The eight pointed star of Ishtar, the Solar disk of Ishtar's brother god Shamash, and the crescent of her father Sin — Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia Ishtar also indicated feminine characteristics, physically and emotionally, so she loved, betrayed, talked, danced, laughed, deceived, married and beautified the whole universe and the sky, according to the Iraqi author and researcher Zaid Khaldon Gamil.
Her story is connected to one of the greatest love stories in ancient mythology with god Tammuz, the god of river. She loved him intensely and after their marriage, he died but she kept searching for him.
Eventually she found him in the underworld, and brought Tammuz back to life. Jacobsen, Thorkild. New Haven: Yale University Press, The Harps That Once. Sumerian Poetry in Translation. Leeming, David Adams. Goddess: Myths of the Female Divine. Leick, Gwendolyn. Sex and Eroticism in Mesopotamian Literature. London and New York: Routledge, Stone, Merlin. Boston: Beacon Press, Wolkstein, Diane, and Samuel Noah Kramer. Judy Chicago American, b. The Dinner Party Ishtar place setting , — Mixed media: ceramic, porcelain, textile.
Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Elizabeth A. Sackler Foundation, Photograph by Jook Leung Photography. The Dinner Party Ishtar runner , — The Dinner Party Ishtar plate , — Get Tickets Become a Member.
Let us revere the queen of women, the greatest of the Igigi. She is clothed in pleasure and love. She is laden with vitality, charm, and voluptuousness. Ishtar is clothed in pleasure and love. At her appearance rejoicing becomes full. She is glorious; veils are thrown over her head.
Her figure is beautiful; her eyes are brilliant. The goddess - with her there is counsel. The fate of everything she holds in her hand. At her glance there is created joy, Power, magnificence, the protecting deity and guardian spirit.
Besides, agreeableness she truly possesses. Be it slave, unattached girl, or mother, she preserves her. One calls on her; among women one names her name.
Who - to her greatness who can be equal? Strong, exalted, splendid are her decrees. Ishtar - to her greatness who can be equal? Respected is her word; it is supreme over them. Ishtar among the gods, extraordinary is her station.
She is their queen; they continually cause her commands to be executed. All of them bow down to her. They receive her light before her. Women and men indeed revere her.
Before Anum their king she fully supports them. She rests in intelligence, cleverness, and wisdom. They take counsel together, she and her lord. Indeed they occupy the throne room together. In the divine chamber, the dwelling of joy, Before them the gods take their places.
To their utterances their attention is turned. Ammiditana, as the pure offering of his hands, Brings before them fat oxen and gazelles. From Anum, her consort, she has been pleased to ask for him An enduring, a long life. Many years of living, to Ammiditana She has granted, Ishtar has decided to give. By her orders she has subjected to him The four world regions at his feet; And the total of all peoples She has decided to attach them to his yoke.
Ishtar is regarded by some as the mother of Easter and the musical sun rise rituals of modern churches. Ishtar, in her aspect as goddess of valor and of war, is addressed as the greatest of goddesses. The supplicant describes his bitter afflition and prays for a restoration of his prosperity, so that he and all who see him may praise and glorify the goddess. A colophon of the text indicates that it was the property of the temple Esagila in Babylon; and that it was copied from an older version at Borsippa.
The extant text was written in the Neo-Babylonian period as, in all probability, was the older text from which it was copied. O Ishtar, queen of all peoples, who guides mankind aright, O Irnini, ever exalted, greatest of the Igigi, O mighty of princesses, exalted is thy name. Thou indeed art the light of heaven and earth, O valiant daughter of Sin. O supporter of arms, who determines battle, O possessor of all divine power, who wears the crown of domination, O Lady, glorious is thy greatness; over all the gods it is exalted.
O star of lamentation, who causes peaceable brothers to fight, Yet who constantly gives friendship, O mighty one, Lady of battle, who suppresses the mountains, O Gushea, the one covered with fighting and clothed with terror Thou doest make complete judgment and decision, the ordinances of heaven and earth. Where is not thy name, where is not thy divine power? Where are thy likenesses not fashioned, where are thy shrines not founded?
Where art thou not great, where art thou not exalted? Anu, Enlil, and Ea have made thee high; among the gods they have caused thy domination to be great. They have made thee high among all the Igigi; they have made thy position pre-eminent. At the thought of thy name heaven and earth tremble. The gods tremble; the Anunnaki stand in awe. To thine awesome name mankind must pay heed.
