. So was Tiamat slain.

Merodach overturned the body of the dead dragon and stood upon it. All
the evil gods who had followed her were stricken with terror and broke
into flight. But they were unable to escape. Merodach caught them in
his great net, and they stumbled and fell uttering cries of distress,
and the whole world resounded with their wailing and lamentations. The
lord of the high gods broke the weapons of the evil gods and put them
in bondage. Then he fell upon the monsters which Tiamat had created;
he subdued them, divested them of their powers, and trampled them
under his feet. Kingu he seized with the others. From this god great
Merodach took the tablets of fate, and impressing upon them his own
seal, placed them in his bosom.

So were the enemies of the high gods overthrown by the Avenger.
Ansar's commands were fulfilled and the desires of Ea fully
accomplished.

Merodach strengthened the bonds which he had laid upon the evil gods
and then returned to Tiamat. He leapt upon the dragon's body; he clove
her skull with his great club; he opened the channels of her blood
which streamed forth, and caused the north to carry her blood to
hidden places. The high gods, his fathers, clustered around; they
raised shouts of triumph and made merry. Then they brought gifts and
offerings to the great Avenger.

Merodach rested a while, gazing upon the dead body of the dragon. He
divided the flesh of Ku-pu[159], and devised a cunning plan.

Then the lord of the high gods split the body of the dragon like that
of a mashde fish into two halves. With one half he enveloped the
firmament; he fixed it there and set a watchman to prevent the waters
falling down[160]. With the other half he made the earth[161]. Then he
made the abode of Ea in the deep, and the abode of Anu in high heaven.
The abode of Enlil was in the air.

Merodach set all the great gods in their several stations. He also
created their images, the stars of the Zodiac, and fixed them all. He
measured the year and divided it into months; for twelve months he
made three stars each. After he had given starry images of the gods
separate control of each day of the year, he founded the station of
Nibiru (Jupiter), his own star, to determine the limits of all stars,
so that none might err or go astray. He placed beside his own the
stations of Enlil and Ea, and on each side he opened mighty gates,
fixing bolts on the left and on the right. He set the zenith in the