Gudea Cylinder A i 1-29 (RIME E3/1.1.7.CylA) - Digital Semitics Online Library (DSOL)

Introduction

The Gudea Cylinders (A and B) are cylindrical clay tablets which tell of the construction of Ning̃irsu’s É-ninnu Temple (É-ninnu = ‘House of the Fifty’). Gudea was the ruler of the city-state of Lagaš in the second half of the 22nd cent. BCE, dating to either just before Ur-Nammu’s founding of the Third Dynasty of Ur or perhaps overlapping Ur-Nammu (r. 2112-2095 BCE). The fragments of the Cylinders were discovered in the last quarter of the 19th century during the French excavations at Girsu (mod. Tello), the administrative center of Gudea’s Lagash (Averbeck 2000: 417). According to Averbeck, “The Gudea Cylinders constitute one of the longest and most impressive, complex, and unique compositions in the Sumerian literary répertoire” (2000: 417). The composition belongs to a subgenre of Sumerian royal hymns known as “building and dedication hymns” (Klein 1989). Recent research has outlined five basic stages of ancient Near Eastern building texts, including e.g. the construction of the Solomonic Temple (1 Kgs 5-9): (1) the decision to build and divine sanction (Cyl. A i-xii); (2) preparations for building (Cyl. A xiii-xx); (3) description of the construction process including furnishings (Cyl. A xxi-xxx); (4) dedication prayers and festivities (Cyl. B i-xviii); and (5) divine promises and blessings for the king (Cyl. B xix-xxiv). More specifically, Averbeck (2000: 418; see also 1987; 1997) divides the literary structure of the Cylinders into the following seven stages based on internal literary formulae: (1) the initial dream and its interpretation (Cyl. A i.12-vii.8); (2) incubation of a second dream (Cyl. A vii.9-xii.19); (3) the construction of the new Eninnu (Cyl. A xii.20-xxv.19); (4) furnishing, decorating, supplying, and praising the temple complex (Cyl. A xxv.20-xxx.5); (5) preparations for the induction of Ningirsu and his consort, Baba, into the new Eninnu (Cyl. B i.12-ii.6); (6) induction of Ningirsu and Baba into the new Eninnu (Cyl. B ii.7–xiii.10), and (7) the housewarming celebration of the induction of Ningirsu and Baba into the new Eninnu (Cyl. B xiii.11–xxiv.8).

This post covers Gudea Cylinder A plate one, i.e. the first 29 lines, which contextualizes the preeminence of Lagaš and the É-ninnu by associating them with the cosmological founding of the earth as well as Gudea’s initial dream to construct the É-ninnu Temple.

N.b., this post is part of a series of my translations of Sumerian texts which I translated in my Sumerian class at Hopkins this semester. In preparation for my upcoming Sumerian final on May 9th, I plan to review all the texts which we read this semester. In what follows, I present the inscription’s line drawing followed by a transliteration of the cuneiform, translation, and brief philological commentary.

Image and Line Drawing

Transliteration

Gudea Cyl. A Col. 1 ln. 1-29:

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[1] wr. ŠIR.BUR.LA^ki = lagaš^ki

[2] wr. UD.DU = è

[3] wr. PA.TE.SI = énsi

[4] wr. GIŠ.PI.TÚG = g̃èštu

[5] wr. A.AN = àm

[6] Averbeck reads the SUD sign as sud, whereas Edzard transliterates su₃. Following here (in modified form) Averbeck’s suggestion on p. 596 fn. 33: “The actual phonetic value of the final /d/ in sud is something like /dr/ (see Thomsen p. 44 sec. 23 and p. 316). Thus, the juxtaposition of sud with rá is understandable.” Our transliteration, sud^r, attempts to capture this point.

[7] wr. PA.LU = sipa

[8] So Edzard. Alternatively reading the last line with the value of sì; so Averbeck’s ma-ab-sì-sì.

[9] Or Averbeck’s nì

Translations

My translation:

When in heaven and on earth fate was decreed, Lagaš lifted its head toward heaven with great divine-radiance.[1] Enlil looked faithfully at lord Ning̃irsu. In our city, eternal/suitable things appeared. ₍₅₎ The heart returned to its banks (of a river; i.e. was content with joy),[2] the heart of Enlil returned to its banks, the heart returned to its banks, a mighty flood overflowed, rising fearfully (i.e., in an awe inspiring manner).[3] The heart of Enlil–it being the Tigris River–it brought sweet water.[4] ₍₁₀₎ As for the temple, its king (i.e., Ning̃irsu) decreed: “I will make the divine-radiance[5] of the temple appear in heaven and on earth. The ruler (=énsi [!], i.e, Gudea), being a man of broad wisdom, he will act wisely; he will make great things grow;[6] he will direct suitable oxen and goats (i.e., for sacrifice).” ₍₁₅₎ The fated brick[7] lifted its head toward him in order to build the pure temple; its neck raised up for his king. On that day, Gudea saw lord Ning̃irsu in a nocturnal-vision. He (i.e., Ning̃irsu) spoke to him (i.e., Gudea) about building his House (i.e., the É-ninnu Temple). ₍₂₀₎ He (i.e., Gudea) gazed upon[8] the É-ninnu, its divine-radiance[9] being the greatest. Gudea, his heart being profound, was troubled by the matter.[10] “Alas, let me tell it to her! Alas, let me tell it to her! ₍₂₅₎ May she stand with me in this matter! Being the shepherd, a magnificent-challenge[11] has opposed me. I do not understand the thing of the nocturnal-vision brought to me. Let me bring my dream to my mother!”

