Hubby does it doggy style

Phnom Penh - A newlywed Cambodian husband caught by his wife in bed with the family dog angered her even more by proclaiming his love for the dog and asking for a divorce.
Police said the 24-year-old husband was found by his shocked 20-year-old wife in a passionate embrace with the dog, a two-year-old mongrel bitch.
The wife became even more upset when the man confessed he loved the dog more than her, district police chief Tuon Dorn told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa from Kampot province, about 140km southeast of the capital.
"When we arrived, the husband told us, yes, of course he did it. But as police, we could only solve the problem of his wife then wanting a divorce. We cannot solve the problem of his relationship with his dog, because under Cambodian law it is not strictly illegal," Tuon Dorn said.
"It is amazing, but this husband is not crazy. It seems he is a passionate human being who looked at a dog, and the more he looked, the more passionate he became."
In Buddhist Cambodia, dogs are regarded as one of the lowest animals, leading police to withhold the names and exact location of the village to protect those involved.
Police said the man had since left his wife and moved back home with his mother. The whereabouts of the dog was unknown.

I Catari

Catari o albigesi (XII - XIII - XIV secolo)

I catari furono la grande alternativa religiosa alla Chiesa Cattolica d'Occidente nel XII e XIII secolo.
Nei loro confronti la reazione della Chiesa fu fortissima e probabilmente proporzionata alla paura che questa setta potesse mettere in crisi l'intera istituzione cristiana.
Non si trattava infatti di singoli eretici da punire, ma di un fenomeno di vasta portata, a cui l'Europa occidentale medioevale non era abituata, e che ricordava i grandi movimenti religiosi eterodossi che avevano afflitto l'Impero Romano d'Oriente, come ad esempio i pauliciani. E' difficile altrimenti da spiegare la creazione di un potentissimo mezzo di repressione, come l'Inquisizione, la fondazione di un ordine religioso, i domenicani, preposti a confutare le dottrine catare e l'organizzazione di una crociata, con relativa licenza di massacro, di cristiani contro altri cristiani.
Tuttavia bisogna anche tener conto che, in quel momento, lo stesso potere di uno stato sovrano, come la Francia, già dilaniata dalla guerra dei Cent'anni con l'Inghilterra, avrebbe potuto essere messo in discussione da questa setta (o meglio dal suo alleato laico, il potente conte di Tolosa): essa quindi fu schiacciata dall'azione combinata di Stato e Chiesa.

La storia
A) I predecessori
Su questo punto, i commentatori e gli storici si dividono in due gruppi:
Coloro i quali vedono nei catari una continuità del grande filone dualista, dai gnostici a Novaziano ai manichei ai già menzionati pauliciani ai bogomili, e
Coloro che, pur non negando qualche similitudine con le sette dualiste precedenti, sono convinti della originalità del pensiero cataro, sviluppato come reazione alla corruzione dilagante nella Chiesa. Del resto anche le attività di predicatori itineranti all'inizio del XII secolo, come Pietro di Bruis, Enrico di Losanna, Tanchelmo di Brabante, Eon de l'Etoile, furono il segno di quel malessere, diffuso soprattutto a livello delle classe più deboli della popolazione, e che poté creare un substrato ideale per lo sviluppo di popolarità del catarismo.

B) L'inizio e i precursori
Già dal 1018, i cronisti Ademaro di Chabannes e Rodolfo il Glabro riferirono di “manichei” diffusi nella Francia meridionale, citando gli episodi di Leutard, i canonici di Santa Croce di Orléans, gli eretici di Arras. Simili episodi si segnalarono anche in altre nazioni, come ad esempio Gerardo di Monforte in Italia.
Nel 1143, Evervino di Steinfeld scrisse a San Bernardo di Chiaravalle (1090-1153) per informare sulla presenza nella Renania, a Colonia, di eretici, anche donne, organizzati in uditori e eletti, che accettavano solo il Padre Nostro come preghiera e si rifiutavano di frequentare le chiese e ricevere i sacramenti, eccetto una particolare forma di comunione. Gli eretici furono bruciati e Evervino si stupì che salissero serenamente, o addirittura con gioia, sul rogo. Di simili fatti narrò anche Ecberto di Schonau.
Pochi mesi dopo, lo stesso Bernardo accorse nella Francia meridionale, su invito del legato pontificio cardinale Alberico di Ostia, con lo scopo di intervenire contro le predicazioni di Enrico di Losanna a Tolosa, salvo poi rendersi conto dell'elevata diffusione del catari nella zona.
Ogni tentativo del Santo di convertire gli albigesi (come li chiamò dal nome della città di Albi) non ebbe successo e tre anni dopo, nel 1148, il concilio di Tours li condannò, stabilendo che, se scoperti, essi dovessero essere imprigionati e i loro beni confiscati.
Tuttavia queste disposizioni non sembra che avessero avuto particolare effetto, anzi proprio in Francia meridionale, nella Linguadoca e in Provenza, i catari si consolidarono maggiormente.
Questa regione, a ridosso dei Pirenei, nota anche come Occitania, era stata parte dell'ex regno dei Visigoti durante l'alto Medioevo, si era sviluppata come cuscinetto tra il regno dei Franchi a Nord e gli Arabi a sud ed era, dal punto di vista politico, linguistico, culturale e della tolleranza, profondamente diverso dal resto dell'odierna Francia. Infatti gli occitani parlavano la lingua d'oc, e non l'oil come nel resto della Francia, avevano sviluppato la lirica dei trovatori (alcuni dei quali, come Guglielmo Figueira, furono catari), tolleravano gli ebrei e i pensatori eterodossi cristiani.
Vent'anni dopo la missione di San Bernardo, nel 1165 a Lombez fu tenuto un pubblico contraddittorio tra teologi cattolici e catari, con a capo un tale Oliviero, che si risolse in un nulla di fatto.
Fu in quel periodo che i cattolici iniziarono a chiamarli catari, sulla cui etimologia gli autori dell'epoca hanno concepito due teorie: più probabilmente dal greco Kàtharoi cioè puri, o più folcloristicamente dal latino medioevale catus, gatto, un classico travestimento di Lucifero, al quale gli eretici, durante i loro riti (secondo i loro detrattori), baciavano le terga! Furono anche denominati pubblicani o pobliciani o populiciani, in collegamento ad un'altra eresia medioevale dualista, il paulicianesimo. Un ulteriore nome fu “bulgari”, dal paese originario della setta dei bogomili o “manichei” per un collegamento con l'eresia di Mani o impropriamente “ariani” (o arriani) per una connessione con le tesi cristologiche di Ario. Dal mestiere abitualmente svolti da molti dei credenti furono anche chiamati tixerand, dal antico francese per tessitori, mentre grande confusione fanno ancora alcuni autori anglosassoni, che si ostinano a chiamarli patarini, confondendoli con il noto movimento riformista, e non certo dualista, della Pataria del XI secolo.
Invece i catari chiamarono se stessi sempre e semplicemente boni homini o boni christiani.

Nel 1167, essi tennero il loro concilio a Saint-Félix de Caraman (o de Lauragais), vicino a Tolosa, al quale parteciparono il vescovo bogomila Niceta (impropriamente definito il “papa cataro”), e i vescovi della Chiesa di Francia, Robert d'Espernon e di Italia, Marco di Lombardia, oltre a Siccardo Cellarerius di Albi e Bernard Catalanus di Carcassonne, in rappresentanza delle altre realtà catari francesi. La presenza di Niceta servì ad avvallare la tesi che il bogomilismo di tipo assoluto, tipico della Chiesa di Dragovitza, in Bosnia, aveva influenzato in maniera decisiva la dottrina catari se non fin dall'inizio, almeno da questo momento in avanti.
Inoltre, il movimento nella Francia meridionale fu ristrutturato in quattro chiese: Agen, Tolosa, Albi e Carcassonne.

C) La reazione dei cattolici
Il periodo tra il 1178 ed il 1194 vide il fallimento di diversi tentativi di avvicinamento tra cattolici e catari in Linguadoca, mentre nel 1194 divenne conte di Tolosa, Raimondo VI (1194-1222), che era favorevole ai catari e sul cui territorio poterono svilupparsi indisturbate le diocesi catari di Agen e Tolosa. Tuttavia anche quelle di Albi e Carcassonne non correvano particolari rischi, in quanto comunque in territorio amico, essendo sotto il controllo del visconte Raimond-Roger Trencavel, nipote di Raimondo VI.
La svolta si ebbe nel 1198 con la salita al trono pontificio di Papa Innocenzo III (1198-1216), ideatore di una vera e propria campagna contro i catari
Dapprima egli inviò nel 1207-1208 famosi predicatori come (San) Domenico di Guzman (n. 1170- m.1221) e Diego d'Azevedo, vescovo di Osma, per cercare di convertire i catari, ma i dibattiti pubblici, come già precedentemente quelli del 1165, non approdarono ad alcun risultato, anzi i teologi catari, come Guilhabert de Castres, ne uscirono a testa alta.
Allora Innocenzo passò alle vie di fatto e bandì una crociata contro gli albigesi, prendendo come pretesto l'assassinio (in realtà a sfondo politico e non certo dogmatico), a Saint-Gilles nel 1208, del legato papale e monaco cistercense Pietro di Castelnau, al quale forse non era estraneo lo stesso Raimondo VI, scomunicato dal legato stesso nel 1207.
Alla Crociata parteciparono vari nobili della Francia settentrionale, come il Duca di Borgogna ed il Conte di Nevers, ed avventurieri di pochi scrupoli, attratti sia dall'indulgenza dai peccati, che, molto più materialmente, dalle possibilità di saccheggio o addirittura di divenire padroni delle città della Linguadoca. L'esercito crociato contava un totale di 20.000 cavalieri e oltre 200.000 soldati e servi al seguito.
Il 22 luglio 1209 la prima città ad essere posta sotto assedio, Béziers fu espugnata dai crociati, e il legato papale Arnaud Amaury, abate di Citeaux, interrogato su come si potesse distinguere gli abitanti cattolici da quelli catari, pronunciò la famigerata e tremenda frase: “Uccideteli tutti, Dio saprà riconoscere i suoi”. Furono massacrate 20.000 persone e Amaury ricevette le congratulazioni dal Papa in persona!
Stessa sorte toccò a Carcassonne, dove fu imprigionato e morì in carcere il visconte Raimond-Roger di Trencavel.
Dal 1210 i crociati, con a capo Simon IV de Montfort, conquistarono una impressionante serie di città o cittadine catari : Agen, Albi, Birou, Bram, Cahusac, Cassés, Castres, Fanjeaux, Gaillac, Lavaur, Limoux, Lombez, Minerve (qui 140 catari si gettarono spontaneamente nelle fiamme), Mirepoix, Moissac, Montégut, Montferrand, Montrèal, Pamiers, Penne, Puivert, Saint Antonin, Saint Marcel, Saverdun, Termes, furono tutte espugnate secondo un crudele copione ben collaudato: seguivano mutilazione di nasi, occhi, orecchie e ovviamente l'onnipresente rogo dove bruciare gli eretici.
Un episodio per tutti fu la conquista di Lavaur nel 1211 con il rogo di ben 400 catari e l'uccisione di Giraude di Lavaur, una nobile catari, sorella del comandante della guarnigione, molto timorata di Dio e amata da tutti i suoi concittadini, anche cattolici. Giraude fu gettata in un pozzo e lapidata a morte dai crociati.
Ogni signore locale di queste città lottò per la sua sopravvivenza, anche se questa significava passare per faydit, colui che era eretico o proteggeva gli eretici ed i suoi terreni venivano dati in ricompensa ai crociati.
Nel 1212 intervenne nella crociata, prendendo le difese dei tolosani, anche il re d'Aragona, Pietro I (1177-1213), cognato di Raimondo, poiché molte delle terre in questione almeno formalmente facevano parte del suo regno. Fra gli Aragonesi ed i crociati la lite degenerò in guerra, ma all'assalto di Muret, con i crociati, tanto per cambiare, nel ruolo di assediati, Pietro fu ucciso.
Il boccone più difficile per i crociati si rivelò l'assedio della capitale Tolosa del 1217-1218, dove Simon de Montfort venne ucciso da una pietra lanciata da una donna. Prese allora il comando della crociata l'inetto figlio di Simon, Amaury VI de Montfort, con scarso successo.
La situazione politica comunque stava già cambiando tutta a favore del re di Francia, sia nel 1215, quando il futuro re di Francia Luigi VIII il Leone (1223-1226) era intervenuto personalmente nelle operazioni militari, che nel 1224 quando lo stesso, diventato sovrano obbligò Amaury di fare dono di tutte le terre conquistate alla corona di Francia.
Oltretutto l'incapacità di Amaury permise ai catari ed ai conti di Tolosa di serrare le fila, prima della parte finale della guerra voluta da Papa Onorio III (1216-1227) e condotta da Luigi VIII in persona, e, per questo, denominata Crociata reale (1226-1228).
Alla fine nel 1229, Raimondo VII di Tolosa (1222-1249) spossato da una guerra, che aveva totalmente stravolto il Mezzogiorno della Francia, accettò una pace, mediata da Bianca di Castiglia, madre del nuovo re minorenne Luigi IX (1226-1270), e ratificata con il trattato di Meaux. Raimondo conservò parte delle sue terre, cedendo il resto alla Francia, dovette dichiarare la sua fedeltà al re, ma soprattutto negare ogni appoggio ai boni homini.

