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

Introduction

In a previous post, I introduced you to the Gudea Cylinders which tell of the construction of Ning̃irsu’s É-ninnu Temple. Gudea was the ruler of the city-state of Lagaš in the second half of the 22nd cent. BCE. 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). Averbeck divides the literary structure of the Cylinders into seven stages, the first of which covers the initial dream and its interpretation. In the previous post, I presented the first column of Cylinder A which comprised 29 lines; that column contextualizes the preeminence of Lagaš and the É-ninnu Temple by associating them with the cosmological founding of the earth as well as Gudea’s initial dream revelation by Ning̃irsu to construct the É-ninnu Temple. This post covers the second column which discusses Gudea’s journey to Nig̃in and arrival at the Bagara Temple as well as his initial ritual acts (offering bread and libations to Ning̃irsu, celebrating the ešeš-festival, etc.); the column ends with the beginning of his prayer to Gatumdu, the tutelary deity of Lagaš.

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. (Due to the imminency of the exam later this week, I apologize in advance for any typographical errors which will be corrected in due course.)

In what follows, I present images and the line drawing of Gudea Cylinder A followed by a transliteration of the cuneiform, translation, and brief philological commentary.

Images and Line Drawing

Gudea Cyl. A Col. 1 ln. 1-29 (Review)

When in heaven and on earth fate was decreed, Lagaš lifted its head toward heaven with great divine-radiance. Enlil looked faithfully at lord Ning̃irsu. In our city, eternal/suitable things appeared. ₍₅₎ The heart overflowed its banks (i.e., of a river), the heart of Enlil overflowed its banks, the heart overflowed its banks, a mighty flood shone forth, rising fearfully (i.e., in an awe inspiring manner). The heart of Enlil–it being the Tigris River–it brought sweet water. ₍₁₀₎ As for the temple, its king (i.e., Ning̃irsu) decreed: “I will make the divine-radiance of the temple appear in heaven and on earth. The ruler (i.e, Gudea), being a man of broad wisdom, he will act wisely; he will make great things grow; he will direct suitable oxen and goats (i.e., for sacrifice).” ₍₁₅₎ The fated brick 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 the É-ninnu, its divine-radiance being the greatest. Gudea, his heart being profound, was troubled by the matter. “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 opposed me. I do not understand the thing of the nocturnal-vision brought to me. Let me bring my dream to my mother,

For further information on Gudea Cyl. A Col. 1 ln. 1-29, see here.

Transliteration

Gudea Cyl. A Col. 2 ln. 1-29:

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[1] wr. EN.ME.LI = ensi ‘dream interpreter’. Not to be confused with PA.TE.SI = énsi ‘ruler’.

[2] wr. ^dABxKU₆ (or ABxḪA) = ^dnanše/našše ‘(the goddess) Nanše’ (the reading ABxKU₆ is preferable to ABxḪA, even though ḪA and KU₆ are merely variant readings of the same sign, as KU₆ is the writing for ‘fish’ and Nanše is associated with the sea, marshlands, and the animals inhabiting these biomes).

[3] wr. UD.MA₂.NINA.KI.TAG = sirara₆ (GN)

[4] Following Edzard’s transliteration of the signs wr. ABxḪA. Averbeck has NINA. Whatever the correct reading, nina/nig̃in seems to be associated with modern Tell Surghul/Zurghul (see e.g. Averbeck 1987 p. 598 fn. 43 as well as, inter alia, an excavation update on the IAA blog here: https://iaassyriology.com/in-the-field/).

[5] The sign on the line drawing is clearly (but probably incorrectly) BI. Averbeck reads gara₂! with the following fn.: “The gara₂ (GAR₂) sign is mistakenly written BI (see also 2:23 and contrast CA 10:27). Jacobsen suggests that the scribe, when writing this column, was under the (possibly mistaken) impression that BI had a value gar_x (personal communication).” It remains unclear to me, however, whether Averbeck has in mind the original scribe (probably) or the handcopiest responsible for the line darwing. Since BI and GA are similar, and GA gunû has the reading gar(a)₂, I wonder if it was not the (modern) handcopiest who miswrote GA gunû (=gára) as BI (which, again, could be what Averbeck is implying, but I cannot be certain by his use of the term “scribe” which should otherwise be limited, in my opinion, to the ancient composer of the text).