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[1] Or ‘great stature’ (Averbeck 2000). ePSD: me [BEING] (750x: ED IIIb, Old Akkadian, Lagash II, Old Babylonian) wr. me “being, divine properties enabling cosmic activity; office; (cultic) ordinance” Akk. mû; parşu

[2] A metaphor describing the appeasement of Enlil’s anger (or otherwise just an expression of joy). Translations range from overly literal, e.g. Edzard’s ‘the flood again reached the banks’, to its metaphorical extension, ETCSL 1998 ‘The heart overflowed with joy’ and Averbeck 2000 ‘Surely the heart did overflow’. See lines 8 ff. for the extension of the flood metaphor.

[3] Cp. Averbeck 1987 ‘ever rising (more) fearfully’; Edzard 1997 ‘awe-inspiring’; ETCSL ‘awe-inspiring’; and Averbeck 2000 ‘rising awesomely’. The latter is preferred.

[4] For the DU sign, (hamtu) de₆ is the preferred reading over (maru) túm.

[5] Alternatively, ‘grandeur’ (ETCSL) or ‘stature’ (Averbeck 2000).

[6] Or, ‘he will achieve great things’

[7] Or, alternatively, a genitive construction: ‘the brick of fate’

[8] igi–g̃ar (lit. ‘to set the eye’). See note in Philological Commentary on this line.

[9] Or ‘stature’ (Averbeck 2000)

[10] Alternatively (and probably better), gùdéa.ak šàg.ani sùd^r.àm could be an anticipatory genitive, in which case lines 22-23 should be translated ‘The heart of Gudea is profound, but the matter (inim.e) troubled him.’

[11] namnun.e: lit. ‘magnificence’ > ‘a magnificent thing’ > ‘a magnificent challenge’

Averbeck 1987 (PhD Dissertation):

On a day when destiny was being determined in heaven and earth, Lagash lifted (its) head (proudly) toward heaven in great form. Enlil looked at the lord Ningirsu with favor; (yes,) he saw fit to make the ordained city appear resplendent as a long lasting thing. ₍₅₎ He saw fit to make the seasonal flood occur; (yes) he saw fit to make the seasonal flood of Enlil occur. He saw fit to make the seasonal flood occur; (yes) he saw fit to make the high water sparkle, ever rising (more) fearfully. The seasonal flood of Enlil — it is the Tigris — saw fit to bring sweet water. ₍₁₀₎ Concerning the temple, its king (i.e., Ningirsu) then proclaimed: “I will make the image of the Eninnu resplendent in heaven and earth.” The ruler (i.e. Gudea), being a wise and observant man, having paid attention, prayed extolling (his, i.e., Ningirsu’s) greatest. (The ruler) having properly arranged (for) perfect ox(en) and perfect he-goat(s before Ningirsu), ₍₁₅₎ he had caused the decreed brickwork to lift its head toward himself: (yes,) the pure temple to be built raised its head toward him. While on this day to his king in a night vision Gudea was looking to the lord Ningirsu, he (i.e., Ningirsu) commanded him (i.e., Gudea) to build his temple. ₍₂₀₎ The Eninnu, its image being the greatest, he (i.e., Ningirsu) showed to him (i.e., Gudea). Gudea, (even though) he had an unfathomable mind, was anxious over the matter (and said to himself): “Surely I must tell it to her (i.e., Nanshe)! Surely I must tell it to her! ₍₂₅₎ May she stand by me in this matter! As the shepherd she entrusted me with the office of authority, (but) I do not know the meaning of that which the night vision brought to me. I must take my dream to my mother!”

