Cor Hendriks – The Macaws (29): The Anzu bird

29 mei 2020Hendriks, Home, Locatie0

The lion headed eagle Anzu (https://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Anzu) sitting in the top of the tree has an epic called after him The Epic of Anzu, known in two versions. The first version (in Standard Babylonian from the first millennium BC) is A song of praise for Ninurta, ‘who conquered soaring Anzu with his weapon’, among other heroic feats. The epic takes us back to A time when the creation was not yet completed.

‘Until now, no dais had been created for the Igigi’, (see https://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Igigi Seven Gods who decree)

and

‘Rivers were formed – the Tigris, the Euphrates –
But springs (?) had not yet sent their water to the land’.

In those days

‘All the Igigi gathered
To Ellil (https://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Enlil) their Father, Warrior of the Gods,
They, his sons, brought A report.’

Unfortunately the report they bring is rather damaged, but has to do with the birth of Anzu (‘On Hehe, A wooded mountain’), who has ‘A beak like A saw’, ‘eleven coats of mail (?)’. ‘The mountains [tremble (?)] at his shout’. And there is much talk of wind.

‘The South wind (…)
The powerful (…) wind (…)
The mass (…)
Whirlwinds (…)
They met and (…)
The four winds (…)’

Ellil (see for Duranki https://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Ekur), the

‘Father of the Gods, Duranki S God, looked at him,
But kept his thoughts to himself.
He studied Anzu closely (…)
He considered (…)
“Who gave birth to (…)?
Why is this (…)?”
Ea answered his heart searching,
The far sighted one [= Ea] addressed his words to Ellil.
“Surely water of the spate [begot Anzu],
Holy water of the Gods of Apsu [= the Abyss].
Broad Earth conceived him,
And he was born from mountain rocks.
You have looked at Anzu himself (…)
Let him serve you and never [cease]!
In the hall let him bar the way to the innermost chamber, forever.”
(gap of two or three lines)
(…) the words spoken to him.
He (Ellil) took A cult centre (…)
And administered the Orders of all the Gods.
He made an extra (?) fate, and Anzu administered (?) it.
Ellil appointed him to the entrance of the chamber which he had perfected.
He would bathe in holy water in his presence.
His eyes would gaze at the trapping of Ellil power.
His Lordly Crown, his robe of divinity,
The Tablet of Destinies in his hands. Anzu gazed,
And gazed at Duranki S God, Father of the Gods,
And fixed his purpose, to usurp the Ellil power.
Anzu often gazed at Duranki S God, Father of the Gods,
And fixed his purpose, to usurp the Ellil power.
“I shall take the Gods’ Tablet of Destinies for myself
And control the Orders for all the Gods.
And shall possess the Throne and be Master of rites!
I shall direct every one of the Igigi!”
He plotted opposition in his heart
And at the chamber S entrance from which he often gazed,
he waited for the start of the day.
While Ellil was bathing in the holy water,
Stripped and with his Crown laid down on the Throne,
He gained the Tablet of Destinies for himself,
Took away the Ellil power. Rites were abandoned,
Anzu flew off and went into hiding.
Radiance faded (?), silence reigned.
Father Ellil, their counsellor, was dumbstruck,
For he (Anzu) had stripped the chamber of its radiance.
The Gods of the land searched high and low for A solution.’

So what happened was that A new ‘God’ was born, Anzu, among A great show of power, making an impression on the Gods (the Igigi), whereupon Ea, the smartest of the Gods, gives the advice, to give him (Anzu) A job, A position among the Gods. So Anzu was admitted to the innermost chamber of power, where he had the possibility to rob Ellil of his power, laid down in the Tablet of Destinies, which he took and brought to his hide out. The result was that the Earth was wrapped in gloom and doom, so the Gods have to take action.

