Berossus the Chaldean
Berossus the Chaldean was a Chaldean historian from presumably the regions of Babylonia during the third century BC who wrote in Greek.
the Babylonika
His works written in koine Greek, seem to have never been really widely circulated and as such no complete copies are in known existence today. But we do have what is known as fragments, which can be partial documents or quotations taken from other writers. In this case this collection is commonly known as the Babylonika or Babylonica depending on the chosen transliteration.
Below is included the entirety of the work, ordered by section as they were taken from the public domain in I.P. Cory Esq.'s compilation and translation which he did as fellow for Caius College, Cambridge, UK. This work was published by William Pickering in 1873 under the title of The Ancient Fragments which also included the works of Sanchoniatho, Abydenus, Megasthenes and Manetho.
FROM APOLLODORUS
Of the Chaldean Kings
This is the history which Berossus has transmitted to us. He tells us that the first king was Alorus of Babylon, a Chaldean; he reigned ten sari: and afterwards Alaparus, and Amelon who came from Pantibiblon: then Ammenon the Chaldean, in whose time appeared the Musarus Oannes the Annedotus from the Erythrean sea. (But Alexander Polyhistor anticipating the event, has said that he appeared in the first year; but Appolodorus says that it was after forty sari; Abydenus, however, makes the second Annedotus appear after twenty-six sari.) Then succeeded Megalarus from the city of Pantibiblon; and he reigned eighteen sari: and after him Daonus the shepherd from Pantibiblon reigned ten sari; in his time (he says) appeared again from the Erythrean sea a fourth Annedotus, having the same form with those above, the shape of a fish blended with that of a man. Then reigned Euedoreschus from Pantibiblon, for the term of eighteen sari; in his days there appeared another personage from the Erythrean sea like the former, having the same complicated form between a fish and a man, whose name was Odacon. (All these, says Apollodorus, related particularly and circumstantially whatever Oannes had informed them of: concerning these Abydenus had made no mention.) Then reigned Amempsinus, a Chaldean from Laranchae; and he being the eighth in order reigned ten sari. Then reigned Otiartes, a Chaldean, from Laranchae; and he reigned eight sari. And upon the death of Otiartes, his son Xisuthrus reigned eighteen sari: in his time happened the great deluge. So that the sum of all kings is ten; and the term which they collectively reigned an hundred and twenty sari.
FROM ABYDENUS
Of the Chaldean Kings and the Deluge
"So much concerning the wisdom of the Chaldeans.
"It is said that the first king of the country was Alorus[1], who gave out a report that he was appointed by God to be Shepherd of the people: he reigned ten sari: no a sarus is esteemed to be three thousand six hundred years; a neros six hundred; and a sossus sixty.
"After him Alaparus reigned three sari: to him succeeded Amillarus from the city of Pantibiblon, who reigned thirteen sari; in his time a semidemon called Annedotus, very like Oannes, came up a second time from the sea: after him Ammenon reigned twelve sari, who was of the city of Pantibiblon: then Megalarus of the same place eighteen sari: then Daos, the shepherd, governed for the space of ten sari; he was of Pantibiblon; in his time four double-shaped personages came out of the sea to land, whose names wre Euedocus, Eneugamus, Eneuboulus, and Anementus: after these things was Anodaphus, in the time of Euedoreschus. These were afterwards other kings, and last of all Sisithrus: so that in the whole, the number amounted to ten kings, and the term of their reigns to an hundred and twenty sari. (And among other things not irrelative to the subject, he continues thus concerning the deluge:) After Euedoreschus some others reigned, and then Sisithrus. To him the deity Crous foretold that on the fifteenth day of the month Desius there would be a deluge, and commanded him to deposit all the writings whatever that he had, in the city of the Sun in Sippara. Sisithrus, when he had complied with these commands, instantly sailed to Armenia, and was immediately inspired by God. During the prevalence of the waters Sisithrus sent out birds, that he might judge if the flood had subsided. But the birds passing over an unbounded sea, and not finding any place of rest, returned again to Sisithrus. This he repeated. And when upond the third trial he succeeded, for they then returned with their feet staind with mud, the gods translated him from among men. With respect to the vessel, which yet remains in Armenia, it is a custom of the inhabitants to form bracelets and amulets of its wood."
Of the Tower of Babel
"They say that the first inhabitants of the earth, glorying in their own strength and size, and despising the gods, undertook to raise a tower whose top should reach the sky, where Babylon now stands: but when it approached the heaven, the winds assisted the gods, and overturned the work upon its contrivers: and its ruins are said to be at Babylon: and the gods introduced a diversity of tongues among men, who till that time had all spoken the same language: and a war arose between Cronus and Titan: but the place in which they built the tower is now called Babylon, on account of the confusion of the tongues; for confusion is by the Hebrews called Babel."
FROM ALEXANDER POLYHISTOR
Of the Cosmogony and causes of the Deluge
"Berossus, in his first book concerning the history of Babylonia, informs us that he lived in the time of Alexander the son of Philip. And he mentions that there were written accounts preserved at Babylon with the greatest care, comprehending a term of fifteen myriads of years. These writings contained a history of the heavens and the sea; of the birth of mankind; also of those who had sovereign rule; and of the actions achieved by them.
"And in the first place he describes Babylonia as a country which lay between the Tigris and Euphrates. He mentions that it abounded with wheat, barley, ocrus, sesamum; and in the lakes were found the roots called gongae, which were good to be eaten, and were in respect to nutriment like barley. There were also palm trees and apples, and most kinds of fruits; fish too and birds; both those which are merely of flight, and those which take to the element of water. The part of Babylonia which is boarded upon Arabia, was barren, and without waterp but that which lay on the other side had hills, and was fruitful. At Babylon there was (in these times) a great resort of people of various nations, who inhabited Chaldea, and lived without rule and order like the beast of the field.
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