Geshtinana / Jectinana / Belili Quotes From Texts

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(gods in bluemixed-breed demigods in teal…)

 

Geshtinanna / Jectinana = Enki & Ninsun‘s Daughter, Dumuzi‘s Sister

Many Gods (ex: Marduk) ½ Brothers

Many Kings (ex: Gilgamesh) ½ Brothers, etc.

Goddess of Music & Song

 

As Geshtinanna:

        Narrator:

       But Inanna does not grieve alone.

       Geshtinanna, Dumuzi‘s sister,

       Wandered about the city, weeping for Dumuzi.

 

       Geshtinanna:

        I grieve for my brother, lady, I grieve for the king

       Where is the Shepherd Dumuzi, my favorite kin?”

 

       Narrator:

       When she saw the sister’s grief,

       When Inanna saw the grief of Geshtinanna

       She spoke to her gently:

 

       Inanna:

       Your brother’s house is no more

       Dumuzi has been carried away by the galla

      I would take you to him

       But I do not know the place….”

 

       ‘You will go to the Underworld half the year

       Your sister, since she has asked, will go the other half

       On the day you are called, that day you’ll be taken.

       On the day Geshtinanna is called, that day you’ll be set free.’

       (Inanna places Dumuzi and Geshtinanna the hands of Ereshkigal, bows and lends graces to her Holy Sister): …”

 

       “Kneeling before Ereshkigal was her scribe Geshtinanna (Dumuzi‘s little sister)

       Holding the Tablets of Destinies …”

 

Geshtinana As Ama-gestin-ana:     

          Ama-g̃eštin-ana went up onto the mound and looked around, G̃eštin-ana craned her neck.

         Her girl friend G̃eštin-dudu (unidentified?) advised her:

         ‘The big men who bind the neck are already coming for him, they are …… coming for him! ‘…”

 

         “‘My adviser and girl friend! Are they coming?’

         ‘Yes, I will point out to you those who bind the neck!’

         ‘My brother, your demons are coming for you!

         Duck down your head in the grass!

       Dumuzid, your demons are coming for you!

         Duck down your head in the grass!’ …”

 

         “They caught G̃eštin-ana at the sheepfold and cow-pen.

         They offered a river of water, but she wouldn’t accept it.

         They offered her a field of grain, but she wouldn’t accept it.

         The little demon spoke to the big demon, the wise demon, the lively demon,

       and the big demon who was between them,

         wise like …… destroying a ……, like …… barring a ……, they spoke:

         ‘Who since the most ancient times has ever known a sister reveal a brother’s whereabouts?’ …

         They caught Dumuzid in the ditches of Arali.

         Dumuzid began to weep and was tear-stricken:

         In the city my sister saved my life, my friend caused my death’ …”

 

         Dumuzid escaped alive to the dwelling of his sister Ĝeštin-ana.

         Ĝeštin-ana looked at her brother.

         She scratched at her cheek: she scratched at her nose.

         She looked at her sides: she …… her garment.

         She recited a lament of misfortune for the unfortunate lad:

         ‘O my brother! O my brother, lad who has not fulfilled those days!

         O my brother, shepherd Ama-ušumgal-ana (Dumuzi),

         lad who has not fulfilled those days and years!

         O my brother, lad who has no wife, who has no children!

         O my brother, lad who has no friend, who has no companion!

         O my brother, the lad who is not a comfort (?) to his mother!’ …”

 

         “’Rather, for the shepherd let us go to the dwelling of Ĝeštin-ana.’

         The demons clap their hands and begin to seek him out.

         Ĝeštin-ana had barely finished that lament when the demons arrived at her dwelling.

         ‘Show us where your brother is,’ they said to her.

         But she spoke not a word to them.

         They afflicted her loins with a skin disease, but she spoke not a word to them.

         They scratched her face with ……, but she spoke not a word to them.

          They …… the skin of her buttocks, but she spoke not a word to them.

         They poured tar in her lap, but she spoke not a word to them.

         So they could not find Dumuzid at the house of Ĝeštin-ana …”

 

         His sister wandered about the city like a bird because of her brother:

         ‘My brother, let me take the great misfortune, come, let me’……. …”

 

         “He approached the holy sheepfold, his sister’s sheepfold.

         G̃eštin-ana cried toward heaven, cried toward earth.

         Her cries covered the horizon completely like a cloth, they were spread out like linen.

         She lacerated her eyes, she lacerated her face, she lacerated her ears in public; in private she lacerated her buttocks.

         ‘My brother, I will go round in the streets …….’

         (The demons said:)

          ‘Unless G̃eštin-ana is aware of Dumuzid‘s whereabouts, she is indeed looking frightened!’ …

          the drinking cups lay on their side, Dumuzid was dead …”

 

Geshtinana As Jectinana:

         in song, for my (½) sister Jectin-ana, my own mother Ninsumun (Ninsun) …”

 

         (Inanna speaking:)

         “Escort me to my house, to my house in Zabalam.

         Escort me to my mother, to my mother Ningal (Nannar‘s spouse).

         Escort me to my mother-in-law, to Ninsumun (Ninsun).

         Escort me to my sister-in-law, to Jectin-ana (Dumuzi‘s sister) …”

 

         Jectin-ana, the lady, did …….

         1 line fragmentary

         The maiden …… the admiration.

       Jectin-ana …….

         The sacred one, Inanna …… in her hand.

         …… together.

