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252 Sins of Nerval, for it puts the blame on Nergal for a chain of events with a catastrophic ending; but it is an invaluable source for our knowledge and understanding of that prelude to disaster. Having accepted the mission, Nergal/Erra journeyed to Meso- potamia for a face-to-face talk with Marduk. Arriving in Mesopo- tamia, he first stopped at Erech, "the city of Anu, the king of all the gods," but, of course, also the place to huddle with Inan- na/Ishtar. Arriving in Babylon, "into the Esagil, temple of Heaven and Earth, he entered, and stood before Marduk." The momentous encounter has been recorded by the ancient artists (Fig. 81); it de- picts both gods holding on to their weapons, but the helmeted Mar- duk, standing on a platform, does extend some symbol of welcome to his brother. Fig. 81 Combining praise with reprimand. Erra told Marduk that the wonderful things he had done for Babylon, and especially its waterworks, made Marduk's reputation "shine as a star in the heavens," but have deprived other cities of their waters. More- over, while crowning himself in Babylon, "lights up its sacred precinct." it angered the other gods; "the abode of Anu with darkness it covers." Marduk, he concluded, could not go on against the will of the other Anunnaki and certainly not against the will of Anu. But Marduk, citing changes that were made on Earth in the after- math of the Deluge, explained that he had to take matters into his THE WARS OF GODS AND MEN own hands: