Breaking Imhullu

The Babylonian Creation Myth of Enūma Eliš c. 1894 ~ 1595 BCE

 When the heavens above did not exist,

And earth beneath had not come into being —

There was Apsû, the first in order, [the gods' ] begetter,

And creator of the universe Tiamat, who gave birth to them all;

[Tiamat and Apsû] had mingled their waters together

Before meadow-land had coalesced and a reed-bed was to be found —

When not one of the gods had been formed

Or had come into being, when no destinies had been decreed,

The gods were created within them.

~~~

[But the gods disappointed their creators]

[One day] Apsû opened his mouth

And addressed Tiamat

"Their behavior has become displeasing to me

And I cannot rest in the day-time or sleep at night.

I will destroy and break up their way of life

That silence may reign and we may sleep."

When Tiamat heard this

She raged and cried out to her spouse,

She cried in distress, fuming within herself,

She grieved over the plotted evil,

"How can we destroy what we have given birth to?

Though their behavior causes distress, let us tighten discipline graciously."

~~~

[But Apsû did not heed his spouse's words and planned violence against his children

Knowing of Apsû plan, the god of wisdom, Ea, rose up and killed Apsû]

He split Apsû's sinews, ripped off his crown,

Carried away his aura and put it on himself.

He bound Apsû and killed him

~~~

[Tiamat was enraged]

She supplied irresistible weapons, and gave birth to giant serpents.

They had sharp teeth, they were merciless . . . .

With poison instead of blood she filled their bodies.

She clothed the fearful monsters with dread,

She loaded them with an aura and made them godlike.