Source:
INANNA,
QUEEN OF HEAVEN AND EARTH:
Her Stories and Hymns from Sumer by Diane
Wolkstein and Samuel Noah Kramer.
| Inanna
spoke:
"What I tell you Let the singer weave into song. What I tell you, Let it flow from ear to mouth, Let it pass from old to young: My vulva, the horn, The Boat of Heaven, Is full of eagerness like the young moon. My untilled land lies fallow. As for me, Inanna, Who will plow my vulva! Who will plow my high field! Who will plow my wet ground! As for me, the young woman, Who will plow my vulva! Who will station the ox there! Who will plow my vulva!" Dumuzi replied: "Great Lady, the king will plow your vulva. I, Dumuzi the King, will plow your vulva." |
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Inanna:
"Then plow my vulva, man of my heart! Plow my vulva!" At the king's lap stood the rising cedar. Plants grew high by their side. Grains grew high by their side. Gardens flourished luxuriantly. Inanna sang: "He has sprouted; he has burgeoned; He is lettuce planted by the water. He is the one my womb loves best. My well-stocked garden of the plain, My barley growing high in its furrow, My apple tree which bears fruit up to its crown, He is lettuce planted by the water. My honey-man, my honey-man sweetens me always. My lord, the honey-man of the gods, He is the one my womb loves best. His hand is honey, his foot is honey, He sweetens me always. My eager impetuous caresser of the navel, My caresser of the soft thighs, He is the one my womb loves best, He is lettuce planted by the water." |
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Dumuzi sang: "O Lady, your breast is your field. Inanna, your breast is your field. Your broad field pours out plants. Your broad field pours out grain. Water flows from on high for your servant. Bread flows from on high for your servant. Pour it out for me, Inanna. I will drink all you offer." Inanna sang: "Make your milk sweet and thick, my bridegroom. My shepherd, I will drink your fresh milk. Wild bull, Dumuzi, make your milk sweet and thick. I will drink your fresh milk. Let the milk of the goat flow in my sheepfold. Fill my holy churn with honey cheese. Lord Dumuzi, I will drink your fresh milk. My husband, I will guard my sheepfold for you. I will watch over your house of life, the storehouse, The shining quivering place which delights Sumer— The house which decides the fates of the land, The house which gives the breath of life to the people. I, the queen of the palace, will watch over your house." Dumuzi spoke: "My sister, I would go with you to my garden. Inanna I would go with you to my garden. I would go with you to my orchard. I would go with you to my apple tree. There I would plant the sweet, honey-covered seed." Inanna spoke: "He brought me into his garden. My brother, Dumuzi, brought me into his garden. I strolled with him among the standing trees, I stood with him among the fallen trees, By an apple tree I knelt as is proper. Before my brother coming in song, Who rose to me out of the poplar leaves, Who came to me in the midday heat, Before my lord Dumuzi, I poured out plants from my womb. I placed plants before him, I poured out plants before him. I placed grain before him, I poured out grain before him. I poured out grain from my womb." Inanna sang: "Last night as I, the queen, was shining bright, Last night as I, the Queen of Heaven, was shining bright, As I was shining bright and dancing, Singing praises at the coming of the night-- He met me--he met me! My lord Dumuzi met me. He put his hand into my hand. He pressed his neck close against mine. My high priest is ready for the holy loins. My lord Dumuzi is ready for the holy loins. The plants and herbs in his field are ripe. O Dumuzi! Your fullness is my delight!" She called for it, she called for it, she called for the bed! She called for the bed that rejoices the heart. She called for the bed that sweetens the loins. She called for the bed of kingship. She called for the bed of queenship. |