[6] wr. MÙŠ = šed₁₂ (Edzard) or še₂₃ (Averbeck) as a writing for /sed/ ‘cold’

[7] Or mu.na.n.gub ‘he stepped up to’ (Averbeck)

[8] wr. KAxŠU = šùd in the compound vb. šùd–rá/ša₄ ‘to pray’

[9] Averbeck and Edzard read the DU sign as rá with šùd–rá meaning ‘to pray’. ePSD has the verbal compound as šùd–ša₄ with ša₄ as an alternative reading of DU.

[10] wr. ZU.AB = abzu

[11] wr. EN.KID^ki = nibru^ki

[12] wr. ENxME.LI = ènsi. Although, cp. ePSD: ensi [INTERPRETER] wr. ensi; ensi3; |MAŠ+EN|.LI “dream interpreter” Akk. ensû; šā’ilu

[13] wr. SISKUR.SISKUR = siskur₂ ‘prayer’

[14] On the reading of DU as ara_xand the meaning ‘petition, supplication’, see Averbeck 1987: p. 601 fn. 63.

[15] As earlier, altneratively mu.na.n.gub ‘he stepped up to’ (Averbeck)

Translations

My Translation:

(Let me bring my dream to my mother,) _(ii.1) my dream-interpreter, one pure of knowledge with regard to appropriate things,[1] Nanše, my sister from Sirara, in order that she may show its meaning.” He stepped into his (ceremonial-)barge; ₍₅₎he steered the boat toward her city Nig̃in on (the river called) ‘River Going to Nig̃in’. The rejoicing one was cutting through the waves on the river. After[2] arriving at Bagara (i.e., Ning̃irsu’s temple at Lagaš), the House extending over[3] the river, he (i.e., Gudea) offered bread (and) poured out cold water.[4] He went to the Master[5] of the Bagara and prayed to him: ₍₁₀₎ “O hero, pouncing lion who has no enemy, Ning̃irsu, great in the Abzu, authoritative one in Nippur, O hero, you spoke to me, so let me carry out (the task).[6] O Ning̃irsu, let me build your temple for you; ₍₁₅₎ let me complete its being for you.[7] Your sister, the child whom Eridug bore, authoritative one with regard to appropriate things,[8] dream-interpreter of the gods, Nanše, my divine sister from Sirara, let her establish (lit. ‘set’) its way.”[9] ₍₂₀₎ His call having been heard, his king, the lord Ning̃irsu accepted[10] the prayer[11] and his supplication[12] from Gudea. He (i.e., Gudea) celebrated (lit. ‘made’) the ešeš-festival in the Bagara Temple, the ruler erected (lit. ‘stood’) his bed[13] beside (lit. ‘toward’) Gatumdu(g).[14] ₍₂₅₎He offered bread (and) poured out cold water. He went to (or ‘stepped up to’) holy Gatumdu; he spoke[15] a prayer to her: “My lady, child born of holy An, the authoritative one with regard to her appropriate things, preeminent (lit. ‘top’) goddess…”

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[1] Understanding mete as ‘appropriate thing, ornament’ (see ePSD: mete [APPROPRIATE THING] (74x: Old Babylonian) wr. me-te; te “appropriate thing, ornament” Akk. simtu). Alternatively, mete can mean ‘one’s own’ (ePSD: mete [ONE’S OWN] (43x: ED IIIb, Ur III, Old Babylonian) wr. me-te; ni2-te “one’s own” Akk. ramānu), which renders something along the lines of ‘a dream-interpreter of her very own’.

[2] The temporal subordinate marker -ta is best understood in the sense of ‘After [+ verb]’ (as Averbeck, but Edzard’s ‘When’ is also sufficient).

[3] As Averbeck correctly notes (1987: p. 599 fn. 51), the verb lá indicates ‘stretched out’ in the sense of ‘situated’ along the shore.

[4] I.e., presented food and drink (libation) offerings to the god.

[5] lugal ‘master, king’ < lú.gal, lit. ‘great man’

[6] The compound verbal base is šu–g̃ar. See ePSD: šu ĝar [CARRY OUT] wr. šu ĝar; šu ĝa₂-ĝa₂ “to carry out (a task)” Akk. gamālu.

