Cunneifor Studies Sumerian Text About Sacred Mariage-Kramer

Cuneiform Studies and the History of Literature: The Sumerian Sacred Marriage Texts
Author(s): Samuel Noah Kramer

Source: Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, Vol. 107, No. 6, Cuneiform Studies
and the History of Civilization (Dec. 20, 1963), pp. 485-527
Published by: American Philosophical Society
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CUNEIFORM STUDIES AND THE HISTORY OF LITERATURE:
THE SUMERIAN SACRED MARRIAGE TEXTS
SAMUEL NOAH KRAMER
Clark Research Professorof Assyriologyand Curator of Tablet Collections,
UniversityMuseum, Universityof Pennsylvania
(Read April 19, 1963, in theSymposiumon CuneiformStudies and theHistoryof Civilization)
CONTENTS CT XLII Figulla, H. H., CuneiformTextsfrom the

PAGE Babylonian Tablets in the British Mu-
List of Abbreviations.... 485 seum (London, 1959).
Sumerian Literature and the Literature of the Ancient HBS Kramer, S. N. History Begins at Sumner
World. 486 (New York, 1959).
JCS Journal of Cuneiform Studies (New
The Sacred Marriage Texts: Premarital Courting Haven, 1947-).
MAW MythologiesoftheAncient World,Kramer,
1. UM 29-16-37. 493 S. N., editor (New York, 1961).
2. TRS No. 70... 495
N University Museuim, Catalogue of the
3. SLTN No. 35. 497 Babylonian Section (followed by
4. TMH N.F. III, No. 25... 499 number).
The Sacred Marriage Texts: Rite and Ritual Ni Museum of the Ancient Orient (Is-
tanbul), Nippur Collection (followed
5. CT XLII, No. 4. 501 by number).
6. CT XLII, No. 13.. 503 OLZ Orientalistische Literatutrzeitung(Berlin
7. Ni 9602. 505 and Leipzig, 1898-).
PAPS Proceedingsof theAmerican Philosophical
The Sacred Marriage 'rexts: Love Songs Society (Philadelphia, 1838-).
8. N 3560 and N 4305. 508 RA Revue d'assyriologieet d'archeologieorien-
9. TRS XV, No. 20 and UET' VI, No. 121.. 508 tale (Paris, 1884-).
10. UM 29-16-8 and Ni 4552... 509 SAHG Falkenstein, Adam and Von Soden,
11. UET VI, Nos. 121, 122, N4305 and Ni 4569.. 510 Wolfram. Sumerische und Akkadische
Hymnen und Gebete(Zurich and Stutt-
New Texts for "Inanna's Descent to the Nether gart, 1953).
World" SHCC Kramer, S. N. The Sumerians (Chicago,
1963).
1. Texts for the Restoration of Lines 224-263.... 511 SEM Chiera, Edward. Sumerian Epics and
2. UET VI, No. 8 . . 512
Myths (Chicago, 1934).
3. UET VI, No. 9 ... . 513 SLTN Kramer, S. N. Sumerian Literary Texts
4. UET VI, No. 10 . . 514 from Nippur in the Museum of the
5. UET VI, No. 11. 515 AncientOrient (Philadelphia, 1944).
SSA Van Dijk, J. J. A. La Sagesse sunmero-
The author wishes to express his thanks to accadienne (Leiden, 1953).
Jane Heimerdinger,Research Assistant in the TC II Van Dijk, J. J. A. Tabulae Cuneifornie
University Museum, who prepared the type- a F.M. Th. de Liagre Bo5hl (Leiden,
script, checked the transliterationswith the 1957).
originals, and is responsible for the copies on TMH N.F. III Bernhardt, Inez and Kramer, S. N.
SumerischeLiterarischeTexte aus Nip-
figure5. pur (Berlin, 1961).
ABBREVIATIONS TRS Genouillac, Henri de. Textes religieux
ANET Ancient Near Eastern TextsRelating to the sum&riensdu Louvre (Paris, 1930).
Old Testament. Pritchard, James B., UET VI Gadd, C. J. and Kramer, S. N. Literary
editor (Princeton, 2nd. edition, 1955). Textsfrom Ur (in press).
AS 12 Kramer, S. N. Lamentation overthe De- UM University Museum, Catalogue of
structionof Ur (Chicago, 1940). the Babylonian Section (followed by
BE XXX Radau, Hugo. Sumerian Hymns and number).
Prayers to God Dumuzi (Miinchen, 3NT Joint Expedition to Nippur of the
1913). Oriental Institute of the University of
Bi Or BibliothecaOrientabia(Leiden, 1943). Chicago and the University Museum
CBS University Museum, Catalogue of the of the University of Pennsylvania.
Babylonian Section (followed by Third Season (1951-1952). Registry
number). of clay tablets.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, VOL. 107, NO. 6, DECEMBER, 1963
485

486 SAMUEL NOAH KRAMER [PROC. AMER. PHIL. SOC.
SUMERIAN LITERATURE AND THE earliest as yet discovered date from about a
LITERATURE OF THE centuryor so later. By the end of the third
ANCIENT WORLD millenniumtheirliteraryoutput must have been
T'o JUDGE from the available information, prolific,but no doubt owinlgto archaeological
about half a millioncuneiformdocuments vary- accident relatively few literaryproducts from
ing considerably in shape, size, and state of this highlycreative period,have as yet come to
preservation,have been excavated in the Near light. The vast majority of the excavated
East, and are scatteredthroughoutthe museums Sumerianliterarytabletsdate fromthe firsthalf
and collections the world over. Of this vast of the second millenniumB.C. when the Senmitic
number,probablyless than two per cent or less Amoriteswere infiltratingthe land, and when
than ten thousand tablets and fragmentsare Sumerian was gradually replaced by Akkadian
inscribedwith belles-lettres, such as nmths,epic as the spoken language of the land. It was
tales, hymns,prayers,laments, and "wisdom" throughout this, the so-called First Post-Su-
compositions. The great majorityof these are merian Period, that the earlier literaryworks
written in the Sumerian and Akkadian lan- were studied, copied, and redacted; in fact the
guages; the remainderare in Hittiteand UJgaritic presumablyAkkadian speaking teachers,poets,
(Canaanite), and very rarelyin such other lan- and scribes of these post-Sumeriandays even
guages as Hattic, Hurrian,Luvian, and Palaic.1 created new Sumerian literaryworks, although
Except for the Sunmerian documents,almost all by and large these followedclosely theirearlier
these literary works have been published and prototypes.
translated,and theirsignificanceforthe history Sumerian literature,in the restrictedsense of
of literature,and particularlyfor Biblical and belles-lettres,consists of myths and epic tales,
Greek literature, has been pointed out and hymnsand lamentations,"historiography"and
evaluated by a number of scholars over the "'wisdomii."The large majorityof the Sumerian
years.2 This paper will thereforeconfineitself literaryworks are writtenin poetic form. The
prin-marily to the Sumerian compositions and use of meteraind rhymewas entirelyunkniown
theirimpressoin the literaryworks of the He- but practicallyall otherpoetic devices and tech-
brews and the Greeks. niques were utilizedwith skill,imagination,and
As of today there are about 5,000 Sumerian effect:repetitionand parallelisnm, metaphorand
literarytabletsand fragmentsscatteredthrough- simile, chorus and refrain.
out the museumsthe worldover. About a third As of today,therehave been recoveredwholly,
of these have now been published; most of the or in large part, twentySumerian myths; these
rem-iainder are available at the UniversityM'u- are concerned primarilywith the creation and
seum in the formlof originals, copies, photo- organization of the universe; the birth of the
graphs,and casts. Practicallyall these tablets gods, and theirdeeds and misdeeds; the creation
man;
date fromthe eighteenthcenturyB.C., although of man; the sending of the flood against
of the mysteries of death and the Nether World.
thereis good reason to assume that not a few
TIhere are now restorable,whollyor in part,nine
the compositionsinscribedoni theni were com-
Sumerian epic tales, revolvingabout the three
posed several centuries earlier. Actually the Sumerian heroes who lived early in the third
Sumeriansfirstbegan to writedown theirliterary millenniumB.C.: Enmerkar, Lugalbanda, and
works some time about 2,500 B.C. although the Gilgamesh. One of the most carefully culti-
I For a more detailed account of the nature, content,
vated literaryarts in Sumer was hymnography.
and provenience of the extant cuLneiform documents, cf. Scores ofhymnsto gods,kings,and templeshave
S. N. Kramer, "Cultural Anthropologyand the Cuneiform been recoveredto date, and thereis everyreason
Documents," Ethnology1 (1962): 299-314. to believethat thisis onlya fractionofthe hymns
2 For a representativecollection of the cuneiformdocu- currentin ancient Sumer. There are a seriesof
ments as a whole, cf. ANET; the "Index of Biblical lamentationsand historiographic documentscon-
References" at the end of the book (pages 520-523) is a
valuable indicator of the possible and probable inter- cerned with the destructionof such famouscities
connections between Biblical and cuneiform literature. as Ur, Nippur, and Agade. Finally-and this
For the impress of cuneiformliteratureon the Greek and has only become clarifiedin the last decade or
Aegean world, cf. H. G. Giuterbock,"Hittite Mythology" so-the Sumerians had a large and diversified
(chapter 3 of MAW); T. H. Gaster, Thespis (2nd ed.,
New York, 1961); J. Fontenrose,Python (Berkeley, 1959); group of wisdom compositions:debates, essays,
C. H. Gordon, BeforetheBible (New York, 1962). and collectionsof preceptsand proverbscontain-

VOL. 107, NO. 6, 1963] CUNEIFORM STUDIES AND HISTORY OF LITERATURE 487
inghundredsofmaxims,sayings,apothegms,and ticularly through the latter, since it is well

even Aesop-likefables.3 known, that in the second millenniumB.C. the
Sumerianliterature,it is generallyagreed,has Akkadian language was the lingua franca of
left a deep imnpress on the literaryproducts of practicallythe entireliteraryworld. Akkadian
the entireancient Near East, especially sinlceat literaryworks must thereforehave been quite
one timeor anotherpracticallyall the peoples of familiarto menof letters,even in the Palestinian
Western Asia-Akkadians, Assyrians, Baby- and Aegean world.4 But not a few of these
lonians, Hittites, Hurrians, Canaanites, and Akkadian literaryworkswent back to Sumerian
Elamites, to name only those forwhich positive prototypes,remodeledand transformed over the
and directevidenceis available at the moment- centuries.
had foundit to theirinterestto borrowthe cunei- Be that as it may, the fact is that we can now
formscriptin orderto inscribetheirown records point out a considerablenumberof parallels be-
and writings. For the adoption and adaptation tween the Sumerian and Greek literaryremains.
of thissyllabicand logographicsystemofwriting, First, the myths. A number of strikingsimi-
which had been developed by the Suinerians to laritiesbetweensome of the Greek mythological
writetheirown agglutinativeand largelymono- motifs and those found in the Mesopotamian
syllabic tongue, demanded a thoroughtraining world going back to Sumerian sources are now
in the Sumerian language and literature. To generally recognized by classicists as well as
this end, no doubt, learned scribesand teachers Orientalists: the creation of the universe, the
were importedfromSumer to the schools of the birthof the gods, the wise and invaluable culture
neighboring lands, while the native scribes hero, the slaying of the dragon, theomachy,
traveled to Sumnerfor special instructionin its storiesof a "Flood," plagues as divine punish-
more famous acadenmies. All of which resulted ment, the dismal, dreary NetherWorld with its
in the wide spread of Sumerian culture and uninvitingriverand ferryman--allthese mytho-
literature. T he ideas and ideals of the Su- logical themesand motifswill be foundin both
merians theircosmology,theology,ethics, and the Sumerianand the Greek literatures.
systemof education-permeated to a greateror Turning to epic poetry, it is a fact that as
lesserextentthe thoughtsand writingsof all the early as 1932, the eminent English scholar, H.
peoples of the ancient Near East including Mlunro Chadwick, had already noted in his
Palestine. So too, did the Sumerian literary monumentalthree-volumeworkGrowth ofLitera-
formsand themes-their plots, motifs,stylistic ture(Cambridge,1932-1940), that in view of the
devices, and aesthetic techniques. And since, Akkadian Epic of Gilgamesh it is not unlikely
as is becoming ever more apparent, the inter- that Mesopotamia was the cradle of the written
connectionsbetweenAncientMesopotamia, Pal- epic. Since that time,however,therehave been
estine,and the Aegean worldwere manifoldand identifieda numberofSumerianepic tales,which
far-reaching,it is not unlikely,a priori, that can be recognizedas forerunners of the Akkadian
traces of Sumerian influencemay be foundeven Gilgamesh epic. These Sumerian epic tales
in the literatures of the ancient Greeks and have a good deal in common with Greek epic
Hebrews. poetry: they are concernedwith the deeds and
To be sure,even theearliestGreekand Hebrew exploits of individuals rather than with the
literaryworks were not writtendown in their state and its fate; theirplot is based on a kernel
presentformearlierthan theeighthcenturyB.C., of historical truth although the poet does not
while most of the Sumerian literarydocuments hesitate to introduce unhistorical motifs and
were composed about 2000 B.C., or not long conventionssuch as exaggeratednotions of the
thereafter. There is therefore,no question of hero's power,ominousdreams,and the presence
any contemporaryborrowingfromthe Sumerian of divine beings; stylisticallyboth Sumerianand
literarysources. Sumerianinfluencepenetrated Greek epic poetryare fondof the static epithet,
the Greek and Hebrew world throughthe Ca- lengthyrepetitions,speechesbetweenicharacters,
naanite, Hittite,and Akkadian literature. Par- and detailed leisurelydescriptions.5 In fact the
3 For a more detailed account of the nature and contents 4 Cf. especially the most recent inscriptionaldiscoveries
of the Sumerian literaryworks, cf. S. N. Kramer, "Sum- in Ugarit as reportedby J. Nougayrol, "Nouveaux Textes
erian Literature: A General Survey," Chapter 9 of The Accadiens de Ras-Shamra," Academies des Inscriptionset
Bible and theAncientNear East: Essays in Honor of William Belles Lettres, ComptesRendus 1960: 163-171.
FoxwellAlbright(New York, 1961). 5 Cf. note 2 forbibliographical references.

resemblancesbetweenGreek and Sumerian epic during the year in order to ensure a successful
poetryare so strikingthatit seemednotunreason- crop, and whichis reminiscentto no littleextent
able to conclude that the Sumerians,not unlike of Hesiod's Worksand Days. But the Sumerian
the Greeks, underwent what is commonly "wisdom" compositionswhich I wish to stress
knowinas a "Heroic Age" era in the course of beforeyou today are the disputationsand dia-
theirconquest of the land which later came to logues, eleven in number, a variorum edition
be knownas Sumer.6 of which M. Civil is now preparing. For they
On the otherhand thereis littlelikelihoodthat are the forerunnersand prototypesof similar
the Greeks had developed anything like the literarycompositionscurrentall over the ancient
vast and highlysophisticatedhymnal literature world as far as India"1on the east and probably
of the Sumerianssince the templeand its liturgy Greece on the west, and unless I am very much
no doubt played a much largerrole in Sumerian mistakentheyprovidedthe literaryand stylistic
than in Greek life. So, too, the lamentation framnework for even such profoundphilosophic
compositionsbewailingthe destructionof Sumer works as Plato's Dialogues. I had indeed long
and its cities, that were high favorites in the suspected that this mightbe the case, but until
M\vesopotamian cults and have lefttheirtracesin very recently I was loath to say so in printbe-
Biblical literature,seem to have no counterparts cause only the disputation compositions were
in Greek literature. The Greek dirge or elegy, known,and these consistedof debates between
however, has its counterpartin two Sumerian such personifiedentities as Cattle and Grain,
compositionson a Pushkin Museum tablet,only Bird and Fish, Summer and Winter,Tree and
recently translated, in which a certain Lu- Reed, Silver and Copper, Pickaxe and Plow.
dingirrabemoans in hyperbolicterms the death At long last, however,we have at our disposal
of his fatherand of his wife.7 fivedisputationsand dialogues betweenhumans,
Finally thereis the Sumerian"wisdom" litera- and two of the compositionsactually furnishthe
ture consistingof essays, proverbs,fables, and names of the rival debaters. Interestingly
riddles, precepts and instructions,and a re- enough,in at least threeof the compositionsthe
markable group of disputations and dialogues individuals involved are schoolmen, "academi-
which were practically unknown even to the cians," as it were, since they are described as
scholarlyworlduntil recentdays, and which my graduatesof the Edubba, or "Tablet House," the
young Spanish colleague M. Civil, formerlya Sumerian prototypeof all ancient Near Eastern
Research Associate in the Near Eastern Section schools and academies. To be sure it is a far
of the University M\4useum, is now piecing to- cry fromthe rather trivial, puerile, superficial
getherfromhundredsof tablets and fragments and self-centereddebates of these Sumerian
in our museum and abroad, and preparingfor schoolmen to the profound,soul-searchingSo-
publication.8 A number of Sumerian parallels cratic dialogues. But even the mightiestoak
to the Aesopic fables have become knownin re- fromthe lowly acorn doth grow, and since the
centyears as a resultofthe researchesof another Sumeriandisputation-dialoguegenrewas copied
young colleague Edmund Gordon on Sumerian and imitatedall over the ancientworld,it seems
proverbsand fables.9 A noteworthyexample of not unlikely that it was known even to the
it
literarv parallelism is the so-called Sumerian Hellenic men of letterswho transformed by
theirGreek genius into the remarkable dialectic
"Farmer's Almanac"10 in which a farmer in-
philosophic vehicle which has molded the
structshis son concerningall the moreimportant
thought of the Western man for over two
chores and labors which must be performed thousandyears.
6 Cf. S. N. Kramer, "Heroes of Sumer," PAPS 90, 2 T urningfromGreek literatureto Hebrew, the
(1946): 120-130. Sumerianimpresson the Bible has been treated
7 Cf. Kramer, Two Elegies on a Pushkin Museum Tablet by me several years ago in considerabledetail in
(Moscow, 1960); in English with a Russian translation. an article published in AnnalectaBiblica,'2 en-
8 It will take several years before the book is actually
published; for the present, cf. S. N. Kramer, "Sumerian
titled"SumerianLiteratureand the Bible"; these
Literature,A General Survey" (see note 3), and chapter 5 parallelsincludesuch literarythemesand motifs
of SHCC; and E. I. Gordon, "A New Look at the Wisdom as: (1) creationof the universe; (2) creationof
of Sumer and Akkad," Bi Or 17 (1960): 122-152.
9 For bibliographical details, cf. pages 138-139 of Gor- 11 Cf. for the present J. de Menosce, "Sumero-Iranica,"
don's article cited in the precedingnote. RA 1957: 145-146.
10Cf. forthe presentSHCC pp. 103-107 and pp. 340-342. 12 Analecta Biblica 12 (Rome, 1959): pp. 185-204.

man; (3) creation techniques; (4) Paradise; (5) the book is composed, are cultic in origin,and
the Flood; (6) the "Cain-Abel" motif; (7) the were sung in the course of the hierosgamos, or
dispersion of mankind; (8) the earth and its "sacred marriage,"between a king and votary
organization; (9) personalgod; (10) divine retri- of Astarte, the Canaanite goddess of love and
bution and national catastrophe; (11) punish- procreationwhom even so wise a Hebrew king
ment by plague; (12) suffering and submission; as the great Solomon, worshiped and adored,
(13) death and the Nether World. As pointed accordingto I Kings 11: 5. But as more than
out in that article,this list only skimsthe cream one scholar has surmised,'5this Canaanite rite
and scratchesthe surface; in the comingyears, itselfhas Mesopotamian roots; it goes back to
as moreand moreof the Sumerianliterarydocu- the Tanmuz-Ishtar cult, which in turn is a
ments are made available, the number of Su- Semitic Akkadian counterpartof the Sumerian
merian parallels to the Bible will grow and Dumuzi-Inanna cult. Until recently,therewas
multiply,particularlyforsuch books as Psalms, little of a tangible and substantive nature to
Proverbs, Lamentations, and Song of Songs. support this hypothesis. But in the course of
Thus just last year a book was published by a recent years, a considerable amount of new
Biblical scholar which treated only one psalm, Sumerian literary material has come to light
Psalm 51, in which innumerablepoints of con- which tends to confirmthe thesis that at least
tact betweenit and Sumero-Akkadianliterature some of the songs in the book of Canticles,
were identifiedand analyzed."3 In this paper, reflectSumerian origins. The followingpages
however,I should like to treatonly theSumerian will sketch brieflythe contentsof the relevant
parallels to Solomon's "Song of Songs," also Sumerian literarycompositionsand will present
known as "Canticles." This book, that is like translationsof the still unpublishedtextsas well
no otherbook in the Old Testament,is not con- as of the publishedones,whendeemed advisable.
cerned with the historyof the Hebrew people The Dumuzi-Inanna cult and the sacred mar-
and contains no revealing prophecies or in- riage ceremonywhich was its centralrite,prob-
spiring preachments--in fact it seems to be ably originatedas far as we can tell at present,
nothingmore than a looselyorganizedcollection in the city known in the Bible as Erech, in the
of sensuous love songs devoid of any religious, cuneiformliteratureas Unug or Urug, and in
theological, moralistic,or didactic motivation. modern Arabic as Warka. Dumuzi, who is
No wonder that there was considerabledebate usually known by the epithet "shepherd" was
among the early Rabbis about the proprietyof probably a prominentruler of the important
including it in the Biblical canon altogether, Sumerian city-stateof Erech early in the third
although once included it came to be looked millenniumB.C. The tutelary deity of Erech
upon as one of the most inspiringbooks in the was Inanna, a goddesswho throughoutSumerian
Old Testament,since it was interpretedallegori- historywas deemed to be the deity primarily
callv by both Jews and Christianswith Jahweh responsible for sexual love, fertility,and pro-
or Christin theroleof the lover,and the Hebrew creation,and the names of Dumuzi and Inanna
people or the Churchin the role of the bride.14 no doubt became closelyintertwinedin the early
Mlodernscholarship,however,cannot accept mythand ritual of Erech. Sometimeabout the
thiswhimnsical and fancifulallegoricalinterpreta- middle of the third millennium,however,when
tion, attractiveand inspiringas it may be. To the Sumerians were becoming more and more
judge fromwhat we now know of the history nationally minded, and the theologianswere in
and culture of the Ancient Near East, there is the process of systematizingand classifyingthe
good reason to concludethat at least some of the Sumerian pantheon accordingly,therearose the
passionate and rhapsodic love songs of which seeminglyquite plausible and not unattractive
13 E. R. Dalgish, Psalm Fifty-One in theLight of Ancient
idea that the king of Sumer, no matterwho he
Near Eastern Patternism (Leiden, 1962). This is a model was, or fromwhat city he originated,must be-
comparative study of one psalmic genre and its Sumero- come the husband of the life-givinggoddess of
Akkadian cognates and analogues, with a comprehensive,
up-to-date bibliographywhich should prove invaluable for love, that is, Inanna of Erech, ifhe wereto insure
the student of Biblical and Near Eastern interconnections. effectivelythe fecundityand prosperityof the
14 Cf. Theophile Meek's valuable Introduction to the
book in The Interpreter'sBible (12 v., New York, 1956) 5: 15For bibliographical details, cf. the precedingnote, and
pp. 91-97, which includes the pertinent bibliographical Theophile Meek, HIebrewOrigins (3rd ed., New York, 1960)
references. p. 141, note 70.

