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List of illustrations x
How to use this book xiii
Chronological table xvii
INTRODUCTION xix
The literature of ancient Sumer xix
The tablets of ancient Sumer xxx
The scribes of ancient Sumer xl
The study of ancient Sumer 1
Further reading Ixii
A. HEROES AND KINGS I
Enmerkar and En-subgir-ana 3
Lugalbanda in the mountain cave II
Lugalbanda and the Anzud bird 22
Gilgames, Enkidu, and the Underworld 31
Sargon and Ur-Zababa 40
The building ofNingirsu's temple (extract) 44
An adab to An for Lipit-Eatar 52
A prayer for Samsu-iluna 54
The death of Ur-Namma 56
B. INANA AND DUMUZID 63
Inana's descent to the Underworld 65
Dumuzid's dream 77
Ploughing with the jewels 84
Dumuzid and Enkimdu 86
A love song for Su-Suen 88
Inana and Iame-Dagan 90
A hymn to Inana 92
C. ENLIL AND NINLIL 100
Enlil and Ninlil 102
Enlil and Sud Io6
Enlil and Nam-zid-tara I12
Sulgi and Ninlil's barge 113
The cursing ofAgade II6
D. THE MOON-GOD NANNA-SUEN I26
The lament for Sumer and Urim 127
A abalbae to Nanna 142
A lir-namgala to Nanna I44
The herds of Nanna I45
Nanna-Suen's journey to Nibru 147
E. THE WARRIOR GODS NERGAL, NUMUSDA,
AND NINURTA I55
The dedication of an axe to Nergal I57
An adab to Nergal for Su-ilisu 158
A hymn to Numukda for Sin-iqlsam I61
Ninurta's exploits 163
Ninurta's return to Nibru 181
A balbale to Ninurta i86
F. LOVE AND SEX I88
Lu-digira's message to his mother 190
A lullaby for a son of ulgi 193
A tigi to Nintud-Aruru I95
Inana and Su-kale-tuda 197
A love song for Isme-Dagan 205
A balbale to Inana and Dumuzid zo6
G. THE NATURAL ORDER 210
The Flood story 212
Enki and the world order 215
The debate between Sheep and Grain 225
The debate between Bird and Fish 230
The heron and the turtle 235
The home of the fish 240
H. THE HYMNIC GENRES 245
An adab to Bau for Isme-Dagan 247
A balbal to Ningiszida 250
A kungar to Inana and Dumuzid 252
A lir-gida to Ninisina 254
A lir-namgala to Ninisina for Lipit-Estar 257
A Iir-namsub to Utu 259
A sir-namursaga to Inana for Iddin-Dagan 262
A sir-iag-bula to Damgalnuna 269
A tigi to Enki for Ur-Ninurta 270
An ululumama to Suen for Ibbi-Suen 272
I. SCRIBES AND LEARNING 275
A supervisor's advice to a young scribe 277
Letter from Nabi-Enlil to Ilum-puzura 28i
Proverbs: collection 25 282
The instructions ofSuruppag 284
A hymn to Nisaba 292
A hymn to Uaia for Rim-Sin 294
A hymn to Ninkasi 297
J. THE DECAD, A SCRIBAL CURRICULUM 299
Literary catalogue from Nibru 301
A praise poem of Sulgi 304
A praise poem of Lipit-Estar 308
The song of the hoe 311
The exaltation of Inana 315
Enlil in the E-kur 320
The Kes temple hymn 325
Enki's journey to Nibru 330
Inana and Ebib 334
A hymn to Nungal 339
GilgameS and Uuwawa 343
Other thematicgroupings 353
Index ofcompositions by ETCSL catalogue number 358
Glossary ofSumerian names 360
Library of Congress Subject Headings for this publication: Sumerian literature Translations into English