The Myth of Adapa

Tablet 1

1He possessed (?) intelligence [...]

2His command like the command of Anu [...]

3He [i. e. Ea] granted him a wide ear to reveal the destiny of the land,

4He granted him wisdom, but he did not grant him eternal life.

5In those days, in those years the wise man of Eridu,

6Ea had created him as chief (?) among men,

7A wise man whose command none should oppose,

8The prudent, the most wise among the Anunnaki was he,

9Blameless, of clean hands, anointed, observer of the divine statutes,

10With the bakers he made bread.

11With the bakers of Eridu, he made bread,

12The food and the water for Eridu he made daily,

13With his clean hands he prepared the table.

14And without him the table was not cleared.

15The ship he steered, fishing and hunting for Eridu he did.

16Then Adapa of Eridu While Ea, [...] in the chamber, upon the bed,

17Daily the closing of Eridu he attended to.

18Upon the pure dam, the new moon dam, he em- barked upon the ship,

19The wind blew and his ship departed.

20With the oar, he steered his ship Upon the broad sea [...]

Tablet 2

21[ ]

22The south wind [... when]

23He had (driven me) to the house of my lord, I said,

24"O South wind, on the way I shall to thee [...] everything that,

25Thy wing will I break." As he spoke with his mouth.

26The wing of the South wind was broken, seven days The South wind blew not upon the land. Anu Called to his messenger Ilabrat:

27Why has the South wind not blown upon the land for seven days?

28His messenger Ilabrat answered him: "My lord,

29Adapa, the son of Ea, the wing of the South wind Has broken.

Tablet 2 (Continued)

30When Anu heard these words

31He cried, "Help!" He ascended his throne, "Let some one bring hnn,"

32Likewise Ea, who knows the heaven.

33He roused him

34When heard that

35In the anger of his heart

36[...] he caused him to wear. With a mourning garment

37He garbed him, and gave him counsel

38Saying: "Adapa, before the face of Anu the king thou art to go,

39To King Ea (?) to come,

40To him, he caused words to be borne.

41[...] to him, to king Ea.

42He sent a messen- ger.

43With a wide ear, know- ing the heart of the great gods,

44[...] of the heavens be fixed.

45A soiled garment he made him wear,

46With a mourning garment he clad him,

47A word he spoke to him.

Tablet 2 (Continued)

48[ ] to heaven

49(When) thou comcst up, and when thou approachest the door of Anu,

50At the door of Anu,

51Tammuz and Gish- zida

52are standing,

Tablet 2

53they will see thee, they will ask thee; "Sir^ For whose sake dost thou so appear, Adapa? For whom Art thou clad in a mourning garment?" "In our country two gods have vanished, therefore Am I so." "Who are the two gods, who in the land,

54Have vanished?" "Tammuz and Gishzida." They will look at one another and

55Adapa, before the king Anu thou shalt go

56Fail not the order, keep my word

57(When) thou comest up to heaven, and approachest the door of Anu,

58Tammuz and Gishzida at the door of Anu are standing.

Tablet 2 (Continued)

59Be astonished. Good words They will speak to Anu. A good countenance of Anu They will show thee. When thou standest before Anu Food of death they will set before thee,

60Eat not. Water of death they will set before thee,

61Drink not. Garments they will set before thee,

62Put them on. Oil they will set before thee, anoint thyself.

63The counsel that I have given thee, forget not. The words Which I have spoken, hold fast." The messenger

64Of Anu came: "Adapa has broken The wing of the South wind. Bring him before me."

65The road to Heaven he made him take, and to Heaven he ascended.

66When he came to Heaven, when he approached the door of Anu,

67At the door of Anu, Tammuz and Gishzida are standing.

68When they saw him, Adapa, they cried: "Help,

69Sir, for whom dost thou so appear? Adapa,

70For whom art thou clad in a mourning garment?"

71"In the country two gods have vanished; therefore am I clad In mourning garments." "Who are the two gods, who have vanished from the land?"

72"Tammuz and Gishzida." They looked at one another and Were astonished. When Adapa before Anu, the king,

73Drew near, and Anu saw hun, he cried: "Come hither, Adapa. Why hast thou broken the wings Of the South wind?" Adapa answered Anu: "My lord,

74For the house of my lord in the midst of the sea,

75I was catching fish. The sea was like a mirror (?),

76The South wind blew, and capsized me.

77To the house of the lord was I driven (?) In the anger of my heart,

78I took heed (?)"[...]. Tammuz and Gishzida

79Answered [.... "art thou (?) To Anu They speak. He calmed himself, his heart was [...] "Why has Ea revealed to impure mankind The heart of heaven and earth? A heart.... has created within him, has made him a name?

80What can we do with him? Food of life

81Bring him, that we may cat." Food of Hfe They brought him, but he ate not. Water of life They brought him, but he drank not. Garments They brought him. He clothed himself. Oil

82They brought him. He anointed himself.

83Anu looked at him; he wondered (?) at him. "Come, Adapa, why hast thou not eaten, not drunken?

84(Now) thou shalt not live. [.,.] men [...] Ea, my lord Said: "Eat not, drink not."

85Take him and bring him back to his earth.

86[ ] looked upon him.