D) La fine
A questo punto ai militari subentrarono gli inquisitori domenicani e francescani, la cui attività era stata ufficializzata nel 1233 dal Papa Gregorio IX (1227-1241) come Inquisitio heretice pravitatis.
Gli inquisitori, odiati dalla popolazione locale, imperversarono sul territorio per circa 100 anni (1233-1325), in realtà facendo uccidere meno persone di quanto si è portati a credere (solitamente solo i catari “perfetti”, che si rifiutavano di abiurare), ma utilizzando metodi di tortura e pressione psicologica di una sottile efferatezza.
L'odio per gli inquisitori si concretizzò ad Avignonnet nel 1242, dove due di essi (Arnauad Guilhelm de Montpellier e Étienne de Narbonne) e il loro seguito furono massacrati.
Questo fu il pretesto per scatenare un ultimo colpo di grazia ai catari asserragliati nella fortezza di Montségur il cui assedio nel 1243-1244 fu l'atto finale della guerra contro i catari
Montségur era infatti diventata, dal 1232, l'ultimo baluardo della resistenza catari, voluta da Guilhabert de Castrés.
Nel maggio del 1243 la fortezza, difesa da Raimond de Péreille e dal perfetto Bernard Marty, fu posta sotto assedio da parte delle truppe del siniscalco di Carcassonne, Hugues de Arcis, ma solo nel marzo del 1244, gli assedianti espugnarono la roccaforte. Immediatamente furono eretti i tristemente noti roghi, sui quali Bernard Marty e 225 catari furono bruciati.

E) Il movimento in Italia
L'Italia settentrionale e centrale, assieme alla Francia meridionale, fu l'area geografica dove si sviluppò maggiormente il catari: secondo l'ex cataro Raniero Sacconi, erano circa 2.500 alla ½ del XIII secolo, anche se questo dato si riferiva solo ai cosiddetti “perfetti”. Si suppone quindi che il movimento includendo credenti e simpatizzanti, fosse molto diffuso.
Il primo vescovo di tutti i catari italiani fu, come si è detto, Marco di Lombardia e il suo successore fu Giovanni Giudeo, ma in seguito il movimento si frazionò in sei chiese locali;
Chiesa di Desenzano (sul Lago di Garda) l'unica che praticava un dualismo di tipo assoluto e i cui adepti si chiamavano albanensi, dal nome del primo vescovo Albano. Altri vescovi degni di nota furono Belesinanza e soprattutto il massimo teologo catari Giovanni di Lugio.
Chiesa di Concorrezzo (vicino a Monza), la maggiore in Italia e i cui membri si chiamavano garattisti, dal nome del loro primo vescovo Garatto. Seguirono Nazario e Desiderio, ma con l'abiura dell'ultimo vescovo, Daniele da Giussano, la chiesa si estinse.
Chiesa di Bagnolo San Vito (vicino a Mantova), i cui fedeli venivano chiamati bagnolensi o coloianni, dal nome in greco del loro primo vescovo Giovanni il Bello. Si estinse con l'abiura degli ultimi due vescovi, Albertino e Lorenzo da Brescia. A questa chiesa appartenne segretamente anche Armanno Pungilupo, morto nel 1269 e proposto per la canonizzazione in quanto ritenuto in vita persona di notevole rettitudine e santità e fatto oggetto, dopo morto, di venerazione e pellegrinaggi. Purtroppo un'inchiesta, voluta da Papa Bonifacio VIII rivelò che Pungilupo era, per l'appunto, un catari e quindi fu condannato postumo.
Chiesa di Vicenza o della Marca di Treviso, fondata dal primo vescovo, Nicola da Vicenza, seguito da Pietro Gallo, noto per la confutazione delle sue dottrine da parte di S. Pietro Martire da Verona ,che, secondo una leggenda, fu un cataro pentito, diventato poi un inquisitore domenicano.
Chiesa di Firenze, fondata da Pietro (Lombardo) di Firenze e di cui si ricorda il famoso condottiero ghibellino Farinata degli Uberti, cantato nell'Inferno di Dante.
Chiesa di Spoleto e Orvieto, fondata da Girardo di San Marzano e proseguita da due donne, Milita di Marte Meato e Giuditta di Firenze. La chiesa si estinse con l'abiura dell'ultimo vescovo, Geremia.
Le ultime cinque praticavano un dualismo di tipo moderato, di origine bulgara (Concorrezzo) o dalla Sclavonia (le altre quattro).
Il catari in Italia seguì un destino diverso rispetto alle chiese sorelle in Francia, e ciò era dovuto all'appoggio che spesso le fazioni ghibelline, in chiave antipapale, accordavano loro. Il tutto perdurò fino alla battaglia di Benevento del 1266, quando la sconfitta del partito ghibellino e l'affermarsi di quello guelfo degli Angioini, fece mancare i potenti appoggi, goduti dai catari fino a quel momento.
Iniziò il declino ed anche in Italia venne il momento della resa dei conti finale: una “Montségur” locale, cioè l'espugnazione nel 1276 della rocca di Sirmione, dove si erano asserragliati i vescovi delle chiese di Desenzano e Bagnolo San Vito e numerosi perfetti italiani e occitani. Tutti furono arrestati e portati a Verona, dove 174 perfetti furono bruciati sul rogo nel 1278.

F) Il revival cataro
Infine, verso la fine del XIII secolo, si ebbe in Francia un nuovo rifiorire delle dottrine catari, portate dai fratelli Guglielmo e Pietro Authier, da Amelio de Perles e da Pradas Tavernier, che si erano formati presso i catari lombardi ed erano quindi tornati per predicare in Francia: Pietro fu catturato e bruciato nel 1310 per ordine del famoso inquisitore Bernardo Gui.
Ufficialmente l'ultimo catari fu Guglielmo Belibasta, tradito dal catari rinnegato Arnaldo Sicre e bruciato nel 1321 per ordine dell'inquisitore Jacques Fournier, che sarebbe poi diventato Papa Benedetto XII (1334-1342).
Da quella data il catari cessò di esistere, almeno esteriormente, mentre probabilmente proseguì in forma segreta e limitata a pochi adepti.

La dottrina
I catari erano dei dualisti cristiani, che accettavano il Nuovo Testamento, e in questo si distinsero dai manichei, con i quali venivano spesso accomunati dai cattolici. Essi credevano nell'esistenza di due principi contrapposti, il Bene ed il Male, impersonificati rispettivamente dal Dio santo e giusto, descritto nel Nuovo Testamento, e dal Dio nemico o Satana.
Come si è detto, il catari si divideva in due filoni: quello assoluto e quello moderato.
Per i dualisti assoluti, i due Dei erano sempre esistiti in una eterna lotta ed avevano creato i loro due mondi, quello dello spirito e contrapposto quello imperfetto della materia, il mondo nel quale viviamo noi.
Per i dualisti moderati, Satana non era un dio, ma un angelo ribelle caduto, che aveva comunque creato il mondo materiale.
Alcuni degli angeli (circa un terzo), cioè gli spiriti, furono lusingati ad unirsi a Satana, che li intrappolò successivamente nei corpi umani, impedendo loro di ritornare dal Dio giusto.
L'anelito continuo, quindi, dello spirito, dalla sua dolorosa prigionia nel corpo dell'uomo, era quello di poter tornare un giorno da Dio Padre, cosa che i catari cercavano di fare attraverso il Consolament, durante la loro vita, perché altrimenti sarebbero stati costretti a subire una continua metempsicosi (passaggio dello spirito da un corpo all'altro, anche animale), fino a potersi riunire di nuovo con Dio.
La figura di Cristo, solo apparentemente, coincideva con la dottrina cattolica. In realtà non era affatto così: i catari credevano che Cristo fosse un angelo di Dio, chiamato Giovanni, secondo Belibasta, che era sceso sulla terra sotto forma di puro spirito. Quindi anche i catari aderivano al concetto docetista della mera apparenza della nascita, sofferenza e morte di Cristo sulla terra.
Automaticamente venivano a cadere due simboli cristiani, legati alla vita terrena di Cristo: la croce, che i catari negavano, se non odiavano, e la transustanziazione, la trasformazione cioè, del pane e vino in corpo e sangue di Cristo durante l'eucaristia, che i catari respingevano con orrore.

