From the Introduction to the Necronomicon (Avon Books, 1980, xx.)
There was a battle between the forces of "light" and "darkness" (so-called) that took place long before man was created, before even the cosmos as we know it existed. it is described fully in the Enuma Elish and in the basterdized version found in the NECRONOMICON, and involved the Ancient Ones, led by the serpent MUMMU-TIAMAT and her male counterpart ABSU, against the ELDER GODS led by the Warrior MARDUK, son of the sea god ENKI, Lord of Magicians of this Side, or what would be called the "White Magicians" -although close inspection of the myths of ancient times makes one pause before attempting to judge which of the two warring factions were "good" or "evil". Marduk won this battle - the cosmos was created from the body of the slain Serpent, and man was created from the body of the slain commander of the Ancient Army, KINGU, thereby making man a descendent of the Blood of the Enemy, as well as the "breath" of the Elder Gods: a close parallel to the "sons of God and daughters of men" reference in the Old Testament.
THE MAGAN TEXT
The verses here following come from the secret text of some of the priests of a cult which is all that is left of the Old Faith that existed before Babylon was built, and it was originally in their tongue, but I have put it into the Golden Speech of my country so that you may understand it. I came upon this text in my early wanderings in the region of the Seven Fabled Cities of UR, which are no more, and it tells of the War between the Gods that took place in a time beyond the memory of man. And the horrors and ugliness that the Priest will encounter in his Rites are herein described, and their reasons, and their natures, and Essences. And the Number of the Lines is Sacred, and the Word are Sacred, and are most potent charms against the Evil Ones. And surely some Magicians of the country do write them on parchment or clay, or on pottery, or in the air, that they might be efficacious thereby, and that the Gods will remember the words of the Covenant.
I copied these words down in my tongue and kept them faithfully these many years, and my own copy will go with me to the place where I will go when my Spirit is torn from the body. But heed these words well, and remember! For remembering is the most important and most potent magick, being the Rememberance of Things Past and the Rememberance of Things to Come, which is the same Memory. And do not show this text to the uninitiated, for it hath caused madness, in men and in beasts.
The Text:
THE MAGAN TEXT
Hearken, and Remember!
In the Name of ANU, Remember!
In the Name of ENLIL, Remember!
In the Name of ENKI, Remember!
When on High the Heavens had not been named,
The Earth had not been named,
And Naught existed but the Seas of ABSU,
The Ancient One,
And MUMMU TIAMAT, the Ancient One
Who bore them all,
Their Waters as One Water.
At this time, before the ELDER GODS had been brought forth,
Uncalled by Name,
Their destinies unknown and undetermined,
Then it was that the Gods were formed within the Ancient Ones.
LLMU and LLAAMU were brought forth and called by Name,
And for Ages they grew in age and bearing.
ANSHAR and KISHAR were brought forth,
And brought forth ANU
Who begat NUDIMMUD, Our Master ENKI,
Who has no rival among the Gods.
Remember!
The Elder Ones came together
They disturbed TIAMAT, the Ancient One, as they surged back and forth.
Yea, they troubled the belly of TIAMAT
By their Rebellion in the abode of Heaven.
ABSU could not lessen their clamour
TIAMAT was speechless at their ways.
Their doings were loathsome unto the Ancient Ones.
ABSU rose up to slay the Elder Gods by stealth.
With magick charm and spell ABSU fought,
But was slain by the sorcery of the Elder Gods.
And it was their first victory.
His body was lain in an empty Space
In a crevice of the heavens
Hid
He was lain,
But his blood cried out to the Abode of Heaven.
TIAMAT
Enraged
Filled with an Evil Motion
Said
Let us make Monsters
That they may go out and do battle
Against these Sons of Iniquity
The murderous offspring who have destroyed
A God.
HUBUR arose, She who fashioneth all things,
And possessor of Magick like unto Our Master.
She added matchless weapons to the arsenals of the Ancient Ones,
She bore Monster-Serpents
Sharp of tooth, long of fang,
She filled their bodies with venom for blood
Roaring dragons she has clothed with Terror
Has crowned them with Halos, making them as Gods,
So that he who beholds them shall perish
And, that, with their bodies reared up
None might turn them back.
She summoned the Viper, the Dragon, and the Winged Bull,
The Great Lion, the Mad-God, and the Scorpion-Man.
Mighty rabid Demons, Feathered-Serpents, the Horse-Man,
Bearing weapons that spare no
Fearless in Battle,
Charmed with the spells of ancient sorcery,
. . . withal Eleven of this kind she brought forth
With KINGU as Leader of the Minions.
Remember!
ENKI
Our Master
Fearing defeat, summoned his Son
MARDUK
Summoned his Son
The Son of Magick
Told him the Secret Name
The Secret Number
The Secret Shape
Whereby he might do battle
With the Ancient Horde
And be victorious.
MARDUK KURIOS!
Brightest Star among the Stars
Strongest God among the Gods
Son of Magick and the Sword
Child of Wisdom and the Word
Knower of the Secret Name
Knower of the Secret Number
Knower of the Secret Shape
He armed himself with the Disc of Power
In chariots of Fire he went forth
With a shouting Voice he called the Spell
With a Blazing Flame he filled his Body
Dragons, Vipers, all fell down
Lions, Horse-Men, all were slain.
The Mighty creatures of HUBUR were slain
The Spells, the Charms, the Sorcery were broken.
Naught but TIAMAT remained.
The Great Serpent, the Enormous Worm
The Snake with iron teeth
The Snake with sharpened claw
The Snake with Eyes of Death,
She lunged at MARDUK
With a roar
With a curse
She lunged.
MARDUK struck with the Disc of Power
Blinded TIAMAT's Eyes of Death
The Monster heaved and raised its back
Struck forth in all directions
Spitting ancient words of Power
Screamed the ancient incantations
MARDUK struck again and blew
An Evil Wind into her body
Which filled the raging, wicked Serpent
MARDUK shot between her jaws
The Charmed arrow of ENKI's Magick
MARDUK struck again and severed
The head of TIAMAT from its body.
And all was silent.
Remember!
MARDUK
Victor
Took the Tablets of Destiny
Unbidden
Hung them around his neck.
Acclaimed of the Elder Gods was he.
First among the Elder Ones was he.
He split the sundered TIAMAT in twain
And fashioned the heavens and the earth,
With a Gate to keep the Ancient Ones Without.
With a Gate whose Key is hid forever
Save to the Sons of MARDUK
Save to the Followers of Our Master
ENKI (Enki/Ea)
First in Magick among the Gods.
From the Blood of KINGU he fashioned Man.
He constructed Watchtowers for the Elder Gods
Fixing their astral bodies as constellations
That they may watch the Gate of ABSU
The Gate of TIAMAT they watch
The Gate of KINGU they oversee
The Gate whose Guardian is IAK SAKKAK they bind.
All the Elder Powers resist
The Force of Ancient Artistry
The Magick Spell of the Oldest Ones
The Incantation of the Primal Power
The Mountain KUR, the Serpent God
The Mountain MASHU, that of Magick
The Dead KUTULU, Dead but Dreaming
TIAMAT, Dead but Dreaming
ABSU, KINGU, Dead but Dreaming
And shall their generation come again?
WE ARE THE LOST ONES
From a Time before Time
From a Land beyond the Stars
From the Age when ANU walked the earth
In company of Bright Angels.
We have survived the first War
Between the Powers of the Gods
And have seen the wrath of the Ancient Ones
Dark Angels
Vent upon the Earth
WE ARE FROM A RACE BEYOND THE WANDERERS OF NIGHT.
We have survived the Age when ABSU ruled the Earth
And the Power destroyed our generations.
We have survived on tops of mountains
And beneath the feet of mountains
And have spoken with the Scorpions
In allegiance and were betrayed.
And TIAMAT has promised us nevermore to attack
With water and with wind.
But the Gods are forgetful.
Beneath the Seas of NAR MATTARU
Beneath the Seas of the Earth, NAR MATTARU
Beneath the World lays sleeping
The God of Anger, Dead but Dreaming
The God of CUTHALU, Dead but Dreaming!
The Lord of KUR, calm but thunderous!
The One-Eyes Sword, cold but burning!
He who awakens Him calls the ancient
Vengeance of the Elder Ones
The Seven Glorious Gods
of the Seven Glorious Cities
Upon himself and upon the World
And old vengeance . . .
Know that our years are the years of War
And our days are measured as battles
And every hour is a Life
Lost to the Outside
Those from Without
Have builded up charnel houses
To nourish the fiends of TIAMAT
And the Blood of the weakest here
Is libation unto TIAMAT
Queen of the Ghouls
Wreaker of Pain
And to invoke her
The Red Water of Life
Need be split on a stone
The stone struck with a sword
That hath slain eleven men
Sacrifices to HUBUR
So that the Strike ringeth out
And call TIAMAT from Her slumber
From her sleep in the Caverns
Of the Earth.
