The Mezzo Cammin Women Poets Timeline - Enheduanna

8/10/2019 The Mezzo Cammin Women Poets Timeline - Enheduanna

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2300-2200 BCE 800-900 1000-1100 1300-1400 1500-1600 1600-1700 1700-1800 1800-1900 1900-2000 Mezzo Cammin

Enheduanna: The Most RadiantPriestess and Her Exaltation ofInanna

nheduanna is the first identified poet in reorded histor!" #n$!a fe% enturies after uneiform had fu$$! de&e$oped as a%ritin' s!stem( this %oman of e)traordinar! ta$ent omp$eted

a *od! of %or+ that inf$uened ,umerian and Ba*!$onian $iterature forthe ne)t 500 !ears"

he arheo$o'ia$ reord $ea&es no dou*t that Enheduanna %as ahistoria$ fi'ure" he $iterar! reord is open to interpretation( *utsho$ars are in 'enera$ a'reement that Enheduanna %rote t%o $on'poems in honor of the 'oddess .nanna( and &er! $i+e$! another $on'poem that uses a m!thia$ stor! a*out .nanna as an e)tendedmetaphor to ommemorate a mi$itar! &itor!" .n addition( Enheduannais redited %ith %ritin' most if not a$$ of 42 h!mns in honor of &arioustemp$es /Meador 70" ,he did a$$ this a*out 3 enturies *efore thei$'amesh epi( 8 enturies *efore the ear$iest ,ans+rit te)ts( and 17enturies *efore ,appho and Confuius"

Her LifeEnheduanna %as the on$! dau'hter of ,ar'on( the ++adian +in' %hounited ++ad and ,umer into one empire around 2300 BCE" his area(%hih orresponds to present-da! .ra( in$uded the ities r( ru+(and Ba*!$on" $thou'h ,ar'on %as ++adian( and thus of ,emitidesent( it is *e$ie&ed that Enheduannas mother %as ,umerian(*eause the poet is so f$uent in that $an'ua'e /Meador 45"

ate in his 55-!ear rei'n( ,ar'on appointed Enheduanna as hi'hpriestess of the temp$e of the moon 'od anna in r" his %as apo$itia$$! astute mo&e desi'ned to he$p so$idif! his ontro$ o&er the

rest$ess and re*e$$ious popu$ations in the former ,umerian +in'dom/Meador 49" s hi'h priestess( Enheduanna %ou$d ha&e hadonsidera*$e re$i'ious and po$itia$ inf$uene in r and other ities in%hih she presided o&er temp$e ritua$s" ordin' to Meador(Enheduannas tit$e( the En of her name 1:( onnotes not on$! herre$i'ious ro$e *ut a$so her ro$e as a i&i$ administrator( a mana'er %ho%as in har'e of the a'riu$tura$ eonom! that supported the temp$e/52" he 42 temp$e h!mns( eah of %hih praises one of the temp$esitse$f--as opposed to the 'od or 'oddess the *ui$din' is dediatedto--%ou$d ha&e he$ped to promote i&i pride" More important$!( the!%ou$d foster a sense of unit! in the southern part of the +in'dom(

*eause eah h!mn is dediated to the +in'"

Enheduanna must ha&e *een &er! 'ood at *oth her re$i'ious duties(%hih in$uded interpretin' dreams( and her i&i duties( %hih

;#E 2285-2250 BCE

Birthp$ae> ,umer

an'ua'e/s> ,umerian

?orms> @!mns /#des( in themodern( not$assia$( sense

,u*Aets> the oddess .nanna(

,umerian temp$es?irsts> first poems in

reorded histor!(first to se$f-identif!as author of %or+(first to desri*e%ritin' proess

Entr! B!> ;at a$data

;hoto Credit> Courtes! of he;enn Museum

.CD

,EEC ;#E

ME# CMM. [email protected],

Mezzo Cammin Women Poets Timeline - Enheduanna http://www.mezzocammin.com/timeline/timeline.php?vol=timeline&i...

