Ancient seal showing Ishtar in her martial aspect
By Lishtar
"Do
you ask your shadow what became of it during the night? Or ask the night about
your shadow?"
Edmond Jabés,
The Book of Questions.
Ancient seal showing
Ishtar in her martial aspect
The composition known as The Agushaya Hymn, or Ea and Saltu, belongs to the less well-known series of compositions involving Ishtar, the Great Goddess of Love and War of the Babylonians and Assyrians, beforehand known by the Sumerians as Inanna. Ea, the Assyrio-Babylonian god of the sweet fertilizing waters of the deep, patron of all crafts and magick, functions in the Hymn of Agushaya as the Dynamic Masculine and challenger of the young goddess, whereas Saltu or Strife, the mirror-image of Ishtar´s martial Self created by Enki, constitutes the catalyst for change in the young goddess.
In spite of the fact that the Agushaya Hymn is not very well-known, it constitutes a unique a composition in terms of content and structure, besides the fact that it portrays the goddess Ishtar in Her purely martial/aggressive aspect, being therefore of paramount importance to better apprehend the warrior aspect of the goddess, and how it was integrated by the people in the Ancient Near East. Rare is also a myth involving the Divine Feminine fighting a battle for inner balance with Her double, who graciously concedes defeat to the True Self in the end. The motive of confrontation with the Dark Self is nevertheless seen in another myth belonging to the Cycle of Inanna/Ishtar, or the Descent to the Underworld, when Inanna/Ishtar confronts Ereshkigal, the Great Goddess of the Underworld, and again is helped to return back to the world of the Living through Enki´s/Ea´s intercession. Last but not least, another remarkable feature of Ea and Saltu which has been overlooked in the literature is that Ishtar fights rebellious and belligerent Saltu using Her own strength, although Ea/Enki in both the Descent and in the Agushaya Hymn has a fundamental role to play.
It is therefore the intention of this article to analyze the myth of Ea, Ishtar and Saltu in the light of the following: a) the concept of the Shadow in Jungian Psychology, or the negative traits of one´s personality which can be repressed or unlived, both at individual and collective level; b) explore making of Saltu/Strife by Ea as a projection or shadow image of Ishtar, and 3) analyze the confrontation of Ishtar and Saltu in the light of the five stages of withdrawal of projection at both personal and collective levels, as demonstrated by Ishtar´s victory Her Shadow and the annual festivities instituted by Ea to celebrate Ishtar´s warrior character as the Agushaya. The present article invites further discussion of the themes it intends to discuss for an improved understanding of Mesopotamian worldview and the designs of civilization in the Ancient Near East.
The narrative is composed of two tablets of unknown origin, first preserved and published in 1913 by H. Zimmern (cuneiform text in Vorderasiatische Schriftdenmaehler, X, nº 214, study and translation). The second publication, which seems to have been sold out soon after it was released, was done in 1916 by P.V. Scheil (Le Poéme d´Agushaya, in the Revue d´Assyriologie, 15, 1918, p. 169). The hymn was reworked by Gronemberg in her thesis Untersuchungen zum hymnish-epishen Dialekt der altbabylonishen literarischen Texte. It is possible that the two tablets were not written by the same hands, but the translated text that follows tries to combine both tablets and attempts to represent, at least as far as translation and style allow us to, a very ancient poem.
The orthography of the poem can be traced back to the time of Hammurabi (1792-1750), is written in Akkadian, in an artificial literary dialect reserved to high poetry, of which we unfortunately do not have many extant documents. Perhaps the main characteristics of such poetic style is extreme concision. Nevertheless, despite the gaps, the hymn could be reconstructed, especially thanks to the efforts of Gronemberg mentioned above and Benjamin Foster (Ea and Saltu, in Essays on the Ancient Near East in Memory of J. J. Finkelstein, 1977). Of the complete two tablets, we have a little more than half of the original text, and these are the lines brought to you now from the original work published in French by Professors Jean Bottéro and Samuel Noah Kramer (1993) "Lorsque les dieux faisaient l´homme: mythologie mésopotamienne", Ed. Gallimard, Paris, translated here from the French into English by Lishtar.
It is possible that Ea and Saltu was composed during the later prosperous years of the reign of Hammurabi, in an attempt to remind the people of less peaceful earlier times and to celebrate an era of peace and progress which they hoped would come to stay. This assumption may be justified by the presence of the wise god Ea, who solves all conflicts using his intelligence, whereas Ishtar represents the drive and enthusiasm of a brave nation, who knows how to make war but has learnt to enjoy much more the periods of peace and prosperity.
To better appreciate the Agushaya Hym in the light of Jungian or Depth Psychology, there is a need to introduce a few Jungian concepts for the scope of the present essay. These concepts are defined in brief lines within the context of this analysis, and we urge readers to refer to the bibliography to apprehend the full implications and definitions of such concepts.