And none may dare entreat further
For to invoke Death is to utter
The final prayer.
II
Of the Generations of the Ancient Ones
UTUKK XUL
The account of the generations
Of the Ancient Ones here rendered
Of the generations of the Ancient Ones
Here remembered.
Cold and Rain that erode all things
They are the Evil Spirits
In the creation of ANU spawned
Plague Gods
PAZUZU
And the Beloved Sons of ENG
The Offspring of NINNKIGAL
Rending in pieces on high Bringing destruction below
They are Children of the Underworld
Loudly roaring on high
Gibbering loathsomely below
They are the bitter venom of the Gods.
The great storms directed from heaven
Those are they
The Owl, Messenger of UGGI
Lord of Death
Those they are
THEY ARE THE CHILDREN
BORN OF EARTH
THAT IN THE CREATION
OF ANU WERE SPAWNED.
The highest walls
The thickest walls
The strongest walls
Like a flood they pass
From house to house
They ravage
No door can shut them out
No bolt can turn them back
Through the door like snakes they slide
Through the bolts like winds they blow
Pulling the wife from the embrace of the husband
Snatching the child from the loins of man
Banishing the man from his home, his land
THEY ARE THE BURNING PAIN
THAT PRESSETH ITSELF ON THE BACK OF MAN.
THEY ARE GHOULS
The spirit of the harlot that hath died in the streets
The spirit of the woman that hath died in childbirth
The spirit of the woman that hath dies, weeping with a babe at the breast
The spirit of an evil man
One that haunteth the streets
Or one that haunteth the bed.
They are Seven!
Seven are they!
Those Seven were born in the Mountains of MASHU
Called Magick
They dwell within the Caverns of the Earth
Amid the desolate places of the Earth they live
Amid the places between
The Places
Unknown in heaven and in earth
They are arrayed in terror
Among the Elder Gods there is no knowledge of them
They have no name
Not in heaven
Nor on earth
They ride over the Mountain of Sunset
And on the Mountain of Dawn they cry
Through the Caverns of the Earth they creep
Amid the desolate places of the Earth they lie
Nowhere are they known
Not in heaven
Nor in the Earth
Are they discovered
For their place is outside our place
And between the angles of the Earth
They lie in wait
Crouching for the Sacrifice
THEY ARE THEY CHILDREN OF THE UNDERWORLD.
Falling like rain from the sky
Issuing like mist from the earth
Doors do not stop them
Bolts do not stop them
They glide in at the doors like serpents
They enter by the windows like the wind
IDPA they are, entering by the head
NAMTAR they are, entering by the heart
UTUK they are, entering by the brow
ALAL they are, entering by the chest
GIGIM they are, seizing the bowels
TELAL they are, grasping the hand
URUKU they are, giant Larvae, feeding on the Blood
They are Seven!
Seven are They!
They seize all the towers
From UR to NIPPUR
Yet UR knows them not
Yet NIPPUR does not know them
They have brought down the mighty
Of all the mighty Cities of man
Yet man knows them not
Yes the Cities do not know them
They have struck down the forests of the East
And have flooded the Lands of the West
Yet the East knows them not
Yet the West does not know them
They are a hand grasping at the neck
Yet the neck does not know them
And man knows them not.
Their words are Unwrit
Their numbers are Unknown
Their shapes are all Shapes
Their habitations
The desolate places where their Rites are performed
Their habitations
The haunts of man where a sacrifice has been offered
Their habitations
The lands here
And cities here
And the lands between the lands
The cities between the cities
In spaces no man has ever walked
In KURNUDE
The country from whence no traveller returns
At EKURBAD
In the altar of the Temple of the Dead
And at GI UMUNA
At their Mother's breast
At the Foundations of CHAOS
In the ARALIYA of MUMMU-TIAMAT
And at the Gates
Of IAK SAKKAK!
SPIRIT OF THE AIR, REMEMBER!
SPIRIT OF THE EARTH, REMEMBER!
III
Of the Forgotten Generations of Man
And was not Man created from the blood of KINGU
Commander of the hordes of the Ancient Ones?
Does not man possess in his spirit
The seeds of rebellion against the Elder Gods?
And the blood of Man is the Blood of Vengeance
And the blood of Man is the Spirit of Vengeance
And the Power of Man is the Power of the Ancient Ones
And this is the Covenant
For, lo! The Elder Gods possess the Sign
By which the Powers of the Ancient Ones are turned back
But Man possesses the Sign
And the Number
And the Shape
To summon the Blood of his Parents.
And this is the Covenant.
Created by the Elder Gods
From the Blood of the Ancient Ones
Man is the Key by which
The Gate if IAK SAKKAK may be flung wide
By which the Ancient Ones
Seek their Vengeance
Upon the face of the Earth
Against the Offspring of MARDUK.
For what is new
Came from that which is old
And what is old
Shall replace that which is new
And once again the Ancient Ones
Shall rule upon the face of the Earth!
And this is too the Covenant!
IV
Of the Sleep of ISHTAR
Yet ISHTAR
Queen of Heaven
Bright Light of Nights
Mistress of the Gods
Set her mind in that direction
From Above she set her mind,
To Below she set her mind
From the Heavens she set forth
To the Abyss
Out of the Gates of the Living
To enter the Gates of Death
Out of the Lands we know
Into the Lands we know not
To the Land of No Return
To the Land of Queen ERESHKIGAL
ISHTAR, Queen of Heavens, she set her mind
ISHTAR, Daughter of SIN, she set forth
To the Black Earth, the Land of CUTHA
She set forth
To the House of No Return she set her foot
Upon the Road whence None Return
She set her foot
To the Cave, forever unlit
Where bowls of clay are heaped upon the alter
Where bowls of dust are the food
Of residents clothed only in wings
To ABSU ISHTAR set forth.
Where sleeps the dread CUTHALU
ISHTAR set forth.
The Watcher
Stood fast.
The Watcher
NINNGHIZHIDDA
Stood fast.
And ISHTAR spoke unto him
NINNGHIZHIDDA! Serpent of the Deep!
NINNGHIZHIDDA! Horned Serpent of the Deep!
NINNGHIZHIDDA! Plumed Serpent of the Deep!
Open!
Open the Door that I may enter!
NINNGHIZHIDDA, Spirit of the Deep, Watcher of the Gate, Remember!
In the Name of our Father before the Flight, ENKI, Lord and Master of Magicians
Open the Door that I may enter!
Open
Lest I attack the Door
Lest I break apart its bars
Lest I attack the Barrier
Lest I take its walls by force
Open the Door
Open Wide the Gate
Lest I cause the Dead to rise!
I will raise up the Dead!
I will cause the Dead to rise and devour the living!
Open the Door
Lest I cause the Dead to outnumber the Living!
NINNGHIZHIDDA, Spirit of the Deep, Watcher of the Gate, Open!
NINNGHIZHIDDA
The Great Serpent
Coiled back on itself
And answered
ISHTAR
Lady
Queen among the Gods
I go before my Mistress
ERESHKIGAL
Before the Queen of Death
I will announce Thee.
And NINNGHIZHIDDA
Horned Serpent
Approached the Lady ERESHKIGAL
And said:
Behold, ISHTAR, Thy Sister
Queen among the Gods
Stands before the Gate!
Daughter of SIN, Mistress of ENKI
She waits.
And ERESHKIGAL was pale with fear.
The Dark Waters stirred.
Go, Watcher of the Gate.
Go, NINNGHIZHIDDA, Watcher of the Gate,
Open the Door to ISHTAR
And treat Her as it is written
In the Ancient Covenant.
And NINNGHIZHIDDA loosed the bolt from the hatch
And Darkness fell upon ISHTAR
The Dark Waters rose and carried the Goddess of Light
To the Realms of the Night.
And the Serpent spoke:
Enter
Queen of Heaven of the Great Above
That KUR may rejoice
That CUTHA may give praise
That KUTU may smile.
Enter
That KUTULU may be pleased at Thy presence
And ISHTAR entered.
And there are Seven gates and Seven Decrees.
At the First Gate
NINGHIZHIDDA removed the Crown
The Great Crown of Her head he took away
And ISHTAR asked
Why, Serpent, has thou removed my First Jewel?
And the Serpent answered
Thus is, the Covenant of Old, set down before Time,
The Rules of the Lady of KUTU.
Enter the First Gate.
And the Second Gate
NINNGHIZHIDDA removed the Wand
The Wand of Lapis Lazuli he took away
And ISHTAR asked
Why, NETI, has thou removed my Second Jewel?
