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The first dragon story on record is found
in the Babylonian creation epic, Enuma
Elish. First called Labbu by the Sumerians
in 3000 BC, this dragon came to be known
as Tiamat when that civilization gave
way to the Babylonians and their mythologies
blended. Broken down, Tiamat’s name means
“life-mother,” and this she-dragon was
indeed the creator of all. Part animal,
part serpent, and part bird, Tiamat was
revolting in appearance and certainly
did not possess the nurturing qualities
we now regard as motherly; for she, along
with her husband Apsu, was terrible, vengeful,
and full of malice toward the gods, which
were her and Apsu’s descendants. Tiamat
was the very spirit of chaos, and the
she reigned with Apsu in troubled confusion
and disorder.
The conflict began when their children
began to put things into order. This upset
Apsu, who first consulted with his minister
Mummu. Together they devised a plan to
stop their children's, the gods, activities
and destroy them. As they made their way
to Tiamat to share the evil plot, they
were overheard by Ea, who captured and
slew Apsu and Mummd using an incantation.
Ea then returned to the other gods to
inform them of the terrible news, without
knowing that his actions had been seen
by his evil brother, Kingu, who had his
own plans.
Kingu made his way to Tiamat with the
tidings. Instantly she became enraged,
just as he'd schemed. Fuming and full
of wrath, she spawned an army made up
of eleven kinds of monsters, each worse
than the others. Among them were snarling
dragons, vipers and pythons, hurricane
monsters, hounds, scorpion-men, tempest
furies, fishmen, and mountain rams. Colossal
in size, with razor-sharp teeth, and poison
in place of blood, these monsters were
unafraid of battle. Finally, Tiamat stationed
Kingu at the head of the army, honoring
him by placing the tablets of destiny
in his breast, for whoever was in possession
of the tablets was given authority to
lead.
Meanwhile, Ea had enlisted
the aid of his father, Anshar. First,
Anshar commanded Ea to visit Tiamat and
beg for mercy. Ea mustered up the courage
to face the great mother-dragon, but when
he saw Kingu at the head of the dreadful
army followed by the fuming Tiamat, he
recoiled with fear and returned to tell
the rest of the gods. One after one, the
gods attempted reconciliation, only to
be gripped with terror and sent back.
Finally Anshar called on Ea’s son Marduck,
exalting him to the status of hero, the
highest of all the gods.
Cleverly, Marduck prepared
terrible weapons of his own, including
a net and seven winds from every direction.
Thus arrayed for combat, Marduck led his
army forward. As Marduck boldly approached
the battlefield, Kingu lost his nerve
and began muttering to himself, causing
confusion among the ranks of monsters.
Without flinching, Marduck called for
Tiamat. Glistening and horrible, the wicked
dragon came to the front of her army.
Angrily Marduck charged
Tiamat with her crimes. Like one possessed,
Tiamat screeched wildly in retaliation.
The battle began. In the commotion, the
gods trapped Tiamat in the net. Enraged,
Tiamat opened her mouth seven miles wide
in protest. Without fear or hesitation,
Marduck commanded the seven winds to fill
her belly. Then, as her courage fled her,
Marduck used his spear to burst her belly
and sever her inward parts. In one final
stroke he pierced her heart. Without their
creator and leader, the fierce monster
army scattered, and Marduck claimed victory.
The tablets of destiny were captured and
bestowed upon the conqueror.
But the story of Tiamat
did not end there, nor did her creations
cease. Cleaving the great carcass of the
dragon in two, Marduck used the upper
half to create the heavens, and the lower
part to make the earth. The waters gushing
out of her became the clouds, and her
eyes became the source of the Tigris and
the Euphrates. Kingu was also slain, and
his blood was used to create the first
humans. And thus, chaos was conquered,
and the world was forever secure.
About the Author:
This article was written by Robin Daniels.
Robin is a mystic and contributes to Mystical
Creatures http://www.mystical-creatures.com
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