The Epic of Anzû, Old Babylonian version from Susa, Tablet II, lines 1-83, read by Claus Wilcke
Transcription and translation kindly supplied by Claus Wilcke.
| Original Transcript | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 01 (081) illilūtam ītekim nadû parṣū 02 (084) abum mālikšunu šuḫarrur Illil |
01 (081) He took away the Illil-power – abandoned were the rites. 02 (084) Their father, their counsellor – Illil was paralyzed. |
| 03 (083) ittatbak namurratum šakin qūlu 04 (–––) ūtešši kullat kalîšunu Igigī 05 (085) kiṣṣu ištaḫat namurrassu 06 (086) ilū mātim iptanaḫḫarū ana ṭēmim |
03 (083) The splendor had been cast off – silence reigned. 04 (–––) Disturbed became the whole of all the Igigū. 05 (085) The sanctuary had shed its splendor, 06 (086) so that the gods of the land gathered again and again for advice. |
| 07 (087) Anu pâšu īpušam 08 (088) issaqqaram ana ilī mārīšu 09 (089) ilu mannum Anzâm linēr-ma 10 (090) ina kullatim lušarbi šumšu |
07 (087) Anu opened his mouth, 08 (088) saying to the gods, his children: 09 (089) “Whichever god might kill Anzûm – 10 (090) I shall make his name famous among all!” |
| 11 (091-092) gugalla išsû mār Anim šākin-ṭēmum ana šâši issaqqaršu[m] | 11 (091-092) They called the canal-inspector, the son of Anu, the decision-maker, saying to him: |
| 12 (095-096) [Ad]ad gašrāti qabalka šubriq Anzâm ina kakk[īk]a 13 (097) [šumka lirb]i? ina ilī rabûti[m] 14 (098) [ina birīt ilī aḫḫīka] māḫiram ē tarši 15 (102) [šitraḫ i]n[a m]aḫa[r] ilī g[ašru lū] šumka |
12 (095-096) “Adad, you are valiant! Let your onslaught strike Anzûm with your weapons like lightning, 13 (097) so that your name becomes famous among the great gods, 14 (098) so that you have no rival among the gods, your brothers! 15 (102) Be glorious in the presence of the gods! ‘Valiant’ be your name!” 15a (One line seems to be lost where the two parts of the tablet are joined and stabilized with plaster) |
| 16 (103-104) [Adad īpula qibīta ana Anim abīšu awāta issa]q[qar] | 16 Adad answered the speech saying a word to his father Anum: |
| 17 (105) [abī ana šād lā âri] liḫīš? ma[nnu] 18 (106) [ayyû k]ām Anz[î]m ina mārī[ka] 19 (107-108) [ṭuppi šimāti ikšudam qātuššu] ītekim ilam i[llilūssu] 20 (109) [Anzûm šad]îšsu ittaši rēšīš[u] |
17 (105) “My father, who would rush off to the inaccessible mountain? 18 (106) Which one among your children could be Anzûm’s vanquisher? 19 (107-108) He has got possession of the Tablet-of-Destinies; he has robbed the god of his Illil-power! 20 (109) Anzûm has lifted his head up towards his mountain, |
| 21 (110) [ittabši q]ibīssu kīma ilim Durank[i] 22 (111) [iqbī-ma ša irrar]u iwwi ṭiṭṭiš 23 (112) [qibīti]šsu ilī usaḫḫiḫ 24 (113) [ipsil u]rḫam lā alākam iqb[i] |
21 (110) “His utterance has become like that of the god, of Duranki. 22 (111) No sooner has he spoken, than whoever he curses immediately turns to clay. 23 (112) At his utterance he makes the gods tremble”. 24 (113) He turned away, said not to take to the road. |
| 25 (114) [Girr]a išsû bukur Anunēti[m] 26 (115) [šāki]n-ṭēmim ana šâšim issaqqarš[um] |
25 (114) They called Girra the firstborn of Anunētum; 26 (115) The decision-maker said to him: (Repetition of lines 12-24 omitted). |
| 27 (135) [Šara išs]û bukur Iš[tar] 28 (136) [šākin]-ṭēmim ana šâšim issaqqaršum |
27 (135) They called Šara, the firstborn of Ištar; 28 (136) The decision-maker said to him: (Repetition of lines 12-24 omitted). |
| 29 (156) ippašḫū-ma [id]dû ilū milkam 30 (157) paḫrū Igigū i[qatt]urū? dalḫū-ma 31 (158) bēl uznim āšib Apsîm [ilu]m? etpušum 32 (161) awāt libbiš[u ana Anim ab]īšu issaqqaršum |
