The Vision of the Netherworld

1AN ASSYRIAN CROWN PRINCE | p

2Much of this bizarre narrative remains obscure, owing to the bad condition of am the single manuscript that preserves it. The narrative was composed by a scribe # | who professed to set down the exact words of an Assyrian prince who hada gil vision of the netherworld. , m

3The first fifteen lines of the text may deal with actions of the prince's father. sui

4There is reference to administrative acts, then the king may give himself over aron to gluttony and obsession with wealth. The mysterious scribe is introduced in ji line 17 in connection with some event that seems to cause the king consider- zin able distress: he weeps, goes out alone in the streets, smashes things, ignores a th food—characteristic actions of a man undergoing personal misfortune.’ He “2 commits some final abomination that, one may surmise, was to name a different heir to the throne. Jp

5In line 27 Kumaya, who may be a son of the king and the same personas the | ott

6“prince” referred to elsewhere in the narrative, incubates a dream, perhaps to ti find out when he is going to die. This might again suggest some situation of _ |..!

7uncertainty with the succession. Ereshkigal, queen of the netherworld, appears — wol to him and promises to reveal to him what he wants to know. MIT

8In line 37 Kumaya awakes and prays for the promised revelation. Kumaya’s lor second dream is narrated directly in the first person, as overheard and set down alre by the scribe (line 73). Kumaya enters the netherworld, where he sees fifteen | [Da demonic figures, each one more ghastly than the preceding. The last two are — we so appalling that Kumaya cannot even name them. Next he sees a dark human | |ted figure wearing a red cloak, and finally Nergal himself, who grabs him by the — iy;

9hair to kill him. M

10The warrior-god Ishum intercedes, asking that the man be spared to sing | l. h

11Nergal's praises to the land. Nergal is pacified and asks the prince a question, dh perhaps why he prayed to Ereshkigal for the revelation. He then prophesies m difficulties, rebellion, and anxieties for the prince. Nergal apparently shows the}...

12prince his own father, who, despite his innate excellence (67) has committed sity some evil act before his death (in connection with the succession?) that will be

13a cause of grief to the prince. "

14The prince awakens and declaims his misery in public, praising Nergal and

15Ereshkigal, who had vouchsafed him his revelation. The scribe remembers his

16words perfectly and out of loyalty reports them to the palace.

17Assurbanipal and his father, Esarhaddon. The delicacy of the matters referred might explain the oblique diction. The scribe, who seems to have been in disgrace for some evil act of his own, calls to mind Urad-Gula, a scholar at the

18“t=: court of Esarhaddon who lost his post after the accession of Assurbanipal. He is sometimes compared with Ahiqar, the unfairly disgraced vizier of Aramaic tradition. All of this is speculation, however.

19The prince’s brush with death raises him, like Gilgamesh, to the company of those who know the “alpha and omega" of human wisdom, matters before the

20"üt flood and after death.

21[ ] responsibility for [ ] cum [ ] of the house of examiners of ora[cles], he took coun[sel] with him [ ]

22NET [ ] ... the wise administrators, who keep the [secre]ts of their lord,

23Y. [ ] the governors [and] great ones and reinforced the proper care of his possessions, zu [ ] Dada, his cook, strong drink, whatever there was, wherever the sun illumined, est [ ] he delivered over to him [his] subjects, but he,

24disregarding his inner promptings, forgot what he (should have) held in awe,

25wen [ ] ... he held in contempt what he (should have) feared, and thought evil, though his heart urged him to do good.

26eet [ ] he reckoned [its acc]ounts(?), day and night

27he would shower his treasuries with jewels fit for a king, as if with a bucket from a well,

28] income, wealth, ... beloved by(?) the human race,

29(was) like pitch or tar coming up from the depths ...

30[Like] potter's clay, he covered it (with) plaster, great [ | he crammed it from foundation to parapet with silver,

31[ ] and the walls [ ], within Nineveh, the royal city, the way of well-being and justice,

32[ ] the good deeds(?) he had made it enjoy(?),

33[ ] ... to enter Assur ..., made ready to speak and [addressed him] as if he were a man,

34] in his heart, nor did ill-omened words [ ]

35] of the god, lest [ |.