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| Inanna called for the bed:
"Let the bed that rejoices the heart be prepared! Let the bed that sweetens the loins be prepared! Let the bed of kingship be prepared! Let the bed of queenship be prepared! Let the royal bed be prepared!" Inanna spread the bridal sheet across the bed. She called to the king: "The bed is ready!" She called to her bridegroom: "The bed is waiting!" He put his hand in her hand. He put his hand to her heart. Sweet is the sleep of hand-to-hand. Sweeter still the sleep of heart-to-heart. Inanna spoke: "I bathed for the wild bull,
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Ninshubur, the faithful servant of the holy
shrine of Uruk,
Led Dumuzi to the sweet thighs of Inanna and spoke: "My queen, here is the choice of your heart, The king, your beloved bridegroom. May he spend long days in the sweetness of your holy loins. Give him a favorable and glorious reign. Grant him the king's throne, firm in its foundations. Grant him the shepherd's staff of judgment. Grant him the enduring crown with the radiant and noble diadem. From where the sun rises to where the sun sets, From south to north, From the Upper Sea to the Lower Sea, From the land of the huluppu-tree to the land of the cedar, Let his shepherd's staff protect all of Sumer and Akkad. As the farmer, let him make the fields fertile, As the shepherd, let him make the sheepfolds multiply, Under his reign let there be vegetation, Under his reign let there be rich grain. In the marshland may the fish and birds chatter, In the canebrake may the young and old reeds grow high, In the steppe may the mashgur-trees grow high, In the forests may the deer and wild goats multiply, In the orchards may there be honey and wine, In the gardens may the lettuce and cress grow high, In the palace may there be long life. May there be floodwater in the Tigris and Euphrates, May the plants grow high on their banks and fill the meadows, May the Lady of Vegetation pile the grain in heaps and mounds. O my Queen of Heaven and Earth, Queen of all the universe, May he enjoy long days in the sweetness of your holy loins." The king went with lifted head to the holy loins. He went with lifted head to the loins of Inanna. He went to the queen with lifted head. He opened wide his arms to the holy priestess of heaven. Inanna spoke: "My beloved, the delight of my eyes, met me. We rejoiced together. He took his pleasure of me. He brought me into his house. He laid me down on the fragrant honey-bed. My sweet love, lying by my heart, Tongue-playing, one by one, My fair Dumuzi did so fifty times. Now, my sweet love is sated. Now he says: 'Set me free, my sister, set me free. You will be a little daughter to my father. Come, my beloved sister, I would go to the palace. Set me free...'" Inanna spoke: "My blossom-bearer, your allure was sweet. My blossom-bearer in the apple orchard, My bearer of fruit in the apple orchard, Dumuzi-abzu, your allure was sweet. My fearless one, My holy statue, My statue outfitted with sword and lapis lazuli diadem, How sweet was your allure...." |
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A balbale to Inana and Dumuzid 1-11The brother speaks gently to his sister, Utu speaks gently to his sister, he speaks tenderly to holy Inana: "Young lady, the flax in the garden beds is full of loveliness, Inana, the flax in the garden beds is full of loveliness, like the barley in the furrows, overflowing with loveliness and delight. Sister (1 ms. has instead: Young lady), you took a fancy to a grand length of linen; Inana, you took a fancy to a grand length of linen. I will dig up the plants for you and give them to you. Young lady (1 ms. has instead: My sister), I will bring you flax from the garden beds. Inana, I will bring you flax from the garden beds." 12-14"Brother (1 ms. has instead: My brother), when you have brought me flax from the garden beds, who will ret it for me? Who will ret it for me? Who will ret that flax for me?" 15-16"My sister, I will bring it to you already retted! Inana, I will bring it to you already retted!" 