land and its people.'6 Afterthe initial idea had however,Dumuzi comes acourting to Inanna's,
become accepted dogma it was actually carried home,and is warmlywelcomedby Inanna at her
out in ritual practiceby the consummationof a mother'sbehest.20 On the otherhand, thereis a
marriageceremonywhichwas probablyrepeated poem which depicts the lovers as deceiving the
everyNew Year, betweenthekingand a specially mother,that theymighthave theirfillof love by
selected hierodule from Inanna's temple in the moonlight.21
Erech. To lend importanceand prestige,how- The sacred marriageitselfseems to have taken
ever, to both the credo and the rite, it was place on New Year's day, usually in the palace of
advisable to carry them back to earlier times, the king,knownas "the house of life." We now
and the honor of being the firstmortal rulerto have six compositions which describe the
have become the husband of Inanna, Erech's Dumuzi-Inanna marriage rites and rituals in
most revered deity, not unnaturally fell to some detail, and two of these actually name
Dumuzi, the Erech rulerwho over the centuries the kingwho played the role of Dumuzi--one is
had become a memorable figurein Sumerian Sulgi who reignedin Ur about 2050 B.C.,22 and
legendand lore. the other is Iddin Dagan who reigned in Isin
The available Sumerianliterarymaterial,new about a centuryand a halflater.23 As in thecase
and old, concerned with the sacred marriage, of the courting,the marriagerituals vary in the
consistsof (1) poemspertainingto the premarital different versions,and at the momenitit is not
courtingand wooingof Dumuzi and Inanna; (2) possible to get a clear, consistent,and uniform
poetic compositions relating to the marriage pictureof theceremony,exceptthat themarriage
ritual, and stressingits importancefor the wel- was consummatedon a ceremoniallyprepared
fare of the king and the prosperityof Sumer bed witha veryspecial coverlet,24and that it was
and its people; and (3) rhapsodic love songs followedby a rich feast duringwhich therewas
uttered by the goddess Inanna to Dumuzi or singing, dancing and instrumental music.25
by one of the temple hierodulesto the king in What the content of some of these songs may
the role of Dumuzi. The poems relatingto the have been we learn froma group of about ten
courtshipare fivein number,and each presents poems whose texts are now available, and it is
a different versionof the love affair the poets these in particularwhich are reminiscentto no
seem to be fancyfreein inventingand improvis- little extent of the passion and fervorwhich
ing the pertinentdetails. Thus, according to characterizeSolomon's "Song of Songs."26
one version, Inanna firstrejects the shepherd But love and passion notwithstanding,the
Dumuzi's suit-she would rather marry the marriageof Dumuzi and Inanna ended in bitter,
farmerEnkimdu and it took considerablesua- ironic tragedy,at least as far as Dumuzi was
sion on the part of Dumuzi to induce her to
Cf. pp. 497-499.
20
change her mind.'7Inanna's reluctanceto marry Cf. pp. 499-501.
21
is also evident fromanotherpoem in which she 22 Cf. Van Dijk, "La Fete du nouvel an dans un texte
vaunts her noble pedigree-her mother is the de ;ulgi," Bi Or 11 (1954): 83-88, and TC 2, No. 2.
goddessNingal,herfather,the moon-godNanna, 23
Cf. No. 18 of SAHG.
24 For a poem devoted primarilyto the nuptial bed of
and her brother,the sun-godUtu-and Dumuzi Inanna and Dumuzi, cf. SSA, pp. 65-85 (note that the
has to caution her not to start a quarrel with firstsign in the poem is s e's "brother," not b a 1), and
him, since his pedigreeis quite as noble.18 Ac- S. N. Kramer, "The Biblical Song of Songs and Sumerian
cordingto a thirdpoem, Iiianna findsit advisable Love Songs," Expedition 5, 1 (1962): 28-29; N 4305
to obtain permissionfromher father,Sin, before (figure5) obv. col. i duplicates lines 22-35 of this text.
25 For the new texts concerned with the sacred marriage
givingherselfto Dumuzi who is waitingforher rites, cf. pp. 501-508 (of this study); cf. also TMH N.F.,
in the gipar.19 According to another version, No. 24, a small fragmentof a largertablet which had con-
tained a whole cycle of Dumuzi-Inanna poems relevant
16 Cf. for the present the passage cited by the writerin forthe sacred marriageritual.
Expedition5, 1 (1962): 26 (forthe Sumerian text see SEM 26 For fournew love songs,cf.pp. 508-510 (of this study);
No. 18, line 17 ff.and SEM No. 19, col. i, line 23 ff.). for bibliographical referencesto, and translations of, two
17 For the translation of this poem, cf. S. N. Kramer, other love songs, cf. HIBS, pp. 212-215, and note that
JCS 2 (1948): 60-68, and SSA, pp. 67-73 (the suggestion Ni 4569 (figure9) obv. col. i, lines 15 ff.is a duplicate of the
there made that the beginningof the poem is the text of second of the two there treated. In addition there are a
BE XXX No. 4 is quite erroneous: two separate balbale- number of other more obscure love poems published and
compositionsare involved). unpublished, which I hope to treat on a future occasion
18 Cf. pp. 493-495 (of this studv). (thus Ni 4552-figure 8-probably contains part of two
19 Cf. pp. 495-497. love-soniigs).

concerned. Which brings us to the concluding At the gate she is met by the chiefgatekeeper,
partof thispaper,an examinationof the material who demands to know who she is and why she
that has recentlybecome available for"Inanna's has conme. Inanna concocts a false excuse for
Descent to the Nether World," a myth whose her visit, and the gatekeeper, on instructions
restoration and translation has now been in fromhis mistress,leads her throughthe seven
processfornearlyhalf a century. Althoughby gates of the Nether World. As she passes
the year 1951, the text of this myth had been throughone gate afteranotherhergarmentsand
pieced togetherand revised threetimes as more jewels are removedpiece by piece in spite of her
and more of the tablets and fragmentsinscribed protests. Finally, after enteringthe last gate,
with it became available-these now number she is broughtstark naked and on bended knees
more than a score-the denouementof the plot beforeEreshkigaland the Anunnaki, the seven
was unknownsince the relevant text was still dreaded judges of the Nether World. They
wanting.27 It is this missing portion of the fasten upon her theireyes of death, and she is
myth which can now be restoredin large part turnedinto a corpse,which is thenhung froma
with the help of a tablet excavated by Leonard stake.
Woolleyat Ur, and copied by C. J. Gadd, former Three days and three nights pass. On the
Keeper in the BritishMuseum, withwhom I am fourthday Ninshubur,seeing that his mistress
collaboratingon the publication of the literary has not returned,proceeds to make the rounds
texts fromUr. But first,the plot of the myth of the gods in accordance with her instructions.
as knownto date. As Inanna had surmised,both Enlil and Nanna
Inanna, "queen of heaven," the ambitious refuseall help. Enki, however,devises a plan
goddess of love and war whom the shepherd to restoreher to life. He fashionsthe kurgarra
Dumuzi had wooed and won forwife,decides to and the kalatur,two sexless creatures,and en-
descend to the Nether World in order to make truststo themthe "food of life" and the "water
herselfits mistress,and thus perhaps to raise the of life," with instructionsto proceed to the
dead. She thereforecollects the appropriate Nether World where Ereshkigal, "the birth-
divine laws and, having adorned herselfwithher giving mother," lies sick moaning, "Oh my
queenly robes and jewels, she is ready to enter inside" and "Oh my outside." They, the
the "land of no return." kurgarraand kalatur,are to echo her cry and
The queen of the Nether World is her older thus arouse her and gain her favor. They will
sister and bitter enemy, Ereshkigal, Sumerian then be offeredwater of the riversand grain of
goddess of death and gloom. Fearing,not with- the fieldsas gifts,but, Enki warns,theymustnot
out reason, lest her sister put her to death in accept them. Instead they are to say, "Give
the domain she rules,Inanna instructshervizier, us the corpse hangingfroma nail" and proceed
Ninshubur,who is always at her beck and call, to sprinikle"the food of life" and "the water of
that if afterthreedays she had failed to return life" which he had entrustedto them,and thus
he is to set up a lament forher in the assembly revive the dead Inanna. The kurgarra and
hall of thegods. He is thento go to Nippur,the kalaturdo exactlyas Enki bid them and Inanna
city of Enlil, the leading god of the Sumerian revives.28
pantheon, and plead with him to save her and Though Inanna is once again alive, hertroubles
not let her be put to death in the Nether W"orld. are farfromover, forit was an unbrokenrule of
If Enlil refuses,Ninshubur is to go to Ur, the the "land of no return" that no one who had
cityof the moon-godNanna, and repeathis plea. enteredits gates mightreturnto theworldabove
If Nanna, too, refuses,he is to go to Eridu, the unless he produceda substituteto take his place
cityof Enki, the god of wisdom,who "knows the in the Nether World.29 Inanna is no exception
food of life,"who "knows the water of life,"and to the rule. She is indeed permittedto reascend
he will surelycome to her rescue.
28 The contentsof much of this section of the mythwere
Inanna thendescendsto the NetherWorldand poorly preservedin the texts known up to 1951, and have
approaches Ereshkigal's temple of lapis lazuli. only now been restored with the help of new material
which has since become available; for full details, see
27 For full details, cf. S. N. Kramer, "Inanna's Descent pp. 510-516 (of this study).
to the Nether World, Continued and Revised," JCS 4 29 The translation of this crucial line which helped to
(1950): 199-211, JCS 5 (1951): 1-17, and "Sumerian clarify to no little extent the plot of the myth was first
Literature," PAPS 85, 3 (1942): 293-323 and 10 plates suggested by Thorkild Jacobsen apud S. N. Kramer,
(containing all the relevant texts then known). JCS4 (1950).

to the earth,but is accompaniedby a numberof has turnedhinm over to the galla's as her substi-
heartlessdemons,or gaIla's as they are knownin tute in the Nether World and pleads with him
Sumerian, with instructionsto bring her back to transform his body so that like a sag-kalsnake
to the lower regionsif she fails to provide an- he mighttransversethe highlandmeadows, and
other deity to take her place. Surroundedby bring his "soul" to the home of his sister
these ghoulishconstables, Inanna firstproceeds Gestinanna.
to visit the two Sumerian cities Umma and All this we knew though, in a considerably
Bad-tibira. The protectinggods of these cities, variant form, from the earlier versions; now
Shara and Lulal, terrifiedat the sight of the comes the hithertomissingdenouement. Utu,
unearthly arrivals, clothe themselves in sack- the Ur text tells us, heeds Dumuzi's plea, trans-
cloth and grovel in the dust before Inanna. formshis body so that like a sag-kai snake he
Inanna seems to be gratifiedby theirhumility, traversedthe highlandmeadows and "like a bird
and when the galGa's threatento carrythem off fleeingthe claws of the falcon" he carried his
to the Nether World she restrainsthe demons soul to the home of his sister. Upon seeing her
and thus saves the lives of the two gods. unfortunate brother,Gestinannagashes herface,
Inanna and the demons, continuing their rips her garments,and uttersa bitterlamentfor
journey,arrive at Kullab, a districtin the Su- him. The galla's, those ruthless,cruel, friend-
merian city-stateof Erech. The king of this less, loveless, amoral creaturesnow begin their
city is none other than her own husband, the wanderingsearch for the escaped Dumuzi and
shepherd-godDumuzi, who, insteadof bewailing arrive at Gestinanna's palace. They demand
thefactthathiswifehad descendedto the Nether of the goddess that she point out to themwhere
World whereshe had sufferedtortureand death, her brother is hiding, but though repeatedly
"put on a noble robe, sat high on a throne," torturedby the galla's she refusedto give them
that is, he was actuallycelebratingand rejoicing. the informationthey want. Having failed to
Enraged, Inanna looks down upon him with findDumuzi in Gestinanna's palace, the galla's
"the eye of death" and hands him over to the decide to go to Dumuzi's "holy sheep fold"
eager and unmercifuldemons to be carried off where once again they lacerate his body with
to the Nether World. Dumuzi turns pale and axes and knives. The Ur text concludes with
weeps. He liftshis hands to the sky and pleads the sister Gestinanna wonderingabout in the
with the sun-god Utu, who is Inanna's brother city like a bird, and lamentingforher brother.
and thereforehis own brother-in-law.Dumuzi Here now is a tentative translationof the new
begs Utu to help him escape the clutchesof the Ur tablet:30
demonsby changinghis hand into the hand of a 1. The littlegalla'sopen (their)mouths,say to the
snake, and his footinto the footof a snake. big galla's:
But then, right in the middle of Dumuzi's 2. "Come now, let us proceed to Inanna's holy lap."
prayer, the available texts broke off,and the 3. The galla's enteredErech, seize the holy Inanna:
readerwas lefthangingin mid-air. Now, how- 4. Come, Inanna, get on ... your way-descend
to the Nether World,
ever, with the help of the new tablet fromUr 5. Go where your heart had led you-descend to
which continues for more than thirtylines be- the Nether World,
yond the hitherto known text we learn the to the Nether
6. Go to Ereskigal'shorme-descend
melancholy end. The tablet begins with the World
the pala-
7. Do not put on the holyma-garment,
arrival of the galla's, that is the Nether World garment,yourgarmentof queenship--descend
demons, in Erech where they seize Inanna and to the NetherWorld,
demand of her that she descend to the Nether 8. Remove from your head the holy crown, meet
World fromwhere she had presumablyjust re- for words of greeting-descend to the Nether
World,
turned,and that she do so without puttingon to
9. Do not preenyourfaceseductively-descend
her divine queenly garments and only after the Nether World,
removingher crown. Inanna, terrified,turned 10. Do not ... your feet on a ... -dog
over Dumuzi to the galla's as her substitute. 11. ... descend ... will not
The galla's then bound Dumuzi hand, foot,and 12. They pressed close (?) to the holy Inanna,
they.
neck, lacerated him with axes and torturedhim 13. Inanna, terrified,gave Dumuzi into (their)
cruelly. WhereuponDumuzi raised his hand to hands:
his brother-in-law,the sun-god Utu, tells him
what has happened,namelythat his wifeInanna 30 of thetabletsee pp. 515-516.
For a transliteration

14. "The lad-put his feet into fetters(?) 56. The galla's clapped their hands, went searching
15. The lad-throw a noose (?) over him, put his forhim,
neck into the neck-stock." 57. With cries which ceased not from their(?)
16. Hooks (?) awls (?), (and) long (?) needles (?) mouths,
were liftedto his face, 58. The galla's proceeded to the home of Ge'stinanna:
17. They gash him with large axes, 59. "Show us where vour brotheris," they said to
18. The lad-they make him stand up, they make her, (but) she told them not,
him sit down (saying): 60. Heaven (?) was brought close, Earth was put
19. "WVe(?)will(?) throw(?) the . .. on his ., will in her lap, (but' she told them not,
make stand. . ." 61. Earth (?) was brought close, the ... scraped
20. The lad-they bound his arms, thev ... him, at .., (but) she told them not,
21. Thev cover his face with a "garment of fear" 62. The ... was broughtclose, they ... tore (?) at
22. The lad raised his hands heavenward to Utu: her garments (but) she told them not
23. "Utu, I am your friend, me, the man, you 63. Pitch (?) was poured on her lap, (but) she told
know (?) them not,
24. I took your sister to wife, 64. They found not Dumuzi in Gestinanna's house.
25. She descended to the Nether WAorld, 65. The [little]galla's say to the big galla's:
26. Because she descended to the Nether World, 66. "Come, let us proceed to the holy sheepfold."
27. She turned me over to the Nether World, as her 67. They seize Dumuzi [by (?) the holy] sheepfold,
substitute. 68. They surrounded him, they [sei]ze him, they
28. Utu, you are a j ust judge, do not let me be seek him out, they stare at him,
carried off, 69. Against the lad was wielded (?) the ... (and) ax,
29. Change my hand, alter my form, 70. They gashed (his) lap with knives (?), they
30. Let me escape the hands of my galla's, let them surroundedhim.
not catch me, 71. The sister, because of her brother, wandered
31. Like a sag-kal-snake,I will traversethe highland about in the city (?) like (?) a bird (?):
meadows, 72. "Oh my brother,let me go (?) to (?) the great,
32. I will carfy offmy soul to the home of (my) evil . . ., let me bring ..
sister Gestinanna."
33. Utu accepted his tears,
34. Changed his hands, altered his form, THE SACRED MARRIAGE TEXTS:
35. Like a sag-kal-snakehe traversed the highland PREMARITAL COURTING
meadows.
36. Dumuzi-his soul left him like a hawk flying
towards a (mother) bird, 1. UM 29-16-37 (Figs. 1 and 2)
37. He carriedoffhis soul to the home of Ge'stinanna.
38. Ge'stinannalooked at her brother, 7Transliteration31
39. Scratched at her cheeks, scratchedat her mouth, 1. ama-me-da-nu-me-a sila-a mi-edin-na i-em-mi-
40. Lowered (?) her face to her side, ripped her in-sar-re
garments, 2. 'sul-eama-me-da-nu-me-asila-a mi-edin-nai-em-
41. Uttered a bitterlament forthe suffering lad: mi-in-sar-re
42. "Oh mv brother,Oh my brother,the lad whose
days are not . ., 31 There is as yet no reasonable and formal consensus
43. Oh my brother,the shepherdAmau'sumgalanna, among Sumerologists on transliteration procedures; the
the lad whose days, whose ... are not transliteratioiisused throughoutthis study follow by and
44. Oh my brother,the lad who has no wife,has no large the suggestionsoutlined in AS 12: pp. 6-8. As for
child, the translations,they assume on the part of the reader,
45. Oh my brother,the lad who has no friend,has a thoroughacquaintance with, and critical understanding
no companion, of, the Sumerological contributions of 'I'hureau-Dangin,
46. Oh my brother,the lad who bringsno comfortto Poebel, Deimel, Landsberger, Falkenstein, Jacobsen, and
his mother." the presentwriter,as well as those of the youngergenera-
47. The galla's sought out Dumuzi, surroundedhim, tion such as van Dijk, Sollberger, Gordon, Sjoberg,
48. The little galla's say to the big galla's: Civil, and Edzard. The worksof these scholars have been
49. "Your galla's who have no mother, have no used constantlyin the preparationof thisstudy,and except
father,sister,brother,wife,son, in unusual cases, the cuneiformistwho is well versed in
50. Who ever (?) flutter(?) over (?) heaven and them will have no difficultyin followingthe grammatical
earth as (?) chiefconstables, and lexicographical basis for the translation, in spite of
51. You galla's who [stickclose (?)] to a man's side, the numerous irregularities, idiosynlcrasies,and uncer-
52. Who show not kind favor, who know not good tainties. In the transliterationtwo dots are forone broken
(from) bad, or illegible sign, three dots are for two such signs; four
53. Who has (ever) seen (living) in peace the soul of dots are for three or more such signs. In the translation
one who is . . . (and) terrified! two dots are for one missing word, three dots are for two
54. Let us not go to the home of his friend,let us missing words, four dots are for three or more missing
not go to the home of his brother-in-law, words; words in brackets are restorations,words in paren-
55. Let us proceed (in search of) the shepherdto the thesesare not in the Sumerian but are added in the English
home of Gestinanna." for the sake of clarity.