36At] that time, [ ] darkness ...

37] ... he went to a certain scribe ...[ |

38never] resting, nor did he hold back weeping,

39] alone [ ] he went along its streets,

40[ ]ajoyful song in the nuptial chamber [ |,

41[ ] he ... of massive, ingenious workmanship with his sword... [ ]

42[ ] in the netherworld, which does not[ |...

43the royal repast, great banquets, all | =]...

44] years of service and [| ] gold... [ |...

45] an attack against | ], they stood and ...[ ] ..

46Then did Kumaya, son of | ], enter the temple(?),

47[ ] to go down to the netherworld ...

48[ ]... he desired.

49He set up an incense burner with juniper | ] ... and prayed,

50.. and made the god angry(?) while he uttered blessings,

51"O[ ], Allatu, Allatu, mistress of the netherworld,

52“[On] lips that have spoken insolence,

53where there is no regret, as long as I live ...

54"[ ]ontheday of my death | ]

55to the (netherworld) Anunna-gods let me ...

56"[ ] mention of my name...”

57[E]reshkigal appeared in a dream in the middle of the night and said to him,

58“I have re[gard for] your (very) first offering,

59] he took up his official post and [ ] the treasury,

60]hisevil[ ], which were not rightfully his, [ ] ...

61] and the shepherd of ... people for seed. serially.

62.. of the lost orphan, let her disclose her face and [

63"I will surely hear your [p]rayer, I will surely

64reveal to you what you desire,

65"[By com]|mand of my great divine mouth,

66you may interpret dreams,

67(but) I (myself) will not answer you

68the meaning of the sign,*

69w[hy] did you [turn to me], and[ ] Shamash?”

70Kumaya awoke and moaned like a dove, [saying],

71"earth, my earth ..."

72He wept and | ] the dream.

73[Again] he prayed, entreating Ereshkigal, before Nergal, king of the netherworld, her spouse, were his tears flowing down,

74“[ ]your substitute the teeming peoples[ ] whom they made to bow down, you opened to me a secret, ... | |.”

75[Ku]maya lay down and was seeing a vision of the night.

76In his dream, ... [ ]

77"I saw his terrifying splendor, [| |

78"I saw [Na]mtar, courier of the netherworld, who issues decrees.

79“A man stood before him, he was holding his hair in his left hand, he was [holding] a sword [in his right hand],

80“[Na]mtartu, his female counterpart, had the head of a protective spirit, her hands and feet were human.

81“Death had the head of a dragon, his hands were human, his feet [ _],

82“Evil Spirit had a human head and hands, was wearing a crown, its feet were those of an eagle, with its left foot 1t trod upon a crocodile(?).

83"Alluhappu had a lion's head, four human hands and feet.

84his wings were opened as he flew to and fro,

85(he had) human hands and feet. (45) i

86“‘Take-Away-Quickly’, boatman of the netherworld, had the head of Anzu, four | ] hands and feet. "

87"[ ] (had) an ox's head, four human hands and feet. is

88*'Malignant Phantom’ (had) a lion's head, Heg the hands and feet of Anzu.

89“Shulak was a normal lion rea[ring] on his hind legs,

90“[Ma]mitu had a goat's head, human hands and feet.

91“Pituh, gatekeeper of the netherworld,

92(had) a lion's head, human hands, bird's feet.

93“““Whatever-is-Evil’ (had) two heads, D

94a lion's head, the other [ |.

95^[Muh]ra (had) three feet,

96the two front ones were bird’s feet,

97the rear was that of an ox, it had terrifying splendor.

98“Two gods whose names I do not know:

99(had) the head, hands, feet of Anzu,

100in its left hand [|], :

101“The other had a human head and was wearing a crown. ý

102In its right hand was a mace, in its left ... V

103"Fifteen gods in all were in attendance.