[7] Or ‘fulfill its cultic office/ordinances’ (see ePSD reference in Philological Commentary to this line)

[8] Similarly, Averbeck ‘prominent in her practice’ and Edzard ‘unsurpassed in her specialty’. Alternatively, mete = ‘one’s own’, i.e., ‘authoritative one on her own’

[9] Averbeck: ‘let her prepare its way for me’; Edzard: ‘may the lady… show me the way’

[10] ePSD: šu teĝ [ACCEPT] (10718x: ED IIIb, Old Akkadian, Lagash II, Ur III, Early Old Babylonian, Old Babylonian, unknown) wr. šu teĝ₄; šu teĝ₃ “to accept” Akk. leqû; mahāru

[11] ePSD: siškur [PRAYER] (1192x: Lagash II, Ur III, Early Old Babylonian, Old Babylonian) wr. siškur₂; siškur “prayer; blessing; offering, sacrifice, rites; to pour (a libation), sacrifice; to intercede” Akk. karābu; naqû; nīqu

[12] ePSD: arazu [SUPPLICATION] (85x: Old Babylonian) wr. a-ra-zu; ra₂-zu; ra-zu “supplication”

[13] ePSD: kinud [BEDROOM] (119x: Ur III, Old Babylonian) wr. ki-nud “sleeping quarter, bed” Akk. mayyaltu; mayyālu

[14] I.e., the statue of Gatumdu in the temple.

[15] ePSD: e [SPEAK] (399x: ED IIIb, Old Akkadian, Lagash II, Ur III, Old Babylonian, unknown) wr. e; na-be2-a; be2; ne; da-me; na-be2; e7 “perfect plural and imperfect stem of dug[to speak]” Akk. atwû; dabābu; qabû

Averbeck 1987 (PhD Dissertation):

₍₁₎ “My dream-interpretress who is clever in her practice — Nanshe, my sister the goddess of the (temple) Sirara — may she reveal its meaning to me!” He indeed stepped on board his Magur boat ₍₅₎ (and) cast off for her city Nina on the river which flows (toward) Nina. On the it (i.e., the Magur boat) was joyously splitting (its) waves (as it cruised along). After arriving at the Bagara — the temple hanging over the river — he offered up bread and poured out cold water. He stepped up to the king of the Bagara (and) prayed to him: ₍₁₀₎ “Oh warrior — the springing lion who has no opponent; Oh Ningirsu, the paramount one in the Abzu, the bold one in Nippur — Oh warrior, you have commanded me, (so) let me execute it well for you. Oh Ningirsu, let me build your temple for you. ₍₁₅₎ Let me perfect (its) form for you. Your sister–the daughter whom Eridu bore, prominent in her practice, the dream-interpretress of the gods; Nanshe, my divine sister in the (temple) Sirara–let her prepare its way for me.” ₍₂₀₎ Having heard his plea, his king–the lord Ningirsu–accepted the prayer offering(s) and petition(s) from Gudea. Having celebrated the eshesh in the Bagara temple, The ruler set up his bed close by Gatumdu(g)₍₂₅₎(and) offered up bread and poured out cold water. He stepped up to the holy one–Gatumdu(g)–(and) spoke a prayer to her: “My queen–the daughter begotten by holy An, the prominent one in her practice, the foremost goddess…”

Edzard 1997 (RIME 3/1):

₍₁₎ “may she, the interpreter of dreams, who knows best what befits me, may my Nanše, sister in Sirara, reveal the meaning to me.” He set foot in his boat, mark you, ₍₅₎and he directed the boat to her city Nigin by way of the Canal-leading-to-Nigin, merrily cutting through the waves on the river. When he had come close to Bagara, the House-hanging-over-the-river, he offered bread and poured cool water. He went to the Master of Bagara and prayed to him: ₍₁₀₎ “Warrior, rampant lion, who has no opponent, Ningirsu, important in Abzu, respected in Nippur, O warrior, you spoke to me, and I will certainly apply myself (to this task). Ningirsu, I will build you your House, ₍₁₅₎ do it for you as exactly as I can, (but) may your sister, the child born of Eridu, unsurpassed in her specialty, may the lady, dream-interpreter among the gods, may my Nanše, sister in Sirara, show me the way.” ₍₂₀₎ His call was heard, his master accepted from Gudea, the lord Ningirsu accepted from him prayer and rite. (Gudea) celebrated the All-shrines (festival) in the house of Bagara. (Then) the ruler set his bed next to (the statue of) Gatumdu. ₍₂₅₎ He offered bread, poured cool water, he went to shining Gatumdu praying to her: “My lady, child begotten by bright An, unsurpassed in your(!) specialty, proud goddess, …”