Edzard 1997 (RIME 3/1):

When in heaven and on earth the firm promise had been made (regarding Lagaš), then Lagaš proudly looked up, sure of itself (for) Enlil had directed his meaningful gaze toward the lord Ningirsu. “In our city everything really functioned as it should. ₍₅₎ In fact, the flood again reached the banks, the flood (caused by) Enlil again reached the banks, the flood again reached the banks, being an enormous body of dark water with sparkling white crests — awe-inspiring. Enlil’s flood — it is like the Tigris itself — really brought sweet water.” ₍₁₀₎ The master said concerning His house: “I will render Eninnu most influential in heaven and on earth. Wise as he is, the ruler will use his intellect, he will bestir himself to achieve great deeds. He will direct (for offering) unblemished bulls and he-goats. ₍₁₅₎ The auspicious brick (already) has looked up to him, it raised its neck (eager) to build the bright House.” On that very day he saw his master, Gudea saw the lord Ningirsu in a night-time vision, and (Ningirsu) told him about building his House. ₍₂₀₎ He let Eninnu, whose powers are the greatest, stand before his eyes. Gudea, (although) having a far-reaching mind, tried to grasp the meaning. “Well, well, I will have to tell it to her, ₍₂₅₎ may she assist me in that matter. Profound things have come to me, the shepherd, all of a sudden — but I did not understand what the night-time vision means. (Therefore) I will bring my dream before my mother.”

ETCSL 1998:

On the day when in heaven and earth the fates had been decided, Lagaš raised its head high in full grandeur, and Enlil looked at Lord Ninĝirsu with approval. In our city there was perfection. ₍₅₎The heart overflowed with joy, Enlil’s heart, a river in flood, overflowed with joy. The heart overflowed with joy, and just as the Tigris brings sweet water, so Enlil, whose will is an enormous flood, sparkling and awe-inspiring, came to a sweet decision: ₍₁₀₎ “The lord called for his house and I intend to make the grandeur of E-ninnu known everywhere. Using his wisdom, the ruler (i.e. Gudea) will achieve great things. He will direct faultless cattle and kids for offering. ₍₁₅₎ It is for him the fated brick is waiting. It is by him that the building of the holy house is to be done.” On that day, in a nocturnal vision Gudea saw his master, Lord Ninĝirsu. Ninĝirsu spoke to him of his house, of its building. ₍₂₀₎ He showed him an E-ninnu with full grandeur. Outstanding though his mind was, the message remained to be understood for him. “Well, I have to tell her about this! Well, I have to tell her about this! ₍₂₅₎ I will ask her to stand by me in this matter. Profound things (?) came suddenly to me, the shepherd, but the meaning of what the nocturnal vision brought to me I do not understand. So I will take my dream to my mother.”

For ETCSL, see here and here.

Averbeck 2000 (Context of Scripture):

On a day when destiny was being decreed in heaven and earth, Lagash lifted (its) head toward heaven in great stature, (and) Enlil looked at lord Ningirsu with favor. In our city the long enduring thing(s) did surely appear in splendor. ₍₅₎ Surely the heart did overflow, surely the heart of Enlil did overflow, surely the heart did overflow, surely the flood water did shine brightly, rising awesomely, surely the heart of Enlil, being the Tigris river, did bring sweet water. ₍₁₀₎ Concerning the temple, its king (Ningirsu) proclaimed there and then: “As for the Eninnu, I will make its stature appear in splendor in heaven and earth.” The ruler (Gudea), being a man of wide wisdom, had been paying close attention, lauding (Ningirsu) with all great things, properly arranging perfect ox and perfect he-goat (for sacrifice). ₍₁₅₎ The decreed brick lifted its head toward him, stretched out its neck toward him to build the holy temple. On that day in a night vision (he saw) his king, Gudea saw the lord Ningirsu, (and) he commanded him to build his temple. ₍₂₀₎The Eninnu, its stature being the greatest, he displayed to him. Gudea, his heart being stirred up, tired himself over the command (saying): “I must tell it to her! I must tell it to her! ₍₂₅₎ May she stand by me in regard to this command! Me being the shepherd, she has entrusted me with the office of authority. The thing which the night vision brought to me, I do not know its meaning. I must take my dream to my mother!”

