Inanna and Enki
Transfer of Divine Knowledge
From Eridu to Uruk
(Edited & Condensed Version 1.04)
by James W. Bell © 2004
[ To read the unedited text, click here. ]
[ For an edited but uncondensed version, click here. ]
I – The Prelude to Inanna’s Trip
Before Inanna went to Dumuzi,
To the shepherd in the sheepfold,
She donned her Shugurra,
The crown of the steppe.
She looked at her vulva
And found it remarkable.
She was filled with delight
At the power of her genitals.
“When I have gratified my lord,
When I have made Dumuzi exuberant,
I shall turn my steps to Enki
Who is in his Abzu temple at Eridu.
II – Inanna Plans for the Trip
“When I am with Enki,
I shall speak coaxingly to him.
I shall utter a plea to him
To enjoy the sweet oil of my perfume.
“My plan is well practiced:
It has never escaped me
That I have been neglected by he
Who has had sex with me.”
On that day,
Inanna stepped into her Boat of Heaven
And had Ninshubur point its bow
Towards the Abzu in Eridu.
At the same time, Enki,
He of exceptional knowledge,
Who knows the hearts of the gods,
Before Inanna had approached
Within a beru of the temple
Spoke to Isimud, his sukkal, saying:
“Inanna, alone, comes to visit me.
When she arrives,
Offer her butter-cake to eat.
Let her be served cool, refreshing water.
“But also pour beer
In front of the Lion’s Gate,
Then make her comfortable
As if she were in the home of a girlfriend.”
III – Inanna Arrives in Eridu
When Inanna entered the Abzu,
Isimud did as he was instructed.
He gave the goddess butter-cake to eat
And cool, refreshing water to drink.
But Holy Inanna also saw the beer poured
In front of the Lion's Gate,
And was made to feel at home.
So it came about that Enki and Inanna
Drank together in the Abzu.
As the vessels were filled to the brim
The two of them started a competition.
As their hearts became happy with drink,
They came close to each other.
IV - Enki Gives the Mes to Inanna
As the beer was drunk,
Enki said to his sukkal,
“Come here, Isimud,
And listen to what I have to say.
“In the name of my Abzu,
Give these Mes to the holy Inanna:
The Mes of En-ship, lugal-ship, godship,
The noble, enduring crown
And the throne of kingship.”
Holy Inanna accepted them.
Again, Enki drank and said to his sukkal,
“There’s more to be done.
Pay attention, Isimud,
And listen to what I have to say.
“In the name of my Abzu,
Give these Mes to the holy Inanna
The Mes of noble scepter, the staff and nose-rope,
The noble dais, shepherd-ship
And kingship.”
Holy Inanna accepted these Mes.
As Enki drank, he called upon his sukkal
To give more and more Mes to Inanna
Until at the end,
He had given her all he had.
Holy Inanna accepted them all.
When Inanna was ready to leave,
Enki called his sukkal again, and said:
“The one who is ready to leave for Uruk,
Make sure she arrives there safely.”
V – Inanna Leaves for Uruk
Holy Inanna gathered together the hundred Mes
And loaded them in her Boat of Heaven.
Then she pushed off from the quay
And headed for Uruk.
When Enki woke from the beer he’d drunk,
He scrutinized the great sea-house,
And called to Isimud, his sukkal,
Who answered, “Tell me what you want.”
“My Mes of en-ship, lugalship, godship,
The noble, enduring crown,
The throne of kingship,
My Mes, where are they?”
“My Lord, you gave them to Inanna,
Who is your granddaughter.”
“All my other Mes,” Enki asked,
“Where are they?”
“You gave away all hundred of them
To Inanna, who is your granddaughter.
She loaded them in her Boat of Heaven
And has departed for Uruk.”
VI - Enki Tries to Recover the Mes
"Inanna's Boat of Heaven,” Enki asked
“Where is it now?”
“It has just arrived at the first quay,”
His faithful sukkal answered.
“Take enkums to seize the boat,”
The Lord of the Abzu ordered,
"Inanna may go on to Uruk
But bring back the Mes."
When Isimud reached Inanna, he said:
“My Lady, your grandfather sent me
To speak to you.
He is very distraught
And says his words cannot be countermanded.”
The celestial queen asked:
“What has my grandfather said to you?
What has he spoken
That cannot be countermanded?”
Isimud said: “He wishes his Mes returned,
He wants them brought back to the Abzu.
You may travel on to Uruk
But I am to take back the Mes.”
Holy Inanna said to Isimud:
“How could my grandfather change
What he gave to me?
How could he have altered his promise?
“Was it a lie that my grandfather told me?
Did he speak falsely to me?
Did he only pretend to swear by the Abzu
And then send you as the messenger?”
As Inanna was speaking these words,
The enkums grabbed hold of her boat.
Inanna called on Ninshubur, her sukkal, saying:
“Come, my minister of the Eanna Temple,
Water has never touched your hands,
Water has never touched your feet.”
Hearing that, the enkums, water creatures,
Shrank from Ninshubur's touch;
They let go of the boat
And Holy Inanna recovered the Mes.
Six more times,
Seven times in all,
Enki tried to stop the boat
And have the Mes brought back to Eridu.
Though he sent monsters and demons
And other strange creatures from the sea,
None could prevail over Holy Inanna
And her faithful sukkal, Ninshubur.
VII - Inanna Arrives in Uruk
When Inanna arrived at the White Quay
Where the Boat of Heaven was moored.
She unloaded all hundred Mes,
And the people rejoiced.
Once again Enki summoned Isimud
And asked his sukkal,
“Where is the Boat of Heaven now?”
When Isimud answered: “My lord,
The boat has arrived at the White Quay,
Inanna has had the Mes unloaded
And taken within the walls of the city of Uruk.”
Enki raged and cursed Uruk
Because their Holy Inanna had taken his Mes,
But then he felt admiration for his granddaughter,
And asked himself, "Who deserves them more?"
The lord of the Abzu curbed his ire
And said: “Let the en of Uruk be jubilant.
His city has long been an ally of Eridu,
It is now restored to its former place.”
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