I riti e la liturgia
I catari rifiutarono la maggior parte dei riti e delle liturgie cristiane per utilizzare le proprie, che erano:
Innanzitutto il Consolament, una forma di rito complesso con imposizione delle mani, fatto ad adulti, che riuniva in sé il valore dei sacramenti cristiani del battesimo, della comunione, della ordinazione e della estrema unzione. Con questa cerimonia, il catari da semplice fedele diventava un “perfetto”. Molti credenti aspettavano di essere in fin di vita per chiedere il Consolament e preferivano a quel punto lasciarsi morire per digiuno, per non rischiare di essere esposti alle possibilità di peccato. Questa pratica si chiamò endura e diventò popolare nel periodo del tardo catari, quando la scarsità di “perfetti” poteva rendere impossibile una seconda cerimonia di Consolament, se fosse stata necessaria.
Il Melhorament, un'elaborata forma di saluto tra catari
L'Aparelhament, una confessione pubblica dei propri peccati.
La Caretas, un bacio rituale di pace.
La recita del Padre Nostro, in pratica, unica (eccetto alcune invocazioni minori) preghiera accettata dal catari, con alcune significative correzioni del testo: il riferimento al “pane soprasostanziale” al posto del “pane quotidiano”, inteso non come cibo materiale ma come insegnamenti di Cristo, e l'aggiunta in fondo alla preghiera della postilla “perché Tuo è il regno, la potenza e la gloria nei secoli dei secoli. Amen”. I perfetti avevano l'obbligo di recitarlo più volte al giorno, solitamente in serie da sei (sezena), da otto (sembla) o sedici (dobla).

Come vivevano e come erano organizzati
Dal punto di vista alimentare, i perfetti catari erano vegetariani, abolendo dalla loro dieta carne, uova, latte e derivati, ma curiosamente non il pesce e i crostacei, e praticavano spessissimo il digiuno a pane e acqua, nella Quaresima, nell'Avvento, dopo la Pentecoste e tre giorni alla settimana o come penitenza per peccati di lieve entità.
Non potevano mentire ed erano inoltre casti, condannando il matrimonio e l'unione sessuale, che portava alla procreazione, come atto tipico del mondo materiale creato da Satana e che perpetrava continuamente la catena delle reincarnazioni, proprio quello che i catari cercavano di spezzare.
Infine essi erano tenuti al precetto di non uccidere, il che li mise spesso in forte crisi quando si trattava di difendersi durante la crociate e le successive campagne di persecuzioni dell'Inquisizione. Questi precetti, tuttavia, non si applicarono ai semplici fedeli e simpatizzanti, che poterono invece prendere le armi per difendere la propria causa.

Per quanto concerne l'organizzazione, il capo della comunità o della chiesa assumeva il titolo di vescovo, secondo i cronisti cattolici dell'epoca, mentre il perfetto, destinato a succedergli veniva denominato “figlio maggiore” e quello destinato a succedere a sua volta “figlio minore”. Pare invece improprio il titolo di “papa” cataro, attribuito a Niceta.

I testi
A parte il Nuovo Testamento, i catari avevano prodotto una copiosa letteratura, per la maggior parte andata distrutta durante le persecuzioni. Ci sono giunti:
Il Liber de duobus principiis, scritto da Giovanni di Lugio, vescovo della chiesa di Desenzano e maggiore teologo catari
La Interrogatio Iohannis, un apocrifo bogomilo portato in Italia da Nazario, vescovo della chiesa di Concorrezzo, che si ispirava alla Genesi e agli apocrifi della Bibbia.
Un altro apocrifo bogomilo, la Visione di Isaia, tradotto in provenzale da Pietro Authier.
Varie versioni dei rituali catari, sia quello utilizzato dai francesi, denominato occitano, che quello usato dagli italiani, chiamato latino.
Gli atti del concilio di Saint Felix de Caraman, trascritti in un testo, denominato Carta di Niceta, scritto tra il 1223 ed il 1226, di cui ci sono giunte delle copie del XVII secolo.

Tratto da I catari
 

Cristianesimo e reincarnazione

Il rapporto tra cristianesimo e reincarnazione è un problema controverso che ha da secoli interessato molti uomini per motivi e scopi diversi.
Negli ultimi anni, per esempio, molte sette religiose, soprattutto new age, si sono interessate al fenomeno per rilanciare nuove idee e dar credito ad altre.
Inoltre la credenza della trasmigrazione delle anime, presente anche in altre aree culturali, oggi sortisce maggiori effetti poiché si conoscono discretamente anche le altre religioni e per questo c'è più interesse ad accomunare e mettere a confronto fedi diverse.
Il dubbio dell'esistenza di questa interconnessione nasce forse da considerazioni che devono innanzitutto essere calate in un contesto storico.
All'epoca delle prime comunità cristiane il mondo greco-romano era intriso di teorie orfiche, pitagoriche e platoniche (la dottrina del platonismo aveva introdotto il concetto di metempsicosi secondo cui l'anima è soggetta a reincarnazione).
Resta, quindi, umano pensare che i primi cristiani erano influenzati da questa realtà che li circondava e che andava fronteggiata per dare una interpretazione univoca al fenomeno, per far sì che la reincarnazione non rimanesse un opinione sulla quale aprire controversie all'interno della comunità stessa.
Il corso storico sembrava aver cancellato ogni traccia di questo passato, che probabilmente si riteneva solo un evento sporadico non meritevole di considerazione ma che invece si è rivelato di difficile comprensione oltre che un forte punto di scontro.
Qui di seguito sono elencate le testimonianze a favore e contro i supposti legami tra cristianesimo e reincarnazione.

Testimonianze a favore:

Chi crede, per studi personali, per ragioni religiose o per altri motivi che i primi cristiani fossero certi dell'esistenza della reincarnazione si appella, generalmente, a considerazione specifiche dei Padri della Chiesa(1), alle teorie di Origene(2) ed al Concilio di Costantinopoli II del 553(3).

(1)
Sant'Agostino, nelle Confessioni, si domanda:
"La mia infanzia ha forse seguito un'altra mia età, morta prima di essa? Forse quella che ho vissuto nel ventre di mia madre? ... E ancora, prima di quella vita, o Dio della mia gioia, io esistevo già in qualche altro luogo o altro corpo?."

Il suo contemporaneo San Girolamo (347-420 d.C.), vissuto per anni in Oriente, sosteneva la dottrina delle vite ripetute e si preoccupava che la gente non la capisse:
"Non conviene si parli troppo delle rinascite, perché le masse non sono in grado di comprendere."

San Giustino, martirizzato verso il 165 d.C., si era interessato sia alla reincarnazione che alla metempsicosi:
"L'anima abita più di una volta in corpi umani, ma se si sono rese indegne di vedere Dio in seguito alle loro azioni durante incarnazioni terrestri, riprendono corpo in animali inferiori."

(2)
Soprattutto Origene, uno dei massimi Padri della Chiesa, affrontò la questione:
"Le anime che richiedono i corpi si vestono di essi e, quando queste anime cadute si sono elevate a cose migliori, i loro corpi si annientano ancora una volta. Così le anime svaniscono e riappaiono continuamente."

Alla fine dunque tutti gli esseri saranno salvati: in ciò consiste quella che Origene chiama apocatastasi, ossia letteralmente "ristabilimento" della condizione originaria di perfezione in Dio. Essa tuttavia non é la conclusione ultima e definitiva, perchè dopo di essa ricomincerà la vicenda eterna, anche se non totalmente identica alle precedenti , come avevano preteso gli stoici, in quanto il libero arbitrio dei singoli , per definizione variabile, continua a essere fattore decisivo.
In tal modo Origene innesta, sul fondo delle dottrine cristiane della trinità, della creazione e della redenzione, tematiche proprie della tradizione filosofica: in particolare, quelle neo - platoniche della gerarchia delle ipostasi divine, della gerarchia parallela dei livelli dell' anima, della caduta e del ritorno e quella stoica dei cicli successivi dell' universo.
Anche quest' ultimo punto incappò nell' accusa di eresia, così come pure l' affermazione di una resurrezione puramente spirituale, che non avrebbe coinvolto il corpo.
Anche per questo aspetto di svalutazione del corpo la tesi di Origine presenta forti risonanze platoniche.

(3)
La Chiesa condannò la reincarnazione durante il Concilio indetto dall'imperatore Giustiniano nel 553 d.C.
Venne cancellata la dottrina e vennero condannati gli scritti sulla reincarnazione (qualcuno aggiunge che all'epoca fossero già inclusi nel breviario).
E' importante inoltre ricordare che la decisione conciliare venne presa senza il consenso del papa d'allora, Vigilio, il quale, anche se ritrovava a Costantinopoli, non partecipò alla seduta.

Alcuni studiosi affermano che Giustiniano fu indotto a prendere questa decisione dalla moglie Teodora da lui considerata la sua migliore consigliera.
Altri ritengono che la bolla giustiniana fu favorita anche dal fatto che nel 537 la Chiesa era divisa da numerose controversie ed eresie.

Chi giudica veritiero che i primi cristiani credessero nella reincarnazione non esclude che nella sentenza di condanna, che fu pronunciata con il consiglio di Costantinopoli, influirono in modo determinante considerazioni di carattere politico-sociale-economico che nulla avevano a che fare con la spiritualità.

Testimonianze a sfavore:

Tra coloro che non credono che ci siano mai stati legami tra il credo cristiano e la teoria della reincarnazione troviamo una chiave di lettura pienamente divergente.
Inoltre c'è l'assoluta convinzione che fatti e discorsi siano stati completamente travisati nei loro contenuti da coloro che sono favorevoli al rapporto cristianesimo-reincarnazione.

Poiché:
Non esistono tracce della credenza nella reincarnazione nell’Antico Testamento (alcuni hanno dimostrato come nella tradizione veterotestamentaria si ritrovi una forte affermazione dell’uomo come unità inscindibile di anima e corpo).
Nei punti controversi del Nuovo Testamento l'esame si conclude come per il Vecchio Testamento con l’aggiunta di una chiaro riferimento che porta, anzi, ad escludere il fenomeno:
"E come è stabilito per gli uomini che muoiano una sola volta, dopo di che viene il giudizio, così Cristo, dopo essersi offerto una volta per tutte allo scopo di togliere i peccati di molti, apparirà una seconda volta, senza alcuna relazione col peccato, a coloro che l’aspettano per la loro salvezza" (Eb 9,27-28).

Riferendosi ai "Padri e scrittori ecclesiastici" si conclude che tutti, senza esclusione, rifiutano la reincarnazione, prima e dopo la condanna delle dottrine origeniste nel Concilio di Costantinopoli, del 553.
Molti affermano, inoltre, che lo stesso Origene pur affrontando il tema della preesistenza delle anime, non sostenne mai la reincarnazione.
Altri studiosi, più categoricamente, negano con fermezza che Origene fosse interessato alla trasmigrazione dell’anima e che una scorretta interpretazione del messaggio del filosofo fosse alla base dei presunti riferimenti al fenomeno della reincarnazione.