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in$uded ma+in' $oans from the temp$e treasur!( *eause she ser&edas hi'h priestess for man! !ears" ,he ontinued in this ro$e after herfather died( and after t%o *rothers %ho sueeded him died( into therei'n of her nephe%( aram-,in" @er suessfu$ preedent $ed to thedau'hter or sister of the +in' *ein' appointed as hi'h priestess for thene)t fi&e enturies"

aram-,in had the same pro*$ems %ith re*e$$ion as his 'randfather,ar'on" .t is pro*a*$e that t%o of these re*e$$ions ma! ha&e *een%hat prompted Enheduanna to %rite the three $on' poems" Eah ofthese poems not on$! dea$s %ith the po$itia$ pro*$ems of the time( *uta$so ad&anes Enheduannas re$i'ious *e$iefs"

Her Religion

*rief o&er&ie% of ,umerian re$i'ion is neessar! in order toappreiate the $on' poems of Enheduanna" he three 'reat po%ers aren( the s+! 'odG Di( the earth 'oddessG and ammu( the sea 'oddess"n and ammu had se&era$ hi$dren( in$udin' En+i( the 'od of%isdom" n and Di had En$i$( the air 'od( %ho %ith in$i$ the air'oddess had anna( the moon 'od" anna and in'a$ the moon'oddess /%orshipped in r( had .nanna( the 'oddess of $o&e( %ho%as re&ered in ru+ as the mornin' and e&enin' star /Ho$+stein andDramer )-)i" he ++adian name for anna is ,uen" @e is a$sosometimes a$$ed shim*a**ar and a di&ine shepherd /Meador 54"

s annas En-priestess( Enheduanna is the moons *ride and thepersonifiation of in'a$ /Meador 55" anna is the 'od to %hom shedediates temp$e rites( and the one to %hom she pra!s eremonia$$!".t %ou$d therefore *e reasona*$e to e)pet that her poems %ou$d *e%ritten in honor of anna" @o%e&er( a$$ three poems not on$! e)to$.nanna instead( the! de$are .nanna to ha&e supreme po%er( e&eno&er n"

Enheduanna $i&ed at a time of risin' patriarh!" s seu$ar ma$esauired more po%er( re$i'ious *e$iefs had e&o$&ed from %hat %aspro*a*$! a entra$ fema$e deit! in eo$ithi times to a entra$ ma$edeit! *! the Bronze 'e" .n Enheduannas time( this deit! %as n" Butthis %as a transitiona$ periodG a$thou'h n %as the most po%erfu$ ofthe 'ods( there %ere sti$$ man! po%erfu$ fema$e deities( and'odI'oddess pairs %ere important( $i+e in$i$IEn$i$( and in'a$Ianna"*rahami monotheism %ou$d not *e'in for another 500 !ears or so(and it is possi*$e that espeia$$! amon' %omen( &eneration of a fema$edeit! %as a stron' tradition passed do%n from mother to dau'hter" .tma! *e( then( that Enheduanna %as tr!in' to restore .nanna to thestature she %ou$d ha&e had in anient times" @o%e&er( Enheduanna%as a po$itia$$! sa&&! priness( so its possi*$e she %as instead /ora$so tr!in' to %in o&er the peop$e of ru+ *! e)a$tin' their 'oddess",he %ou$d ha&e done so *eause ru+s $eader( u'u$anne( %asre*e$$in' a'ainst her nephe%" third possi*i$it! is that she mi'htinstead ha&e *een def!in' aram-,in( %ho de$ared himse$f a 'od andonfisated the temp$es possessions in ++ad" .n that it!( .nanna

%as %orshipped under the ++adian name of .shtar /Meador 47-48"=et another reason for Enheduanna to &enerate .nanna a*o&e a$$others is the intri'uin' idea that she onsidered .nanna her persona$'oddess( in muh the same %a! that some Christians toda! onsider

.D,

POETRY

14 *! 1432 ;oemshe adem! of merian ;oetshe t$antihe Christian ,iene Monitorhe Cort$and Fe&ie%?a&orite ;oem ;roAethe ?rost ;$aehe .o%a Fe&ie%i'ht uarter$!Modern merian ;oetr!Measurehe ;oem ree;oetr!;oetr!


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Jesus their persona$ sa&ior" .n her %ritin'( Enheduanna spea+s diret$!to the 'oddess %ith intima! instead of eremon!" ?rom a re$i'iousperspeti&e( sine .nanna %as the dau'hter of anna and Enheduanna%as his *ride( the t%o %ere effeti&e$! in the same fami$!" hispersona$ re$ationship informs the poems as Enheduanna dra%spara$$e$s *et%een her o%n irumstanes and those of .nanna"