3. ama-mu-dga-sa-an-gal-da-nu-me (sic!) sila-a mi- Translation

edin-na i-em-mi-in-sar-re
4* dga-a-an-gi-k -ga-da-nu-me-asila-a mi-edin-na 1. "Without my mother,you would be driven into
i-'em-mi-in-sar-re street (and) ..-plain.
5. a-a-dzen-da-nu-me-a sila-a mi-edin-nai-em-mi- 2. Young man, without my mother,you would be
[in-sa]r-re driven into street (and) . .-plain,
6. ses-mu-dutu-da-nu-me-asila-a mi-edin-nai-em- 3. Without my mother Ningal, you would be
mi-[in-sa]r-re driven into street (and) . .-plain,
7. lu'-ki-sikildu14-gimna-an-m'i-mu'-un 4. Without the 'Lady of the Holy Reed' you would
8. dinanna inim-gimga-'am-me-en-de-en be driven into street (and) . .. -plain
9. dinanna du14-gim na-an-mu'-mu'-un 5. Without Father Sin, you would be driven into
10. dnin-e-gal-laad-gim ga-am-gi4-de-en street (and) ..-plain,
11. a-a-mu a-a-zu-gimin-ga-dim 6. Without my brotherUtu, you would be driven
12 dinanna inim-gimga-am-me-en-de-en into street (and) . .-plain."
13. [ama-mu] ama-zu-gimin-ga-dim 7. "Young lady, do not start a quarrel.
14. dnin-e-gal-laad-gim ga-am-gi4-de-en 8. Inanna, let us talk it over,
15. dgestin(?)-an-na d. -_nu- -gim in-ga-dim 9. Inanna, do not start a quarrel,
16. dinanna inim-gimga-am-me-en-de-en 10. Ninegalla let us take counsel together.
17. ma-e dutu-gimin-ga-dim-me-en 11. My fatheris as good as your father,
18. dnin-e-gal-laad-gim ga-am-gi4-de-en 12. Inanna, let us talk it over;
19. den-kidzuen-gimin-ga-dim 13. My motheris as good as your mother,
20. dinanna inim-gimga-am-me-en-de-en 14. Ninegalla, let us take counsel together;
21. dsir-turdnin-gal-gimin-ga-dim 15. Ge'stinanna(?) is as good as
22. dnin-e-gal-laad-gim ga-am-gi4-de-en 16. Inanna, let us talk it over;
inirn-hi-li-es-a'm
23. inim bil-in-e's-a 17. I am as good as Utu,
24. du14(?)-Mu'-mu'-da(? )-a hi-Ii-'sa'-ga-na-ke4 18. Ninegalla, let us take counsel together;
25. na4suba-ke4na4suba-ke4 na4nuba na-urX-ru 19. Enki is as good as Sin,
26 dama-usumgal-an-na naSsuba-ke4 na4suba na- 20. Inanna, let us talk it over;
ur,-ru 21. Sirturis as good as Ningal,
27 [na4Isuba-ke4(?) na4suba 22. Ninegalla, let us take counsel together."
28 [na4]su[ba-ke4(?)] na4suba 23. The word theyhad spoken,it is a word of desire,
29. [a-ur]-ra-la-la' a-u'r-ra mu-na-ab-la-[la] 24. With the startingof a quarrel (?) comes (?) the
30. [a-badl-da-la-la a-b'ad-da mu-na-ab-la-la desire of her heart.
3t. da[m-a-ni nu-u8-gig-e] fdlama-usum-gal-an-na-ra 25. He of the suba-stones, he of the suba-stones,
g9'umu-na-de-[e]
plows the suba-stones,
32. na4suba [urx]-ru na4suba urX-rua-ba-a mu-na- 26. Amausumgalanna, he of the suba-stones,plows
urx-ru
the suba-stones,
27. He of the suba-stones
33 dama-usumgal-[an-na na4suba] urx-ru a-ba-a mu- 28. He of the suba-stones ..
na-urx-ru who fillsthe water of the roof, fillsfor her
29...
34 na4sba-[na] [nja4su[ba-na (?)] tur-tur-bi igi-PA- the water of the roof,
ag-me-l'am-a 30... who fillsthe water of the walls, fillsforher
35. na4uba-na na4su[ba-na(?)] gal-gal-bi gaba-kiu- the water of the walls.
me-lam-a 31. [His] wife, [the hierodule], says to Amausum-
36. dama-usum-gal-an-nanu-u8-gig-rainim mu-ni- galanna:
ib-gi4-gl4 32. "[Plow] the suba-stones, plow the suba-stones,
dam-mu nu-u8-gig-ga-hrm
37. nu-u8-gig-ga-a'm who (else) will plow them forher?
38. ku-dinanna-ke4nu-bar-rae-ne-ermu-na-urx-ru 33. Amausumgalanna, plow the suba-stones, who
39. na banake4 na4suba-na-ke4 na4suba na-ur,-ru (else) will plow them forher?
40 dama-usumga]-an-na-ke4na4suba-na-ke4na4suba 34. Of the [na]-guba-stones,of the [na-suba-stones],
na-ur,ru their small ones on the . .-face of (?) the
41. na4suba urxru na4Suba ur,-[ru] a-ba-a mu-na- melam,
urx-ru 35. Of the [na-suba-stones,of the na-suba-stones(?)],
42. damauumgal-an-na na4subaur,-ru a-ba-a mu- theirlarge ones are the holy breast of (?) the
na-urx-ru melam."
43. ma-ab-diu-da-a-m'ama-ab-du-da-a-ma su6-a-ni 36. Amausumgalanna answers the hierodule:
na4za_gln-na 37. "Who is a hierodule,my wifewho is a hierodule,
44. me-a am an-ne ma-ab-du-da-a-ma su6-a-ni 38. Holy Inanna, he who is not .. will plow them
na4za-gin-na forher."
45. ..-e su6-a-ni na4za-gin-na su6-a-ni na4za-gin-na 39. He of the na-suba-stones, he of the na-suba-
46. dur-gar-dinanna-kam stones plows the suba-stones,
47. gi-dub-ba gi-ta-sar-ra32 40. Amausumgalanna,he of the na-suba-stonesplows
the sbTa-stones.
32 The text contains two glosses: ui - r a (?) - a n (?) - 41. "Plow the s.uba-stones,plow the suba-stones,
n i (?) (line 1), and b a - a - n i - i (line 43). who (else) will plow them for her?

42. Amausumgalanna, plow the s.uba-stones,who 2. TRS No. 70

(else) will plow them forher?
43. Of him who was made for me, of him who was Transliteration
made for me, his beard is lapis lazuli,
44. XVhowas made by An for me, his beard is lapis 1. -sed7-sed7-e'sed7(!?) RI ....
lazuli; 2. ku-dinanna-ke4U-BU-BU-RI BU RI ....
45. ... his beard is lapis lazuli, his beard is lapis 3. lu'-su1i-lum-ri-ri-ge
mu-nim-mar AN ...
lazuli." 4. ku-dinanna-ra lu'-su1i-lum-ri-ri-gemu-nim-
46. It is a durgarof Inanna. mar ...
5. a hie-en-na-tu'm
a he-en-na-tu'm numun-se gig-ga
47. Writtenwith a tablet reed, with a reed. 6. dinanna-ra a-da(?) DU6 je-en-na-t'imnumun-se
babbar-ra(!)
Commentary 7. It'ina-tu'm
lu'na-tuiM na-tu'm
DU6 za-p'ad-'s'e
8. ki-sikildinannal'i na-t'imDU6za-p'ad-sena-t'im
This poem which consists largely of a dialogue 9. DU6-raGABA-bi-a za-gin-nabi-ib-ri-ri-ge
between Inanna and Dumuzi begins with a 10. dinanna-ra DU6-ra GABA-bi-a za-gin-na bi-ib-
boastful address by the goddess intended to ri-ri-ge
impress her husband-to-be with the importance
11. nunuz-duir-ra in-pad-dedu'r-ra-na mu-un -ga
12. dinanna-ke4nunuz-sag-gain-p,ad-desag-ga-na
of her family for his well-being (lines 1-6). mu-un-ga-ga
Dumuzi's answer, gentle but firm, is that his 13. na41agab-za-gin-a-ru in-pad-degu'-bar-ra-na mu-
familyis as good as Inanna's (7-22). But this un-ga-ga
little quarrel serves only to arouse theirpassion 14. nig-sal-la-gu'skin in-p'ad-desig-sag-ga-namu-
un-ga-gt
foreach otheranid theyproceedto indulgetheir 15. gu'skin-pi-pi-sal-lain-pad-degevstug-na mu-un-
love (23-30). There followsa tenderand poetic ga-ga
tet-a-tete between the two which seems to 16. zabar-ag-su(!)-ub-ag-a in-pad-de (is-gevstug-
furtherstimulate their love, but the passage is ga-namu-un-ga-ga
allusive and metaphoricalin character,and its 17. ni'g-l'al-dirig-dirig-ga(! in-p'ad-d'e igi( !-ni-a
mu-un-ga-ga
meaningis far fromclear (lines 31-45). As the 18. nig-e-nun-bar-ra in-p'ad-dekiri3-ni-amu-un-
cuneiformistwill readily perceive, the transla- ga-ga,
tion of the poem is extremelydifficultand the 19. e-gi's-BAD-dirigin-paid-deKA-ku's-namu-un-ga-g'a
meanings chosen are those which seem to me 20. li( !?)-ta'skarin-gi4s-sag5-ga
in-p'ad-deli-gu'-ra-na
best justifiedby the context,but not a few will mu-un-ga-gLa
21. pul-lal-a-duig-gain-p'ad-deib( ?)-ib( ?)-a-ni mu-
no doubt turn out to be erroneous. Note es- un-ga-ga
pecially the following:Ninegalla, "queen of the 22. sla4gj-nu11-gal-zalag-ga in-pad-de ias4-na mu-
palace" (lines 10 ff.) is an epithet of Inanna. un-ga-ga
In line 15, Dumuzi is probably speaking about 23. gis-BU-Pul-gig-ga in-p'ad-de SAL-la-na mu-un-
his sister Gestinanna and comparing her to ga-ga
( ?)-du7-ain-pad-degir-ru-na
24. GuB ( ?)-GusB-be mu-
Inanna's sister (the name is only partiallypre- un-ga-ga
served), although Inanna had not mentioned 25. sa-gid-da-'am
this lady when boasting of her family. Lines 26. lu-DU6-ra_na4za-gin-ri-ri-ga-ra
en gaba-namu-ri
23-24, if the translationis correct,contain what 27. dinanna-Du6-ra_na4za-gin-ri-ri-ga-ra
ddumu-zi-da
mu-ri
seems to be a proverbialcommenton the psycho- 28. li(?)-dur(?)-an-nae-den-lil-la
en gaba-namu-ri
logical value of a lovers' quarrel. The obscure 29. e-an-na na-kada-en-lil-la ddumu-zi gaba-na
referencesto plowingthe s.ubastones (line 25 ff.) mu( !)-ri
and the na-suba-stonesare probably metaphori- 30. giYig_na4za-gin-na-gi6-par4-ra-gub-ba
en gaba-na
cal expressionsfor sexual intercourse. In lines mu-ri
32, 33, 38, 41, 42 the "her" probably refersto 31. giYig-sAL-e-us-gid-da-e-an-na-ka-gub-ba
ddumu-zi
gaba-namu-ri
Inanna, althoughit is the goddess who is speak- 32. Du6-raGABA-bi-a im-mi-in-gur-ru-a
ing,and we mightthereforehave expected "me" 33. dinanna-ke4 im-mi-in-gur-ru-a
Du6-ra GABA-bi-a
instead. Lines 41-45 are all assumed to be 34. munus-enig-i-lu-lam-ma-na im-su-tagba-
35. ki-sikil-e... -dug4-ga-ni-a
a-a-ni-ra(!) lu mu-
part of Inanna's speech and her queries (lines un-g14
41-42) thereforeremainunansweredby Dumuzi. 36. dinanna ki-e-ne-di-ba-ni(
!?)-a a-a-ni-ra(!) lu
For the durgargenre of poetic compositionscf. mu-un-gi4
line 620 of Proto Lu', Landsbergermanuscriptas 37. ma-muma-mua-ne ma-ab-gid-de
38. ga-sa-an-men ma-muma-mua-ne ma-ab-gid-de
completed by M. Civil. The subscriptioncon- 39. a-ne ma-ab-gid-de
ma-gi6-par4-ra-mu
tained in line 47 is unique, as faras I know. 40. uku na-ab-gub-bu-de
9;na'-gi4-rin-na-mu

41. ui-za-g.n-a-ru-mu
de-ma-ab-dag-ge-ne 28. In the "navel(?) of heaven," the house of Enlil,
42. me-e mu-[lu]-'s'a'!)-ba-mu de'(!)-ma-ni-ib- the en met her,
ku4-ku4-de 29. In the Eanna, Enlil's herdsmanDumuzi met her,
43. dama( !)-usumgal-an-na-mu d-ma-ni-ib- 30. Who was standing at the lapis lazuli door of the
ku4-ku4-de gipar-the en met her,
44. su-ni 'su-mu-tade-ma( !)-da-ma-ma-de 31. Who was standing by the narrow(?) door of the
45. vsa-ba-ni (!) sa-ab-mu-ta de-ma-da-ma-ma-de storehouseof Eanna-Dumuzi met her.
46. su-su ( !?)-vs ( ?) [ma]-al-la-na u'-ku( !?)-bi 32. When to the "breast" of the heap she returned
ze-ba-an-ga them,
47. s"a-sa-batab-ba-na hi-li-biku7-ku7-da-an-ga33 33. When Inanna, to the "breast" of the heap, she
Subscription: illegible. returnedthem,
34. The woman .... her ilulamma-song.
35. The maid, singing,sent a messengerto herfather,
Translation 36. Inanna, dancing, sent a messengerto her father:
1..... 37. "My house(?), my house(?), let him make it
2. Holy Inanna ..... 'long' forme,
3. He who gathers the dates, ... the date palm, 38. I the queen-my house(?), my house(?) let
4. Who gathers the dates, ... the date palm for him make it 'long'forme,
Inanna, 39. My gipar-house(?) let him make it 'long' forme,
5. He broughther water, he broughther water, for 40. The people will set up my fruitfulbed,
the seed, the black, 41. They will cover it with plants (the color of)
6. He brought Inanna a heap(?) (of precious du.ru-lapislazuli,
stones) by(?) the water forthe seed, the white. 42. I will bring there my sweetheart,
7. He broughther,he broughther,he broughthera 43. I wNill bringthereAmausumgalanna,
heap of (precious) stones to pick from, 44. He will put his hand by my hand,
8. He brought the maid Inanna, he broughther a 45. He will put his heart by my heart,
heap of (precious) stones to pick from,
9. Of the heap--he gathersthe lapis lazuli (stones) 46. His putting of hand to hand-its sleep(?) is so
onto its "breast," refreshing,
10. Of the heap, for Inanna he gathers the lapis 47. His pressingof heart to heart-its pleasure is so
lazuli (stones) onto its "breast." sweet.
11. She picks the buttocks-stones,puts them on her
buttocks, Commentary
12. Inanna picks the head-stones, puts them on This narrative poem is divided into two stanzas
her head,
13. She picks the duru-lapislazuli stones, puts them by the rubric sa -g i d -d a- am (line 25),
on her nape, literally perhaps "the long string." The first
14. She picks ribbons(?) of gold, puts them in her six lines are quite obscure; the remainder of the
hair of the head. firststanza is taken up with a detailed account
15. She picks the narrow gold earrings, puts them
on her ears, of Inanna's bedecking the various parts of her
16. She picks the bronze eardrops, puts them on her body with precious stones, jewels, and orna-
ear-lobes, ments, which she selects fromwhat seems to be a
17. She picks "that which drips honey," puts it on treasure-heap brought to her by a "date-gather-
her face, ing" devotee. The second stanza tells of the
18. She picks "that which covers(?) the princely
house," puts it on her nose, meeting between the bejewelled Iannia and
19. She picks "the house which ...," puts it on Dumuzi in the Eanna of Erech, a meeting which
her . . ., so fills Inanna with desire and passion that she
20. She picks cypress (and) boxwood, the lovely sends a special messenger to her father (no
wood, puts them on her navel, the god Sin) with the request that he
21. She picks a sweet "honey well" puts it about doubt
her loins, (that is, perhaps, her father) make her house
22. She picks brightalabaster, puts it on her anus, "long" so that she and her lover can take their
23. She picks black . willow, puts it on her vulva, pleasure in it. In detail, note the following:
24. She picks ornate sandals, puts them on her feet. the word represented by the sign D U6 (line 6 ff.)
25. It is a sagidda.
in line 14, "ribbons"
26. For whom the heap of lapis lazuli stones had seems to end in an r;
been gathered-the en met her, attempts to render n i g - s a l - l a, perhaps
27. Inanna forwhom the heap of lapis lazuli stones literally "narrow things"; in line 16, "eardrops"
had been gathered-Dumuzi met her., attempts to render "a g - s u - u b - a g - a, "that
which presses"; the objects mentioned in lines
33 The text containsthe following glosses: p a - d u - 18 and 19 cannot be identified from the literal
u r (?) (line 15), UR (?)- (line 17), za (?) ud du-
and g i4 (line 23), sue- s i r (line 24), illegibletracesof a meaning of the descriptive phrases used for
gloss (line27). them; the meaning of lines 32-35 is obscure; the

VOL. 107, NO. 6, 19631 CUNEIFORM STUDIES AND HISTORY OF LITERATURE 497
rendering"house" (lines 37 if.) assumes that rev., col. iii

m a is a variant readingforg 'a. 1.....
2. ddumu-zi-de ....
3. en-ddumu-zi ....
3. SLTN No. 35 4. lugal-mu m'a-e()..
5. lugal-mu ....
Transliteration 6. ddumu-zi-delu(?)-. . nu(?)-...
obv.,col.i 7. lugal-mu e . .. -ra-na-ni
8. SU8-ba-ddumu-zi-de nitalam-a-ni-irgu' mu-
1. ... NE(?)-gim na-de-e
2. -.. gimAB 9. nitalam-mu ... -e-ni
3. li-bi-ir-si-zu-en-me-es
e6-gal-la 10. dinanna .... e-dingir-ma
4. nunuz-du(b-dub-gim 11. e-dingir-ma-semu-e( ?)-tum-en
5. li-bi-ir-si-zu-en-me-es 12. igi-dingir-m'a-s"e
li-e(?)-na'-en
6. -Di di-sa-am 13. zag-gu-la-dingir-ma-kadinanna mu-da-tus-
7. nig(?)-a-EL (?) min-am u-de-en
8. 14. hur-gimhu-mu-na-ab-be-a-ka
9. . -am .... 15. -ka im-ma-an-tus
10. [Su-H]A-de mu- ... mu-gi-asa-ga-bi 16. Su
11.... su8-ba-'se
mu-luda-an-gi4-gi4 17. .. -ra gir im-ma-an-[gub-gub]
12.... -sagkas-sagSAL-NE-GA nun(?)-bi 18 ... a-ra-zui mu-na-ab-be
13. ... mu-.. -se mu-lu (da-an-gi4-gi4) 19.
14. . -e SAL-NE-[GA] (nun (?)-bi) 20.
15. . sa-du'-nd-a-se 21.
16.... -DU mu-lu (da-an-gi4-gi4) 22.
17. SAL-NE-(GA nun(?)-bi) 23. NE
18. 's[u-H]A-dam gis-gi-.. -d'u-a-ni-vs'e 24. ..[l]i-bi-ir-si ....
19. -DU mu-lu (da-an-gi4-gi4)
20. suhurkua-gur-gur-ra SAL-NE- (GA nun(?)-bi) rev., col. iv
21. li-bi-ir-[si]. .. niig-a-raiml-DU
22. mu"sen zag-ga mu"sen-d'umu-un-tum 1.....
23. suhurkua .. Su-HA-de mu-un-tum 2.... igi-z[a] ....
24. nin-mu ... ba-an-da-ab-dug4 3.... usumgal-mu gi.ma [ba-e-de-ri]
25. 16-sipad-de ia
hsu-se mu-un-lIa 4. ..in-ning-ra gu'-ab-[ba-vse]j
26. ddumu-zi-deia-[ga] zag-v6 mu-un-li 5. .. usum[gal]-mu gi8ma'(!) ba-e-de-ri
27. ia-ga NIG-ban-dazag-s"emu-un-la 6. [uru ukkin]-na-aimuru'-zuuru ukkin-na-aim
28. ga-kas .. -gi's-ra zag-se mu-un-la 7. uru'(?) ukkin-eim-ma-ni-ib-dug4-e-en
29. [en-m]ue-e gCiba-an-de 8. uru-zu .... urii ukkin-aim
30. ddumuzide .... 9. za-e .... ba-ni-ib-dug4-e-en
31. [e]-gaIl-lunin-mue-[gal-lu] 10. ama-mu ... la-ba-ni-ib-dug4
32. 11. 'ses-[mu]. . UR-sar-rala-ba-ni-ib-dug4
12. nin9-mudgestin-an-nala-ba-ni-ib-dug4
obs., col. ii 13. za-e ... -a- .. ba-ni-ib-dug4-e
14. nitalam-musu na-ma-tag-tag-an
1. nu-u8-gig-ge .... 15. -mu na-[m]a-nu-nu-un
2. ama-[u]gu-nigir mu-un-gub-[gub] 16.
3. .. i-lu (?)-zu mu-un- na-ma-ni-ib-du-un
17. .... [na-ma-ni-ib]-suL-suL-an
4. i-g[i4-in] s'ul( ?) NI-MUs-dam-.. 18. .... -nun-na
5. i-gi4-i[n su]I .... 19. [na-ma-ni-ib]- ... -an
6. i-gi4-in ['sul]e-neza-ra .... 20.
7. i-gi4-insul(!) a-a-zu na-[nam] 21. nig-nam ....
8. i-gi4-in's'ul(!) ama-zu na-nam 22. dnin-e-gal-la ....
9. ama-ni ama-zu-gim in-ni- 23. am-ddumu-zi ....
10. a-a-ni a-a-zu-gim in-ni-.. -de-en 24.
11. 6 gal-lu nin-mue gal-lu se-er-zikui-d
25. -na-mu an-ne se-er-zi
12. dinanna dug4-ga-ama-na-se 26. ba-
13. a mu-un-tu5 ia-du%g-gamu-un-se4s 27. .34
14. t6gpala2-mah bar-ra nam-mi-in-dul
15. .. mu-lu-ug-ga-ni Su ba-an-ti 34This textcontainsa
16. na4za-gingu-a si bi-ib-s'-s'-e largenumberof glosses,thusin
17. col.i:is"-te-na-a- .. (line6),qIi-ir-bi a-pi-im
na4kisibsu-ni-a ba-ni-in-du8 (line 10), illegible traces of a gloss (line 11), an-ni-
18. in-nin9-egir-nimu-un-gub-gub a-am (line 12), .. -man-si-t um s u-nu-l-a-
19. ddumu-zi-de gisig im-ma-hi-in-us a t - s u (line 15), illegibletraces of a gloss (line 22),
20. e-e id4-gim im-ma-na-ra-e i s- ta - ka -a n (line 24), i (?) - . . . n a - 'si (line 25),
21. igi mu-un-'si-barmu-un-na-ihul-la i - n a . . . - 's u (?) (line 26), illegible traces of a gloss
22. gu'-da mu-ni-in-la (line 27); in col. ii: i - n a s A L - m i -sa .... (line 2),

Translation 17. Grasped (her) seal in her hand.