Basically, Depth Psychology according to Dr. Carl Jung proposes that in the totality of a human being, which he calls the self (whose multiplicity is part of the Self, or the totality of the Human Soul, the Divinity) there is first a conscious and an unconscious component, as well as a series of mental images or constructs, the archetypes. Archetypes can take many guises and have also a unique characteristics, in which they constitute fundamentally repeated forms that can be found in myth and religion since the beginning of times which have both social and spiritual power for the civilizations they refer to, and that can be studied down the ages among all peoples. The aim of Depth Psychology is for the human being to achieve Individuation. Individuation can be described as the process whereby we develop towards recognizing and becoming whole and integrated individuals, able to utilize our full potential. It is a process that continues throughout our lives, and in which four phases are usually recognized:
To confront Ishtar´s bellicose aspect, Ea, the God of the Sweet Waters, Magick and all Crafts, creates Inanna´s double from the dirt of his fingernails and call his creation Saltu or Strife. Thus, by creating a double to Ishtar, Ea in actual fact fashioned an image or a projection of the young martial goddess, so that when Ishtar confronted Saltu with HerSelf, the young Goddess could heal the unbalanced side of her personality by "defeating" or winning over Her strengths perceived as destructive by others. The Shadow in Jungian psychology does not constitute only of what one has failed to integrate in oneself, although it manifests just as often in rash and impulsive actions. (von Franz, Marie-Louise, 1999 and Jung, Carl Gustav Collected Works 5, Symbols of Transformation, 1954).
In Jungian terms, a projection can be an unconscious, that is, unperceived and unintentional, transfer of subjective psychic elements unto an outer object. Jung also says that what is projected is not only a memory image, but rather a sum of the characteristic qualities that constitutes a part of the person observed. Thus, in the case of this myth, Ea created Saltu from the dust of his fingernails, a projection of Ishtar who was the representation of the shadow or the exaggerated mirror of the Goddess in Her martial aspect. In dreams and myths, the shadow normally appears as a figure of the same Sex as of the being considered.
The confrontation of Ishtar and Saltu with the subsequent victory of the young martial goddess over her double can be described in Jungian terms as the process of withdrawal of projection (von Franz, Marie-Louise, 1980 and 1999). The withdrawal of projections is a process that requires insight into negative patterns of behavior and much integrity to adopt a new and wholer standpoint. Basically, it involves five stages:
a. Separation from the shadow image, in general represented by the stage of identification of the aspects that need to be changed, cut down or liberated ;
b. Differentiation, or consciousness of one´ true essence in comparison to what one sees, i.e. the stage where one realizes that one is not equal to one´s problems;
c. Moral evaluation - the assessment of patterns of behavior and ideas that should change;
d. Elucidation - in which the reality that had been believed is explained can be described as reflection
e. Moral integration of the aspects that should be reinforced, or the act of assimilation, which also occurs by reflection and understanding, or the realization that the shadow may contain elements that are valuable for life, and as such should be incorporated into life as a balanced source of inner wholeness and self-expression.
Thus, Ea and Saltu, or better still, Ea, Ishtar and Saltu is a rare example of a myth involving a goddess confronting and battling Her own projected shadow and through reflection, proceeding to integrate the values perceived as negative in a positive way for HerSelf, Her heavenly and earthly communities, where the main issues are differentiation, reflection and wholeness both at the personal and collective levels.
The first lines of the myth celebrate Ishtar as the greatest and most courageous of all goddesses, exalting Her powers, deeds, taste for war and boundless energy that disconcerts all. Thus, already in the beginning of the poem we have both the glorification of the goddess and the awe felt by all when contemplating Ishtar´s vitality and raw energy. Such is Ishtar´s power, that She is Sovereign to Her people and their rulers, the kings, and neither the great gods nor the Assembly of the Great Gods dare to resist Her.
II - Before
gods and kings, She "dances" /displays
All Her raw power
I sing praises to Ishtar,
The greatest of all Goddesses!
She who holds the Sacred Measures, the ME,
Sovereign
is Your Word
And your commands cannot be undone.
Neither the gods, nor the Assembly
Dare to resist Your Power!
The third column of the poem that follows elaborates on Ishtar´s bravery, courage as well as boundless enthusiasm: these gifts are related to the incitement of officers at battle, the rousing of officers and the liberation of armies, as well as the goddess´ ferocity in the fields. The text says explicitly that Ishtar´s enthusiasm in battle reveals Her true nature, and that this very nature is feared, because no one knows what the martial goddess can do with so much power. Now, the fact that is overlooked in the literature is that in actual fact we do not have an actual example of a negative display of Ishtar´s power and authority, as the goddess´ traits are mentioned only in general terms. Thus, what we have is the fear for the goddess´ actions before they actually manifest!
