The Religion of Babylonia and Assyria Part 54

The structure may properly be called a 'house boat,' and its elaborate character appears from the fact that it contains no less than sixty-three compartments. Parnapishtim carefully provides plugs to fill out all crevices, and furthermore smears a large quant.i.ty of bitumen without and within.

I provided a pole,[955] and all that was necessary, Six _sar_[956] of bitumen[957] I smeared on the outside,[958]

Three _sar_ of pitch [I smeared] on the inside.

He also has a large quant.i.ty of oil placed on the boat, oxen, jars filled with mead[959] oil, and wine for a festival, which he inst.i.tutes at the completion of the structure. The preparations are on a large scale, as for the great New Year's Day celebrated in Babylonia. The ship is launched, and, if Professor Haupt is correct in his interpretation, the ship took water to the extent of two-thirds of its height.

The side of the ship dipped two-thirds into water.

Parnapishtim now proceeds to take his family and chattels on board.

All that I had, I loaded on the ship.

With all the silver that I had, I loaded it, With all the gold that I had, I loaded it, With living creatures of all kinds I loaded it.

I brought on board my whole family and household, Cattle of the field, beasts of the field, workmen,--all this I took on board.

Parnapishtim is ready to enter the ship, but he waits until the time fixed for the storm arrives.

When the time came For the lord of the whirlstorm to rain down destruction, I gazed at the earth, I was terrified at its sight, I entered the ship, and closed the door.

To the captain of the ship, to Puzur-Shadurabu,[960] the sailor, I entrusted the structure[961] with all its contents.

The description of the storm follows, in diction at once impressive and forcible.

Upon the first appearance of dawn, There arose from the horizon dark clouds, Within which Ramman caused his thunder to resound.

Nabu and Sharru[962] marched at the front, The destroyers pa.s.sed across mountains and land, Dibbarra[963] lets loose the....[964]

Ninib advances in furious hostility.

The Anunnaki raise torches, Whose sheen illumines the universe, As Ramman's whirlwind sweeps the heavens, And all light is changed to darkness.

The destructive elements, thunder, lightning, storm, rain, are thus let loose. The dreadful storm lasts for seven days. The terror of men and G.o.ds is splendidly portrayed.

Brother does not look after brother, Men care not for another. In the heavens, Even the G.o.ds are terrified at the storm.

They take refuge in the heaven of Anu.[965]

The G.o.ds cowered like dogs at the edge of the heavens.

With this description the climax in the narrative is reached. The reaction begins. Ishtar is the first to bewail the destruction that has been brought about, and her example is followed by others of the G.o.ds.

Ishtar groans like a woman in throes, The lofty G.o.ddess cries with loud voice, The world of old has become a ma.s.s of clay.[966]

Ishtar appears here in the role of the mother of mankind. She feels that she has none but herself to blame for the catastrophe, for, as one of the great G.o.ds, she must have been present at the council when the storm was decided on, and must have countenanced it. She therefore reproaches herself:

That I should have a.s.sented[967] to this evil among the G.o.ds!

That when I a.s.sented to this evil, I was for the destruction of my own creatures![968]

What I created, where is it?

Like so many fish, it[969] fills the sea.

From the words of Ishtar it would appear that the storm had a.s.sumed larger dimensions than the G.o.ds, or at least than some of them, had antic.i.p.ated. At the beginning of the episode, Shurippak alone is mentioned, and Ishtar apparently wishes to say that when she agreed to the bringing on of the storm, she was not aware that she was decreeing the destruction of all mankind. It is evident that two distinct traditions have been welded together in the present form of the Babylonian doc.u.ment, one recalling the destruction of a single city, the other embodying in mythological form the destructive rains of Babylonia that were wont to annually flood the entire country before the ca.n.a.l system was perfected.

Some particularly destructive season may have formed an additional factor in the combination of the traditions. At all events, the storm appears to have got beyond the control of the G.o.ds, and none but Bel approves of the widespread havoc that has been wrought. It is no unusual phenomenon in ancient religions to find the G.o.ds powerless to control occurrences that they themselves produced. The Anunnaki--even more directly implicated than Ishtar in bringing on the catastrophe--join the G.o.ddess in her lament at the complete destruction wrought.

The G.o.ds, together with the Anunnaki, wept with her.

The G.o.ds, in their depression, sat down to weep, Pressed their lips together, were overwhelmed with grief (?).

The storm could no longer be quieted.

For six days and nights Wind, rain-storm, hurricane swept along; When the seventh day arrived, the storm began to moderate, Which had waged a contest like a great host.

The sea quieted down, wind and rain-storm ceased.

Parnapishtim then gazes at the destruction.

Bitterly weeping I looked at the sea, For all mankind had been turned to clay.[970]

In place of dams, everything had become a marsh.

I opened a hole so as to let the light fall upon my face, And dumbfounded, I sat down and wept.

Tears flowed down my face.

I looked in all directions,--naught but sea.

But soon the waters began to diminish.

After twelve double hours[971] an island appeared, The ship approached the mountain Nisir.

The name given to the first promontory to appear is significant. _Nisir_ signifies 'protection' or 'salvation.' The houseboat clings to this spot.

At this mountain, the mountain Nisir, the boat stuck fast.

For six days the boat remains in the same position. At the beginning of the seventh day, Parnapishtim endeavors to ascertain whether the waters have abated sufficiently to permit him to leave the boat.

When the seventh day approached I sent forth a dove.

The dove flew about But, finding no resting place, returned; Then I sent forth a swallow.

The swallow flew about But, finding no resting place, returned; Then I sent forth a raven.

The raven flew off, and, seeing that the waters had decreased, Cautiously[972] (?) waded in the mud, but did not return.

Parnapishtim is satisfied, leaves the ship, and brings a sacrifice to the G.o.ds on the top of the mountain. In seven large bowls he places calamus, cedarwood, and incense.

The G.o.ds inhaled the odor, The G.o.ds inhaled the sweet odor, The G.o.ds gathered like flies around the sacrificer.

A solemn scene ensues. Ishtar, the 'mistress of the G.o.ds,' swears by the necklace given to her by her father, Anu, that she will never forget these days.

Let the G.o.ds come to the sacrifice,[973]

But Bel must not come to the sacrifice; Since, without consultation,[974] he caused the rain-storm, And handed over my creation[975] to destruction.

Bel thus appears to be the one who alone knew of the extent which the destruction was destined to reach. The annihilation of all mankind was his work, undertaken without consulting his a.s.sociates. The latter were aware only of the intended destruction of a single place,--Shurippak.

At this moment Bel approaches. He does not deny his deed, but is enraged that the planned destruction should not have been complete, since Parnapishtim and his household have escaped.

As Bel approached And saw the ship, he was enraged, Filled with anger against the G.o.ds--the Igigi.

'What person has escaped (?)?

No one was to survive the destruction.'

Ninib reveals the fact of Ea's interference:

Ninib opened his mouth and spoke, spoke to the belligerent Bel: "Who but Ea could have done this?

For is it not Ea who knows all arts?"