29 (156) The gods became exhausted and gave up on advice. 30 (157) While the Igigū were all together, disheartened and perturbed, 31 (158) the intelligent one who dwells in the Apsûm, the experienced god, 32 (161) was voicing his thoughts to his father Anum: |
| 33 (162-163) luddī-mi qib[ītī u kām] Anzîm luweddi ina puḫri | 3 (162-163) “I wish to put in my word, and to identify Anzûm’s vanquisher in the assembly!” |
| 34 (166) išmû Ig[igū anni’am q]abâšu 35 (167) [idr]urū-m[a iššiq]ū šīpēšu 36 (175/177) [išsi?-m]a Dingirmaḫ ˹aḫātam šassūram˺ šurbûssa ītawwi ina puḫri |
34 (166) The Igigū heared this speech of his. 35 (167) They rushed up and kissed his feet. 36 (175/177) [He called?] Dingirmaḫ, the sister, the womb, and addressed her eminence in the assembly. |
| 37 (182) [idnī-m]i gašram šūpâm narāmki 38 (183) rapšam irtim muttabbilu sebettam qablī 39 (184) Ni[n]ĝirsu gašram š[ūp]âm narāmki 40 (185) rapšam irtim muttabilu sebettam qablī |
37 (182) “Give your valiant (and) famous beloved one, 38 (183) Wide chested is he, able to conduct seven combats, 39 (184) Ningirsu, your valiant, famous beloved one, 40 (185) Wide chested is he, able to conduct seven combats!” |
| 41 (––) [išm]ē-ma anni’am qabâšu šurbûtum Dingirmaḫ annam īpuš 42 (––) [an]a ipiš pîša iḫdû ilū mātim idrurū-ma iššiqū šīpēša 43 (––) išsīšu ina puḫrim (xx) ša ilī 44 (197) mārāša narām libbiša uwa’’eršu issaqqaršum |
41 (––) Eminent Dingirmaḫ heeded this speech of his and gave her consent. 42 (––) The gods of the land rejoiced at her utterance, rushed up and kissed her feet. 43 (––) She called him in the assembly of the gods, 44 (197) her son, beloved of her heart, instructing him and saying to him: |
| 45 (198) maḫar Anim u Dagan etillūtim? 46 (199) a[lk]akāt parṣīšunu itawwû ina puḫri |
45 (198) “Before princely Anum and Dagan, 46 (199) they are discussing in the assembly the fate of the rites. |
| 47 (200) [Igig]ī-mi kullassunu uwallid 48 (202) [abni p]uḫram ša ilī anāku Mammi 49 (203-204) [illilūta an]a aḫīya u ana Anim šarrūt šamê ušweddi 50 (205) [ūtešši Anzûm šarr]ūt ušweddû anāku 51 (207) [illilūtam īte]kim abāka izzēr |
47 (200) “I have given birth to the Igigū, all of them! 48 (202) I created the assembly of the gods, I, Mammi! 49 (203-204) I assigned the Illil-power to my brother and the kingship of heaven to Anum! 50 (205) But (now) Anzûm has upset the kingship I have assigned! 51 (207) He has taken away the Illil-power, has scorned your father! |
| 52 (II 01) [bišim urḫa]m šukun adannam! 53 (II 02) [ana ilī šūt a]bnû nawirtam šūṣi 54 (II 03) [gummurtam] dike qabalka 55 (II 04) [šubriq imḫul]līka liqūlu <ilū> ḫuršāni |
52 (II 01) “Establish a path, set a time limit! 53 (II 02) Let light dawn for the gods I created! 54 (II 03) Muster your onslaught in its entirety! 55 (II 04) Get your destructive winds to strike with lightning, so that the gods of the mountain range will grow silent. |
| 56 (II 05) [mupparšam] Anzâm kušud-ma 57 (II 06) [riḫiṣ erṣet ibban]û šupassu suḫḫiḫ 58 (II 07) [apluḫtum] lirta’’ub elīšu 59 (II 08) [nandurtum qabalka] lirta’’u[bšum] |
56 (II 05) “Vanquish winged Anzûm, and 57 (II 06) drown the land where he was born, rattle his dwelling 58 (II 07) so that the coat of mail shakes constantly on top of him, 59 (II 08) so that your fierce onslaught again and again surges against him, 60 (–––) (traces under plaster) |
| 61 (ii 09) [libtarriqšum gummurtam] aš[amšūtam] 62 (ii 10) ˹tulul˺ q[aštam šukūdka i]mta libtal[lil] |