And NETI answered
Thus it is, the Covenant of Old, set down before Time
The Decrees of the Lady of KUTU.
Enter the Second Gate.
At the Third Gate
NINNGHIZHIDDA removed the Jewels
The Jewels around her neck he took away
And ISHTAR asked
Why, Gatekeeper, has thou removed my Third Jewel?
And the Gatekeeper answered
Thus it is, the Covenant of Old, set down before Time,
The Decrees of the Lady of KUTU
Enter the Third Gate.
At the Fourth Gate
NINGHIZHIDDA removed the Jewels
The Jewels on her breast he took away
And ISHTAR asked
Why, Guardian of the Outer, has thou removed my Fourth Jewel?
And the Guardian answered
Thus it is, the Covenant of Old, set down before Time,
The Rules of the Lady of KUTU.
Enter the Fourth Gate.
At the Fifth Gate
NINNGHIZHIDDA removed the Jewels
The Belt of Jewels around her hips he took away
And ISHTAR asked
Why, Watcher of the Forbidden Entrance, hast thou removed my Fifth Jewel?
And the Watcher answered
Thus it is, the Covenant of Old, set down before Time,
The Rules of the Lady of KUTUK.
Enter the Fifth Gate.
At the Sixth Gate
NINNGHIZHIDDA removed the Jewels
The Jewels around her wrists
And the Jewels around her ankles he took away.
And ISHTAR asked
Why, NINNKIGAL, hast thou removed my Sixth Jewel?
And NINKIGAL answered
Thus it is, the ancient Covenant, set down before Time,
The Decrees of Lady of KUTU.
Enter the Sixth Gate.
At the Seventh Gate
NINNGHIZHIDDA removed the Jewels
The Jewelled Robes of ISHTAR he took away.
ISHTAR, without protection, without safety,
ISHTAR, without talisman or amulet, asked
Why, Messenger of the Ancient Ones, hast thou removed my Seventh Jewel?
And the Messenger of the Ancient Ones replied
Thus it is, the Covenant of Old, set down before Time,
The Rules of the Lady of KUTU.
Enter the Seventh Gate and behold the Nether World.
ISHTAR had descended to the Land of KUR
To the Depths of CUTHA she went down.
Having lost her Seven Talisman of the Upper Worlds
Having lost her Seven Powers of the Land of the Living
Without Food of Life or Water of Life
She appeared before ERESHKIGAL, Mistress of Death.
ERESHKIGAL screamed at Her presence.
ISHTAR raised up Her arm.
ERESHKIGAL summoned NAMMTAR
The Magician NAMMTAR
Saying these words she spoke to him
Go! Imprison her!
Bind her in Darkness!
Chain her in the Sea below the Seas!
Release against her the Seven ANNUNNAKI!
Release against her the Sixty Demons!
Against her eyes, the demons of the eyes!
Against her sides, the demons of the sides!
Against her heart, the demons of the heart!
Against her feet, the demons of the feet!
Against her head, the demons of the head!
Against her entire body, the demons the KUR!
And the demons tore at her, from every side.
And the ANNUNAKI, Dread Judges
Seven Lords of the Underworld
Drew Around Her
Faceless Gods of ABSU
They stared
Fixed her with the Eye of Death
Withe the Glance of Death
They killed her
And hung her like a corpse from a stake
The sixty demons tearing her limbs from her sides
Her eyes from her head
Her ears from her skull.
ERESHKIGAL rejoiced.
Blind AZAG-THOTH rejoiced
IAK SAKKAK rejoiced
ISHNIGGARRAB rejoiced
KUTULU rejoiced
The MASKIM gave praise to the Queen of Death
The GIGIM gave praise to ERESHKIGAL, Queen of Death.
And the Elder Ones were rent with fear.
Our Father ENKI
Lord of Magick
Receiving word by NINSHUBUR
ISHTAR's servant NINSHUBUR
He hears of ISHTAR's Sleep
In the House of Death
He hears how GANZIR has been
Opened
How the Face of Abyss
Opened wide its mouth
And swallowed the Queen of Heaven
Queen of the Rising of the Sun.
And ENKI summoned forth clay
And ENKI summoned forth wind
And from the clay and from the wind
ANKI fashioned two Elementals
He fashioned the KURGARRU, spirit of the Earth,
He fashioned the KALATURRU, spirit of the Seas,
To the KURGARRU he gave the Food of Life
To the KALATURRU he gave the Water of Life
And to these images he spoke aloud
Arise, KALATURRU, Spirit of the Seas
Arise, and set thy feet to that Gate GANZIR
To the Gate of the Underworld
The Land of No Return
Set thine eyes
The Seven Gates shall open for thee
No spell shall keep thee out
For my Number is upon you.
Take the bag of the Food of Life
Take the bag of the Water of Life
And ERESHKIGAL shall not raise her arm against you
ERESHKIGAL SHALL HAVE NO POWER OVER YOU.
Find the corpse of INANNA
Find the corpse of ISHTAR our Queen
And sprinkle the Food of Life, Sixty Times
And sprinkle the Water of Life, Sixty Times
Sixty Times the Food of Life and the Water of Life
Sprinkle upon her body
And truly
ISHTAR will rise.
With giant wings
And scales like serpents
The two elementals flew to that Gate
Invisible
NINNGHIZHIDDA saw them not
Invisible
They passes the Seven Watchers
With haste they entered the Palace of Death
And they beheld several terrible sights.
The demons of all the Abyss lay there
Dead but Dreaming, they clung to the walls
Of the House of Death
Faceless and terrible
The ANNUNAKI stared out
Blind and Mad AZAG-THOTH reared up
The Eye on the Throne opened
The Dark Waters stirred
The Gates of Lapis Lazuli glistened
In the darkness
Unseen Monsters
Spawned at the Dawn of Ages
Spawned in the Battle of MARDUK and TIAMAT
Spawned in HUBUR
With the Sign of HUBUR
Lead by KINGU . . .
With haste they fled
Through the Palace of Death
Stopping only at the corpse of ISHTAR
The Beautiful Queen
Mistress of the Gods
Lady of all the Harlots of UR
Bright Shining One of the Heavens
Beloved of ENKI
Lay hung and bleeding
From a thousand fatal wounds.
ERESHKIGAL
Sensing their presence
Cried out.
KUGAARU
Armed with Fire
Looked upon the Queen of Corpses
with the Ray of Fire
KALATURRU
Armed with Flame
Looked upon the Queen of the Graves
With the Rays of Flame.
And ERESHKIGAL
Mighty in CUTHA
Turned her face
Upon the corpse of INANNA
Sixty times they sprinkled
The Water of Life of ENKI
Upon the corpse of ISHTAR
Sixty times they sprinkled
The Food of Life of ENKI
Upon the corpse
Hung from a stake
They directed the Spirit of Life
INANNA AROSE.
The Dark Waters trembled and roiled.
AZAG-THOTH screamed upon his throne
CUTHALU lurched forth from his sleep
ISHNIGARRAB fled the Palace of Death
IAK SAKKAK trembled in fear and hate
The ANNUNNAKI fled their thrones
The Eye upon the Throne took flight
ERESHKIGAL roared and summoned NAMMTAR
The Magician NAMMRAR she called
But not for pursuit
But for protection.
INANNA ascended from the Underworld.
With the winged elementals she fled the Gates
Of GANZIR and NETI she fled
And verily
The Dead fled ahead of her.
When through the First Gate they fled
ISHTAR took back her jewelled robes.
When through the Second Gate they fled
ISHTAR took back her jewelled bracelets.
When through the Third Gate they fled
ISHTAR took back her jewelled belt.
When through the Fourth Gate they fled
ISHTAR took back her jewelled necklace.
When through the Fifth Gate they fled
ISHTAR took back her Belt of Jewels.
When through the Sixth Gate they fled
ISHTAR took back her Wand of Lapis
When through the Seventh Gate they fled
ISHTAR took back her jewelled crown.
And the Demons rose
And the Spirits of the Dead
And went with her out of the Gates
Looking neither right nor left
Walking in front and behind
They went with ISHTAR from the Gate of GANZIR
Out of the Netherworld they accompanied her
And ERESHKIGAL
Scorned Queen of the Abyss Wherein All Are Drowned Pronounced a Curse
Solemn and Powerful
Against the Queen of the Rising of the Sun
And NAMMTAR gave it form.
When the Lover of ISHTAR
Beloved of the Queen of Heaven
Goes down before me
Goes through the Gate of GANZIR
To the House of Death
When with him the wailing people come
The weeping woman and the wailing man
When DUMUZI is slain and buried
MAY THE DEAD RISE AND SMELL THE INCENSE!
