* The sense of this passage is far from being certain; I have followed the interpretation proposed, with some variations, by Pinches, by Haupt, and by Jensen.  The stratagem at once recalls the history of King Midas, and the talking reeds which knew the secret of his ass’s ears.  In the version of Berossus, it is Kronos who plays the part here assigned to Ea in regard to Xisuthros.

** The text is mutilated, and does not furnish enough information to follow in every detail the building of the ark.  From what we can understand, the vessel of Shamashnapishtim was a kind of immense kelek, decked, but without masts or rigging of any sort.  The text identifies the festival celebrated by the hero before the embarkation with the festival Akitu of Merodach, at Babylon, during which “Nebo, the powerful son, sailed from Borsippa to Babylon in the bark of the river Asmu, of beauty.”  The embarkation of Nebo and his voyage on the stream had probably inspired the information according to which the embarkation of Shamashnapishtim was made the occasion of a festival Akitu, celebrated at Shurippak; the time of the Babylonian festival was probably thought to coincide with the anniversary of the Deluge.

“As soon as the morning became clear, a black cloud arose from the foundations of heaven.  Bamman growled in its bosom; Nebo and Marduk ran before it—­ran like two throne-bearers over hill and dale.  Nera the Great tore up the stake to which the ark was moored.  Ninib came up quickly; he began the attack; the Anunnaki raised their torches and made the earth to tremble at their brilliancy; the tempest of Ramman scaled the heaven, changed all the light to darkness, flooded the earth like a lake.* For a whole day the hurricane raged, and blew violently over the mountains and over the country; the tempest rushed upon men like the shock of an army, brother no longer beheld brother, men recognized each other no more.

* The progress of the tempest is described as the attack of the gods, who had resolved on the destruction of men.  Ramman is the thunder which growls in the cloud; Nebo, Merodach, Nera the Great (Nergal), and Ninib, denote the different phases of the hurricane from the moment when the wind gets up until it is at its height; the Anunnaki represent the lightning which flashes carelessly across the heaven.

[Illustration:  048.jpg SHAMASHNAPISHTIM SHUT INTO THE ARK.]

     Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a Chalaean intaglio.

In heaven, the gods were afraid of the deluge;* they betook themselves to flight, they clambered to the firmament of Anu; the gods, howling like dogs, cowered upon the parapet.** Ishtar wailed like a woman in travail; she cried out, “the lady of life, the goddess with the beautiful voice:  ’The past returns to clay, because I have prophesied evil before the gods!  Prophesying evil before the gods, I have counselled the attack to bring my men to nothing;