17-19"Brother (1 ms. has instead: My brother), when you have brought it to me already retted, who will spin it for me? Who will spin it for me? Who will spin that flax for me?" 20-21"My sister, I will bring it to you already spun! Inana, I will bring it to you already spun!" 22-24"Brother (1 ms. has instead: My brother), when you have brought it to me already spun, who will twine it for me? Who will twine it for me? Who will twine that flax for me?" 25-26"My sister, I will bring it to you already twined! Inana, I will bring it to you already twined!" 27-29"Brother, when you have brought it to me already twined, who will warp it for me? Who will warp it for me? Who will warp that flax for me?" 30-31"My sister, I will bring it to you already warped! Inana, I will bring it to you already warped!" 32-34"Brother, when you have brought it to me already warped, who will weave for me? Who will weave for me? Who will weave that flax for me?" 35-36"My sister, I will bring it to you already woven! Inana, I will bring it to you already woven!" 37-39"Brother, when you have brought it to me already woven, who will bleach it for me? Who will bleach it for me? Who will bleach that linen for me?" 40-41"My sister, I will bring it to you already bleached! Inana, I will bring it to you already bleached!" 42-44"Brother, when you have brought it to me already bleached, who will lie down on it with me? Who will lie down on it with me? Who will lie down on that linen with me?" 45-50"There shall lie down with you, there shall lie down with you, there shall lie down with you your bridegroom! Ama-ucumgal-ana shall lie down with you, the companion of Enlil shall lie down with you, the issue of a noble womb shall lie down with you, the offspring of a ruler shall lie down with you." 51-56"Is it true?-- He is the man of my heart! He is the man of my heart! Brother, he is the man who has spoken to my heart! He does no hoeing, yet heaps up piles of grain; he delivers grain regularly to the storehouse, a farmer who has numerous piles of grain (1 ms. has instead: plentiful grain); a shepherd whose sheep are heavy (?) with wool." 57A balbale of Inana. |
A balbale to Inana and Dumuzid
1cec-e nin9-ra mi2 na-mu-e 2dutu nin9-ra mi2 na-mu-e 3kug dinana-ra mi2 zid na-/mu\-[e] 4in-nin9 gu sar-ra hi-li gur3-ru 5dinana gu sar-ra hi-li gur3-ru 6ce ab-sin2-na hi-li ma-az dirig-ga 7nin9 (1 ms. has instead: in-nin9) gada mah-e hi-li ba?-e?-/tej3-a\ 8dinana gada mah-e hi-li ba?-e?-tej3-a 9al ga-mu-ra-ab-ak SAR ga-mu-ra-ab-cum2 lu-ur-/pi\-[iq]-ki lu-um-hu-/ra\-[ki] 10in-nin9 (1 ms. has instead: nin9-ju10) gu sar-ra ga-mu-ra-de6 11dinana gu sar-ra ga-mu-ra-de6 12cec (1 ms. has instead: cec-ju10) gu sar-ra a-ma-i-ra-ta 13a-ba-a ma-e-rig5 a-ba-a ma-e-rig5 14gu-bi ma-a-ra a-[ba]-a ma-e-rig5 15nin9-ju10 rig5-a-bi ga-mu-ra-/de6\ 16dinana rig5-a-bi ga-mu-ra-de6 17 cec (1 ms. has instead: cec-ju10) rig5-a-bi a-ma-i-[ra-ta] 18a-ba-a ma-ab-NU.NU a-ba-a ma-ab-NU.NU 19gu-bi ma-a-ra a-ba-a ma-ab-NU.NU 20nin9-ju10 NU-a-bi ga-mu-ra-de6 21dinana NU-a-bi ga-mu-ra-de6 22 cec (1 ms. has instead: cec-ju10) NU-a-bi a-ma-i-ra-ta 23a-ba-a ma-ab-tab-be2 a-ba-a ma-ab-tab-be2 24gu-bi ma-a-ra a-ba-a ma-ab-tab-be2 25nin9-ju10 tab-ba-bi ga-mu-ra-de6 26dinana tab-ba-bi ga-mu-ra-de6 27cec tab-ba-bi a-ma-i-ra-ta 28a-ba-a ma-ab-ze2-ze2 a-ba-a ma-ab-ze2-ze2 29gu-bi ma-a-ra a-ba-a ma-ab-ze2-ze2 30nin9-ju10 ze2-a-bi ga-mu-ra-de6 31dinana ze2-a-bi ga-mu-ra-de6 32cec ze2-a-bi a-ma-i-ra-ta 33a-ba-a ma-ab-tag-tag a-ba-a ma-<ab>-tag-tag 34gu-bi ma-a-ra a-ba-a ma-<ab>-tag-tag 35nin9-ju10 tag-a-bi ga-mu-ra-de6 36dinana tag-a-bi ga-mu-ra-de6 37cec tag-a-bi a-ma-i-ra-ta 38a-ba-a ma-dan3-dan3 a-ba-a ma-dan3-dan3 39gu-bi ma-a-ra a-ba-a ma-dan3-dan3 40nin9-ju10 dan3-na-bi ga-mu-ra-de6 41dinana dan3-na-bi ga-mu-ra-de6 42cec dan3-na-bi a-/ma\-i-ra-ta 43a-ba-a mu-da-an-nu2 a-ba-a mu-da-an-nu2 44[gu]-/bi\ ma-a-ra a-ba-a mu!-[da-an-nu2] (ms.: /he2\-[...]) 45za-ra he2-da-an-nu2 he2-da-an-nu2 46za-ra nitalam-[zu] he2-da-an-nu2 47dama-ucumgal-an-[na] he2-da-an-nu2 48gu5-li den-lil2-la2 he2-da-an-nu2 49cag4 zid-ta ed2-a he2-da-an-nu2 50a barag-ga ri-a he2-da-an-nu2 51i3-ge4-en mu-lu ca3-ab-ja2-kam mu-lu ca3-ab-ja2-kam 52cec mu-lu ca3-ab-ju10 im-mi-in-dug4-ga-am3 53al nu-ak-am3 guru7 dub-dub-ba-am3 54ce ja2-nun-e sa2 dug4-dug4-ga-am3 55mu-un-gar3 ce-ni (1 ms. has instead: ce mah) guru7 car2-ra-kam 56sipad e-ze2-/ni\ siki sug4-sug4-ga-am3 57bal-bal-e dinana-kam |