18. The lady directed her step,
obv.,col. i 19. Opened the door for (?) Dumuzi,
1. like 20. In(?) the house she came forthto him like the
2. like light of the moon,
3. in the palace they are Sin's(?) "brides- 21. Gazed at him, rejoiced forhim,
men. 22. Embraced him ....
4. like those who break eggs.
5. theyare Sin's "brides-men," rev.,col. iii
6. being one, 1.
7. being two, 2. Dumuzi.
8. 3. The lord Dtumuzi.
9. 4. "My king, I(?).
10. "The fisherman.... in the midst of the cane- 5. My king (?)
brake, 6. Dumuzi.
11. To the ... of the shepherd. . I would returnhim; 7. My king,his(?) .. the house.
12. Best . ., best beer, that . . .. 8. The shepherd Dumuzi says to his wife:
13. To the .... (I would return) him; 9. "My wife, . his coming forth,
14. that. 10. Inanna, .... the house of my god,
15. To the .... lyingat the 11. I will bringyou to the house of my god,
16. (I would return) him; 12. You will lie beforemy god,
17. that 13. You, Inanna(?) will sit at the seat of honor of
18. The fisherman,to his .. canebrake, my god."
19. (I would return) him." 14. When he had thus spoken,
20. The .. -suhur-fish, that .... 15. He seated
21. The "brides-man" brought(?) 16..
22. The birds at (his) side, the hunterbrought, 17. [Directed] his foot to
23. The suhur-fish. . ., the fishermanbrought. 18. Uttered a prayer .. to him,
24. My queen placed 19.
25. The shepherdcarried fat by(?) hand, 20.
26. Dumuzi carried fat (and) milk at the side, 21.
27. He carried fat (and) milk in small pitchers at 22.
the side, 23.
28. He carried milk (and) beer in ... at the side, 24.... the "brides-man" ....
29. M[y lord] speaks by the house,
30. Dumuzi ....: rev. col. iv
31. "Open the [house], my queen, [open] the house,
32 . .... L 1 ".
2.... beforeyou ....
3.... theboat
myus'umgal, [directed]
obv.,col. ii 4. .. forthe lady [at] the bank of the sea,
1. The hierodule .... 5. My us.um[gal] directed the boat,
2. Directed her feet to the motherwho gave birth 6. It is an [assemblycity],your city is an assembly
to her. city,
3. "Your.... 7. I have put you in charge over the assembly
4. Lo, the vouth(?) city(?)
5. L[o, the you]th .... 8. Your city ....,it is an assembly city,
6. Lo, the [youth],he .... foryou, 9. I have put you in charge ...
7. Lo, the youth, he is your father, 10. I did not put my mother .. in charge of it,
8. Lo, the youth,he is your mother, 11. I did not put [my] brother . in charge of it,
9. His motherhas ... like your mother, 12. I did not put mysisterGe'stinannain chargeofit,
10. His fatherhas . . you like your father, 13. It is you . . . whom I have put in charge of it.
11. Open the house, my queen, open the house." 14. Do not lay a hand on my wife,
12. Inanna, at the command of her mother, 15. Do not ....
13. Bathed, anointed herselfwith goodly oil, 16. Do not build ....
14. Covered her bodv with the noble pala-garment 17. Do not ....
15. Took .., her dowry, 18. .....
16. Arrangedthe lapis lazuli about (her) neck, 19. [Do not]
20.
- n u u - z a - a z (line 3), illegibletracesof glosses
21. Whatsoever
22.
(lines 4, 9, 21), i - n a .. - i 's- t a ... (line 17), i's - 23. Ninegal
....
- m a (line 18), i p - te- .. (line 19), i 's (?) - .... Dumuzi, the wild ox, . . .
... the holy, ....
of (lines 3, 13, 24. ... the brilliant,
(line 20); col. iii: illegibletraces glosses
17, 18);col.iv: ... lu- .. -bi (line6),i-ik-kal- .... 25. My .. brilliantin(?) heaven ...
(line 7), m a (?) - . . . . (line 8), illegibletracesof glosses 26.
(lines9, 11, 13, 16), .... - 'su m (line 18). 27.

Commentary unknownname of Dumuzi's brother;in line 22

The beginning of this highly significant dni n - e - g a 1- 1 a should referto Inanna.
Dumuzi-Inanna mythis fragmentary, and little
can be made of its contents; it seems to begin 4. TAiH, N.F. III, No. 25
with an account of a marriageceremony(col. i, Transliteration
1-9; note the repetitionof the word "brides- obv.
men"), and continueswithan address of obscure 1. ga-sa-an-mensa-ga-ma-tau4-zal-la-mu-de
meaningin the Emesal dialect by a femaledeity, 2. ga-sa-an-an-na-mensa-ga-ma-tau4-zal-la-mu-de
presumablyInanna (col. i, 10-19). The narra- 3. u4-zal-la-mu-de
e-ne-di-da-mu-de
tive seems to begin again with col. i, 20, but it 4. u4-zal gi6-di-a-seli-du dug4-ga-mu-de'
5. gaba mu-un-ri gaba mu-un-ri
is not until line 25 that the text becomes in- 6. 'u-mu-un ku-li-an-na gaba mu-un-ri
telligible,we then learn that Dumnuzihas come 7. lu-mu-un-e 'su-ni-avsuim-ma-an-d'u
to Inanna's house with gifts of fat, milk, and 8. dusumgal-an-na gu-ma-agu-daba-an-lea
beer, and pleads foradmittance (col. i, 25-32). 9. me-aam su-ba-mu-u8 e-me-seda-gen
Following a break of uncertain size, we find 10. ku u-ba-mu-u8 e-me-seda-gen
11. ama-[mu]lul-la-seta-mu-na-ab-be-en
Inanna going for advice to her mother who 12. ama-mudga-sa-an-gal-e lul-la-seta-mu-na-
urges her strongly to "open the house" for ab-be-en
Dumuzi since he will be like a fatherand mother 13. m'a-ega-ri-ib-zu-zu m'a-ega-ri-ib-zu-zu
to her (col. ii, 1-11). Whereupon Inanna pre- 14. dinannalul-la-munus-e-ne m?a-e
ga-ri-ib-zu-zu
pared herselfto meet Dtimuzi as befits a Su- 15. ma-la-musila-iur-ra e-nemu-di-ni-ib-dib-
16. sem-. . -FAe-ne-di-daGUB mu-di-ni-in-tum
merian queenly bride, washing, anointing and 17. i-lu-nize-ba-'amad mu-si-ib-sa4
bedeckingherself,and not failingto take along 18. hul-hu'l-eze'-ba-a'mU4 mu-di-ni-ib-zal-e
herdowryand seal (col. ii, 12-17); she opens the 19. ama-ugu-zu-ur lul-la-seza-e gub-bu-na-da
door forDumuzi and theyembrace and cohabit 20. me-en-de id4-see-ne-siu-ud-bi-da-e
21. ki-n'a-k'u-d'ug-nun-na. . ga-mu-ra-[ab]-
..
(col. ii, 18-22). Followinganotherbreak in the 22. U4-du'gnam-h'e-a hu'l-lavhu-mu-e-de'-zal-e
(?)
text we find Dumuzi addressing Inanna and 23. sa-gid-da-arm
inviting her to accompany him to his god's 24 . . sikil-men sila-sir-ra...
house where she will be treated with great 25. -da u4-damu-e-da-
honor. What followsthen is entirelyunknown 26. -im...m
since the remainder of col. iii and much of rev.
col. iv are largelydestroyed,except fora passage 1.
in which Dumuzi is addressingsome individual 2.
or deitywhomhe is placingin chargeover a city 3. ... -ra-su-ud
(?) mu-un-ni-...
described as an "assembly" city, with instruc- 4. ka-ama-me-da nam-mi-DU
5. me-eh'ul-la-ta(sic!) i-di-[di]-de-en
tions to refrainfromcertain actions (presum- 6. kat-ga-sa-an-gal-la-da(?)nam-mi-DU
ably) harmfulto his wife. 7. me-evhul-la-da
(sic !) 'i-di-di-d'e-en
In detail note the following:In col. i, lines 8. ama-mu-ramu-lue-ne-emhu-mu-na-ab-be
3 and 5, the translationassumes that z u - e n 9. U5(?)-su-ur-me-aki bi-si'i-e
is forthe usual dE N . Z U; in col. i, line 28, the 10. ama-mu-ga-sa-an-gal-ra
mu-lue-ne-'em
hu-mu-ra-ab-be
partially destroyed second complex should be 11. U5(?)-su-ur-me-aki bi-sCu-e
parallelin meaningto N I G - b a n - d a of the 12. ki-tus-a-ni
ir-biz'e-ba-'am
preceding line; in col. i, line 30, the illegible 13. e-ne-'em-m'a-ni
a'm-hu'I-bv[uI]-Ia-a'm
verb should have a meaning parallel to g iu 14. 'u-mu-un-mu(ur-kiu-ge
be'-du7
b a - a n - d e of the precedingline; col. ii, line 9 15. dama-usumgal-an-na _S
16. en-ddumu-ziur-k'-geh'-du7
mighthave been expectedto end in - e n (parallel 17. dama-usumgal-an-nami-us-sa-zuen-na
to the final - e n of the followingline), but the 18. 'u-mu-un-muhie-ma-al-zu
ze-ba-am
traces do not point in this direction;in line 19, 19. edin-nau-sim-zuku7-ku7-dam
the translationassumes that the firstcomplex 20. dama-usumgal-an-nahe-ma-al-zuze-ba-'am
21. edin-nau'-sim-zuku7-ku7-dam
should have ended in - r a (rather than - d e); 22. sa-gar-ra-amtigi_dinanna-kam35
in col. iv, line 10, the second complex might
have been expected to contain the name of 35This text containsthe following glosses,thus
Dumuzi's mother,but the traces do not point obv:i's-tu am-sa-li i-na sum-zu-li-a (linel),
i-na sum-..-siSu-sum-.... (line4),....-zi (?)-
in this direction; in col. iv, line 11, the second in-na-an-ni (line 7), mi-nam im-za-..-zi
complex mightbe expected to contain the still (line11), lu (!)-....-ki (!) (line13), i-na ri-bi-

Translation 18. My lord,sweetis yourincrease,

obv. 19. Tasty yourplants(and)herbsin theplain
20. Amausumgalanna, sweetis yourincrease,
1. Last night,as I, the queen, was shiningbright, 21. Tastyyourplants(and) herbsin theplain.
2. Last night, as I! the queen of heaven, was 22. It is a sagarra. A tigi-songof Inanna.
shiningbright,
3. As I was shiningbright,as I was dancing about,
4. As I was utteringa song at the brighteningof Commentary
the oncoming (?) night,
5. He met me, he met me, The formalstructureof this tenderand ardent
6. The lord Kuli-Anna met me, love song is rather unusual-it consists of two
7. The lord put his hand into my hand, soliloquies by the goddess separated fromeach
8. U'sumgalanna embraced me. other by a brieftete-a-tete between the goddess
9. "Come now(?), wild bull, set me free,I must go
home, and her lover Dumuzi; the firstsoliloquyand its
10. Kuli-Enlil, set me free,I must go home, ensuing tete-a-tete make up the first stanza,
11. What shall I say to deceive my mother! designatedby the scribe as a sagidda, while the
12. What shall I say to deceive my motherNingal !" second soliloquy takes up the entire second
13. "Let me informyou, let me informyou. stanza, designated by the scribe as a sagarra.
14. Inanna, most deceitful of women, let me in-
formyou: In Inanna's firstsoliloquy the goddess relates
15. 'My girl friendtook me with her to the public that one night,while she was innocentlysinging
square, and dancing about, presumably in heaven,
16. She entertained(?) me(?) there with music(?) Dumuzi met her, held her hand, and embraced
and dancing,
17. Her chant, the sweet, she sang forme. her. There follows a brief dialogue between
18. In sweet rejoicing I whiled away the time them consistingof Inanna's plea to Dumuzi to
there'- let go of her since on cominghome she will have
19. Thus deceitfullystand up to your mother, to deceive her motherand she does not know
20. While we by the moonlightindulge (our) passion, how, and Dumuzi's suggestionto tell her mother
21. I will [prepare]foryou a bed pure, sweet, (and)
noble that she whiledaway the hourswitha girlfriend
22. Will while away the sweet time (?) with you in in the public square, an excuse that will enable
jovful fulfillment." them to spend the night making love by the
23. It is a sagidda. moonlight. Inanna's second soliloquy which is
24. I, the maid, . in the . street,
25. bv dav, I . rather elliptical and allusive, begins with an
26. exulting pronouncementof her arrival at the
"gate" of her mother Ningal accompanied by
rev. Dumuzi who "will say the word" to her,that is,
1. no doubt, ask for her daughter's hand; it con-
2. cludes with an ecstatic eulogy of her husband-
3. to-be and the fertilityinsured by their sacred
4. I have come to our mother'sgate,
5. I, in joy I walk, marriage.
6. I have come to Ningal's gate, In detail note the following:The firstcomplex
7. I, in joy I walk. in line 4 is difficult
and the suggestedtranslation
8. To my motherhe will say the word, is not very satisfactory. Starting with line 6,
9. He will sprinklecypressoil on the ground,
10. To my motherNingal he will say the word. we findDumuzi called by different names, thus:
11. He will sprinklecypressoil on the ground, Kuli-Anna (line 6), Usumgalanna (line 8),
12. He whose dwellingis fragrant, Kuli-Enlil (line 10), and Amau'sumgalanna(lines
13. Whose word bringsdeep joy. 15, 17, 20). In line 9, the translation"Come
14. My lord is seemly for(?) the holy lap,
15. Amausumgalanna, the son-in-law of Sin,
now" for m e - a is a guess based on the con-
16. The lord Dumuzi is seemly for(?) the holy lap. text. To judge from line 14, Inanna had a
17. Amau'simgalanna, the son-in-law of Sin. long-standingreputationfordeceit, a fact which
mightbe surmisedfromGilgame's'characteriza-
tim and im - lal- l i- .. - ki (?) (line 15), i- na .... tion of the goddess in Tablet VI of the Akkadian
-me i-na me-lu-ul-tim (line 16) .... -tim
i-na az (?) -za-tim (line 17), i-n a . . -li-tim Epic of Gilgames. The meaning of line 16 is
(line 18), i-na ri-'sa-tim i-i's-me-li (?)- ... quite uncertain and the translation is highly
(line 20), ... - u s (?) - d a - t i ... d i - n i - ... (line dubious. In line 20, the words "indulge (our)
21), l i - ., .. (line 22), ... - k i - .. (line 24); rev.: . .
- z a .. -li- n u (line 9), s a - .. - dia .... -ma (line
passion" attempts to render e - n e - s u - u d -
13). b i - d a - e, a complex (or perhaps two com-

plexes) which is difficultto analyze grammati- 18. sag-gig-dur-ru-na-bi nam-sipad-bi ihe-ak-e

cally. In rev., line 4, it is difficultto see why 19. e-ne engar-gimg'an he-g'a-g'a
20. sipad-zi-gimama's he-im-mi-lu-lu
the poet uses m e "our" insteadof - m u "mine," 21. gu he-en-da-galse hje-en-da-gal
in the firstcomplex. 22. id-da a-gu4 ihe-en-da-ga.
23. a-sa-ga se-gu-nuJhe-en-da-gal
THE SACRED MARRIAGE TEXTS: 24. ambar-ra ku6 musen KA hu-mu-da-ra-ra
RITE AND RITUAL 25. mnu-gi-e gi-sungi-henburhe-en-da-an-mu
26. an-edin-namumas-gurhe.-en-da-mi'i
5. CT XLII, no. 4 27. tir-tir-raseg9-seg9-barhe-en-da-lu
Transliteration 28. pu'-kiri6lal kurun h1e-en-da-il
obv.,col.i 29. mu'-sar-rahi_issarza-hi-lisarhe-en-da-mui
30. e-gal-la zi-su'-u4-gal he-en-da-an-g'al
1. ... gaba(?)-il ....
2. 'e-uru'-z'e-ba
su-si-sa-a-b[i] rev.,col. iii
3. e- zuen-na( !)-.ka u4-zalag-ga-bi
4. e-an-na-ka urC'l-dCu-a-bi 1. idjidigna !)_idburanun-na a-u5-ba hiu-mu-ni-
5. e-sag-bi-se he-rig ib-t[u]m
6. e-zi-da-mudugu-ge i-im-dirig 2. gu-g('-ba ui hu-mu-ta-mt'i-mu a-gar 1he-en-si
7. mu inim-gar-sag5-gain-ga-'am 3. gur7-du6-gur7-mnas ku`-ga-sa-an-NIDABA-ke4(!)
8. ki-n'a-gi-rin-na gu' hu-mu-
zagin-sil-ga-'am 4.
9. dgibiles-gal-la mu-ra-an-kCu-kCu-ga ni-gur-gur
10. mu-luinam-ga-sa-an-esu-gal-d'u-a 5. ga-sa-an-mu nin-an-kinin-an-ki-su-a
11. Cu-mu-un-na-ni mu-ra-an-si 6. ur-[zu-s"e] U4 wha-ba-ni-ib-su-e
12. e-gi-si-a-na mu-ra-ab-ku-gasu-luh mu-ra-ga-ga 7.lugal-[i'r-ku`-se`s]ag-i'l-lamu-uin-gen-ne'
13. U4ba-an-n'a U4ba-an-dug4 8. u'r-g[a( !?)-sa-an-na-k]a-se sag-il-la mu-un-gen
14. U4 ki-n'a-ai-bi kar-kar-dam 9. lugal [sag-f]l-lagen-ne
15. U4u-mu-un-emi zi-zi-i-dam 10. nin(!)-mu-[ra sa]g-i'l-lagen-n'e
16. i'i-mu-un-ranam-tize-em-ma-a 11. .... -ka-ta
17. u-mu-un-raburu, sibir si-mu-na-ab 12. mu(?)-g[i ( !?)-ib(?) .... gu-da mu-un]da-la'36
18. al ba-an-dug4al ba-an-dug4ki-na al ba-an-dug4
19. ki-na-sa-hul-laal ba-an-dug4ki-n'aal ba-an-dug4 Translation
20. ki-nta-ur-ze-ba al ba-an-dug4ki-na al ba-an-dug4 obv.,col. i
21. [k]i-na-nam-lugal-laal ba-an-dug4 ki-n'a al ba-
an-dug4 1 " . .
22. [ki]-na-nam-nin-aal ba-an-dug4 ki-n'a al ba- 2. Of the house of Eridu-its guidance,
an-dug4 3. Of the house of Sin-its radiance,
23. [ze-b]a-ni-daze-ba-ni-da ki-na-ze-ba-ni-da 4. Of the Eanna-its habitation(?);
24. [ki-na]-sai-hul-laze-ba-ni-da ki-na-ze-ba-ni-da 5. The house-it has been presented (to you).
25. [ki-na1-ur-ze-ba ze-ba-ni-da ki-n'a-ze-ba-ni-da 6. (In) myenduringhouse whichfloatslike a cloud,
26. [ki-na-n jam-lugal-laze-ba-ni-da ki-na-ze-ba-ni-da 7. (WAhose)name in truth,is a goodly vision,
27. [ki-na-nam]-nin-aze-ba-ni-da ki-na-ze-ba-ni-da 8. (Where) a fruitfulbed, lapis-bedecked,
28. .... ki-na] mu-un-na-dag-geki-na mu-un-na- 9. Gibil had purifiedforyou in the great shrine.,
29. dag-ge 10. He who is well-suitedfor 'queenship,'
30. .... ki-n'amu-u]n-na-dag-geki-n'amu-un-na- 11. The lord has erected(?) his altar(?),
31. dag-ge 12. In his reed-filled(?)house which he has purified
foryou, he performsyour rites.
obv.,col. ii 13. The sun has gone to sleep, the day has passed (?),
1. I[ugal] . ... 14. As in bed you gaze (lovingly) upon him,
2. ki-ag ki-na-zeba-ni-se gu mu-un-na-de 15. As you caress the lord,
3. inim-tiinim-u4-suX-rat giumu-un-na-de-e 16. Give life unto the lord,
4. ga-sa-an-subur-rasukkal-zi-6-an-na-ke4 17. Give the staffand crook unto the lord."
5. um-me-zi-da-naim-ma-an-dib 18. She craves it, she craves it, she craves the bed,
6. u'r-ga-sa-an-na-sehi-li-a mu-ni-ku4 19. She craves the bed of the rejoicing heart, she
7. Cu-mu-un-e am-sa-ge ba-e-p"a-da-zu craves the bed,
8. lugal-e nitalam-kzi-'ag-zuLir-ku-nig-dUg-ZU U4 20. She craves the bed of the sweet lap, she craves
the bed,
ba-ba-ni-ib-su,-e-de 21. She craves the bed, of kingship, she craves
9. bala-sag5-ga pa-e si-mu-na-ab
the bed,
10. gigu-za-nam-lugal-lasuhus-ge-na-basi-mu-na-ab 22. She craves the bed of queenship, she craves
11. gidri-ukl'l-si-s'a
buru. 'sibirsi-mu-na-ab the bed.
12. aga-zi men-na-sag-dalla-asi-mu-na-ab 23. By his sweet, by his sweet, by his sweet bed,
13. duue-ta duusu se 24. By his sweet bed of the rejoicing heart, bv his
14. tumu,-ulu"-tatumu,-mir-ra-a-s'e sweet bed,
15. a-ab-ba-igi-nim-taa-ab-ba-sig-se
16. ki9ha-eu-urb(!)-tauiberin-na-sea(a!) 36 For the glosses in this text, cf. now Adam Falken-
17. ki-en-giki-uri-aburu,,-'sibir sli-mu-na-ab
(!) stein's review of the volume, OLZ (1961): 370.

