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 LOWHA SHIL ETANA

TABLET OF ETANA

Tablet 1:77
Tablet 1:118

would not listen to the word of its sons.
78 It went down and ate the serpent-man's young.
79 In the dusk period at the close of day,
80 The serpent-man came and was carrying its load,
81 Stared, for its nest was not there,
82 Daylight hour came he waited, but the eagle-man did not appear,
83 For with its talons it had clawed at the ground,
84 And its dust cloud covered the heavens on high.
85 The serpent-man lay down and wept,
86 Its tears flowed before Shamash.
87 'I trusted in you, Shamash, the warrior,
88 And I was helpful and sincere to the eagle-man who lives on the branches.
89 Now the serpent-man's nest is grief-stricken.
90 My own nest is not there, while its nest is safe.
91 My young ones are scattered and its young ones are safe.
92 It came down and ate my young ones!
93 You know the wrong which it has done me, Shamash!
94 Truly, O Shamash your net is as wide as Earth,
95 Your snare is as broad as the sky!
96 The eagle-man should not escape from your net,
97 As criminal as Anzu or Zuen, who wronged his comrade.'
98 When he heard the serpent-man's plea,
99 Shamash made his voice heard and spoke to the serpent-man,
100 'Go along the path, cross the mountain.
101 Where a wild bull abundant and has been bound for you.
102 Open up its innards, slit open its stomach.
103 Make a place to sit inside its stomach,
104 All kinds of birds will come down with them.
105 The eagle-man too will come down with them.
106 Since it will not be aware of danger to itself,
107 It will search out the most tender morsels will comb the area in search for it.
108 Penetrate to the lining of the innards.
109 When it enters the innards, you must seize it by the wing,
110 Cut its wings, feather and pinion,
111 Pluck it and throw it into a bottomless pit,
112 Let it die there of hunger and thirst!'
113 At the command of the warrior Shamash,
114 The serpent-man came upon the wild bull,
115 And opened up its innards and slit open its stomach.
116 And made a place to sit inside its stomach.
117 All kinds of birds came down from the sky and began to eat the flesh.
118 But the eagle-man was aware of the danger to itself.