Most ancient and terrible shrine,
set deep in the mountain,
dark like a mother's womb ...
Dark shrine,
like a mother's wounded breast,
blood-red and terrifying ...
Though approaching through a safe-seeming field,
our hair stands on end as we near you!
Gishbanda,
like a neck-stock,
like a fine-eyed fish net,
like a foot-shackled prisoner's manacles ...
your ramparts are massive,
like a trap!
But once we’re inside,
as the sun rises,
you yield widespread abundance!
Your prince
is the pure-handed priest of Inanna, heaven's Holy One,
Lord Ningishzida!
Oh, see how his thick, lustrous hair
cascades down his back!
Oh Gishbanda,
he has built this beautiful temple to house your radiance!
He has placed his throne upon your dais!
Enheduanna (c. 2285-2250 BC) Akkadian Empire (Modern Iraq)
Translated by Michael R. Burch
Source: The HyperTexts
Ningishzida was a deity of the Netherworld - the chair-bearer who carried notable persons to their destination
The image on the left depicts Enheduanna from "The Disk of Enheduanna" found in a chamber of the Larsa temple of Nin-Gal (the Gig-par-ku), dating from 2350-2300 BC (source: Wikimedia Commons). She was the daughter of the famous King Sargon the Great of Akkad and priestess of the moon god Nanna (Sīn) in the Sumerian city-state of Ur
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please keep your comments relevant and free from abusive language. Thank you. Note that comments are moderated so it may be a day or two before your comment is posted - irrelevant or abusive comments will not be published.