埃塔納史詩

《埃塔納史詩》是古代蘇美爾的神話著作，主要記述了第一個王城基什的國王埃塔納，是伊南娜四處搜尋的國王，經過全方位考核，得到恩利爾許可的人王，所以獲得了升天的機會。

基本介紹

• 書名：埃塔納史詩
• 類別：古代神話
• 英文名：The Myth of Etana

內容簡介

鷹和蛇在太陽神見證下成為好朋友，但一天鷹乘蛇不在吃掉了蛇的後代。蛇向太陽神祈求復仇的方法，趁鷹啄食設定的陷阱腐屍時，捕或成功並撕裂鷹的羽翼，將它摔下懸崖，饑寒交迫的鷹向太陽神祈求活命。

基什國王埃塔納，不能生育，沒有子嗣，祈求太陽神賜予後代。太陽神命令埃塔那救出鷹並餵養它直至恢復健康。埃塔那向鷹請求得到“生養之樹”作為回報。鷹無力做到這一點，決定把埃塔納馱上天國，以得永生，有兩個結局版本。

一種說法是當鷹越飛越高時，埃塔納卻一陣眩暈。從高空摔下來，粉身碎骨。從此，人對永生的希望破滅了，一種說法是埃塔納升天，並且獲得兒子繼承王位。

神話背景

公元前3179年，祭司出身的埃塔納發動兵變成為了基什之王。埃塔納是基什第一王朝歷史上最偉大的國王之一。

基什第一王朝對各邦的統治是名義上的或者是宗教意義上的。實際各邦政權、財權、軍隊都是獨立的。對基什的尊重有些類似於部落聯盟中的部落與聯盟之主的關係。埃塔納王不再滿足於各邦的名義上的稱臣，而實際自行其是，發動了對各邦國的征服戰爭，最終統一了蘇美爾地區，這是蘇美爾地區的首次統一。在《埃塔納史詩》中，鷹指的是恩利爾一派，蛇指的是恩基一派。

原文

TABLET I

• They planned a city [ ]
• The gods laid tis foundations
• They planned the city [Kish?]
• The Igigi-gos founded its brickwork [ ]
• " Let [ ] be their (the people's) shepherd,
• " Let Etana be their architect... "
• The Great Anunnaki gods ordainers of destinies,
• Sat taking their counsel concerning the land,
• The cretors of the four world regions, establishers of all physical form,
• By command of all of them the Igigi gods
• Ordained a festival for the people
• No king did they establish, over the teeming peoples,
• At that time no headdress had been assembled, nor crown,
• Nor yet scepter had been set with lapis.
• No throne daises whatsoever had been constructed,
• Against the inhabited world they barred the gates...
• The Igigi gods surrounded the city with ramparts
• Ishtar came down from heaven to seek a shepherd,
• And sought for a king everywhere.
• Innina came down from heaven to seek a shepherd,
• And sought for a king everywhere.
• Enlil examined the dais of Etana,
• The man whom Ishtar steadfastly....
• "She has constantly sought....
• "Let kingship be established in the land,
• Let the heart of Kish be joyful"
• Kingship, the radiant crown, throne [ ]He (?) brought and [ ]The gods of the lands....(large gap)