Sul Concilio di Costantinopoli si afferma, quasi univocamente, che i canoni che trattano del presunto tema della reincarnazione in realtà si occupano della questione della preesistenza delle anime e dell’apocatastasi (= ristabilimento; cioè una visione del mondo come un susseguirsi di ecpirosi (distruzioni) e di palingenesi (riedificazioni) dello stesso cosmo), frutto di un retaggio stoico.

Canone 7: Se qualcuno dice o ritiene che il Signore Gesù Cristo nel secolo futuro sarà crocifisso per i demoni, come anche per gli uomini, sia scomunicato.
Canone 9: Se qualcuno dice o ritiene che la punizione dei demoni e degli uomini empi sia provvisoria, e che un giorno avrà fine e vi sarà una reintegrazione (apokatàstasis) dei demoni e degli uomini empi, sia scomunicato.

Ancora su Origene si afferma che non credesse in alcun modo nella metensomatosi (si intende il passaggio di una stessa anima umana in successivi e svariati corpi: umani, animali, astrali), che definiva "stolta" e considerata "estranea alla Chiesa di Dio, non tramandata dagli apostoli, né mai manifestata dalle Scritture" (Commento al Vangelo di Matteo 13,1). Per Origene la metensomatosi dell’anima in altri corpi umani è insostenibile, perché il corpo è lo strumento di cui serve l’anima e da essa viene determinato (I Princípi 3,6,6; cfr. Contro Celso 4,58): quindi è sempre relativo ad una determinata anima e non può essere cambiato. Inoltre egli riteneva che fosse impossibile la trasmigrazione in corpi animali e vegetali poiché questi erano messi in secondando piano rispetto all'uomo.

Di certo è possibile dire che:
Origene rappresenta il confine tra cultura pagana ed interiorità cristiana.
E' testimone di un'epoca in cui il cristianesimo cerca di costituire una dottrina solida, dopo la grande stagione delle lotte apologetiche, di cui Origene stesso è culmine e superamento.
Nel corso della storia la Chiesa ha condannato solennemente posizioni che sono premessa indispensabile per la reincarnazione (come la preesistenza delle anime).
In secondo luogo la Chiesa ha affermato solennemente verità inconciliabili con essa, come il fatto che dopo la morte segua immediatamente il giudizio e quindi il purgatorio, l’inferno o il paradiso.
Lo stesso dogma cattolico, come è conosciuto oggi, è in contrasto con il pensiero reicarnazionista.
Dice Giovanni Paolo II: "La speranza cristiana ci assicura inoltre che l’“esilio dal corpo” non durerà e che la nostra felicità presso il Signore raggiungerà la sua pienezza con la risurrezione dei corpi alla fine del mondo. [...] È una vera e propria risurrezione dei corpi, con la piena reintegrazione delle singole persone nella nuova vita del cielo, e non una reincarnazione intesa come ritorno alla vita sulla stessa terra, in altri corpi".

Il grande dibattito rimane, comunque, aperto, su un pensiero antico di 2000 anni, a cui si riferiscono molte fonti e che però non sempre hanno un univoca chiave di lettura.

Ultima osservazione:
La tesi della reincarnazione venne sostenuta/ripresa da gruppi di ispirazione cristiana (prontamente dichiarati eretici dalla Chiesa) come i Catari medioevali e i moderni Rosacroce, in diverse epoche storiche.
I Catari si organizzarono intorno ai primi anni del XII secolo allo scopo di riportare il Cristianesimo, allora fortemente inquinato dalla condotta immorale di larga parte del clero, alle sue fonti originarie.
Si distinguevano per il loro ascetismo e si diffusero largamente nell'Italia del Nord, nella Francia del Sud ma anche in vaste zone dell'Europa centrale.
Sia il potere ecclesiastico che quello politico si sentirono seriamente minacciati dalla diffusione e dal consenso che riscuotevano i Catari, tanto che nel 1209 fu ordinata dal Papa Innocenzo III una repressione di una ferocia inaudita che si concluse 20 anni dopo con il loro completo sterminio.

La dottrina della reincarnazione non è estranea nemmeno all'Ebraismo, radice del Cristianesimo. E' insegnata infatti dalla Kabbalah, la componente mistico-esoterica (una sorta di livello superiore, tutt'altro che eretico) della religione ebraica.
Si tratta di un antichissimo insegnamento tradizionalmente segreto e trasmesso oralmente da maestro a discepolo solamente a persone di età non inferiore ai 40 anni, che ha cominciato ad essere divulgato pubblicamente a partire dal medioevo attraverso dei libri scritti con un linguaggio simbolico pressochè incomprensibile ai profani.
La Kabbalah si basa in buona parte sul valore mistico-occulto dei numeri e delle lettere alfabetiche ebraiche, grazie al quale vengono estratti dai testi sacri dei significati nascosti e più profondi rispetto a quelli ottenibili dallo studio ordinario.

Fonti web:
www.forma-mentis.net/Filosofia/Note.html
www.filosofico.net/
www.christianismus.it/
http://fohat.clarence.com/
www.monasterovirtuale.it/
www.riflessioni.it/
www.cesnur.org/
www.altrementi.com/
www.truthbeknown.com/
www.corsiweb.org/

da http://www.pointovu.com/pagine.php?id=Cristianesimo+e+reincarnazione

The Enuma Elish

The Enuma-Elish

The Sumerian Book of Creation

Any lost or damaged parts of the tablets are shown with brackets


Tablet 1

When skies above were not yet named
Nor earth below pronounced by name,
Apsu, the first one, their begetter
And maker Tiamat, who bore them all,
Had mixed their waters together,
But had not formed pastures, nor discovered reed-beds;
When yet no gods were manifest,
Nor names pronounced, nor destinies decreed,
Then gods were born within them.
Lahmu and Lahamu emerged, their names pronounced.
As soon as they matured, were fully formed,
Anshar and Kisar were born, surpassing them.
They passed the days at length, they added to the years.
Anu their first-born son rivalled his forefathers:
Anshar made his son Anu like himself,
And Anu begot Nudimmud in his likeness.
He, Nudimmud, was superior to his forefathers:
Profound of understanding, he was wise, was very strong at arms.
Mightier by far than Anshar his father's begetter,
He had no rival among the gods his peers.
The gods of that generation would meet together
And disturb Tiamat, and their clamor reverberated.
They stirred up Tiamat's belly,
They were annoying her by playing inside Anduruna.
Apsu could not quell their noise
And Tiamat became mute before them;
However grievous their behavior to her,
However bad their ways, she would indulge them.
Finally Apsu, begetter of the great gods,
Called out and addressed his vizier Mummu,
‘O Mummu, vizier who pleases me!
Come, let us go to Tiamat!'
They went and sat in front of Tiamat,
And discussed affairs concerning the gods their sons.
Apsu made his voice heard
And spoke to Tiamat in a loud voice,
‘Their ways have become very grievous to me,
By day I cannot rest, by night I cannot sleep.
I shall abolish their ways and disperse them!
Let peace prevail, so that we can sleep.'
When Tiamat heard this,
She was furious and shouted at her lover;
She shouted dreadfully and was beside herself with rage,
But then suppressed the evil in her belly.
‘How could we allow what we ourselves created to perish?
Even though their ways are so grievous, we should bear it patiently.'
(Vizier) Mummu replied and counseled Apsu;
The vizier did not agree with the counsel of his earth mother.
‘O father, put an end to (their) troublesome ways, so that she may be allowed to rest by day and sleep at night.'
Apsu was pleased with him, his face lit up
At the evil he was planning for the gods his sons.
(Vizier) Mummu hugged him,
Sat on his lap and kissed him rapturously.
But everything they plotted between them
Was relayed to the gods their sons.
The gods listened and wandered about restlessly;
They fell silent, they sat mute.
Superior in understanding, wise and capable,
Ea who knows everything found out their plot,
Made for himself a design of everything, and laid it out correctly,
Made it cleverly, his pure spell was superb.
He recited it and it stilled the waters.
He poured sleep upon him so that he was sleeping soundly,
Put Apsu to sleep, drenched with sleep.
Vizier Mummu the counselor (was in ) a sleepless daze.
He (Ea) unfastened his belt, took off his crown,
Took away his mantle of radiance and put it on himself.
He held Apsu down and slew him;
Tied up Mummu and laid him across him.
He set up his dwelling on top of Apsu,
And grasped Mummu, held him by a nose-rope.
When he had overcome and slain his enemies,
Ea set up his triumphal cry over his foes.
Then he rested very quietly inside his private quarters
And named them Apsu and assigned chapels,
Founded his own residence there,
And Ea and Damkina his lover dwelt in splendor.
In the chamber of destinies, the hall of designs,
Bel, cleverest of the clever, sage of the gods, was begotten.
And inside Apsu, Marduk was created;
Inside pure Apsu, Marduk was born.
Ea his father created him,
Damkina his mother bore him.
He suckled the teats of goddesses;
The nurse who reared him filled him with awesomeness.
Proud was his form, piercing his stare,
Mature his emergence, he was powerful from the start.
Anu his father's begetter beheld him,
And rejoiced, beamed; his heart was filled with joy.
He made him so perfect that his godhead was doubled.
Elevated far above them, he was superior in every way.
His limbs were ingeniously made beyond comprehension,
Impossible to understand, too difficult to perceive.
Four were his eyes, four were his ears;
When his lips moved, fire blazed forth.
The four ears were enormous
And likewise the eyes; they perceived everything.
Highest among the gods, his form was outstanding.
His limbs were very long, his height (?) outstanding.
(Anu cried out)
‘Mariutu, Mariutu, Son, majesty, majesty of the gods!'
Clothed in the radiant mantle of ten gods, worn high above his head
Five fearsome rays were clustered above him.
Anu created the four winds and gave them birth,
Put them in his (Marduk's) hand, ‘My son, let them play!'
He fashioned dust and made the whirlwind carry it;
He made the flood-wave and stirred up Tiamat.
Tiamat was stirred up, and heaved restlessly day and night.
The gods, unable to rest, had to suffer . . .
They plotted evil in their hearts, and
They addressed Tiamat their mother, saying,
‘Because they slew Apsu your lover and
You did not go to his side but sat mute,
He has created the four, fearful winds
To stir up your belly on purpose, and we simply cannot sleep!
Was your lover Apsu not in your heart?
And (vizier) Mummu who was captured? No wonder you sit alone!
Are you not a mother? You heave restlessly
But what about us, who cannot rest? Don't you love us?
Our grip (?) [is slack], (and) our eyes are sunken.
Remove the yoke of us restless ones, and let us sleep!
Set up a [battle cry] and avenge them!
Conquer the enemy] and reduce them to nought!'
Tiamat listened, and the speech pleased her.
‘Let us act now, (?) as you were advising!
The gods inside him (Apsu) will be disturbed,
Because they adopted evil for the gods who begot them.'
They crowded round and rallied beside Tiamat.
They were fierce, scheming restlessly night and day.
They were working up to war, growling and raging.
They convened a council and created conflict.
Mother Hubur, who fashions all things,
Contributed an unfaceable weapon: she bore giant snakes,
Sharp of tooth and unsparing of fang(?).
She filled their bodies with venom instead of blood.
She cloaked ferocious dragons with fearsome rays
And made them bear mantles of radiance, made them godlike,
(chanting this imprecation)
‘Whoever looks upon them shall collapse in utter terror!
Their bodies shall rear up continually and never turn away!'
She stationed a horned serpent, a mushussu-dragon, and a lahmu-hero,
An ugallu-demon, a rabid dog, and a scorpion-man,
Aggressive umu-demons, a fish-man, and a bull-man
Bearing merciless weapons, fearless in battle.
Her orders were so powerful, they could not be disobeyed.
In addition she created eleven more likewise.
Over the gods her offspring who had convened a council for her
She promoted Qingu and made him greatest among them,
Conferred upon him leadership of the army, command of the assembly,
Raising the weapon to signal engagement, mustering combat-troops,
Overall command of the whole battle force.
And she set him upon a throne.
‘I have cast the spell for you and made you greatest in the gods' assembly!
I have put into your power rule over all the gods!
You shall be the greatest, for you are my only lover!
Your commands shall always prevail over all the Anukki!'
Then she gave him the Tablet of Destinies and made him clasp it to his breast.
‘Your utterance shall never be altered! Your word shall be law!'
When Qingu was promoted and had received the Anu-power
And had decreed destinies for the gods his sons, (he said),
‘What issues forth from your mouths shall quench Fire!
Your accumulated venom (?) shall paralyze the powerful!'

