Legend of Etana

iconChapter - 2

1[ ] which he called [ ]....
2the High Water
3[ ] he had built a tower (?) [ ]
4[ ] shrine for Adad, the god [ ],
5In the shade of that shrine a poplar was growing [ ],
6In its crown an eagle settled,
7A serpent settled at its root.
8Daily they watched the wind beasts.
9The eagle made ready to speak, saying to the serpent,
10Come, let us make friendship,
11 Let us be comrades, you and I.
11The serpent made ready to speak, saying to the eagle,
12If indeed.... of friendship and [ ]
14 Then let us swear a mighty oath of Shamash.
15 An abomination of the gods [ ]
16 Come then, let us set forth and go up the high mountain to hunt.
13Let us swear an oath by the netherworld.
14Before Shamash the warrior they swore the oath,
15Whoever transgresses the limits of Shamash
20 May Shamash deliver him as an offender into the hands of the executioner,
16 Whoever transgresses the limits of Shamash,
22 May the mountains remove their praises far away from him,
17 May the oncoming weapon make straight for him,
24 May the trap and curse of Shamash overthrow him and hunt him down!"
18After they had sworn the oath by the netherworld,
19They set forth, going up the high mountains,
20Each day by turns watching for the wild beasts,
21The eagle would hunt down wild oxen and gazelle,
22The serpent would eat, turn away, then his children would eat.
23The eagle would hunt down wild sheep and aurochs,
24The serpent would eat, turn away, then his children would eat.
25The serpent would hunt down beasts of the field, the creatures of earth,
26The eagle would eat, turn away, then his children would eat the food,
27The eagle´s children grew big and flourished.
28After the eagle´s children were grown big and were flourishing,
29The eagle´s heart indeed plotted evil,
30Evil his heart plotted indeed!
31He set his thoughts upon eating his friend´s young!
32The eagle made ready to speak, saying to its children:
33 I will eat the serpent´s children, the serpent [ ],
41 I will go up and dwell in heaven,
34 If I descend from the crown of the tree, ... the king.
35The littlest fledgling, exceedingly wise, siad these words to the eagle, his father:
36 Do not eat, my father!
45 The net of Shamash will hunt you down,
46 The mesh and oat of Shamash will overthrow yu and hunt you down.
47 Whoever transgresses the limits of Shamash,
48 Shamash will deliver him as an offender into the hands of the executioner!
37He did not heed them, nor listen to his sons´ words,
38He descended and ate up the serpents´ children,
39In the evening of the same day,
40The serpent came, bearing his burden,
41At the entrance to his nest he cast down the meat,
42He looked around, his nest was gone"
43He looked down, his children were not [ ]!
44The eagle had gouged the ground with his talon,
45The cloud of dust from the sky darkened the sky.
46The serpent.... weeping before Shamash,
47Before Shamash the warrior his tears ran down,
48 I trusted in you, O warrior Shamash,
61 I was the one who gave provisions to the eagle,
49 Now my nest [ ]!
63 My nest is gone, while his nest is safe,
50 My young are destroyed, while his young are safe,
65 He descended and ate up my children!
51 You know, O Shamash, the evil he has done to me,
67 Truly, O Shamash your net is the wide earth,
52 Your trap is the distant heaven,
69 The eagle must not escape from your net,
53 That malignant Anzu who harbored evil against his friends!
54When he had heard the serpent´s lament,
55Shamash made ready to speak, and said to him:
56 Go your way and cross the mountain,
74 I have captured for you a wild ox.
57 Open its insides, rend its belly,
76 Set an ambush in its belly,
58 Every kind of bird of heaven will come down to eat the meat.
78 The eagle will come down with them to eat the meat,
59 As he will not know the evil in store for him,
80 He will search for the juiciest meat [ ], he will walk about outside,
60 He will work his way into the covering of the instestines,
82 When he comes inside, seize him by his wings,
61 Cut off his wings, his pinions and tailfeathers,
84 Pluck him and cast him into a bottomless pit,
62 Let him die there of hunger and thirst.
63As Shamash the warrior commanded,
64The serpent went and crossed the mountain.
65Then did the serpent reach the wild ox,
66He opened its insides, he rent its belly.
67He set an ambush in its belly.
68Every kind of bird of heaven came down to eat the meat.
69Did the eagle know of the evil in store for him?
70He would not eat the meat with the other birds!
71The eagle made ready to speak, saying to his children:
72 Come, let us go down and we too eat the meat of the wild ox.
73The little fledgling, exceedingly wise, said these words to the eagle, his father:
74 Do not go down, father, no doubt the serpent is lurking inside the wild ox.
75The eagle said to himself,
76Are the birds afraid? How is it they eat the meat in peace?
77He did not listen to them, he did not listen to his sons´ words,
78He descended and perched on the wild ox.
79The eagle looked at the meat, searching in front and behind it.
80A second tme he looked at the meat, searching in front and behind it,
81He walked around outside, he worked his way into the covering of the intestines,
82When he came inside, the serpent seized him by his wings,
83 You intruded... you intruded...!
107 The eagle made ready to speak, saying to the serpent:
108 Have mercy on me! I will make you such a gift as a king´s ransom!"
84The serpent made ready to speak, saying to the eagle:
85 If I release you, how shall I answer to Shamash o high?
111 Your punishment would turn upon me,
86 Me, the one to lay punishment upon you!
87He cut off his wings, pinions and tail feathers,
88He plucked him and cast him into a pit.
89That he should die there of hunger and thirst.
90As for him, the eagle,.....[ ]
91He kept on beseeching Shamash day after day:
92 Am I to die in a pit?
119 Who would know how your punishment was imposed upon me?
93 Save my life, the eagle!
121 Let me cause your name to be heard for all time.
94Shamash made ready to speak and said to the eagle:
95 You are wicked and have done a revolting deed,
124 You committed an abomination of the gods, a forbidden act.
96Were you not under oath? I will not come near you,
126 There, there! A man I will send you will help you"
97Etana kept on bseeching Shamash day after day.
98O Shamash, you have dined from my fattest sheep!
129 O Netherworld, you have drunk of the blood of my sacrificed lambs!
99 I have honored the gods and revered the spirits,
131 Dream intepreters have used up my incense,
100 Gods have used up my lambs in slaughter.
133 O Lord, give the command!
101 Grant me the plant of birth [of insight]!
135 Reveal to me the plant of birth [of insight]!
102 Relieve me of my burden, grant me an heir!
103Shamash made ready to speak and said to Etana:
104 Relieve me of my burden, grant me an heir!
105Shamash made ready to speak and said to Etana:
106 Find a pit, look inside,
141 An eagle is cast within it.
107 He will reveal to you the plant of birth.
108Etana went his way.
109He found the pit, he looked inside
110The eagle was cast within it
111There he was for him to bring up!