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1-6Goddess of thefearsome divine powers, clad in terror, riding on the great divine powers,Inana, made complete by the strength of the holyankar weapon, drenched in blood, rushing around in great battles, withshield resting on the ground (?), covered in storm and flood, great lady
7-9In heaven and onearth you roar like a lion and devastate the people. Like a huge wild bull youtriumph over lands which are hostile. Like a fearsome lion you pacify theinsubordinate and unsubmissive with your gall.
10-22My lady, on youracquiring the stature of heaven, maidenInana, on yourbecoming as magnificent as the earth, on your coming forth likeUtu the king and stretching your arms wide, on your walking inheaven and wearing fearsome terror, on your wearing daylight and brilliance onearth, on your walking in the mountain ranges and bringing forth beaming rays,on your bathing thegirin plants of the mountains (in light), on yourgiving birth to the bright mountain, the mountain, the holy place, on your......, on your being strong with the mace like a joyful lord, like anenthusiastic (?) lord, on your exulting in such battle like a destructiveweapon -- the black-headed people ring out in song and all the lands sing theirsong sweetly.
23-24I shall praisethe lady of battle, the great child ofSuen, maidenInana.
25-32 (Inana announced:) "When I, the goddess, was walking around inheaven, walking around on earth, when I,Inana, waswalking around in heaven, walking around on earth, when I was walking around inElam andSubir, when I waswalking around in theLulubi mountains, when I turnedtowards the centre of the mountains, as I, the goddess, approached the mountainit showed me no respect, as I,Inana, approached themountain it showed me no respect, as I approached the mountain range of
33-36"Since theyshowed me no respect, since they did not put their noses to the ground for me,since they did not rub their lips in the dust for me, I shall personally fillthe soaring mountain range with my terror.
37-40"Against itsmagnificent sides I shall place magnificent battering-rams, against its smallsides I shall place small battering-rams. I shall storm it and start the 'game'of holyInana. In the mountain range I shall startbattles and prepare conflicts.
41-44"I shall preparearrows in the quiver. I shall ...... slingstones with the rope. I shall beginthe polishing of my lance. I shall prepare the throwstick and the shield.
45-48"I shall set fireto its thick forests. I shall take an axe to its evil-doing. I shall make
49-52"Like a citywhichAn has cursed, may it never be restored. Like acity at whichEnlil has frowned, may it never againlift its neck up. May the mountain tremble when I approach. MayEbih give me honour and praise me."
53-58Inana, the child ofSuen, put on thegarment of royalty and girded herself in joy. She bedecked her forehead withterror and fearsome radiance. She arranged cornelian rosettes around her holythroat. She brandished the seven-headedcita weapon vigorously to herright and placed straps of lapis lazuli on her feet.
59-61At dusk she cameforth regally and followed the path to the Gate of Wonder. She made an offeringtoAn and addressed a prayer to him.
62-64An, in delight atInana, stepped forwardand took his place. He filled the seat of honour of heaven.
65-69 (Inana announced:) "An, my father, I greetyou! Lend your ear to my words. You have made me terrifying among the deitiesin heaven. Owing to you my word has no rival in heaven or on earth. You havegiven me the ...... and thecilig weapon, theantibal andmansium emblems.
70-79"To set thesocle in position and make the throne and foundation firm, to carry the mightof thecita weapon which bends like amubum tree, to hold theground with the sixfold yoke, to extend the thighs with the fourfold yoke, topursue murderous raids and widespread miltary campaigns, to appear to thosekings in the ...... of heaven like moonlight, to shoot the arrow from the armand fall on fields, orchards and forests like the tooth of the locust, to takethe harrow to rebel lands, to remove the locks from their city gates so thedoors stand open -- KingAn, you have indeed given meall this, and .......
80-82"You have placedme at the right hand of the king in order to destroy rebel lands: may he, withmy aid, smash heads like a falcon in the foothills of the mountain, King
83-88"May he destroythe lands as a snake in a crevice. May he make them slither around like asajkal snake coming down from a mountain. May he establish control overthe mountain, examine it and know its length. May he go out on the holycampaign ofAn and know its depth. The gods ......,since theAnuna deities have .......
89-95"How can it bethat the mountain did not fear me in heaven and on earth, that the mountain didnot fear me,Inana, in heaven and on earth, that themountain range ofEbih, the mountain, did not fear mein heaven and on earth? Because it showed me no respect, because it did not putits nose to the ground, because it did not rub its lips in the dust, may I fillmy hand with the soaring mountain range and hand it over to my terror.
