Etana of Kish — the king without an heir who flies to heaven on the back of an eagle to obtain the plant of birth. The earliest mythical ascent narrative in Akkadian.
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Tradition
Akkadian narrative poem, attested from the Old Babylonian period onward. The eagle-flight motif resurfaces in Greek and Iranian mythology.
Translation
Translation by Benjamin R. Foster, *Before the Muses: An Anthology of Akkadian Literature*, 3rd ed. (Bethesda: CDL Press, 2005), §III.22 Etana. Substantial selection from Foster's translation of the Etana epic (Old Babylonian and Late versions); see source edition for complete text. Used under fair-use principles for non-commercial educational and religious commentary; copyright remains with the publisher.
License
Used under fair-use principles for non-commercial educational and religious commentary. Copyright remains with the publisher.