For thou art great and thou art exalted. The judgment of the people in truth and righteousness thou indeed dost decide. Thou regardest the oppressed and mistreated; daily thou causest them to prosper. Thy mercy! O Lady of heaven and earth, shepheress of the weary people. O Lady of holy Eanna the pure storehouse. O Lady; unwearied are thy feet; swift are thy knees. O Lady of conflict and of all battles. O shining one, lioness of the Igigi, subduer of angry gods, O most powerful of all princes, who holdest the reins over kings, But who dost release the bridles of all maidservants, Who art exalted and firmly fixed, O valiant Ishtar, great is thy might.
O brilliant one, torch of heaven and earth, light of all peoples, O unequaled angry one of the fight, strong one of the battle, O firebrand which is kindled against the enemy, which brings about the destruction of the furious,. I have cried to thee, suffering, wearied, and distressed, as thy servant. See me O my Lady, accept my prayers. Faithfully look upon me and hear my supplication.
Promise my forgiveness and let thy spirit be appeased. For my wretched body which is full of confusion and trouble. For my sickened heart which is full of tears and suffering.
For my wretched intestines which are full of confusion and trouble. For my afflicted house which mourns bitterly. For my feelings which are satiated with tears and suffering. O exalted Irnini, fierce lion, let thy heart be at rest. O angry wild ox, let thy spirit be appeased. Let the favor of thine eyes be upon me. With thy bright features look faithfully upon me. Drive away the evil spells of my body and let me see thy bright light.
How long, O my Lady, shall my adversaries be looking upon me,. Originally known as Dumuzid the Shepherd, he was a fertility god closely was associated with crops. In the lean months of summer, when Tammuz resided in the Underworld, people fasted until Tammuz rose from dead and made the world green again. The myth explaining why he resides in the Underworld is similar to the Greek story of Demeter and Persephone.
In Old Testament times, some people, including Jews, worshiped Tammuz. The combination of Tammuz and Ishtar, as husband and wife, is merely the usual artificial attempt to combine two figures that represent the same idea—induced in this instance by the analogy of the male and female principles.
There are, in fact, indications that Tammuz was, at certain places, or at an early period, regarded as a goddess and not as a god. The two stories embody the same myth of the change of seasons, and it is natural, therefore, that with the later predominance of the Ishtar cult, Ishtar should gradually have displaced Tammuz in the official ritual of the temples.
Popular customs survive theoretical and official reconstructions of beliefs and practices through the speculations and the intellectual influence of priests. The testimony of Ezekiel is a significant witness to the persistence in the Semitic world, as late as the sixth century B.
Is it, perhaps, also significant that the Hebrew prophet describes the women of Jerusalem as practising this rite? In all religious bodies, as has already been suggested, women represent the conservative element, among whom religious customs continue in practice after they have been abandoned by men.
The women—outside of their functions as priestesses—took no part, so far as we know, in the official cult of Babylonia and Assyria, as they took no such part among the ancient Hebrews. It may turn out, therefore, to be the case that in Babylonia, as in Palestine, the non-official or extra-official cult of Tammuz was maintained outside of the temples through the influence of the female population—as a popular rite, surviving from very ancient days, and having had at one time a significance equal to that which was afterwards assumed by the cult of Ishtar.
The weeping and the rejoicing appear to have been continued up to late days. In one form or another we find among Greeks and Romans the commemoration in the spring of the death of a god, followed by a rejoicing at his return.
In view of this, the theory has been advanced that in its last analysis, the story of the crucifixion and resurrection of the Christ embodies a late echo of the Tammuz-Adonis myth.
The demons entered Unug and seized holy Inana. Go to the place which you have coveted -- descend to the netherworld. Go to the dwelling of Ereckigal -- descend to the underworld. Don't put on your holy ma garment, the pala dress of ladyship -- descend to the underworld. Remove the holy headdress, that splendid ornament, from your head -- descend to the underworld.
Don't enhance your apperance with a wig -- descend to the underworld. Don't adorn your feet with When you descend, Inana handed over Dumuzid to them in exchange for herself. As for the lad, we will put his hands in hand stocks: we will put his neck in neck stocks. They sharpened their large copper axes.
As for the lad, they stood him up, they sat him down. They covered his face with his own garment. Do you recognize me? Your sister, whom I married, descended to the underworld. Because she descended to the underworld, it was me that she was to hand over to the underworld as a substitute. O Utu , you are a just judge, don't disappoint me! Change my hands, alter my appearance, so that I may escape the clutches of my demons! Don't let them seize me! Like a sajkal snake that slithers across the meadows and mountains, let me escape alive to the dwelling of my sister Jectin-ana.