25. By his sweet bed of the sweet lap, by his pilehighthe

3-4. May theholyqueenofvegetation
sweet bed, grainheapsand mounds,
26. By his sweet bed of "kingship," by his sweet bed, 5. Oh myqueen,queenof the universe,the queen
27. By his sweet bed of "quieenship," by his sweet who encompasses the universe,
bed, 6. May he enjoylongdays [at vourholy]lap."
28-29. He covers [the bed] ... for her, covers the 7. The kinggoeswithliftedhead [to theholylap],
bed forher, 8. He goes with liftedhead to [the holy] lap
30-31. Fle covers [the bed] ... for her, covers the [ofInanna],
bed forher. 9. The kinggoingwith[liftedhead],
10. Goingto myqueenwithliftedhead,
obv.,col. ii 11. From.
12. Embracesthehierodule
1. [To] the k[ing].
2. The beloved(?) speaks on his sweet bed,
3. Speaks to him wordsoflife,wordsof "long days." Commentary
4. Ninsubur, the trustworthyvizier of the Eanna, This poem is an epithalamionin the Emesal
5. Took him by his rightforearm(?),
6. Brought him blissfullyto the lap of Inanna: dialect which is in some respects a companion
7. "MIay the Lord whom you have called to(your) piece to the last stanza of the Inanna hymnthat
heart, celebrates the hieros gamos between Iddin-
8. The king, your beloved husband, enjoy long Dagan and goddess (see p. 490). The poet be-
days at your holy lap, the sweet,
9. Give him a reignfavorable (and) glorious, gins with an address, probably to the goddess
10. Give him the throneof kingshipon its enduring Inanna, informing herthat Gibil had purifiedfor
foundation, her "the great shrine"in her Eanna temple,and
11. Give him the people-directingscepter, the staff that the kinghad erectedan altar and carriedout
(and) the crook, the lustrationrites for her (col. i, lines 10-12);
12. Give him an enduring crown, a diadem which
ennobles(?) the head, this is followedby a prayerthat in the evening
13. From (where) the sun rises, to (where) the when "the day had gone to sleep," and it was
sun sets, time forthe goddess "to caress the lord" in the
14. From south to north, favoredsleepingplace, she should give the king
15. From the Upper Sea to the Lower Sea,
16. From (where grows) the halub-tree to (where life and the staffand crook (col. i, lines 13-17).
grows) the cedar, The poet then sings of the preparationof the
17. Over all Sumer and Akkad give him the staff "sleepingplace" ofkingshipand queenshipwhich
(and) the crook, "rejoices the heart" and "sweetens the lap"
18. May he exercise the shepherdshipof the black- (col. i, lines 18-31). Aftera break we findthe
heads (xvherever)they dwell,
19. May he make productive the fields like the kingspeaking"wordsof life,wordsof long days"
farmer, to (probably)Inanna (col. ii, lines 1-3). Follow-
20. May he multiply the sheepfolds like a trust- ing which Nin'suburtakes him by his rightfore-
worthyshepherd, arm(?), leads him to Inanna's lap, and asks her
21. Under his reign may there be plants, may there
be grain, to bless him with everythingessential for the
22. At the river,may there be overflow, well-beingof the king and his people: a good
23. In the fieldmay there be late-grain, reign,a firmlyfoundedthrone,a well-governing
24. In the marshlandmay the fish(and) birds make scepter, a staff and crook for the control of
much chatter(?), Sumer and Akkad and the lands beyond (col. ii,
25. In the canebrake may the 'old' reeds, the young lines,4-18); she should granthim,too, that "he
reeds grow high,
(the king) like a farmerset the fieldsin order,
26. In the steppe may the masgur-treesgrow high,
27. In the forestsmay the deer and the wild goats like a faithfulshepherdmultiplythe sheepfolds"
multiply, (col. ii, lines 19-20); and that under his reign,
28. May the watered garden produce honey (and) the land should have all it needs: plants and
wine, grains,overflowby the rivers,late grain in the
29. In the trenches may the lettuce and the cress fields,fishand birds in the marshes,freshand
grow high, mature reeds in the canebrake, masgur-treesin
30. In the palace may there be long life, the plains, deer and wild-goats in the forest,
honey and wine in the well-wateredgardens,
rev., col. iii
vegetablesin the trenches(betweenthe furrows),
1. Into the Tigris and Euphrates may flood water longlifein the palace, highwater broughtby the
be brought,
2. On their banks may the grass grow high, may Tigris and Euphrates to make verdant their
the meadows be covered, banks and wateredacres,grainheaps and mounds

piled high by the goddess Nidaba (col. ii, lines 46. ... dam (?)-gim ze-eb uru-gim ze-eb hur-gim
18-col. iii, line 3). Following a furtherrequest ze-eb nu-gal
47. a- -NiE-ensa-nu ba-ma-al
by Ninsubur that the king be allowed to spend 48. a- zi-de su-e-ba-se
a long time in Inanna's lap (col. iii, lines 4-6), 49. a- -lu'-zi-desu bi-in-e-ba-a-s4e
the king proceeds with "liftedhead" to the lap 50. mu-lu-bi e-sa-ga uUna-gi-rin-NEbi-in-ag
of Inanna and is embracedby her (col. iii, lines 51. e-an-na-ka qada-la.-e na ba-e-na-ag
7-12). The remainder of the composition, 52. iu-mu-un-ra a mu-un-ma-almu-na-ab-be-ne
53. ninda mu-un-ma-almu-un-na-ab-be-ne
which strangelyenough, ends up in Akkadian 54. e-gal-la im-te-enmu-un-na-ab-be-ne
(col. iv, line 1-end),has onlythe ends of the lines 55. ddumu-zie-e-'amki-ani zalag-zalag-ga
preserved, and little can be said about its 56. ama-dinanna ama_dinannadu6-zu DU-ZU
contents. 57. ama_dinannadinanna-dingir-an-na tt'lg-zutug-zu
58. tug-gig-zuttig-babbar-zu
6. CT XLII, No. 13 59. mu-lu-e-a-gen-na-mu te-e-am
60. i-lu te-'amad-sa4-sa-ba
1. [di]-da-mu-[de']
di-da-mu-[de'] 61. me-e-bite-'amme ba-tu's-u-ne
2. ga-sa-an-irg-ra
mu-lu'-u'-?-se'
mu-lu-u
(?)-de' 62. ki-bi te-am ki am-gub-bu-ne
3. ga-'sa-an-men
abzu-'sedi-da-mu-de 63. am-mi-in-gub-bu-ne am-mi-in-gub-bu-ne
4. ga-'sa-an-na-menabzu-'sedi-da-mu-de 64. dm.uulil ki-ur-raam-mi-in-gub-bu-ne
5. abzu e-nun-asedi-da-mu-de 65. am-igi-ka-na-'ag-g'a mu-Il'i-bid'e-en-ti
6. uru-ze-ebkize-eb-sedi-da-mu-de 66. 'ag-ni-biag-ni-bide-ag
7. 4-engur-ra-se
di-da-mu-de 67. li'i-bie-nun-nainim-si-sade-bi-in-ag
8. 'e-an-na-e-dmu-ul-li'l-l'a-'se
di-da-mu-d'e 68. a-bi 'e-gal-l'a-kainim-si-s'aim-bi-en-na
9. NE-. . -u4-NE-sa-ge-a-ru-se di-da-mu-de 69. in-nin9ubur-zu g'an -ne-zu he-a
10. bur-gal-gal-an-ne-sug-ga-se di-da-mu-de 70. dinanna ubur-zu gan-ne-zu he-a
11. bur-.. -sikil-e. . . -ag-ga-sedi-da-mu-de 71. gan-ne-dagal-egu-de-a-zu
12. a.. -a-zi . . su-e-ba-'se di-da-mu-de 72. gan-ne-dagal-ese-de-a-zu
13. [u-mu]-u n-dam-an-ki'su-e-ba-se di-da-mu-de 73. a-bala-a an-ta mu-lI'ininda-a an-ta
14. ddam-gal-nun-na .. s'u-h-ba-"di-da-mu-de 74. a-bala-bala-a an-ta mu-li' ninda-ninda-aan-ta
15. dasar~-H-hi .. su-e-ba-sedi-da-mu-de 75. mu-lu-dug4-ga-ra u-na-e-ni-
16. ur mu-da-ri[pi]rig(?)mu-da-ri 76. ne-en ga-ra-nag-[na]g
17. gi;ta'skar-in mu-da-rigiSha-lu-l'ibmu-da-ri Subscription
18. ga-sa-an-an-na-mentun5-tur-tur-esu i-im-ti sir-nan-sub dinanna-[kam]37
19. e-re7-da-mu-de e-re7-da-mu-de
20. a-e me-e gen-na a-e me-e gen-na
21. ga-sa-an-[men]ambar-ra di-da-mu-de Translation
22. ambar-ra ... -BU-u-bi me-e gen-na 1. When I proceeded, when I proceeded,
23. ka-me-ka di-da-mu-de 2.
24. U4-U4-U4 e-a-bigen-na 3. When I, the queen, proceeded to the Abzu,
25. igi-me-kadi-da-mu-de 4. When I, the queen of heaven, proceeded to
26. U4-U4 e-a-bigen-na the Abzu,
27. egir-me-kau's-sa-mu-de 5. When I proceeded to the Abzu, the princely
28. IS ( ?)- . . -hul-gu ( ?)-ze'-se%(?) gen-na house,
29. edmu-ul-1i14a'ku4-ra-mu-de 6. When I proceeded to Eridu, the goodly,
30. munus-kur-radirig( !)-ga-bi gen-na 7. When I proceeded to the E-Engurra,
31. kur-kur-rainim-me-riba-ni-in-ne 8. When I proceeded to Enlil's house. Eanna,
32. mu-u4-da-na-muigi-m"aba-e-tus 9. When I proceeded to.
33. e-di[ngir]-dingir ( ?)-re( ?)-ne a-da-man mu-un- 10. When I proceeded to the large jars reaching
de-ne heavenward,
34. u-d dnanna-de a-da-man mu-de-ne 11. When I proceeded to the .. jars .... by the
35. dudS as a-ab-... ku"-bi-ta
a-da-man mu-de-ne pure . .,
36. id-de id-de id-dirig-gimdam(?)-gim ze-eb uru- 12. When I proceeded to the.
gim ze-eb hur-gimze-eb nu-gal 13. When I proceeded to Enki who.
37. id-de id-nun-eid-dirig-gim 14. When I proceeded to Damgalnunna who
38. id-de id-buranun-naid-dirig-gim 15. When I proceeded to Asarluvhiwho.
39.... id-buranun-na-ke4(?) id-dirig-gimn 16. I broughtalong a dog, broughtalong a lion(?),
40. LI .... 17. I broughtalong boxwood, broughtalong halub-
41. ... mu-lu .... da-. -gim (?) wood,
42. [dam(?)-gi]m ze-eb uru-gimze-eb hur-gimze-eb 18. I, the queen of heaven, took along (?) the light
nu-ga winds.
43. am]-an-kiam-uru-ze.-baim-da-gen-na-gim 19. When I go forward,when I go forward,
43a. [ninJ-e-mah-addam-gal-nun-na im-da-gen-na- 20. As one who brings forthwater, I come, as one,
[gim] who bringsforthwater, I come.
44. dasar-H-hi dumu-uru-ze-baim-da-gen-na-gim
45. dmU-l-i-le mu-un-ku-a-gim mu-un-nag-a-gim one gloss: i - r a
37 This textcontainsbtut (line2).

21. [I] the queen, as I proceed to the marshland, 66. I would fulfill(?)all its needs(?),
22. Of the marshland as its . ., I come. 67. Would make its lord carry otut justice in the
23. When I proceeded to the "mouth" of the battle, princelyhouse,
24. As one who brings forth its brightest light, I 68. Would make its seed justice in the palace."
come. 69. "Oh lady, your breast is your field,
25. When I proceeded to the frontof the battle, 70. Inanna, vour breast is your field,
26. As one who bringsforthits brightlight, I come. 71. Your wide wide fieldwhich 'pours out' plants,
27. When I take my stand at the rear of the battle, 72. Your wide fieldwhich 'pours out' grain,
28. As one who . I come. 73. Water flowingfrom on high-(for) the lord-
29. When I enter Enlil's house, bread fromon high,
30. As its outstanding "woman of the kur", I come. 74. Water flowing,flowingfromon high-(for) the
31. I utteredangry words against the foreignlands, lord-bread, bread, fromon high,
32. Seated my husband beforeme, 75. [Pour(?)] out forthe 'commanded' lord,
33. Uttered a challenge in(?) the house of the 76. I will drink it fromyou."
gods(?), 77. A nam-gub-song of Inanna.
34. Uttereda challenge against Utu, against Nanna,
35. Uttered a challenge against Sud. Commentary
36. The river, the river-good like the vast river,
like the .., good like the city-there is This rather obscure and heterogenous com-
nothingso good,
37. The river, the princely river--(good) like the position designated as a s i r - n a m - s u b
vast river, di n a n n a - k a m, is divided into four sections
38. The river,the Euphrates-(good) like the vast of uneven length. In the first, which consists
river entirely of a monologue by Inanna (lines 1-19),
39. The . . of(?) the Euphrates-(good) like the the goddess speaks of journeying to the Abzu,
vast river,
40.. and to Eridu and its shrines and gods, bringing
41. ... who ... like(?) with her animals and trees. The second section,
42. Good like the .., good like the city, there is too, is a monologue by Inanna (lines 20-35).
nothingas good, In it the goddess boasts of her prowess in battle
43. Like when Enki, the wild bull of Eridu has come
with her, and of uttering a challenge to Utu, Nanna, and
43a. [Like] when the queen of the noble house, Sud. The third section (lines 36-46) seems to
Damgalnunna has come with her, be a narrative passage concerned primarily with
44. Like when Asarluhi the son of Eridu has come, the Euphrates whither Enki, Damgalnunna and
45. Like when Enlil has eaten, has drunk, Asarluihihad gone, presumably with Inanna, and
46. ... good like the .., good like the city, there is
nothingso good. where Enlil was eating and drinking. But it is
47. "... is in(?) my heart, the fourth section (lines 47-76) which, obscure
48. (When T had proceeded) to the. as it is, is of no little significance for the Dumuzi-
49. (When I had proceeded) to the. Inanna marriage ceremony. Following what
50. Its lord prepared a fresh(?) fruitfulbed in the
midst of the house." seems to be a brief soliloquy by Inanna, con-
51. In Eanna the "linen-wearers"prepared an altar cerned with the preparation of a marriage bed,
forhim, presumably by the king (lines 47-50), the
52. WAaterwas placed (there) for the lord, they "linen wearers" address the king, before whom
7
speak to him, food and drink had been placed, as Dumuzi,

53. Bread was placed (there), thev speak to him,
54. Hiewas refreshedin thepalace, theyspeak to him: announce to him in riddle-like phrases the
55. "Dumuzi, radiant, in the palace (and) on earth, presence of Inanna, and invite him to approach
56. Mother Inanna, motherInanna, your (treasure) the goddess, as well as the place in the kiur-
heap, your (treasure) heap(?), shrine where Enlil seems to have been stationed
57. Mother Inanna, goddess of heaven, your gar- (lines 51-64). Inanna then seems to pronounce
ment,vour garment,
58. Your black garment,your white garment, a prayer for the life and rule of the king (lines
59. Oh my lord who has come to the house--ap- 65-67). The composition closes with a plea to
proach her, Inanna, perhaps by the king himself, to give
60. Approach her with a chant, a heart (moving) him her breast from which he will drink as a
melody,
61. Approach their . ., the . where they are seated,
symbol of the fertilityof the land (lines 69-76).
62. Approach their place, the place where they are In detail, note the following: Line 2 is too
standing, obscure for a reasonable guess at the meaning.
63. (WVhere) they have stationed, they have In line 8, the Eanna of Enlil seems to refer to a
stationed, in Eridu, not in Erech. Line 12
64. (Where) thev have stationed Enlil in the Kiur." shrine located
65. "Oh wild bull, 'eve' of the Land, is almost identical with lines 48-49; the first

complex should be an epithetof a deity,since it 32. bur-bur7re-se

parallelsthe firstcomplexesofthe followinglines. 33. ba(?)
34.
The meaning of vsu - e / e - b a -s e (lines 12, (about 7 lines destroyed)
13, 14, 15, 48; cf. also line 49 wherethe complex
seems to appear in the fullerform's u - b i - i n - obvi.,col. ii
e - b a - s e) is obscure. Line 19, whichends the 1. nin(?) ....
section, strangelyenough, has no finiteverbal 2. ... bar e(?) ... za-gin AN ....
form. The second section of the composition 3. e.(?)-es-mu a-ra-zu(?)-a mu-ni- ...
4. ku' a-ra-zu-a mi- .
parallels to some extentCT XLII, No. 22, col. i, 5. ... lirum2-ga-sa-an-an-na me-[e]
lines 1-15, which is also a s i r - n a m - 's u b 6. gala-e s'ir-ramu-ni-i'b-
[pa"d(?)-de']
of Inanna, and in which Inanna speaks of 7. nar-e li-du ..mu-ni-rsb-[tu'm(?)]
journeying to the Abzu, of her entering the 8. mu-ud-na-mumu-da-an-[hu'l (?)-le (?)]
house of Enlil, and of her prowess in battle. 9. am-ddumu-zimu-da-an-[hb vil(?)-le (?)]
10. KA an-tuku-e KA KA ki ....
The meaningand implicationofthe thirdsection 11. AN . . -tur mu-ni-i[bl ..
are quite obscure, and it is difficultto relate it 12. -zi-zi nibru( !)[ki]
to what precedes and follows. The same is 13. -mar dumu dn[in]-
true of the fourthsection where the assumed 14. kur(?)- . . nin-e . . . di-e-[es mu-un-na-e]
shift of speakers (Inanna for lines 47-50; the 15. gala-e silr-ram[u-ni-ib-pa"d
(?)-de"]
16. dinanna-ke4di-e-es [mu-un-na-e]
"linen wearers" for lines 55-64; Inanna for 17. SAL-la-ni sir-ra mi-ni- ...
lines 65-68; the king forlines 69-76) is far from 18. SAL-la nig- .. ne-en KAK ....
assured, not to mention the numerous lexical 19.si-gim14"mar-gal-e....
and grammatical uncertaintieswhich pervade 20.mca-an-nane-en ese-la-
21.u4-sar-gibil-gim hi-li-
the passage. 22.ki-gal8ne-en edin-na ....
23. a-sa(?) uzmusen ne-enuZmUsenl ba(?)- ....
7. Ni 9602 (Figs. 3 and 4) 24. a-sa(?)-an-na ne-en a-ma-ra-mu
25. ma-a SAL-la-mudu6-du3-du8-ama-a-ra
Transliteration 26. ki-sikil-mena-ba-a ur,-ru-a-bi
27. SAL-la-muki-duru5-.. a-ma-ra
obv.,col. i 28. ga-sa-an-mengu4 a-ba-a bi-ib-gub-be
1. kiu-ga-a-am 29. in-nin9lugal-e ha-ra-an-urc-ru
2. si-sa'(?)-sAme-e 30. ddumu-zilugal-e ha-ra-urx-ru
3. SAL-la .. -am 31. [SAL-la]-maur,-rumu-lu-sa-ab-m"a-kam
4. -du7 nam-nun-na -an-du7 32. ... u'r-ki'-gea ba-an-tu5-tu5
5. -GAM-e 33. [dnin-e-gal] kil-ga-am ....
6. igi-g'a-ga 34.
7. si-sa(i?)-sa[me]-e (about 3 lines destroyed)
8. su ba-....
9. rev., col. iii
10. 1. dnin-'e-galku"-ga-a"[m]
....
11. -mu SAL-la-mu ma(?) 2. -ma
12. an-e ba-ab-du7-a-mu 3. nun-bi (?)
13. durr(?)-ra-mu(?) 4. -e dam(?)
14. -ir-tab-dar-a ( ?)-mu 5. . -la-
15. ze (?)-d(ir(?)-ra-mu 6.
16. -e mar-ra-mu 7. egir-bi ....
17. dug4-ga(?)-mu 8. .. -bi (?) pa-pa-al-
18. .... e-gal-me-te-mu 9. iir-lugal-la-kamerin( ?)-zi-ga ...
19. ... -ma-zau4-zal-la-mu 10. gu mu-un-da-zise mu-un-da-zi
20. SAL . . -PA-za gir-tag-ga-am 11. GABA-a-kiri6 kiri3-zal-gimmu-un-da-ab-si
21. ddumu-zi. .. -a e'(?)-e mi-ni-in-ga-ga 12. e-nan-ti-lae-lugal-la-ka
22. uku-sar-re-da i-bi-mumu-ma-al 13. nitalam-a-ni ul-la mu-un-da-ani-tus
23. ddumu-zinam-dingir-kalam-ma-se mu-ptad 14. e-nam-ti-lae-ddumu-zi-da-ka
24. ddumu-zi ki-ig-ga-'ag-uu-il-a-ra 15. dinanna ul-la mu-un-da-an-tu's
25. ama-musag-usmu-na-kal 16. dinanna -a-ni htl'.-la-e
26. ad-da-mudi-e-esmu-un-na-e 17. lugal-ra 'u-guilm-u-na-g'a-g'a
27. a Mu-si-tu5 na-ma mu-si-su-ub 18. ga sig7-a-ma-abmu-ud-na-muga sig7-[a-ma-ab]
28. kusv(
?)-a-tu5-akada u'-mu-vsi-t'um 19. mu-ud-na-mu me-e ga-NE e-da- ...
29. tug-mutfig-ag-kalag-ga-gim
si ba-s'a-e 20. am-dduniu-zi-dega sig7-a( !)-ma-[ab]
30. tU9paJa2-mah mu-na-kalag-ge-en 21. mu-ud-na-mu me-e ga-NE e-[da]- ....
31.... ma-ma-ma-an
[zag]-e-bi-se 22. ga -uz-da-ke4 amas ....

