Part 16 (2/2)
”Then Ninip, the tempest G.o.d, came nigh, and the storm broke in fury before him. All the earth spirits leapt up with flaming torches and the whole land was aflare. The thunder G.o.d swept over the heavens, blotting out the sunlight and bringing thick darkness. Rain poured down the whole day long, and the earth was covered with water; the rivers were swollen; the land was in confusion; men stumbled about in the darkness, battling with the elements. Brothers were unable to see brothers; no man could recognize his friends.... The spirits above looked down and beheld the rising flood and were afraid: they fled away, and in the heaven of Anu they crouched like to hounds in the protecting enclosures.
”In time Ishtar, the lady of the G.o.ds, cried out distressfully, saying: 'The elder race hath perished and turned to clay because that I have consented to evil counsel in the a.s.sembly of the G.o.ds. Alas! I have allowed my people to be destroyed. I gave being to man, but where is he? Like the offspring of fish he c.u.mbers the deep.'
”The earth spirits were weeping with Ishtar: they sat down cowering with tightened lips and spake not; they mourned in silence.
”Six days and six nights went past, and the tempest raged over the waters which gradually covered the land. But when the seventh day came, the wind fell, the whirling waters grew peaceful, and the sea retreated. The storm was over and the rain of destruction had ceased.
I looked forth. I called aloud over the waters. But all mankind had perished and turned to clay. Where fields had been I saw marshes only.
”Then I opened wide the window of the s.h.i.+p, and the sunlight suffused my countenance. I was dazzled and sank down weeping and the tears streamed over my face. Everywhere I looked I saw water.
”At length, land began to appear. The s.h.i.+p drifted towards the country of Nitsir, and then it was held fast by the mountain of Nitsir. Six days went past and the s.h.i.+p remained stedfast. On the seventh day I sent forth a dove, and she flew away and searched this way and that, but found no resting place, so she returned. I then sent forth a swallow, and she returned likewise. Next I sent forth a raven, and she flew away. She saw that the waters were shrinking, and gorged and croaked and waded, but did not come back. Then I brought forth all the animals into the air of heaven.
”An offering I made on the mountain. I poured out a libation. I set up incense vessels seven by seven on heaped-up reeds and used cedar wood with incense. The G.o.ds smelt the sweet savour, and they cl.u.s.tered like flies about the sacrificer.
”Thereafter Ishtar (Sirtu) drew nigh. Lifting up the jewels, which the G.o.d Anu had fas.h.i.+oned for her according to her desire, she spake, saying: 'Oh! these G.o.ds! I vow by the lapis lazuli gems upon my neck that I will never forget! I will remember these days for ever and ever. Let all the G.o.ds come hither to the offering, save Bel (Enlil) alone, because that he ignored my counsel, and sent a great deluge which destroyed my people.'
”But Bel Enlil came also, and when he beheld the s.h.i.+p he paused. His heart was filled with wrath against the G.o.ds and the spirits of heaven. Angrily he spake and said: 'Hath one escaped? It was decreed that no human being should survive the deluge.'
”Ninip, son of Bel, spoke, saying: 'Who hath done this save Ea alone?
He knoweth all things.'
”Ea, G.o.d of the deep, opened his mouth and said unto the warrior Bel: 'Thou art the lord of the G.o.ds, O warrior. But thou wouldst not hearken to my counsel and caused the deluge to be. Now punish the sinner for his sins and the evil doer for his evil deed, but be merciful and do not destroy all mankind. May there never again be a flood. Let the lion come and men will decrease. May there never again be a flood. Let the leopard come and men will decrease. May there never again be a flood. Let famine come upon the land; let Ura, G.o.d of pestilence, come and s.n.a.t.c.h off mankind.... I did not reveal the secret purpose of the mighty G.o.ds, but I caused Atra-chasis (Pir-napishtim) to dream a dream in which he had knowledge of what the G.o.ds had decreed.'
”Having pondered a time over these words, Bel entered the s.h.i.+p alone.
He grasped my hand and led me forth, even me, and he led forth my wife also, and caused her to kneel down beside me. Then he stood between us and gave his blessing. He spoke, saying: 'In time past Pir-napishtim was a man. Henceforth Pir-napishtim and his wife will be like unto deities, even us. Let them dwell apart beyond the river mouths.'
”Thereafter Bel carried me hither beyond the mouths of rivers.”
Flood myths are found in many mythologies both in the Old World and the New.
The violent and deceitful men of the mythical Bronze Age of Greece were destroyed by a flood. It is related that Zeus said on one occasion to Hermes: ”I will send a great rain, such as hath not been since the making of the world, and the whole race of men shall perish.
I am weary of their iniquity.”
For receiving with hospitable warmth these two G.o.ds in human guise, Deucalion, an old man, and his wife Pyrrha were spared, however. Zeus instructed his host to build an ark of oak, and store it well with food. When this was done, the couple entered the vessel and shut the door. Then Zeus ”broke up all the fountains of the deep, and opened the well springs of heaven, and it rained for forty days and forty nights continually”. The Bronze folk perished: not even those who fled to the hilltops could escape. The ark rested on Parna.s.sus, and when the waters ebbed the old couple descended the mountain and took up their abode in a cave.[226]
In Indian mythology the world is destroyed by a flood at the end of each Age of the Universe. There are four ages: the Krita or Perfect Age, the Treta Age, the Dwapara Age, and the Kali or Wicked Age. These correspond closely to the Greek and Celtic ages.[227] There are also references in Sanskrit literature to the destruction of the world because too many human beings lived upon it. ”When the increase of population had been so frightful,” a sage related, ”the Earth, oppressed with the excessive burden, sank down for a hundred Yojanas.
Suffering pain in all her limbs, and being deprived of her senses by excessive pressure, the Earth in distress sought the protection of Narayana, the foremost of the G.o.ds.”[228]
Manu's account of the flood has been already referred to (Chapter II).
The G.o.d in fish shape informed him: ”The time is ripe for purging the world.... Build a strong and ma.s.sive ark, and furnish it with a long rope....” When the waters rose the horned fish towed the ark over the roaring sea, until it grounded on the highest peak of the Himavat, which is still called Naubandha (the harbour). Manu was accompanied by seven ris.h.i.+s.[229]
In the Celtic (Irish) account of the flood, Cessair, granddaughter of Noah, was refused a chamber for herself in the ark, and fled to the western borders of the world as advised by her idol.[230] Her fleet consisted of three s.h.i.+ps, but two foundered before Ireland was reached. The survivors in addition to Cessair were, her father Bith, two other men, Fintan and Ladru, and fifty women. All of these perished on the hills except Fintan, who slept on the crest of a great billow, and lived to see Partholon, the giant, arriving from Greece.
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