The Babylonian Legends of the Creation

Excerpt: ...wrath was roused by Apsu, who had proposed to slay the gods, her children. She took no part in the first struggle of Apsu and Mummu against the gods, and only engaged in active hostilities to avenge Apsu. 43. ... unto sickness. She raged all alone, 44. She uttered a curse, and unto Apsu, spake, saying,, 45. "Whatsoever we have made we will destroy. 46. "Verily their way shall be filled with disaster; lo, then we shall rest." 47. Mummu answered and gave counsel unto Apsu, 48. The counsel of Mummu was ... and dire in respect of the gods: 49. "Come, do thou destroy their way which is strong. 50. "Then verily by day thou shalt find peace, and by night thou shalt have rest." 51. Apsu heard him, his face grew bright, 52. For that they were planning evil against the gods, his children. 53. Mummu embraced his neck ... 54. He took him on his knee, he kissed him ... 55. They (i.e. Mummu and Apsu) planned the cursing in the assembly, 56. They repeated the curses to the gods their eldest sons. 57. The gods made answer ... 58. They began a lamentation... 59. Endowed with understanding, the prudent god, the exalted one, 60. Ea, who pondereth everything that is, searched out their plan. 61. He brought it to nought (?), he made the form of everything to stand still. 62. He recited a cunning incantation, very powerful and holy. In the British Museum tablets lines 63-108 are either wanting entirely, or are too broken to translate, and the last 130 lines of the Berlin fragment are much mutilated. The fragments of text show that Ea waged war against Apsu and Mummu. Ea recited an incantation which caused Apsu to fall asleep. He then "loosed the joints" of Mummu, who in some way suffered, but he was strong enough to attack Ea when he turned to deal with Apsu. Ea overcame both his adversaries and divided Apsu into chambers and laid fetters upon him. In one of the chambers of Apsu a god was begotten and born. According to the Ninevite theologians Ea begat by his wife, who...