FOURTH TABLET.
Project Gutenberg EPUB edition
Budge, E. A. Wallis (Ernest Alfred Wallis), Sir
41. He made a net wherewith to enclose Tiâmat.
42. He made the four winds to take up their position so that no part of her might escape,
Portion of a tablet inscribed in Babylonian with a text of the Fourth Tablet of the Creation Series. [No. 93,016.]
43. The South wind, the North wind, the East wind, the West wind.
44. He held the net close to his side, the gift of his father Anu,
45. He created the "foul" wind, the storm, the parching blast,
46. The wind of "four," the wind of "seven," the typhoon, the wind incomparable
Portion of a tablet inscribed in Assyrian with a text of the Fourth Tablet of the Creation Series. [K. 3437.]
47. He despatched the seven winds which he had made,
48. To make turbid the inward parts of Tiâmat; they followed in his train.
49. The Lord raised up the wind storm, his mighty weapon.
50. He went up into his chariot, the unequalled and terrible tempest.36
51. He equipped it, he yoked thereto a team of four horses,
52. Pawing the ground, champing, foaming [eager to] fly,
53. ... [the odour] of their teeth bore foetidness,
54. They were skilled [in biting], they were trained to trample under foot.
[Lines 55-57 too fragmentary to translate; they continue the description of Marduk's equipment.]
58. His brightness streamed forth, his head was crowned [thereby].
59. He took a direct path, he hastened on his journey.
60. He set his face towards the place of Tiâmat, who was ...
61. On his lips ... he restrained
62. ... his hand grasped.
63. At that moment the gods were gazing upon him with fixed intensity,
64. The gods, his fathers, gazed upon him, they gazed upon him.
65. The Lord approached, he looked upon the middle of Tiâmat,
66. He searched out the plan of Kingu, her husband.
67. Marduk looked, Kingu staggered in his gait,
68. His will was destroyed, his motion was paralysed.
69. And the gods his helpers who were marching by his side
70. Saw the [collapse of] their chief and their sight was troubled.
71. Tiâmat [shrieked but] did not turn her head.
72. With lips full of [rebellious words] she maintained her stubbornness
73. [Saying], "... that thou hast come as the Lord of the gods, [forsooth],
74. "They have appointed thee in the place which should be theirs."
75. The Lord raised up the wind-storm, his mighty weapon,
76. [Against] Tiâmat, who was furious (?), he sent it, [saying]:
77. "[Thou hast made thyself] mighty, thou art puffed upon high,
78. "Thy heart [hath stirred thee up] to invoke battle
79. "... their fathers ...
80. "...