ISHTAR'S DESCENT
INTO HADES
Trans. Clifton Daggett Gray
1901
The text that follows comes from a relatively late Semitic version of the very ancient story of Innana and Dumuzi, known here as Ishtar and Tammuz. This version of the poem covers only a part of the myth; the rest was only discovered in the twentieth century in even older Sumerian texts. The story begins when Inanna, the goddess of fertility, decides to descend into the Underworld to visit her sister, Ereshkigal (Allatu), queen of the Underworld, likely with the intent of trying to seize the Underworld for herself. Doing so necessitates dying. The poem below picks up when Inanna (Ishtar) has begun her descent. I will summarize the remainder of the story after Clifton Daggett Gray's 1901 translation:
Toward the land of No-Return, the region of darkness,
Ishtar, the daughter of the Moon-god, directed her attention.
The Moon-god's daughter directed her attention
Toward the house of darkness, Irkalla's dwelling-place,
Toward the house out of which he who enters never comes,
Toward the road whose way turns not back,
Toward the house where he who enters is deprived of light,
A place where dust is their sustenance, their food clay,
Light they see not, they sit in darkness,
They are clothed, like a bird, with feathered raiment,
Over door and bolt is spread the dust.
Ishtar, on her arrival at the gate of the land of No-Return,
Addressed the porter of the gate:
"O porter of the waters, open thy gate,
Open thy gate, let me enter!
If thou dost not open the gate, and I enter not,
I will shatter the door, the bolt I will break in pieces,
I will shatter the threshold, I will tear away the doors,
I will bring up the dead that they may eat and live,
And the dead shall join themselves to the living."
The porter opened his mouth to speak,
He addressed the Princess Ishtar:
"Stay, my lady, do not destroy it (i. e., the door).
Let me go and announce thy name to the Queen Allatu." [Note: = Ereshkigal]
The porter went within and addressed Allatu:
"These waters thy sister Ishtar has crossed
nu-kil-tu sha kip-pi-i rabuti da * * * (?)"
When the goddess Allatu [heard] this,
Like a fallen tap-pu tree * * *
Like a broken ku-ni-nu reed, she sank down and spoke:
"What does her heart wish of tie? What do her spirits desire?
These waters have I with * * *
For food I will eat clay, for wine I will drink [sewage],
I will weep for the men who have left their wives,
I will weep for the concubines who have been torn from the bosom of their masters,
For the little children will I weep, who before their time [are taken away].
Go, porter, open thy gate for her, Do unto her according to the ancient custom."
The porter went and opened for her his gate:
"Enter, my lady; may Kutu (i. e., the under-world) rejoice,
May the palace of the land of No-Return be glad at thy presence!"
The first gate he caused her to enter, he approached and took off the great crown of her head.
"Why, O porter, hast thou taken off the great crown of my head?"
"Enter, my lady, for such is the custom of Allatu."
The second gate he caused her to enter, he approached and took off the ornaments of her ears.
"Why, O porter, hast thou taken off the ornaments of my ears?"
"Enter, my lady, for such is the custom of Allatu."
The third gate he caused her to enter, he approached and took off the chains about her neck.
"Why, O porter, hast thou taken off the chains about my neck?"
"Enter, my lady, for such is the custom of Allatu."
The fourth gate he caused her to enter, he approached and took off the ornaments of her breast.
"Why, O porter, hast thou taken off the ornaments of my breast?"
"Enter, my lady, for such is the custom of Allatu."
The fifth gate he caused her to enter, he approached and took off the studded girdle of her waist.
"Why, O porter, hast thou taken off the studded girdle of my waist?"
"Enter, my lady, for such is the custom of Allatu."
The sixth gate he caused her to enter, he approached and took off the bracelets of her hands and the anklets of her feet.
"Why, O porter, hast thou taken off the bracelets of my hands and the anklets of my feet?"
"Enter, my lady, for such is the custom of Allatu."
The seventh gate he caused her to enter, he approached and took off the garment covering the shame of her body.
"Why, O porter, hast thou taken off the garment covering the shame of my body?"
"Enter, my lady, for such is the custom of Allatu."
As soon as Ishtar had descended to the land of No-Return,
Allatu saw her and moved angrily toward her.