104“When I saw them I prayed [to them]. B

105"A certain man, his body was black as pitch, his face was like that of Anzu, he was dressed in a red cloak, in his left hand he carried a bow,

106in his right he was ho[lding] a sword, De he was treading on a serpent(?), ... with his left f[oot],

107“When I raised my eyes, there was valiant Nergal By

108sitting on his royal throne wearing the royal crown,

109he held two terrible maces with both hands,

110each with two heads, Ve

111"[ ] were piled up ... lightning was flashing, T

112the great (netherworld) Anunna-gods were knee[ling]

113to right and left [ |],

114“The netherworld was full of terror,

115deep silence(?) reigned in the presence of the prince. ft

116^He seized me by the forelock and dr[ew] me toward him. |

117“When [I] saw him my legs shook,

118his wrathful splendor overwhelmed me,

119I kissed the feet of his [great] divinity, I knelt.

120“When I stood up, he was looking at me, shaking his head.

121“He gave me a fierce [c]ry and shrieked at me wrathfully,

122like a raging storm.

123“He drew up his scepter, his divine symbol, ghastly as a serpent, to kill me!

124*Ishum, his counselor, intercessor, savior of life, who loves truth and <justice>, said,

125‘Do not kill th(is) young man,

126O m[ight]y king of the v[as]t netherworld!

127*... let the subjects of the land all

128and always hear your praises!’

129“The heart of the formidable, mighty one, who captures the wicked, grew calm as pure well water,

130.. Nergal said(?) this,

131‘Why did you ... my beloved spouse, queen of the netherworld?’

132'[By] her sublime command, which cannot be changed, may Bibbu, slaughterer of the netherworld, entrust you to Lugalsula the gatekeeper, that he may take [you] out of the gate of Ishtar and Aya.

133‘Do not forget me nor neglect me!

134I will not sentence you to death.

135‘By the command of Shamash there shall gust upon you want, violence, and revolts, all at once,

136‘You shall have no sleep because of their fierce clamor.

137‘This [corpse] that is interred in the netherworld belongs to that magnificent shepherd who fulfilled the heart’s desire of my father [Assur], king of the gods.

138'[Of the king] who treated all the lands he looked upon,

139from sunrise to sunset,

140as plunder, who ruled over all,

141'(To) whom Assur, at the beginning | of his high priestly office [ordai]ned(?)

142construction of the sacred new year's festival house m the steppe, surrounded by a lush garden, fr the likeness of Lebanon, ... forever, mo

143‘And whose person Iabru and Humba-Napruhu' vil whose seed they preserved in well-being, Te whose army and camp they kept safe, [sha lest a [chario]teer(?) approach him(?) in battle, (65) viewed

144‘He 1s your l[oft]y father, who understood matters, “Til

145he of profound wisdom and penetrating understanding, who had in v[iew?] the designs of (how) the earth iia

146is linked (to heaven), inii

147‘Whoever ignored common sense when he spoke, e who did what is forbidden, RN committed an abomination, ia the terrifying splendor of his kingship ‘talon!

148will overwhelm you all, until you are empty air!

149‘This saying shall lie like a thorn in your hearts,

150‘Do you go forth to the upper world

151until once again I call you to mind!’

152"As he spoke I awoke.”

153Like a young man who has shed blood, who wanders alone in a swamp, whom a pursuer has overtaken, and his heart is pounding,

154Or, like a lusty young boar, mounting his mate with innards aswell, who lets out wind at his mouth and behind,

155He cried out a lament, saying “Woe is me!”

156He darted out into the street like an arrow and scooped up dirt from alley and square in his mouth, all the while setting up a frightful clamor,

157“Woe! Alas! Why have you ordained this for me?”

158He was shouting in front of the subjects of Assur, praising in his pain the valor of Nergal and Ereshkigal, who had stood forth to aid the prince.

159As for him, the scribe who formerly had accepted a present, who assumed his father’s post, with the astuteness that Ea bestowed upon him, he took th(ose) words of praise to heart, saying to himself,

160“Lest disloyalty bring me to harm,

161I shall always do what | ] commanded.”

162So he went and reported it to the palace, saying,

163“This shall be my protection from evil.”

164Text von Soden, ZA 43 (1936), Tafeln I-IV (photos only).

16531 (most restorations and interpretations are taken from him); Livingstone, Court Poetry, 68—76

166(with some improved readings and interpretations used here).