         …… replied: …”

 

         The temple of Jectin-ana resembled an aljarsur instrument,

       the aljarsur of mother Jectin-ana that makes a pleasant sound …”

 

          to Jectin-ana, the king’s (½) sister, in her palace,

         the shepherd Ur-Namma offered a ……, the hallmark of the scribe, ……,

         a peg and the measuring rod ……. …”

 

         “I, Culgi, the king whose name is very suitable for songs, intend to be praised in my prayers and hymns.

         At the command of my (½) sister Jectin-ana, my scholars and composers of ……

         have composed adab, tigi and malgatum hymns about my being the Nintud (Ninhursag)

         of all that is,about how wise I am in attending upon the gods,

         about how the god of intercession has given me favorable signs

          that years of abundance will elapse for me in due course.

          They have composed cir-gida songs, royal praise poetry, sumundu, kunjar and balbale compositions …

          Culgi, the great musician, superintendent of the art of music.

          If …… favorable …….

        My songs, lapsing from people’s mouths and passing out of memory, (?) in all the cult-places …….

          …… his king ……, in the music- rooms of the gods ……

          10 lines unclear

         King of the singer’s art, Suen ……, protective goddess of the singer’s art, Jectinana …… …”

 

         “So that the fame of my praises, the words which Enki composed about me,

         and which Jectin-ana joyously speaks from the heart and broadcasts far and wide,

         shall never be forgotten, I have had them written down line by line

          in the House of the Wisdom of Nisaba in holy heavenly writing, as great works of scholarship.

          No one shall ever let any of it pass from memory …….

         It shall not be forgotten, since indestructible heavenly writing has a lasting renown …”

 

         “King of the singer’s art, Suen ……, protective goddess of the singer’s art, Jectinana …… …”

 

         “may Jectin-ana be their protective goddess.

         …… treasures, lasting property of the king’s heirs, jewels of lordship which cannot be ……,

          fixing them forever in the mouth of the singers…

 

         I (Ishme-Dagon) made sure that my praises were spoken,

         by creating numerous songs to Jectin-ana, the honey-mouthed lady.

          I installed …… my scholars and chief singers.

          The skilful singers composed for me adab, tigi, sumunca, malgatum, cir-gida, royal praise poems perfect in content,

         arahi, balbale, zamzam and kunjar compositions’ …”

 

         “In the temple my (Ishme-Dagon) songs should be performed splendidly (?), and my odes should be handed down.

          Their attractiveness should be right in the heart of the Land, and mouths should carry the words as far as its borders.

         …… the requirements of the banquet; he should put their attractiveness into the heart ……;

         …… may Jectin-ana be their protective goddess.

          …… treasures, lasting property of the king’s heirs, jewels of lordship which cannot be ……,

          fixing them forever in the mouth of the singers …”

 

         Jectin-ana…….

         In that city ……, festivals were not …….

         Daily ……. …”

         

Belili Quotes From Texts

Belili = sometimes Geshtinanna, sometimes an unknown old lady

 

Geshtinanna As Belili:

         Belili (Geshtinanna) [sister of Tammuz (Dumuzi)] had gathered the treasure,

         With precious stones filled her bosom.

         When Belili heard the lament of her brother, she dropped her treasure,

         She scattered the precious stones before her,

         ‘Oh, my only brother, do not let me perish!…’

         On the day when Tammuz plays for me on the flute of lapis lazuli,

         playing it for me with the porphyry ring.

         Together with him, play ye for me, ye weepers and lamenting women!

         That the dead may rise up and inhale the incense …”

 

         “When Belili was stringing her jewelry,

         And her lap was filled with “eye-stones,”

         On hearing the sound of her brother,

         Belili struck the jewelry on…

         So that the “eye-stones” filled the…

         My only brother, bring no harm to me! …”

 

        “On the day when Tammuz comes up to me,

         When with him the lapis flute and the carnelian ring come up to me,

         When with him the wailing men and wailing women come up to me, …”

 

Belili as an old woman:

         “’Come, let us go to the house of Old Woman Belili!’

         They caught Dumuzid at the house of Old Woman Belili …”

 

         so I can escape to the house of Old Woman Belili …”

 

          “so he evaded the demons and escaped with his life to the house of Old Woman Belili.

         He approached the house of Old Woman Belili …”

 

Dumuzid-abzu Quotes From Texts

Dumuzid-abzu = Geshtinanna, Ninsun‘s daughter

 

Gehstinanna’s (House) – Temple Hymn

        “Dumuzid-abzu, has erected a house in your precinct,

         O shrine Kinirša, and taken her seat upon your dais.

         7 lines: the house of Dumuzid-abzu in Kinirša.”

 

        “Dumuzid-abzu was full of fear in the house of Kinirca.

         Kinirca, the city of her noble youth, was ordered to be plundered …”

 

          “So that the holy orchards (?) will be opened up,

         {Ama-abzu-E-kura} {(1 ms. has instead:) Dumuzidabzu} stands by at your behest…. …”

 

         “may the goddess Duzi-abzu the mistress of Kinunir-ki, …”

 

         Dumuzid-abzu has abandoned that house Kinirca and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold …”

 

          “the favorite of the goddess Duzi-abzu (Geshtinanna, Enki & Ninsun‘s daughter). I am Ur-Bau; …”

 

         “For the goddess Duzi-abzu (Geshtinanna, Enki & Ninsun‘s daughter),

         the lady of Kinunir-ki, her temple of Girsu-ki he has constructed. …”