‘Anu made his voice heard and spoke,
Addressed the Gods his sons
“Whichever [God] slays Anzu
Will make our name great in all populated lands!”
They called the canal controller, Anu S son,
The decision maker (= Anu) spoke to him
“Powerful Adad, ferocious Adad, your attack cannot be deflected;
Strike Anzu with lightning, your weapon!
Your name shall be great in the great Gods’ assembly,
You shall have no rival among the Gods your brothers.
Then surely shall shrines be created!
Establish(ed will be) your cult centres all over the four quarters!
Your cult centres shall enter Ekur!
Show prowess to the Gods, and your name shall be Powerful!”
Adad (the ‘storm God’) answered the speech,
Addressed his words to Anu his Father.
“Father, who would rush off to the inaccessible mountain?
Which of the Gods your sons will be Anzu S conqueror?
For he has gained the Tablet of Destinies for himself,
Has taken away the Ellil power: rites are abandonded!
Anzu flew off and went into hiding!
His utterance has replaced that of Duranki S God!
He has only to command, and whoever he curses turns to clay!
At his utterance the Gods (must now) tremble!”
He turned away, saying he would not make the expedition.’

So the first one, Adad, the son of Anu, refuses to go up against Anzu, being too formidable for him, because Anzu has now the power of Ellil, the control over the cosmos. Then Anu, the decision maker asks Gerra, Anunitu S son, the God of fire, to burn Anzu with fire, his weapon, and promises him the same benefits he promised Adad. But Gerra gives the same answer as Adad, and then Shara, Ishtar’s son, is called upon, but he also turns away, saying he would not make the expedition. The Gods are in serious trouble now all their heroes refuse to go up against Anzu.

‘The Gods fell silent and despaired of advice.
The Igigi grew despondent where they sat, troubled.
The Lord of intelligence [= Ea], wise one who dwells in the Apsu,
Formed an idea in the depths of his being;
Ea formed intelligence in his heart.
He told Anu he was thinking in his inmost being.
“Let me give Orders and search among the Gods,
And pick from the assembly Anzu S conqueror.
I myself shall search among the Gods
And pick from the assembly Anzu S conqueror.”
The Igigi listened to this speech of his;
The Igigi were freed (from anxiety) and kissed his feet.
The far sighted one made his voice heard and spoke,
Addressed his words to Anu and Dagan.
“Have them call for me Belet ili [the wife of Ellil], sister of the Gods,
Wise counsellor of the Gods her brothers.
Have them announce her supremacy in the assembly,
Have the Gods honour her in their assembly;
I shall then tell her the idea which is in my heart.”
They called Belet ili, sister of the Gods, to him,
Wise counsellor of the Gods her brothers.
They announced her supremacy in the assembly,
The Gods honoured her in their assembly.
(Then) Ea told the idea in the depths of his inmost being.
“Previously [we called you] Mami
But now [we call you] Mistress of All Gods.
Offer the powerful one, your superb beloved (son),
Broad of chest, who forms the battle array!
Give Ninurta, your superb beloved (son),
Broad of chest, who forms the battle array.
[Then shall his name be] Lord in the great Gods’ assembly.
Let him show prowess to [the Gods, that his name may be Powerful],
[Let his name be great] in all populated lands, (…)”

The following is fragmentary, but the same promises made to the other heroes are now made to Ninurta.

‘[Mami listened to this speech of his],
[And Belet ili the Supreme uttered “Yes”].
[The Gods of the land were glad at her utterance];
[The Igigi were freed (from anxiety) and kissed her feet.]
[She called her son into the Gods’ assembly,]
And instructed her favourite, saying to him
“In the presence of Anu and Dagan,
[They announced] the course of [their rites in the assembly].
[I gave birth to all] the Igigi,
I created every [single one of the Anunnaki],
[Assigned the Ellil power [to my brother (= Ellil)],
[Designated] the Kingship of Heaven for Anu.
Anzu has disrupted the Kingship that I designated!
He has obtained for himself the Tablet of Destinies (…)
He has robbed Ellil; he rejected your Father,
Stole the rites and turned them to his own use.”’

The speech of Belet ili to her (and Ellil’s) son Ninurta continues on the second of the three tablets of the epic.

