Babylonian Story of the Deluge, The

Its easy to compare the parallels and the differences between the Assyrian (also called Chaldean and Babylonian) version of the great flood to the biblical tale, with E.A. Wallis Budge. Read the story of Gilgamesh (the Assyrian Noah, and the tale of the deluge, including brief histories of the discoveries of the tablets.

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Excerpt:

1. Gilgamish said unto Uta-Napishtim, to Uta-Napishtim the remote:

2. "I am looking at thee, Uta-Napishtim.

3. Thy person is not altered; even as am I so art thou.

4. Verily, nothing about thee is changed; even as am I so art thou.

5. [Moved is my] heart to do battle,

6. But thou art at leisure and dost lie upon thy back.

7. How then wast thou able to enter the company of the gods and see life?"

Thereupon Uta-Napishtim related to Gilgamish the Story of the Deluge, and the Eleventh Tablet continues thus:-

8. Uta-Napishtim said unto him, to Gilgamish:

9. "I will reveal unto thee, O Gilgamish, a hidden mystery,

10. And a secret matter of the gods I will declare unto thee.

11. Shurippak, a city which thou thyself knowest,

12. On [the bank] of the river Puratti (Euphrates) is situated,

13. That city was old and the gods [dwelling] within it-

14. Their hearts induced the great gods to make a wind-storm