He changed his hands, he altered his appearance. Then like a sajkal snake that slithers across the meadows and mountains, like a soaring falcon that can swoop down on a live bird, Dumuzid escaped alive to the dwelling of his sister Jectin-ana. Jectin-ana looked at her brother. She scratched at her cheek: she scratched at her nose.
She looked at her sides: she She recited a lament of misfortune for the unfortunate lad: "O my brother! O my brother, lad who has not fulfilled those days! O my brother, shepherd Ama-ucumgal-ana , lad who has not fulfilled those days and years! O my brother, lad who has no wife, who has no children! O my brother, lad who has no friend, who has no companion!
O my brother, the lad who is not a comfort to his mother! The small demons say to the big demons: "Demons have no mother; they have no father or mother, sister or brother, wife or children. Demons are never kind, they do not know good from evil. Who has ever seen a man, without a family, all alone, escape with his life? We shall go neither to the dwelling of his friend nor to the dwelling of his in-laws.
Rather, for the shepherd let us go to the dwelling of Jectin-ana. But she spoke not a word to them. They afflicted her loins with a skin disease, but she spoke not a word to them. They scratched her face with They poured tar in her lap, but she spoke not a word to them. So they could not find Dumuzid at the house of Jectin-ana.
They went hither and thither until they caught him. They searched for him until he was seen. The axe was wielded against the lad who had no family. They sharpened their daggers, they smashed his hut. His sister wandered about the city like a bird because of her brother: "My brother, let me take the great misfortune, come, let me Grant him a pleasant reign to come!
Grant him a royal throne, firm in its foundations; grant him a sceptre righting wrongs in the land, all shepherds' crooks; grant him the good crown, the turban that makes a head distinguished. From sunrise to sunset from south to north from the Upper Sea to the Lower Sea, from where grows the huluppu-tree, from where grows the cedar-tree, and in Sumer and Akkad, grant him all shepherds' crooks, and may he perform the shepherdship over their dark-headed people.
May he like a farmer till the fields, may he like a good shepherd make the folds teem, may there be vines under him, may there be barley under him, may there be carp-floods in the river under him, may there be mottled barley in the fields under him, may fishes and birds sound off in the marshes under him.
May old and new reeds grow in the canebrake under him, may shrubs grow in the high desert under him, may deer multiply in the forests under him, may well watered gardens bear honey and wine under him, may lettuce and cress grow in the vegetable plots under him, may there be long life in the palace under him. May the high flood rise in the Tigris and Euphrates under him, may grass grow on their banks, may vegetables fill the commons, may the holy lady of the grains , Nidaba, gather grainpiles there!
O milady, queen of heaven and earth, queen of. Hymn from Inanna to Tammuz goes: Inanna sang: "He has sprouted; he has burgeoned; He is lettuce planted by the water. He is the one my womb loves best. 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.
Hymn of Love from Inanna to Tammuz goes: Bridegroom, dear to my heart, Goodly is your beauty, honeysweet, Lion, dear to my heart, Goodly is your beauty, honeysweet. You have captivated me, let me stand tremblingly before you, Bridegroom, I would be taken by you to the bedchamber, You have captivated me, let me stand tremblingly before you, Lion, I would be taken by you to the bedchamber. Bridegroom, let me caress you, My precious caress is more savory than honey, In the bechamber, honey-filled, Let me enjoy your goodly beauty, Lion, let me caress you, My precious caress is more savory than honey.
Bridegroom, you have taken your pleasure of me, Tell my mother, she will give you delicacies, My father, he will give you gifts. Your spirit, I know where to cheer your spirit,. Bridegroom, sleep in our house until dawn, Your heart, I know where to gladden your heart, Lion, sleep in our house until dawn. You, because you love me, Give me pray of your caresses, My lord god, my lord protector, My Dumuzi , who gladdens Enlil's heart, Give me pray of your caresses.
Your place goodly as honey, pray lay your hand on it, Bring your hand over it like a gishban-garment, Cup your hand over it like a gishban-sikin-garment. O fulfiller of the commands of Bel Mother of the gods, fulfiller of the commands of Bel You who brings forth verdure, you O lady of mankind, 5. Begetress of all, who makes all offspring thrive Mother Ishtar, whose might no god approaches, Majestic lady, whose commands are powerful A request I will proffer, whichmay it bring good to me!