Thus, because the gods fear the strength of Ishtar´s warrior character in the sense that She may become unpredictable, they decide to go after Ea, the God of the Sweet Waters of the Deep, Lord of Magick and Crafts, also known by the Sumerians as Enki, for counsel.
Ea/Enki is the third most important god in the Mesopotamian pantheon, the god who represents the Spirit of Civilization, Resourcefulness and Soul of Mesopotamia, as much as Enlil, Lord Air/Wind, Ea´s older brother, represents Force and Authority, Absolute Rulership over the land of the gods and of living beings, the Divine Static Masculine.
Professor Bottéro (1992) says that Ea´s strengths are organization, control, as well as the promotion of life. To this end, Ea/Enki uses intelligence based on technical and practical solutions to foster and protect the supreme interests of both divine and human societies. Two other fundamental factors need to be introduced because they are seldom overlooked in the literature and they define Ea/Enki´s nature with greater accuracy: strength in proportion and empowerment.
Strength in proportion is mentioned by Dion Fortune and Gareth Knight (1998) as the precise application of force to achieve the best results, i.e. from a lion, it is going to be required the strength of a lion, from an ant, it is going to be asked the strength of an ant, no more no less. Enki´s application of strength in proportion can also be seen in the present myth. He creates Saltu or Strife, the mirror image of Ishtar in Her warrior character from the dirt off his fingernails, i.e. he gave Ishtar a double worthy and similar in strength to the brave Ishtar, no more no less.
The second fundamental factor that is overlooked in the literature and defines Ea´s/Enki´s actions is empowerment. Basically, Ea/Enki always provides the gods and humans alike with the tools, expertise or practical advice which, if put into use and followed to the letter, will enable whoever comes to him for counsel to succeed in their quests. Ea/Enki is the god who never denies anyone succor, even when this means He will have to go against the strict designs of Enlil, his older brother and the leading deity of the Sumerian pantheon.
Later in time, when Marduk becomes the leading deity of Babylon, Ea/Enki as Marduk´s father does not lose his prominence, although Enlil´s might is certainly transferred to Marduk, the champion of the Babylonian Creation myth, the Enuma Elish.
The fact that Ea/Enki acts by first by the supply of the tools to enable the best solutions with the minimum effort, i.e. He empowers us and challenges us to stretch our limits one more time, debunks the wrong notion that He is a trickster, a point which was raised in detail in Gateways in the essay on Enki in Lords of Passion, Wit, Magick and Joy or Mesopotamian Gods. Ea/Enki is, in actual fact, the Dynamic Non-Paternal Masculine, whose dynamism, insight and leadership qualities exercised for the good of all make the depth of his Divine Persona so difficult for some to grasp due to the fixation on the father-son duo present in world religion and myth. Ea/Enki never fathers anyone, because He is the mentor, the empowerer and trouble-shooter. for the greater good. Thus, Ea/Enki can be said to be the masculine vision of the Guide of Souls, whose gift of Grace teaches the value of the experience of being as a process that never ends.
Back to the analysis of Ea, Ishtar and Saltu. For all the above reasons, the gods go to him for counsel on how to deal with Ishtar without affronting the young goddess. Because 25 lines are missing at the end of column IV and 20 more lines are missing in the beginning of section V, when the text resumes, Ea is explaining to the gods that he will create an image or projection of Ishtar from the dirt of his nails so that the projected image could function as a mirror for Ishtar to confront HerSelf and hopefully tone down Her excesses. Saltu or Strife is created as the mirror image of the young goddess with some negative facets enhanced. Basically, Saltu is tall, self-assured, awesome, a master in the art of war, and taught by Ea himself on how to approach Ishtar without fear "to obey his commands" and most of all, to make the Lady of Ladies "see the ills of Her ways". Thus advises Ea Saltu:
Ea, the Wise, the SuperSage, gathered some words
To address to the heart of Strife.
He has given her a special sign,
The sign of Great Queen Ishtar:
"She will be very much HerSelf,
The Greatest of all Goddesses
She will reveal Her deeds,
She will reveal Her glory,
And then She wont retreat [concede you an inch of Her ground]
Her particular sign
Is the One of the Great Goddess,
The One who cannot be denied!
The One who rages [......]
When She sees [......]
Fearlessly.....
Gap of 11 lines
" You have spoken,
Your commands will prevail!
You will be the fiercest,
She is unique,
To HerSelf, this is the way She is!"
Two unclear lines
She will be proud of your [features]
So don´t give in when confronting the people´s Sovereign!
