“ ‘Open thy mouth, may the garment be destroyed, Speak to it once more, and let it be restored again!’ He spoke with his mouth, and the garment was destroyed, He spoke to it again, and the garment was reproduced.” Then all the gods called out, “Merodach is king!” and they gave him sceptre, throne, and insignia of royalty, and also an irresistible weapon, which should shatter his enemies. “ ‘Now, go, and cut off the life of Tiamtu, Let the winds bear away her blood to hidden places!’ (Thus) did the gods, his fathers, fix the fate of Bel. A path of peace and goodwill they set for him as his road.” Then the god armed himself for the fight, taking spear (or dart), bow, and quiver. To these he added lightning flashing before him, flaming fire filling his body; the net which his father Anu had given him wherewith to capture “_kirbiš Tiamtu_” or “Tiamtu who is in the midst,” he set north and south, east and west, in order that nothing of her might escape. In addition to all this, he created various winds—the evil wind, the storm, the hurricane, “wind four and seven,” the harmful, the uncontrollable (?), and these seven winds he sent forth, to confuse _kirbiš Tiamtu_, and they followed after him. Next he took his great weapon called _âbubu_, and mounted his dreadful, irresistible chariot, to which four steeds were yoked—steeds unsparing, rushing forward, flying along, their teeth full of venom, foam-covered, experienced (?) in galloping, schooled for overthrowing. Merodach being now ready for the fray, he fared forth to meet the Dragon. “Then, they clustered around him, the gods clustered around him, The gods his fathers clustered around him, the gods clustered around him. And the lord advanced, Tiamtu’s retreat regarding Examining the lair of Kingu her consort.” The sight of the enemy was so menacing, that even the great Merodach began to falter and lose courage, whereat the gods, his helpers, who accompanied him, were greatly disturbed in their minds, fearing approaching disaster. The king of the gods soon recovered himself, however, and uttered to the demon a longish challenge, on hearing which she became as one possessed, and cried aloud. Muttering then incantations and charms, she called the gods of battle to arms, and the great fight for the rule of the universe began. “The lord spread wide his net, made it enclose her. The evil wind following behind, he sent on before. Tiamtu opened her mouth as much as she could. He caused the evil wind to enter so that she could not close her lips, The angry winds filled out her body, Her heart was overpowered, wide opened she her mouth.”