ETCSL 1998:

₍₁₎ “I will ask my dream-interpreter, an expert on her own, my divine sister from Sirara, Nanše, to reveal its meaning to me.” He stepped aboard his boat, ₍₅₎directed it on the canal Id-Niĝin-dua towards her city Niĝin, and merrily cut through the waves of the river. After he had reached Bagara, the house extending as far as the river, he offered bread, poured cold water and went to the master of Bagara to pray to him. ₍₁₀₎ “Warrior, rampant lion, who has no opponent! Ninĝirsu, important in the abzu, respected in Nibru! Warrior, I want to carry out faithfully what you have commanded me; Ninĝirsu, I want to build up your house for you, ₍₁₅₎ I want to make it perfect for you, so I will ask your sister, the child born of Eridug, an authority on her own, the lady, the dream-interpreter among the gods, my divine sister from Sirara, Nanše, to show me the way.” ₍₂₀₎ His call was heard; his master, Lord Ninĝirsu, accepted from Gudea his prayer and supplication. Gudea celebrated the ešeš festival in the house of Bagara. The ruler set up his bed near to Ĝatumdug. ₍₂₅₎ He offered bread and poured cold water and went to holy Ĝatumdug to pray to her: “My lady, child begotten by holy An, an authority on her own, proud goddess, …”

Averbeck 2000 (Context of Scripture):

₍₁₎“My dream interpreter who is clever in her practice, Nanshe, my sister, the goddess of Sirara, may she reveal its meaning to me!” {Cyl.A ii.4–v.10 is then summarized, not translated: “Gudea travels by boat to Nanshe’s temple. Along the way he stops at the Bagara temple to pray to Ningirsu and Gatumdug. After arriving at Nanshe’s town and entering her temple, he describes his dream to her in detail.”}

(Select) Philological Commentary

ln. 3 – šà.bi ḫé.ma.pà(d).e ‘that she may show its meaning’: maru transitive 3rd sg. animate of the vb. pàd ‘to call; to see, show, reveal, find’ + precative modal prefix (ḫé). It is (simultaneously?) possible that the final -dè marks purpose, which was translate “in order that…” (as here); but the /d/ auslaut of the vb. pà obscures this.
ln. 4 – g̃ìri na.mu.ni.n.gub.∅ ‘he stepped into…’ < lit. ‘he placed the foot into…’: the na- verbal prefix before the conjugation prefix is the narrative affirmative which signals the end of Gudea’s quote and return to the narrative.
ln. 6 – It seems preferable to take ḫúl.a.e as a participle with ergative /e/ functioning as the agent of the vb. ì.sil.e. Alternatively, Edzard and ETCSL translate it as an adverb: “merrily cut(ting) through the waves on/of the river”; similarly Averbeck (1987): “joyously splitting (its) waves (as it cruised along).”
ln. 13-15 – The three verbs beginning with ga- are cohortatives ‘let me…’. Ln. 15, for example, reads {me.e šu ga.mu.ra.b.du₇} from the compound verbal base šu–du₇ ‘to complete, perfect’[1] with its (second) object me ‘being, cultic ordinances,’ etc.[2]
ln. 20 – The verb g̃iš ba.tuku.àm ‘his call having been heard’ comes from the compound verbal base g̃iš–tuku[3] + 3rd sg. copula, which Averbeck renders as “Having heard his plea” and Edzard “His call was heard”. The copula suggests that Averbeck’s “having” is preferred, but also the /ba/ conjugation prefix better suits Edzard’s passive translation. Note, the subject gù.dé.ani ‘his call’ should not be confused with the PN Gudea.

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[1] ePSD: šu du [COMPLETE] wr. šu du7 “to complete, perfect; to be in working order (of tools)” Akk. šuklulu

[2] 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

[3] ePSD: ĝeš tuku [LISTEN] (77x: ED IIIb, Old Babylonian) wr. ĝeš tuku “to listen, to hear” Akk. šemû

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.

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.

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

Images and Line Drawing

Gudea Cyl. A Col. 1 ln. 1-29 (Review)

Transliteration