This account was first translated by George Smith from the eleventh of a series of tablets describing the adventures of the mythical hero, Izdubar (or Gilgamish), supposed to be the same as Nimrod. The whole series of tablets relates his early life and exploits in hunting, his friendship with the faun Iabani, his victory over the tyrant Humbaba, the love of the Goddess Ishtar, his illness, the death of Iabani, his wanderings to find his ancestor, Hasisadra (or Pir-napishtim), who for his piety had been translated to the fellowship of the gods. This ancestor relates to Gilgamish the story of a great flood resembling in general outline the narrative in Genesis, but stamped with the impress of the Chaldean religion. Shamas was the Sun-god. The early literature of many nations contains stories of a universal flood, from which a favored family or individual alone escapes. None is more striking than the one deciphered from the clay tablets of Chaldea, or more nearly parallel to that of the Hebrew Scriptures. TABLET XI. OF THE GILGAMISH EPIC. The following translation is from Professor Craig: THE BABYLONIAN STORY OF THE DELUGE. Pir-napishtim saith to him, even to Gilgamish; I will relate to thee, Gilgamish, a secret story, And the decision of the gods I will tell thee. The city Shurippak, which thou knowest, Is situated on the shore of the Euphrates. This city was old when the gods within it Were moved to produce a flood, even the great gods. They were Anu, their father, The warrior Bel, their counsellor, Their throne-bearer, Ninib, Their leader, Ennugi, Ninigiazag (the god Ea) had spoken with them And their decree he repeated to the reed-house (saying): "Reed-house! reed-house! house-wall! house-wall![1] Reed-house, hear! and house-wall, consider! O man of Shurippak, son of Ubar-Tutu! Construct a house, build a ship, Abandon possessions, seek life, Property despise, and life save, Put seed of life of every kind into the ship. The ship which thou shalt build, even thou, Let be measured her dimensions: Let her breadth and length be equal, Upon the ocean launch her." I understood, and said to Ea, my lord: "Behold, my lord, what thou hast commanded I hold in reverence, I shall do. (But what) shall I answer the city, the people, and the elders?" Ea opened his mouth and speaketh, Saith unto his servant, unto me: "O man! Thus shalt thou say unto them: Bel has rejected me and cursed me. I shall dwell no more in your city, And upon Bel's ground I shall not set my face. But to the ocean shall I descend; with Ea, my lord, I shall dwell. Upon you he shall cause to pour out abundance, Game of birds and game of fishes, (Animals of all kinds); field-fruits in plenty, When in the evening the ruler of the darkness (?) Shall cause to rain upon you a heavy rain."