Enmerkar

At that time the day was lord, the night was sovereign, and Utu was king. Now the name of the lord of Aratta's minister was minister Ansiga-ria . The name of the minister of Enmerkar , the lord of Kulaba , was Namena-tuma . He with the …… lord, he with the …… prince; he with the …… lord, he with the …… prince; he with the …… lord, he with the …… prince; he with the man born to be a god; he with a man manifest as a god, with the lord of Unug , the lord of Kulaba -- En-suḫgir-ana , the lord of Aratta , is to make a contest with him, saying first to the messenger concerning Unug :

Enmerkar and En-suḫgir-ana (c.1.8.2.4) ·c.1.8.2.4 ·16 ·machine translation (etcsl)

When in ancient days heaven was separated from earth, when in ancient days that which was fitting ……, when after the ancient harvests …… barley was eaten (?), when boundaries were laid out and borders were fixed, when boundary-stones were placed and inscribed with names, when dykes and canals were purified, when …… wells were dug straight down; when the bed of the Euphrates , the plenteous river of Unug , was opened up, when ……, when ……, when holy An removed ……, when the offices of en and king were famously exercised at Unug , when the sceptre and staff of Kulaba were held high in battle -- in battle, Inana's game; when the black-headed were blessed with long life, in their settled ways and in their ……, when they presented the mountain goats with pounding hooves and the mountain stags beautiful with their antlers to Enmerkar son of Utu --

Lugalbanda in the mountain cave (c.1.8.2.1) ·c.1.8.2.1 ·19 ·machine translation (etcsl)

-- now at that time the king set his mace towards the city, Enmerkar son of Utu prepared an …… expedition against Aratta , the mountain of the holy divine powers. He was going to set off to destroy the rebel land; the lord began a mobilization of his city. The herald made the horn signal sound in all the lands. Now levied Unug took the field with the wise king, indeed levied Kulaba followed Enmerkar . Unug's levy was a flood, Kulaba's levy was a clouded sky. As they covered the ground like heavy fog, the dense dust whirled up by them reached up to heaven. As if to rooks on the best seed, rising up, he called to the people. Each one gave his fellow the sign.

Lugalbanda in the mountain cave (c.1.8.2.1) ·c.1.8.2.1 ·21 ·machine translation (etcsl)

-- now at that time the king set his mace towards the city, Enmerkar son of Utu prepared an …… expedition against Aratta , the mountain of the holy divine powers. He was going to set off to destroy the rebel land; the lord began a mobilization of his city. The herald made the horn signal sound in all the lands. Now levied Unug took the field with the wise king, indeed levied Kulaba followed Enmerkar . Unug's levy was a flood, Kulaba's levy was a clouded sky. As they covered the ground like heavy fog, the dense dust whirled up by them reached up to heaven. As if to rooks on the best seed, rising up, he called to the people. Each one gave his fellow the sign.

Lugalbanda in the mountain cave (c.1.8.2.1) ·c.1.8.2.1 ·27 ·machine translation (etcsl)

At that time, the lord chosen by Inana in her heart, chosen by Inana in her holy heart from the bright mountain, Enmerkar , the son of Utu , made a plea to his sister, the lady who grants desires, holy Inana :

Enmerkar and the lord of Aratta (c.1.8.2.3) ·c.1.8.2.3 ·35 ·machine translation (etcsl)

"Let him submit to me, let him bear my yoke. If he submits to me, indeed submits to me, then as for him and me -- he may dwell with Inana within a walled enclosure (?), but I dwell with Inana in the E-zagin of Aratta ; he may lie with her on the splendid bed, but I lie in sweet slumber with her on the adorned bed, he may see dreams with Inana at night, but I converse with Inana awake. He may feed the geese with barley, but I will definitely not feed the geese with barley. I will …… the geese's eggs in a basket and …… their goslings. The small ones into my pot, the large ones into my kettle, and the rulers of the land who submitted will consume, together with me, what remains from the geese." This is what he said to Enmerkar .

