Among the other deities of the Babylonians may be counted Nergal, god of Cutha, who like Ninip, presided over hunting and war, and Anunit, the goddess of one of the quarters of Sippara, and of the city of Agané.
The following table will exhibit the relationship of the principal deities as it had been drawn up by the native writers on the cosmogony; but it must be noted that it belongs to a late age of syncretic philosophy, when the scholars of Assur-bani-pal’s court were endeavouring to resolve the old deities of Accad into mere abstractions, and so explain the myths which described the creation of the world.
| Tamtu or Tiamtu (the sea). | Absu (Apason?) (the deep). | ||
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| Mummu (chaos). | |||
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| Lakhmu | Lakhamu | ||
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| Kisar (Kissare) (lower expanse). | Sar (Assorus) (upper expanse). | ||
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| Anu (heaven). | Anatu | Elum, or Bel. (earth). | Beltis. |
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| Rimmon (atmosphere). | Gibil (fire-god). | Hea (Saturn) (the deep). | Istar (Venus). |
| Hea (Saturn). | Davkina (Davke). |
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| Merodach. | Zirat-panit. |
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| Nebo. | Tasmit. |
| Elum. | Beltis. | |
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| Sin. | Ningal. | Ninip. |
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| Samas. | Istar. |
Chapter V.
BABYLONIAN LEGEND OF THE CREATION.
Mutilated condition of tablets.—List of subjects.—Description of chaos.—Tiamat.—Generation of Gods.—Damascius.—Comparison with Genesis.—Three great gods.—Doubtful fragments.—Fifth tablet.—Stars.—Moon.—Sun.—Abyss or chaos.—Creation of moon.—Creation of animals.—Monotheism.—Hymn to Merodach.—The black-headed race or Adamites.—Garden of Eden.—The flaming sword.—The fall.—The Sabbath.—Sacred tree.—Hymn to the Creator.