Philological Commentary

ln. 1-3 – the temporal clause {u₄ + a} ‘when’ (lit. ‘on the day’) situates the beginning of the narrative in the (distant) past. Several such adverbial clauses exist (see Crisostomo 2017 fn. 1 for references in the grammars). The traces at the end of the line drawing are consistent with Edzard’s partially reconstructed da. Based on the context (ln. 3), it seems that Lagaš is being associated with the mythological (i.e. cosmological) past. In 3rd millennium Sumerian cosmogony, Enlil (the lord of wind) is described as splitting apart An (heaven) from Ki (earth) which in turn creates an earthly domain for humanity. It follows in this text, then, that Lagaš has its origins deeply rooted in the earliest epochs of human history, giving it a long and important (mythological) pedigree.
ln. 2 – mu.ni.b.ìl ‘(it) lifted’: hamtu transitive with 3rd singular inanimate agent (Lagaš)
ln. 3 – enlíl en ning̃írsú.šè igi zi mu.n.ši.n.bar.∅ ‘Enlil looked faithfully at lord Ning̃irsu’: the verb is hamtu transitive with 3rd singular animate agent (Enlil) from the compound vb. igi–bar ‘to look at (intently)’ plus the terminative verbal pref.
ln. 4 – uru.me.a níg̃.du₇/ul pa na.ì.b.è.∅ ‘In our city, eternal/suitable things manifested/shone forth’
- - The reading of UL sign as ul ‘remote in time, eternal’ or du₇ ‘to be (cultically) suitable for’ gives rise to two major alternatives: (1) ‘eternal things’, or (2) ‘(cultically) suitable things’. Based on the ritual emphases here and elsewhere in the text (see e.g. Averbeck 1997), I suggest that the latter option is preferable.
  - The na prefix is an oral discourse marker rather than the negative modal.
  - The compound vb. pa–è means ‘to manifest, make appear, make shine’
ln. 13 – It is impossible to determine where Ning̃irsu’s quote ends. Pace Averbeck (1987, 2000), I prefer (with Edzard and ETCSL) to extend the quote past ln. 12, so that the reduplicated maru forms in lines 12 (g̃á-g̃á), 13 (mú-mú), and 14 (sá-sá) are all describing actions which the “ruler” (Gudea) will achieve.
ln. 21 – The compound verb igi–g̃ar ‘to look at, gaze’ < lit. ‘to set the eye’ is the third type of verb for “seeing” used in this text, the nuances of which are not always clear. In ln. 3, Enlil looked (igi–bar) faithfully at Ning̃irsu; in ln. 18, Gudea looked (igi–du₈) at Ning̃irsu in a dream; here in ln. 21, Gudea looked (igi–g̃ar) at the É-ninnu in the same dream. ePSD contains about 20 different words for looking, seeing, examining, etc., most of which are compound verbs with igi ‘eye’ as the first object.
ln. 24 – gana ga.na.b.du₁₁.en gana ga.na.b.du₁₁.en “Alas, let me tell it to her! Alas, let me tell it to her!” I interpret this line as an interjection (gana) + cohortative 1cs from the verbal base du₁₁/dug ‘to speak, say, tell’.[1] The word play on the interjection (gana) followed by 1cs cohortative + 3rd sg. dative, i.e. ga+na, is intentionally alliterative.
ln. 26 – sipad.men ‘being the shepherd’; n. sipad ‘shepherd’ + 1cs copula. Lit., ‘I being/am the shepherd’

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[1] ePSD: gana [COME ON!] (25x: ED IIIb, Ur III, Old Babylonian) wr. ga-na; gana “come on!” Akk. gana

Bibliography

n.a., “Cylindre A de Gudea,” including images, description, physical characteristics, etc. (in French): https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010124631

Averbeck, Richard E. “A Preliminary Study of Ritual and Structure in the Cylinders of Gudea.” 2 vols. Ph.D. dissertation, Dropsie College, Annenberg Research Institute. Ann Arbor, MI: University Microfilms International, 1987.

Averbeck, Richard E. “Ritual Formula, Textual Frame, and Thematic Echo in the Cylinders of Gudea.” In Crossing Boundaries and Linking Horizons: Studies in Honor of Michael C. Astour on His 80th Birthday. Edited by G. D. Young, M. W. Chavalas, and R. E. Averbeck. Bethesda, MD: CDL, 1997.

Averbeck, Richard E. “The Cylinders of Gudea (2.155),” in The Context of Scripture, vol. 2, Monumental Inscriptions from the Biblical World. Leiden/Boston: Brill, 2000.

Crisostomo, C. Jay. “The Sumerian Discourse Markers U₄-BA and U₄-BI.A,” Journal of Cuneiform Studies 69 (2017): 49-66.

Edzard, Dietz Otto. Gudea and His Dynasty. Toronto: University of Toronto, 1997.

Klein, J. “Building and Dedication Hymns in Sumerian Literature.” ActSum 11 (1989): 27-67.

Thureau-Dangin, F. Les Cylinders de Goudéa. TCL 8. Paris: Paul Guethner, 1925.

Postscript

For my translations of other texts composed by (better: for) Gudea, see the blogs dedicated to the following texts elsewhere on this site: E3/1.1.7.4; E3/1.1.7.8; E3/1.1.7.18; E3/1.1.7.31; E3/1.1.7.37; E3/1.1.7.44; E3/1.1.7.62; E3/1.1.7.64.

About The Author

Matthew Saunders

Matthew Saunders is a PhD student in the Department of Near Eastern Studies at Johns Hopkins University. He researches the languages and literatures of the ancient Near East, especially Aramaic Studies, Ugaritic Studies, and Comparative Semitics.

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Introduction

Image and Line Drawing

Transliteration