| Adapa and the South Wind Adapa and the South Wind is the Babylonian tale of the “Creation of Man,” in which Oannes-Adapa instructed people about the earth and how to live. (111) The scholars and the world first became aware of the myth of Adapa from fragments recovered in 1887 by a village woman digging ancient mud-brick for use as fertilizer. There are now six fragments for the myth (fragment B) from Amarna and dated to the 14th century BC. Five other fragments that we know of are from the Ashurbanipal Library and are the identical versions of the myth being told from Assyrian perspective approximately seven centuries later. (112) According to Shlomo Izre’el, in his book on Adapa and the South Wind: “A Sumerian version of the Adapa myth from the old Babylonian period exists as well and was discovered at Tell Haddad (Ancient Meturan). The Sumerian version is reported to be similar to the Akkadian. In this discovery, it was found that the Adapa myth was the second part of a longer narrative that begins with a Deluge and describes the feeding of the gods and organization of mankind.” (113) In the first lines of the Adapa myth, Oannes perfected Adapa (man, Adam) “with great intelligence, to give instruction about the ordinance of the earth. To him he gave wisdom, he did not give him eternal life.” Adapa’s life was simple and easy. He was respected and adored by the people, then one day as he was out gathering fish, he was met with a violent “South Wind” that knocked him off his boat into the sea. Adapa threated the South Wind that he could break its wing, and as he uttered it, it broke, thus saving Adapa. (111) This story, speaking of the South Wind, is likely describing Nergal or Pazuzu, whom we just read about earlier in the chapter. The South Wind appears to have been the dry desert air, represented as a deity. Adapa and the South Wind has more to do with the “food of life,” or “food of immortality,” and the “water / elixir of life,” or urine, aka, mushroom water, than it does about the wind, though. This story is reminiscent of Gilgamesh reaching the scorpion beings and asking of his ancestor Utnapishtim, and the food of immortality, which we will cover in the next section. 3. – He perfected him with great intelligence, to give instruction about the ordinance of the Earth. 4. – To him he gave wisdom, he did not give him eternal life. 5. – In those days, in those years, the sage, a native of Eridu, 6. – Ea made him (his) follower among people. 8. – Skilled, foremost in understanding, of the Anunnaki is he: 9. – Pure, clean-handed, anointed, solicitous after rites: 10. – [W]ith the cooks he performs the duties of a cook, 11. – [W]ith the cooks of Eridu ditto: 12. – He daily prepares the food and drink of Eridu; 13. – [Wi]th his clean hands he sets the table, |
14. – [Wi]thout him the table is not cleared; 15. – He steers the [b]oat, he does the fishing for Eridu. 16. – At that time, Adapa, a native of Eridu. 17. -- Ea, lying, lingering in bed. (114) Fragment B 4. – O South Wind, [the (other) win]ds, your brothers! As much as they 5. – I shall break your wi[ng].” As soon as he spoke, 6. – The South Wind’s wing broke. Seven days 7. – [the South Wi]nd did not blow toward the land Anu 8. – cried to his minister Ilabrat: 9. – [“W]hy hasn’t the South Wind blown for seven days towards the land?” 10. – His [m]inister, Ilabrat, answered him: “My lo[rd], 11. – Adapa, Ea’s son, broke the South Wind’s 12. – wing.” Anu, upon hearing this, 13. – cried, “Help!” (and) got up from his throne. “Se[nd (someone) to b]ring him 14. – here!” Ea, who knows heaven, touched 15. – [Adapa], made him wear (his) hair unkempt, [dressed him] 16. – in a mourning garment, and gave him instructions: 17. – [Adapa,] you are going [to K]ing [Anu], 18. – [you will ascend to heaven. When [y]ou have ascended 19. – to heaven, [when you have app]roached [Anu’s gate], 20. – [a]t An[u]’s gate [Dumuzi and Gizzi]da will be standing. 21. – They will see you; they will que[st]ion you: ‘You there, 22. – for whom are you changed this way? A[dap]a, for whom 23. – are you dressed in a mourning garment?’ ‘From our land two gods are missing, and so 24. – I have done this.’ ‘Who are the two gods that are missing 25. - from the land?’ ‘Dumuzi and Gizzida.” They will look at each other and 26. - smile’ they will say something good 27. – to Anu; They will show you the favorable face 28. – of Anu. When you stand before Anu, 29. – you will be offered food of death; 30. – do not eat! You will be offered water of death; 31. – do not drink! You will be offered a garment; 32. – dress! You will be offered oil; anoint! 33. – Do not neglect the order I gave you; you must keep 34. - to what I said to you.” The messenger 35. – of Anu arrived: “Adapa broke the South Wind’s 36. – wing. Send him to me!” - 37. – He put him on the [ro]ad to heaven, and he ascended to heaven. (111) Adapa and the South Wind, p. 4 (112) ibid, p. 5 (113) ibid, p. 7 (114) ibid, p. 10 |