Enmerkar and En-suḫgir-ana (c.1.8.2.4) ·c.1.8.2.4 ·39 ·machine translation (etcsl)

en-me-er-kar2 ki kug-kug-ga-ni-ce3 im-ma-ci-in-ku4-ku4

Enmerkar and En-suḫgir-ana (c.1.8.2.4) ·c.1.8.2.4 ·52A

Thereupon the splendour of holy An , the lady of the mountains, the wise, the goddess whose kohl is for Ama-ušumgal-ana , Inana , the lady of all the lands, called to Enmerkar , the son of Utu :

Enmerkar and the lord of Aratta (c.1.8.2.3) ·c.1.8.2.3 ·68 ·machine translation (etcsl)

"Come, Enmerkar ! I shall offer you advice: let my counsel be heeded. I shall speak words to you; let them be heard. Choose from the troops as a messenger one who is eloquent of speech and endowed with endurance. Where and to whom shall he carry the important message of wise Inana ? Let him bring it up into the Zubi mountains, let him descend with it from the Zubi mountains. Let Susa and the land of Anšan humbly salute Inana like tiny mice. In the great mountain ranges, let the teeming multitudes grovel in the dust for her. Aratta shall submit beneath the yoke to Unug . The people of Aratta shall bring down the mountain stones from their mountains, and shall build the great shrine for you, and erect the great abode for you, will cause the great abode, the abode of the gods, to shine forth for you; will make your me flourish in Kulaba , will make the abzu grow for you like a holy mountain, will make Eridug shining for you like the mountain range, will cause the abzu shrine to shine forth for you like the glitter in the lode. When in the abzu you utter praise, when you bring the me from Eridug , when, in lordship, you are adorned with the crown like a purified shrine, when you place on your head the holy crown in Unug Kulaba , then may the …… of the great shrine bring you into the ĝipar , and may the …… of the ĝipar bring you into the great shrine. May the people marvel admiringly, and may Utu witness it in joy. Because …… shall carry daily, when …… in the evening cool ……, -- in the place of Dumuzid where the ewes, kids and lambs are numerous, the people of Aratta shall run around for you like the mountain sheep in the akalag fields, the fields of Dumuzid . Rise like the sun over my holy breast! You are the jewel of my throat! Praise be to you, Enmerkar , the son of Utu !"

Enmerkar and the lord of Aratta (c.1.8.2.3) ·c.1.8.2.3 ·69 ·machine translation (etcsl)

"Come, Enmerkar ! I shall offer you advice: let my counsel be heeded. I shall speak words to you; let them be heard. Choose from the troops as a messenger one who is eloquent of speech and endowed with endurance. Where and to whom shall he carry the important message of wise Inana ? Let him bring it up into the Zubi mountains, let him descend with it from the Zubi mountains. Let Susa and the land of Anšan humbly salute Inana like tiny mice. In the great mountain ranges, let the teeming multitudes grovel in the dust for her. Aratta shall submit beneath the yoke to Unug . The people of Aratta shall bring down the mountain stones from their mountains, and shall build the great shrine for you, and erect the great abode for you, will cause the great abode, the abode of the gods, to shine forth for you; will make your me flourish in Kulaba , will make the abzu grow for you like a holy mountain, will make Eridug shining for you like the mountain range, will cause the abzu shrine to shine forth for you like the glitter in the lode. When in the abzu you utter praise, when you bring the me from Eridug , when, in lordship, you are adorned with the crown like a purified shrine, when you place on your head the holy crown in Unug Kulaba , then may the …… of the great shrine bring you into the ĝipar , and may the …… of the ĝipar bring you into the great shrine. May the people marvel admiringly, and may Utu witness it in joy. Because …… shall carry daily, when …… in the evening cool ……, -- in the place of Dumuzid where the ewes, kids and lambs are numerous, the people of Aratta shall run around for you like the mountain sheep in the akalag fields, the fields of Dumuzid . Rise like the sun over my holy breast! You are the jewel of my throat! Praise be to you, Enmerkar , the son of Utu !"