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LAMENT OF THE FLUTES FOR TAMMUZ At his vanishing away she lifts up a lament, '0h my child!' at his vanishing away she lifts up a lament; 'My Damu!' at his vanishing away she lifts up a lament. 'My enchanter and priest!' at his vanishing away she lifts up a lament, At the shining red cedar, rooted in a spacious place, In Eanna, above and below, she lifts up a lament. Like the lament that a house lifts up for its master, lifts she up a lament, Like the lament that a city lifts up for its lord, lifts she up a lament. Her lament is the lament for a herb that grows not in the bed, Her lament is the lament for the corn that grows not in the ear. Her chamber is a possession that brings forth not a possession, a weary woman, a weary child, forspent. Her lament is for a great river where no willows grow, Her lament is for a field, where corn and herbs grow not. Her lament is for a pool, where fishes grow not Her lament is for a thicket of reeds, where no reeds grow. Her lament is for woods, where tamarisks grow not. Her lament is for a wilderness, where no cypresses grow. Her lament is for the depth of a garden of trees, where honey and wine grow not. Her lament is for meadows, where no plants grow. Her lament is for a palace, where length of life grows not." The Golden Bough. Vol. V, p. 11. |
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THE DREAM OF DUMUZI His heart was filled with tears. The shepherd's heart was filled with tears. Dumuzi's heart was filled with tears. Dumuzi stumbled across the steppe, weeping: "O steppe, set up a wail for me! O crabs in the river, mourn for me! O frogs in the river, call for me! O my mother, Sirtur, weep for me!" If she does not find the five breads, If she does not find the ten breads, If she does not know the day I am dead, You, O steppe, tell her, tell my mother. On the steppe, my mother will shed tears for me. On the steppe, my little sister will mourn for me." He lay down to rest. The shepherd lay down to rest. Dumuzi lay down to rest As he lay among the buds and rushes, He dreamed a dream. He awoke from his dream. He trembled from his vision. He rubbed his eyes, terrified. Dumuzi called out: "Bring...bring her...bring my sister. Bring my Geshtinanna, my little sister, My tablet-knowing scribe, My singer who knows many songs, My sister who knows the meaning of words, My wise woman who knows the meaning of dreams. I must speak to her. I must tell her my dream." Dumuzi spoke to Geshtinanna, saying: "A dream! My sister, listen to my dream: Rushes rise all about me; rushes grow thick about me. A single growing reed trembles for me. From a double-growing reed, first one, then the other, is removed. In a wooded grove, the terror of tall trees rises about me. Water is poured over my holy hearth. The bottom of my churn drops away. My drinking cup falls from its peg. My shepherd's crook has disappeared. An eagle seizes a lamb from the sheepfold. A falcon catches a sparrow on the reed fence. My sister, your goats drag their lapis beards in the dust. Your sheep scratch the earth with bent feet. The churn lies silent; no milk is poured. The cup lies shattered; Dumuzi is no more. The sheepfold is given to the winds." Geshtinanna spoke: "My brother, do not tell me your dream. Dumuzi, do not tell me such a dream. The rushes which rise all about you, The rushes which grow thick about you, Are your demons, who