Thus, although Ea in fact is creating the conditions for Ishtar to be confronted by Saltu, there is honor and valor acknowledged for both Saltu and Ishtar as opponents to meet in equal conditions and ground. Professor Frymer-Kensky (1992) in her brief analysis of Ishtar and Saltu says the following:
"The issue is not one of superiority or inferiority; it is a matter of difference, of distinctiveness" ("In the Wake of the Goddesses", p. 142)
Twenty lines are missing in the beginning of Tablet II. However, it seems clear that Ishtar learns of the presence of Saltu/Strife and sends her faithful vizier Ninshubur to strategically verify by herself and come back with a full report on the figure of fierce Saltu.
"Go! [.....]
Give a command [....]
Go prepare yourself [.....]
Let us get to know the proofs of her might!
Study for me her case,
Learn her particular features,
And tell me what she does!
"Oh, Ninshubur, the most discerning of the messengers,
Circumspect, powerful and cunning,
Go! To the road, champion of mine!"
Ninshubur heard the words of Her Mistress and left towards the
Apsu.
Alas, Ninshubur then comes face to face with Saltu,
Closely the wise vizier of Ishtar examines the person,
And notices her height.
Thus, Ishtar behaves strategically by sending Ninshubur, her most faithful advisor,described by HerSelf as "the most discerning of the messengers, circumspect, powerful and cunning... champion of mine" to check Saltu before taking any action.
A few words on Ninshubur need to be introduced here. Mesopotamian gods and goddesses are in general attended by a first minister or vizier who work as Their main advisors, envoys, as well as general helping hands. We can infer that Ninshubur is linked to Ishtar´s strategic and spiritual capabilities, because in the earlier myth of Inanna and Enki, or the Giving of the Sacred Measures (which is analyzed in detail in Gateways in Lady Inanna - Part I in Ladies of Passion, Wit, Magick, Power and Joy, and in Wolkstein and Kramer, 1983), Inanna/Ishtar refers to Ninshubur as 'Water has not touched your hand / Water has not touched your foot.' In other words, Ninshubur is probably pure spirit, thus relating to Inanna in her aspect of Queen of the East and Morning Star, to the powers of strategy, planning and clear thinking which are of paramount importance to act with maximum precision and accuracy to spend the least amount of effort, thus saving energy and maximizing results. Ishtar Herself
Also, although there is a potential threat to Her power, Ishtar does no hide from Saltu, She first only wants to get the right information from the most trustworthy source, so that thus rightly informed and She can better plan to act. In other words, to Ea´s wit, Ishtar shows the complementary traits of goal-directed behavior, assertiveness, strategy and planning. As the Divine Non-Maternal Feminine, She shares Her many attributes of boundless drive, wit and energy with Ea, who knows Her with His Soul and as such behaves as the mentor of the young goddess by setting Her up a test that will force Ishtar to look into her Dark, Shadow Self in the hope She will emerge wholer from the confrontation. It is of paramount importance to point out that Ea challenges Inanna. He never fathers Her protectively, nor shows unbalanced anger towards the young goddess martial behavior. Instead, He sends Her Saltu as the catalyst to trigger evolution and growth in Ishtar, but only if Ishtar HerSelf could appease the display of Her Warrior powers. Enki never intended to harm the young goddess, just teach Her to appease the display of Her fearless nature.
We need to point out that Ninshubur goes to the Apsu, Ea´s temple and home in Eridu, to meet Saltu, who behaves equally cunningly towards Ishtar´s envoy. On the way back, Ninshubur reports faithfully to Ishtar on Saltu, saying that Saltu is " irritable, brutal, an assassin", that she has power over men and women, and awesome is the noise she makes. Ishtar, even in face of this grave account by Her trusted advisor, decides to confront Saltu.
Twenty-five lines are missing at the start of the next section, but when the text resumes, it is clear that the Goddess and Her mirror image meet face to face.
In the beginning of this essay, we proposed the argument that this myth is very much about Ishtar confronting the unbalanced side of Her warrior self. The shadow in this case is Saltu, the projected image of Ishtar´s belligerent ways, with the worse traits prominent. We have just discussed the fact that even Ninshubur, Ishtar´s faithful vizier, had a highly negative impression of Saltu.
It is very difficult to confront one´s worst qualities, or in psychological terms, to acquire insight into one´s own shadow, because the inferior personality traits are mostly of an emotional nature, thus the commotion Ishtar´s warrior stance terrifies even the gods, although in actual fact we have no occurrence to justify the gods´ suspicions towards Ishtar´s possible loss of control. It takes much courage and integrity to contemplate oneself in the most negative light and to acknowledge that one can be stronger and conquer one´s wholeness by transmuting the negative image and emotions into their complementary positive counterparts.
What Ishtar does when She confronts Saltu is therefore an act of courage, the affirmation of Her power and HerSelf in a positive light. This is an embat of wits and valor, where deeds are compared, and thus Saltu has to concede defeat to the Goddess. The lines that tell us of Saltu´s defeat are probably lost, because about 120 lines are missing at the end of this stance. When the text resumes, Ishtar is called Agushaya and Saltu has receded to the background.