‘“Make (?) A path, fix the hour,
Let light dawn for the Gods whom I created.
Muster your devastating battle force,
Make your evil winds flash as they march over him.
Capture soaring Anzu
And inundate the Earth, which I created – wreck his dwelling.
Let terror thunder above him,
Let fear (of ?) your battle force shake in (?) him,
Make the devastating whirlwind rise up against him.
Set your arrow in the bow, coat it with poison.
Your form must keep changing, like a gallu demon.
Send out A fog, so that he cannot recognize your features!
May your rays proceed above him.
Make A high, attacking leap, have glare
More powerful than Shamash generates.
May broad daylight turn to darkness for him.
Seize him by the throat: conquer Anzu,
And let the winds bring his feathers as good news
To Ekur, to your father Ellil’s house.
Rush and inundate the mountain pastures
And slit the throat of wicked Anzu.
Then shall Kingship enter Ekur again,
Then shall rites return for the Father who begot you [this is Ellil]!
Then surely shall shrines be created!
Establish[ed will be] your cult centres all over the four quarters!
Your cult centres shall enter Ekur!
Show prowess to the Gods and your name shall be Powerful!”’

This last part is the same promise as was made by Anu to the three heroes.

‘The Warrior listened to his mother S words.
He hunched (?) in trepidation, and went into hiding [= incognito, undercover].
The Lord [= Ninurta] marshalled the Seven of Battle,
The Warrior marshalled the seven evil winds,
Who dance in the dust, the seven whirlwinds.
He Mastered A battle array, made War with A terrifying formation;
Even the gales were silent at his side, (poised) for conflict.
On the mountainside Anzu and Ninurta met.
Anzu looked at him and shook with rage at him,
Bared his teeth like an ūmu demon;
his mantle of radiance covered the mountain,
He roared like A lion in sudden rage,
In utter fury shouted to the Warrior
“I have taken away every single rite
And I am in charge of all the Gods’ Orders!
Who are you, to come to do battle against me?
Give me your reasons!”
Insolently his speech rushed out at him.
The Warrior Ninurta answered Anzu.
“I am the [avenger (?)] of Duranki’s God,
Who established Duranki, the (…) of the broad Earth of (?) Ea King of Destinies.
I have come to (…) to battle against you, to trample on you!”
Anzu listened to his speech,
Then hurled his shout furiously amid the mountains,
Darkness fell upon the mountain, their faces were overcast.
Shamash, the light of the Gods, was overcast with darkness.
Adad roared like A lion (?), his din joined that of Anzu.
A clash between battle arrays was imminent, the flood weapon massed (?).
The armour plated breast (?) was bathed in blood.
Clouds of death rained down, an arrow flashed lightning,
Whizzed, the battle force roared between them.
The powerful, superb one, Mami S son,
Trusted of Anu and Dagan, beloved of the far sighted one,
Set the shaft to the bow, drew it taut,
Aimed (?) the shaft at him from the bow’s curve.
But it did not go near Anzu: the shaft turned back.
Anzu shouted at him.
“You, shaft that came: return to your reed thicket!
Bow frame: back to your copse!
Bow string: back to the ram’s gut!
Feathers, return to the birds!”
He was holding the Gods’ Tablet of Destinies in his hand,
And they (the Destinies) influenced (?) the string of the bow;
the arrows did not come near his body.
Deadly silence came over the battle, and conflict ceased.
Weapons stopped and did not capture Anzu amid the mountains.’

The first round has been won by Anzu who was able with the Tablet of Destinies to deflect all of Ninurta S arrows, so he has to come up with another strategy.

‘He shouted out and instructed Sharur.
“Repeat to far sighted Ea the actions you have seen!
The Lord S message is: Ninurta was encircling Anzu
And Ninurta the Warrior was wrapped in devastation S dust.
But when he set the shaft to the bow S curve,
It did not go near Anzu: the shaft turned back
As Anzu shouted at it.
‘You, shaft that came: return to your reed thicket (et cetera).’
He was holding the Gods’ Tablet of Destinies in his hand,
And they influenced (?) the string of the bow;
the arrows did not come near his body.
Deadly silence came over the battle, and conflict ceased.
Weapons stopped and did not capture Anzu amid the mountains.”
Sharur bowed, took the message,
Carried the battle dispatch to farm sighted Ea.
Everything the Lord had told him, he repeated to Ea.’