Her "or#

he three $on' poems in %hih Enheduanna praises .nanna ha&e *eentrans$ated from uneiform ta*$ets %ritten a*o0ut 500 !ears after her$ifetime" @er %or+ %as so popu$ar it %as used to teah %ritin'( andfra'mentar! te)ts are pro*a*$! op! ta*$ets of portions of herpoems" He ha&e no ta*$ets from her o%n time( *ut %e +no% for surethat she %rote t%o of the poems *eause she identifies herse$f as theauthor" he third one is onsidered to *e hers *eause of st!$isti andte)tua$ simi$arities" his poem( 'i&en the modern tit$e of .nanna andE*ih( is a$$ed in ,umerian .-.-ME-@K-" Meador trans$atesthis as ad! of *$azin' dominionG others trans$ate this as oddess

of the fearsome di&ine po%ers /%%%"ets$"orient"o)"a"u+" he poemdesri*es a *att$e *et%een .nanna and Mt" E*ih( %hih refuses to *o%do%n to her" .nanna appea$s to n for he$p( *ut he %ont he$p *eausehe is afraid of the mountain /note ho% Enheduanna esta*$ishes the%ea+ness of the supposed$! 'reat 'od" .nanna then atta+s themountain and %ins" @a$$o and an ad! of ar'est @eart /Meador( he Mistress( the ,tout-@earted/,AL*er'" .n this poem( Enheduanna e)p$iit$! states a$$ theme--theessene of di&ine po%ers--that *e$on' to .nanna" ,he endo%s .nanna%ith 40 separate po%ers( eah endin' in the phrase is /or are!ours .nanna in Meadors trans$ationG is thine in @a$$o and &an

m! ad!%hat da! %i$$ !ou ha&e mer!ho% $on' %i$$ . r! a moanin' pra!er

. am !ours%h! do !ou s$a! me /Meador 134

.n her disussion of this poem( Meador seems trou*$ed *! the &io$entdepition of the 'oddess( and %onders %hat prompted .nanna to %rite

;rairie i'htsattered Co&er Boo+store

OTHER RESOURCES

92nd ,treet =iterar! Motherse%;a'es"om;oets Hriters10N10


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it" . thin+ the fina$ of the three poems pro&ides the ans%er to %hattrou*$ed Enheduanna so muh that she a$$ed upon fiere ad!Hi$dat to he$p her"

Enheduannas third and most often trans$ated poem is .-ME-KOF-F( %hih means ueen of a$$ 'i&en po%ers /Meador( ueenof a$$ the me /'o$$( or ad! of a$$ the mes /@a$$o and an


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setion of the poem( are interpreted different$! *! &arious trans$ators"

@a$$o and an

.n the 'uise of a har'in' storm !ou har'e"Hith a roarin' storm !ou roar"Hith hunder !ou ontinua$$! thunder"Hith a$$ the e&i$ %inds !ou snort"=our feet are fi$$ed %ith rest$essness" /@a$$o and &an

i+e an in&asi&e storm !ou *ar'e in"Hith the ho%$in' storm !ou ho%$"Hith .s+ur !ou thunder"Hith ra'in' thunderstorms !ou do e)haust(Hhi$e !our o%n foot has ne&er !et tired" /'o$$( tr" *!


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on&e!in' that po%er %ith f$uen!" ,he repeats on$! the %ords'ou'in'I'ou'e" ,he possi*$! ta+es the $i*ert! of addin' the %ord*u$$ to the first $ine of the passa'e( *ut sine .nanna is desri*ede$se%here as a *u$$( it is a &a$id metaphor4: and a more &i&id %a! toon&e! the storm than @a$$o and &an

Enheduanna" ,he te$$s ho% she pra!ed in the temp$e *ut %asremo&ed from it *! u'u$anne( the +in' of ru+ %ho $ed the re*e$$iona'ainst aram-,in" ot on$! %as she remo&ed from her offie( she%as thro%n out of the temp$e itse$f and espeia$$! from the 'ipar( thesared room in the heart of the temp$e %here the priestesses $i&ed and%or+ed" ,he is ta+en from r and e)i$ed aross the desert to theeastern mountains" . suspet she %rote ad! of ar'est @eart durin'this period of e)i$e" he an'uish and ra'e she e)presses in that poem%ou$d *e natura$ responses to e)i$e and to the re*e$$ion a'ainst hernephe%"

E)pu$sion and e)i$e are not the on$! outra'es that ause Enheduannato *e' the 'oddess for he$pG she is a$so ph!sia$$! threatened *!u'u$anne> @e has %iped his spit-soa+ed handIon m! hone! s%eetmouth" u'u$anne threatens her %ith a ritua$ da''er( %ith %hihsome priests %ere made eunuhs( and te$$s her it *eomes !ou" heda''er is s!m*o$i in t%o %a!s> as an instrument of astration itmo+s her $oss of po%er and presti'eG and as a pha$$i s!m*o$ it ma!a$so *e a s!m*o$ of rape" hat u'u$anne se)ua$$! assau$ted her ispro*a*$e /Meador 182( @a$$o and &an


