(2) Izdubar Legends. A small and interest ing class of literature is the so-called lzdubar Legends. The 'Deluge tal let' is one of these, which gives an account of the flood. While much of their literature and of their inscriptions is now only fragmentary, it has served, through a new channel, to tell us of Babylon and Nineveh, of the land of Abraham, and to give us a new version of the flood. It has given us a more ex it ruled knowk dge of Senn:Jebel-M. T•glath-Pileser. Sargon, and Esar-haddon, and enlightened us on the language, learning and superstition of the fd low citizens of Abraham. and of a branch of the Semitic race akin to the Jewish nation, front which sprang the Christ. it carries us back through long centuries to a time when man was learning his first lessons and slowly growing tip toward civilization.
(3) Manual Training. The Babylonian youth learned to read and write, which was no easy task Many excelled in wood engraving and upon precious stones. and their work is a marvel even to-day. They were good Imilders, and their pal aces were decorated with all kinds of beautiful stones, bronze S11111CS. vases. jars of alabaster, and ivories, embellished with gold. What they could not produce for themselves they imported from Egypt and Phoenicia. (See Babylonian Life and History, by E. A. Wallis Budge, M. A., 1891; His. of Bab. and Assyr., Robt. Wm. Rogers; New Light on the Bib. and Holy Land, Evetts.) 16. Babylonian Creation Story.
We have as yet only fragments of the Babylon ian story of the Creation. Two of these have been known for some time, but there is a late discovery of a third fragment, by Mr. T. G. Pinches, differ ing somewhat from the others, and adding some particulars, making it necessary to combine them anew.
The last one of the three discovered is, like one of the others, a part of an incantation—an introduction to a formula, to be repeated at the dedication of the great temple of Borsippa, to invoke the protection of Merodach and other beneficent gods, and to drive away the malevolent deities.
There is, however, one story of the creation often translated since it was first published by Mr. Smith, which appears to have been written purely for literary and mythological purposes. It is on seven tablets, and is therefore called the seven-tablet story. It is also called the Assyrian story, because the fragments were recovered from the library of King Assur-bani-pal (668 B. C.) of Assyria.
We find that it begins when nothing existed but the primeval ocean, the great abyss, under the name of Tiamat. But this abyss is soon per sonified under the form of the mother of all dis order and chaotic productions. At this time there were no gods, no heavens and no earth. Then, continues the Assyrian story, the primeval divine pairs were produced, Lakhma and Lak hama, and Ansar and Kisar, or the upper and lower heavens. These primeval deities had long existed, like Uranos and Gaia in Greek mythology, before the production of the three great gods Anu, Bel and Ea—who correspond to the great Greek triad, Jupiter, Pluto and Neptune. This much is told by the fragment which remains of the first chapter.
The second chapter is entirely lost, except a few words, but the third chapter opens a long story.
It is an account of the contest between these later gods and Tiamat, the chaotic abyss, the serpent, for the possession of the world. This is
developed in very dramatic form. Merodach, the son of Ea, was the champion of the gods, was besought by them, and armed by them, to accept the task. The result was the overthrow and slaughter of Tiamat, and the subjection of her followers. (This dragon mother of the chaotic brood is represented on a bas-relief in the British Museum as having claws, horns, tail and wings.) From her skin Merodach made the upper firma ment, and fastened above it the upper waters, and built above the heavens the home of the great gods. This story occupies the second, third and fourth chapters.
In the fifth tablet the constellations of the stars are created, the poles, the planets and the moon. In the portion thus far recovered nothing is said of the sun, except in a broken line.
The sixth tablet is entirely lost, but there is a small fragment of the seventh tablet, which men tions the creation of cattle and beasts of the field and creeping things.
The Cuthean tablet is brief, being only part of an incantation. Here, not Merodach, but Ncr gal, the sun god of Cutha, is the creator. The first part is lost. Here we have a picture of the crude creation of the primal gods, the progeny of Tiamat, monsters of the abyss, animals with bird bodies, or men with raven faces, with their seven kings, against whom the younger gods at first fought unsuccessfully, but the story is incom plete, and nothing is added to what was learned from the fuller account.
The new tablet discovered by Mr. Pinches, while it is an incantation and too brief, is peculiar in that it is in two languages, the old Sumero Akkadian and the Semitic Babylonian. This indi cates that some portion of the legend is much older than the time of Assur-bani-pal, who lived in the seventh century B. C. It begins, like the Assyrian account, with the beginning, before the abode of the gods had been made. It proceeds to enumerate the ancient cities and their temples, Neffer, Erech and Eridu not yet built, nor "the whole of the lands, the sea also." Then there was a stream in the sea, and in that day Eridu and Babylon were built with their temples. The gods were made and the spirits of the earth. The next important passage must be given en tire : "Merodach bound together a foundation before the waters, he made dust, and poured it out with the flood. The gods were to be caused to sit in a seat of joy of heart. He made mankind. Aruhu (Ishtar) made the seed of mankind with him. He made the beasts of the field and the living creatures of the desert. He 'made the Tigris and Euphrates, and set them in their place. Well proclaimed he their name. Grass, the marsh plant, the reed and the forest he made. He made the verdure of the plain, the lands, the marsh, the thicket also; oxen, the young of the steer, the cow and her calf, the sheep of the fold ; meadows and forests also. The goat and gazelle he set therein. Lord Merodach on the seashore raised a bank." The text here becomes fragmentary, but it continues with the account of the building of Neffer and Erech and their temples (The Baby lonian Creation Story, by William Hayes Ward, D. D., Ham. Rev.).