[....]
.... Strife.
In the presence of the divine Ishtar!
Answer incomplete
She thrusted forwards impetuously,
The wisest of all gods and goddesses, the strongest,
And began with care and vigor
To stress Her own superiority.
Invoking Her deeds,
Foaming against Her enemies,
Without conceding an inch [of Her ground]
The foremost of all goddesses
Transformed into a Warrior
Uttered a statement
Stressing clearly
The proofs of Her might!
There is a Greater Mystery embedded in the confrontation between Ishtar and Saltu which is overlooked in the literature, because it belongs to the sphere of High Magick as the Art of Spiritual Transmutation. To know one´s limits is not to feel limited by what one finds, because one can then advance towards the exploration of other possibilities of being and becoming, the positive traits in oneself that should then be explored to the fullest and which are more attuned to one´s makeup.
In the beginning of column VI, after the first confrontation between Ishtar and Saltu, which is unfortunately lost to us so far, Ishtar receives the name of Agushaya, and from now on She will be addressed by this epithet in the hymn. It is likely that the name of Agushaya might have been explained or justified in previous compositions which are yet to be discovered. The term Agushaya, although rare, is known in its similar forms of Gushaya and Gushea, always related to battle, more specifically to battle cries and shouts of incitement. Thus, the term Agushaya refers to Ishtar in Her aspect as the Warrior Goddess. The origin of the term is difficult to trace back. However, a popular etymology from certain incantations dedicated to Ishtar shows similar terms used in a ritual of exorcism "Gushea gashi sati", which is close to the word gashu, which means to turn, or to whirl, as if one were dancing the waltz. Ishtar´s dance before the gods displays her "bravery and boundless energy", and thus the goddess will be henceforth celebrated as a Great Warrior with dances during a certain time of the year.
When we spoke of Saltu as the Shadow or dangerous side of Ishtar as the irrepressible Goddess of War, we spoke briefly of the Shadow´s collective aspect, or the Group Shadow. The fear of the Group Shadow in this myth is represented by the concern expressed by the gods that Ishtar´s unbalanced warrior nature will bring unrest and chaos to the people She is sovereign of. Thus, although Saltu is defeated by the young Warrior Goddess, there is still the danger that Ishtar´s uncontrolled warrior nature may contaminate the people as well as the gods. Therefore Ea, in his wisdom, at the same time that He acknowledges the power of the young Goddess, also institutes an annual festival where Ishtar as the fierce Agushaya will be celebrated.
In other words, we can say that Ea creates the Festival of Agushaya to make the community aware of their own shadow by liberating the group energy not as war, but as a series of dances, within the festivities of sacred events which involved the enactment of the victory of Ishtar over Saltu. The text tells us explicitly that Ea said to Ishtar, the bravest of all gods and goddesses of the land, the following:
"What you desire, I will promptly give to you:
By eliminating.... , you have encouraged me to...
You have made me happy!
For the coming generations to remember what our designs were
In conceiving and creating Strife,
From this moment on, every year at this time
We will celebrate a dance!
Dedicated first and foremost to you, Agushaya!
All will be called to enjoy themselves in the open:
Listen to their calls,
Watch as they worship you,
And concede the desires of the people!
As well as grant the desires of the king,
Who through this hymn,
Has learnt from us of your glory
The proofs of your bravery
As the annual celebration to honor the Warrior aspect of the Goddess is created, there is a way for people to express and liberate excess of vitality, which is an expression of Ishtar´s might, under controlled circumstances in the community. Again, Ea displays the roots of his power: organization by empowerment and integration of the inner and outer elements, so that all components work as a concerted effort. However, the real winner is Ishtar, to whom all praise is conceded.
There are 20 lines missing at the end of the 7th column and 10 more lines are obscure in the beginning of the last 8th column. Bottéro (1993) suggests that the attributes of Saltu/Strife are transferred to Ishtar. Reading the succeeding lines that came to us, we can perhaps suggest another line of thought more attuned by the wise ancient scribes in the light of our interpretation so far. We can suggest not that far from the truth that the greatness of Ishtar is extolled for She has reviewed Her bellicose ways by defeating Saltu, the Shadow of HerSelf to emerge in full glory in the awareness of her True Self:
It is important to add that only a civilization which had achieved considerable sophistication and enlightenment could transform battle cries in ecstatic dance performed in a sacred ritual setting, and perhaps there is a lesson for us to learn from our soul ancestors of Mesopotamia in this respect.