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fter desri*in' u'u$annes offenses and their onseuenes in 'reatdetai$( the poems third setion is a pro$amation of .nannas po%ers"hese 11 $ines on&e! a$$ of Enheduannas ra'e as she di&erts herpra!ers from anna( %ho has turned a deaf ear( to her persona$'oddess( .nanna>

hat !ou are as e)a$ted as n;F#C.MR

hat !ou are as %ide as earth;F#C.MR

hat !ou rush re*e$$ious $ands;F#C.MR

hat !ou shrie+ o&er the $and;F#C.MR

hat !ou smash heads;F#C.MR

hat !ou 'or'e on orpses $i+e a do';F#C.MR

hat !our '$ane f$ames %ith ra'e;F#C.MR

hat !ou thro% !our '$ane around;F#C.MR

hat !our e!es f$ash $i+e Ae%e$s;F#C.MR

hat !ou *a$+ and def!;F#C.MR

hat !ou stand &itorious;F#C.MR/Meador 178-179

he short fourth setion desri*es her pious preparations for ritua$( areminder to .nanna of a$$ the times Enheduanna has pra!ed to her",he then pro&ides the first reord of the %ritin' proess in the $ines

sufferin' *itter pan'sI. 'a&e *irth to this e)a$tationIfor !ou m!ueen( %hih is a$so the first instane of this uniue$! fema$emetaphor"

.n the fina$ setion of the poem( Enheduanna %rites %ith Ao! that

.nanna has reei&ed her pra!er and ated on it" ,he on$udes %ithpraise to the 'oddess %ho ans%ered her pra!ers %hen neither n noranna responded" .n historia$ fat( u'u$annes re*e$$ion %asdefeated and Enheduanna %as restored to her position as En-priestessof the temp$e of anna at r"

Con$lusion

Hritin' as she did durin' the rise of a'rarian i&i$ization( %ith itsemphasis on aumu$atin' territor! and %ea$th( on %arfare( and onpatriarh!( Enheduanna offers a first-person perspeti&e of one of the$ast times %omen in Hestern soiet! he$d re$i'ious and i&i$ po%er" .n


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her e$e&ation of .nanna a*o&e a$$ other deities( she ta+es re$i'ious*e$ief a 'iant step $oser to monotheism" B! endo%in' .nanna %ithpo%ers unitin' hea&en and earth( she esta*$ishes harateristis offema$e deities that %i$$ ontinue throu'h ss!rian .shtar( the @e*re%,he+inah( and the nosti ,ophia /Meador 189 to the Catho$i *e$iefin Mar!s assumption into hea&en" Has she restorin' this 'oddess tothe position of the reat MotherQ Has she supportin' her fami$!s

onuestQ #r %as she def!in' her o%n nephe%( the first ma$e ru$er tode$are himse$f a 'odQ

he importane of Enheduannas %ritin' in Hestern $iterature annot*e o&erstated" ,he %as the first %riter to identif! herse$f as the authorof a %or+ and the first to desri*e the %ritin' proess" @er use of thefirst person and her dia$o'ue %ith the 'oddess %ere inno&ati&e anddarin'" @er %or+ is foundationa$G its inf$uene in anient times %asompara*$e to that of ,ha+espeare toda!" here is muh more in her%ritin' than an *e disussed in a short essa! $i+e this one"han+fu$$!( ontemporar! sho$ars $i+e Janet Fo*erts and Bett! @!mn to the oddess .nanna *!the en-;riestess Enheduanna" eitshrift fur s!rio$o'ie 65/1975> 161-253"

he E$etroni e)t Corpus of ,umerian iterature" he E)a$tation of.nana /.nana B> rans$ation" Fetrie&ed Marh 29( 2009( from>

http>II%%%"ets$"orient"o)"a"u+Isetion 4Itr4072"htm

Ho$+stein( @arper Fo%( 1983"

'o$$( nnette" .-ME-,F> ad! of Count$ess Cosmi ;o%ers" r"atAana http>II%%%"an'e$fire"omImiIenheduanna

Iinmesara"htm$

%&&endi' %(@a$$o and &an


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134" M! ueen- it has made !ou 'reater(!ou ha&e *eome the 'reatestR

135" M! ueen( *e$o&ed of n(. %i$$ announe a$$ of !our %rathR

%&&endi' C(

Comp$ete te)t( reprinted %ithout footnotes: %ith +ind permission ofBett!