23. nin-HAR-raduksakir-ku-m'a su-... 11. My ...., my vtulva...?

24. dduniu-ziga- . . nin(?)-HAR-ra-an( ?)-[na ( ?)] 12. My .... which has been fittedout by An,
25. .. -nin-HAR-ra-an-na ga-bi 13. My (?) .... which has been
26. us-ka's-bi-ze-ba-Am.. 14. My ... which has been.
27.27.u-m-unddu5-mu-zi-[d']
'um-n 15. My .... which has been ...
me-ega-NEe-d[aI-.. . 16. My .... which has been established by
27. u-mu-lln-ddu5-mu-zi-[d'] me-e ga-NE e-d[a]-... 17. My .... which has been
28. nitalam-muama5-nig-duig-ga tu'[r(?)]- 18. Mty.... which adorns(?) the palace,
29. dinanna me-e a-ra-ab-gub-[be-en] 19. MIy . . who spends the days in your
30. e-nam-ti-la-zamu-e-ni-ib-[gub-be-en] 20. In your ... where(?) the foot . .,
31. siu-du-'agki-u6-di-kalam-ma-[kaml 21. Dumuzi I place(?) in ..., at the house(?),
32. e-nam-kur-kur-ra-tar-ra-na 22. I gazed on all the people,
33. uku-zi-gal-lasi-sA-e-dam 23. Called Dumuzi to the godship of the Land.
34. dninj-e-galme-e a-ra-ab-gub-be&-[en] 24. Dumuzi, the beloved of Enlil,
35. e-nam-ti-la-zaigi mu-e-ni-ib-gub-[be-en] 25. My motherholds ever dear,
36. e-nam-ti-laama5-zi-su-ud-gal 26. My fatherexalts(?) him.
27. I bathed, scoured myselfwith soap,
rev.,col. iv 28. (And) after putting a linen cloth over the
1. [dinanna nie-e a-ra-ab]-gub-[be-en]
(freshly)bathed skin(?),
29. I arranged iny garments as the garments of
2. [e-namn-ti-la-za
igi mu-e-ni-ib-gub-be-en]
(about fourlines destroyed) power,
30. I make fast for him the noble pala-garment,
7. sa.... 31. .....
8. e-nam-[ti-la-zaigi rnu-e-ni-ib-gub-be-en] 32. Toward the.
9. ga-sa-an-gal-ezi-de-[es na-e] 33.
10. nam-ti u4-su'-du-as du5-mu-ra-ab-ze-em
34.
11. dduMU_zidinanna hvi-li-ki-ga-'ag-bi-im (about 7 lines destroyed).
12. dinanna-mea-ra-ab-gub-be-en
13. e-nam-ti-la-zamu-e-ni-gub-be-en
14. e6(!) me-lam.-bikalam-ma-dul-la obv.,col. ii
15. e' 'sa-bi-ta'su-luh-k'u-ga-'am 1. The queen(?)
16. 'e . -bi-ragal-bi-t-um-ma 2. . .. the house(?) ... lapis lazuli.
17. u5-kas-har-ia-ta 3. My house(?) (and) shrinein prayer(?)
18. ma-ra-ni-ib-gub-be 4. In holy prayer,.
19. -la-se ... [ba]-an-'si-ag-e 5. I am ... the queen of heaven,
20 .... -la si-a-na 6. The gala chants there (his) song,
21. -nin-a-na 7. The singerbrings (his) .. hymn,
22. [ki-ig-g]a-ag-bi 8. My bridegroom[rejoiced] by my side,
23. [kal]ag-ga-ba 9. The wild bull Dumuzi [rejoices(?)] by my side."
24. -ga-ba 10. Who has ... .
25. -la 11. The little ....
26. -e 12. Nippur ....
27. 13. the son of ...
28. [bal ( ?)-bal ( ?)-e ( ?)]_dinanna-kam38 14. I'he .. ., the queen ... ex[alts(?) him],
15. The gala [chants there] (his) song,
Translation 16. Inanna exa[lts] him,
17. [Composes(?)] a song about her vulva:
obv.,col. i 18. The vulva, it is
1. ".... the lholy, 19. Like a horn it .... at the large wagon,
2. I am she who directs 20. It is the "Boat of Heaven," fasteningropes
3 .... the vulva. 21. Like the new crescent,passion .
4. princeship 22. It is fallow land, in the plain.
5. 23. It is a field(?) whichthe uz-bird.... the uz-bird,
6. Who examines. 24. It is a high(?) field(?), my ....
7. [I] am she who directs .... 25. As for me(?), my vulva is a .. hillock,-for(?)
8. me(?),
9. 26. I, the maid, who will be its plower?
10. .... 27. My vulva is . . wet groundfor(?) me(?),
28. I, the queen, who will station there the ox?"
38 This text contains
illegible traces of glosses in col. i, 29. "Lady, the king will plow it foryou,
lines 2, 4, 15; in line 23 there is a Sumerian line in small
30. Dumuzi, the king, will plow it foryou."
characters under the main text of the line, which reads:
.. mu-ni- .... nam mu-ni-tar (perhaps this should
31. "Plow my vulva, my sweetheart."
be included as part of the main text; cf. col. iii, line 19 32. [Inanina]bathed (her) holy lap,
which is also a line written in small characters-presum- 33. Ninegal, the holy ... .
ably it had been omitted inadvertentlyby the scribe). (about threelines destroyed)

VOL. 107, NO, 6. 1963] CUNEIFORM STUDIES AND HISTORY OF LITERATURE 507
obv.,col. iii 18. I willstationforyou there."

19. She acts (?) .... at
1. Ninegal, the holy
2...... 20. In herfilling
3. .... its(?) prince .... 21. .... of his queen,
4. the wife(?). 22. The belovedof
5. 23. in its might,
6. 24.
7. Its back(?) 25.
8. Its(?) ... the young shoot .. 26.
9. At the lap of the king, the high-standing 27. ...
cedar . . .. 28. [A balbale(?)] of Inanna.

10. The plants stood high by (his) side, the grain
stood high by (his) side, Commentary
11. The . . garden flourishedluxuriantlyby his side.
12. In the house of life,the house of the king, The contentsof this myth,inscribedon a four-
13. His wifedwelt by (his) side in joy, column tablet of which little more than half is
14. In the house of life,the house of the king,
15. Inanna dwelt by (his) side in joy. preserved, may be tentatively sketched as
16. Inanna rejoicingin his house, follows:The text begins with a long monologue
17. Utters a plea to the king: by Inanna in which, followinga fragmentary,
18. "Make yellow the milk for me, my bridegroom, obscure passage (col. i, lines 1-21), she proceeds
make yellow the milk [forme], to recount her appointmentof Dumuzi to the
19. My bridegroom, I will [drink] with you the
fresh(?) milk. "godship" of Sumer, her bridal preparationsfor
20. Wild bull Dumuzi, make yellow the milk forme, the ensuing marriage,and the singingand re-
21. My bridegroom, I will [drink with you] the joicing which accompanied their union (col. i,
fresh(?) milk. line 22-col. ii, line 9). The textcontinueswitha
22. The milk of the goat [make flow(?) in] the
sheepfoldfor me, briefand fragmentary narrativepassage ending
23. With the . . cheese fill(?) my holy churn, with a statementby the poet that Inanna com-
24. Dunmuzi,the milk ., the ... 'cheese of heaven,' posed a song to her vulva (col. ii, lines 9-17).
25. Of the .. 'cheese of heaven,' its milk .... The song itself follows (col. ii lines 18-28);
26. Its cream is good beer Inanna compares her vulva to, among other
27. Lord Dumuzi, I will [drink] with you the
fresh(?) milk. things,fallow land, a field,and a hillock,and
28. Mv husband, the goodly storehouse, the sheep- ends by askingwho will plow it forher. To this
fold(?) query comes the answer given probably by
29. I, Inanna, will preserveforyou, Dumuzi himself,that it is he, the king Dumuzi,
30. I will [watch] over your house of life.
31. The brilliant, the place which enraptures the who will plow it for her (col. ii, lines 29-30),
Land, and, accordingly,in the very next line Inanna
32. The house where the fate of all the lands is urges him to do so. Following another frag-
decreed, mentarypassage pertainingto the sexual union
33. Where the breath of life is ordained for the of the couple (col. ii, lines 32 ff.) comes a de-
people,
34. I, Ninegal, will preserveit foryou, tailed description of the ensuing vegetation
35. I will watch over your house of life. (col. iii, lines 1(?)-11). Afterwhich, Inanna,
36. The house of life, the storehouse which gives now dwellingjoyfullyby Dumuzi's side in the
long life, palace, "the house of life," uttersa plea to the
king to supply her with rich freshmilk,cheese,
obv.,col. iv and cream,and makes him the reassuringprom-
1. [I, Inanna will] preserve [foryou], ise, reiterated again and again, that she will
2. [I will watch over your house of life]." watch over and preserve the palace and its
(four lines destroyed)
7. The heart prosperity(col. iii, line 12-col. iv, line 18; note
8. The house especiallythat Ninegal in col. ii, line 33, col. iii,
9. Ningal speaks up with authority (saying): lines 1 and 34, refersto Inanna, while Ningal in
10. "I will give you life unto distant days;'
11. Dumuzi, the desire and love of Inanna, col. iv, line 9, refersto Inanna's mother,who is
12. I will preserveit foryou, presumablypronouncinga blessingon Dumuzi,
13. I will watch over your house of life. although it is difficultat presentto fitthis into
14. The house whose awesomeness covers the land, the context; note also the seeminglyunjustified
15. The house in whose midst are the holy rites,
16. The house whose . . . are most becoming, omission of i g i in col. iii, line 30 and col. iv,
17. with cream, beer, cheese, (and) fat, line 13). The mythends withwhat is probably

a narrativepassage, but the text is fragmentary Commentary

and unintelligible.
This text which is based primarilyon N 3560
(N 4305 has only the initial signs of the first
THE SACRED MARRIAGE TEXTS: LOVE SONGS three lines, cf. obv. lines 10-12) is probably a
8. N 3560 and N 4305 (Fig. 5) song chantedby a lukur-priestess to Su-Sin, such
as the textslistedin note 23. For the tentative
Transliteration restorationof theverb in lines 1-2, cf.textNo. 9,
obv. lines 1 ff.(note that in line 2, N 4305 seems to
omit -i s- u (?) -m u n (?) afterh i-). In line
1. sig-mu ahiissarm a im-[ma-an-dug4]
2. hi-is-u(?)-mun(?)ar-am a im-[ma-an-dug4] 5, the meaningof the word a - a - 1u m (assum-
3. su-bu-uh-PU-be.ba-tag-tag-[ge] ing that the worddivisionis correct)is unknown.
4. umme-da-mu mah mu-un- ... In line 7, the translation"attendant" for h e -
5. sig-mu a-a-lum im-mi-in-ag i m - d u, assumes a literaltranslation"let him
6. muYs-tur-tur-bi mu-un-dub-dub come." In lines9-10, note theepithet"brother"
7. he-im-du-musi im-s?a-s'i-e
8. hej-im-du sig-mub i-issarsar-sag5-sag5-ga-am for Su-Sin, instead of a word such as "bride-
9. se"s-e im-ma-ni-in-kU4-re-en groom" or "lover." In line 10, the second
igi-bar-l'u-ti-la-na
10. dsu-dzuen ... 1I'ag5-ga im-ma-ni-in-pad-de-en complex should end in - n a if the tentative
t 1. .... nu-[til(?)]-le-dam translationis correct. In line 19, Su-Sin seems
12. .... -re-dam to be identifiedmetaphoricallywith silver and
rev. lapis lazuli.
(about 5 lines destroyed)
18. iu-mu-un-me b1e-me-en iu-mu-un-me he-[me]-en 9. TRS XV, No. 20 and UET VI, No. 121
19. k1-na4za-gin-na cu-mu-un-mee-me-en
20. mu-un-kar'se(?)-mah-gub(?)-me he.-me-en T'ransliteration
21. igi-m'aIAI-bi-im'sa'-mAhi-(is),mr-bi-im 1. ba-lumba-lum-lum a ba-an-dug4
1i-issar-am
22. u4-nam-ti-lahe-en-na-edsu-dzuen-mu 2. kiri6-MI-edin-na-gu-gar-gar-ra-na
svag5-ga-AMA-
23. bal-bal-e-dinanna-kam39 na-mu
3. se-ab-sin-ba-hi-li-a-dirig-mu bhi_issar-ama
Translation ba-an-dug4
kiri6-ama
4. gi8ha'shur-4m-sag-ga-gurun-il-la-mu
1. My hair is lettuce, [planted(?)] by the water, ba-an-dug4
[planted(?)] by the water,
2. It is urmutn-lettuce 5. lu"-lal-elu'-Ial-em'a-a mu-kU7-kU7-de'-en
3. Its ... is . ., 6. en-mu 1u-lal-e-dingir-ra sag5-ga-AMA-na-mu
4. My nurse has .. high, 7. su-ni-lal-egir-ni-IaI-ema-a mu-un-ku7-ku7-
5. Has made my hair into(?) a de-[en]
6. Has piled up its small locks (?), 8. a'-su-gir-ni-lAl-ku7-ku7-dam ma-a mu-un-kU7-ku7-
7. My attendant(?) arranges it, [de-en]
8. The attendant(?) (arranges) my hair which is 9. li-dur( ?)-'su-nigin-tukun-ku7-ku7-mu s[ag5-ga-
lettuce, the most favored of plants. AMA-na-mu]
9. The brother brought me into his life-giving 10. las44ag5-s"ag5-AMA( ?)-*ia ( ?)-e-ru-mu _i-issar-am
gaze( ! [a ba-an-dug4]
10. Su-Sin has called me to (his) refreshing 11. 2 bal-bal-e-dinanna-[kamI
11. wvithout [end(?)I,
12. Translation
rev. 1. He has sprouted(?), he has burgeoned(?) he is
(about 5 lines destroyed) lettuce planted (?) by (?) the water,
2. My (?) well-stockedgarden of the ... plain, my
18. You are ouirlord, you are our lord, favored of the womb (?),
19. Silver (and) lapis lazuli-you are our lord, 3. My arain proliferousin its furrow-he is lettuce
20. Farmer who makes the grain stand high-you planted (?) by (?) the water,
are our lord 4. My apple tree which bears fruit up to (its)
21. For him who is the honey of my eye, who is the top-he is lettuce planted (?) by (?) the
lettuce of my heart, water.
22. May the days of life come forth, [may] my 5. The "honey-man," the "honey-man" sweetens
Sti-Sin . . . me ever,
23. A balbale of Inanna. 6. My lord, the "honey-man" of the gods, my
favoredof thewomb(?),
39This text contains but one gloss: r i - u m - 7. Whose hand is honey,whose foot is honey,
- u n (?) - z a (line 3). sweetens me ever,

9. My sweetenerof the ... navel (?), [my favored 33. ses-mu lb-ba-na su gub-bu-de
of the womb(?)] 34. ze-ba-kal-la-muu4 mu-un-di-ni-ib-zal-e
10. MY .... of the fairthighs,he is lettuce [planted 35. gu-ba-im-mu-u8nin9-musu-ba-a'm-mu-u8
by the water] 36. DU ning-ki-ig-mu6-gal-la ga-du
11. 2 balbale of Inanna. 37. igi ad-da-mu dumu-turh6-me-en
38. ..-ba-. . lIfha-ba-zu 'su ba-e(?)-ri-'si-bar-re
Commentary 39. bal-bal-e-dinanna-kam
(This line seems to be followedby two scratched in
The text is based on TRS XV, No. 20; UET signs which probably have no relation to our
VI, No. 121 begins perhaps with line 4, but seems text)
to omit lines 5 and 9. The recognizable variants Translation
are: m a- e for m A- a in lines 5, 7, 8; d a (about 11 lines destroyed)
for -de-en at the end of lines 5, 7, 8; lAl-e
12.
for l al and - d e for -d am in line 8; h isar 13. [M]y
(sic ! not h i - i Ssar) for h a S4 (?)- and h i _issar 14. I shall beautify.
in line 10. In this song, the goddess Inanna, or 15.
one of her lukur-priestesses seems to identify 16. When I
Dumuzi, or more probably the king Su-Sin, 17. When I ....
18. WheniI.
in the role of Dumuzi, with the lettuce plant, in 19. .....
particular, and productive vegetation in-general. 20. Have added ....
In line 1, TRS XV, No. 20 erroneously omits 21. , sweet allure,
the second - 1 u m in the second complex. In 22. My holy Inanna, I presentedto you."
line 2, the translation assumes that the - n a 23. "As I .. the beloved of my eye.
24. My beloved met me,
at the end of the firstcomplex is a scribal error 25. Took his pleasure of me, rejoiced together(?)
for - m u, and that A M A is probably to read with me.
agarin. In line 6, the -e of lu-lAl-e 26. The brotherbroughtme to his house,
seems quite unjustified, and the transliteration 27. Made me lie on its . . honey bed,
28. My precious sweet, having lain by my heart,
and translation of the complex may well be 29. In unison, the "tongue-making"in unison,
erroneous. In line 11, note that the number 2 30. My brother,of fairestface, made 50 times.
refers to the fact that TRS XV, No. 20 is in- 31. I . . forhim like a weakling(?)
scribed with two balbale-poems, one is a hymn 32. I set it up for him in the togetherwith ...
to the goddess Ninkasi (lines 1-65), and the fromthe earth,
33. My brotherwho .. in his anger,
other is our "lettuce" song (lines 65-75). 34. My precious sweet is sated with me."
35. "Set me free,my sister,set me free,
10. UM 29-16-8 and Ni 4552 (Figs. 6, 7, and 8) 36. Come, my beloved sister, I would go to the
palace,
Transliteration 37. You will be a littledaughterbeforemy father,
38. 1(?) will set freeforyou.
(about 11 lines destroyed) 39. A balbale of Inanna.
12. ....[am
13. ....-Mu Commentary
14. -[s]ig7-sig7-de-en
15. .... The transliteration is based primarily on UM
16. -mu-d'e 29-16-8; Ni 4552 begins with line 26, and has
17. -mu-de the following variants: - e n for - e , (the last
18. e .... [da-mu-de]
19. sign in line 27); m u - 1u( for 1u and [m u - u] n -
20. [ma]-ra-an-dah for m u - (line 31); mu -u n - for mu - (line
21. . hi-li-a'g-ku7-ku7-dam 32); in line 35 read: nin-mu -su-ba-
22. kux-ga-sa-an-na-musg-e ma-ra-an-ba mu - U8 U- b a - [mu - U8]; - me- for
23. ki-ga-i-bi-muma-ra-mu-de
24. mu-lu ki-ig-ag-mugaba im-ma-an-ri e- g a - 1 a (line 36); - m i for - m u (line 37);
25. hi-li mu-e-'si-in-tea's mu-e-da-hul in line 38 there seems to be nothing missing
26. ses-e e-ni-a im-ma-ni-in-ku4-re-en between - b a and 1 ui. This poem consists of
27. Muna-l'al-p'u-ba bi-in-na-e several speeches, but is quite uncertain where
28. ze-ba-kal-la-musa-ab-mu a-ba-na each begins and ends. Thus line 22 seems to
29. a's-as-ta eme-ag as-as-ta
30. ses-i-bi-sag-54ag5-mu 50-am mu-un-ag end the address of some deity to Inanna. Lines
31. lu-si-ga-gimmu-na-de-Du 23-34, on the other hand, seem to contain a
32. ki-ta-TuKu4-e-da SI . A mu-na-ni-in-gar sililoquy uttered by Inanna in which she de-

scribesher meetingwith the brother-lover(that contained at least two differentsongs (cf.