96-99"Against itsmagnificent sides let me place magnificent battering rams, against its smallsides let me place small battering rams. Let me storm it and start the 'game'of holyInana. In the mountain range let me set upbattle and prepare conflicts.
100-103"Let meprepare arrows in the quiver. Let me ...... slingstones with the rope. Let mebegin the polishing of my lance. Let me prepare the throwstick and theshield.
104-107"Let me setfire to its thick forests. Let me take an axe to its evil-doing. Let me makeGibil, the purifier, bare his holy teeth at itswatercourses. Let me spread this terror through the inaccessible mountain rangeAratta.
108-111"Like a citywhichAn has cursed, may it never be restored. Like acity at whichEnlil has frowned, may it never againlift its neck up. May the mountain tremble when I approach. MayEbih give me honour and praise me."
112-115An, the king of the deities, answered her: "My little one demandsthe destruction of this mountain -- what is she taking on?Inana demands the destruction of this mountain -- what is shetaking on? She demands the destruction of this mountain -- what is she takingon?
116-120"It haspoured fearsome terror on the abodes of the gods. It has spread fear among theholy dwellings of theAnuna deities. It has poured itsterror and ferocity over this land. It has poured the mountain range's radianceand fear over all the lands. Its arrogance extends grandly to the centre ofheaven.
121-126"Fruit hangsin its flourishing gardens and luxuriance spreads forth. Its magnificent treesare themselves a source of wonder to the roots of heaven. InEbih ...... lions are abundant under the canopy of trees and brightbranches. It makes wild rams and stags freely abundant. It stands wild bulls inflourishing grass. Deer couple among the cypress trees of the mountainrange.
127-130"You cannotpass through its terror and fear. The mountain range's radiance is fearsome.MaidenInana, you cannot oppose it." Thus he spoke.
131-137The mistress,in her rage and anger, opened the arsenal and pushed on the lapis lazuli gate.She brought out magnificent battle and called up a great storm. Holy
138-143My ladyconfronted the mountain range. She advanced step by step. She sharpened bothedges of her dagger. She grabbedEbih's neck as ifripping up esparto grass. She pressed the dagger's teeth into its interior. Sheroared like thunder.
144-151The rocksforming the body ofEbih clattered down its flanks.From its sides and crevices great serpents spat venom. She damned its forestsand cursed its trees. She killed its oak trees with drought. She poured fire onits flanks and made its smoke dense.The goddess established authority over themountain. HolyInana did as she wished.
152-159She went tothe mountain range ofEbih and addressed it: "Mountainrange, because of your elevation, because of your height, because of yourattractiveness, because of your beauty, because of your wearing a holy garment,because of your reaching up to heaven, because you did not put your nose to theground, because you did not rub your lips in the dust, I have killed you andbrought you low.
160-165"As with anelephant I have seized your tusks. As with a great wild bull I have brought youto the ground by your thick horns. As with a bull I have forced your greatstrength to the ground and pursued you savagely. I have made tears the norm inyour eyes. I have placed laments in your heart. Birds of sorrow are buildingnests on these flanks."
166-170For a secondtime, rejoicing in her fearsome terror, she spoke out righteously: "My fatherEnlil has poured my great terror over the centre of themountains. On my right side he has placed a weapon. On my left side a ...... isplaced. My anger, a harrow with great teeth, has torn the mountain apart.
171-175"I have builta palace and done much more. I have put a throne in place and made itsfoundation firm. I have given thekurjara cult performers a dagger andprod. I have given thegala cult performersub andlilisdrums. I have changed the headgear of thepilipili cult performers.
176-181"In myvictory I rushed towards the mountain. In my victory I rushed towards
182-183FordestroyingEbih, great child ofSuen, maidenInana, be praised.
184Nisaba be praised.
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04.ii.1998-20.ii.1998 : GC : adapting translation
24.ii.1998 : JAB : proofreading
03.v.1999 : JAB : minor corrections
03.vi.1999 : GZ : minor corrections, SGML tagging
17.vi.1999 : ER : proofreading SGML
17.vi.1999 : ER : converting to HTML 4.0
7.ix.2001 : ER : header and footer reformatted; substantive content of file notchanged