Enmerkar and the lord of Aratta (c.1.8.2.3) ·c.1.8.2.3 ·104 ·machine translation (etcsl)

In E-ana , Meš-ki-aĝ-gašer , the son of Utu , became lord and king; he ruled for {324} {( ms. P2+L2 has instead: ) 325} years. Meš-ki-aĝ-gašer entered the sea and disappeared. Enmerkar , the son of Meš-ki-aĝ-gašer , the king of Unug , {who built Unug } {( mss. L1+N1, P2+L2 have instead: ) under whom Unug was built}, became king; he ruled for {420} {( ms. TL has instead: ) 900 + X} years. {( ms. P3+BT14 adds: ) 745 are the years of the dynasty of Meš-ki-aĝ-gašer .} {( ms TL adds instead: ) ……; he ruled for 5 + X years.} Lugalbanda , the shepherd, ruled for 1200 years. Dumuzid , the fisherman whose city was Kuara , ruled for {100} {( ms. TL has instead: ) 110} years. {( ms. P3+BT14 adds: ) He captured En-me-barage-si single-handed.} Gilgameš , whose father was a phantom (?), the lord of Kulaba , ruled for 126 years. Ur- Nungal , the son of Gilgameš , ruled for 30 years. Udul-kalama , the son of { Ur- Nungal } {( ms. Su1 has instead: ) Ur-lugal }, ruled for 15 years. Lā-ba’šum ruled for 9 years. En-nun-taraḫ-ana ruled for 8 years. Meš-ḫe , the smith, ruled for 36 years. { Melem-ana } {( ms. Su2 has instead: ) Til-kug (?) ……} ruled for {6} {( ms. Su2 has instead: ) 900} years. Lugal-kitun (?) ruled for {36} {( ms. Su2 has instead: ) 420} years. 12 kings; they ruled for {2310} {( ms. Su2 has instead: ) 3588} years. Then Unug was defeated and the kingship was taken to Urim .

The Sumerian king list (c.2.1.1) ·c.2.1.1 ·102 ·machine translation (etcsl)

The messenger of Enmerkar reached En-suḫgir-ana , reached his holy ĝipar , his most holy place, the most holy place where he was sitting, its ……. En-suḫgir-ana asked for instructions, he searched for an answer. He summoned the išib priests, the lumaḫ priests, the gudug priests, and girsiga attendants who dwell in the ĝipar and took counsel with them. "What shall I say to him? What shall I say to him? What shall I say to the lord of Unug , the lord of Kulaba ? His bull stood up to fight my bull and the bull of Unug has defeated it. His man has been struggling with my man and the man of Unug has defeated him. His warrior (?) has been struggling with my warrior (?) and the warrior (?) of Unug …… him."

Enmerkar and En-suḫgir-ana (c.1.8.2.4) ·c.1.8.2.4 ·114 ·machine translation (etcsl)

The convened assembly answered him straightforwardly: "It was you who first sent a boastful (?) message to Unug for Enmerkar . You cannot hold back (?) Enmerkar , you have to hold back (?) yourself. Calm down; your heart will prompt you to achieve nothing, as far as can be known (?)." "If my city becomes a ruin mound, then I will be a potsherd of it, but I will never submit to the lord of Unug , the lord of Kulaba ."

Enmerkar and En-suḫgir-ana (c.1.8.2.4) ·c.1.8.2.4 ·130 ·machine translation (etcsl)

The convened assembly answered him straightforwardly: "It was you who first sent a boastful (?) message to Unug for Enmerkar . You cannot hold back (?) Enmerkar , you have to hold back (?) yourself. Calm down; your heart will prompt you to achieve nothing, as far as can be known (?)." "If my city becomes a ruin mound, then I will be a potsherd of it, but I will never submit to the lord of Unug , the lord of Kulaba ."

Enmerkar and En-suḫgir-ana (c.1.8.2.4) ·c.1.8.2.4 ·131 ·machine translation (etcsl)