is presumably Dumuzi), and their prolonged Text No. 9); lines 3-16 are duplicated by Ni
love-making. Lines 35-38 seem to contain an 4569, a tablet in the Istanbul Museum of the
address by the "brother" to Inanna in which Ancient Orient (copied by Muazzez S7igof the
he begs her to let go of him so that he might Istanbul Museum) which had originall coiu-y
returnto the palace and (presumably)his royal tained a collectionof (probably) four different
duties. Unfortunately,the text contains many poems; lines 9-17 are duplicated by N 4305
ambiguous and obscure passages, and the inter- (plate 5) obv. col. ii, lines 1-9. The textual
pretationherepresentedmay turnout to be com- variants are: GIR5 in UET VI, No. 121 for
pletelyerroneous. N E - D U in line 9 (note that in Ni 4569 this
line is probably to be restored to read [n if-
11. UET VI, Nos. 121 and 122, N 4305 (plate 5) us-sa ninda 5 mi]-us-sa nida
ni 10;
and Ni 4569 (Fig. 9) for the expressionsn i n d a 5 and n i n d a 10,
cf. e.g. SRIT No. 5 lines 23-24); in line 12,
Transliteration N 4305 inserts e - n e after a m a - nm e; the
verb h e'-me-da-ab-du g4 iS founidonly
1. ....
-lam-lam-ma in Ni 4569 (UET VI, No. 122 has h u - m u -
2. sa( !) i-bi-sag5- .... ad mu ....
3. ses-me he-me-en.. -[me] hej-[me-en] ga-l...); in line 13, N 4305 omits the -na-
4. ses-dag-'e-gal-labe'-[me-enj preceeding-zu, UET VI, No. 121 has lna n1 -
5. Pu-mu-un-si-m'a-gur-me he-m[e-en] for n a- am -; in line 14, N 4305 adds - a
6. nu-banda-gisgigir(!)-ra-meb1p-me-en after e-, and Ni 4569 has he-ma-al- a
7. iS-9i8gigir( !)-sar-ra-mehje-me-en for h e - g a l - l a; in line 16 Ni 4569 reads:
8. ad-da-uru-di-ku5-ru-me he-me-en ... i-ib-.. -b en -d-enfor the un-
9. mi-us-sA-ad-da-me he-me-en
10. 'se'smi-t'is-s'a-ad-da-meh'e-me-en z e (?b a- an -z e - ern-i-NE..
intelligible
It. mi-u's-s'agL'i-zi-bi-mehe'-me-en of UET VI, No. 122; the subscriptionb a 1 -
12. ama-me nig-ze-ba be&ne-da-ab-dug4 b a l -[di n a n n a - k a m] is found only in
13. im-ma-gen-na-zuna-ani-tina-nam N 4305.
14. e-ku4-ra-zuhe.-gal-la The poem seems to consistsof a sonIgchanited
15. da-n'a-da h'il-la-dirig-mu
16. ze-ba-mu ba-na-[da] ze (!)-ba-an-ze-em-i- by a group of lukur-priestessesin the palace
NE-... probably to Su-Sin, although the name of the
17. bal-bal[dinanna-kani] king is not mentionedin the text. In linles3-4
note that the king is called "brother,"although
Translation he is described as "son-in-law" in linies9 ff.
1... Lines 5-7 are presumablytitles describinigthe
2. The heart (?) of. activitiesof the king in connectionwith certaini
3. You are our brother,[you are our]
4. [You are] the . . brotherof the palace religiousrites. In line 10, "our father" would
5. You are our ensi of the magur-boat, referto the god Siii, if the singersare speaking
6. You are our nubanda of the chariot, for the goddess Iimanna. In line 12 "our
7. You are our . . of the . . chariot, mother"may referto Siil's wife,Ningal.
8. You are our city fatherand judge,
9. You are the son-in-lawof our father, NEW TEXTS FOR "INANNA'S DESCENTr
10. Brother,you are the son-in-lawof our father. TO T HE NETHER WORLD"
11. You are our most prominentof the sons-in-law,
12. Our motherprovides you with all that is good, The tablets and fragmentswhich have be-
13. Your coming is life, come available since 1951 are as follows:Ni 4187
14. Your enteringthe house is abuindance, and Ni 9838 (see plates 8 and 9), TMH N. F. III,
15. Lying with you is the greatestjoy, No. 2 (see plates 10 and 11), CT XLII, No. 2,
16. My sweet,.
UET VI, Nos. 8, 9, 10, 11 (see below), 3 NT
17. A balbale of Inanna.
211, 400, 499 (unpublished).40 Of these, the
40 3 NT 211 is a small fragmentwhich duplicates lines
Commentary
66-81 of the myth; 3 NT 400 is a tablet whose obverse
'The text of this poem is based primarily on duplicates lines 288-317 and whose reverse duplicates
lines 324-355; 3 NT 499 is a small tablet whose obverse
UET VI, No. 122, a small tablet inscribed with
duplicates lines 79-93, and whose reverse duplicates lines
this poem only; lines 3-14 are duplicated by 114-120. Except for some minor variants, however,
UET VI, No. 121 (obv), a tablet which had these pieces add nothingto the text of the myth.

two small fragmentsNi 4187 and Ni 9838 are 226. za-ra-a SID-gim iu-mu-un-gur-gur-re-en-ze-en
ofveryspecial importancesincetheyjoin Ni 4200 227. ama-gan-a nam-dumu-ne-ne-se
228. i-n` ku4-ra-a'm
derets-ki-gal-la-ke4
and Ni 2762 respectively,4'and the resulting 229. Jur-kiu-ga-ni kada nu-un-b6r
fuller text, when combined with the recently 230. gaba-ni bur-4agan-gim nu-un-BU
publishedfragmentCT XLII, No. 2,42theclosing 231. ... -ni urudulul-bi-gim
an-da-gal
linesof TAIlI N.F. III, No. 2,43and the relevant 232. sig-ni gara'sar-gimsag-ga-na mu-un-tuku-tuku
233. ul-u8 a-'si-mu dug4-ga-ni
partsof UE1- VI, Nos. 8 and 10, helps to restore 234. [k(si]-A-me-ennin-me a-sa-zu [dug4-ga-na-
practicallyin theirentiretylines 224-263, which ab-ze-en]
werestillmissingin large part in the 1951 edition 235. [ui-u8]a-bar-mu dug4-ga-ni
of the myth. Followingis a transliteration and 236. [kuis-ui-me-enn]in-mea-bar-zu dug4-ga-na-
ab-ze-en
translationof this now restorablepassage: 237. [a-ba-amn]za-e-me-en-ze-en
238. sa-[mu-ta] tsa-zu-'se bar-mu-tabar-[zu-seba-
1. Transliteration44 e-NE]-dug4-[en ( ?)-ze-en]
239. [dingir-he-me-en-ze-en] inim ga-mu-[ra-an-
224. gen-na-an-ze-en
girkur-sena-ba-an-ze-en dug4-en-ze-en]
225. gisig num-gim'u-mu-un-dal-dal-ze-en 240. [Ilu-1u6be-me-en-ze-ennam-zu ga-mu-ri]-ib-
tar-[en-ze-en]
41 For these two fragments, cf. PAPS 85, 3 (1942): 241. [zi-an-na zi-ki-a p]ad-be-[en-ze-en]
plate 8. The "join" of Ni 4187 to Ni 4200 was recognized 242. ... -[na]-ab-ze-en
by F. R. Kraus in the course of cataloguing the Nippur 243. [id a-ba mu-u]n-na-ba-e-neSu nam-[ba]-bu-
material in the Istanbul Museum of the Ancient Orient i-en-ze-en
where he was curator of the tablet collectionsfora number
of years before the Second World War; the "join" of has .... -bi (?) .. -ab- . and F, which seems to
Ni 9838 to Ni 2762 was recognized by the writerwhen he have .. b i - e n - z e - e n. For lines 239-240 see
copied the piece in Istanbul about ten years ago. comment to lines 261-262. For line 241 cf. com-
42 The firsttwo lines on this fragmentcorrespondto lines ment to line 263, but note that the traces in A do not
221-222 of the myth; line 3, howevercorresponds,strangely point to this restoration,and that moreover A seems to
enough, to line 244, while there is no line correspondingto insert here another line which has no counterpart in the
line 223. passage describing the execution of Enki's instruction
43 This is a four-columntablet whichoriginallycontained (that is, there seems to be no such line followingline 263).
the first233 lines of the myth: col. i =lines 3-38; col. ii In line 243 the restorationi d a - b a was chosen, although
=lines 55-94; col. iii=lines 121-168; col. iv=lines 183- at this point A has a [id - b i] (cf. also E obv. 9), in
233. The text has a number of variants; for the most order to keep it parallel to a - s a s e - b a of the line fol-
important,cf. TMH N.F. III pp. 9-10; others are men- lowing. In line 249 the - z e - e n of the verb is no doubt
tioned in connection with the discussion of the restored an errorfor- e s (the text is based on C); in D, too, some
passage and the UET VI texts discussed later. error is involved since the verbs seem to have the form
44The text of the passage has been restored as follows: of an imperative reading [d a l - d a l - b] i - i b - z e - e n
Ni 4187+Ni 4200 (=A), obv. 17-end of rev.=lines 224- and gur-gur-re-bi-i[b-ze-en]. Between lines
247; TMH N.F. III, No. 2 (=B), col. iv=lines 224-233; 254 and 255 E inserts one double line which is largely
CT XLII, No. 2 (= C) obv. 5-8 = lines 224-22 7, rev. = lines illegible, and another double line corresponding to lines
247-251; Ni 9838+Ni 2762(=D) obv. 1-17=lines 247- 231 and 232. In lines 255 and 257, the firstcomplex is
263; UET VI, No. 10 (=E) obv. 1-8=lines 253-263; restoredto correspondto lines 233 and 235, but note that
UET VI, No. 8 (=F) rev. 3-11=lines 257-263. In E has U4 instead. In the same lines E has b i- i n -
detail, note the following: In line 224, C inserts k a 1 a - d u g4 - g a - a m for d u g4 - g a - n i (note that lines 255
t u r - k u r - g a r - r a followingg e n - n a - a n - z d - e n. and 256 seem to have no counterpartin F, to judge from
In line 225 the text is based on B; A has -a followinggiii g the preservedtraces of the ends of the firsttwo lines of its
and dal-dal-[e-b]i-en-ze-en as the verb while reverse), while in line 257, F inserts - a - before - n i.
C reads dal-dal-bi-ib-ze-en (there is another In lines 256 and 258 the verbal forms seem to have a
- e n in the copy, but this is quite unjustified). In line variant in E, to judge from the preserved .... - b i -
226 B omits -a in the firstcomplex; the verbal form is n e- ..; in F the verb is m u - n a -a n - e s. In line
based on B (A has gur-gur-re-bi-[e]n-ze-en, 260, E probably omits the - t a of the firstand thirdcom-
and C has g u r - g u r - m u - ....). In line 229, A has plex, and seems to have - m u - instead of - z u - in the
- n a for - n i in the firstcomplex. In line 230, A has second; F, too, seems to have - m u - for - z u - in the
- n a for - g i m in the second complex. In line 234, the fourthcomplex from which, moreover, it omits the final
restorationof the verb is based on line 236. In line 235 -S e. In line 261 E omits the - e n - z e - e n of the
the restorationof the firstcomplex is based on line 23. verb, while F seems to have ga - m u - r i - N E.
In line 237 a - b a - a m is restoredfromline 259 (note that In line 262, F omits the - e n - z e - e n of the verb, while
the traces in A, however, do not point to - inm). The E seems to read b i - i b - . . . - r e (?). In line 263, note
verbal formin line 238 is difficultto restorefromthe extant that the verb seems to be written erroneouslyas an im-
traces, it is probably identical with that of line,260, and perative in D and F (in F, the last two signs on the line
we can therefore utilize not only A which has at this are quite unintelligible;note, too, that followingline 263,
point only the sign KA followed by what looks like A, D has another line ending in - z e - e n which does not
but also D which has ba- e - N E- .... -e n, E which correspondto line 264, cf. comment to line 242).

244. a-sa se-ba mu-un-na-ba-e-nesu nam-ba- 243. [Of the river]theywill presentyou [its water]-
bu-i-en-ze-en do not accept it,
245. uzu-nig-siggiSkak-ta-lA-a si-me-abdug4-ga- 244. Of the field, they will present you its grain-
na-ab-z&-en do not accept it,
246. dig-'amu'-nam-ti-ladis-a"ma-nam-ti-la ugu-na 245. 'Give us the corpse hung from the nail,' say
sub-bu-bi-en-ze-en to her,
247. dinannaba-ba-gub 246. One (of you) sprinkleupon her the food of life,
248. kala-tur-kur-gar-rainim-den-ki-ga(!)-se the other,the water of life.
sag-kgeg ba-[si-in]-ag-egs 247. Inanna will arise."
249. gisignum-gimmu-un-dal-dal-ze-en 248. The kalaturand the kurgarragave heed to the
250. za-ra-[a] 9ID-gimnu-un-gur-gur-ze-en word of Enki,
251. [am]a-ga[n-a]namn-dumu-ne-ne-se 249. Thev flewabout the door like flies,
252. [dereg-ki]-gal-la-ke4 i-naku4-ra-"am 250. They circled about the door-pivot,like
253. [bur-kil-ga]-nakada nu-un-bi'ir 251. The birth-giving [moth]er, because of her
254. [gaba-ni] bur-gagan-[gim]nu-un-Bu children,
255. [u'-u8] a-sa-mu dug4-ga-ni 252. [Ereski]gal lay ill,
256. kus-u-me-ennin-mea-sa-zu in-na-an-[ne]-es 253. Over her [holy body] no cloth is spread,
257. [ui-u8]a-bar-mu dug4-ga-ni 254. Her chest [like] a sagan-vessel is not . .;
258. k[6-s]-i'-me-en nin-me a-bar-zu in-na-an-[ne]-es 255. (When) she said: "Woe! Oh my inside!"
259. a-ba-hm za-e-me-en-ze-en 256. They said to her: "You who are sighing,our
260. 'S-mu-ta 'at-zu-ge" bar-mu-tabar-zu-se ba-e-NE- queen, Oh your inside!"
dug4-en(?)-ze-en 257. (When) she said: Woe!, Oh my outside!"
261. dingir hie-me-en-ze-en inim ga-mu-ra-an-dug7- 258. They said to her: "you who are sighing, our
en-ze-en queen, Oh your outside
262. lu-lu6 ie'-me-en-z6-ennam-zu ga-mu-ri-ib-tar- 259. "Whoever you are,
en-ze-en 260. From my inside to your inside, from my out-
263. zi-an-na zi-ki-a mu-ni-in-pad-de-e' side to your outside,.
261. If you are gods, I shall conimand a(good)
word forvou,
Translation45 262. If you are mortals I shall decree a (good) fate
224. "Go, 'lay' the feet towards the Nether World, forvou.
225. Fly about the door like flies, 263. They swore by Heaven and Earth.
226. Circle about the door-pivotlike
227. The birth-givingmother,because of her As noted above, two of the tTr tablets pub-
children, lished in UET VI (Nos. 8 and 10) played a role
228. Ereslkigalis lyingill, in the restoration of the text of an important
229. Over her holv body no cloth is spread, passage of the myth. In fact all four of the Ur
230. Her holy chest, like a sagan-vessel,is not
231. Her . ., like a copper . ., is at (her) side, pieces contributein one way or another to the
232. Her hair, like leeks she wears on her head; restorationof thecompositionas a whole,as the
233. (When) she says: 'Woe! Oh my inside!' followingdetailed analysis of theircontentswill
234. [Say to her]: 'You who are sighing,our queen, show, thus:
Oh your inside!'
235. (When) she says: [Woe]! Oh my outside!' 2. UET VI, No. 8
236. Say to her: 'You who are sighing,our queen,
Oh your outside!' This is a fragmentinscribedwith the remainis
237. 'Whoever you are, of the last two columns of the obverse and the
238. [From my] inside to your inside, frommv out- firstcolumnof the reverseof a tablet whichmlay
side to your outside,.
239. [If vou are gods] I shall [command a (good) originally have contained eight columns of text.
word foryou], Col. 1 of the extant fragmenthas only the very
240. [If you are miortals,I shall] decree [a (good) ends of 18 lines,and most,but not all,ofthesecan
fate foryou];' be identified withcorrespondinglinesin themyth.
241. [Sw]ear [by Heaven and Eartlh]. Thus lines 1 and 2 seem to have no corresponding
242.
lines,line 3 correspondsto line 112 of the myth,
45 Inthe translationnote especiallythat lines237-240 whichcan now be seen to read: U4 - b a de r e s -
and the corresponding lines 259-262 are assumedto be ki-gal-la-ke4 h Avs bar-bi-'se bi-
wordsspokenby Ereskigalto thekalaturand thekurgarra, in-ra KA bf-in-DU KA S a- se ba-ti;
althoughthereare no introductory statementsto this
to fitinto
effect(lines238 and 260 are especiallydifficult line4 correspolnds
to line 113,but has thevariant
the context). It is furtherassumedthat lines 241-242 inim .mu-na-ab-e for g'u mu- n a-
and thecorresponding lines263 and thelinewhichfollows d e - e line 5 correspondsto line 114, but omits
it in D (see end of precedingnote) containthe wordsof - k u r - r a after i - d u8 - g a ; line 6, to judge
Enki to his two creatures,althoughagain thereis no
introductory lineto indicatetheshiftofspeakers. fromthe fourextant signs,does not correspond

to line 115, but may have been a variant of it; of currentmythologicalmotifs; thus we learn
line 7 correspondsto line 116 (the last sign is herethat Inanna was dead for7 years,7 months,
probably - u 's); lines 8-9 to judge from the and 7 days (an obviouslyartificialbut poetically
preservedsigns,do not correspondto lines 117- attractiveseries of numbers)while accordingto
118; line 11 is practicallyentirelydestroyed. line 24 of No. 9 (see below) she was dead for
The second column of the obverse which has seven months, and according to the hitherto
21 lines preservedwhollyor in part, corresponds knowiiversions,onlythreedays and threenights.
by and largeto lines 156-177 of the myth. Line The firstpart of line 15 whichreads: [s u] k k a 1-
1, which reads: tu' g-NUN-NUN- ma - n i a - n i dnin -'snub ur-ra i n i m - n i n - a-
l1u ma-[da-an-zi-ir] and which must n a -9 'e ge'stug b a-'si -i n -g ub, corre-
have been preceded by a line reading: ka- sponds to line 170, which, however,omits the
gal-imin-kam-ma kU4 -kU4 - d a - n i - t a second part of the Ur line (the reconstructed
correspondingto line 156 of the myth has llo text of the myth adds, however,two lines de-
exact equivalent in the text, but a line closely scriptiveof Ninguburwhich are omitted in the
correspondingto it actually following a line Ur piece). Lines 15-20 correspond to lines
reading: k a-[gal]-imin-kanm-ma kU 4- 173-178 except forminorvariants.
kU4 - d a - n i - [t a] is TAMHN.F. III, No. 2, Turning to the reversecol. 1 of our text, we
col. 3, 30 whichreads: GAM -GAM - ma -ni note that line 1246 is to be restored to read
t u g (!) - N [U] N - N [U] N - m[a]-ni [l1u ba- [i d a-ba] mu-ne-ba-e 'su nu-um-
d a - a n - z i - i r]. Lines 2-4 correspondto lines B U - N E, and correspondsto line 265. Line 14
158-160. Line 5 which reads: GAM - GAM - reads: [uz u] - n i g - bar - b i -g R I - t a - RI -
mna-ni irm-ma-da-an-te seems to be 1a - a s i - m e - e b i n - n a - a n - n e - e s, and
a variant of the still obscure line 161; the thereforecorrespondsto line 266, except for the
t u g - N U N - N U N - m a, however,is not men- obscure variant - b a r - b i - 9'SR I - t a - R I - for
tioned in this line, since this had already been -s i g - g a gi;ka k - t a . Line 15 corresponds
removed (cf. line 1). Line 6 which reads: to line 268 (the Ur piece thereforeomitsline 267
nin9-a-ni "gu-za-ni-ta im-ma-da- which introducesEreskigal's speech) except for
a n - z i has no correspondingline in the recon- the unjustified omission of - z u - following
structedtext of the myth. Line 7 corresponds -ga-sa-an-. Line 16 reads: .. -ir-me
to line 162, but note especially the variant nig-nin (!)-me he6-me-a s i-nme-eb
e - n e for de r e s - k i --g al - a - k e4. Line 8 i n - n a - n e - e [s] and therefore corresponds
correspondsto line 163, where the verb should to line 269 except for the firstcomplex which
thereforehave been restored to read: m u - does not seem to agree in the two texts.
u n - d a - ku5 - r u - n e (cf. also comment be-
low to line 20 of No. 9). Line 9 correspondsto 3. UET V1, No. 9
line 165 (note thevariantb i - n e for i - b i - n e),
This is a small tablet whose contents corre-
and our Ur piece therefore has no linecorrespond- spond to lines 146-177 of the myLh,but note
ing to line 164. Line 10 probably reads: [g]cu
that the following: The tuditumwhich is re-
bi-in-de (!?) LIPIS-gig-ga-'am and moved at the fifthgate according to line 2, is
thereforecorrespondsin part to line 166. Line
removed at the sixth gate according to line 152
11 which reads: [m u] - n i n - r a u z u(!)-
of the myth. The verbal root - z i (lines 2, 7,
nig (!) -sig-ga- s`e (!) ba-an-kU4 cor- and 12) is short for - z i - i r in the correspond-
responds to line 167 where the reading of the
ing lines of the myth. Lines 3, 8, and 13 have
firsthalf of the line should be correctedaccord-
the variant a - n a - a n n e - e for ta-am me-a
ingly. Line 12 probably reads: [giSka k] - t a
of the correspondinglines of the myth. The
igi-ni lIu mu-un-da-l a, and there-
verb in lines 5, 10, and 15 reads: n a - b e - e
forecorrespondsto line 168 except for the omis-
a variant for n a - a n - b a - e (- e n) of the
sion u z u - n i g - s I g - g a and the insertionof
i g i - n i. Line 13 which reads: [m u] - i m i n correspondinglinesof the myth. The beginning
of line 6 is to be restoredas [k 'a - g a l - a] s -
i t u - i m i n U4 - i m i n b a - z a l -1 a - t a and
k a m - m a and the beginning of line 7 as
correspondsto line 169, provides us with one
[h i - l i] s ag - k i - n a, the object which is
of the more significantvariants of our text,
since it points up the relative freedomof the
46 Rev.,lines3-11 wereutilizedfortherestoration
ofthe
passage treated in note 44; lines 1-2 cannot be placed at
mythographersin treating the specific details present.