O lady, from my childhood I have been exceedingly hemmed in by trouble! Food I did not eat, I was bathed in tears! Water I did not quaff, tears were my drink! My heart is not glad, my soul is not cheerful; I do not walk like a man. My sighs are many, my sickness is great!
O my lady, teach me what to do, appoint me a resting-place! My sin forgive, lift up my countenance! My god, who is lord of prayer, may he present my prayer to you! My goddess, who is mistress of supplication, may she present my prayer to you! God of the deluge, lord of Harsaga, may he present my prayer to you! The god of pity, the lord of the fields, may he present my prayer to you! God of heaven and earth, the lord of Eridu,may he present my prayer to you! The mother of the great water, the dwelling of Damkina, may she present my prayer to you!
Marduk, lord of Babylon, may he present my prayer to you! His spouse, the exalted offspring of heaven and earth, may she present my prayer to you! The exalted servant, the god who announces the good name, may he present my prayer to you!
The bride, the first-born of Ninib, may she present my prayer to you! The lady who checks hostile speech, may she present my prayer to you! The great, exalted one, my lady Nana, may she present my prayer to you! He raises to you a wail; He raises to you a wail On account of his face which for tears is not raised, he raises to you a wail; On account of his feet on which fetters are laid, he raises to you a wail;.
On account of his hand, which is powerless through oppression, he raises to you a wail; On account of his breast, which wheezes like a bellows, he raises to you a wail; O lady, in sadness of heart I raise to you my piteous cry, "How long? To your servant who suffers painfavor grant him! Turn your gaze upon him, receive his entreaty! To your servant with whom you are angrybe favorable unto him! O lady, my hands are bound, I turn to you! For the sake of the exalted warrior, Shamash, your beloved husband, take away my bonds!
Through a long life let me walk before you! My god brings before you a lamentation, let your heart be appeased! My goddess utters to you a prayer, let your anger be quieted! The exalted warrior, Anu, your beloved spouse,may he present my prayer to you! Shamash, god of justice, may he present my prayer to you! Let your anger be pacified", may he say to you! Your heart like the heart of a mother who has brought forth, may it rejoice!
Like a father who has begotten a child, may it be glad! As the goddess of war and strife, she held the title Ninkur-ra-igi-ga, "the queen who eyes the highland" meaning that other lands feared her. Battle was called the "dance of Inanna, and she was at the very heart of it.
She was "the star of the battle-cry, who can make brothers who have lived together in harmony fight each other". After Enlil had slaughtered the land of Unug in the dust as if it were a mighty bull, he gave the south as far as the highlands to Sargon, king of Agade. At that time, holy Inana established the sanctuary of Agade as her celebrated woman's domain; she set up her throne in Ulmac.
Inanna got Ea drunk and got the power of the ME away from Ea. She would use such powers as that of "the eldership, musical worship and kissing the phallus" to enhance her own kingdom.
She endowed its old women with the gift of giving counsel, she endowed its old men with the gift of eloquence. She endowed its young women with the gift of entertaining, she endowed its young men with martial might, she endowed its little ones with joy. Inside the city tigi drums sounded; outside it, flutes and zamzam instruments. Its harbour where ships moored was full of joy.
All foreign lands rested contentedly, and their people experienced happiness. Its king, the shepherd Naram- Suen, rose as the daylight on the holy throne of Agade.
Its city wall, like a mountain, reached the heavens. It was like the Tigris going to the sea as holy Inana opened the portals of its city-gates and made Sumer bring its own possessions upstream by boats.
The highland Martu, people ignorant of agriculture, brought spirited cattle and kids for her. The Meluhans, the people of the black land, brought exotic wares up to her. Elam and Subir loaded themselves with goods for her as if they were packasses. All the governors, the temple administrators, and the accountants of the Gu-edina regularly supplied the monthly and New Year offerings. Holy Inana could hardly receive all these offerings. As if she were a citizen there, she could not restrain the desire to prepare the ground for a temple.
But the statement coming from the E-kur was disquieting. Because of Enlil all Agade was reduced to trembling, and terror befell Inana in Ulmac. She left the city, returning to her home. Holy Inana abandoned the sanctuary of Agade like someone abandoning the young women of her woman's domain. Like a warrior hurrying to arms, she removed the gift of battle and fight from the city and handed them over to the enemy. Enki took away its wisdom.
Anu took up into the midst of heaven its fearsomeness that reaches heaven. Enki tore out its well-anchored holy mooring pole from the abzu.
0コメント