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“Inanna and Enmerkar” is an ancient Sumerian story that explores the relationship between the goddess Inanna and the legendary king Enmerkar of Uruk.
This story is part of the broader corpus of Sumerian literature, which consists of various stories, hymns, and epic tales that reflect the religious beliefs and cultural values of the ancient Sumerians.
Characters
Inanna
The central deity, Inanna is the Sumerian goddess of love, beauty, sex, fertility, war, and political power. She is one of the most prominent figures in Sumerian mythology and is often associated with the city of Uruk.
Enmerkar
A legendary king of Uruk, Enmerkar is credited with founding the city and establishing its dominance. He is considered a semi-divine figure, often portrayed as a hero and a great builder.
Enmerkar was an ancient Sumerian ruler, credited with founding the city of Uruk and allegedly reigning for 420 years. He is also noted for leading campaigns against the land of Aratta. Sumerian legend attributes the invention of writing to him, with an ancient text stating that Enmerkar, finding his messenger unable to repeat a message, “patted some clay and put words on it, like a tablet.” This is the earliest recorded story of writing’s invention.
While the etymology is still unclear, “the ‘Lord’ (is/has) a glowing giant snake” has been proposed. (source)
Summary
The story begins with Enmerkar, the king of Uruk, who desires to expand his influence and bring the city of Aratta, known for its wealth and resources, under his control. Aratta is described as a distant and prosperous city, possibly located in the eastern highlands.
Enmerkar, seeking to subdue Aratta, sends a messenger to the city’s ruler with a demand to submit to Uruk’s authority. The messenger is instructed to deliver a lengthy message, inscribed on a clay tablet, to the ruler of Aratta, highlighting Enmerkar’s divine right to rule and his connection with Inanna.
The ruler of Aratta responds defiantly, refusing to submit. He challenges Enmerkar to prove his worthiness by performing a series of difficult tasks, including the construction of a ziggurat (a type of massive structure built in ancient Mesopotamia) and the delivery of large quantities of precious materials from Aratta to Uruk.
Throughout the story, Inanna plays a crucial role as a mediator and supporter of Enmerkar. Her favor is seen as essential for Enmerkar’s success. In some versions of the story, Inanna even travels between the two cities, assisting Enmerkar in his endeavors and negotiating with the ruler of Aratta.
Eventually, through a combination of divine favor and Enmerkar’s persistence, Aratta is subdued, and its ruler agrees to submit to Uruk’s authority. The story ends with Enmerkar’s victory, solidifying Uruk’s power and further establishing the city as a center of Inanna’s worship.
Lines 1-5: “At the very beginning, the land of Sumer, the great mountain of the me, the city of the gods, was well-founded. The divine queen of heaven and earth, the lady of all the lands, Inanna, the exalted mistress, made known her grandeur to the world. The people of Sumer, the populous land, were indeed exceedingly numerous. The people of the black-headed ones were indeed numerous.”
Lines 6-10: “Inanna, the exalted mistress, the lady of all the lands, the bright light of heaven, The one who takes counsel with Enlil, who chooses the righteous youth, who assigns lordship, Who grants the king a lofty scepter, who causes him to sit on the throne, who makes the people prosper, The good shepherd who establishes the foundations of Sumer, She made her word known to the land, she determined its fate.”
Lines 11-15: “Enmerkar, the son of Utu, the king of Unug (Uruk), the lord of Kulaba, Enmerkar, the king of Unug, who made the neck-stock of the people of Aratta bow, He determined that the people of Aratta should be subjected to him, that they should bear the heavy yoke. At that time, the people of Aratta had refused to submit to Enmerkar’s rule. Inanna, the exalted mistress, the queen of heaven and earth, instructed Enmerkar on what to do.”
Lines 16-20: “Enmerkar, the son of Utu, called upon his minister, His minister who was familiar with the words of Aratta. He said to him, ‘Messenger, carry my words to the lord of Aratta. Say to him: “The lord of Kulaba, Enmerkar, the son of Utu, has sent me to you.”‘ The lord of Kulaba has brought together the people of Uruk, who are numerous as the stars.”
Lines 21-25: “He has laid the bricks of the ziggurat, he has brought his city into being. He has founded the house of Inanna in Kulaba, the holy shrine of the great queen. He has built her sanctuary, made it resplendent, has purified it like silver. He has given his city into her hands, and she has made it like the shining of heaven. The lady, the exalted mistress, has established her house in Kulaba.”
Lines 26-30: “Enmerkar has made Uruk resplendent, like the shining of heaven. The lord of Kulaba has subdued the rebellious land of Aratta. He has made the neck-stock of Aratta bow down to the ground. He has yoked its people to the ground, he has set his foot on its neck. And now, the lady of heaven, the lady of all the lands, has made her word known to you.”