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mountain smasher'i&e the storm %in's

=ouEn$i$s dearf$in' storms o&er the $and!ou stand at ns ommand

m! ad!the shrie+ of !our &oieshatters forei'n $ands

=oudreaded south%indhur$ a hot stormpeop$e stum*$e dazed and si$entfae the terror of ho$! po%erhantin' a dir'ethe! meet !ou at the rossroads

of the house of si'hs

at the front of *att$ea$$ is smashed *efore !outhe o*sidian *$ade ra&a'esm! ad!*! !our o%n arms po%er

a 'ou'in' storm-*u$$( !ou 'ou'ea rum*$in' storm roar( !ou thunder!ou *e$$o% %ith the storm 'od!ou moan %ith e&i$ %inds!our feet ne&er %ear!

!ou sin' of sorro%p$a! the harp of $amentation

*efore !ou m! ueenthe nnunaa$$ the 'reat 'odsf$! a%a! to the ruins

f$utter around $i+e *ats

%ither at !our smo$derin' '$aneo%er *eneath !our so%$

!our an'r! heart%ho an soothe itoo$in' !our rue$ heart istoo for*iddin'

the ueen a$one $ifts her fee$in's

the ueen a$one '$addens her heart,he %i$$ not uiet her ra'e# 'reat dau'hter of ,uen


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ueen'reater than the mountain%ho dares raise nose-pressed-to-the-'round%hen the mountain uits nose-ru**in'!ou urse its 'rainspin ashes around its main 'atepour *$ood into its ri&ers

its peop$e annot drin+it hands o&er apti&esarmies dis*andstron' !oun' menome *efore !ou %i$$in'$!

a %ind storm *rea+s up danin' in the it!dri&es the prime !outh *efore !ourope-tied apti&es

to the it! %hih does not profess

the $and is !ours%hih does not sa!it is !our fathers!ou spea+ one ho$! %ordturn that it! from !our path

!ou a*andon its sared sta$$the %oman no $on'er spea+s s%eet$! to her hus*andno $on'er te$$s serets at midni'htdoes not dis$osethe soft %hispers in her heart

estati %i$d o%e$dest dau'hter of ,uenueen 'reater than n%ho dares %ithho$d adu$ation

mistress of the sheme of order'reat ueen of ueens*a*e of a ho$! %om*'reater than mother %ho *ore !ou

=ou a$$ +no%in'=ou %ise &isionad! of a$$ $ands$ife-'i&er for the man!faithfu$ oddess%orth! of po%ersto sin' !our praise is e)a$ted

=ou of the *ountifu$ heart=ou of the radiant heart. %i$$ sin' of !our osmi po%ers

YYYtru$! for !our 'ain!ou dre% me to%ard


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m! ho$! uarters.the @i'h ;riestess.Enheduanna

there . raised the ritua$ *as+et

there . san' the shout of Ao!

*ut that man ast me amon' the dead. am not a$$o%ed in m! rooms'$oom fa$$s on the da!$i'ht turns $eadenshado%s $ose indreaded southstorm $oa+s the sun

he %ipes his spit-soa+ed handon m! hone! s%eet mouth

m! *eautifu$ ima'efades under dust

%hat is happenin' to m! fate# ,uen%hat is this %ith u'a$anne

spea+ to nhe %i$$ free mete$$ him o%he %i$$ re$ease me

the Homan %i$$ dash his fatethat u'a$annethe mountains the *i''est f$oods$ie at @er feet

the Homan is as 'reat as heshe %i$$ *rea+ the it! from him/ma! her heart 'ro% soft for me

stand there.Enheduanna Je%e$ of n$et me sa! a pra!er to !ou/f$o% tearsrefreshin' drin+ for .nanna

. sa! to @ersi$im*e %e$$

. sa!

