CHALDEAN LEGENDS TRANSMITTED THROUGH BEROSUS AND OTHER ANCIENT AUTHORS.
Berosus and his copyists.—Cory’s translation.—Alexander
Polyhistor.—Babylonia.—Oannes, his teaching.—Creation.—Belus.—Chaldean
kings.—Xisuthrus.—Deluge.—The Ark.—Return to
Babylon.—Apollodorus.—Pantibiblon.—Larancha.—Abydenus.—Alorus,
first king.—Ten kings.—Sisithrus.—Deluge.—Armenia.—Tower of
Babel.—Kronos and Titan.—Dispersion from Hestiæus.—Babylonian
colonies.—Tower of Babel.—The Sibyl.—Titan and
Prometheus.—Damascius.—Tauthe.—Moymis.—Kissare and Assorus.—Triad.—Bel.
By way of introduction to the native versions of the early legends
left us by the Babylonians, it is advisable to glance at the principal
fragments bearing on them which are found in the classical writers
of Greece and Rome. Several others might have been quoted, but their
origin is doubtful, and they are of less importance for the subject
in hand. Those who wish to consult them may turn to Cory’s “Ancient
Fragments” (2nd edition, 1876), whose translations, as being fairly
scholarlike and correct, are here given without alteration.
Berosus, from whom the principal extracts are copied, lived, as has
already been stated, about B.C. 330 to 260, and, from his position
as a Babylonian priest, had the best means of knowing the Babylonian
traditions.
The others are later writers, who copied in the main from Berosus, most
of whose notices may be taken as mere abridgments of his statements.
EXTRACT I. FROM ALEXANDER POLYHISTOR
(CORY, p. 56).
Berosus, in the first book of his history of Babylonia, informs us
that he lived in the age of Alexander, the son of Philip. And he
mentions that there were written accounts, preserved at Babylon with
the greatest care, comprehending a period of above fifteen myriads
of years; and that these writings contained histories of the heaven
and of the sea; of the birth of mankind; and of the kings, and of the
memorable actions which they had achieved.
And in the first place he describes Babylonia as a country situated
between the Tigris and the Euphrates; that it abounded with wheat, and
barley, and ocrus, and sesame; and that in the lakes were found the
roots called gongæ, which are fit for food, and in respect to nutriment
similar to barley. There were also palm-trees and apples, and a variety
of fruits; fish also and birds, both those which are merely of flight,
and those which frequent the water. Those parts of the country which
bordered upon Arabia were without water, and barren; but that which
lay on the other side was both hilly and fertile.
At Babylon there was (in these times) a great resort of people of
various races, who inhabited Chaldea, and lived in a lawless manner
like the beasts of the field.
[Illustration: OANNES AND OTHER BABYLONIAN MYTHOLOGICAL FIGURES FROM
CYLINDER.]
In the first year there appeared, from that part of the Erythræan sea
which borders upon Babylonia, an animal endowed with reason, by name
Oannes, whose whole body (according to the account of Apollodorus)
was that of a fish; under the fish’s head he had another head, with
feet also below similar to those of a man, subjoined to the fish’s
tail. His voice, too, and language were articulate and human; and a
representation of him is preserved even to this day.
This being was accustomed to pass the day among men, but took no
food at that season; and he gave them an insight into letters and
sciences, and arts of every kind. He taught them to construct houses,
to found temples, to compile laws, and explained to them the principles
of geometrical knowledge. He made them distinguish the seeds of
the earth, and showed them how to collect the fruits; in short, he
instructed them in every thing which could tend to soften manners and
humanize their lives. From that time, nothing material has been added
by way of improvement to his instructions. And when the sun had set
this being Oannes used to retire again into the sea, and pass the night
in the deep, for he was amphibious. After this there appeared other
animals like Oannes, of which Berosus proposes to give an account when
he comes to the history of the kings. Moreover, Oannes wrote concerning
the generation of mankind, of their different ways of life, and of
their civil polity; and the following is the purport of what he said:—
“There was a time in which there existed nothing but darkness and
an abyss of waters, wherein resided most hideous beings, which were
produced of a two-fold principle. There appeared men, some of whom were
furnished with two wings, others with four, and with two faces. They
had one body, but two heads; the one that of a man, the other of a
woman; they were likewise in their several organs both male and female.
