Stories Flashcards
Flood Story
etiology to explain why humans are mortal (gods and humans are alike in every aspect except gods have powers and are immortal)
compare with the biblical flood story (586 BCE Jews were exiled to Babylonia by Neo-Babylonian empire - absorbed Mesopotamian stories/traditions and adapted to own purposes)
Epic of Creation
Marduk is the god of Babylon - elevating Marduk above the other gods elevates Babylon as the center of the universe
Enki and the World Order
elevation of Eridu (Enki’s city) above all other cities - but prominence of Nippur (Enlil) during this time suggests otherwise
demonstrate Enki’s ability as a problem solver - but no immediate/urgent problem
Enki’s love for humanity causes him to create the world order - an idealized way of life
Anzu, the Bird Who Stole Destiny
monsters are separated from the divine and the mortal
monsters are not necessarily evil - represent chaos
ironic that Anzu’s birth brings a flood, providing water for Enlil bath
Ninurta/Ningirsu syncretism
Neo-Assyrian kingship portrayed as moral counterpart to Ninurta (high point of the empire - militaristic/expansionistic) and political tool to justify military campaigns (portrayed as bringing order to the world)
The Illuyanka Tale
Son wants sex with Inanna but rejects her by looking out the window - must abandon all earthly influence in order to obtain the divine spark
Looking out the window is a symbol for earthly associations and earth equates death - immortality only achieved through divination
Inanna/Ishtar’s Descent
messenger gods able to cross the boundary between living/dead
removal of clothing/belongings at the gates (strips away her divine powers, dead are expected to bring gifts tot he underworld - Inanna did not bring gifts so her belongings are forcibly taken)
Ereshkigal possibly wants revenge against Inanna (Inanna sent a bull to fight Gilgamesh but Gilgamesh defeated the bull - Great Bull of Heaven is Ereshkigal’s husband)
Nergal and Ereshkigal
Amarna, Egypt (Middle Babylonian 1400 BCE) - Nergal is a conqueror who unseats Ereshkigal and threatens to kill her, thus obtaining reign over the underworld
Sultantepe, Assyria (Neo-Assyrian 700 BCE) - Nergal and Ereshkigal embrace (love story)
Nergal able to travel back/forth between heaven and underworld because he disguises himself
Adapa and the South Wind
food/drink of life - Ea does not want Adapa to become immortal/godly because Adapa’s wisdom is a blessing to the earth or Adapa would rival Ea
food/drink of death - Ea saves Adapa (only allowed to partake in rituals such as garments/oils)
Hammurapi’s Laws
prologue lavishes Hammurapi with praise in order to command respect of citizens and therefor respect for the laws
threatens to smite with godly power those who neglect the laws
lex talionis - law of the claw
not real legal documents - laws are literature/propaganda, a standard to aspire to
