The dismemberment of Tiawath then followed， and her veins having been cut through， the north wind was caused by the deity to carry her blood away into secret places， a statement which probably typifies the opening of obstructions which prevent the rivers flowing from the north from running into the southern seas， helped thereto by the north wind.Finally her body was divided， like "a /ma？dê/-fish，" into two parts， one of which was made into a covering for the heavens--the "waters above the firmament" of Genesis i.7.
Merodach orders the world anew.
Then came the ordering of the universe anew.Having made a covering for the heavens with half the body of the defeated Dragon of Chaos， Merodach set the Abyss， the abode of Nudimmud， in front， and made a corresponding edifice above--the heavens--where he founded stations for the gods Anu， Bel， and Ae.Stations for the great gods in the likeness of constellations， together with what is regarded as the Zodiac， were his next work.He then designated the year， setting three constellations for each month， and made a station for Nibiru--Merodach's own star--as the overseer of all the lights in the firmament.He then caused the new moon， Nannaru， to shine， and made him the ruler of the night， indicating his phases， one of which was on the seventh day， and the other， a /？abattu/， or day of rest， in the middle of the month.Directions with regard to the moon's movements seem to follow， but the record is mutilated， and their real nature consequently doubtful.With regard to other works which were performed we have no information， as a gap prevents their being ascertained.
Something， however， seems to have been done with Merodach's net--probably it was placed in the heavens as a constellation， as was his bow， to which several names were given.Later on， the winds were bound and assigned to their places， but the account of the arrangement of other things is mutilated and obscure， though it can be recognised that the details in this place were of considerable interest.
The creation of man.
To all appearance the gods， after he had ordered the universe and the things then existing， urged Merodach to further works of wonder.
Taking up their suggestion， he considered what he should do， and then communicated to his father Ae his plan for the creation of man with his own blood， in order that the service and worship of the gods might be established.This portion is also unfortunately very imperfect， and the details of the carrying out of the plan are entirely wanting.
Berosus' narrative fills the gap.
It is noteworthy that this portion of the narrative has been preserved by Abydenus， George the Syncellus， and Eusebius， in their quotations from Berosus.According to this Chald？an writer， there was a woman named Omoroca， or， in Chald？an， Thalatth (apparently a mistake for Thauatth， i.e.Tiawath)， whose name was equivalent to the Greek Thalassa， the sea.It was she who had in her charge all the strange creatures then existing.At this period， Belus (Bel-Merodach) came， and cut the woman asunder， forming out of one half the earth， and of the other the heavens， at the same time destroying all the creatures which were within her--all this being an allegory， for the whole universe consists of moisture， and creatures are constantly generated therein.The deity then cut off his own head， and the other gods mixed the blood， as it gushed out， with the earth， and from this men were formed.Hence it is that men are rational， and partake of divine knowledge.
A second creation.
This Belsus， "who is called Zeus，" divided the darkness， separated the heavens from the earth， and reduced the universe to order.The animals which had been created， however， not being able to bear the light， died.Belus then， seeing the void thus made， ordered one of the gods to take off his head， and mix the blood with the soil， forming other men and animals which should be able to bear the light.He also formed the stars， the sun， the moon， and the five planets.It would thus seem that there were two creations， the first having been a failure because Belus had not foreseen that it was needful to produce beings which should be able to bear the light.Whether this repetition was really in the Babylonian legend， or whether Berosus (or those who quote him)has merely inserted and united two varying accounts， will only be known when the cuneiform text is completed.
1
The tablet of the fifty-one names completes the record of the tablets found at Nineveh and Babylon.In this Merodach receives the titles of all the other gods， thus identifying him with them， and leading to that tendency to monotheism of which something will be said later on.
In this text， which is written， like the rest of the legend， in poetical form， Merodach is repeatedly called /Tutu/， a mystic word meaning "creator，" and "begetter，" from the reduplicate root /tu/ or /utu/--which was to all appearances his name when it was desired to refer to him especially in that character.Noteworthy in this portion is the reference to Merodach's creation of mankind：--Line 25."Tuto： Aga-azaga (the glorious crown)--may he make the crowns glorious.
26.The lord of the glorious incantation bringing the dead to life；27.He who had mercy on the gods who had been overpowered；28.Made heavy the yoke which he had laid on the gods who were his enemies， 29.(And) to redeem(？) them， created mankind.
30.'The merciful one，' 'he with whom is salvation，'
31.May his word be established， and not forgotten， 32.In the mouth of the black-headed ones[*] whom his hands have made."[*] I.e.mankind.
Man the redeemer.