• TABLET II
• [ ] which he called [ ]....
• the High Water
• [ ] he had built a tower (?) [ ]
• [ ] shrine for Adad, the god [ ],
• In the shade of that shrine a poplar was growing [ ],
• In its crown an eagle settled,
• A serpent settled at its root.
• Daily they watched the wind beasts.
• The eagle made ready to speak, saying to the serpent,
• "Come, let us make friendship,
• Let us be comrades, you and I".
• The serpent made ready to speak, saying to the eagle,
• "If indeed.... of friendship and [ ]
• Then let us swear a mighty oath of Shamash.
• An abomination of the gods [ ]
• " Come then, let us set forth and go up the high mountain to hunt.
• "Let us swear an oath by the netherworld".
• Before Shamash the warrior they swore the oath,
• "Whoever transgresses the limits of Shamash
• " May Shamash deliver him as an offender into the hands of the executioner,
• " Whoever transgresses the limits of Shamash,
• " May the mountains remove their praises far away from him,
• " May the oncoming weapon make straight for him,
• " May the trap and curse of Shamash overthrow him and hunt him down!"
• After they had sworn the oath by the netherworld,
• They set forth, going up the high mountains,
• Each day by turns watching for the wild beasts,
• The eagle would hunt down wild oxen and gazelle,
• The serpent would eat, turn away, then his children would eat.
• The eagle would hunt down wild sheep and aurochs,
• The serpent would eat, turn away, then his children would eat.
• The serpent would hunt down beasts of the field, the creatures of earth,
• The eagle would eat, turn away, then his children would eat the food,
• The eagle's children grew big and flourished.
• After the eagle's children were grown big and were flourishing,
• The eagle's heart indeed plotted evil,
• Evil his heart plotted indeed!
• He set his thoughts upon eating his friend's young!
• The eagle made ready to speak, saying to its children:
• " I will eat the serpent's children, the serpent [ ],
• " I will go up and dwell in heaven,
• " If I descend from the crown of the tree, ... the king."
• The littlest fledgling, exceedingly wise, siad these words to the eagle, his father:
• " Do not eat, my father!
• The net of Shamash will hunt you down,
• The mesh and oat of Shamash will overthrow yu and hunt you down.
• Whoever transgresses the limits of Shamash,
• Shamash will deliver him as an offender into the hands of the executioner!"
• He did not heed them, nor listen to his sons' words,
• He descended and ate up the serpents' children,
• In the evening of the same day,
• The serpent came, bearing his burden,
• At the entrance to his nest he cast down the meat,
• He looked around, his nest was gone"
• He looked down, his children were not [ ]!
• The eagle had gouged the ground with his talon,
• The cloud of dust from the sky darkened the sky.
• The serpent.... weeping before Shamash,
• Before Shamash the warrior his tears ran down,
• " I trusted in you, O warrior Shamash,
• " I was the one who gave provisions to the eagle,
• " Now my nest [ ]!
• " My nest is gone, while his nest is safe,
• " My young are destroyed, while his young are safe,
• " He descended and ate up my children!
• " You know, O Shamash, the evil he has done to me,
• " Truly, O Shamash your net is the wide earth,
• " Your trap is the distant heaven,
• " The eagle must not escape from your net,
• " That malignant Anzu who harbored evil against his friends!"
• When he had heard the serpent's lament,
• Shamash made ready to speak, and said to him:
• " Go your way and cross the mountain,
• " I have captured for you a wild ox.
• " Open its insides, rend its belly,
• " Set an ambush in its belly,
• " Every kind of bird of heaven will come down to eat the meat.
• " The eagle will come down with them to eat the meat,
• " As he will not know the evil in store for him,
• " He will search for the juiciest meat [ ], he will walk about outside,
• " He will work his way into the covering of the instestines,
• " When he comes inside, seize him by his wings,
• " Cut off his wings, his pinions and tailfeathers,
• " Pluck him and cast him into a bottomless pit,
• " Let him die there of hunger and thirst".
• As Shamash the warrior commanded,
• The serpent went and crossed the mountain.
• Then did the serpent reach the wild ox,
• He opened its insides, he rent its belly.
• He set an ambush in its belly.
• Every kind of bird of heaven came down to eat the meat.
• Did the eagle know of the evil in store for him?
• He would not eat the meat with the other birds!
• The eagle made ready to speak, saying to his children:
• " Come, let us go down and we too eat the meat of the wild ox".
• The little fledgling, exceedingly wise, said these words to the eagle, his father:
• " Do not go down, father, no doubt the serpent is lurking inside the wild ox".
• The eagle said to himself,
• "Are the birds afraid? How is it they eat the meat in peace?"
• He did not listen to them, he did not listen to his sons' words,
• He descended and perched on the wild ox.
• The eagle looked at the meat, searching in front and behind it.
• A second tme he looked at the meat, searching in front and behind it,
• He walked around outside, he worked his way into the covering of the intestines,
• When he came inside, the serpent seized him by his wings,
• " You intruded... you intruded...!
• The eagle made ready to speak, saying to the serpent:
• " Have mercy on me! I will make you such a gift as a king's ransom!"
• The serpent made ready to speak, saying to the eagle:
• " If I release you, how shall I answer to Shamash o high?
• " Your punishment would turn upon me,
• " Me, the one to lay punishment upon you!"
• He cut off his wings, pinions and tail feathers,
• He plucked him and cast him into a pit.
• That he should die there of hunger and thirst.
• As for him, the eagle,.....[ ]
• He kept on beseeching Shamash day after day:
• " Am I to die in a pit?
• " Who would know how your punishment was imposed upon me?
• " Save my life, the eagle!
• Let me cause your name to be heard for all time".
• Shamash made ready to speak and said to the eagle:
• " You are wicked and have done a revolting deed,
• " You committed an abomination of the gods, a forbidden act.
• "Were you not under oath? I will not come near you,
• "There, there! A man I will send you will help you"

