49. Zu fled away and a rugged mountain concealed (him). 50. .... the opening of (his) mouth 51. ........ like mud 52. .... the gods sweep away 53. .... I will not go he said. —–———–———–———–———–———–———–———–———–———–———–— (Sixteen lines lost here, part on this column, part on Column III.) COLUMN III. 1. Zu fled away and a rugged mountain concealed (him). 2. .... the opening of his mouth ... the protector of heaven and earth 3. ........ like mud 4. .... the gods sweep away 5. .... I will not go he said. —–———–———–———–———–———–———–———–———–———–———–— 6. To Nebo the powerful .... the eldest son of Istar, 7. (Anu his will) to him also declares: 8. O mighty Nebo, companion, may thy power of fighting never fail! 9. (Slay) Zu with thy weapon. 10. May (thy name) be renowned in the assembly of the great gods, 11. ..... among the gods thy brothers a rival have (?) 12. May they supply and build (thy) altars; 13. in the four regions may they establish thy stronghold. 14. May thy stronghold be exalted to become a shrine. 15. They shall cry (?) in the presence of the gods and blessed be thy name. 16. Nebo answered the speech, 17. to his father Anu a word he speaks: 18. My father, to a trackless mountain do thou consign him. 19. Let Zu never associate with the gods thy sons. 20. The tablets of destiny his hand took, 21. the attributes of Bel he seized, laying hold of the oracles. 22. Zu fled away and a rugged mountain concealed him. 23. .... the opening of his mouth ... the protector of heaven and earth The rest, including Column IV., is lost. Such are the fragments of the story so far as they can be translated at present. The divine Zu here mentioned, whose sin is spoken of, is never counted among the gods, and there would be no clue to his nature were it not for a curious tablet printed in “Cuneiform Inscriptions,” vol. iv. p. 14, which throws light on his origin and character. This tablet gives the following curious relation: 1. The god Lugal-turda (the valiant king) [fled] to the mountains, a place remote; 2. in the mountains of Sabu [he dwelt]. 3. No mother gave him life[16] or (suckled him). 4. No father gave him life or with him (associated). 5. No noble who knew him (helped him). 6. Of the resolution of his heart the resolution he (changed) not. 7. In his own heart the resolution (he kept). 8. Into the likeness of a bird was he transformed; 9. into the likeness of the divine storm bird (or Zu bird) was he transformed. 10. The face of his wife who has faced? 11. The wife of the Divine Zu bird, the son of the divine Zu bird, 12. in companionship he made sit. 13. The goddess Enna, the lady of Tigenna, 14. in the mountain he brought back. 15. A woman fashioned was her mother according to likeness made, 16. the goddess of perfumes a woman fashioned was her mother according to likeness made. 17. Her hair was white crystal; 18. Her navel was pure with silver and gold, 19. brightness was fixed in the womb;