"This is what my master has spoken, this is what he has said. My king who from his birth has been fitted {for lordship} {( 1 ms. has instead: ) for the crown}, the lord of Unug , the saĝkal snake living in Sumer , who pulverises {mountains} {( 2 mss. have instead: ) heads} like flour, the stag of the tall mountains, endowed with princely antlers, wild cow, kid pawing the holy soapwort with its hoof, whom the good cow had given birth to in the heart of the mountains, Enmerkar , the son of Utu , has sent me to you." {( 2 mss. add here: ) (the lord of Aratta speaks): "What is it to me what your master has spoken? what is it to me what he has said?"} "This is what my master said: "Lest I make the people fly off from that city like a wild dove from its tree, lest I make them fly around like a bird over its well-founded nest, lest I requite (?) them as if at a current market rate, lest I make it gather dust like an utterly destroyed city, lest like a settlement cursed by Enki and utterly destroyed, I too utterly destroy Aratta ; lest like the devastation which swept destructively, and in whose wake Inana arose, shrieked and yelled aloud, I too wreak a sweeping devastation there -- let Aratta pack nuggets of gold in leather sacks, placing alongside it the kugmea ore; package up precious metals, and load the packs on the donkeys of the mountains; and then may the Junior Enlil of Sumer have them build for me, the lord whom Nudimmud has chosen in his sacred heart, a mountain of a shining me ; have them make it luxuriant for me like a boxwood tree, have them make its shining horns colourful for me as when Utu comes forth from his chamber, have them make its doorposts gleam brightly for me. Chant to him for me the holy song, the incantation sung in its chambers -- the Incantation of Nudimmud .""

Enmerkar and the lord of Aratta (c.1.8.2.3) ·c.1.8.2.3 ·185 ·machine translation (etcsl)

"Say whatever you will say to me, and I shall announce that message in the shrine E-ana as glad tidings to the scion of him with the glistening beard, whom his stalwart cow gave birth to in the mountain of the shining me , who was reared on the soil of Aratta , who was given suck at the udder of the good cow, who is suited for office in Kulaba , the mountain of great me , to Enmerkar , the son of Utu ; I shall repeat it in his ĝipar , fruitful as a flourishing meš tree, to my king, the lord of Kulaba ."

Enmerkar and the lord of Aratta (c.1.8.2.3) ·c.1.8.2.3 ·214 ·machine translation (etcsl)

Then the men of Unug followed them as one man; they wound their way through the hills like a snake over a grain-pile. When the city was only a double-hour distant, the armies of Unug and Kulaba encamped by the posts and ditches that surrounded Aratta . From the city it rained down javelins as if from the clouds, slingstones numerous as the raindrops falling in a whole year whizzed down loudly from Aratta's walls. The days passed, the months became long, the year turned full circle. A yellow harvest grew beneath the sky. They looked askance at the fields. Unease came over them. Slingstones numerous as the raindrops falling in a whole year landed on the road. They were hemmed in by the barrier of mountain thornbushes thronged with dragons. No one knew how to go back to the city, no was rushing to go back to Kulaba . In their midst Enmerkar son of Utu was afraid, was troubled, was disturbed by this upset. He sought someone whom he could send back to the city, he sought someone whom he could send back to Kulaba . No one said to him "I will go to the city." No one said to him "I will go to Kulaba ." He went out to the foreign host. No one said to him "I will go to the city." No one said to him "I will go to Kulaba ." He stood before the élite troops. No one said to him "I will go to the city." No one said to him "I will go to Kulaba ." A second time he went out to the foreign host. No one said to him "I will go to the city." No one said to him "I will go to Kulaba ." He stepped out before the élite troops.

Lugalbanda and the Anzud bird (c.1.8.2.2) ·c.1.8.2.2 ·268 ·machine translation (etcsl)

Having heard this matter, En-suḫgir-ana sent a man to Enmerkar : "You are the beloved lord of Inana , you alone are exalted. Inana has truly chosen you for her holy lap, you are her beloved. From the south to the highlands, you are the great lord, and I am only second to you; from the moment of conception I was not your equal, you are the older brother. I cannot match you ever."

Enmerkar and En-suḫgir-ana (c.1.8.2.4) ·c.1.8.2.4 ·275 ·machine translation (etcsl)

In the contest between Enmerkar and En-suḫgir-ana , Enmerkar proved superior to En-suḫgir-ana . Nisaba , be praised!

Enmerkar and En-suḫgir-ana (c.1.8.2.4) ·c.1.8.2.4 ·281 ·machine translation (etcsl)

In the contest between Enmerkar and En-suḫgir-ana , Enmerkar proved superior to En-suḫgir-ana . Nisaba , be praised!