Here follows the message as above.

‘The far sighted one listened to his son S words,
Called out and instructed Sharur “Repeat to your Lord what I say,
And everything I tell you, repeat to him:
Don’t let the battle slacken, press home your victory!
Tire him out so that he sheds his pinions in the clash of tempests.
Take A throw stick (?) to follow your arrows
And cut off his pinions, detach both right and left.
When he sees his wings and emits (?) his utterance,
Shouts ‘Wing to wing’, don T panic.
Draw taut from the curve of your bow, let shafts fly like lightning,
Let the wing feathers dance like butterflies (?).
Seize him by the throat (?), conquer Anzu
And let the winds bring his feathers as good news
To Ekur, to your Father Ellil’s house.
Rush and inundate the mountain pastures
And slit the throat of the wicked Anzu.
Then shall Kingship enter Ekur again,
Then shall rites return for the Father who begot you!
Then surely shall shrines be created (et cetera)”’

The speech has much in common with the one Ninurta S mother gave.

‘Sharur bowed, took the message,
Carried the battle dispatch to his Lord.
Everything Ea told him, he repeated to him.’

And then follow the words of Ea.

‘The Lord listened to the words of far sighted Ea.
He hunched (?) in trepidation, and went into hiding.
The Lord marshalled the Seven of Battle’

(et cetera), the seven evil winds, the seven whirlwinds we saw before that form his battle array. We come now to the third tablet of which the first three lines are fragmentary. The battle is already going down; we read about

‘Devastation (…)
A heatwave blazed, confusion (?) (…)
A tempest (…) to the four winds,
Weapons slew (?) the protection of frost,
Both were bathed in the sweat of battle.
Anzu grew weary and in the clash of tempests shed his pinions.
He (Ninurta) took A throw stick (?) to follow his arrows
And cut of his pinions, detached both right and left.
He (Anzu) saw his wings, and emitted his utterance,
But as he shouted “Wing to wing”, A shaft came up (?) at him,
A dart passed through his very heart.
He (Ninurta) made an arrow pass through pinion and wing,
A dart passed through heart and lungs.
He slew the mountains, inundated their proud pastures;
Ninurta slew the mountains, inundated their proud pastures,
Inundated the broad Earth in his fury,
Inundated the midst of the mountains, slew wicked Anzu.
And Warrior Ninurta regained the Gods’ Tablet of Destinies for his own hand.
As A sign of his good news,
The wind brought Anzu’s feathers.
Dagan saw this sign and rejoiced,
Called all the Gods and joyfully he spoke.
“The strong one has indeed slain (?) Anzu on his mountain,
Has regained for his own hands the (…) S of Anum and Dagan.
Come! Let him come to us,
Let him rejoice, play, make merry.
[Gather (?)] the Gods his brothers and hear secrets.
[Hear (?)] the secrets of the Gods.
Let [Ellil (?)], the [leader (?)] of the Gods his brothers, bestow on him the rites.”
[Ellil (?)] made his voice heard and spoke,
Addressed his words to Dagan.
“(…) water (…)
[When] he (…) (…) he took.
When he slew wicked Anzu in the midst of the mountains,
Warrior Ninurta regained the Gods’ Tablet of Destinies for his own hands.
Send for him and let him come to you.
Let him place the Tablet of Destinies in your lap.”
Ellil made his voice heard and spoke,
Addressed his words to Nusku his vizier.
“Nusku, go outside,
Bring Birdu into my presence.”
Nusku went outside,
Brought Birdu into Ellil S presence.
Ellil made his voice heard and spoke,
Adressed his words to Birdu
“Birdu, I shall send you, I shall (…)”’

Here is A gap of A few lines, wherein Birdu goes to Ninurta.