• Etana kept on bseeching Shamash day after day.
• "O Shamash, you have dined from my fattest sheep!
• "O Netherworld, you have drunk of the blood of my sacrificed lambs!
• " I have honored the gods and revered the spirits,
• " Dream intepreters have used up my incense,
• " Gods have used up my lambs in slaughter.
• " O Lord, give the command!
• " Grant me the plant of birth!
• " Reveal to me the plant of birth!
• " Relieve me of my burden, grant me an heir!"
• Shamash made ready to speak and said to Etana:
• " Find a pit, look inside,
• " An eagle is cast within it.
• " He will reveal to you the plant of birth".
• Etana went his way.
• He found the pit, he looked inside
• The eagle was cast within it
• There he was for him to bring up!

• TABLET III
• The eagle looked at him....
• He said [ ] to Etana,
• "You are Etana, king of the wild beasts,
• You are Etana, [ ] among (?) birds.
• Bring me up from this pit
• Give me [ ] your hand,
• "..... [ ],
• I will sing your praises for all time".
• Etana said to the eagle these words:
• "If I save your life, [ ]
• If I bring you up from the pit,
• From that moment we must be .........."
• "[ ] to me [ ]
• "From sunrise till [ ]
• "..... [ ]
• "I will grant you the plant of life".
• When Etana heard this,
• He filled the front of the pit with [ ]
• Next he threw in.... [ ]
• He kept throwing in [ ] in front of him,
• The eagle.... from the pit
• As for him, he flapped his wings,
• A first time and a second time... the eagle in the pit,
• As for him, he flapped his wings .....
• A third time and a fourth time... [the eagle ... in? The pit
• As for him, he flapped his wings
• A fifth and a sixth time....
• (fragmentary lines, then gap)
• (from another version)
• He took him by the hand in his seventh month in the pit,
• In the eighth month he brought him over the edge of his pit,
• The eagle took food like a ravening lion,
• He gained strength.
• The eagle made ready to speak and said to Etana,
• "My friend! Let us be friends, you and I!
• Ask of me whatever you desire and I shall give it to you ".
• Etana made ready to speak and said to the eagle:
• "My eyes..... open up what is hidden.
• (gap)
• Etana and the eagle become friends. Etana has dreams, which he relates to the eage.
• [ ] above
• [ ] at my feet
• The eagle made Etana understand the dream,
• [ ] seated before him,
• " [ ] your dream is propitious,
• " [ ] burden is brought,
• " They will give [ ]
• " You have done [ ] of the people
• " You will seize... in your hand,
• " The sacred bond [ ] above
• " [ ] at your feet."