Other human figures were to be seen with the legs and horns of a goat;
some had horses’ feet, while others united the hind quarters of a horse
with the body of a man, resembling in shape the hippocentaurs. Bulls
likewise were bred there with the heads of men; and dogs with fourfold
bodies, terminated in their extremities with the tails of fishes;
horses also with the heads of dogs; men, too, and other animals,
with the heads and bodies of horses, and the tails of fishes. In
short, there were creatures in which were combined the limbs of every
species of animals. In addition to these, fishes, reptiles, serpents,
with other monstrous animals, which assumed each other’s shape and
countenance. Of all which were preserved delineations in the temple of
Belus at Babylon.
[Illustration: COMPOSITE ANIMALS FROM CYLINDER.]
“The person who was supposed to have presided over them was a woman
named Omoroka, which in the Chaldean language is Thalatth; which in
Greek is interpreted Thalassa, the sea; but according to the most true
interpretation it is equivalent to Selene the moon. All things being in
this situation, Belus came, and cut the woman asunder, and of one half
of her he formed the earth, and of the other half the heavens, and at
the same time destroyed the animals within her (or in the abyss).
“All this” (he says) “was an allegorical description of nature.
For, the whole universe consisting of moisture, and animals being
continually generated therein, the deity above-mentioned (Belus) cut
off his own head; upon which the other gods mixed the blood, as it
gushed out, with the earth, and from thence men were formed. On this
account it is that they are rational, and partake of divine knowledge.
This Belus, by whom they signify Hades (Pluto), divided the darkness,
and separated the heavens from the earth, and reduced the universe
to order. But the recently-created animals, not being able to bear
the prevalence of light, died. Belus upon this, seeing a vast space
unoccupied, though by nature fruitful, commanded one of the gods to
take off his head, and to mix the blood with the earth, and from thence
to form other men and animals, which should be capable of bearing the
light. Belus formed also the stars, and the sun, and the moon, and the
five planets.” (Such, according to Alexander Polyhistor, is the account
which Berosus gives in his first book.)
(In the second book was contained the history of the ten kings of the
Chaldeans, and the periods of the continuance of each reign, which
consisted collectively of an hundred and twenty sari, or four hundred
and thirty-two thousand years; reaching to the time of the Deluge. For
Alexander, enumerating the kings from the writings of the Chaldeans,
after the ninth, Ardates, proceeds to the tenth, who is called by them
Xisuthrus, in this manner):—
“After the death of Ardates, his son Xisuthrus reigned eighteen sari.
In his time happened the great deluge; the history of which is thus
described. The deity Kronos appeared to him in a vision, and warned
him that upon the fifteenth day of the month Dæsius there would be
a flood, by which mankind would be destroyed. He therefore enjoined
him to write a history of the beginning, progress, and conclusion of
all things, down to the present term, and to bury it in Sippara, the
city of the Sun; and to build a vessel, and take with him into it his
friends and relations; and to convey on board every thing necessary
to sustain life, together with all the different animals, both birds
and quadrupeds, and trust himself fearlessly to the deep. Having asked
the Deity whither he was to sail, he was answered, ‘To the Gods;’ upon
which he offered up a prayer for the good of mankind. He then obeyed
the divine admonition, and built a vessel five stadia in length, and
two in breadth. Into this he put everything which he had prepared, and
last of all conveyed into it his wife, his children, and his friends.
After the flood had been upon the earth, and was in time abated,
Xisuthrus sent out birds from the vessel; which not finding any food,
nor any place whereupon they might rest their feet, returned to him
again. After an interval of some days, he sent them forth a second
time; and they now returned with their feet tinged with mud. He made
a trial a third time with these birds; but they returned to him no
more: from whence he judged that the surface of the earth had appeared
above the waters. He therefore made an opening in the vessel, and upon
looking out found that it was stranded upon the side of some mountain;
upon which he immediately quitted it with his wife, his daughter, and
the pilot. Xisuthrus then paid his adoration to the earth: and, having
constructed an altar, offered sacrifices to the gods, and, with those
who had come out of the vessel with him, disappeared.