Summing up, rarely in world mythology there is a myth that deals with the integration of the Shadow both at the personal and collective levels from the standpoint of courage, integrity and valor. Rarely is the Divine Feminine depicted as strong, willful, unappeasable and yet flexible enough to see the rights and wrongs of Her ways. Furthermore, there is no demonization of the young goddess belligerent stance, only the concern for Her to sort HerSelf out for the good of all, Her Own and of the divine and mortal communities. Thus, Ishtar shows us again the courage to accept who we are, even the violent and repressed aspects of ourselves, confront them upfront and turn their negative power into a source of energy to be used creatively.
Because this is another myth involving Ea and Ishtar, we also have the relationship of the Divine Non-Paternal Masculine as the Great Mentor who provides Ishtar, the Divine Non-Maternal Feminine, with the challenge, here represented by Saltu, for Ishtar to grow out of Her initial unbalanced stance. Ishtar takes the challenge on board and wins over her inferior Self, as Ea intended from the start and so the gods too. Remember that the gods all the time only wanted Ishtar appeased, and never destroyed.
Both Ea and Ishtar as the Divine Non-Paternal Masculine and Divine Non-Maternal Feminine show us that we can evolve, transcend our inner barriers by stretching our limits one more time. If there is one consistent theme in myths involving Ea/Enki and Ishtar/Inanna is the ceaseless drive to expand human consciousness by stretching boundaries especially through well articulated and balanced sex war where both parties emerge more than winners, because in the end, Inanna/Ishtar and Enki/Ea are the greatest of Divine Allies, simply because their bond is based on the acknowledgement their great complementary qualities. Both show the drive towards change and growth through experience, the precondition to Wisdom and the imperative to full humanity, and hence civilization.
Finally, why is Ishtar and Saltu so important to us today? Because we need Ishtar´s determination, goal-directed behavior and assertiveness to become what we desire to become. As the young Warrior Goddess, or the Heroic Feminine, Inanna/Ishtar is tough because She is the Goddess of Evolution, She confronts with integrity who and what must be confronted (Saltu and the terrible Ebih, as well as Shukaletuda, the predator gardener), crossing boundaries and stretching Her limits one more time (the Descent to the Underworld in particular). Indeed, if there is one consistent theme in Inanna´s/Ishtar´s mythology, it is Her ceaseless drive to expand Her limits and as such, human consciousness.
For to know one´s shadow is the precondition to reach out for one´s Inner and Outer Light and ultimately not to feel limited, defeated or diminished by what one finds.
Lishtar, November 17th 2000
REFERENCES:
Bottéro, Jean (1992) Mesopotamia: writing, reasoning and the Gods. Chicago, London, University of Chicago Press. First published in French by Gallimard in 1987.
Bottéro, Jean and Kramer, Samuel Noah (1993) Lorsque les dieux faisaient l´homme: mythologie mésopotamienne. Ed. Gallimard, Paris.
Frymer-Kensky, Tikva (1992) In the Wake of the Goddesses: Women, Culture and the Biblical Tansformation of Pagan Myth. Fawcet Columbine, New York.
Jung, Carl Gustav. Collected Works (CW). Ed. Gerhard Adler et al. Bollingen Sieries XXX. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1954ff., in special Symbols of Transformation, CW 5, Mysterium Coniunctionis, CW 14 and Aion, CW 9.
Kramer, Samuel Noah (1972) Sumerian Mythology: a study of Spiritual and Literary Achievement in the Third Millennium BC (revised edition). Greenwood Press, Connecticut.
Von Franz, Marie-Louise (1980) Reflections of the Soul: Projection and re-collection in Jungian Psychology. Open Court, La Salle and London.
Von Franz, Marie-Louise ( 1995) Shadow and Evil in Fairy Tales: revised edition. Shambhala, Boston and London.
Von Franz, Marie-Louise ( 1999) Archetypal dimensions of the psyche. Shambhala, Boston and London.
Wolkstein, Diane and Kramer, Samuel Noah (1983). Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Earth: Her stories and hymns from Sumer. New York, Harper & Row Publishers.
Source: Bottéro, Jean and Kramer, Samuel Noah (1983). Lorsque les dieux faisaient l´homme. Paris, Ed. Galimard. © All rights reserved to authors. Translation by Lishtar here reproduced for aid in study and research purposes only.
I - Praise to the greatest
To the most courageous of all gods and goddesses,
The daughter of Ningal,
I praise the powerful ...
Yes, I praise Ishtar, the greatest
The fiercest of all gods
To the daughter of Ningal,
I sing again to the Powerful One!
Famous are your deeds,
Your deeds, foremost,
Always the Warrior
Of disconcerting activity!
About 40 lines missing
II -
Before gods and kings, She "dances" /displays
All Her raw power
I sing praises to Ishtar,
The greatest of all Goddesses!
She who holds the Sacred Measures, the ME,
And graciously assign the ME [to all]
Ishtar holds in Her hands
The reins of the people,
And [all] Goddesses pay attention
To Ishtar´s commands!