• Etana said to him, to the eagle.
• " My friend, I saw a second dream,
• " [ ] reeds [ ] in the house,
• In all [ ], the whole land,
• " They heaped up loads of them in piles,
• " [ ] enemies, they were wicked serpents,
• " [ ] were coming before me,
• " [ ] they were kneeling before me".
• The eagle made Etana understand the dream
• [ ] seated bore him
• "[ ] your dream is propitious"
• (gap)
• TABLET IV
• The eagle made ready to speak, saying to Etana:
• "My friend... that god....
• "We passed through the gates of Anu, Enlil and Ea,
• We passed through the gates of Sin, Shamash, Adad and Ishtar,
• We did obeisance together, you and I,
• I saw a house with windows, it had no seal
• I.... and went inside.
• A remarkable young woman was seated therein,
• She was imposing... beautiful of feature.
• A throne was set out, the ground was trodden down,
• Under the throne [ ] lions were crouching,
• As I went in, the lions sprang at me.
• I awoke with and start and shuddered [ ]".

• The eagle said to him, to Etana:
• " My friend, the [ ] are obvious,
• Come, let me take you up to heaven,
• Put your chest against my chest,
• Put your hands against my wing feathers,
• Put your arms against my sides".
• He put his chest against his chest,
• He put his hands against his wing feathers,
• He put his arms against his sides,
• Great indeed was the burden upon him.
• When he bore him aloft one league,
• The eagle said to him, to Etana:
• "Look, my friend, how the land is now
• Examine the sea, look for its boundaries
• The land is hills...
• The sea has become a stream".
• When he had borne him aloft a second league,
• The eagle said to him, said to Etana,
• "Look, my friend, how the land is now!
• The land is a hill".
• When he had borne him aloft a third league,
• The eagle said to him, said to Etana,
• "Look, my friend, how the land is now!"
• "The sea has become a garedener's ditch".
• After they had ascended to the heaven of Anu,
• They passed through the gates of Anu, Enlil and Ea,
• The eagle and Etana did obeisance together,
• At the gate of Sin
• The eagle and Etana did obeisance together
• (gap, fragmentary lines)

另一個版本

• (another version of this episode)
• "Through the power of Ishtar [ ]
• "Put your arms against my sides,
• Put your hands against my wing feathers".
• He put his arms against his sides,
• He put his hands against his wing feathers.
• When he had borne him aloft one league,
• "Look, my friend, how the land is now!"
• "The land's circumference is become one fifth of its size.
• "The vast sea is become like a paddock".
• When he had borne him aloft a second league,
• "Look, my friend, how the land is now!"
• "The land has become a garden plot [ ],
• "And the vast sea has become a trough".
• When he had borne him aloft a third league,
• "Look, my friend, how the land is now!"
• "I looked but could not see the land!
• "Nor were my eyes enough to find the vast sea!
• "My friend, I won't go up to heaven
• "Set me down, let me go off to my city".
• One league he dropped him down (?)
• Then the eagle plunged and caught him in his wings.
• A second league he dropped him down (?)
• Then the eagle plunged and caught him in his wings,
• A third league he dropped him down (?)
• Then the eagle plunged and caught him in his wings,
• Within three cubits of earth [ he dropped him down],
• The eagle plunged, and caught him in his wings,
• The eagle [ ] and.... while he, Etana [ ]
• (Two fragmentary lines, then breaks off. In historical terms, we know that Etana was succeeded by his son, so in the end, he, Etana, obtained the gift he came to ask for Inanna/Ishtar)

譯文

TABLET I

眾神規劃了基什，眾神打下地基，伊吉吉諸神砌磚，讓埃塔納成為牧羊人，即人民的國王，人民的設計師。偉大的阿努納奇眾神，四方之地的締造者，萬物的創造者，掌握人類命運，商討。按諸神命令，伊吉吉諸神授予歡慶節日，那時還未確立統治萬民的人王，沒有頭飾，沒有王冠，沒有權杖，沒有青金石裝飾，沒有王座，伊吉吉諸神修建了城牆，人神分隔而居，伊南娜/伊師塔從天而降，四處尋找牧羊人，終於覓得人王伊塔那。恩利爾考核伊南娜力薦人選，心滿意足，敕令：王權開始，基什歡慶。閃耀的王冠，至尊的王座，王權的象徵，埃塔納從眾神手中接過。

