The stage is set for the story.
The various gods represent aspects of the physical world. Apsu is the god
of fresh water and thus male fertility. Tiamat, wife of Apsu, is the goddess
of the sea and thus chaos and threat. Tiamat gives birth to Anshar and Kishar,
gods who represented the boundary between the earth and sky (the horizon).
To Anshar and Kishar is born Anu, god of sky, who in turn bears Ea. These
"sons of the gods" make so much commotion and are so ill-behaved that Apsu
decides to destroy them. When Ea learns of the plan, he kills Apsu and with
his wife Damkina establishes their dwelling above his body. Damkina then
gives birth to Marduk, the god of spring symbolized both by the light of
the sun and the lightning in storm and rain. He was also the patron god of
the city of Babylon. Meanwhile Tiamat is enraged at the murder of her husband
Apsu, and vows revenge. She creates eleven monsters to help her carry out
her vengeance. Tiamat takes a new husband, Kingu, in place of the slain Apsu
and puts him in charge of her newly assembled army.
Tiamat represents the forces of
disorder and chaos in the world. In the cycle of seasons, Tiamat is winter
and barrenness. In the second tablet, to avenge the murder of her husband
Tiamat prepares to unleash on the other gods the destructive forces that
she has assembled. Ea learns of her plan and attempts to confront Tiamat.
While the tablet is damaged, it is apparent that Ea fails to stop Tiamat.
Then Anu attempts to challenge her but fails as well. The gods become afraid
that no one will be able to stop Taimat’s vengeful rampage.
Anshar’s minister Gaga is dispatched
to the other gods to report the activities of Tiamat and to tell them of
Marduk’s willingness to face her. Much of this tablet is poetic repetition
of previous conversations.
The council of the gods tests
Marduk’s powers by having him make a garment disappear and then reappear.
After passing the test, the council enthrones Marduk as high king and commissions
him to fight Tiamat. With the authority and power of the council, Marduk
assembles his weapons, the four winds as well as the seven winds of destruction.
He rides in his chariot of clouds with the weapons of the storm to confront
Tiamat. After entangling her in a net, Marduk unleashes the Evil Wind to
inflate Tiamat. When she is incapacitated by the wind, Marduk kills her with
an arrow through her heart and takes captive the other gods and monsters
who were her allies. He also captured her husband Kingu. After smashing Tiamat’s
head with a club, Marduk divided her corpse, using half to create the earth
and the other half to create the sky complete with bars to keep the chaotic
waters from escaping. The tablet ends with Marduk establishing dwelling places
for his allies.
Marduk builds dwelling places
for the other gods. As they take their place, they establish the days and
months and seasons of the year. Since this is a myth about the natural world,
the "stations" that Marduk establishes for the gods correspond to the celestial
luminaries that figured in Babylonian astrology. The phases (horns) of the
Moon determine the cycles of the months. From the spittle of Tiamat Marduk
creates rain for the earth. The city of Babylon is established as the audience
room of King Marduk.
Marduk decides to create human
beings, but needs blood and bone from which to fashion them. Ea advises
that only one of the gods should die to provide the materials for creation,
the one who was guilty of plotting evil against the gods. Marduk inquires
of the assembly of the gods about who incited Tiamat’s rebellion, and was
told that it was her husband Kingu. Ea kills Kingu and uses his blood to
fashion mankind so they can perform menial tasks for the gods. To honor Marduk,
the gods construct a house for him in Babylon. After its completion, Marduk
gives a great feast for the gods in his new house who all praise Marduk for
his greatness in subduing Tiamat. The first group of the fifty throne names
of Marduk are recited.
Continuation of praise of Marduk
as chief of Babylon and head of the Babylonian pantheon because of his role
in creation. The rest of Marduk’s fifty throne names declaring his dominion
are recited. Final blessings on Marduk and instructions to the people to
remember and recite Marduk’s deeds.