V
Stoop not down, therefore,
Unto the Darkly Shining World
Where the ABSU lies in Dark Waters
And CUTHALU sleeps and dreams
Stoop not down, therefore,
For an Abyss lies beneath the World
Reached by a descending Ladder
That hath Seven Steps
Reached by a descending Pathway
That hath Seven Gates
And therein is established
The Throne
Of an Evil and Fatal Force.
For from the Cavities of the World
Leaps forth the Evil Demon
The Evil God
The Evil Genius
The Evil Ensnarer
The Evil Phantom
The Evil Devil
The Evil Larvae
Showing no true Signs
Unto mortal Man.
AND THE DEAD WILL RISE AND SMELL THE INCENSE!
(From "The Magan Text" of the Necronomicon, Avon Books, 1980, 159.) Notice of Copyright and Right of Use
Aruru washed her hands, pinched off a piece of clay, cast it out into the open country.
She created a primitive man, Enkidu the warrior: offspring of silence, sky-bolt of Ninurta. His whole body was shaggy with hair, he was furnished with tresses like a woman, His locks of hair grew luxuriant like grain. Excerpted from S. Dalley, Myths from Mesopotamia (New York: Oxford University Press, 1991), pp. 52-56, 138-39.
(Because Gilgamesh is too energetic for the people of Uruk, the gods decide to create a partner for him.)
They called upon great Aruru:
"You, Aruru, you created humankind!
Now create someone for him, to match the ardor of his energies!
Let them be regular rivals, and let Uruk be allowed peace!"
When Aruru heard this, she created inside herself the word of Anu.
Aruru washed her hands, pinched off a piece of clay, cast it out into the open country.
She created a primitive man, Enkidu the warrior: offspring of silence, sky-bolt of
Ninurta.
His whole body was shaggy with hair, he was furnished with tresses like a woman,
His locks of hair grew luxuriant like grain.
He knew neither people nor country; he was dressed as cattle are.
With gazelles he eats vegetation,
With cattle he quenches his thirst at the watering place.
With wild beasts he satisfies his need for water.
A hunter, a brigand,
Came face to face with him beside the watering place.
The hunter looked at him, and was dumbstruck to see him.
In perplexity he went back into his house
And was afraid, stayed mute, was silent,
And was ill at ease, his face worried.
... the grief in his innermost being.
His face was like that of a long-distance traveler.
The hunter made his voice heard and spoke, he said to his father,
"Father, there was a young man who came from the mountain,
On the land he was strong, he was powerful.
His strength was very hard, like a sky-bolt of Anu.
He walks on the mountain all the time,
All the time he eats vegetation with cattle,
All the time he puts his feet in the water at the watering place.
I am too frightened to approach him.
He kept filling in the pits that I dug,
He kept pulling out the traps that I laid.
He kept helping cattle, wild beasts of open country, to escape my grasp.
He will not allow me to work in open country."
His father spoke to him, to the hunter,
"... Uruk, Gilgamesh.
... his open country.
His strength is very hard, like a sky-bolt of Anu
Go, set your face towards Uruk.
... the strength of a man,
... lead her forth, and
... the strong man.
When he approaches the cattle at the watering place,
She must take off her clothes and reveal her attractions.
He will see her and go close to her.
Then his cattle, who have grown up in open country with him, will become alien to him."
He listened to the advice of his father.
The hunter went off to see Gilgamesh.
He took the road, set his face towards Uruk,
Entered the presence of Gilgamesh, and said:
"There was a young man who came from the mountain,
On the land he was strong, he was powerful.
His strength is very hard, like a sky-bolt of Anu.
He walks on the mountain all the time,
All the time he eats vegetation with cattle,
All the time he puts his feet in the water at the watering place.
I am too frightened to approach him.
He kept filling in the pits that I dug,
He kept pulling out the traps that I laid.
He kept helping cattle, wild beasts of open country, to escape my grasp.
He will not allow me to work in open country."
Gilgamesh spoke to him, to the hunter,
"Go, hunter, lead forth the harlot Shamhat,
And when he approaches the cattle at the watering place,
She must take off her clothes and reveal her attractions.
He will see her and go close to her.
Then his cattle, who have grown up in open country with him, will become alien to him."
The hunter went; he led forth the harlot Shamhat with him,
And they took the road, they made the journey.
In three days they reached the appointed place.
Hunter and harlot sat down in their hiding place.
For one day, then a second, they sat at the watering place.
Then cattle arrived at the watering place; they drank.
Then wild beasts arrived at the water; they satisfied their need.
And he, Enkidu, whose origin is the mountain,
Who eats vegetation with gazelles,
Drinks at the watering place with cattle,
Satisfied his need for water with wild beasts.
Shamhat looked at the primitive man,
The murderous youth from the depths of open country.
"Here he is, Shamhat, bare your bosom,
Open your legs and let him take in your attractions!
Do not pull away, take wind of him!
He will see you and come close to you.
Spread open your garments, and let him lie upon you,
Do for him, the primitive man, as women do.
Then his cattle, who have grown up in open country with him, will become
alien to him.
His love-making he will lavish upon you!"
Shamhat loosened her undergarments, opened her legs and he took in her attractions.
She did not pull away. She took wind of him,
Spread open her garments, and he lay upon her.
She did for him, the primitive man, as women do.
His love-making he lavished upon her.
For six days and seven nights Enkidu was aroused and poured himself into Shamhat.
When he was sated with her charms,
He set his face towards the open country of his cattle.
The gazelles saw Enkidu and scattered,
The cattle of open country kept away from his body.
For Enkidu had stripped; his body was too clean.
His legs, which used to keep pace with his cattle, were at a standstill.
Enkidu had been diminished, he could not run as before.
Yet he had acquired judgment, had become wiser.
He turned back, he sat at the harlot's feet.
The harlot was looking at his expression,
And he listened attentively to what the harlot said.
The harlot spoke to him, to Enkidu,
"You have become wise Enkidu, you have become like a god.
Why should you roam open country with wild beasts?
Come, let me take you into Uruk the Sheepfold,
To the pure house, the dwelling of Anu and Ishtar,
Where Gilgamesh is perfect in strength,
And is like a wild bull, more powerful than any of the people."
She spoke to him, and her speech was acceptable.
From "The Harps That Once...: Sumerian Poetry in Translation" by Thorkild Jacobsen. Yale University Press, Publishers; Copyright 1987.
It was just a city, just a city
But these chose to come settle,
Nippur was just a city,
but these chose to come settle,
Durgishimmar was just a city,
but these chose to come settle.
Just Idsalla was its pure river,
just Kargeshtina its harbor quay,
just Karusar its mooring quay,
just Pulal its well of sweet water,
just Nunbirdu its shimmering canal,
if measured out, just fifty sar each
were its arable lands.
Just Enlil was its young man
just Ninlil was its young maiden
just Ninbarshegunu, was its matron.
In those days
did the mother who gave her birth
advise the girl,
Ninbarshegunu
advised Ninlil:
May you not, 'o woman,
bathe in the pure canal,
in the pure canal,
may you not 'o Ninlil,
come stepping back
unto the bank of Nunbirdu!
He who is all bright eyes,
will be laying eyes upon you,
the great mountain, father Enlil,
who is all bright eyes,
will be laying eyes upon you,
the shepherd, the decision maker,
who is all bright eyes,
will be laying eyes upon you.
Forthwith that cock
will come burgeoning
he will be kissing you
and, happy, will gladly leave with you
the glorious sperm filled into the womb.
To the mother who advised her
she on her part lent ear.
In that selfsame pure canal,
in that selfsame pure canal,
the woman came and bathed,
and Ninlil was about to come stepping
back unto the bank of Nunbirdu.
He who is all bright eyes,
the master, who is all bright eyes,
laid eyes upon her,
the great mountain, father Enlil,
who is all bright eyes,
laid eyes upon her,
the shepherd, the decision maker,
who is all bright eyes,
laid eyes upon her:
"Let me make love with you!"
he was saying to her,
but was not thereby able
to make her agree to it.
"Let me kiss you!"
Enlil was saying to her,
but was not thereby able
to make her agree to it.
"My parts are little,
know not how to stretch,
my lips are little,
know not how to kiss!
If my mother learned about it
she would be slapping my hand,
if my father learned about it,
he would be grabbing hold of me harshly,
and it would not be for me,
now, to tell my girlfriend,
I should be drying up on her!
Enlil said to his page, Nusku:
Nusku, my page!
"Yes, pray!"
Great trust of the Ekur!
"Yes, my master!"
With a girl so nice, so shapely,
with Ninlil, so nice, so shapely,
one gets an urge
to make love
one gets an urge to kiss!