. no $on'er soothe shim*a**ar

a$$ the $eansin' rites of @o$! n


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that man han'ed them

he ro**ed n of his temp$ehe does not fear Bi' Man nthe potent &i'or of the p$ae

does not fi$$ him

he spoi$ed its a$$uretru$! he destro!ed it

haunt him%ith the 'hostof her !ou set up as !our partner

# m! di&ine estati %i$d o%dri&e this man outhunt him do%nath him

.%ho am .in the p$ae %hih ho$ds up$ifes +e! e$ements

ma! n desert those re*e$s%ho hate !our annama! n %re+ that it!ma! En$i$ urse its fatema! the mother not omforther r!in' hi$d

ueenreator of heart-soothin'that man Aun+ed!our *oat of $amentationon an a$ien sea

. am d!in'that . must sin'

this sared son'.e&en .anna i'nores m! straitsam . to *e ruined *! treaher!.e&en .shim*a**arne'$ets m! ase

%hether he ne'$ets me

or not%hat does it matterthat man thre% me out of the temp$e. %ho ser&ed triumphant


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he made me f$!$i+e s%a$$o%s s%eptfrom their ho$es in the %a$$

he eats a%a! at m! $ife. %ander throu'h thorn! *rush in the mountains

he ro**ed meof the true ro%nof the @i'h ;riestess

he 'a&e methe ritua$ da''er of muti$ationhe saidit *eomes !ou

preious ueen$o&ed *! n

re+ind$e for me!our ho$! heart

*e$o&ed %ife of the s+! dra'onshum'a$annareat ad!%ho spans the tree of hea&entrun+ to ro%na$$ the nnuna$ash !o+e o&er ne+ for !ou

=ou*orn a minor ueenho% 'reat !ou ha&e *eome'reater than the nunna'reater than the reat ods

the nunnapress $ips to the 'round for !ou

that man has not sett$ed m! $aim

a'ain and a'ainhe thro%s a hatefu$ &erditin m! fae

. no $on'er $ift m! handsfrom the pure sared *ed. no $on'er unra&e$in'a$s 'ifts of dreamsto an!one

.

most radiant priestess of annama! !ou oo$ !our heart for mem! ueen*e$o&ed of n


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;F#C.MR;F#C.MR. sha$$ notpa! tri*ute to annait is of =#. ;F#C.M

that !ou are e)a$ted as n;F#C.MR

that !ou are %ide as earth;F#C.MR

that !ou rush re*e$$ious $ands;F#C.MR

that !ou shrie+ o&er the $and

;F#C.MR

that !ou smash heads;F#C.MR

that !ou 'or'e on orpses $i+e a do';F#C.MR

that !our '$ane f$ames %ith ra'e;F#C.MR

that !ou thro% !our '$ane around;F#C.MR

that !our e!es f$ash $i+e Ae%e$s;F#C.MR

that !ou *a$+ and def!;F#C.MR

that !ou stand &itorious

;F#C.MR

. ha&e not said this of anna

. ha&e said it of =#m! phrases '$orif! =#%ho a$one are e)a$tedm! ueen*e$o&ed of n

. ha&e spo+enof !our tempestuous fur!

YYY. ha&e heaped up oa$s in the *razier. ha&e %ashed in the sared *asin


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. ha&e readied !our roomin the ta&ern/ma! !our heart *e oo$ed for mesufferin' *itter pan's. 'a&e *irth to this e)a$tationfor !ou m! ueen

%hat . to$d !ou in the dar+ of ni'htma! the sin'er reount at noon

hi$d of !ours . am a apti&e*ride of !ours . am a apti&eit is for m! sa+e !our an'er fumes!our heart finds no re$ief

YYYthe eminent ueen'uardian of the throne room

reei&es her pra!er

the ho$! heartof .nannareturns to her

the da! is fa&ora*$eshe dresses $a&ish$!in %omans a$$ure

she '$o%s %ith *eaut!s shine$i+e the $i'ht of the risin' moonanna $ifts herinto seem$! &ie%

at the sound of in'a$s pra!erthe 'ate posts open@ai$Be He$$

YYY

this poemspo+en for the sared Homanis e)a$tedpraise the mountain destro!erpraise @er %ho/to'ether %ith nreei&ed the unhan'in' po%erspraise m! $ad! %rapped in *eaut!;F.,E BE # .

Notes

1: rans$ated as #rnament of n/'o$$( #rnament of @ea&en/Bin+$e!( or Je%e$ of @ea&en /Meador" En means hi'h-priestess"


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2: .n other ,umerian $iterature( .nanna 'ets En+i drun+ on *eer totri+ him into 'i&in' her the me( %hih she then *rin's to thepeop$e of ru+" Enheduannas use of are !oursItis thineemphasize that the me$e'itimate$! *e$on' to .nanna"

3: Bin+$e! notes that another 59 te)ts ha&e *een identified sine the@a$$o and &an

The Mezzo Cammin Women Poets Timeline - Enheduanna

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Transcript of The Mezzo Cammin Women Poets Timeline - Enheduanna