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Merodach was aided by the goddess Aruru； who made mankind's seed。 Finally； plants； trees； and the animals； were produced； after which Merodach constructed bricks； beams； houses； and cities； including Niffer and Erech with their renowned temples。
We see here a change in the teaching with regard to Merodachthe gods are no longer spoken of as 〃his fathers；〃 but he is the creator of the gods； as well as of mankind。
The order of the gods in the principal lists。
It is unfortunate that no lists of gods have been found in a sufficiently complete state to allow of the scheme after which they were drawn up to be determined without uncertainty。 It may； nevertheless； be regarded as probable that these lists； at least in some cases； are arranged in conformity （to a certain extent） with the appearance of the deities in the so…called creation…story。 Some of them begin with Anu； and give him various names； among them being An？ar and Ki？ar； Lahmu and Lahame； etc。 More specially interesting； however； is a well…known trilingual list of gods； which contains the names of the various deities in the following order：
EXTRACTS FROM THE TRILINGUAL LIST /Obverse/
Sumer。 Dialect Sumer。 Standard Common Explanation （Semit。 or Sumer。）
1。 Dimmer Dingir ？lu God。 2。 U…ki En…ki ê…a êa or Aa。 3。 Ga？an（？）…ki Nin…ki Dawkina Dauké； the consort of êa。 4。 Mu…ul…lil En…lil…la Bêl The God Bel。 5。 E…lum A…lim Bêl 6。 Ga？an（？）…lil Nin…lil…la dam…bi sal Bel's consort。 7。 U…lu…a Ni…rig ênu…rê？tu The god of Niffer。 8。 U…lib…a Ni…rig ênu…rê？tu
9…12 have ênu…rê？tu's consort； sister； and attendant。
13。 U…？ab…sib En…？ag…duga Nusku Nusku
14…19 have two other names of Nusku； followed by three names of his consort。 A number of names of minor divinities then follow。 At line 43 five names of êa are given； followed by four of Merodach：
48。 U…bi…lu…lu En…bi…lu…lu Marduk Merodach 49。 U…Tin…dir ki En…Tin…dir ki Marduk Merodach as 〃lord of Babylon。〃 50。 U…dimmer…an…kia En…dinger…an…kia Marduk Merodach as 〃lord god of heaven and earth。〃 51。 U…ab…？ar…u En…ab…？ar…u Marduk Merodach； apparently as 〃lord of the 36；000 steers。〃 52。 U…bar…gi…si Nin…bar…gi…si Zer…pan？tum Merodach's consort。 53。 Ga？an…abzu Nin…abzu dam…bi sal 〃the Lady of the Abyss；〃 his consort。
The remainder of the obverse is mutilated； but gave the names of Nebo in Sumerian； and apparently also of Ta？mêtum； his consort。 The beginning of the reverse also is mutilated； but seems to have given the names of the sun…god； ？ama？； and his consort； followed by those of K？ttu and Mê？arum； 〃justice and righteousness；〃 his attendants。 Other interesting names are：
/Reverse/
8。 U…libir…si En…ubar…si Dumu…zi Tammuz 9。 Sir…tumu Sir…du ama Dumuzi…gi the mother of Tammuz 12。 Ga？an…anna Innanna I？tar I？tar （Venus） as 〃lady of heaven。〃 20。 Nin…si…anna Innanna mul I？tar the star （the planet Venus）。 21。 Nin Nin…tag…taga Nanaa a goddess identified with I？tar。 23。 U…？ah Nina…？ah Pap…sukal the gods' messenger。 24。 U…banda Lugal…banda Lugal…banda 26。 U…Mersi Nin…Girsu Nin…Girsu the chief god of Laga？。 27。 Ma…sib…sib Ga…tum…duga Bau Bau； a goddess identified with Gula。
Four non…Semitic names of Gula follow； of which that in line 31 is the most interesting：
31。 Ga？an…ti…dibba Nin…tin…guua Gula 〃the lady saving from death。〃 33。 Ga？an…ki…gal Ere？…ki…gala Allatu Persephone。 36。 U…mu…zi…da Nin…gi？…zi…da Nin…gi？…zida 〃the lord of the everlasting tree。〃 37。 U…urugal Ne…eri…gal Nerigal Nergal。 42。 Mulu…hursag Galu…hursag Amurru the Amorite god。 43。 Ga？an…gu…edina Nin…gu…edina （apparently the consort of Amurru）。