The page brought to his master
the likes of a boat
brought to him the likes of a towline
of a small boat
brought to him the likes of a big boat:
My master, willing,
let me float him down on it,
so he can follow the urge
to make that love,
follow the urge to kiss those lips,
father Enlil willing
let me float him down on it
so he can follow the urge
to make that love,
follow the urge to kiss those lips!
As he was hugging her
he held her hands,
followed the urge to kiss those lips;
and she for her part
was making lie up next to him
the bottom and the little moist place.
He followed the urge
to make that love,
followed the urge to kiss those lips,
and at his first making love,
at his first kiss,
he poured into the womb for her
the sperm, germ of Suen the moon,
the bright lone divine traveler!
Enlil was passing through Kiur,
and as Enlil was passing through Kiur
the fifty great gods,
and the seven gods
of formulating the decisions,
were seizing Enlil in Kiur:
The sex offender Enlil
will leave the town!
The sex offender Nunamnir
will leave the town!
Enlil, in accordance
with what has been decided about him,
left town.
Enlil was walking along,
Ninlil was following,
Nunamnir was walking along,
the girl was pursuing.
Enlil said to the man
in charge of the city gate:
Man of the city gate,
man of the bolt,
man of the lock,
man of the holy bolt!
Your mistress Ninlil
will be coming
an she ask you about me
do you not show her where I am!
Ninlil said to the man
in charge of the city gate:
Man of the city gate,
man of the bolt,
man of the lock,
man of the holy bolt!
Where did Enlil your master go?
Enlil had the man of the city gate answer her.
My master never deigned
to exchange pleasantries with me,
Enlil never deigned
to exchange pleasantries with me!
Having decided in my mind,
I made my plans,
and was filling from him
my empty womb,
Enlil, king of all lands
made love with me.
As Enlil is your master
so also am I your mistress!
An you be my mistress
let my hand touch your pudenda!
A sperm, your future master,
a lustrous sperm, is in my womb,
a sperm, germ of Suen the moon,
a lustrous sperm is in my womb!
May the sperm, my future master,
go heavenward,
and may my sperm
go to the netherworld,
may my sperm
instead of the sperm, my future master
come to the netherworld!
Enlil, as the man of the city gate
had her lie down in the latter's chamber,
made love with her, kissed her;
and at his lovemaking,
at his first kiss,
he poured into the womb for her
vthe sperm, germ of Nergal,
the one issuing forth from Meslam!
Enlil was walking along,
Ninlil was following,
Nunamnir was walking along,
the girl was pursuing.
Enlil drew near
the river of the mountains,
the man-nourishing river,
and to the man in charge
of the river of the mountains,
the man-nourishing river,
Enlil said:
Your mistress Ninlil
will be coming
an she ask you about me
do you not show her where I am!
Ninlil was nearing
the river of the mountains,
the man-nourishing river,
and to the man in charge
of the river of the mountains,
the man-nourishing river,
Ninlil said:
Where did Enlil
your master go?
Enlil had the man of the river of the mountains answer her.
My master never deigned
to exchange pleasantries with me,
Enlil never deigned
to exchange pleasantries with me!
Having decided in my mind,
I made my plans,
and was filling from him
my empty womb,
Enlil, king of all lands
made love with me.
As Enlil is your master
so also am I your mistress!
An you be my mistress
let my hand touch your pudenda!
A sperm, your future master,
a lustrous sperm, is in my womb,
a sperm, germ of Suen the moon,
a lustrous sperm is in my womb!
May the sperm, my future master,
go heavenward,
and may my sperm
go to the netherworld,
may my sperm
instead of the sperm, my future master
come to the netherworld!
Enlil, as the man in charge of the river of the mountains
had her lie down in the latter's chamber,
made love with her, kissed her;
and at his lovemaking,
at his first kiss,
he poured into the womb for her
the sperm, germ of Ninazu,
owner of the temple manor Egida!
Enlil was walking along,
Ninlil was following,
Nunamnir was walking along,
the girl was pursuing.
Enlil drew near Silulim the ferryman
Enlil said:
Your mistress Ninlil
will be coming
and she ask you about me
do you not show her where I am!
Ninlil drew near the ferryman
and said to him:
'O ferryman, where did Enlil
your master go?
Enlil had the man Silulim
make answer:
My master never deigned
to exchange pleasantries with me,
Enlil never deigned
to exchange pleasantries with me!
Having decided in my mind,
I made my plans,
and was filling from him
my empty womb,
Enlil, king of all lands
made love with me.
As Enlil is your master
so also am I your mistress!
An you be my mistress
let my hand touch your pudenda!
A sperm, your future master,
a lustrous sperm, is in my womb,
a sperm, germ of Suen the moon,
a lustrous sperm is in my womb!
May the sperm, my future master,
go heavenward,
and may my sperm
go to the netherworld,
may my sperm
instead of the sperm, my future master
come to the netherworld!
Enlil, as Silulim
had her lie down in the latter's chamber,
made love with her, kissed her;
and at his lovemaking,
at his first kiss,
he poured into the womb for her
the sperm, germ of Enbilulu,
the river warden!
Thou art lord! Thou art master!
Enlil, thou art lord! Thou art master!
Nunamnir, thou art lord! Thou art master!
A lord, carrying great weight,
vlord of the storehouse,
art thou!
The lord making the barley sprout forth,
the lord making the vines sprout forth,
art thou!
Lord of heaven, lord making yields be,
and lord of the earth,
art thou!
Lord of the earth, lord making yields be,
and lord of heaven
art thou!
Enlil being lord, Enlil being master,
and inasmuch as a lord's word
cannot be changed!
Give praise unto Mother Ninlil!
Father Enlil, praise!
New discoveries in basically All the sciences & technology change the way we perceive history every single day & no one person can possibly understand it all. *Keep in mind, our ancesters didn't either & they were there!* It's so massive, multi-directional, & controversial that it's easy for one person to become overwhelmed, intimidated & disenchanted by the extent of it all. The best that we can do is to - Relax... & Enjoy piecing this enormus puzzle together!
Think of it as a perfect mystery! There are plenty of clues, pick one that touches you & run with it! It will grow! There's a kind of magic that happens. Suddenly information starts 'appearing', trying to catch your attention! Coincidence or "Guidence", call it what you will, but it happens!
We can never hope to solve the whole, but by dissecting & developing those sections & then relating those sections to other, seemly unrelated aspects, we form new pathways to enlightment! It's exciting! We ARE a link in that chain!
The information that we gather & the way that each of us link that information can & will be important! What is apparent to you, may never have accoured to me & that is to our advantage. A researcher can be up to their eyebrows in the confusion of it & one simple question or comment by a newcommer can trigger a total reformation of thought! A fresh new vantage point that changes everything! We novices are very important in that way! Collectively, we can make a difference!
Cornellia Cornelius displays a quote at the entrence to her domus that could not be more perfect:
"With so many teachers & with so many examples has antiquity furnished us that no age can be thought more fortunate in the chance of it's birth than our own age for who's instruction men of earlier generations have earnestly laboured." Quintilian (A.D. 35 - 95)
Firstly, I must thank the members of the group for accepting my application, it is a great honour!
Whilst I am only a novice, and a relative newcomer to the more serious questions of ancient Mesopotamia, I hope that through our collective knowledge I may be able to bring some fresh ideas or perspectives. After all it is sometimes the apprentice not the master who may find the most rewarding insight!
My first goal is the study of Sumerian cuneiform, does anyone have any recommendations of books and/or websites that would be of benefit?
Once again, thank you, fellow seekers of enlightenment, and may the Tower of Babel shine with the wisdom of the ancients!
Peace be with you.
Presargonic Kings of Kish (c.2630 - 2316 B.C.):
(En)-mebaragesi....................2630 -2600
Mesalim..................................c. 2550
Kings of Sumer:
En-shakush-ana.....................2432 - 2403
Ku-Baba
Puzur-Sin
Ur-Zababa......Lugal-zagesi....2340 - 2316
This far from complete list was taken from 'Babylon' (revised edition) by Joan Oates who states that none of these dates is certain.
With a display of tablet and its transliteration, plus translation. There is also a word list, and a description of conventions in representing cunieforn syllables in modern languages:
Brief word list:
še "barley grain"
anše "donkey"
kú "eat, feeding"
LAK 483-si-ga "ploughing," although we don't know how to read the sign, there is evidence for its meaning
sag-apin "plough manager" (sag means "head" or "chief")
nu-banda "supervisor"
ganun "warehouse, storage facility"
PAP.PAP reading and exact translation uncertain, but the expression is used as a title of Baranamtara, wife of the city ruler Lugalanda
iti "month"
udu "sheep"
a "water"
íl "carry, lift, bear"
gar "place, deliver"
There is also a map room, excerpts from John Prunetts Peter's description of the excavation of Nippur in the late 19th century, a "reading room" with links to further resources on Nippur, a "professional" room with job descriptions of ancient Nippur, an annotated bibliography--mostly print, but some links--a city plan of Nippur, an essay on the religious establishment at Nippur, a description of dedications from kings, and, to see if the visitor has been paying attention, a quiz on Nippur.