Enmerkar and En-suḫgir-ana (c.1.8.2.4) ·c.1.8.2.4 ·282 ·machine translation (etcsl)

After he had stood before the summoned assembly, within the palace that rests on earth like a great mountain Enmerkar son of Utu berated Inana : "Once upon a time my princely sister holy Inana summoned me in her holy heart from the bright mountains, had me enter brick-built Kulaba . Where there was a marsh then in Unug , it was full of water. Where there was any dry land, Euphrates poplars grew there. Where there were reed thickets, old reeds and young reeds grew there. Divine Enki who is king in Eridu tore up for me the old reeds, drained off the water completely. For fifty years I built, for fifty years I was successful. Then the Martu peoples, who know no agriculture, arose in all Sumer and Akkad . But the wall of Unug extended out across the desert like a bird net. Yet now, here in this place, my attractiveness to her has dwindled. My troops are bound to me as a cow is bound to its calf; but like a son who, hating his mother, leaves his city, my princely sister holy Inana has run away from me back to brick-built Kulaba . If she loves her city and hates me, why does she bind the city to me? If she hates the city and yet loves me, why does she bind me to the city? If the mistress removes herself from me to her holy chamber, and abandons me like an Anzud chick, then may she at least bring me home to brick-built Kulaba : on that day my spear shall be laid aside. On that day she may shatter my shield. Speak thus to my princely sister, holy Inana ."

Lugalbanda and the Anzud bird (c.1.8.2.2) ·c.1.8.2.2 ·292 ·machine translation (etcsl)

After day had broken and Utu had risen, the sun god of the Land lifted his head high. The king combined the Tigris with the Euphrates . He combined the Euphrates with the Tigris . Large vessels were placed in the open air, and he stood small vessels beside them, like lambs lying on the grass. …… vessels were placed in the open air adjacent to them. Then the king, Enmerkar , the son of Utu , placed wide apart the ešda vessels, which were of gold. Thereupon, the …… clay tablet, the pointed stylus of the assembly, the golden statue fashioned on a propitious day, beautiful Nanibgal , grown with a fair luxuriance, Nisaba , the lady of broad wisdom, opened for him her holy house of wisdom. He entered the palace of heaven, and became attentive. Then the lord opened his mighty storehouse, and firmly set his great lidga measure on the ground. The king removed his old barley from the other barley; he soaked the greenmalt all through with water; its lip …… the ḫirin plant. He narrowed the meshes of the carrying nets. He measured out in full (?) the barley for the granary, adding for the teeth of locusts. He had it loaded on the packasses at whose sides reserve donkeys were placed. The king, the lord of broad wisdom, the lord of Unug , the lord of Kulaba , despatched them directly to Aratta . He made the people go on to Aratta on their own, like ants out of crevices. Again the lord added instructions for the messenger going to the mountains, to Aratta :

Enmerkar and the lord of Aratta (c.1.8.2.3) ·c.1.8.2.3 ·316 ·machine translation (etcsl)

Thereupon holy Lugalbanda came forth from the palace. Although his brothers and his comrades barked at him as at a foreign dog trying to join a pack of dogs, he stepped proudly forward like a foreign wild ass trying to join a herd of wild asses. "Send someone else to Unug for the lord." -- "For Enmerkar son of Utu I shall go alone to Kulaba . No one shall go with me" -- how he spoke to them! "Why will you go alone and keep company with no one on the journey? If our beneficent spirit does not stand by you there, if our good protective deity does not go with you there, you will never again stand with us where we stand, you will never again dwell with us where we dwell, you will never again set your feet on the ground where our feet are. You will not come back from the great mountains, where no one goes alone, whence no one returns to mankind!" -- "Time is passing, I know. None of you is going with me over the great earth." While the hearts of his brothers beat loudly, while the hearts of his comrades sank, Lugalbanda took in his hand such of his provisions as he had not eaten, and each of his weapons one by one. From the foot of the mountains, through the high mountains, into the flat land, from the edge of Anšan to the top of Anšan , he crossed five, six, seven mountains.

