THE TOIL OF BABYLON

Origin/Historian/Author: Neo Babylonian
Sources:
– Records of the Past, By W. St. Chad Boscawen, 1876
– The Chaldean Account of Genesis, By George Smith, 1876

Introduction
This fragmented text was recorded during the Neo Babylonian Period. Inscribed on a single tablet which consists of five columns, of the five columns only three are legible, and of those three legible columns, none are complete. Because of its condition, context and chronology both prove difficult to understand.

This text occurs after the ascension of Anu to Heaven, but before the rebellion of the Igigi. Marduk is referred to here as Father of the Gods, but hated by his people. In an older yet similar text called the Atrahasis Epic, Enlil is Counsellor of the Gods as he oversees the Igigi while they dig irrigation canals for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Just as Marduk here is hated and amidst a rebellion, as is Enlil in the Atrahasis Epic. Without more information we can’t be certain, however due to these factors, it is reasonable to assume this text refers to, and takes place just before, and during the rebellion of the Igigi.

In the Atrahasis Epic an Igigi named Illa-wela, or We-ila, led the rebellion. In The Toil of Babylon, on Column I, Line 13, an unnamed figure is acknowledged as expressing the desire to overthrow the Gods. The missing lines that follow appear to describe that character’s actions, presumably carrying out the first deeds of initiating the rebellion. Although similar to its Old Babylonian counterpart, the Toil of Babylon offers differing events surrounding the rebellion, its outcome, and other characters who influenced those events. One example is what appears to be an instruction from Damkina, the mother of Marduk and wife of Lugaldukuga, to put someone to death, presumably Ila-wela. In the proceeding lines however, someone escapes. Perhaps Ila-wela escaped and why Qingu is named as the god who was killed in some versions of the rebellion myth.

Of all the interesting pieces of information we can review and contemplate from this heavily fragmented and incomplete text, the most startling piece of information comes to us in the final column. The Toil of Babylon implies the creation of man was never supposed to be permanent. That it was decreed along with their creation that they would one day be extinguished. While some disagree that this final column makes this implication, when we place this myth beside the Atrahasis Epic Tablet III, they tell the same story. An eternity passes while the gods’ desire to destroy mankind, one god defying another, and the gods becoming distressed.

Full Text Below

COLUMN I
1 [ All the Anunnaki] hated the father of [all the gods,]
2 [And Marduk, in] his [temple,] was despondent.
3 [All the gods] hated the father of all the gods,
4 [And Marduk, in] his [temple,] was despondent.
5 [The people of Babylon] were impressed into forced labor,
6 [Small and] great had to bear the toil.
7 [All the people of] Babylon were impressed into forced labor,
8 [Small] and great had to bear the toil.
9 [He heard] their groaning, was upset in the daytime,
10–11 Through their complaints he could not sleep soundly in bed.
12 Scattering discretion to the winds in his fury
13 He determined to overthrow the dynasty.
14 His outlook changed, his purpose was altered,
15 [ . . ] . . . . . , he blocked the way.
16 . . . ] he brought shrines into ruins,
17 . . . ] . . property.

COLUMN II

3 The land . . [ . . . . . . . ] . .
4 En[lil] (?) became exultant and his face [shone,]
5 Performing the thought of his heart [ . . . ] . .
6 After [his] heart [ . . . ] had rejoiced,
7 He went out and entered [the presence of] Lugaldukuga.
8 While [he spoke] his address [ . . . . . ]
9 Lugaldukuga was bitter, not raising [his head.]
10 Into his presence the Anunnaki [ . . .
11 [They addressed] a word to Enšar, their father,
12 In accordance with his will . [ . . . . . . . . ] .
13 The evil is different, our . [ . . . ]
14 On that very day he went [down] to his Apsû,
15 [ . . . ] saw him, his visage was bright.
16 Damkina . [ . . . . . ] . . put to death
17 My son, . . [ . . . . . . . ] . . . . . .
18 Why . [ . . . ] in the hand of his enemy
19 He did not [ . . ] . . but escaped swiftly
20 Driving away the clouds, he cleansed the heavens,
21 He commanded [Adad] to hold back his steeds.
22 . . [ . . . ] . you will . . . the clouds,
23 You will send persistent [ . . . ] and destroy the grain.
24 [ . . ] . . you will establish at one third
25 [ . . ] . . whether wool,
26 [Whether . ] . . . . . . . whether oil.
27 Thereby [will be] bought its sixth . . . carob;
28 On one shekel as much as three will be given as the proper [interest]!
29 He held back the rain from the heavens,
30 [He cut off] . . . from his abyss,
31 [He summoned] the Seven Gods and
32 [ . . . ] . the sixty warriors [ . ] .

COLUMN V

5 . . . ] Anu and Ea [ . . .
6 . [ . . . ] . . . . . [ . .
7 Within it may . . [ . . ]
8 They kindled a brushwood pile and set [ . ]
9 For eternity they decreed extinguishing [as the destiny] of the peoples.
10 Nunamnir went, at Anu’s command he commanded,
11 “Let Babylon be . [ . . ] like heaven and underworld.”
12 They went behind him, they took his road,
13 In distress they drew near to the presence of the lord of the land.
14 He saw them, but looked at the ground,
15–16 Since he had not obeyed the command of the gods, his fathers.
17–18 The gods prostrated themselves, letting tears flow,
19 And weeping in much agitation for Babylon the pure.
20 After they had wept and lamented much,
21 In distress they said to themselves,