CLS 276- Friday April 3- Berossus and Modern Alternate History

Here is a short fragment of Berossus a Chaldean or Babylonian historian of the 3rd cent. BC who wrote in Greek but based his account on Sumerian and/or Babylonian records. This story was the basis for an episode of Stargate- SG1 which you will be watching on Friday April 3 while I am gone. Zander has said that he can show it for you. It is 43 minutes so you should be able to watch the whole thing. Stargate the movie and Stargate SG-1 are both good examples of alternate history, a kind of genre that presents a new, "true" version of the past that we were all ignorant of. The Alexander Romance's "true" story of Alexander is like an alternate history. Many modern alternate histories include elements of fantasy (magic, etc.) or science fiction (aliens and space travel) in periods of history where we don't expect them. See here for more on alternate history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternate_history. Other alternate histories try to present a new, more believable version like the King Arthur flick that Katie showed us.

Much of the reading for the rest of the course will be different kinds of alternate history from the ancient world. While watching the SG-1 episode think about why people are interested by alternate history stories, since they seem to have been popular at least since the Greeks and Romans.

One thing that you should know about this fragment is that scholars recognize that Berossus partially based his account on the Enuma Elish which we read at the beginning of the course. Remember Tiamat was the great water goddess who was defeated by Marduk, who is sometimes known as Baal (Greek Belos, Latin Belus) which means "Lord". Look for parallels to the Enuma Elish and thematic parallels with other narratives we have discussed.


FRAGMENTS OF CHALDÆAN HISTORY, BEROSSUS: FROM ALEXANDER POLYHISTOR:

BEROSSUS, in the first book of his history of Babylonia, informs us that he lived in the age of Alexander the son of Philip. And he mentions that there were written accounts, preserved at Babylon with the greatest care, comprehending a period of above fifteen myriads of years: and that these writings contained histories of the heaven and of the sea; of the birth of mankind; and of the kings, and of the memorable actions which they had achieved.

At Babylon there was (in these times) a great resort of people of various nations, who inhabited Chaldæa, and lived in a lawless manner like the beasts of the field. In the first year there appeared, from that part of the Erythræan sea which borders upon Babylonia, an animal destitute of reason, by name Oannes, whose whole body (according to the account of Apollodorus) was that of a fish; that under the fish's head he had another head, with feet also below, similar to those of a man, subjoined to the fish's tail. His voice too, and language, was articulate and human; and a representation of him is preserved even to this day.

This Being was accustomed to pass the day among men; but took no food at that season; and he gave them an insight into letters and sciences, and arts of every kind. He taught them to construct cities, to found temples, to compile laws, and explained to them the principles of geometrical knowledge. He made them distinguish the seeds of the earth, and shewed them how to collect the fruits; in short, he instructed them in every thing which could tend to soften manners and humanize their lives.

From that time, nothing material has been added by way of improvement to his instructions. And when the sun had set, this Being Oannes, retired again into the sea, and passed the night in the deep; for he was amphibious. After this there appeared other animals like Oannes, of which Berossus proposes to give an account when he comes to the history of the kings. Moreover Oannes wrote concerning the generation of mankind; and of their civil polity; and the following is the purport of what he said:

There was a time in which there existed nothing but darkness and an abyss of waters, wherein resided most hideous beings, which were produced of a two-fold principle. There appeared men, some of whom were furnished with two wings, others with four, and with two faces. They had one body but two heads: the one that of a man, the other of a woman: and likewise in their several organs both male and female.

Other human figures were to be seen with the legs and horns of goats: some had horses' feet: while others united the hind quarters of a horse with the body of a man, resembling in shape the hippocentaurs. Bulls likewise were bred there with the heads of men; and dogs with fourfold bodies, terminated in their extremities with the tails of fishes: horses also with the heads of dogs: men too and other animals, with the heads and bodies of horses and the tails of fishes. In short, there were creatures in which were combined the limbs of every species of animals.

In addition to these, fishes, reptiles, serpents, with other monstrous animals, which assumed each other's shape and countenance. Of all which were preserved delineations in the temple of Belus at Babylon.

The person, who presided over them, was a woman named Omoroca; which in the Chaldæan language is Thalatth; in Greek Thalassa, the sea; but which might equally be interpreted the Moon. All things being in this situation, Belus came, and cut the woman asunder: and of one half of her he formed the earth, and of the other half the heavens; and at the same time destroyed the animals within her.

All this (he says) was an allegorical description of nature. For, the whole universe consisting of moisture, and animals being continually generated therein, the deity above-mentioned took off his own head: upon which the other gods mixed the blood, as it gushed out, with the earth; and from thence were formed men. On this account it is that they are rational, and partake of divine knowledge.

This Belus, by whom they signify Jupiter, divided the darkness, and separated the Heavens from the Earth, and reduced universe to order. But the animals, not being able to bear the prevalence of light, died. Belus upon this, seeing a vast space unoccupied, though by nature fruitful, commanded one of the gods to take off his head, and to mix the blood with the earth; and from thence to form other men and animals, which should be capable of bearing the air. Belus formed also the stars, and the sun, and the moon, and the five planets.

(Such, according to Polyhistor Alexander, is the account which Berossus gives in his first book.)