Ishtar took no counsel, she threw herself upon her (Allatu).
Allatu opened her mouth to speak,
She addressed Namtar, her messenger:
"Go, Namtar, open my [gate] and * * *
Bring her forth * * * the goddess Ishtar.
With disease of the eyes [smite her],
With disease of the hips [smite] her,
With disease of the feet [smite] her,
With disease of the heart [smite] her,
With disease of the head [smite] her,
Upon her whole person [put disease]."
After the mistress Ishtar had descended to the land of No Return,
The bull did not mount the cow, nor did the ass leap upon the she-ass,
The man did not approach the maid in the street,
The man lay down to sleep upon his own couch,
While the maid slept by herself.
Pap-sukal, the messenger of the great gods, with countenance downcast before Shamash,
Was clad in sackcloth, he was filled with grief.
Shamash came into the presence of Sin, his father, weeping,
In the presence of Ea, the king, his tears ran down his cheeks.
"Ishtar has gone down into the earth, and has not yet come forth;
After Ishtar had descended to the land of No-Return,
The bull did not mount the cow, nor did the ass leap upon the she-ass,
The man did not approach the maid in the street,
The man lay down to sleep upon his own couch,
While the maid slept by herself."
Ea in the wisdom of his heart created a man,
He created Uddushunamir, the servant of the gods:
"Go, Uddushunamir, set thy face toward the gate of the land of No-Return,
May the seven gates of the land of No-Return open before thee,
May Allatu see thee, may she rejoice at thy arrival!
When her heart becomes at rest and she is in good spirits,
Conjure her by the name of the great gods;
Lift up thy head, direct thy attention to the water-skin (?) (saying),
'If you please, my lady, give me the water-skin, that I may drink the water therefrom.'"
Allatu, when she heard this,
Smote her thigh and bit her finger-tip:
"Thou hast sought from me a favour not to be sought after.
Begone, Uddushunamir. I will curse thee with a fearful curse:
The food of the sewage of the city shall be thy food,
The gutters of the city shall be thy drinking-place,
The shadow of the wall shall be thy station,
The threshold shall be thy place of residence,
May dungeon and prison-house destroy thy strength!"
Allatu opened her mouth to speak,
She addressed Namtar, her messenger:
"Go, Namtar, destroy the palace of righteousness,
Overturn the thresholds—for the posts are tottering—
Bring out the Anunnaki, seat them upon a golden throne,
Sprinkle Ishtar with the water of life, and take her from my presence."
Namtar went and destroyed the palace of righteousness,
He overturned the thresholds—the posts were tottering,
He brought out the Anunnaki, he seated them upon a golden throne,
He sprinkled Ishtar with the water of life and brought her forth.
He led her out through the first gate and restored to her the garment covering the shame of her body.
He led her out through the second gate and restored to her the bracelets of her hands and the anklets of her feet.
He led her out through the third gate and restored to her the studded girdle of her waist.
He led her out through the fourth gate and restored to her the ornaments of her breast.
He led her out through the fifth gate and restored to her the chains about her neck.
He led her out through the sixth gate and restored to her the ornaments of her ears.
He led her out through the seventh gate and restored to her the great crown of her head.
"If she [Allatu] does not give to thee her release, then turn thyself to her [Ishtar],
Unto Tammuz, the husband of her youth,
Pour out pure water, with goodly oil [anoint him],
In fine raiment clothe him, a flute of lapis lazuli let him [play],
May the Uchati [sacred prostitutes]wail with loud [wailing],
May the goddess Belili [Tammuz’s sister] [destroy] her ornaments,
With eye-stones shall be filled * * *"
The lament of her brother she heard, (and) Belili destroyed the ornaments of * * *
The eye-stones which were filled * * *
"O my only brother, do not let me perish!
On the day of Tammuz play for me the flute of lapis lazuli, the samdu flute also play for me;
At that time play for me, O male-mourners and female-mourners,
On [?] instruments let them play, let them inhale the incense."
Ishtar, the daughter of the Moon-god, directed her attention.