Sovereign is Her Word
And Her commands cannot be undone.
Neither the gods, nor the Assembly
Dare to resist Her Power!
About 35 lines missing, which seem to refer to the great attributes of the young and fierce warrior goddess
III -
Men are .....
As later ....
Bravery accompanies Her:
Ishtar the bold
(Response incomplete)
Her festivals are the Warriors´ festivals,
The stimulation of the warriors at combat,
The rousing of officers (?)....
The liberation of armies
Her rage at combat,
Her enthusiasm in battle
Reveal Her true Nature
And demonstrate what Ishtar knows how to do!
24 mutilated lines impossible to be translated, 10 other missing lines.
IV -
Royal sceptre, throne, crown have been bestowed upon Her!
She was given the universe!
She was given the courage of men,
Deeds of vitality!
Yes, before men
She was given a terrifying demeanor,
She was given the loud-thundering storm
Of unmatched awe and courage.
And She thinks only of prowess and battle.
"Even before Lord Ea, the Prince,
You will keep your awesome countenance".
"Fiercer than a bull, She fills all with awe
Whenever She sets free Her rage.
She cannot be left free to Her devices -
There is nothing else to do, for She is too strong".
This is the reason Ea the Wise sets his mind
To [tone down the brave young goddess]
For Her awesome countenance troubled Him so.
" Listen, oh ye all", he said to the gods
Whenever Ishtar is at work.... !Incomplete text
V- 25 lines are missing at the end of column IV and 20 are missing in the beginning of section V. It is likely that Ea/Enki should have gathered with the other gods and explained to them his plan to calm down a little Ishtar. To achieve this goal, Ea/Enki created an image or projection of Ishtar from the dirt of his nails so that the projected image can function as a mirror for Ishtar to confront HerSelf and hopefully tone down Her excesses. Thus, when the text resumes, Ea/Enki is outlining the features of Ishtar´s double, Saltu or Strife:
She will be....
And most self-assured [.......]
She will have the strength to engage HerSelf in perpetual
turmoil!
She will be fierce
Her hair awesome
More active than [....]
Powerful of arms and legs,
She will master the art of war, [She will be] prepotent,
Shouting commands tirelessly.
Day or night, She will not stop
Encouraging the clamors of battle!"
The gods, who had gathered to listen to wise Ea´s plan,
rejoiced:
"Only you could conceive such plan!
Who else but you could make Ishtar see some sense?"
Deferring to this request, Ea, the Wise, run to get some dirt off
his fingernails,
Seven times He took off dirt of his fingernails,
He hardened and cooked the material,
And this way Ea the Sage, the Prince,
Created Lady Saltu/Strife
To confront Ishtar!
Incomplete Line
Her height
[Saltu´s/Strife´s], her stance was vigorous,
Supernatural were her proportions,
She was so cunning and powerful
That no one could compare to her.
Saltu/Strife was tall and strong,
Supernatural were her features.
She was so cunning and powerful
That no one could compare to her.
Her [main] attribute was the making of wars,
Her awesome hair, the source of terrible clamor.
10 missing lines
Powerful, [....]
Greater than [....]
Possessing fierce musculature
Enhanced vigor!
Aptly, Saltu chanted war songs,
Self-assured and full of herself.
She was remarkable to behold,
She was awesome!
First, in the Apsu, she was unappeasable.
All her utterances were effective.
Then, Ea opened his mouth and addressed
To the one He had created, Saltu.
"Greetings! Listen good to me now.
Obey my commands,
Defer to my requests
And do as I shall tell you to.
There is a goddess, unique and courageous,
Whose deeds are prominent,
Whose activities are strange and beyond comprehension.
Her name is Innina.
The expert in weaponry,
The Lady of Ladies,
The cunning daughter of Ningal!
Alas, to make Her see the ills of Her ways,
For this reason I have created you.
In my wisdom, I have increased your attributes
Of bravery and vitality!
Go, now!
Go to Her, and
When you get to Her,
Clothe yourself with terror,
Approach Her!
She will come to you,
To address to you Her words.
You will shout:
"Ah! Young woman!
Reveal your intentions!"
But you, when you confront Her rage,
You won´t concede Her an inch of your ground:
[You will not answer] a word to Her questions
Nothing that can appease Her heart!
How could She seize you,
You, created by my very hands?
Speak to Her with arrogance,
Arrogantly, speak to Her.
6 lines erased: copyst´s fault?
Proudly, Saltu/Strife gets dressed,
Because Ea, Lord of the Apsu,
Has conferred power upon her!
He has given Strife therefore great height,
The courage to issue encouragements and challenges,
....
Ea, the Wise, the SuperSage, gathered some words
To address to the heart of Strife.