Lugalbanda and the Anzud bird (c.1.8.2.2) ·c.1.8.2.2 ·327 ·machine translation (etcsl)

Holy Lugalbanda answered her: "What Enmerkar son of Utu quoth and what he says, what your brother quoth and what he says, is: "Once upon a time my princely sister holy Inana summoned me in her holy heart from the mountains, had me enter brick-built Kulaba . Where there was a marsh then in Unug , it was full of water. Where there was any dry land, Euphrates poplars grew there. Where there were reed thickets, old reeds and young reeds grew there. Divine Enki who is king in Eridu tore up for me the old reeds, drained off the water completely. For fifty years I built, for fifty years I was successful. Then the Martu peoples, who know no agriculture, arose in all Sumer and Akkad . But the wall of Unug extended out across the desert like a bird net. Yet now, here in this place, my attractiveness to her has dwindled. My troops are bound to me as a cow is bound to its calf; but like a son who, hating his mother, leaves his city, my princely sister holy Inana has run away from me back to brick-built Kulaba . If she loves her city and hates me, why does she bind the city to me? If she hates the city and yet loves me, why does she bind me to the city? If the mistress removes herself from me to her holy chamber and abandons me like an Anzud chick, then may she at least bring me home to brick-built Kulaba : on that day my spear shall be laid aside. On that day she may shatter my shield. Speak thus to my princely sister, holy Inana .""

Lugalbanda and the Anzud bird (c.1.8.2.2) ·c.1.8.2.2 ·359 ·machine translation (etcsl)

"Your father, my master, sent me to you. Enmerkar , the son of Utu , sent me to you."

Enmerkar and the lord of Aratta (c.1.8.2.3) ·c.1.8.2.3 ·379 ·machine translation (etcsl)

"It stands alone, it stands alone! One tamarisk stands alone at the side! When Enmerkar son of Utu has cut that tamarisk and has fashioned it into a bucket, he must tear up the old reeds in that holy place roots and all, and collect them in his hands. When he has chased out from it the …… fish, which is a god of the suḫurmaš fish, caught that fish, cooked it, garnished it and brought it as a sacrifice to the a-an-kar weapon, Inana's battle-strength, then his troops will have success for him; then he will have brought to an end that which in the subterranean waters provides the life-strength of Aratta ."

Lugalbanda and the Anzud bird (c.1.8.2.2) ·c.1.8.2.2 ·401 ·machine translation (etcsl)

After he had spoken to him thus, the messenger went off like a young donkey, braying as it is cut off from the chariot tongue; he trotted like an onager running on dry land, he filled his mouth with wind; he ran in one track (?) like a long-woolled sheep butting other sheep in its fury. He set foot joyfully in brick-built Kulaba . He transmitted the message word for word to his master, the lord of Kulaba . Now Enki gave Enmerkar wisdom, and the lord gave instructions to his chief steward. In his house ……, the king received ……. He wrapped it up like ……, and inspected it. He pounded …… with a pestle like herbs, he poured it like oil on the …… reed. From the sunlight it emerged into the shade, and from the shade it emerged into the sunlight. After five years, 10 years had passsed, he split the …… reed with an axe. The lord looked at it, pleased, and poured on …… fine oil, fine oil of the bright mountains. The lord placed the sceptre in the hands of the messenger going to the mountains. The messenger, whose journeying to Aratta was like a pelican over the hills, like a fly over the ground, who darted through the mountains as swiftly as carp swim, reached Aratta . He set foot joyfully in the courtyard of Aratta , and put the sceptre in ……. He …… and …… it. The lord of Aratta , eying the sceptre, which was shining awesomely in the sanctuary, his holy dwelling -- he, the lord, called to his šatam official:

Enmerkar and the lord of Aratta (c.1.8.2.3) ·c.1.8.2.3 ·420 ·machine translation (etcsl)

"This is what my master has spoken, this is what he has said. My king is like a huge meš tree, …… son of Enlil ; this tree has grown high, uniting heaven and earth; its crown reaches heaven, its trunk is set upon the earth. He who is made to shine forth in lordship and kingship, Enmerkar , the son of Utu , has given me a clay tablet. O lord of Aratta , after you have examined the clay tablet, after you have learned the content of the message, say whatever you will say to me, and I shall announce that message in the shrine E-ana as glad tidings to the scion of him with the glistening beard, whom his stalwart cow gave birth to in the mountains of the shining me , who was reared on the soil of Aratta , who was given suck at the udder of the good cow, who is suited for office in Kulaba , the mountain of great me , to Enmerkar , the son of Utu ; I shall repeat it in his ĝipar , fruitful as a flourishing meš tree, to my king, the lord of Kulaba ."

Enmerkar and the lord of Aratta (c.1.8.2.3) ·c.1.8.2.3 ·524 ·machine translation (etcsl)