Enuma Elish

The Enuma Elish, named after its opening words meaning "When on high," is the Babylonian creation epic recited during the New Year festival at Babylon. In the beginning there is only commingled water: Apsu, the primordial freshwater, and Tiamat, the salt sea. From their union the first gods are born. The younger gods disturb Apsu's rest, and he plans to destroy them. The wise god Ea kills Apsu and builds his dwelling over the waters. From Ea and his consort Damkina is born Marduk, the greatest of the gods. When Tiamat, enraged by her husband's death, raises an army of monsters against the gods, only Marduk agrees to champion them — in exchange for permanent supremacy. Marduk slays Tiamat, splitting her body in two: from one half he fashions the sky, from the other the earth. He sets the stars in their courses, establishes the calendar, and creates humanity from the blood of Kingu, Tiamat's general, so that mortals may serve the gods. The epic closes with the assembly of gods celebrating Marduk and pronouncing his fifty names. The text served as both theological justification for Marduk's supremacy and a liturgical text recited at the Akitu festival.