Tablet 2

Tiamat assembled his creatures
And collected battle-units against the gods his offspring.
Tiamat did even more evil for posterity than Apsu.
It was reported (?) to Ea that she had prepared for war.
Ea listened to that report,
And was dumbfounded and sat in silence.
When he had pondered and his fury subsided,
He made his way to Anshar his father;
Came before Anshar, the father who begot him
And began to repeat to him everything that Tiamat had planned.
‘Father, Tiamat who bore us is rejecting us!
She has convened an assembly and is raging out of control.
The gods have turned to her, all of them,
Even those whom you begot have gone over to her side,
Have crowded round and rallied beside Tiamat.
Fierce, scheming restlessly night and day,
Working up to war, growling and raging,
They have convened a council and created conflict.
Mother Hubur, who fashions all things,
Contributed an unfaceable weapon: she bore giant snakes,
Sharp of tooth and unsparing of fang(?).
She filled their bodies with venom instead of blood.
She cloaked ferocious dragons with fearsome rays
And made them bear mantles of radiance, made them godlike,
(chanting this imprecation)
"Whoever looks upon them shall collapse in utter terror!
Their bodies shall rear up continually and never turn away!"
She stationed a horned serpent, a mushussu-dragon, and a lahmu-hero,
An ugallu-demon, a rabid dog, and a scorpion-man,
Aggressive umu-demons, a fish-man, and a bull-man
Bearing merciless weapons, fearless in battle.
Her orders were so powerful, they could not be disobeyed.
In addition she created eleven more likewise.
Over the gods her offspring who had convened a council for her
She promoted Qingu and made him greatest among them,
Conferred upon him leadership of the army, command of the assembly,
Raising the weapon to signal engagement, mustering combat-troops,
Overall command of the whole battle force.
And she set him upon a throne.
"I have cast the spell for you and made you greatest in the gods' assembly!
I have put into your power rule over all the gods!
You shall be the greatest, for you are my only lover!
Your commands shall always prevail over all the Anukki!"
Then she gave him the Tablet of Destinies and made him clasp it to his breast.
"Your utterance shall never be altered! Your word shall be law!"
When Qingu was promoted and had received the Anu-power
And had decreed destinies for the gods his sons, (he said),
"What issues forth from your mouths shall quench Fire!
Your accumulated venom (?) shall paralyze the powerful!"'
Anshar listened, and the report was very disturbing.
[He twisted his fingers (?)]and bit his lip;
[His liver was inflamed (?)], his belly would not rest.
His roar to Ea his son was quite weak.
‘You must be the one who declares war!
Keep brandishing what you have made (as arms) for yourself!
[You are the hero, (?)], you slew Apsu.
Where else (will we find) someone to face Tiamat when she rages uncontrollably?'
[ ]good sense
[ of the] gods Nudimmud
[ ]
Ea made his voice heard,
‘You are the unfathomable fixer of fates!
The power to create and to destroy is yours!
O Anshar, you are the unfathomable fixer of fates!
The power to create and to destroy is yours!
[The ]which you order immediately [ ]
(5 lines very fragmentary)
Anshar listened and the speech pleased him.
His heart prompted him to speak to Ea,
‘Your courage like a god [ ]
[ ] ... [ ]
Rise up against Tiamat!'
(gap of up to 25 lines)
He (Anshar) addressed Anu his son saying,
‘This . . . is the kasusu-weapon of warriors.
Its strength is mighty, its attack unfaceable.
Go against Tiamat and stand your ground!
Let her anger abate, let her fury be quelled.
If she will not listen to your word,
Speak our words(?) to her, that she may be calmed.'
He listened to the speech of his father Anshar,
And took the road to her and made his way straight to her.
Anu set out. He was trying to find out the strategy of Tiamat.
[ and] he turned back.
[He entered the presence of] Anshar the father who begot him
[ ] he addressed him,
[‘ ] too great for me.
(short gap)
She laid(?) the . . . of her hand on top of me.'
Anshar was speechless, and stared at the ground;
He gnashed his teeth (?) And shook his head (in despair) at Ea.
Now, the Igigi assembled, all the Anukki.
They sat silently (for a while), tight-lipped.
(Finally they spoke)
‘Will no (other) god come forward? Is [fate] fixed?
Will no one go out to face Tiamat with [ ]?'
Then Ea from his secret dwelling called
[The perfect] one (?) of Anshar, father of the great gods,
Whose heart is perfect like a fellow-citizen or countryman (?),
The mighty heir who was to be his father's champion,
Who rushes (fearlessly) into battle: Marduk the Hero!
He told him his innermost design, saying,
‘O Marduk, take my advice, listen to your father!
You are the son who sets his heart at rest!
Approach Anshar, drawing near to him,
And make your voice heard, stand your ground: he will be calmed by the sight of you.'
The Lord rejoiced at the word of his father,
And he approached and stood before Anshar.
Anshar looked at him, and his heart was filled with joy.
He kissed him on the lips, put away his trepidation.
(Then Marduk addressed him, saying)
‘Father, don't stay so silent, open your lips,
Let me go, and let me fulfill your heart's desire.
Anshar, don't stay so silent, open your lips,
Let me go, and let me fulfill your heart's desire.'
(Anshar replied)
‘What kind of man has ordered you out (to) his war?
My son, (don't you realize that) it is Tiamat, of womankind, who will advance against you with arms?'
(Marduk answered)
‘Father, my creator, rejoice and be glad!
You shall soon set your foot upon the back of Tiamat!
Anshar, my creator, rejoice and be glad,
You shall soon set your foot upon the neck of Tiamat.'
(Anshar replied)
‘Then go, son, knowing all wisdom!
Quell Tiamat with your pure spell!
Set forth immediately (in) the storm chariot;
Let its [ ] be not driven out, but turn (them?) back!'
The Lord rejoiced at the word of his father;
His heart was glad and he addressed his father,
‘Lord of the gods, fate of the great gods,
If indeed I am to be your champion,
If I am to defeat Tiamat and save your lives,
Convene the council, name a special fate,
Sit joyfully together in Ubshu-ukkinakku:
My own utterance shall fix fate instead of you!
Whatever I create shall never be altered!
The decree of my lips shall never be revoked, never changed!'
[ [Written] according to [ ] [ ] a copy from Assur.]