He has given her a special sign,
The sign of Great Queen Ishtar:
"She will be very much HerSelf,
The Greatest of all Goddesses
She will reveal Her deeds,
She will reveal Her glory,
And then She won´t retreat [concede you an inch of Her ground]
Her particular sign
Is the One of the Great Goddess,
The One who cannot be denied!
The One who rages [......]
When She sees [......]
Fearlessly.....
Gap of 11 lines
" You have spoken,
Your commands will prevail!
You will be the fiercest,
She is unique,
To HerSelf, this is the way She is!"
Two unclear lines
She will be proud of your [features]
So don´t give in when confronting the people´s Sovereign!
10 or 12 first lines are lost or mutilated
She is the greatest
[....]
[....]
[....] She is Sovereign!
The cunning [....]
She takes care of [.....]
...... bravery.
Despite Her [....]
She manages [.....]
Clothed in tornadoes
[She.......] war
Her soul is all rage
And She roars like the sea!
May She prevail over you
And your recriminations will be in vain!
Unpredictable are the designs
Of the sage Sovereign of the people"
Saltu/Strife, so warned,
Covered her face with terror
Paid attention to danger,
Gathered her all her strengths
2 mutilated lines
Without knowing....
Tablet II - 20 lines missing. Next, it seems clear that Ishtar learns of the presence of Saltu/Strife and sends Ninshubur, Her wise vizier, to bring Her news of the newcomer.
"Go! [.....]
Give a command [....]
Go prepare yourself [.....]
Let us get to know the proofs of her might!
Study for me her case,
Learn her particular features,
And tell me what she does!
"Oh, Ninshubur, the most discerning of the messengers,
Circumspect, powerful and cunning,
Go! To the road, champion of mine!"
Ninshubur heard the words of Her Mistress and left towards the
Apsu.
Alas, Ninshubur then comes face to face with Saltu,
Closely the wise vizier of Ishtar examines the person,
And notices her height.
"She [Saltu/Strife] behaves cunningly,
She trusts but herself,
She is terribly fierce!
She is clothed with supernatural glow.
I have left her to restore my strength,
Because she is irritable, brutal, an assassin.
Strife has power over men and women,
Awesome is the noise she makes!"
These are the signs/remarks Ninshubur apprehends.
25 missing lines at the start of the column. Ninshubur seems to have returned to the presence of Her mistress to tell Ishtar what she has learnt about Saltu/Strife. Ishtar decides to confront Saltu. So goddess and mirror image meet face to face.
[....]
.... Strife.
In the presence of the dvine Ishtar!
Answer incomplete
She thrusted forwards impetuously,
The wisest of all gods and goddesses, the strongest,
And began with care and vigour
To stress Her own superiority.
Invoking Her deeds,
Foaming against Her enemies,
Without conceding an inch [of Her ground]
The foremost of all goddesses
Transformed into a Warrior
Uttered a statement
Stressing clearly
The proofs of Her might!
End of stance lost, or circa 120 lines. When the poem resumes, Ishtar is called by the name of Agushaya
VI -
Agushaya [...]
Cunningly, opened Her mouth
And spoke to Lord Ea:
" Why did you create this Saltu (Strife)?
Who is so full of herself?
To..... [...]
Alas, the daughter of Ningal is unique!
The next 33 lines which end up this column are lost. It seems clear that Ishtar complains to Ea about Saltu´s unkind intentions towards Her.
"You have
allowed her to act,
But Saltu has
uttered words against me:
She must
disappear"
Ea opened his
mouth,
And said to Agushaya, the bravest of all gods and goddesses of
the land:
"What you
desire, I will promptly give to you:
By eliminating....
, you have encouraged me to...
You have made me
happy!
For the coming
generations to remember what our designs were
In conceiving and
creating Strife,
From this moment
on, every year at this time
We will celebrate a
dance!
Dedicated first and
foremost to you, Agushaya!
All will be called
to enjoy themselves in the open:
Listen to their
calls,
Watch as they worship you,
And concede the
desires of the people!
As well as grant
the desires of the king,
Who through this hymn,
Has learnt from us of your glory .
The proofs of your
bravery,
Hammurabi, under
the rulership of .....
Who himself, to
your praise, has composed this hymn,
May he enjoy your
blessings!
20 lines missing, or the end of 7th column
VIII - the 10 first lines are obscure. We can infer that the attributes of Saltu/Strife are transferred to Agushaya, but the assumption may give room for further insights on its true meaning
Yes! I praise
Ishtar,
The Queen of all goddesses,
I sing Agushaya and
Her Strength,
Because She is the
most capable.
Saltu, the .....
Lord Ea has created
So that Agushaya
Could learn all signs of Her power
The magnificence of
Her greatness
...
Because Ea has
given Her prominence
The Soul of the
Lioness Ishtar is appeased!
Second Tablet of Agushaya