In the year 1800 B.C., in the 6th month, the following transaction took place in Nippur. Do not attempt this in USA!!
Shallurtum, the wife of Ka-Nanna, adopted as daughter Awirtum, daughter of Hupatum, from her father Hupatum and her mother Rubatum. Shallurtum paid out to Hupatum one and two-thirds shekels of silver as payment for her rearing. Awirtum will be made a prostitute and will support her mother Shallurtum. If Awirtum says to her mother Shallurtum, "You are not my mother," she will be sold. If Shallurtum says to her daughter Awirtum, "You are not my daughter," she will pay ten shekels of silver and will forfeit the price of her rearing. She swore by the king.
The tablet includes the names of witnesses from the community and the seal impressions of Shallurtum and Hupatum.
Because there are two issues I still have to come to terms to fully integrate Ancient Mesopotamia in all levels: these are prostitution and slavery (deep sigh).
OK, I know there were different kinds of servants of the body (or pleasure givers? profane and sacred - sigh and *s*) and that a slave could buy out his freedom, a slave could marry a free citizen, etc. All is in the Codes of Law, and I have studied a couple of them. Nevertheless, a slave is still a slave! sigh sigh sigh
Thus, ooooh, I am so very pleased that was then and this is now! It is possible to love the myths, passionate worldview of the past and include values of freedom, with lots lots of love, light and laughter of the present, Inanna and Enki be blessed! :)
Great post, Dubsar, and please give us more on the subject. I am always willing to learn about ancient practices in Mesopotamia.
Like ishtarlight, I have reservations about the Mesopotamian practices of slavery & prostitution. However, the Sumerians did not have the benefit of the last four millennia of history, error, war & social engineering that we can study to try to do better (not that everybody now actually wants to do better morally or spiritually).
The agricultural society & economy of the Sumerians & Akkadians were quite fragile. Slavery to pay off debts & avoid starvation is also documented in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible). The legislation of the Mesopotamians & of the Tanakh sought to restrain the worst abuses & keep things on an even keel.
The sabbatical years & jubilees of the Israelites as well as the occasional misharum decrees of the Mesopotamian kings gave relief to the struggling farmers by canceling debts & restoring equilibrium to environmentally battered society & economy (not to mention the greed of the money-lenders).
At least in the Bronze Age, people were held accountable for their actions. People then certainly were not dealing with the high rate of homocide & violence that is normal in our "enlightened" society.
Just some disjointed thoughts to encourage perspective. Human evolution is not necessarily moving upward in every department! Silim!
The Phoenician Letters is a series of ten letters written from master to apprentice, the apprentice being the crown prince, who is being trained at the Royal School of Ugarit. The crown prince is seen as an aspirant to the Brotherhood of the Prince of the Land of the Four Directions, the mystery school of the initiates of the Royal School of Ugarit. Shemhazai (of Babyloniaca) sent the book version of this material to me and we have been publishing bits and pieces of The Phoenician Letters in our websites. The Phoenician Letters is a real piece of mystery teaching within the Mesopotamian tradition, something so pricelss and so very hard to find. We say mystery teaching not because it is secret (it sometimes is!) but because all layers of symbolism cannot be explained or translated in full measure. And it is so to be. Because all great teachings are timeless and everlasting, and it is the task of each generation to retrieve the wisdom of ancient times, adapting it to modern circumstances while at the same time preserving its essence.
Here is what TPL say about slaves:
"Let us now consider the slave. The slave has nothing of his own, even his offspring belong to his owner. All the fruits of his labour belong to another; if the war is lost, he will still be a slave; he may have a new master in a new land, his life is no better or worse. He has no will of his own: why should he labour harder? He will gain no more. Food and shelter and punishment govern his life. ..." (pg. 8)
"Slaves can become labourers, labourers independent. This, O my Prince, is the law of human growth. And it is the task of the king to foster this growth, for only by so doing may a king become a great man himself. And the conditions for this growth are freedom, justice, leisure and instruction..." (page 12)
Thus, in the mystery teachings of the school that formed priest-kings it was taught that slaves could proceed along the social scale, if they proved themselves worthy, if they worked for their self-improvement. We know nevertheless that this was not easy to achieve. In the world of ideas and ideals, everything is possible, but it is up to the individual to accomplish his or her own story of glories that make up his or her own life.
Simone de Beauvoir said once, defining Existentialism better than Sartre: " Life is always busy with recreating itself and evolving itself. When all that life does is to preserve itself, than living is only not dying".
Mere slaves live only not to die, whereas slaves with a firm ideal to become free evolve and may become a little closer to the image of their dreams.
Dreams that ensoul reality and make us stretch our limits once again, one more time. It was so in Mesopotamia, and still is now that we are so close to the 3rd Millennium. And most probably beyond, until we learn that each day should be a search for self-transcendence, a liberating experience that we start doing in the present, here and now. To last.
In Sumer and Akkad, slaves, like free men and women, belonged to households (Sumerian e2, Akkadian bitum), which belonged to neighborhoods, which belonged to communities, which belonged to the land (Sumerian kalam, Akkadian matum), which belonged to the cosmic order. They all belonged to a meaningful world. At various levels service was offered to gods and goddesses who provided stability and prosperity. Not all meaning was revealed at all times, so that there were traumatic occasions of chaos and social disorder which required the soothing of the divine anger or malaise. The Sumerians, Akkadians and Amorites lived in a numinous world filled with meaning unlike our existence after the world order was demystified by the Protestant Reformation and expectations of divine immanence were canceled.
Slaves belonged to this numinous world as much as freemen did. Not that slaves and free men and women were always happy and did not run away from their situations. Migrations large and small took place and people sought greener pastures. But they did not share our demystified world view. Our discussions of slavery and freedom would not necessarily make any sense to the ancient Sumerians. Some of what we consider freedom would not seem free to them, like freedom from work (a la the socialist welfare state), freedom from religion, freedom from group responsibilities, etc.
Although our concepts of freedom do have value, we can learn lessons from Sumerian views of belonging, membership, and a meaningful numinous world order. Was a happy slave living in a world of meaning worse off than an existentially distraught modern living in a meaningless world without order?
a love for history in context, style and integrity to make ancient truths alive and meaningful for us today. Yes, I loved your post and it really helped me to put slavery in context and in perspective, something I had not been able to do before on this issue.
I would just would like to add that according to the Phoenician Letters the gods that ruled the slaves were Rimon-Adad (representing the labours of the fields, the elements), Ishtar(love, war, regeneration) and Nabu/Nebu (learning, "in the sky, signs; in fire, visions; in water, shapes; on earth, letters").
*VBS*: Could I have another post from you now? Everyday? All days of the year and beyond?
Dubsar asked:"Was a happy slave living in a world of meaning worse off than an existentially distraught modern living in a meaningless world without order?"
Mesopotamian slavery varied, I understand, quite a bit in its practice. Manumission was more easily obtained than say, in the American system of past centuries. If memory serves, there are even later instances of slaves owning slaves, something unthinkable in the Americas.
At the same time, with reference to Ishtarlight's quote of the Phoencian letters: Slaves had nothing of their own, not even their own children. Yet, they were "offered" the chance to better themselves. And it is the duty of a prince to make this happen.
Was Awirtum any better off as a slave prostitute, than say, Thai children who are presently sold by impoverished parents into prostitution? An argument might be made that the child will be fed and clothed by her "employers," and probably have a better chance at prosperity than with her family. Her chances of education might be slightly better, having been next to nothing to begin with. The family, too, might be better off in the short term with the cash for the girl and in the long term with one less mouth to feed. Yet few people, aside from those who pay for the services and those who make money from the girls' work, would argue that such child slavery/prostitution is a good thing.
The only safeguard built into the contract for Awirtum is that Shallurtum had to acknowledge her as her daughter, and, one might assume, had to care at least for her physical wellbeing.
The distraught modern has s chance to find or create meaning. Not to say that this is fun, easy or even always possible. The slave had a chance to eventually better himself which could not have been fun easy or even always possible, either.
At Old Babylonian Nippur, on the 28th day of the first month (corresponding to our March-April) in the year 1737 B.C., a contract of marriage was drawn up between Enlil-issu, son of Lugal-azida, and Ama-sukkal, daughter of Ninurta-mansum. Enlil-issu was a nuesh, a temple functionary serving in the temple of Enlil, the main deity of Nippur and the Sumerian high god in Sumer and Akkad who bestowed legitimate kingship. We do not know exactly what Enlil-issu did in the Ekur, the temple of Enlil. Translating the titles of temple functionaries and describing their duties are still quite difficult tasks for us.