Tablet 3

Anshar made his voice heard
And addressed his speech to Kakka his vizier,
‘O Kakka, vizier who pleases me!
I shall send you to Lahmu and Lahamu.
You know how to probe, you are skilled in speaking.
Have the gods my fathers brought before me;
Let all the gods be brought to me.
Let there be conversation, let them sit at a banquet,
Let them eat grain, let them drink choice wine,
(And then) let them decree a destiny for Marduk their champion.
Set off, Kakka, go and stand before them, and
Everything that I am about to tell you, repeat to them,
"Anshar your son has sent me,
He has told me to report his heart's message,
To say, "Tiamat who bore us is rejecting us!
She has convened a council and is raging out of control.
The gods have turned to her, all of them,
Even those whom you begot have gone over to her side,
Have crowded round and rallied beside Tiamat.
They are fierce, scheming restlessly night and day,
They are working up to war, growling and raging,
They convened a council and created conflict.
Mother Hubur, who fashions all things,
Contributed an unfaceable weapon: she bore giant snakes,
Sharp of tooth and unsparing of fang(?).
She filled their bodies with venom instead of blood.
She cloaked ferocious dragons with fearsome rays
And made them bear mantles of radiance, made them godlike,
(chanting this imprecation)
"Whoever looks upon them shall collapse in utter terror!
Their bodies shall rear up continually and never turn away!"
She stationed a horned serpent, a mushussu-dragon, and a lahmu-hero,
An ugallu-demon, a rabid dog, and a scorpion-man,
Aggressive umu-demons, a fish-man, and a bull-man
Bearing merciless weapons, fearless in battle.
Her orders were so powerful, they could not be disobeyed.
In addition she created eleven more likewise.
Over the gods her offspring who had convened a council for her
She promoted Qingu and made him greatest among them,
Conferred upon him leadership of the army, command of the assembly,
Raising the weapon to signal engagement, to rise up for combat,
Overall command of the whole battle force.
And she set him upon a throne.
"I have cast the spell for you and made you greatest in the gods' assembly!
I have put into your power rule over all the gods!
You shall be the greatest, for you are my only lover!
Your commands shall always prevail over all the Anunnaki!"
Then she gave him the Tablet of Destinies and made him clasp it to his breast.
"Your utterance shall never be altered! Your word shall be law!"
When Qingu was promoted and had received the Anu-power
And had decreed destinies for the gods his sons, (he said),
"What issues forth from your mouths shall quench Fire!
Your accumulated venom (?) shall paralyze the powerful!"
I sent Anu, but he was unable to face her.
Nudimmud panicked and turned back.
Then Marduk, sage of the gods, your son, came forward.
He wanted of his own free will to confront Tiamat.
He addressed his words to me,
"If indeed I am to be your champion,
To defeat Tiamat and save your lives,
Convene the council, name a special fate,
Sit joyfully together in Ubshu-ukkinakku:
And let me, my own utterance, fix fate instead of you!
Whatever I create shall never be altered!
The decree of my lips shall never be revoked, never changed!"
Hurry and decree your destiny for him quickly,
So that he may go and face your formidable enemy!"'
Kakka set off and went on his way,
And before Lahmu and Lahamu the gods his fathers
Prostrated himself and kissed the earth in front of them,
Then straightened up and stood and spoke to them,
‘Anshar your son has sent me.
He has told me to report his personal message,
To say, "Tiamat who bore us is rejecting us!
She has convened a council and is raging out of control.
The gods have turned to her, all of them,
Even those whom you begot have gone over to her side,
Have crowded round and rallied beside Tiamat.
Fierce, scheming restlessly night and day,
Working up to war, growling and raging,
They have convened a council and created conflict.
Mother Hubur, who fashions all things,
Contributed an unfaceable weapon: she bore giant snakes,
Sharp of tooth and unsparing of fang(?).
She filled their bodies with venom instead of blood.
She cloaked ferocious dragons with fearsome rays
And made them bear mantles of radiance, made them godlike,
(chanting this imprecation)
"Whoever looks upon them shall collapse in utter terror!
Their bodies shall rear up continually and never turn away!"
She stationed a horned serpent, a mushussu-dragon, and a lahmu-hero,
An ugallu-demon, a rabid dog, and a scorpion-man,
Aggressive umu-demons, a fish-man, and a bull-man
Bearing merciless weapons, fearless in battle.
Her orders were so powerful, they could not be disobeyed.
In addition she created eleven more likewise.
Over the gods her offspring who had convened a council for her
She promoted Qingu and made him greatest among them,
Conferred upon him leadership of the army, command of the assembly,
Raising the weapon to signal engagement, to rise up for combat,
Overall command of the whole battle force.
And she set him upon a throne.
"I have cast the spell for you and made you greatest in the gods' assembly!
I have put into your power rule over all the gods!
You shall be the greatest, for you are my only lover!
Your commands shall always prevail over all the Anunnaki!"
Then she gave him the Tablet of Destinies and made him clasp it to his breast.
"Your utterance shall never be altered! Your word shall be law!"
When Qingu was promoted and had received the Anu-power
And had decreed destinies for the gods his sons, (he said),
"What issues forth from your mouths shall quench Fire!
Your accumulated venom (?) shall paralyze the powerful!"
I sent Anu, but he was unable to face her.
Nudimmud panicked and turned back.
Then Marduk, sage of the gods, your son, came forward.
He wanted of his own free will to confront Tiamat.
He addressed his words to me,
"If indeed I am to be your champion,
To defeat Tiamat and save your lives,
Convene the council, name a special fate,
Sit joyfully together in Ubshu-ukkinakku:
And let me, my own utterance, fix fate instead of you!
Whatever I create shall never be altered!
The decree of my lips shall never be revoked, never changed!"
Hurry and decree your destinies for him quickly,
So that he may go and face your formidable enemy!"'
Lahmu and Lahamu listened and cried aloud.
All the Igigi groaned dreadfully,
‘How terrible! Until he (Anshar) decided to report to us,
We did not even know what Tiamat was doing.'
They milled around and then came,
All the great gods who fix the fates,
Entered into Anshar's presence and were filled with joy.
Each kissed the other: in the assembly [ ]
There was conversation, they sat at the banquet,
Ate grain, drank choice wine,
Let sweet beer trickle through their drinking straws.
Their bodies swelled as they drank the liquor;
They became very carefree, they were merry,
And they decreed destiny for Marduk their champion.

Tablet 4

They founded a princely shrine for him.
And he took up residence as ruler before his fathers,
(who proclaimed)
‘You are honoured among the great gods.
Your destiny is unequalled, your word (has the power of) Anu!
O Marduk, you are honoured among the great gods.
Your destiny is unequalled, your word (has the power of) Anu!
From this day onwards your command shall not be altered.
Yours is the power to exalt and abase.
May your utterance be law, your word never be falsified.
None of the gods shall transgress your limits.
May endowment, required for the gods' shrines
Wherever they have temples, be established for your place.
O Marduk, you are our champion!
We hereby give you sovereignty over the whole universe.
Sit in the assembly and your word shall be pre-eminent!
May your weapons never miss (the mark), may they smash your enemies!
O lord, spare the life of him who trusts in you,
But drain the life of the god who has espoused evil!'
They set up in their midst one constellation,
And then they addressed Marduk their son,
‘May your decree, O lord, impress the gods!
Command to destroy and to recreate, and let it be so!
Speak and let the constellation vanish!
Speak to it again and let the constellation reappear.'
He spoke, and at his word the constellation vanished.
He spoke to it again and the constellation was recreated.
When the gods his fathers saw how effective his utterance was,
They rejoiced, they proclaimed: ‘Marduk is King!'
They invested him with sceptre, throne, and staff-of-office.
They gave him an unfaceable weapon to crush the foe.
‘Go, and cut off the life of Tiamat!
Let the winds bear her blood to us as good news!'
The gods his fathers thus decreed the destiny of the lord
And set him on the path of peace and obedience.
He fashioned a bow, designated it as his weapon,
Feathered the arrow, set it in the string.
He lifted up a mace and carried it in his right hand,
Slung the bow and quiver at his side,
Put lightning in front of him,
His body was filled with an ever-blazing flame.
He made a net to encircle Tiamat within it,
Marshalled the four winds so that no part of her could escape:
South Wind, North Wind, East Wind, West Wind,
The gift of his father Anu, he kept them close to the net at his side.
He created the imhullu-wind (evil wind), the tempest, the whirlwind,
The Four Winds, the Seven Winds, the tornado, the unfaceable facing wind.
He released the winds which he had created, seven of them.
They advanced behind him to make turmoil inside Tiamat.
The lord raised the flood-weapon, his great weapon,
And mounted the frightful, unfaceable storm-chariot.
He had yoked to it a team of four and had harnessed to its side
‘Slayer', ‘Pitiless', ‘Racer', and ‘Flyer';
Their lips were drawn back, their teeth carried poison.
They know not exhaustion, they can only devastate.
He stationed on his right Fiercesome Fight and Conflict,
On the left Battle to knock down every contender (?).
Clothed in a cloak of awesome armour,
His head was crowned with a terrible radiance.
The Lord set out and took the road,
And set his face towards Tiamat who raged out of control.
In his lips he gripped a spell,
In his hand he grasped a herb to counter poison.
Then they thronged about him, the gods thronged about him;
The gods his fathers thronged about him, the gods thronged about him.
The Lord drew near and looked into the middle of Tiamat:
He was trying to find out the strategy of Qingu her lover.
As he looked, his mind became confused,
His will crumbled and his actions were muddled.
As for the gods his helpers, who marched) at his side,
When they saw the warrior, the leader, their looks were strained.
Tiamat cast her spell. She did not even turn her neck.
In her lips she was holding falsehood, lies, (wheedling),
‘[How powerful is] your attacking force, O lord of the gods!
The whole assembly of them has gathered to your place!'
(But he ignored her brandishments)
The Lord lifted up the flood-weapon, his great weapon
And sent a message to Tiamat who feigned goodwill, saying:
‘Why are you so friendly on the surface
When your depths conspire to muster a battle force?
Just because the sons were noisy (and) disrespectful to their fathers,
Should you, who gave them birth, reject compassion?
You named Qingu as your lover,
You appointed him to rites of Anu-power, wrongfully his.
You sought out evil for Anshar, king of the gods,
So you have compounded your wickedness against the gods my fathers!
Let your host prepare! Let them gird themselves with your weapons!
Stand forth, and you and I shall do single combat!'
When Tiamat heard this,
She went wild, she lost her temper.
Tiamat screamed aloud in a passion,
Her lower parts shook together from the depths.
She recited the incantation and kept casting her spell.
Meanwhile the gods of battle were sharpening their weapons.
Face to face they came, Tiamat and Marduk, sage of the gods.
They engaged in combat, they closed for battle.
The Lord spread his net and made it encircle her,
To her face he dispatched the imhullu-wind so that she could not close her lips.
Fierce winds distended her belly;
Her insides were constipated and she stretched her mouth wide.
He shot an arrow which pierced her belly,
Split her down the middle and split her heart,
Vanquished her and extinguished her life.
He threw down the corpse and stood on top of her.
When he had slain Tiamat, the leader,
He broke up her regiments; her assembly was scattered.
Then the gods her helpers, who had marched at her side,
Began to tremble, panicked, and turned tail.
Although he allowed them to come out and spared their lives,
They were surrounded, they could not flee.
Then he tied them up and smashed their weapons.
They were thrown into the net and sat there ensnared.
They cowered back, filled with woe.
They had to bear his punishment, confined to prison.
And as for the dozens of creatures, covered in fearsome rays,
The gang of demons who all marched on her right,
He fixed them with nose-ropes and tied their arms.
He trampled their battle-filth (?) Beneath him.
As for Qingu, who had once been the greatest among them,
He defeated him and counted him among the dead gods,
Wrested from him the Tablet of Destinies, wrongfully his,
Sealed it with (his own) seal and pressed it to his breast.
When he had defeated and killed his enemies
And had proclaimed the submissive (?) foe his slave,
And had set up the triumphal cry of Anshar over all the enemy,
And had achieved the desire of Nudimmud, Marduk the warrior
Strengthened his hold over the captive gods,
And to Tiamat, whom he had ensnared, he turned back.
The Lord trampled the lower part of Tiamat,
With his unsparing mace smashed her skull,
Severed the arteries of her blood,
And made the North Wind carry it off as good news.
His fathers saw it and were jubilant: they rejoiced,
Arranged to greet him with presents, greetings gifts.
The Lord rested, and inspected her corpse.
He divided the monstrous shape and created marvels (from it).
He sliced her in half like a fish for drying:
Half of her he put up to roof the sky,
Drew a bolt across and made a guard hold it.
Her waters he arranged so that they could not escape.
He crossed the heavens and sought out a shrine;
He leveled Apsu, dwelling of Nudimmud.
The Lord measured the dimensions of Apsu
And the large temple (Eshgalla), which he built in its image, was Esharra:
In the great shrine Esharra, which he had created as the sky,
He founded cult centers for Anu, Ellil, and Ea.
[146 lines. Fourth tablet. Not complete. Written according to a tablet whose lines were cancelled. Nabu-belshu (son of) Na'id-Marduk, son of a smith, wrote it for the life of himself And the life of his house, and deposited (it) in Ezida.]