‘Ninurta made his voice heard and spoke,
Addressed his words to Birdu: “Birdu, why have you come here
So aggressively?”
Birdu made his voice heard and spoke,
Adressed his words to Ninurta his Lord:
“My Lord, Ellil your Father
Sent me to you (…) to say:
The Gods have heard
That you slew wicked Anzu amid the mountains.
They rejoiced, were glad and (…)
Made me come to your presence and [said]
Go to him. That he may (…)”

Here follows A great gap after which it is unclear whether Birdu is still speaking. It amounts to A song of praise for Ninurta.

‘Let him (Ellil) in his powerfulness gaze upon wicked Anzu (in Ekur).
Warrior, in your powerfulness, when you slew the mountain,
You captured Anzu, slew him in your powerfulness,
Slew soaring Anzu in his powerfulness.
Because you were so brave and slew the mountain,
You made all foes kneel at the feet of Ellil your Father.
Ninurta, because you were so brave and slew the mountain,
You made all foes kneel at the feet of Ellil your Father,
You have won complete dominion, every single rite.
Who was ever created like you? The mountain’s rites
Are proclaimed (? Taken over!), the shrines of the Gods of fates granted to you.
They call upon Nissaba for your purification ceremony.
They call your name in the furrow NINGIRSU.
They designate for you the entire shepherding of peoples,
Give you great (?) names as DUKU (?) for Kingship.
In Elam they give your name as HURABTIL,
They speak of you as SHUSHINAK in Susa.
Your name in Anu S [court (?)] they give as LORD OF THE SECRET.’

There follow more names of Ninurta in other places, mostly not translated, but one of them is ‘LORD OF THE BOUNDARY ARROW’, which reMinds of the boundary shooting contest in Indian mythology.[Dalley 1991, p. 205 – 221].

Layard – Bas reliefs from the entrance to A small temple at Nimrud (foto oracc.museum.upenn)

The Old Babylonian version of the Epic of Anzu is missing the first tablet. On tablet II Anzu has already stolen the Tablet of Destinies.

‘He stole the Ellil power, rites were abandoned,
Father Ellil their counsellor was dumbstruck.
Radiance faded (?), silence reigned.
Every one of the Igigi was thrown into confusion,
For he had stripped the chamber of its radiance.
The Gods of the land assembled for A solution;
Anum made his voice heard,
Addressed the Gods his sons “Whichever God slays Anzum,
I shall make his name greatest of all!”’

The first they call is Adad; but he has objections.

‘He addressed his words to Anum.
“Father, who could rush off to the inaccessible mountain?
Which of your sons will be Anzum S conqueror?
For he has robbed Duranki’s God of the rites.
[He flew off (?)] into hiding and waited (? remained).
[His utterance has] replaced that of Duranki’s God.
[Whoever he curses] turns to clay!
At his utterance the Gods must now tremble!”
He turned away, saying he would not make the expedition.’

They called Gerra, then Shara, with the same result.