Ama-sukkal entered into the contract on her own initiative rather than being subject to negotiations carried out by her father. In consideration of the marriage, Enlil-issu recieved a financial payment of 19 shekels of silver. Payments in those days were weighed out since minted money in our sense was not yet available. Perhaps a length from a coil of silver was broken off in the right amount. A shekel weighed about 8 1/3 grams.
A broken cuneiform tablet from four years later (this time in the eleventh month) seems to indicate further payment of an additional 5 shekels of silver by Ama-sukkal to Enlil-issu. Another six years later (1727 B.C., on the 12th day of the third month), a judgment was issued against Enlil-issu in a case decided in the local neighborhood before the sacred emblem of Ninurta. He tried to dissolve the inchoate marriage contracted 10 years earlier and made false accusations against his bride to avoid the financial consequences of his decision. He failed in his slander and had to return the money given to him.
What a lousy husband and poor example of Enlil's sacred service! After ten years the marriage, although legally real, was quite theoretical from our point of view. The marriage was still not "consummated" as we would expect it to be long before this time. How did Ama-sukkal feel while waiting for her husband to come for her through ten long years?! Fortunately, the local community stood up for Ama-sukkal and put Enlil-issu in his place. It would be interesting to know more about these characters, but our knowledge of this case is limited to three documents that were fortunately preserved for us.
Delightful post, Dear Dubsar, and here a couple of comments on it:
a) firstly, it is interesting to see that "Ama-sukkal entered into the contract on her own initiative rather than being subject to negotiations carried out by her father" as said Dubsar. Thus, the girl did want to marry Enlil-issu and got him... although not fully in the ways she would most want him to be hers, probably!
2) Secondly, perhaps Ama-sukkal should have chosen a priest of Enki or Dumuzi or Nanna, for starters. Enlil, the Air god and the most powerful of the younger generation of the Great Gods, is not that well known for being gracious at wooing ladies*...
3) it is significant to note that the divorce was solved under the sacred emblem of Ninurta, who was the personal god of Ama-sukkal´s father and family. Enlil-issu, the lousy husband, was punished for failing his bride and her family, most certainly. Ten years is long enough for a bride to wait for her groom. However, better late than never!
"What a lousy husband and poor example of Enlil's sacred service! After ten years the marriage, although legally real, was quite theoretical from our point of view. The marriage was still not "consummated" as we would expect it to be long before this time. How did Ama-sukkal feel while waiting for her husband to come for her through ten long years?! Fortunately, the local community stood up for Ama-sukkal and put Enlil-issu in his place," Dubsar writes.
Well, I think Ama-sukkal was mad enough to throw away personal pride and family circumstances to take her husband to trial!
The keyword for love everlasting is reciprocation. Which Ama-sukkal never got, so she was assertive enough to make Enlil-issu face the consequences of his acts.
I just wish she had not expected ten years though.
*see Enlil and Ninlil - I have analysed it in the thread Men vs Women in the Babylon forum
-a version of the fragment which describes the flood that took place in the days of Xisuthrus, the tenth King of the Chaldeans.
After the death of Ardates, his son Xisuthrus reigned eighteen sari. In his time happened a great Deluge. The Deity, Cronus, appeared to him in a vision, and warned him that upon the 15th day of the month Daesius there would be a flood, by which mankind would be destroyed. He therefore enjoined him to write a history of the beginning, procedure, and conclusion of all things; and to bury it in the city of the sun at Sippara; and to build a vessel and take with him into it his friends and relations; and to convey on board everything necessary to sustain life, together with all the different animals, both birds and quadrupeds, and trust himself fearlessly to the deep. Having asked the Deity whither he was to sail? He was answered, "to the Gods," upon which he offered up a prayer for the good of mankind. He then obeyed the divine admonition; and built a vessel 5 stadia in length, and 2 in breadth. Into this he put everything which he had prepared, and last of all, conveyed into it his wife, his children, and his friends. After the flood had been upon the earth, and was in time abated, Xisuthrus sent out birds from the vessel, which not finding any food nor any place whereupon they might rest their feet returned to him again. After an interval of some days, he sent them forth a second time; and they now returned with their feet tinged with mud. He made a trial a third time with those birds; but they returned to him no more; from whence he judged that the surface of the earth had appeared above the waters. He therefore made an opening in the vessel, and upon looking out, found that it was stranded upon the side of some mountain; upon which he immediately quitted it with his wife, his daughter and the pilot. Xisuthrus then paid his adoration to the earth, and having constructed an altar offered sacrifices to the gods, and with those who had come out of the vessel with him, disappeared. They who remained within, finding that their companions did not return, quitted the vessel with many lamentations, and called continually on the name of Xisuthrus. Him they saw no more; but they could distinguish his voice in the air, and could hear him admonish them to pay due regard to religion; and likewise informed them that it was upon account of his piety that he was translated to live with the gods; that his wife and daughter, and the pilot, had obtained the same honor. To this he added that they should return to Babylonia; and it was ordained, search for the writings at Sippara, which they were to make known to mankind, moreover, that the place, wherein they then were, was the land of Armenia. The rest, having heard these words, offered sacrifices to the gods, and taking a circuit, journeyed towards Babylonia.
A Sumerian Myth, translator, S.N. Kramer, THE DELUGE From The Ancient Near East, an Anthology of Text and Pictures, edited by James Pritchard
(approximately first 37 lines destroyed)
"My mankind, in its destruction I will….
To Nintu* I will return the…of my creatures,
I will return the people to their settlements,
Of the cities, verily they will build their places of divine ordinances,
I will make peaceful their shade,
Of our houses, verily they will lay their bricks in pure places,
The places of our decision verily they will found in pure places."
He directed the…of the temenos,
Perfected the rites (and) the exalted (divine) ordinances,
On the earth he …d, placed the …there.
After Anu, Enlil, Enki and Ninhursag
Had fashioned the black-headed (people),
Vegetation luxuriated from the earth,
Animals, four-legged (creatures) of the plain, were brought artfully into existence.
(approximately 37 lines destroyed)
After the … of kingship had been lowerd from heaven,
After the exalted [tiara] (and) the throne of kingship had been lowered from heaven,
He [pe]rfected the [rites (and) the ex]alted
[(divine) ordinances]…,
Founded the [five] ci[ties] in ….p[ure places],
Cal[led] their names, [appor]tioned them as [cu]lt-centers.
The first of these cities, Eridu, he gave to Nudimmud,
The leader,
The second, Badtibira, he gave to…,
The third, Larak, he gave to Endurbilhursag,
The fourth, Sippar, he gave to the hero Utu,
The fifth, Shuruppak, he gave to Sud.
When he had called the names of these cities, apportioned
Them as cult-centers,
He brought…,
Established the cleaning of the small
Rivers as…
(approximately 37 lines destroyed)
The flood…
…
Thu[s w]as treated…
Then did Nin[tu weep] like a …,
The pure Inanna [set up] a lament for its people,
Enki took coun[sel] with himself,
Anu, Enlil, Enki, (and) Ninhursag…,
The gods of heaven and earth [uttered] the name of
Anu (and) Enlil.
Then did Ziusudra, the king, the pasisu [of]…,
Build giant…;
Humbly obedience, reverently [he]…,
Attending daily, constantly [he]…,
Bringing forth all kinds of dream, [he]…,
Uttering the name of heaven (and) earth,
[he]…
…the gods a wall…,
Ziusudra, standing at its side, list[ened].
"Stand by the wall at my left side…,
By the wall I will say a word to thee, [take my word],
[Give] ear to my instruction:
By our…a flood [will sweep] over the cult-centers;
To destroy the seed of mankind…,
Is the decision, the word of the assembly [of the gods].
By the word commanded by Anu (and) Enlil…,
Its kingship, its rule [will be put to an end]."
(approximately 40 lines destroyed)
All the windstorms, exceedingly powerful,
Attacked as one,
At the same time, the flood sweeps over the cult-centers.
After, for seven days (and) seven nights,
The flood had swept over the land,
(And) the huge boat had been tossed about by the
windstorms on the great waters,
Utu came forth, who sheds light on heaven (and) earth.
Ziusudra opened a window of the huge boat,
The hero Utu brought his rays into the giant boat.
Ziusudra the king,
Prostrated himself before Utu,
The king kills an ox, slaughters a sheep.
(approximately 30 lines destroyed)
"Ye will utter 'breath of heaven,' 'breath of earth,' verily
it will stretch itself by your…"
Anu (and) Enlil uttered "breath of heaven," "breath of earth,"
by their…it stretched itself.