Tablet 5

He fashioned stands for the great gods.
As for the stars, he set up constellations corresponding to them.
He designated the year and marked out its divisions,
Apportioned three stars each to the twelve months
When he had made plans of the days of the year,
He founded the stand of Nibiru to mark out their courses,
So that none of them could go wrong or stray.
He fixed the stand of Ellil and Ea together with it,
Opened up gates in both ribs,
Made strong bolts to left and right,
With her liver he located the Zenith;
He made the crescent moon appear, entrusted night (to it)
And designated it the jewel of night to mark out the days.
‘Go forth every month without fail in a corona,
At the beginning of the month, to glow over the land.
You shine with horns to mark out six days;
On the seventh day the crown is half.
The fifteenth day shall always be the mid-point, the half of each month.
When Shamash looks at you from the horizon,
Gradually shed your visibility and begin to wane.
Always bring the day of disappearance close to the path of Shamash,
And on the thirtieth day, the [year] is always equalized, for Shamash is (responsible for) the year.
A sign [shall appear (?)]: sweep along its path.
Then always approach the [ ] and judge the case.
[ ] the Bowstar to kill and rob.
(15 lines broken)
At the New Year's Festival
Year [ ]
May [ ]
The bolt of the exit [ ]
From the days [ ]
The watches of night and day [ ]
The spittle of Tiamat [ ]
Marduk [ ]
He put into groups and made clouds scud.
Raising winds, making rain,
Making fog billow, by collecting her poison,
He assigned for himself and let his own hand control it.
He placed her head, heaped up [ ]
Opened up springs: water gushed out.
He opened the Euphrates and the Tigris from her eyes,
Closed her nostrils, [ ].
He piled up clear-cut mountains from her udder,
Bored waterholes to drain off the catchwater.
He laid her tail across, tied it fast as the cosmic bond (?),
And [ ] the Apsu beneath his feet.
He set her thigh to make fast the sky,
With half of her he made a roof; he fixed the earth.
He [ ] the work, made the insides of Tiamat surge,
Spread his net, made it extend completely.
He . . . [ ] heaven and earth
[ ] their knots, to coil [ ]
When he had designed its cult, created its rites,
He threw down the reins (and) made Ea take (them).
The Tablet of Destinies, which Qingu had appropriated, he fetched
And took it and presented it for a first reading (?) to Anu.
[The gods (?) of] battle whom he had ensnared were disentangled (?);
He led (them) as captives into the presence of his fathers.
And as for the eleven creatures that Tiamat had created, he [ ],
Smashed their weapons, tied them at his feet,
Made images of them and had them set up at the door of Apsu.
‘Let this be a sign that will never in future be forgotten!'
The gods looked, and their hearts were full of joy at him.
Lahmu and Lahamu and all his fathers
Embraced him, and Anshar the king proclaimed that there should be a reception for him.
Anu, Enlil, and Ea each presented him with gifts.
[ ] Damkina his mother exclaimed with joy at him;
She made him beam [inside (?)] his fine (?) house.
He (Marduk) appointed Usmu, who had brought his greetings present as good news,
To be vizier of the Apsu, to take care of shrines.
The Igigi assembled, and all of them did obeisance to him.
The Anunnaki, each and every one, kissed his feet.
The whole assembly collected together to prostrate themselves.
[ ] they stood, they bowed, ‘Yes, King indeed!'
[ ] his fathers took their fill of his manliness,
[They took off his clothes] which were enveloped in the dust of combat.
[ ] the gods were attentive to him.
With cypress [ ] they sprinkled (?) his body.
He put on a princely garment,
A royal aura, a splendid crown.
He took up a mace and grasped it in his right hand.
[ ] his left hand.
[ ]
He set a [mushussu-dragon (?)] at his feet,
Placed upon [ ]
Slung the staff of peace and obedience at his side.
When the mantle of radiance [ ]
And his net was holding (?) fearful Apsu,
A bull [ ]
In the inner chamber of his throne [ ]
In his cellar [ ]
The gods, all that existed, [ ]
Lahmu and Lahamu [ ]
Made their voices heard and spoke to the Igigi,
‘Previously Marduk was (just) our beloved son
But now he is your king. Take heed of his command.'
Next they spoke and proclaimed in unison,
‘LUGAL-DIMMER-ANKIA is his name. Trust in him!
When they gave kingship to Marduk,
They spoke an oration for him, for blessing and obedience.
Henceforth you shall be the provider of shrines for us.
Whatever you command, we shall perform ourselves.'
Marduk made his voice heard and spoke,
Addressed his words to the gods his fathers,
‘Over the Apsu, the sea-green dwelling,
In front of (?) Esharra, which I created for you,
(Where) I strengthened the ground beneath it for a shrine,
I shall make my house to be a luxurious dwelling for myself
And shall found his cult center within it,
And I shall establish my private quarters, and confirm my kingship.
Whenever you come up from the Apsu for an assembly,
Your night's resting place shall ve in it, receiving you all.
I hereby name it Babylon, home of the great gods.
We shall make it the center of religion.'
The gods his fathers listened to this command of his,
‘[ ]...
Who has [ ] your [ ]
More than you by yourself have created?
Babylon, whose name you have just pronounced,
Found there our night's resting place forever!
[ ] let them bring our regular offerings
[ ]
Whatever our work that we [ ]
There [ ] his toil [ ].'
They rejoiced [ ]
The gods [ ] them
Who knows [ ] them light
He made his voice heard, his command [ ]
[ ] them [ ]
[ ]
They did obeisance to him and the gods spoke to him,
They addressed their lord Lugal-dimmer-ankia,
‘Previously the Lord was [our beloved] son.
But now he is our king. We shall take heed of his command.
[ ] gave long life [ ]
[ ] the mantle of radiance, the mace, and staff.
[ ] all the lore of sages.
We [ ].
[Palace of Asssurbanipal, king of the world, king of Assyria.]

Tablet 6

When Marduk heard the speech of the gods,
He made up his mind to perform miracles.
He spoke his utterance to Ea,
And communicated to him the plan that he was considering.
‘Let me put blood together, and make bones too.
Let me set up primeval man: Man shall be his name.
Let me create a primeval man.
The work of the gods shall be imposed (on him), and so they shall be at leisure.
Let me change the ways of the gods miraculously,
So they are gathered as one yet divided in two.'
Ea answered him and spoke a word to him,
Told him his plan for the leisure of the gods.
‘Let one who is hostile to them be surrendered (up),
Let him be destroyed, and let people be created (from him).
Let the great gods assemble,
Let the culprit be given up, and let them convict him.'
Marduk assembled the great gods,
Gave (them) instructions pleasantly, gave orders.
The gods paid attention to what he said.
The king addressed his words to the Anunnaki,
‘Your election of me shall be firm and foremost.
I shall declare the laws, the edicts within my power.
Whosoever started the war,
And incited Tiamat, and gathered an army,
Let the one who started the war be given up to me,
And he shall bear the penalty for his crime, that you may dwell in peace.'
The Igigi, the great gods, answered him,
Their lord Lugal-dimmer-ankia, counselor of the gods,
‘It was Qingu who started the war,
He who incited Tiamat and gathered an army!'
They bound him and held him in front of Ea,
Imposed the penalty on him and cut off his blood.
He created mankind from his blood,
Imposed the toil of the gods (on man) and released the gods from it.
When Ea the wise had created mankind,
Had imposed the toil of the gods on them -
That deed is impossible to describe,
For Nudimmud performed it with the miracles of Marduk -
Then Marduk the king divided the gods,
The Anunnaki, all of them, above and below.
He assigned his decrees to Anu to guard,
Established three hundred as a guard in the sky;
Did the same again when he designed the conventions of earth,
And made the six hundred dwell in both heaven and earth.
When he had directed all the decrees,
Had divided lots for the Anunnaki, of heaven and of earth,
The Anunnaki made their voices heard
And addressed Marduk their lord,
‘Now, O Lord, that you have set us free,
What are our favours from you?
We would like to make a shrine with its own name.
We would like our night's resting place to be in your private quarters, and to rest there.
Let us found a shrine, a sanctuary there.
Whenever we arrive, let us rest within it.'
When Marduk heard this,
His face lit up greatly, like daylight.
‘Create Babylon, whose construction you requested!
Let its mud bricks be moulded, and build high the shrine!'
The Anunnaki began shoveling.
For a whole year they made bricks for it.
When the second year arrived,
They had raised the top of Esagila in front of (?) the Apsu;
They had built a high ziggurat for the Apsu.
They founded a dwelling for Anu, Ellil, and Ea likewise.
In ascendancy he settled himself in front of them,
And his ‘horns' look down at the base of Esharra.
When they had done the work on Esagila,
(And) the Anunnaki, all of them, had fashioned their individual shrines,
The three hundred Igigi of heaven and the Anunnaki of the Apsu assembled.
The Lord invited the gods his fathers to attend a banquet
In the great sanctuary which he and created as his dwelling.
‘Indeed, Bab-ili (is) your home too!
Sing for joy there, dwell in happiness!'
The great gods sat down there,
And set out the beer mugs; they attended the banquet.
When they had made merry within,
They themselves made a taqribtu-offering in splendid Esagila.
All the decrees (and) designs were fixed.
All the gods divided the stations of heaven and earth.
The fifty great gods were present, and
The gods fixed the seven destinies for the cult.
The Lord received the bow, and set his weapon down in front of them.
The gods his fathers looked at the net which he had made,
Looked at the bow, how miraculous her construction,
And his fathers praised the deeds that he had done.
Anu raised (the bow) and spoke in the assembly of gods,
He kissed the bow. ‘May she go far!'
He gave to the bow her names, saying,
‘May Long and Far be the first, and Victorious the second;
Her third name shall be Bowstar, for she shall shine in the sky.'
He fixed her position among the gods her companions.
When Anu had decreed the destiny of the bow,
He set down her royal throne. ‘You are highest of the gods!'
And Anu made her sit in the assembly of gods.
The great gods assembled
And made Marduk's destiny highest; they themselves did obeisance.
They swore an oath for themselves,
And swore on water and oil, touched their throats.
Thus they granted that he should exercise the kingship of the gods
And confirmed for him mastery of the gods of heaven and earth.
Anshar gave him another name: ASARLUHI.
‘At the mention of his name we shall bow down!
The gods are to pay heed to what he says:
His command is to have priority above and below.
The son who avenged us shall be the highest!
His rule shall have priority; let him have no rival!
Let him act as shepherd over the black-headed people, his creation.
Let his way be proclaimed in future days, never forgotten.
He shall establish great nindabu-offerings for his fathers.
He shall take care of them, he shall look after their shrines.
He shall let them smell the qutrinnu-offering, and make their chant joyful.
Let him breathe on earth as freely as he always does in heaven.
Let him designate the black-headed people to revere him,
That mankind may be mindful of him, and name him as their god.
Let their (interceding) goddess pay attention when he opens his mouth.
Let nindabu-offerings be brought [to] their god (and) their goddess.
Let them never be forgotten! Let them cleave to their god.
Let them keep their country preeminent, and always build shrines.
Though the black-headed people share out the gods,
As for us, no matter by which name we call him, he shall be our god.
Come, let us call him by his fifty names!
His ways shall be proclaimed, and his deeds likewise!
MARDUK
Whose father Anu designated him at the moment of his birth, To be in charge of pasturage and watering places, to enrich their stalls,
Who overwhelmed the riotous ones with his flood-weapon?
And saved the gods his fathers from hardship.
Let THE SON, MAJESTY OF THE GODS be his name!
In his bright light may they walk forever more:
The people whom he created, the form of life that breathes.
He imposed the work of the gods (on them) so that they might rest.
Creation and abolition, forgiveness and punishment -
Such are at his disposal, so let them look to him.
MARUKKA---he is the god who created them.
He pleases the Anunnaki and gives rest to the Igigi
MARUTUKKU---he is the help of country, city, and his people.
Him shall the people revere forever.
MERSHAKUSHU---fierce yet considerate, furious yet merciful.
Generous is his heart, controlled are his emotions.
LUGAL-DIMMER-ANKIA---his name which we gave him in our assembly.
We made his command higher than the gods his fathers'.
He is indeed BEL of the gods of heaven and earth, all of them,
The king at whose instruction the gods are awed above and below.
NARI-LUGAL-DIMMER-ANKIA is a name that we have given him as director of the gods,
Who founded our dwellings in heaven and earth out of difficulties,
And who shared out the stations for the Igigi and Anunnaki.
At his names may the gods tremble and quake in (their) dwellings.
ASARLUHI (first) is his name which his father Anu gave him,
He shall be the light of the gods, strong leader,
Who like his name is the protecting spirit of god and country.
He spared our dwellings in the great battle despite difficulties.
Second, they called him Asarluhi as NAMTILA, the god who gives life,
Who restored all the damaged gods as if they were his own creation.
Bel, who revives dead gods with his pure incantation,
Who destroys those who oppose him but . . . s the enemy.
Asarluhi third as NAMRU, whose name was given (thus),
The pure god who purifies our path.'
Anshar, Lahmu, and Lahamu called his three names;
They pronounced them to the gods their sons,
'We have given him each of these three names.
Now you, pronounce his names as we did!'
The gods rejoiced, and obeyed their command.
In Ubshu-ukkinakku they deliberated their counsel.
‘Let us elevate the name of the son, the warrior,
Our champion who looks after us!'
They sat in their assembly and began to call out the destinies,
Pronounced his name in all their rites.