In all probability this list is one of comparatively late date； though its chronological position with regard to the others is wholly uncertainit may not be later； and may even be earlier； than those beginning with Anu； the god of the heavens。 The important thing about it is； that it begins with /？lu/； god； in general； which is written； in the standard dialect （that of the second column） with the same character as that used for the name of Anu。 After this comes Aa or êa； the god of the earth； and his consort； followed by En…lilla； the older BelIllinos in Damascius。 The name of êa is repeated again in line 43 and following； where he is apparently re…introduced as the father of Merodach； whose names immediately follow。 This peculiarity is also found in other lists of gods and is undoubtedly a reflection of the history of the Babylonian religion。 As this list replaces Anu by /？lu/； it indicates the rule of Enki or êa； followed by that of Merodach； who； as has been shown； became the chief divinity of the Babylonian pantheon in consequence of Babylon having become the capital of the country。
CHAPTER IV
THE PRINCIPAL GODS OF THE BABYLONIANS AND ASSYRIANS
Anu。
The name of this divinity is derived from the Sumero…Akkadian /ana/； 〃heaven；〃 of which he was the principal deity。 He is called the father of the great gods； though； in the creation…story； he seems to be described as the son of An？ar and Ki？ar。 In early names he is described as the father； creator； and god； probably meaning the supreme being。 His consort was Anatu； and the pair are regarded in the lists as the same as the Lahmu and Lahame of the creation…story； who； with other deities； are also described as gods of the heavens。 Anu was worshipped at Erech； along with I？tar。
Ea。
Is given as if it were the /Semitic/ equivalent of /Enki/； 〃the lord of the earth；〃 but it would seem to be really a Sumerian word； later written /Ae/； and certain inscriptions suggest that the true reading was /Aa/。 His titles are 〃king of the Abyss； creator of everything； lord of all；〃 the first being seemingly due to the fact that Aa is a word which may； in its reduplicate form； mean 〃waters；〃 or if read /êa/； 〃house of water。〃 He also； like Anu； is called 〃father of the gods。〃 As this god was likewise 〃lord of deep wisdom；〃 it was to him that his son Merodach went for advice whenever he was in doubt。 On account of his knowledge； he was the god of artisans in general potters； blacksmiths； sailors； builders； stone…cutters； gardeners； seers； barbers； farmers； etc。 This is the Aos （a form which confirms the reading Aa） of Damascius； and the Oannes of the extracts from Berosus； who states that he was 〃a creature endowed with reason； with a body like that of a fish； and under the fish's head another head； with feet below； like those of a man； with a fish's tail。〃 This description applies fairly well to certain bas…reliefs from Nimroud in the British Museum。 The creature described by Berosus lived in the Persian Gulf； landing during the day to teach the inhabitants the building of houses and temples； the cultivation of useful plants； the gathering of fruits； and also geometry； law； and letters。 From him； too； came the account of the beginning of things referred to in chapter III。 which； in the original Greek； is preceded by a description of the composite monsters said to have existed before Merodach assumed the rule of the universe。
The name of his consort； Damkina or Dawkina； probably means 〃the eternal spouse；〃 and her other names； /Ga？an…ki/ （Sumerian dialectic） and /Nin…ki/ （non…dialectic）； 〃Lady of the earth；〃 sufficiently indicates her province。 She is often mentioned in the incantations with êa。
The forsaking of the worship of êa as chief god for that of Merodach seems to have caused considerable heartburning in Babylonia； if we may judge from the story of the Flood； for it was on account of his faithfulness that Utnipi？tim； the Babylonian Noah； attained to salvation from the Flood and immortality afterwards。 All through this adventure it was the god êa who favoured him； and afterwards gave him immortality like that of the gods。 There is an interesting Sumerian text in which the ship of êa seems to be described； the woods of which its various parts were formed being named； and in it； apparently； were Enki （êa）； Damgal…nunna （Damkina）； his consort； Asari…lu…duga （Merodach）； In…ab （or Ine？）； the pilot of êridu （êa's city）； and Nin…igi…nagar…sir； 〃the great