will pursue and attack you. The single growing reed which trembles for you Is our mother; she will mourn for you. The double-growing reed, from which one, then the other, is removed, Dumuzi, Is you and I; first one, then the other, will be taken away. In the wooded grove, the terror of tall trees which rises about you Is the ugallu; they will descend on you in the sheepfold. When the fire is put out on your holy hearth, The sheepfold will become a house of desolation. When the bottom of your churn drops away, You will be held by the ugallu. When your drinking cup falls from its peg, You will fall to the earth, onto your mother's knees. When your shepherd's crook disappears, The ugallu will cause everything to wither. The eagle who seizes a lamb in the sheepfold Is the ugallu who will scratch your cheeks. The falcon who catches a sparrow in the reed fence Is the ugallu who will climb the fence to take you away. Dumuzi, my goats drag their lapis beards in the dust. My hair will swirl around in heaven for you. My sheep scratch the earth with bent feet. O Dumuzi, I will tear at my cheeks in grief for you. The churn lies silent; no milk is poured. The cup lies shattered; Dumuzi is no more. The sheepfold is given to the winds----" Scarcely had she spoken these words When Dumuzi cried out: "My sister! Quickly, go up the hill! Do not go with slow noble steps. Sister, run! The ugallu, hated and feared by men, Are coming on the boats. They carry wood to bind the hands; They carry wood to bind the neck. Sister, run!" Geshtinanna went up the hill. Dumuzi's friend went with her. Dumuzi cried: "Do you see them?" The friend cried: "They are coming; The large ugallu who carry wood to bind the neck, They are coming for you." Geshtinanna cried: "Quickly, brother! Hide your head in the grass. Your demons are coming for you." Dumuzi said: "My sister, tell no one my hiding place. My friend, tell no one my hiding place. I will hide in the grass. I will hide among the small plants. I will hide among the large plants. I will hide in the ditches of Arali." Geshtinanna and Dumuzi's friend answered: "Dumuzi, if we tell your hiding place, Let your dogs devour us, Your black dogs of shepherdship, Your royal dogs of kingship, Let your dogs devour us!" The small ugallu spoke to the large ugallu: "You ugallu, who have no mother, or father, No sister, brother, wife, or child, You who flutter over heaven and earth like wardens, Who cling to a man's side, Who show no favor, Who know not good from evil, Tell us, Who has ever seen the soul of a frightened man Living in peace? Let us not look for Dumuzi in the home of his friend. Let us not look for Dumuzi in the home of his brother-in-law. Let us look for Dumuzi in the home of his sister, Geshtinanna." The ugallu clapped their hands gleefully. They went searching for Dumuzi. They came to the home of Geshtinanna. They cried out: "Show us where your brother is!" Geshtinanna would not speak. They offered her the water-gift. She refused it. They offered her the grain-gift. She refused it. Heaven was brought close. Earth was brought close. Geshtinanna would not speak. They tore her clothes. They poured pitch into her vulva. Geshtinanna would not speak. The small ugallu said to the large ugallu: "Who since the beginning of time Has ever known a sister to reveal a brother's hiding place? Come, let us look for Dumuzi in the home of his friend." The ugallu went to Dumuzi's friend. They offered him the water-gift. He accepted it. They offered him the grain-gift. He accepted it. He said: "Dumuzi hid in the grass, But I do not know the place." The ugallu searched for Dumuzi in the grass. They did not find him. The friend said: "Dumuzi hid among the small plants, but I do not know the place." The ugallu searched for Dumuzi among the small plants. They did not find him. The friend said: "Dumuzi hid among the large plants, But I do not know the place." The ugallu searched for Dumuzi among the large plants. They did not find