TABLET II

河流被稱為上方水，

埃塔納為風暴神Adad修建神廟，在神廟蔭蔽生長神樹。

樹冠上棲一隻鷹，樹根處一條蛇，日日盯著風怪。鷹對著蛇說，我們做好朋友把，我們成為好夥伴。蛇對鷹說，如果要成為好朋友，我們對這太陽神shamash發誓吧，違背誓言就被神靈唾棄。

埃塔納乘坐火箭，頭戴頭盔，在升空過程中，看到了地面越來越小，海洋如水溝。

埃塔納夢到了宮殿里坐著女神，王座敞開著，兩旁是獅子。

埃塔納日夜祈禱，太陽神沙瑪什，盡享肥美的羔羊，暢飲祭祀的獻血，我敬奉眾神萬靈，解夢人焚盡薰香，眾神盡享羔羊。神啊，賜我神諭，賜我仙草，解我煩憂，賜我後代。

沙瑪什告訴埃塔納，找到深坑裡的老鷹，他會告訴你仙草的秘密。

埃塔納徑直上路尋找，看到深坑裡的老鷹，終於把老鷹救了上來。

TABLET III

鷹看著埃塔納說道：你是埃塔納，萬獸之王，百鳥之後。

向我伸援手，救我於水火。

埃塔納對鷹說，如果我救你，把你從深坑裡解救出來，你必須賜我仙草。鷹同意賜福。

埃塔納聽到，不斷向坑裡填土，鷹不斷煽動翅膀，不斷嘗試飛行，多次嘗試，直到填平深坑，最終鷹爬出深坑，一頓狼吞虎咽，終於恢復精力。

老鷹對埃塔納說，你我從此是朋友。

你想要什麼，我都會給你。

埃塔納對鷹說：我的眼睛能看到隱秘（夢境）。

埃塔納做夢，告訴鷹。

···之上，···足下。

鷹解夢：

“神靈當前，大吉之夢。天降大任，天授神權，神人締約，萬民俯首。

埃塔納告訴鷹：“我的朋友，還有一個夢，房子裡有蘆葦，一望無垠，一捆捆蘆葦，我的敵人，邪惡的大蛇，匍匐在我面前。”

老鷹告訴埃塔納，“神靈當前，大吉大利之兆。”

TABLET IV

鷹告訴埃塔納，我的朋友，神靈暗示···

埃塔納夢到：我們會通過阿努之門，恩利爾之門，埃阿之門，即恩基之門。我們會通過月神辛之們，太陽神沙瑪什之門，風暴神阿達德之門，（分別對應蘇美爾語裡的月神Nannar，太陽神Utu，風暴神Ishkur）我們彼此拜禮。

我看到房子，帶窗，卻嚴絲合縫。我走進去，神仙妃子，設好王座，地面平整，雄獅蹲伏，正欲上前，向我撲來，夢中驚醒，瑟瑟發抖。

鷹對埃塔納說，夢境暗示明顯，讓我帶你上天。鷹對埃塔納說：面對面抱住我，抓住我的翅膀，胳膊夾住我的兩側，埃塔納照做，重重地附在鷹上。

鷹飛升到一里格，讓埃塔納看大地和海洋，大地變群山，海洋變溪流。飛升到第二里格，鷹讓埃塔納看大地，大地變成小山。飛升到第三里格，鷹讓埃塔納看大地，海洋變成園丁的水渠。

埃塔納到達阿努王天堂，即尼比魯星球，穿過重重大門，阿努王之門，恩利爾之門，埃阿之門，即恩基之門。達到月神大門，鷹和埃塔納彼此拜禮...

註：league，里格為長度單位，約為3英里。

另一個版本

在另外一個版本里，埃塔納因為害怕，不敢繼續升天，讓飛行員返航，回到了人世，但這個版本是篡改過的，真實情況埃塔納成功升天。