The Moon-god's daughter directed her attention
Toward the house of darkness, Irkalla's dwelling-place,
Toward the house out of which he who enters never comes,
Toward the road whose way turns not back,
Toward the house where he who enters is deprived of light,
A place where dust is their sustenance, their food clay,
Light they see not, they sit in darkness,
They are clothed, like a bird, with feathered raiment,
Over door and bolt is spread the dust.
Ishtar, on her arrival at the gate of the land of No-Return,
Addressed the porter of the gate:
"O porter of the waters, open thy gate,
Open thy gate, let me enter!
If thou dost not open the gate, and I enter not,
I will shatter the door, the bolt I will break in pieces,
I will shatter the threshold, I will tear away the doors,
I will bring up the dead that they may eat and live,
And the dead shall join themselves to the living."
The porter opened his mouth to speak,
He addressed the Princess Ishtar:
"Stay, my lady, do not destroy it (i. e., the door).
Let me go and announce thy name to the Queen Allatu." [Note: = Ereshkigal]
The porter went within and addressed Allatu:
"These waters thy sister Ishtar has crossed
nu-kil-tu sha kip-pi-i rabuti da * * * (?)"
When the goddess Allatu [heard] this,
Like a fallen tap-pu tree * * *
Like a broken ku-ni-nu reed, she sank down and spoke:
"What does her heart wish of tie? What do her spirits desire?
These waters have I with * * *
For food I will eat clay, for wine I will drink [sewage],
I will weep for the men who have left their wives,
I will weep for the concubines who have been torn from the bosom of their masters,
For the little children will I weep, who before their time [are taken away].
Go, porter, open thy gate for her, Do unto her according to the ancient custom."
The porter went and opened for her his gate:
"Enter, my lady; may Kutu (i. e., the under-world) rejoice,
May the palace of the land of No-Return be glad at thy presence!"
The first gate he caused her to enter, he approached and took off the great crown of her head.
"Why, O porter, hast thou taken off the great crown of my head?"
"Enter, my lady, for such is the custom of Allatu."
The second gate he caused her to enter, he approached and took off the ornaments of her ears.
"Why, O porter, hast thou taken off the ornaments of my ears?"
"Enter, my lady, for such is the custom of Allatu."
The third gate he caused her to enter, he approached and took off the chains about her neck.
"Why, O porter, hast thou taken off the chains about my neck?"
"Enter, my lady, for such is the custom of Allatu."
The fourth gate he caused her to enter, he approached and took off the ornaments of her breast.
"Why, O porter, hast thou taken off the ornaments of my breast?"
"Enter, my lady, for such is the custom of Allatu."
The fifth gate he caused her to enter, he approached and took off the studded girdle of her waist.
"Why, O porter, hast thou taken off the studded girdle of my waist?"
"Enter, my lady, for such is the custom of Allatu."
The sixth gate he caused her to enter, he approached and took off the bracelets of her hands and the anklets of her feet.
"Why, O porter, hast thou taken off the bracelets of my hands and the anklets of my feet?"
"Enter, my lady, for such is the custom of Allatu."
The seventh gate he caused her to enter, he approached and took off the garment covering the shame of her body.
"Why, O porter, hast thou taken off the garment covering the shame of my body?"
"Enter, my lady, for such is the custom of Allatu."
As soon as Ishtar had descended to the land of No-Return,
Allatu saw her and moved angrily toward her.
Ishtar took no counsel, she threw herself upon her (Allatu).
Allatu opened her mouth to speak,
She addressed Namtar, her messenger:
"Go, Namtar, open my [gate] and * * *
Bring her forth * * * the goddess Ishtar.
With disease of the eyes [smite her],
With disease of the hips [smite] her,
With disease of the feet [smite] her,
With disease of the heart [smite] her,
With disease of the head [smite] her,
Upon her whole person [put disease]."
After the mistress Ishtar had descended to the land of No Return,
The bull did not mount the cow, nor did the ass leap upon the she-ass,
The man did not approach the maid in the street,
The man lay down to sleep upon his own couch,
While the maid slept by herself.
Pap-sukal, the messenger of the great gods, with countenance downcast before Shamash,
Was clad in sackcloth, he was filled with grief.
Shamash came into the presence of Sin, his father, weeping,
In the presence of Ea, the king, his tears ran down his cheeks.
