Status Updates From Myths from Mesopotamia: Cre...

Creation IV: Marduk creates the evil wind and storm chariot and rides into battle with the other gods. He captures Tiamat in his net and uses the evil wind and his bow to kill her. He captures the rest of her army in his net. He kills Qingu and takes the tablet of destinies. Half of Tiamat’s corpse is used to roof the sky. Marduk creates the shrine Esharra on the Apsu for Anu, Ea, and Ellil

Creation III: Anshar sends his vizier Kakka to Lahmu and Lahamu to tell them of Tiamat’s army and Marduk’s wish to fix fates. The two gods, along with the rest of the Igigi, have a banquet at Ubshu-ukkinakku and grant Marduk the power to fix fates

Creation II: Ea tells Anshar of Tiamat’s plans. Anshar tells him to fight Tiamat. Ea leaves but turns back out of fear. Anu does the same. Ea asks Marduk to fight Tiamat. Marduk discusses this with Anshar. Marduk asks that if he wins, he be given the power to fix fates

Creation I: Tiamat and Apsu create the gods. Their children prevent their sleep, so Apsu plans to kill them. Ea kills Apsu instead and begets Marduk. Anu gives Marduk 4 winds and Marduk uses these to annoy other gods. Other gods turn to Tiamat and ask to wage war against Marduk and his family for being a nuisance. Hubur creates creatures for battle and Tiamat puts Qingu in charge and gives him the tablet of destinies

Anzu: Anzu, the lion-headed eagle, is trusted by Ellil to guard the Tablet of Destinies. Anzu steals the tablet. Mami asks Ninurta to fight Anzu. Ninurta musters the 7 winds and fights Anzu. When Ninurta draws his bow, Anzu turns his arrow away. Ea tells him to use a throwing stick to cut off his wings. Ninurta does so and recaptures the tablet. Birdu tells Ninurta of his names in foreign cities

Etana: A serpent mistrusts an eagle. The eagle swears an oath upon Shamash with the serpent. The two go hunting in the mountains to provide for each other’s young. The eagle eats the serpent’s young. Shamash tells the serpent to hide in an ox and attack the eagle. He does so and throws the eagle in a pit. Etana revives the eagle and he flies Etana to heaven to ask Ishtar for a child

Adapa: Adapa, the first sage, is fishing for his master Ea when the South Wind sinks his boat. He curses this wind and it stops blowing. Anu sees this and is angered. Ea advises Adapa to visit Anu and heaven but warns him not to accept any food or drink, as they will kill him. Adapa goes to heaven and relates his shipwreck to Anu. Anu offers him bread and water of eternal life but Adapa declines

Nergal and Ereshkigal: Ereshkigal sends Namtar to a feast in heaven because she cannot go herself. The gods bow in his presence, except for Nergal. Nergal fashions a throne for Ereshkigal and goes into the netherworld. He sleeps for 6 days with Ereshkigal and then leaves. Ea disfigures him to hide him from Namtar. Namtar searches for Nergal but can’t find him. Finally Nergal returns and marries her

Descent of Ishtar: Ishtar goes to the underworld. She has to pass through seven gates where at each one she removes one piece of jewelry. Ereshkigal asks Namtar to curse Ishtar with 60 diseases. No animals or humans reproduced while she was gone. Ea creates “Good-looks” as ransom. Ereshkigal hears this and curses him. She releases Ishtar. Dumuzi comes and goes which causes the seasons like Persephone

I find the connections between the extant OBV Gilgamesh tablets and Ecclesiastes to be a bit dubious but interesting nonetheless. I’ll have to do more research on their connection

It’s interesting how the story of Gilgamesh fighting the lions after Enkidu’s death may actually be a retelling of a similar scene from earlier in the epic that occurs while they journey to the forest of cedar. Also I find the footnotes about lines from the epic that relate to lines from Homeric epics cool