Merodach overturned the body of the dead dragon and stood upon it.  All the evil gods who had followed her were stricken with terror and broke into flight.  But they were unable to escape.  Merodach caught them in his great net, and they stumbled and fell uttering cries of distress, and the whole world resounded with their wailing and lamentations.  The lord of the high gods broke the weapons of the evil gods and put them in bondage.  Then he fell upon the monsters which Tiamat had created; he subdued them, divested them of their powers, and trampled them under his feet.  Kingu he seized with the others.  From this god great Merodach took the tablets of fate, and impressing upon them his own seal, placed them in his bosom.

So were the enemies of the high gods overthrown by the Avenger.  Ansar’s commands were fulfilled and the desires of Ea fully accomplished.

Merodach strengthened the bonds which he had laid upon the evil gods and then returned to Tiamat.  He leapt upon the dragon’s body; he clove her skull with his great club; he opened the channels of her blood which streamed forth, and caused the north to carry her blood to hidden places.  The high gods, his fathers, clustered around; they raised shouts of triumph and made merry.  Then they brought gifts and offerings to the great Avenger.

Merodach rested a while, gazing upon the dead body of the dragon.  He divided the flesh of Ku-pu[159], and devised a cunning plan.

Then the lord of the high gods split the body of the dragon like that of a mashde fish into two halves.  With one half he enveloped the firmament; he fixed it there and set a watchman to prevent the waters falling down[160].  With the other half he made the earth[161].  Then he made the abode of Ea in the deep, and the abode of Anu in high heaven.  The abode of Enlil was in the air.

Merodach set all the great gods in their several stations.  He also created their images, the stars of the Zodiac, and fixed them all.  He measured the year and divided it into months; for twelve months he made three stars each.  After he had given starry images of the gods separate control of each day of the year, he founded the station of Nibiru (Jupiter), his own star, to determine the limits of all stars, so that none might err or go astray.  He placed beside his own the stations of Enlil and Ea, and on each side he opened mighty gates, fixing bolts on the left and on the right.  He set the zenith in the centre.

Merodach decreed that the moon god should rule the night and measure the days, and each month he was given a crown.  Its various phases the great lord determined, and he commanded that on the evening of its fullest brilliancy it should stand opposite the sun.[162]

He placed his bow in heaven (as a constellation) and his net also.

We have now reached the sixth tablet, which begins with a reference to words spoken to Merodach by the gods.  Apparently Ea had conceived in his heart that mankind should be created.  The lord of the gods read his thoughts and said:  “I will shed my blood and fashion bone...  I will create man to dwell on the earth so that the gods may be worshipped and shrines erected for them.  I will change the pathways of the gods....”