Lines 31-35: “Inanna, the exalted mistress, the lady of all the lands, has chosen Enmerkar, The lord of Kulaba, the king of Unug, for her favor. She has given him the scepter, the staff of office, the right to rule. She has given him the kingship, the crown of sovereignty, the right to govern. And she has commanded that you should submit to him, that you should bring your tribute to Unug.”
Lines 36-40: “The lord of Aratta heard these words and was troubled. He called his ministers, his counselors, his wise men. He said to them, ‘What should we do? How should we answer Enmerkar?’ His ministers, his counselors, his wise men spoke to him. They said, ‘Let us test the strength of Enmerkar. Let us see if his words are true.'”
Lines 41-45: “‘Let us demand that he perform a task that is beyond his power. Let us challenge him to bring us the sacred treasure, the shining gem, The lapis lazuli, the stone of the sky, which is hidden in the mountains. If he can bring it, then we shall know that he is favored by the gods. But if he fails, then we shall know that his words are empty, and his power is weak.'”
Lines 46-50: “The lord of Aratta agreed to this counsel. He sent his own messenger to Enmerkar with these words: ‘If you are indeed favored by the gods, if your power is great, Then bring us the lapis lazuli, the stone of the sky, which is hidden in the mountains. If you can do this, then we shall submit to you, and we shall bring our tribute to Unug.'”
Lines 51-55: “The messenger returned to Enmerkar, the lord of Kulaba. He delivered the words of the lord of Aratta. Enmerkar heard these words and smiled. He called upon Inanna, the exalted mistress, the lady of all the lands. He said to her, ‘O my lady, the lord of Aratta has challenged me.'”
Lines 56-60: “Enmerkar spoke to Inanna: ‘O my lady, what shall I do? The lord of Aratta has demanded the sacred treasure, The shining gem, the lapis lazuli, the stone of the sky, Which is hidden in the mountains. How can I obtain it? Without your favor, I cannot succeed. O Inanna, help me!'”
Lines 61-65: “Inanna, the exalted mistress, the lady of all the lands, Heard the plea of Enmerkar, the lord of Kulaba. She spoke to him in a dream, saying, ‘Enmerkar, my beloved, Do not be afraid. I shall make a path for you through the mountains. I shall reveal the hidden treasure, the lapis lazuli, the stone of the sky.'”
Lines 66-70: “Inanna spoke to the mountains, and they obeyed her command. The paths through the mountains were opened, and the hidden treasure was revealed. Enmerkar gathered his men and set out for the mountains. He found the lapis lazuli, the stone of the sky, shining in the darkness. He took the sacred treasure and returned to Uruk with joy.”
Lines 71-75: “Enmerkar sent his messenger to the lord of Aratta, With the lapis lazuli, the stone of the sky, as a gift. The messenger entered the city of Aratta and spoke to its lord: ‘Enmerkar, the lord of Kulaba, has sent me to you with this gift. The sacred treasure, the lapis lazuli, the stone of the sky, is yours.'”
Lines 76-80: “The lord of Aratta received the gift and was amazed. He said, ‘Truly, Enmerkar is favored by the gods. His power is great, and his words are true. We shall submit to him, as he has commanded. We shall bring our tribute to Unug, as he has decreed.'”
Lines 81-85: “The people of Aratta gathered their treasures, The finest gold, the most precious stones, the rarest gems. They loaded them onto donkeys and set out for Uruk. They traveled across the mountains, through the desert, Until they reached the city of Unug, where Enmerkar awaited them.”
Lines 86-90: “The lord of Aratta himself came before Enmerkar, And bowed low before him, in submission and respect. He said, ‘O Enmerkar, lord of Kulaba, king of Unug, We have come to offer our tribute, as you have commanded. We are your servants, and we shall serve you faithfully.'”
Lines 91-95: “Enmerkar received the tribute and accepted the submission of Aratta. He thanked Inanna, the exalted mistress, the lady of all the lands, For her favor and her help in his time of need. He offered sacrifices to her, and the city of Uruk rejoiced. The power of Uruk grew, and its fame spread across the land.”
Lines 96-100: “Inanna, the queen of heaven and earth, looked upon Uruk with favor. She blessed Enmerkar and his people, and they prospered. The fields of Sumer were fertile, and the harvests were abundant. The people of Uruk were happy, and their city was strong. Inanna, the lady of all the lands, had made her word come true.“
Lines 101-105: “Thus ends the tale of Enmerkar and the lord of Aratta. A tale of divine favor, of kingship, and of the power of Inanna. May the people of Sumer remember this tale, And honor the gods who watch over them, For in their favor lies the strength of kings, and the prosperity of the land.”