"Ishtar has gone down into the earth, and has not yet come forth;
After Ishtar had descended to the land of No-Return,
The bull did not mount the cow, nor did the ass leap upon the she-ass,
The man did not approach the maid in the street,
The man lay down to sleep upon his own couch,
While the maid slept by herself."
Ea in the wisdom of his heart created a man,
He created Uddushunamir, the servant of the gods:
"Go, Uddushunamir, set thy face toward the gate of the land of No-Return,
May the seven gates of the land of No-Return open before thee,
May Allatu see thee, may she rejoice at thy arrival!
When her heart becomes at rest and she is in good spirits,
Conjure her by the name of the great gods;
Lift up thy head, direct thy attention to the water-skin (?) (saying),
'If you please, my lady, give me the water-skin, that I may drink the water therefrom.'"
Allatu, when she heard this,
Smote her thigh and bit her finger-tip:
"Thou hast sought from me a favour not to be sought after.
Begone, Uddushunamir. I will curse thee with a fearful curse:
The food of the sewage of the city shall be thy food,
The gutters of the city shall be thy drinking-place,
The shadow of the wall shall be thy station,
The threshold shall be thy place of residence,
May dungeon and prison-house destroy thy strength!"
Allatu opened her mouth to speak,
She addressed Namtar, her messenger:
"Go, Namtar, destroy the palace of righteousness,
Overturn the thresholds—for the posts are tottering—
Bring out the Anunnaki, seat them upon a golden throne,
Sprinkle Ishtar with the water of life, and take her from my presence."
Namtar went and destroyed the palace of righteousness,
He overturned the thresholds—the posts were tottering,
He brought out the Anunnaki, he seated them upon a golden throne,
He sprinkled Ishtar with the water of life and brought her forth.
He led her out through the first gate and restored to her the garment covering the shame of her body.
He led her out through the second gate and restored to her the bracelets of her hands and the anklets of her feet.
He led her out through the third gate and restored to her the studded girdle of her waist.
He led her out through the fourth gate and restored to her the ornaments of her breast.
He led her out through the fifth gate and restored to her the chains about her neck.
He led her out through the sixth gate and restored to her the ornaments of her ears.
He led her out through the seventh gate and restored to her the great crown of her head.
"If she [Allatu] does not give to thee her release, then turn thyself to her [Ishtar],
Unto Tammuz, the husband of her youth,
Pour out pure water, with goodly oil [anoint him],
In fine raiment clothe him, a flute of lapis lazuli let him [play],
May the Uchati [sacred prostitutes]wail with loud [wailing],
May the goddess Belili [Tammuz’s sister] [destroy] her ornaments,
With eye-stones shall be filled * * *"
The lament of her brother she heard, (and) Belili destroyed the ornaments of * * *
The eye-stones which were filled * * *
"O my only brother, do not let me perish!
On the day of Tammuz play for me the flute of lapis lazuli, the samdu flute also play for me;
At that time play for me, O male-mourners and female-mourners,
On [?] instruments let them play, let them inhale the incense."
Following the events of this poem, the gods bargain for Inanna's release, which Ereshkigal grants on the condition that another take her place. Inanna sails back from the Underworld in the unholy company of demons. She must choose someone to go down to the Underworld for her, but she encounters only friends she cannot condemn to death. She finds, however, Dumuzi (Tammuz) sitting upon a throne refusing to mourn for her. Enraged, she sends him to the Underworld. He is torn apart and dragged down by demons. His sister and mother weep for him, and they and Inanna search for him. Only his sister is able to sail into the Underworld to find him. In a fragment of a poem found only in the mid-twentieth century, we learn that Inanna decrees that brother and sister should share one fate, and each would spend six months in the Underworld and six months free. Thus, Dumuzi sails back from the Underworld each year, his funereal barge heralded by a flight of demons and a warning for the living to beware the risen dead. Dumuzi and Inanna marry, and the cycle begins anew.
Poem from: Clifton Daggett Gray, "Ishtar's Descent into Hades," in Assyrian and Babylonian Literature: Selected Translations, ed. Robert Francis Harper (New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1901), 408-413.
All other text: © 2011 Jason Colavito. All rights reserved.
All other text: © 2011 Jason Colavito. All rights reserved.