They who remained within, finding that their companions did not return,
quitted the vessel with many lamentations, and called continually on
the name of Xisuthrus. Him they saw no more; but they could distinguish
his voice in the air, and could hear him admonish them to pay due
regard to the gods; and he likewise informed them that it was upon
account of his piety that he was translated to live with the gods, and
that his wife and daughter and the pilot had obtained the same honour.
To this he added that they should return to Babylonia, and, as it was
ordained, search for the writings at Sippara, which they were to make
known to all mankind; moreover, that the place wherein they then were
was the land of Armenia. The rest having heard these words offered
sacrifices to the gods, and, taking a circuit, journeyed towards
Babylonia.
The vessel being thus stranded in Armenia, some part of it yet remains
in the Gordyæan (or Kurdish) mountains in Armenia, and the people
scrape off the bitumen with which it had been outwardly coated, and
make use of it by way of an antidote and amulet. In this manner they
returned to Babylon and when they had found the writings at Sippara
they built cities and erected temples, and Babylon was thus inhabited
again.”—_Syncel. Chron._ xxviii.; _Euseb. Chron._ v. 8.
BEROSUS, FROM APOLLODORUS (CORY, p. 51).
This is the history which Berosus has transmitted to us. He tells us
that the first king was Alorus of Babylon, a Chaldean; he reigned ten
sari (36,000 years); and afterwards Alaparus and Amelon, who came from
Pantibiblon; then Ammenon the Chaldean, in whose time appeared the
Musarus Oannes, the Annedotus from the Erythræan sea. (But Alexander
Polyhistor, anticipating the event, has said that he appeared in
the first year, but Apollodorus says that it was after forty sari;
Abydenus, however, makes the second Annedotus appear after twenty-six
sari.) Then succeeded Megalarus from the city of Pantibiblon, and
he reigned eighteen sari; and after him Daonus, the shepherd from
Pantibiblon, reigned ten sari; in his time (he says) appeared again
from the Erythræan sea a fourth Annedotus, having the same form with
those above, the shape of a fish blended with that of a man. Then
reigned Euedorachus (or Euedoreschus) from Pantibiblon for the term of
eighteen sari; in his days there appeared another personage from the
Erythræan sea like the former, having the same complicated form between
a fish and a man, whose name was Odakon. (All these, says Apollodorus,
related particularly and circumstantially whatever Oannes had informed
them of; concerning these Abydenus has made no mention.) Then reigned
Amempsinus, a Chaldean from Larancha; and he being the eighth in
order reigned ten sari. Then reigned Otiartes,[1] a Chaldean, from
Larancha; and he ruled eight sari. And, upon the death of Otiartes, his
son Xisuthrus reigned eighteen sari; in his time happened the great
Deluge. So that the sum of all the kings is ten; and the term which
they collectively reigned an hundred and twenty sari.—_Syncel. Chron._
xxxix.; _Euseb. Chron._ v.
BEROSUS, FROM ABYDENUS (CORY, p. 53).
So much concerning the wisdom of the Chaldeans.
It is said that the first king of the country was Alorus, and that he
gave out a report that God had appointed him to be the shepherd[2] of
the people; he reigned ten sari; now a sarus is esteemed to be three
thousand six hundred years, a neros six hundred, and a sossus sixty.
After him Alaparus reigned three sari; to him succeeded Amillarus from
the city of Pantibiblon, who reigned thirteen sari; in his time there
came up from the sea a second Annedotus, a demigod very similar in
form to Oannes; after Amillarus reigned Ammenon twelve sari; who was
of the city of Pantibiblon; then Megalarus of the same place reigned
eighteen sari; then Daos the shepherd governed for the space of ten
sari, he was of Pantibiblon; in his time four double-shaped personages
came up out of the sea to land, whose names were Euedokus, Eneugamus,
Eneubulus, and Anementus; afterwards in the time of Euedoreschus
appeared another, Anodaphus. After these reigned other kings, and
last of all Sisithrus, so that in all the number amounted to ten
kings, and the term of their reigns to an hundred and twenty sari.