61 (ii 09) “So that it constantly flashes against him the gathered whirlwind! 62 (ii 10) String your bow, let your arrow be coated with poison! |
| 63 (–––) arrat rigmika tād[irtam?] liddīšum 64 (–––) liḫbut ekletam linneši digilšu limṭi 65 (–––) ayyipparšidka ina mitḫuri abāršu limqut |
63 (–––) “May your roaring curse heap gloom upon him, 64 (–––) so that he wanders in darkness, (and) his vision blurs and dwindles away! 65 (–––) so that he does not escape you in close combat, (and) his strong arm falls! |
| 66 (ii 11-12) gallāni lištannû pānûka šūṣi imbara zīmīka ayyuweddi 67 (ii 15-16) ayyippuḫšum Šamaš elēnu ūmu namrum da’ummatam līwīšum 68 (ii 17) šūriḫ napšassu Anzâm kumu-ma 69 (ii 18) šārū kappī ana bussurātim liblūnim |
66 (ii 11-12) “May your face turn demonic; give out fog, so that he cannot recognise your features, 67 (ii 15-16) so that the sun does not light up for him above, (and) daylight becomes darkness for him! 68 (ii 17) Make it consume his vital power! Vanquish Anzûm, 69 (ii 18) so that the winds bring us the feathers as good tidings! |
| 70 (II 19) muttiš Ekur ana ṣēr abīka 71 (–––) šārū kappī ana bussurātim liblūnim |
70 (II 19) So that right over the top of the Ekur, towards your father, 71 (–––) the winds bring us the feathers as good tidings!” |
| 72 (ii 28) zikir ummišu išmi’am qurādum 73 (ii 29) qitrud tāḫāzim igdapuš šadîš ˹narkabta˺ ir[taka]b 74 (ii 30) muštaṣmidat sebet q[ablī] 75 (ii 32) mummi[lat epe]rim sebe ašamš[āti]m 76 (ii 31) [narkabta?] muštaṣmidat sebet imḫullī |
72 (ii 28) The hero heeded the words of his mother. 73 (ii 29) The warlike one eager for battle filled with pride and mounted the chariot heading for the mountain, 74 (ii 30) the one harnessed with seven combats, 75 (ii 32) raising up the dust of seven whirlwinds, 76 (ii 31) the chariot harnessed with seven destructive winds. |
| 77 (ii 33) [idke anantam nandur?] qabalšu 78 (ii 34) [tamḫāruš idušš]u iqūlū ilū ḫuršāni 79 (ii 35) [...] ˹ina˺ šād Anzîm ilum ittanmar 80 (ii 36) īruḫšu[m-ma] Anzûm irūbaššu 81 (ii 37) ikṣuṣ kīma ūmim melemmašu šadî uštalwi |
77 (ii 33) He mustered the fight, fierce was his combat. 78 (ii 34) During his battle, the gods of the mountain range fell silent at his side. 79 (ii 35) [Then] the god appeared on Anzûm’s mountain. 80 (ii 36) He hastened towards him and Anzûm quaked against him. 81 (ii 37) He gnashed (his teeth) like a lion-demon, his radiance engulfed the mountains. |
Comments by reader:
Reading based on personal inspection of tablet by kind permission of Mme B. André; lacunae filled where possible after the Standard Babylonian version (Last edition: A. Annus, The Standard Babylonian Epic of Anzu, SAA-CT 3, translation: St. Dalley, Myths from Mesopotamia 203-227).
Line 13: ˹ga-aš!-ra˺-a-ti (a slanted wedge above the aš).
Line 17: Scheil’s copy shows ud = ḫiš; Nougayrol reads -[ḫi-iš]; when collating, I saw only a vertical after a short break.
Line 23: Written is-sà-aḫ-ḫi-iḫ; cf. line 57.
Line 30: ⌈i⌉-[qá-at-t]u?-ru (T]U with broken vertical).
Line 31: Faint traces after lacuna, possibly [A]N.
Line 33: qib[ītam is also possible.
Line 42: ši-pe-ša.
Line 43: Traces of two signs; erasure?
Line 45: x-ti-lu-tim; x may be ud, perhaps a sqeezed e.
Line 49: SB : dEn.líl-ú-ti [...].
Line 52: Text: a-na-da-am.
Line 55: [...]-⌈li-ka⌉ li-qù-lu hur.saĝ.mu; cf. 79; a Regens is needed, if hur.saĝ.mu writes ḫuršānī/i.
Line 58: li-ir-ta-ḫu-up!(ša).
Line 62: ⌈tu-lu-ul⌉ q[á-... i]m-ta li-⌈ib-tal⌉-[x-(x)].
Line 63: Literally: “the curse of your roar”.
Line 69: -šu[m] ⌈d⌉Šamaš.
Line 71: mu-ti-iš
Line 73: ⌈ĝišgigir ir⌉-[ta-ka]b.
Line 79: Restore [inūšu]?