Vegetation, coming up out of the earth, rises up.
Ziusudra, the king,
Prostrated himself before Anu (and) Enlil.
Anu (and) Enlil cherished Ziusudra,
Life like (that of) a god they give him,
Breath eternal like (that of) a god they bring down
For him.
Then, Ziusudra the king,
The preserver of the name of vegetation (and)
Of the seed of mankind.
In the land of crossing, the land of Dilmun, the place
Where the sun rises, they caused to dwell.
(Remainder of the table, about 39 lines of text, destroyed.)
I have found a webpage at www.geocities.com/athens/9145/rkaf_ugaritc.html which describes Ugarit as a cuneiform script with 30 signs. It is interesting because it is letteral unlike Akkadian which is syllabic.
Sargon...............................2334 - 2279 B.C.
Rimush...............................2278 - 2270
Manishtushu.......................2296 - 2255
Naram-Suen (Narem Sin).....2254 - 2218
Shar-kali-sharri...................2217 - 2193
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Igigi
Nanium 2192 - 2190
Imi
Elul-dan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dudu...................................2189 - 2169
Shu-Turul............................2168 - 2154
According to Joan Oates - 'Babylon' (revised edition) who states that "None of these dates is certain".
There was a 91-year period between the Akkadian dynasty and the 3rd dynasty of Ur, when Mesopotamia was ruled by the Gutians, a hill tribe from the Zagros mts. 20+ years ago I found a list of the Gutian kings and copied it down. Don't quote me on this, but I think I got it from a 90-year-book on the Elamites. Since then I have not seen anyone else even attempt to put up a Gutian king list. Here it is for your benefit.
| Name | Length of Reign | |
|---|---|---|
| Imbia | 3 years | |
| Ingishu | 6 years | |
| Nikilagab | 6 years | |
| Shulme | 6 years | |
| Elulumesh | 6 years | |
| Ilimabakesh | 5 years | |
| Igeshaush | 6 years | |
| Iarlagab | 5 years | |
| Ibate | 3 years | |
| Iarla | 3 years | |
| Kurum | 1 year | |
| Kurumnedin | 3 years | |
| Kurumrabum | 2 years | |
| Irarum | 2 years | |
| Ibranum | 1 year | |
| Hablum | 2 years | |
| Puzur-Sin | 7 years | |
| Iarlaganda | 7 years | |
| 2 unnamed kings | 7 years |
1. Nobody ruled for more than seven years. Perhaps they weren't really a hereditary monarchy; they might have had a confederate government.
2. The names sound Akkadian. This means to me that they were either Semitic to start with, or (more likely) they learned the language of their subjects.
In a Standard Babylonian text for conjurers, we find the statement: ana ihzika la teggi, rendered by the Chicago Assyrian Dictionary as "Do not be careless about your study!" Good advice for a scholar. CAD lists many other interesting passages with the word egu, including: ana massaratika la teggi, rendered "Do not neglect your watch duties!" I am not sure how to show vowel length & emphatic consonants on this board. Has anyone seen a web entity that represents vowels with simple length (with macron)? Entities exist to show length from two vowels coming together (circumflex) & to indicate the Semitic "sh" sound. Why not simple length? Anybody else have an Akkadian favorite? Best wishes from Hursaggalamma (the ziggurat of Enlil)!
This touching piece I found in Benjamin Foster's From Distant Days. It supplies only the translation, no hint of the original, which is in Akkadian. The piece is not dated.
Why are you cast adrift, like a boat in midstream,
Your planking stoven, your mooring rope cut?
With shrouded face, you cross the river of the City [Assur],
How could I not be cast adrift,
how could my mooring rope not be cut?
The day I carried the fruit, how happy I was,
Happy was I, happy my husband.
The day I went into labor, my face grew overcast,
The day I gave birth, my face grew cloudy.
I prayed to Belet-ili with my hands opened out,
"You are mother off those who give birth, save my life!"
Hearing this, Belet-ili shrouded her face,
"You [ ],why do you keep praying to me?"
[My husband, who lov]ed me, uttered a cry,
"[ ] me, the wife I adore!"
[All.. ] those days I was with my husband,
While I lived with him who was my lover,
Death was creeping steathily into my bedroom,
It forced me from my house,
It cut me off from my lover,
It set my foot toward the land from which I shall not return.
Foster, p. 329
Ancient History Sourcebook:
The Advice of an Akkadian Father to His Son, c. 2200 BCE
Do not set out to stand around in the assembly. Do not loiter where there is a dispute, for in the dispute they will have you as an observer. Then you will be made a witness for them, and they will involve you in a lawsuit to affirm something that does not concern you. In case of a dispute, get away from it, disregard it! If a dispute involving you should flare up, calm it down. A dispute is a covered pit, a wall which can cover over its foes; it brings to mind what one has forgotten and makes an accusation against a man. Do not return evil to your adversary; requite with kindness the one who does evil to you, maintain justice for your enemy, be friendly to your enemy.
Give food to eat, beer to drink, grant what is requested, provide for and treat with honor. At this one's god takes pleasure. It is pleasing to Shamash, who will repay him with favor. Do good things, be kind all your days.
Do not honor a slave girl in your house; she should not rule your bedroom like a wife, do not give yourself over to slave girls....Let this be said among your people: "The household which a slave girl rules, she disrupts." Do not marry a prostitute, whose husbands are legion, an Ishtar-woman who is dedicated to a god, a kulmashitu-woman. . . .When you have trouble, she will not support you, when you have a dispute she will be a mocker. There is no reverence or submissiveness in her. Even if she is powerful in the household, get rid of her, for she pricks up her ears for the footsteps of another.
My son, if it be the wish of a ruler that you belong to him, if you are entrusted with his closely guarded seal, open his treasure house and enter it, for no one but you may do it. Uncounted wealth you will find inside, but do not covet any of that, nor set your mind on a secret crime, for afterwards the matter will be investigated and the secret crime which you committed will be exposed.
Do not speak ill, speak only good. Do not say evil things, speak well of people. He who speaks ill and says evil---people will waylay him because of his debt to Shamash. Do not talk too freely, watch what you say. Do not express your innermost thoughts even when you are alone. What you say in haste you may regret later. Exert yourself to restrain your speech.
Worship your god every day. Sacrifice and pious utterance are the proper accompaniment of incense. Have a freewill offering for your god, for this is proper toward a god. Prayer, supplication, and prostration offer him daily, then your prayer will be granted, and you will be in harmony with god.
Source:
Scanned by: J. S. Arkenberg, Dept. of History, Cal. State Fullerton. Prof. Arkenberg has modernized the text.
This text is part of the Internet Ancient History Sourcebook. The Sourcebook is a collection of public domain and copy-permitted texts related to medieval and Byzantine history.
Unless otherwise indicated the specific electronic form of the document is copyright. Permission is granted for electronic copying, distribution in print form for educational purposes and personal use. No representation is made about texts which are linked off-site, although in most cases these are also public domain. If you do reduplicate the document, indicate the source. No permission is granted for commercial use.
© Paul Halsall, July 1998
halsall@murray.fordham.edu
An Incantation: The Worm and the Toothache
In this incantation, toothache is attributed to a worm that obtained the permission of the gods to dwell among the teeth and gums. The present text dates from Neo-Babylonian times, and was published in 1903 by R. Campbell Thompson. The colophon indicates, however, that the copy had been made from an ancient text. And the Mari documents of the Old Babylonian period include a tablet with the Akkadian label li-pa-at tu-ul-tim, "Toothache Incantation." The text itself, however, is in Hurrian and cites various deities of the Hurrian pantheon.
The Assyrian physician had to be something of a demonologist, as possession by devils was held to be the cause of various diseases, and we find incantations sprinkled among prescriptions. Occasionally even myths enter into the prescription as in that for a toothache, one compounded of fermented drink, the plant sakilbir, and oil.
After Anu [had created heaven],
Heaven had created [the earth],
The earth had created the rivers,
The rivers had created the canals,
The canals had created the marsh,
(And) the marsh had created the worm---
The worm went, weeping, before Shamash,
His tears flowing before Ea:
"What wilt thou give me for my food?
What wilt thou give me for my sucking?"
"I shall give thee the ripe fig,
(And) the apricot.:
"Of what use are they to me, the ripe fig and the apricot?
Lift me up and among the teeth
And the gums cause me to dwell!
The blood of the tooth I will suck,
And of the gum I will gnaw its roots!
Fix the pin and seize its foot.
Because thou hast said this, O worm,
May Ea smite thee with the might of his hand.
...have any links to any sites that have a full translation of the Epic of Gilgamesh?
I've looked around and only managed to find fragments.
Can anyone offer any help?
Many thanks, my friends