‘They were silenced, the Gods despaired of advice.
The Igigi assembled, despondent, troubled.
The Lord of intelligence, wise one who dwells in the Apsu,
Spoke to his Father (Anum) from his heart.
“Let me give the command and pick from the assembly Anzum’s conqueror.”
The Igigi listened to him saying this.
They were freed (from anxiety) and kissed his feet.
[He called (?)] the Great Goddess Mistress of (…)
and announced her supremacy in the assembly.
“Offer the powerful one, your superb beloved (son),
Broad of chest, who forms the Seven of Battle,
Ningirsu [= Ninurta] the powerful one, your superb beloved,
Broad of chest, who forms the Seven of Battle.”
The Great Goddess, the supreme, listened to his saying this, and uttered “Yes.”
The Gods of the land were glad at her utterance;
they were freed (from anxiety) and kissed her feet.
She called into the Gods’ assembly
Her son; she instructed her favourite, saying to him
“In the presence of Anum and Dagan (…)
They announced the course of their rites in the assembly.
I gave birth to all the Igigi,
Created the Gods’ assembly, I, Mammi,
Designated the Ellil power for my brother, even Kingship of Heaven for Anum.
[Anzu has disrupted] the Kingship that I designated.
He has rob[bed Ellil], rejected your Father.
[Make (?)] a path, fix the hour,
Let light dawn for the Gods whom I created.
Muster your devastating battle force,
Let your seven evil winds concentrate on (…)
Conquer soaring Anzum,
And give peace to the Earth, which I created – wreck (?) his dwelling.
Let terror move over him,
Let fear of (?) your battle force shake [in (?) him].
(two lines missing)
Make the devastating whirlwind rise up against him,
Set your arrow in the bow to carry poison.
Make your shouted curse cast panic over him.
May he grope through the darkness, let his vision weaken and fail.
May he not flee from you, may his pinions fall in the clash.
Your face must keep changing, like a gallu demon!
Send out A fog, so that he cannot recognize your features.
May the Moon S crescent not glow overhead,
let broad daylight be as darkness for him.
Seize him by the throat; conquer Anzum.
And let the winds bring the feathers as good news
To Ekur, to your Father Ellil.
Let the winds bring the feathers as good news.”
The Warrior listened to his mother S speech.
Keen for the fight, he felt powerful enough: he went back to the mountain (?).
She who harnesses the seven demons of wind (?),
Who dance in the dust, the seven whirlwinds,
[The Great Goddess] who harnesses the seven demons of wind (?)
Mustered his devastating battle force.
(…) the Gods (?) concentrate (?) on (…)
On the side of Anzum’s mountain, the God met [him].
Anzum looked at him and shook with rage at him.
He charged (?), baring his teeth like an ūmu demon;
his mantle of radiance surrounded the mountain.’

Here ends tablet II, while tablet III repeats the last sentences, and then continues.

‘[He roared] like A lion in sudden rage.
[In utter fury] he shouted to the Warrior.
“[I have taken away] every single rite!
[Who are you,] to come to do [battle] against me?
[Give] your reasons!”
His utterance [came out aggressively at him]
The Warrior Ningirsu answered Anzum.
“[I am the avenger (?) of] Duranki S God,
who established Duranki, who decreed destinies.
I have come [to (…) do battle against you,] to trample on you!
(… ) whirlwinds, armour.”
[Anzum listened to] his speech,
Then roared his shout furiously amid the mountains.
[The armour plated breast] was bathed in blood,
The battle force [whizzed and] roared [between them].
[The powerful, superb one,] Mammi’s [son], trusted of Anum and Dagan,
beloved of the far sighted one,
Set the shaft to the bow, aimed it at him;
but it did not go near Anzum: the shaft turned back.
Anzum shouted at it “You, shaft, that came: return to your reedthicket!”’

This is followed by A great gap of about 46 lines, and when we come back we are in the advice given by Ea to our hero.

‘“[Cut off his pinions, detach both] right [and left (wing)].
[When he sees and emits] his utterance,
[Shouts ‘Wing to wing,’ (?)], don T panic!
Inundate [the mountain pastures], cause confusion.
(…) [cut (?)] his throat.
[Then shall Kingship enter] Ekur again.
Then shall rites return for the Father who begot you!
[Then surely shall] shrines be created!
Establish[ed will be] your cult centres [over the four quarters!]”
The God listened to his Father S message
Keen for the light, he felt powerful enough, and went back to [the mountain (?)].
[The God] prepared the Seven of battle;
he (…) the four winds.
(…) the Earth quaked, tremors filled it.
His (…) grew overcast, the sky darkened (?).
He tired him out, so that Anzum [shed] his pinions in the slash of the tempest.’

Here the text breaks off [Dalley 1991, 222 – 226].

For more information and pictures about Anzu, see http://ORACC.Museum.upenn.edu/Nimrud/livesofobjects/anzu/index.html.

For comparative notes, see http://Melammu–Project.EU/database/gen_html/a0001235.html and http://ChimeraMyth.blogspot.com/2014/11/Chimera-origins-of-myth.html.

References

Dalley, Stephanie (edited by), Myths from Mesopotamia, Oxford, New York, 1991 (= 1989).

Layard – Bas reliefs from the entrance to A small temple at Nimrud (foto oracc.museum.upenn)

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