
105. With their glare they
lighted up the land.
106. The whirlwind (or, cyclone) of Adad
swept up to heaven.
107. Every gleam of light was turned into
darkness.
108. . . . . . the land . . . . . as if had laid it
waste.
109. A whole day long [the flood descended] . . .
[1. The star-gods of the southern sky.]
110.
Swiftly it mounted up . . . . . [the water] reached to the
mountains
111. [The water] attacked the people like a battle.
112.
Brother saw not brother.
113. Men could not be known (or,
recognized) in heaven.
114. The gods were terrified at the
cyclone.
115. They shrank back and went up into the heaven of
Anu.
116. The gods crouched like a dog and cowered by the
wall.
117. The goddess Ishtar cried out like a woman in
travail.
118. The Lady of the gods lamented with a sweet voice
[saying]:
[ISHTAR'S LAMENT.]
119.
May that former day be turned into mud,
120. Because I commanded
evil among the company of the gods.
121. How could I command evil
among the company of the gods,
122. Command battle for the
destruction of my people?
123. Did I of myself bring forth my
people
124. That they might fill the sea like little fishes?
[UTA-NAPISHTIM'S STORY CONTINUED.]
125.
The gods, the Anunnaki wailed with her.
126. The gods bowed
themselves, and sat down weeping.
127. Their lips were shut tight
(in distress) . . .
128. For six days and nights
129. The wind,
the storm raged, and the cyclone overwhelmed the land.
[THE ABATING OF THE STORM.]
130.
When the seventh day came the cyclone ceased, the storm and
battle
131. which had fought like an army.
132. The sea became
quiet, the grievous wind went down, the cyclone ceased.
133. I
looked on the day and voices were stilled,
134.
And all mankind were turned into mud,
135. The land had been laid
flat like a terrace.
136. I opened the air-hole and the light fell
upon my cheek,
137. I bowed myself, I sat down, I cried,
138.
My tears poured down over my cheeks.
139. I looked over the
quarters of the world, (to) the limits of ocean.
140. At twelve
points islands appeared.
141. The ship grounded on the mountain of
Nisir.
142. The mountain of Nisir held the ship, it let it not
move.
143. The first day, the second day, the mountain of Nisir
held the ship and let it not move.
144. The third day, the fourth
day, the mountain of Nisir held the ship and let it not move.
145.
The fifth day, the sixth day, the mountain of Nisir held the ship and
let it not move.
146. When the seventh day had come
147. I
brought out a dove and let her go free.
148. The dove flew away
and [then] came back;
149. Because she had no place to alight on
she came back.
150. I brought out a swallow and let her go
free.
151. The swallow flew away and [then] came back;
152.
Because she had no place to alight on she came back.
153. I
brought out a raven and let her go free.
154. The raven flew away,
she saw the sinking waters.
155. She ate, she waded (?), she rose
(?), she came not back.
[UTA-NAPISHTIM LEAVES THE SHIP.]
156.
Then I brought out [everything] to the four winds and made a
sacrifice;
157. I set out an offering on the peak of the
mountain.
158. Seven by seven I set out the vessels,
159. Under
them I piled reeds, cedarwood and myrtle (?).
160. The gods smelt
the savour,
161. The gods smelt the sweet savour.
162. The gods
gathered together like flies over him that sacrificed.
[SPEECH OF ISHTAR, LADY OF THE GODS.]
163
Now when the Lady of the Gods came nigh,
164. She lifted up the
priceless jewels which Anu had made according to her desire,
[saying]
165. O ye gods here present, as I shall never forget the
sapphire jewels of my neck
166. So shall I ever think about these
days, and shall forget them nevermore!
167. Let the gods come to
the offering,
168. But let not Enlil come to the offering,
16q.
Because he took not thought and made the cyclone,
170. And
delivered my people over to destruction."
[THE ANGER OF ENLIL.]
171.
Now when Enlil came nigh
172. He saw the ship; then was Enlil
wroth
173. And he was filled with anger against the gods, the
Igigi [saying]:[1]
174. Hath any being escaped with his life?
175.
He shall not remain alive, a man among the destruction
[SPEECH OF EN-URTA.]
176.
Then En-urta opened his mouth and spake
177. And said unto the
warrior Enlil:
178. Who besides the god Ea can make a plan?
179.
The god Ea knoweth everything that is done.
18o. The god Ea opened
his mouth and spake
181. And said unto the warrior Enlil,
182.
O Prince among the gods, thou warrior,
183. How, how couldst thou,
not taking thought, make a cyclone?
184. He who is sinful, on him
lay his sin,
185. He who transgresseth, on him lay his
transgression.
186. But be merciful that [everything] be not
destroyed be long-suffering that [man be not blotted out].
[1. The star-gods of the northern heaven.]
187.
Instead of thy making a cyclone,
188. Would that the lion had come
and diminished mankind.
189. Instead of thy making a cyclone
190.
Would that the wolf had come and diminished mankind.
191. Instead
of thy making a cyclone
192. Would that a famine had arisen and
[laid waste] the land.
193. Instead of thy making a cyclone
194.
Would that Irra (the Plague god) had risen up and [laid waste] the
land.
195. As for me I have not revealed the secret of the great
gods.
196. I made Atra-hasis to see a vision, and thus he heard
the secret of the gods.
197. Now therefore take counsel concerning
him.
[ENLIL DEIFIES UTA-NAPISHTIM AND HIS WIFE.]
198.
Then the god Enlil went up into the ship,
199. He seized me by the
hand and brought me forth.
200. He brought forth my wife and made
her to kneel by my side.
201. He touched our brows, he stood
between us, he blessed us [saying],
202. Formerly Uta-Napishtim
was a man merely,
203. But now let Uta-Napishtim and his wife be
like unto us gods.
204. Uta-Napishtim shall dwell afar off, at the
mouth of the rivers.
[UTA-NAPISHTIM ENDS HIS STORY OF THE DELUGE.]
205. And they took me away to a place afar off, and made me to dwell at the mouth of the rivers.
The contents of the remainder of the text on the Eleventh Tablet of the Gilgamish Series are described on p. 54.