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Kish - The Myth of Etana – Tablet 3
Identifier
022149
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
THE MYTH OF ETANA
Source: Foster, Benjamin
(1995)
From distant days... Myths, tales and poetry from Ancient Mesopotamia
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 eagle.
[ ] 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)