Tablet 7

ASARE, bestower of plough land, who fixes (its) boundaries,
Creator of grain and linseed, producer of vegetation.
ASAR-ALIM, whose weighty counsel in the Chamber of Council is most valued;
The gods, even those who know no fear, pay heed to him.
ASAR-ALIM-NUNA, the honoured one, the light of the father who begot him,
Who directs the orders of Anu, Ellil, Ea, and Damkina?].
He indeed is their provider, who allocates their incomes,
Whose farmland makes a surplus for the country.
He is TUTU, (first) as creator of their renewal.
He shall purify their shrines, that they may stay at rest.
He shall invent an incantation, that the gods may be at peace.
Even if they should rise up in anger, he shall turn them back.
He shall be pre-eminent in the assembly of the gods his fathers;
None among the gods shall rival him.
He is Tutu, (second) as ZI-UKKINA, the inspiration of his people,
Who fixed pure skies for the gods,
Who set their ways and marked out their stations.
May he not be forgotten by teeming humanity, may they uphold his work.
Thirdly, they named him Tutu and ZIKU, upholder of purification,
They god of sweet breath, lord of obedience and consent,
Producer of riches and abundance, who maintains a surplus,
Who turns whatever is scant into plenty.
Even in the worst hardship we can smell his sweet breath!
May they speak in worship and sing his praises!
Fourthly, let the people glorify Tutu as AGAKU,
Lord of the pure incantation, who revives the dying,
Who showed mercy even to the captured gods,
Who removed the yoke imposed upon the gods his enemies,
Who created mankind to set them free,
The merciful one who has the power to give life!
His words shall be firm; they shall never be forgotten
In the mouth of the black-headed people whom he created with his own hands.
Fifthly, let their mouths show forth Tutu as TUKU, whose spell (is) pure,
Who uprooted all the wicked with his pure incantation.
He is SHAZU, aware of the gods' intentions, who can see emotions,
Who does not allow evil-doers to escape him,
Establisher of the gods' assembly, gratifier of their wishes,
Who makes the arrogant kneel beneath his wide canopy.
Director of justice, who plucks out crooked speech,
In whose place lies can be distinguished from truth.
Secondly, let them worship Shazu as ZISI, silencer of the aggressor,
Expeller of deathly silence from the bodies of the gods his fathers.
Thirdly, he is Shazu as SUHRIM, uprooter of all the foe by force of arms,
Dispelling their plots, scattering them to the winds,
Extinguishing all the wicked, wherever they may be.
May the gods always proclaim the triumph in the assembly!
Fourthly, he is Shazu as SUHGURIM, responsible for the obedience of the gods his fathers.
Uprooter of the foe, destroyer of their offspring,
Dispeller of their works, who left no trace of them.
Let his name be proclaimed and spoken in the land.
Fifthly, let future generations consider Shazu as ZAHRIM,
Destroyer of all enemies, every one of them arrogant,
Who brought all the refugee gods into shrines:
Let this be established as his name.
Sixthly, let them all praise Shazu as ZAHGURIM too,
Who destroyed all the foe by himself in battle.
He is ENBILULU, the lord, their enricher;
Their deity is mighty, responsible for sacrificial omens,
Who looks after pasturage and watering places, establishes them for the land,
Who opens up wells (?) and apportions the waters of abundance.
Secondly, let them address Enbilulu as EPADUN, lord of the countryside and . . . ,
Canal-controller of heaven and earth, establisher of the furrow,
Who maintains pure plough land in the countryside,
Who directs ditches and canals and marks out the furrows.
Thirdly, let them praise Enbilulu as GUGAL ("canal-controller") of the gods' irrigated land.
Lord of abundance and the luxuriance of great grain-piles.
Responsible for riches, who gives surplus to homes,
Giver of cereals, producer of grain.
Fourthly (?), he is Enbilulu as HEGAL ("Abundance"), who heaps up a surplus for people,
Who brings rain of abundance over the broad earth, and makes vegetation grow profusely.
He is SIRSIR, who piled a mountain over Tiamat,
And took as booty the corpse of Tiamat, by his force of arms.
Governor of the land, their righteous shepherd,
Whose gifts are cultivation, garden plots and plough land,
Who waded into the broad Sea-Tiamat in his fury:
Like a bridge he spanned her battlefield.
Secondly, they maned Sirsir as MALAH ("Boatman")---may she, Tiamat,
Be his barque forever, and he her sailor.
He is GIL, who amasses mighty heaps and mounds of grain.
Producer of cereals and flocks, giver of the land's seed.
He is GILIMA, who established the cosmic bond of the gods, who created stability;
The ring that encompasses them, who prepares good things,
He is AGILIMA, the lofty, who pulled the crown from the wicked,
And built the earth above the water, established the upper regions.
He is ZULUM who designated fields for the gods, and divided up what he had created.
Bestower of incomes and food offerings, supplier of shrines.
He is MUMMU, fashioner of heaven and earth, director of . . .
The god who purifies heaven and earth, secondly as ZULUM-UMMU
Whom no other god equals for strength.
GISH-NUMUN-AB, creator of all people, maker of the world's quarters,
Destroyer of Tiamat's gods, maker of people in their entirety.
LUGAL-AB-DUBUR, the king who scattered Tiamat's brood and snatched her weapon,
Who made a firm base in the van and the rear.
PAGAL-GUENA, leader of all lords, whose might is supreme,
Who is greatest of the gods his brothers, prince of them all.
LUGAL-DURMAH, king, bond of gods, lord of the cosmic bond,
Who is greatest in the royal abode, highest of the gods by far.
ARANUNA, counselor of Ea, creator of the gods [his (?)] fathers,
Whom no god equals in his princely way.
DUMU-DUKU, whose pure dwelling is marked out for him on the holy mound,
Dumu-duku, without whom rules cannot be decided, LUGAL-DUKU.
LUGAL-SHANNA, king whose might is supreme among the gods.
Lord, might of Anu, who is pre-eminent as the namesake (?) of Anshar.
IRUGA, who took them all captive from inside Tiamat,
Who unites all wisdom, and is broad of understanding.
IRQINGU, who took Qingu captive as foe (?) in (?) battle,
Who administers decrees for everything, who confirms supremacy.
KINMA, director of the gods, giver of counsel,
At whose name the gods themselves quake in fear as in a tempest.
As E-SIZKUR, he shall sit highest in the house of prayer,
And the gods shall bring their presents before him,
As long as he accepts revenues from them.
None may perform miracles without him.
No (other) god shall designate the revenues of the black-headed people, his own creation,
Without him, nor decisions about their lifetimes.
GIBIL, who establishes the . . . of weapon's),
Who performed miracles in the battle with Tiamat.
Profound in wisdom, skilled in understanding,
(So) profound, that none of the gods can comprehend.
ADDU shall be his name: let him cover all the sky,
And may his fine noise rumble over the earth.
May he shed water (?) from the clouds,
And give sustenance to the people below.
ASHARU, who like his name is responsible for the gods of destinies:
He does indeed take charge over every single person.
NEBERU: he does indeed hold the crossings of heaven and earth.
Neither up nor down shall they cross over; they must wait on him.
Nibiru is the star which is bright in the sky.
He controls the crossroads; they must look to him,
Saying: "He who kept crossing inside Tiamat without respite,
Shall have Nibiru as his name, grasping her middle.
May he establish the paths of the heavenly stars,
And may he shepherd all the gods like sheep.
Let him defeat Tiamat, constrict her breath and shorten her life,
So that for future people, till time grows old,
She shall be far removed, not kept here, distant forever,
Because he created a place, he fashioned Dannina."
ENKURKUR, father Ellil named him.
Ea heard that name, by which the Igigi all called him,
And was delighted, saying,
"He whose fathers have given him such a splendid name
Shall have the name Ea, just like me.
He shall have mastery over the arrangement of all my rites,
And shall direct every one of my decrees."'
With fifty epithets the great gods
Called his fifty names, making his way supreme.
May they always be cherished, and may the older explain (to the younger).
Let the wise and learned consult together,
Let the father repeat them and teach them to the son.
Let the ear of shepherd and herdsman be open,
Let him not be negligent to Marduk, the Ellil of the gods.
May his country be made fertile, and himself be safe and sound.
His word is firm, his command cannot alter;
No god can change his utterance.
When he is angry, he does not turn his neck (aside);
In his rage and fury no god dare confront him.
His thoughts are deep, his emotions profound;
Criminals and wrongdoers pass before him.
He (the scribe?) wrote down secret instruction which older men had recited in his presence,
And set it down for future men to read.
May the [people?]s of Marduk whom the Igigi gods created
Weave the [tale?] and call upon his name
In remembrance of the song of Marduk
Who defeated Tiamat and took the kingship.