renmovedat the second gate according to one sponds to lines 253-285 of the myth,48 while the
version of the myth, or is not mentioned as reverse provides us with its very last lines, as
removed at all in the versions on which the follows.
reconstructed textis based. Line 12 corresponds
to line 157,but omitsthecomplex b a r - r a - n a. myth-359 lines as restored in JCS V (see note 27) plus
Lines 16 and 17 whichread: g i r - g i r - m a - n i the approximatelythirtynew lines from UET VI, No. 10
(still unplaceable is the reverse of CBS 15162-cf. PAPS
ug u- z ag (!) - g'aI-'s e z e -z,6- ma - ni Ilu 85, No. 3, plate 10)-there are still missing only about
m a - a n - t 'um seem to correspondto the still 38 lines. However, there is some possibility that the Ur
obscure line 161 of the myth. Line 18 is prob- version of the myth was considerably longer than that.
ably to be restored to read: n i n9- a - n i For on top of UET VI, No. 10 we find two figures-169
gi;gu - z a - n i (!) - t a (!) i m - m a - a n - z i - and 174-unaccompanied by any text whatever, and it is
not unlikelythat these referto the number of lines on the
g a . Line 19 is probablyto be restoredto read: firstand second tablets of the series of which UET VI,
e - ne gisgu-za ()a -n i d u r b1'-in - No. 10 is the third and last. If so, the total number of
[g a r]. Line 20 is to be restoredto read: lines on the firsttwo tablets would be 343 (that is 91 lines
[da - n u n - n a d i - ku5] - i m i n - b i [i g i - s e] more than the 252 lines which they should have, since the
third tablet begins with line 252). For the present,
di mu-un-da-ku5 -ru-ne, and there- therefore,the total number of lines of the myth is still
forecorrespondsto line 163 of the myth. Line ratheruncertain.
21 should probablybe restoredto read: i n [i m 48 Lines 1-8 have been utilized in the restorationof the
bi-i]n-e-a inim-gig-ga in-LU (?) passage treated in note 44. The remainder of the ob-
and thereforecorrespondsat least in part to verse reads:
line 165, while line 22 correspondsto line 166; 9. a id-bi ma-ra-[ba]-ne su nu-um-bu-d&a-sa se-ba
thisUr tablet therefore has no line corresponding ma-ra-ba su nu-um-bu-[de]
to line 164. Line 23 whichreads: n i g - s u (?) - 10. uzu-nig-sig-gagi[kak]-ta-la si-ma-ab-ze-endug4-ga-
ma-ab-DU-ze-en
R I - I 'a - g i Ma R I - I 'a I u' [b a - d a - a n - I 'a] 11. uzu-nig-sig-gaga-sa-an-ne-ne
.. b a- ni - i n - .... seems to be a variant for 12. nig-lugal-me-en he-a nig-nin-bi be-a si-ma-ze-en
lines 166-167. Line 24 probably reads: i t u - dug4-ga-ma-ab-Du-ze-en
imin-kam-nia-zal-la-ta, and there- 13. uzu-nig-sig-gagilkak-ta-la-aim-ma-da-ab-si-mu-ze-en
14. dis--am u-nam-ti-la dis-am a-nam-ti-la ugu-ni
fore correspondsto line 169. Line 25, which ba-an-'sub-bu-esdinanna-ba-gub
seems to have two indented parts, is to be re- 15. deres-ki-galkala-kur-gar-ra[guimu-na-de]-e
stored to read: s u k k a l - a - n i dn i n - 16. DU-mu-un-en-ze-en ga-sa-an-ne-[ne] ... -zu (?)-ne-ne
subur-ra-ke4 ini m ga-sa ( an- ba-dab5
n a - k e4 g e s tug b a (!?)-si - in -gub (!?). 17. dinanna inim-den-ki-[ka-ta]kur-ta ell
18. dinanna kur-ta-ell-da-[ni]da-nun-na-ke4-neba-ab-
Line 26 correspondsto line 173, but has d u11- ha-za-am(!?)
d u11- ford u6 - d u6 - , and (perhaps) b a - g a r - 19. [a-ba-hjm lu kur-ta im-[ta]-eii-d&kur-tasilim-ma-bi
r a - [t]a forni u - u n - n a - g a - g a . Line 27 bf-in-eiv&d
correspondsto line 174, but has g Cu- forg u(- . 20. [u4-da dina]nna kur-ta bi-eii-[dW]sag-as sag-ga-na
ba-ab-s-mu-de
Line 28 correspondsto line 175; and line 29 21. [lu' igi-nja(?) sukkal-nu-me-a gi;tukul ['su]-na
correspondsto line 176. Line 30 begins with bi-in-du8
k i (!) - 1u' - d a n u - d i (!?), and therefore cor- 22. [bar-ra-nara-gaba]-nu-me-agi;[tukul ur]-rabf-in-du8
respondsto linie177. 23. [galla-tur-tur gisukur-ra-gimgalla-gal-gal] gi-dub-
ba-an-na zag-ga-na um-dab5( !?)-[be-es]
24. [1u e-ne-ra in-si-SfJG-e's-am 1u dinanna-ra in-s]i-
UET VI, No. 10.
SUG[-e's-a'm]
This is an unusually long and wide tablet- In detail, note the following: Line 9 corresponds to
most of the lines correspondto two lines on the lines 264-265 of the myth, but the- r a - for - n a - in
duplicates-which originallyhad contained the ma-ra-[ba]-ne and ma-ra-ba (sic! there is no
- n e following - b a -) seems to be unjustified. Line 10
last 174 lines of the myth.47 The obversecorre-
correspondsto line 266, but note that the verbal formis an
47 So accordingto the colophon. It is to be noted, imperative instead of an indicative (this is also true of
however,that the figure174 probablydoes not referto lines 12 and 13; it would seem that the scribe confused
the numberof lineson thistablet-if it did, thesewould these verbal formswith the correctlyused imperatives of
correspondto about 250 lines of our myth-but to the lines 243 ff). Line 11 corresponds to line 268; the Ur
numberoflinesinscribed on tabletsofnormalsize. If so, text thereforeomits the introductoryline indicating that
we are in a positionto calculatethenumberoflinesofthe it is Ere'skigal who is speaking (note, too, the omission of
mythas a whole,by adding 174 to 252 (since UET VI, - z u - before - n e - n e). Line 12 corresponds to line
No. 10 beginswith line 253 of the myth)or 426 lines. 269; it has several variants, among which is the use of
And since we now have approximately 389 lines of the the imperativeinstead of the expected indicative. Line 13

Transliteration the meaningof the crucial line 13, assumingthat

1... the transliterationis correct,50
is quite obscure.5'
2. num-e....
3. ki-sikil_dinanna-ke4.... UET VI, No. 11
4. e-bi.. -zabar ... -a-ke4hu-mu(?)-ra(?)-...
_ze-... 1. galla-turka ba-a-si-bad-dugalla-gu-la-ragiu
5. ur-mu(?).... -ke4-ne-gim nam-[ba-]abmu-na-de-e
6. i-[bi-es nam]-tar-ra-dinanna-ke4bur(?) [he-en- eir-kui-inanna-ka-se ga-da-
2. ga-na.m-ma-an-zeen
nam-ma-am] SUG-en-de-en
7. ir im-[ma]-s[e8-se8] 3. galla unuki_se
ba-ni-in-ku4-re-es
kcudinanna-ke4
8. [su]l(?)-muim-ma-DU su-semu-da-ab-... mu-ni-in-dab5-be-ne
9. i-[bi-e]sme-li-e-azi- .... 4. ga-nudinannakaskal-zu-seni-bagen-nakur-se
10. .. -zu mu-mas-am nin9-zumu-ma's-am] eii-de
11. [U4 .. -zul al-di-di-eu4-biib-ba(?)- 5. ki-vsa-gi4-du-a-zu-9se
gen-nakur-9se
eit-de
12. U4 nin9-zu al-di-di-eu4-biib- 6. ki_deres gen-nakur-9se
:ki-gal-la-sc e,1-de
13. kui_dinanna ddumu-zisag-bi-se bi-in-si-mu 7. tug9-ma6i tugpala2-atuCg-nam-nin-zunam-ba-
14. ku-_eres-ki-gal-la-ke4 mu4-mu4-un kur-se eii-de
15. z'a-sal-zu d-ug-ga-Am 8. men-kCime-te-inim-silim-ma sag-zu-a um-ta-
ga-arkur-seeii-de
Translation 9. hi-li-aigi-zu'Sula-ba-ni-in-du7
kur-see1l-de
1...... 10. ur-nu-banda gir-zu.... -dus-duskur-seel-ee
2. The fly(?). 11. za-e et,-de%... nu-BU-BU
3. The maid Inanna 12. kui_dinanna-ke4
mu-un-buir-bLir-re-es .... (?)-
4. "Their(?) house of(?) bronze .... let it(?) d'e-e's
be. 13. dinannani-te-naddumu-zisu-seba-an-[si]
5. Do not .. my(?) dog(?) like. 14. gurus-egismah-agir-niim-ma-an-gar-re-en-de-en
6. [Now] in accordance with the decree of Inanna 15. gurus-e91es-ad sub-bu-de-en-deen gisgu gii-ni
[so it came to pass]. gar-re-en-de-en
7. ... weeps: 16. uruduhenzirurudukibir urudusukur-mali-e igi-ni
8. "My [yo]uth(?) has gone, he has.. by the hand, ba-an-si-ib-Il-il
9. Now, woe. 17. uriduha-zi-in-ga]-gal-la
u(?) . SAR (?) i-ag-e-ne
10. [Your] . . half the year, your sister,half the year, 18. gurus-emu-ni-in-gub-bu-de-evs mu-ni-in-tu's(?)-
11. [The day your] .. comes, that day
12. The day your sistercomes, that day.
13. Holy Inanna places Dumuzi at their head. us-gumgub-
19. tuGu'm na-ni 'sub-bu-de-en-de-en
14. Oh Ereskigal, bu-de-en-de-en
15. Good is your praise. 20. guru's-e
'a-namu-un-l'a-e-de-e's ( ?)
( ?)-bwul
tuges-siig
mu-un-si-in-ag-es
Commentary 21. tu'g-ni-te-na
igi-namu-ni-in-dul-'u-d'e-evs
22. gurus-edutu-raan-se s"u-ni
ba-an-na-zi(!)
As is obvious from the translation, very little 23. dutu ku-li-zum"a-e-me-en
sul-me-enza-e
can be made of the meaning of this crucial but mu-zu( !?)
fragmentary passage. Thus the assumption 24. nin9-zunam-dam-se ba-an-tuku-a
25. e-nekur-seeii-de
that lines 4-5 contain the words of Inanna is 26. mue-nekur-see11-de
most uncertain; so, too, are the suggested res- 27. m"a-e kur-9se
ki-gar-ra-bi-se ba-ab-si-mu-de
torations in lines 6, 8, 10, and 11. In line 7 it is 28. dutudi-ku5-nig-sis'aza-e-me-ennam-ba-tfum
(?)-de
difficult to surmise the identity of the weeper. 29. su-mta alam-muCu-mu-e-bal
u-me-e-ku(r
Line 10 seems to say that Dumuzi will have two 30. 'su-galla-mu-ne nam-mu-
ga-ba-e-da-an-zi-ir
ha-a-za-as
visitors the year round in the Nether World; one 31. mus-sag-kal-gim sa-ti'm-hur-sag-g'amu-ni-
is his sister (presumably Gestinanna) while the in-bal-bal
identity of the other is uncertain.49 Finally zi-mu ga-ba-an-si-
32. ki-nin9-dgestin-an-na-se
in-tuim
corresponds to line270,but again thereseemsto be some 33. t ir-nasu ba-an-si-in-ti
confusionin the verbal form. Line 14 corespondsto 34. su-ni mu-ni-in-kVir-ku(ralam-ma-nimu-ni-in-
lines 270 and 271. Lines 15 and 16 have no corresponding bal-bal
lines in the known versionof the myth (note that in line 15
the expected - t u r following k a 1a - is omitted in the 50Note that - - a mightperhapshave to be restored
text). Line 17 probably corresponds to line 278. Lines afters a g - b i - 's .
18-20 correspond to lines 273-277. Lines 21-22 corre- 51Therefollowsan interesting colophonwhichreads:
spond to lines 282-283. Line 23 corresponds to lines im-gid-da-3-kam-ma zag-til-la an-gal-
279-281. Line 24 corresponds to lines 284-285. ta k i - g a 1- s , that is, "The thirdextract,the final
comple is to be restoredto read [a - a - z] u,
49 If the first one (of themythwhoseincipitis) "Fromthe'greatabove'
it might refer to Enki who according to UM 29-16-37 to the 'great below,'" this is the incipitof "Inanna's
(see pp. 20-24 of this study) is Dumuzi's father. Descentto theNetherWorld."

35. mu's-sag-kal-gim 'sa-tuim-hur-sag-g'a mu-ni-in- 58. i-lu-bi ka-ka-na nu-mu-un-til-la-aim

bal-bal 58. galla ki_dgestin-an-na-se ba-e-si-su(G-re-es
36. ddumu-zi-de musen-s sPr( !)-d`u -dal-a-gim 59. ki ses-zu Ila-ma-ra-ab e-ne mu-ni-ib-be e-ne
zi-ni HUR-dai-sub-ba(?) inim-binu-mu-na-ab-be
37. ki_dgesvtin-an-na-'s'ezi-ni ba-'si-in-tu'm 60. an(P!) im-te ki l'ir-ra ba-ni-in-z'e-'eminim-bi
38. [d]ge'stin-an-nase's-a-niigi ba-ni-in-du8-hm nu-mu-na-ab-be
39. te-na mu-ni-in-hur-hur ka( !)-na mu-ni-in- 61. ki(?) im-te . . . -na ba-ni-in-hiur-hur inim-bi
hur-hur nu-mu-na-ab-be
40. igi-nizag-ga-na mi-ni-in-dustl'lg-nimi-ni-in- 62. ..im-te . . TU'G-na ba-ni-in-bir6(!)-bir6(!)
da-da-ra inim-binu-mu-na-ab-be
41. guru's-'ag-gig-ra i-lu-'ag-gig-gabu-mu-ni-ilb-b'e 63. esir ur-ra-na ba-ni-in-de-deinim-bi nu-mu-na-
42. a 'Se's-mua 'se's-muguruisu4-bi nu-um-[gur(?)] ab-be
43. a Se's-musus-ba- ama-u'sumgal-an-nagurus 64. ddumu-zi-de e ge'stin-an-na-ke4nu-um-me-ni-
u4-bi . . -bi nu-u[m]-gur(?) in-pad-de
44. a 'se's-muguru'sdam-nu-tukudumu-nu-tuku 65. gall[a-turga]lla-gu-la-ragCumu-na-de-e-ne
45. a 'se's-muguru'sku-li-nu-tukudu1o-us-sa-nu-tuku 66. ga-na[m-ma-an-ze-n] amas-kuc-ga-se"(!)ga-an-
46. a 'ses-mugurus ama-ni sa5-ga-ninu-du8 si- SuG-de-en
47, galla ddumuzi-d' mu-ni-in-kin-kin-ne mu-ni-in- 67. ddumu-zi-de amas-[ku-ga-e (?)] mu-ni-dab5-be-
nigin-na-es
48. galla-tur galla-gu-la-ragCumu-na-de-e-ne 68. mu-ni-in-nigin-ne-es[mu-ni-in-da]b5-be-de-es
49. galla ama-nu-tuku ad-da( !)-ama-nin9-ses-dam- mu-ni-in-kin( ?)-ne-es igi ba-ni-in-dus-am
dumu-nu-tuku-me-e's 69. gurus-ra gan-nu na(?)-ma uruduha-zi( !)-in su-gal
50. u4-me-dagal-uku's-gar-ra an-ki-ta RI(?)-a-bi ba-si-in-ti
51. za-e-ne-ne galla-en-ze-en lu zag-ga-ni ma"s- 70. gir(?) 'ur-ramu-ni-in-sar-sar-re-es mu-ni-in-
52. su-gar-'sa6-ganu-tuku-me-e'ssa5-ga-hul nu-zu- nigin(D!-na-evs
me-es ma ( ?)-a- ...im-ma-
71. ning-ena-'am-vsevs-na-vse'
53. 1(i-Cug'an-nu ni-te-na zi-ni silim-ma a-ba-a igi an-nigin
mu-ni-in-du8 72. ses-mu ?-gig-ga-gaI-'S'(!?) ga-du(?) gan-na me
54. ki ku-li-bi nu-um-4si-du-de-enki mi-us-sA-bi ga-an-ku4( ?)52
nu-um-si-du-de-en
55. sus-ba-ra ki-gestin-an-na-ka-s4e the
ga-an-vsi-SUG-en- 52 As will be readilyapparentto the Sumerologist,
de-en and obscurities
text is full of grammaticalirregularities
mu-ni- (noteespeciallythe seemingly
56. galla-e e-ne su-ta ba-ab-sig-sig-ge-me-e's verbalformsin
unjustified
in-kin-kin-ne-es lines14, 15,and 19).

FIG. 1. UM 29-16-37 obv. From photograph prepared by the late Reuben Gold-
berg, photographerat the UniversityMuseum, Universityof Pennsylvania.

FIG. 2. UM 29-16-37 rev. From photograph prepared by the late Reuben Gold-
berg, photographerat the UniversityMuseum, Universityof Pennsylvania.

V-OL. 107, NO. 6, 1963] CUNEIFORM STUDIES AND HISTORY OF LITERATURE 519
col. 1 col. ii
/0
do
FIG. 3. Ni 9602 obv. Fromicopy by S. N. Kramer.

Col. iv col. iii
/0
AE-
FIG. 4. Ni 9602 rev. From copy by S. N. Kramer.

VOL. 107, N-O. 6, 1963] CUNEIFORM STUDIES AND HISTORY OF LITERATURE 521
obv. rev.
Col. i col. ii col. ii col. i
/ '
obv. rev.
FIG. 5. N 4305 (top) obv. anid rev. and N 3560 obv. and rev. From copies by Jane Heimerdinger,Research
Assistant in the Near Eastern Section of the University Museum, Universityof Pennsylvania.

522 SAMUEL NOAH KRAMER [PROC. AMER. I'HIL. SOC.
I I _
_l~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~W$1
FIG. 6. UM 29-16-8 obv. From photograph prepared by the late Reuben Goldberg,
photographerat the UniversityMuseum, Universityof Pennsylvania.

I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~w
FIG. 7. UM 29-16-8 rev. From photographpreparedby the late Reuben Goldberg,photog-

rapher at the UniversityMuseuim,Universityof Pennsylvania.

524 SAMUEL NOAH KRAMER [IPROC. AMNER. PHIL. SOC.
obv. rev.
obv. rev.
FIG. 8. Ni 4552 (top) obv. and rev. and Ni 9838 obv. and rev. From copies by S. N. Kramiier.

col. i col. ii
Joe- gt<~7j
,tr+<~~,/
14?'rgSUS'
//sF'-f
X0X
; ~~~~~p l
, A,5>4U<^
_____serX %t
X '7 r<f< 14Xz'/aR tTt
-7 <5 t
K ~~~~~~~~~~
obv. rev.
FIG. 9. Ni 4569 (top) obv. and Ni 4187 obv. and rev. Upper part froma copy by Muazzez Qig, Curator
of the Tablet Collection of the Museum of the Ancient Orient, Istanbtul. Lower part from copies bv
S. N. Kramer.

FIG. 10. TMH N.F. III, No. 2 obv. of the Friedrich-Schiller

From photographsby the Hochschulbildstelle
Universityof Jena.

FIG. 11. TMH N.F. III, No. 2 rev. From photographby the HochschuIbiId.steIe
of the FriedrichSchiller
Universityof Jena.


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Cuneiform Studies and the History of Literature: The Sumerian Sacred Marriage Texts

Author(s): Samuel Noah Kramer

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CONTENTS CT XLII Figulla, H. H., CuneiformTextsfrom the

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inghundredsofmaxims,sayings,apothegms,and ticularly through the latter, since it is well

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3. ama-mu-dga-sa-an-gal-da-nu-me (sic!) sila-a mi- Translation

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42. Amausumgalanna, plow the s.uba-stones,who 2. TRS No. 70

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rendering"house" (lines 37 if.) assumes that rev., col. iii

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Translation 17. Grasped (her) seal in her hand.

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Commentary unknownname of Dumuzi's brother;in line 22

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Translation 18. My lord,sweetis yourincrease,

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plexes) which is difficultto analyze grammati- 18. sag-gig-dur-ru-na-bi nam-sipad-bi ihe-ak-e

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25. By his sweet bed of the sweet lap, by his pilehighthe

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speak to him, food and drink had been placed, as Dumuzi,

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complex should be an epithetof a deity,since it 32. bur-bur7re-se

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23. nin-HAR-raduksakir-ku-m'a su-... 11. My ...., my vtulva...?

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obv.,col. iii 18. I willstationforyou there."

cedar . . .. 28. [A balbale(?)] of Inanna.

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a narrativepassage, but the text is fragmentary Commentary

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scribesher meetingwith the brother-lover(that contained at least two differentsongs (cf.

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Transliteration the meaningof the crucial line 13, assumingthat

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35. mu's-sag-kal-gim 'sa-tuim-hur-sag-g'a mu-ni-in- 58. i-lu-bi ka-ka-na nu-mu-un-til-la-aim

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FIG. 3. Ni 9602 obv. Fromicopy by S. N. Kramer.