him. The friend said: "Dumuzi hid in the ditches of Arali. Dumuzi fell down in the ditches of Arali." In the ditches of arali, the ugallu caught Dumuzi. Dumuzi turned pale and wept. He cried out: "My sister saved my life. My friend caused my death. If my sister's child wanders in the street, Let the child be protected - let the child be blessed. If my friend's child wanders in the street, Let the child be lost - let the child be cursed." The ugallu surrounded Dumuzi. They bound his hands; they bound his neck. They beat the husband of Inanna. Dumuzi raised his arms to heaven, to Utu, the God of Justice, and cried out: "O Utu, you are my brother-in-law, I am the husband of your sister. I am the one who carried food to the holy shrine. I am the one who brought wedding gifts to Uruk. I kissed the holy lips, I danced on the holy knees, the knees of Inanna. Change my hands into the hands of a gazelle. Change my feet into the feet of a gazelle. Let me escape from my demons. Let me flee to Kubiresh!" The merciful Utu accepted Dumuzi's tears. He changed his hands into the hands of a gazelle. He changed his feet into the feet of a gazelle. Dumuzi escaped from his demons. He fled to Kubiresh. The ugallu said: "Let us go to Kubiresh!" The ugallu arrived in Kubiresh. Dumuzi escaped from his demons. He fled to Old Belili. The ugallu said: "Let us go to Old Belili!" Dumuzi entered the house of Old Belili. He said to her: "Old woman. I am not a mere mortal. I am the husband of the goddess Inanna. Pour water for me to drink. Sprinkle flour for me to eat." After the old woman poured water And sprinkled flour for Dumuzi, She left the house. When the ugallu saw her leave, they entered the house. Dumuzi escaped from his demons. He fled to the sheepfold of his sister, Geshtinanna. When Geshtinanna found Dumuzi in the sheepfold, she wept. She brought her mouth close to heaven. She brought her mouth close to earth. Her grief covered the horizon like a garment. She tore at her eyes. She tore at her mouth. She tore at her thighs. The ugallu climbed the reed fence. The first ugallu struck Dumuzi on the cheek with a piercing nail, The second ugallu struck Dumuzi on the other cheek with the shepherd's crook, The third ugallu smashed the bottom of the churn, The fourth ugallu threw the drinking cup down from its peg, The fifth ugallu shattered the churn, The sixth ugallu shattered the cup, The seventh ugallu cried: "Rise, Dumuzi! Husband of Inanna, son of Sirtur, brother of Geshtinanna! Rise from your false sleep! Your ewes are seized! Your lambs are siezed! Your goats are seized! Your kids are seized! Take off your holy crown from your head! Take off your me-garment from your body! Let your royal sceptre fall to the ground! Take off your holy sandals from your feet! Naked, you go with us!" The ugallu seized Dumuzi. They surrounded him. They bound his hands. They bound his neck. The churn was silent. No milk was poured. The cup was shattered. Dumuzi was no more. The sheepfold was given to the winds. Inanna - Queen of Heaven and Earth, Wolkstein and Kramer |
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The cult of Dumuzi Shepherd (Uruk, fourth millennium BC) "comprises both happy
celebration of the marriage of the god with Inanna and bitter laments when he dies as
the dry heat of summer yellows the pastures and lambing, calving, and milking
come to an end.: "In Mesopotamia the
mountain is
the place where the mysterious potency of the earth, and hence of all natural
life, is concentrated." "The rectangular central shrine of the temple, known as a
'cella,' had a brick altar or offering table in front of a statue of the
temple's deity. The cella was lined on its long ends by many rooms for priests
and priestesses. These mud-brick buildings were decorated with cone geometrical
mosaics, and the occasional fresco with human and animal figures. These temple
complexes eventually evolved into towering ziggurats. |
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