you are here: > The Epic of Atrahasis > Chapter 05
 
Chapter 5  
     
1.
They called up the goddess, asked  
2.
The midwife of the gods, wise Mami,
 
3.
You are the womb-goddess, to be the creator of Mankind!
 
4.
Create a mortal, that he may bear the yoke!
 
5.
Let him bear the yoke, the work of Ellil
 
6.
Let him bear the load of the [prisoner] gods!
 
7.
Nintu made her voice heard  
8.
And spoke to the great gods,  
9.
On the first, seventh, and fifteenth of the month
 
10.
I shall make a purification by washing.
 
11.
Then one god should be slaughtered.
 
12.
And the gods can be purified by immersion.
 
13.
Nintu shall mix the clay
 
14.
With his flesh and blood.
 
15.
Then a god and a man
 
16.
Will be mixed together in clay.
 
17.
Let us hear the drumbeat forever after,
 
18.
Let a ghost come into existence from the god's flesh,
 
19.
Let her proclaim it as her living sign,
 
20.
And let the ghost exist so as not to forget the slain god.
 
21.
They answered yes in the assembly,
 
22.
The great Anunnaki who assign the fates
 
23.
On the first, seventh, and fifteenth of the month
 
24.
He made a purification by washing.
 
25.
Geshtu-E, a god who had intelligence,
 
26.
They slaughtered in their assembly.
 
27.
Nintu mixed clay  
28.
with his flesh and blood.  
29.
They heard the drumbeat forever after.
 
30.
A ghost came into existence from the god's flesh,
 
31.
and she proclaimed it as his living sign.
 
32.
The ghost existed so as not to forget the slain god.
 
33.
After she had mixed that clay,
 
34.
She called up the Anunnaki, the great gods.
 
35.
The Igigi, the great [prisoner] gods,
 
36.
Spat spittle upon the clay
 
37.
Mami made her voice heard
 
38.
And spoke to the great gods,  
39.
I have carried out perfectly
 
40.
The work that you ordered of me.
 
41.
You have slaughtered a god together with his intelligence.
 
42.
I have relieved you of your hard work,
 
43.
I have imposed your load on man.
 
44.
You have bestowed noise on man,
 
45.
You have bestowed noise on mankind.
 
46.
I have undone the chains of imprisonment and granted freedom.
 
47.
They listened to the speech of hers,
 
48.
And were freed from anxiety, and kissed her feet:
 
49.
We used to call you Mami,
 
50.
But now your name shall be Mistress of All Gods.
 

 
 
 

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