ion, the restorer of the dead to life,
Who showed mercy towards the captured gods,
Removed the yoke from the gods who were hostile to him.

A later fancy identified the 'captured gods' with eleven of the heavenly
constellations.[763]

Mankind is enjoined not to forget Marduk

Who created mankind out of kindness towards them,
The merciful one, with whom is the power of giving life.
May his deeds remain and never be forgotten
By humanity, created by his hands.

Among other names assigned to him are 'the one who knows the heart of
the gods,' 'who gathers the gods together,' 'who rules in truth and
justice.' In allusion again to his contest with Tiamat, he is called
'the destroyer of the enemy and of all wicked ones,' 'who frustrates
their plans.'

With the help of a pun upon his having 'pierced' Tiamat; he is called
Nibir, _i.e._, the planet Jupiter.[764]

Nibir be his name, who took hold of the life of Tiamat.
The course of the stars of heaven may he direct.
May he pasture all of the gods like sheep.[765]

But the climax is reached when, upon hearing what the Igigi have done,
the great gods, father Bel and father Ea cheerfully bestow their own
names upon Marduk.

Because he created the heavens and formed the earth
'Lord of Lands'[766] father Bel called his name.
When he heard of all the names that the Igigi bestowed
Ea's liver rejoiced
That they had bestowed exalted names upon his son.
"He as I--Ea be his name.
The control of my commands be entrusted to him.
To him my orders shall be transmitted."

The historical background to this transference of the name of Bel has
been dwelt upon in a previous chapter.[767] This "Marduk hymn" is to
justify the transference of the role of the older Bel of Nippur to the
younger god Marduk. Throughout, the tablet describing the contest of
Marduk with Tiamat, Marduk is called Bel,[768] and while this name is
used in the generic sense of "lord," the transference of the name of Bel
to Marduk is evidently introduced to account for his assuming the
prerogatives belonging to another god. The original 'lord' was En-lil of
Nippur. The sacred significance of ancient Nippur made its patron deity
the most important rival of Marduk. Bel could not be disposed of as Ea,
who by virtue of his mythological relationships to Marduk--a solar
deity--could be retained as the father of Marduk. There was nothing left
but for Marduk to take the place of Bel. The co