(And among other things not irrelative to the subject he continues
thus concerning the Deluge): After Euedoreschus some others reigned,
and then Sisithrus. To him the deity Kronos foretold that on the
fifteenth day of the month Dæsius there would be a deluge of rain: and
he commanded him to deposit all the writings whatever which were in
his possession in Sippara the city of the sun. Sisithrus, when he had
complied with these commands, sailed immediately to Armenia, and was
presently inspired by God. Upon the third day after the cessation of
the rain Sisithrus sent out birds by way of experiment, that he might
judge whether the flood had subsided. But the birds, passing over an
unbounded sea without finding any place of rest, returned again to
Sisithrus. This he repeated with other birds. And when upon the third
trial he succeeded, for the birds then returned with their feet stained
with mud, the gods translated him from among men. With respect to the
vessel, which yet remains in Armenia, it is a custom of the inhabitants
to form bracelets and amulets of its wood.—_Syncel. Chron._ xxxviii.;
_Euseb. Præp. Evan._ lib. ix.; _Euseb. Chron._ v. 8.
OF THE TOWER OF BABEL (CORY, p. 55).
They say that the first inhabitants of the earth, glorying in their
own strength and size and despising the gods, undertook to build a
tower whose top should reach the sky, in the place where Babylon now
stands; but when it approached the heaven the winds assisted the gods,
and overturned the work upon its contrivers, and its ruins are said to
be still at Babylon; and the gods introduced a diversity of tongues
among men, who till that time had all spoken the same language; and a
war arose between Kronos and Titan. The place in which they built the
tower is now called Babylon on account of the confusion of tongues, for
confusion is by the Hebrews called Babel.—_Euseb. Præp. Evan._ lib.
ix.; _Syncel. Chron._ xliv.; _Euseb. Chron._ xiii.
OF THE DISPERSION, FROM HESTIÆUS (_Cory_, p. 74).
The priests who escaped took with them the implements of the worship of
the Enyalian Zeus, and came to Senaar in Babylonia. But they were again
driven from thence by the introduction of a diversity of tongues; upon
which they founded colonies in various parts, each settling in such
situations as chance or the direction of God led them to occupy.—_Jos.
Ant. Jud._ i. c. 4; _Euseb. Præp. Evan._ ix.
OF THE TOWER OF BABEL, FROM ALEXANDER POLYHISTOR (CORY, p. 75).
The Sibyl says: That when all men formerly spoke the same language some
among them undertook to erect a large and lofty tower, that they might
climb up into heaven. But God sending forth a whirlwind confounded
their design, and gave to each tribe a particular language of its own,
which is the reason that the name of that city is Babylon. After the
deluge lived Titan and Prometheus, when Titan undertook a war against
Kronos.—_Sync._ xliv.; _Jos. Ant. Jud._ i. c. 4.; _Euseb. Præp. Evan._ ix.
THE THEOGONIES, FROM DAMASCIUS (CORY, p. 92).
But the Babylonians, like the rest of the barbarians, pass over in
silence the One principle of the universe, and they constitute two:
Tauthe[3] and Apason,[4] making Apason the husband of Tauthe, and
denominating her the mother of the gods. And from these proceeds an
only-begotten son, Moymis,[5] which I conceive is no other than the
intelligible world proceeding from the two principles. From them also
another progeny is derived, Dache and Dachus;[6] and again a third,
Kissare and Assorus, from which last three others proceed, Anus (Anu),
and Illinus (Elum), and Aus (Hea). And of Aus and Dauke (Dav-cina,
“lady of the earth,”) is born a son called Belus, who, they say, is the
fabricator of the world, the Demiurgus.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] The native account of the Deluge shows that this name must be
corrected to Opartes, the native name being Ubara-Tutu.
[2] A common title of the early Accadian kings is “shepherd,” pointing
to the fact that the Accadians had led a pastoral life before their
settlement and organization in the Babylonian plain.
[3] Assyrian, Tiamtu, “the deep.”
[4] Assyrian, Apsu, “the ocean.”
[5] Assyrian, Mummu, “chaos.”
[6] Assyrian, Lakhmu or Lakhvu; and Lakhama or Lakhva.