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Anu and Ea had both to be mentioned because of the parts they play in the Epic, but Enlil's only recorded appearance is in the final assembly of the gods, where he bestows his own name "the Lord of the World" upon Marduk. The evidence of Damascius suggests that Enlil's name was here retained, between those of Anu and Ea, in other versions of the poem.
In the first, corresponding to that in our text, Ea communicates the gods' decision directly to Ut-napishtim; in the second he sends a dream from which Atrakhasis, "the Very Wise one", guesses the impending peril; while in the third he relates the plan to a wall, taking care that Ut-napishtim overhears him.
City sacred to Ea at the mouth of the Persian Gulf. Lit., 'totality of lands. Cf. S. A. Smith, Miscellaneous, K. 2866, l. 8, "the great gods dwelling in the heaven of Anu." The reference, therefore, cannot be to "the gathering place of the gods," where the fates of mankind are decided. The original has ratum. Delitzsch, Assyr. Handwörterbuch, p. 663, compares Hebrew rahat, "trough."
Anu, it will be recalled, utters the same cry. See p. 546. Referring to his garments of mourning. I.e., Ea. I follow Zimmern's rendition of the line. Schöpfung und Chaos, pp. 168 seq. Adapa. See pp. 476 seq. The problem of immortality, we have seen, engaged the serious attention of the Babylonian theologians.
Long ages had to elapse before the Trinity of the later theology Anu, Ea, and Bel were born of these, and all things made ready for the genesis of the present world. Merodach, the champion of the gods of light and law, had first to do battle with Tiamat, "the dragon" of "the deep," and her allies of darkness and disorder.
In Genesis God simply wills that man should not eat of the tree of life. In the Adapa legend the gods, including Anu, are willing to grant a mortal the food and water of life, simply because they believe that Ea, the creator of man, wishes him to have it. Accordingly, Anu and his associates are represented at the close of the legend as being grieved that Adapa should have foregone the privilege.
The gods, it will be seen, dwell on high in accordance with the view developed by astronomical speculations. Anu, Bel, and Ea are here evidently identified with the fixed stars bearing their names, while under Ishtar the planet Ishtar-Venus is meant. Etana yields to the eagle's suggestion. They mount still higher.
Precisely what gods he had in mind we are no longer in a position to know, but no doubt the chief members of the pantheon were included in the first place. Lists of these deities are often added. The superior triad, Anu, Bel, and Ea, head the list, at times accompanied by their consorts, at times standing alone.
It was not possible, because of the antiquity of the Ea cult and the peculiar position that he, as a common heirloom of all Babylonia, occupied; nor was it desirable, for to do so would be to cut off completely the bond uniting Babylon to its own past and to the rest of Babylonia.
As for the man who shall transgress his judgment or shall remove his gift, may the gods Shushinak and Shamash, Bel and Ea, Ninni and Sin, Mnkharsag and Nati may all the gods uproot his foundation, and his seed may they destroy!"
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