Transformation in Mesopotamian Magic and Mythology
Oct 12, 2017 15:53:59 GMT -5
Post by nocodeyv on Oct 12, 2017 15:53:59 GMT -5
Greetings Enenuru,
Last night, while discussing the myth Inana's Descent to The Netherworld with a friend, a question was posed to me that I couldn't answer. Near the end of the myth (lines 368-384), and in order to escape the Gallû who are pursuing him, Dumuzi petitions his brother-in-law, Utu, for aid. Specifically, he asks Utu to "turn my hands into a snake's hands; turn my feet into a snake's feet," essentially a plea to be transformed into a snake so that he might slither to freedom. Utu, of course, takes pity on Dumuzi and answers his plea. After discussing this act of metamorphosis, my friend asked me if such feats were common in Mesopotamian mythology. The more that I thought about it though, the less certain I was that I could name even one other instance of a deity transforming a human being—let alone another deity—into an animal in any of the myths that I was familiar with. The nearest account that I could think of was from Enlil and Nam-zid-tara, where Enlil assumed the form of a raven as he talked with Nam-zid-tara.
So, initially, my questions are:
1. Is the power to transform humans or deities into animals a unique ability in Mesopotamian mythology?
2. Does any deity, other than Utu, demonstrate this ability?
This morning, while debating whether or not to post these questions here, more thoughts concerning animals and their place in Mesopotamian mythology started bouncing around in my head. As stated above, from Enlil and Nam-zid-tara, I know that deities can assume the form of animals. I also know that certain deities are, in and of themselves, animals: the Bull of Heaven, the Thunderbird, and so forth. And I know that certain animals—such as the bull, lion, and a host of birds—are associated with specific deities, usually in the form of totemic mounts. I also remembered, however, that at the end of Enki and Ninḫursaŋa: the Creation of Disease (lines 220-246) a Fox saves the day by locating Ninḫursaŋa and convincing her to return to Mesopotamia. This Fox is given sentience, and even understands the reward he is due should he succeed in returning Ninḫursaŋa. As with Utu's ability above, I was hard pressed to think of another time that this Fox showed up in mythology, or, for that matter, another example of a sentient, reasoning animal from the real world.
So, my secondary questions are:
1. Is this the only time that Fox, or any other Animal, demonstrates these kinds of abilities in Mesopotamian mythology?
2. Do animals have any defined role in the mythology outside of being totemic?
Last night, while discussing the myth Inana's Descent to The Netherworld with a friend, a question was posed to me that I couldn't answer. Near the end of the myth (lines 368-384), and in order to escape the Gallû who are pursuing him, Dumuzi petitions his brother-in-law, Utu, for aid. Specifically, he asks Utu to "turn my hands into a snake's hands; turn my feet into a snake's feet," essentially a plea to be transformed into a snake so that he might slither to freedom. Utu, of course, takes pity on Dumuzi and answers his plea. After discussing this act of metamorphosis, my friend asked me if such feats were common in Mesopotamian mythology. The more that I thought about it though, the less certain I was that I could name even one other instance of a deity transforming a human being—let alone another deity—into an animal in any of the myths that I was familiar with. The nearest account that I could think of was from Enlil and Nam-zid-tara, where Enlil assumed the form of a raven as he talked with Nam-zid-tara.
So, initially, my questions are:
1. Is the power to transform humans or deities into animals a unique ability in Mesopotamian mythology?
2. Does any deity, other than Utu, demonstrate this ability?
This morning, while debating whether or not to post these questions here, more thoughts concerning animals and their place in Mesopotamian mythology started bouncing around in my head. As stated above, from Enlil and Nam-zid-tara, I know that deities can assume the form of animals. I also know that certain deities are, in and of themselves, animals: the Bull of Heaven, the Thunderbird, and so forth. And I know that certain animals—such as the bull, lion, and a host of birds—are associated with specific deities, usually in the form of totemic mounts. I also remembered, however, that at the end of Enki and Ninḫursaŋa: the Creation of Disease (lines 220-246) a Fox saves the day by locating Ninḫursaŋa and convincing her to return to Mesopotamia. This Fox is given sentience, and even understands the reward he is due should he succeed in returning Ninḫursaŋa. As with Utu's ability above, I was hard pressed to think of another time that this Fox showed up in mythology, or, for that matter, another example of a sentient, reasoning animal from the real world.
So, my secondary questions are:
1. Is this the only time that Fox, or any other Animal, demonstrates these kinds of abilities in Mesopotamian mythology?
2. Do animals have any defined role in the mythology outside of being totemic?
