1.9-10
Enūma eliš 1.9-10 · The first gods are born
Inside the mingled waters, the first gods come into being.
· · ·
9𒅁𒁀𒉡𒌋𒈠𒀭𒈨𒌍𒆠𒆗𒋗𒌦
10𒀭𒌓𒈬𒀭𒆷𒄩𒈬𒍑𒋫𒁍𒌋𒋗𒈪𒄑𒍠𒊒
the lines as the scribe pressed them into the clay, read left to right
ib-ba-nu-u-ma1
ibbanûma
then were createdthey were built
ilāni2
ilānū
the gods
ki-rib-šu-un3
qerebšun
within themin their midst
. ⁱˡᵘLaḫ-mu4
Laḫmu
Lahmu
ⁱˡᵃᵗLa-ḫa-mu5
Laḫamu
Lahamu
uš-ta-pu-u6
uštāpû
were brought forthmade to appear
, iz-zak-ru7
izzakrū
were calledwere named
šu-mi8
šumī
by name
. then were created the gods within them. Lahmu [and] Lahamu were brought forth, were called by name.
then were created the gods within them. Lahmu [and] Lahamu were brought forth, were called by name.
4.129-130
Enūma eliš 4.129-130 · He smashed her skull
Marduk has caught Tiamat in his net, driven the winds into her and shot her through the heart. Now he finishes her.
· · ·
129𒅅𒁍𒊻𒈠𒁁𒈝𒊭𒋾𒀀𒈠𒌈𒄿𒋃𒊓
130𒄿𒈾𒈪𒁲𒋗𒆷𒉺𒁲𒄿𒌑𒆳𒋾𒈬𒌔𒄩
the lines as the scribe pressed them into the clay, read left to right
The lord trod on the lower part of Tiamat; with his un-sparing mace he smashed [her] skull.
The long “when” clause ends at last: then the gods were created, inside the waters, “in their midst”. Langdon’s note says it plainly: inside Apsû and Tiamat, the fresh and the salt oceans.
The first pair are Lahmu and Lahamu. Before their names stand small raised words, ilu and ilat, “god” and “goddess”: signs scribes wrote in front of divine names and did not read aloud. And the moment they exist, they are “called by name”, the act that was missing in line 1. Four generations later comes Marduk.