men that like the brood of the fishes
     They should fill the sea. 
     Then wept the gods with her over the Anunnaki,
     In lamentation sat the gods, their lips hard pressed together. 
     Six days and seven nights ruled wind and flood and storm. 
     But when the seventh day broke, subsided the storm, and the flood

ASSYRIAN CLAY TABLET, Containing a part of the story of the flood, from the library of Assurbanipal.  Found in recent explorations in Ancient Babylon, London:  British Museum.

     Which raged like a mighty host, settled itself to quiet. 
     Down went the sea, ceased storm and flood. 
     Through the sea I rode lamenting. 
     The upper dwellings of men were ruined,
     Corpses floated like trees. 
     A window I opened, on my face the daylight fell. 
     I shuddered and sat me down weeping,
     Over my face flowed my tears. 
     I rode over regions of land, on a terrible sea. 
     Then rose one piece of land twelve measures high. 
     To the land Nizir the ship was steered,
     The mountain Nizir held the ship fast, and let it no more go.

* * * * *

          At the dawn of the seventh day
          I took a dove and sent it forth. 
          Hither and thither flew the dove,
          No resting-place it found, back to me it came. 
          A swallow I took and sent it forth,
          No resting-place it found, and back to me it came. 
          A raven I took and sent it forth,
          Forth flew the raven and saw that the water had fallen,
          Carefully waded on but came not back. 
          All the animals then to the four winds I sent. 
          A sacrifice I offered,
          An altar I built on the mountain-top,
          By sevens I placed the vessels,
          Under them spread sweet cane and cedar. 
          The gods inhaled the smoke, inhaled the sweet-smelling smoke,
          Like flies the gods collected over the offering. 
          Thither then came Ishtar,
          Lifted on high her bow, which Anu had made:—­
          These days I will not forget, will keep them in remembrance,
          Them I will never forget. 
          Let the gods come to the altar,
          But let not Bel to the altar come,
          Because he heedlessly wrought, the flood he brought on,
          To destruction my people gave over. 
          Thither came Bel and saw the ship,
          Full of anger was he
          Against the gods and the spirits of heaven:—­
          What soul has escaped! 
          In the destruction no man shall live. 
          Then Adar opened his mouth and spake,
          Spake to the warlike Bel:—­
          Who but Ea knew it? 
          He knew and all he hath told. 
          Then Ea opened his mouth,