The Myth of Zu

(Assyrian version)

The Myth of Zu is of outstanding importance in that it links supreme cosmic authority (Enlilship) to the control of the Tablet of Destinies. Personally, I see Zu as a macaw. His feathers were colorful and fiery. Sounds like a macaw, to me. And have you ever babysat for a macaw? Zu incarnate, believe me.

Tablet 1

The son of the king of inhabited places,

The illustrious, beloved of Mami,

The strong one, the god, child of [Enli]l, I will ever praise.

Ninurta, the illustrious, beloved of Mami,

[The strong] one, the god, child of Enlil, I will ever glorify.

[(He is): The offsp]ring of Ekur, foremost among the Anunnaki,

Strength of Eninnu,

[He who made] the animal-stalls (and) founded houses, streets and cities;

The hero, [experienc]ed in battle, the active fighter,

[Whose] tireless attack the savage [demons] fear;

[...] the strong one, praise of his might,

[Who] bound his [enemi]es (and) tied up the Stone Things;

[Who vanquished the f]ugitive Zu with his weapon,

[Who subdued the K]usarikku in the midst of the sea;

[...]... goes, moves with his weapon,

[...] directs strife (and) battle.

[...] the shrines were made,

[...] Igigi.

(The remainder of the column is missing)

[...]... Anu says:

"[...] I will find a god [...]

And will appoint (him) in the Assembly as the vanquisher of Zu.

Yea, I will find a god

And appoint (him) in the Assembly as the vanquisher of Zu."

When the Igigi heard this speech of his,

The Igigi trembled and kissed his feet.

Ninigiku opened his mouth to speak,

To say something to Anu and Dagan.

(Column iii ends at this point and column iv is entirely missing.)

Tablet 2

(When the narrative begins, Mami is speaking)

"... to appoint a time;

... send forth brilliance.

Launch thy full offensive,

Let thy seven ill winds go against him.

Vanquish the fugitive Zu,

And (thus) bring peace to the earth [which] I created,

While bringing chaos to his abode.

Heap up things to frighten him,

Let thy terrifying offensive rage against him;

Cause the entire whirlwind to attack him,

Draw the bow (and) let the arrows carry poison.

Let thy countenance become like a demon’s,

Send out a fog so he cannot recognize thy face.

Let thy radiance go against him,

[In... and] steppe thou wilt have brilliance.

May the sun not shine over him,

May the bright [day] turn to gloom on him.

Slit his throat, vanquish Zu,

Let the winds carry his wings to a secret place,

Toward Ekur, to thy father Enlil.

Take flood (and) confusion in to the midst of the [mountain]s,

Cut the throat of evil Zu.

Let sovereignty (again) enter Ekur,

Let the norms return [t]o the fa[ther who] begot thee.

Let built shrines [appear],

Establish thy cult sites [in the] four [quarters].

[Let] thy [cult sites] enter (again) into Ekur,

(And may thy mighty name be splendid before the gods!"

When the hero heard the speech of his mother,

He was wroth, he raged (and) departed for his (Zu’s) mountain.

My lord hitched the Seven-of-the-Battle,

The hero hitched the seven ill winds,

The seven whirlwinds which stir up the dust,

He launched a terrifying war, fierce conflict.

While the gale at his side shrieked for strife,

Zu and Ninurta met on the mountainside.

When Zu saw him he raged at him,

He ground (his teeth) like a demon, his brilliance covered the mountain,

He roared like a lion seized with anger,

In his rage he called [to the h]ero:

"I have carried off every one of the norms,

And (therefore) the decrees of all the gods I direct;

Who art thou to come to fight with me?

Explain thyself!"

He advanced aggressively toward him and the word of his mouth went forth to him,

[The hero] Ninurta [answered] Zu:

"I [am ...] and the god of Duranki,

[I] received wide [understanding] (from) Ea, king of the Destinies.

I have come [to thee] to fight with thee..."

When Zu heard the word of his mouth,

In the midst of the mountain range he let loose a piercing shriek.

There was darkness, the face of the mountain was covered,

Ninurta, the light of the gods, entered the gloom.

Adad ... roared, his thunder pursued Zu,

In the midst of the conflict, (in the midst of) the war,

He launched fourteen storm floods,

Dressed in armor he bathed in blood,

Clouds of death sent rain, the lightning flashes were arrows.

He stood in their midst while the battle roared,

The strong, the illustrious, the child of Mami,

The hope of Anu and Dagan, the beloved of Ninigiku,

He loaded [the...] of the bow with the arrow,

From the breast of the bow he loosed the arrow at him,

But the arrow could not approach Zu, it turned back,

(For) Zu called to it:

"O arrow that [has] come, return to thy canebrake,

Stave [of the bow] (return) to thy wood,

(Return, bow)-gut, to the sheep’s rump, return wings to the birds!"

While he bore the [Tablet of De]stinies of the gods in his hand,

... [... the arrows] could not approach his body.

The ba[tt]le [was st]illed, the conflict ceased,

The weapons were stopped, in the midst of the mountain

They vanquished not Zu.

He (Ninurta) called to Adad and gave him instructions:

"Repeat to him, to Ea Ninigiku, the deeds which thou hast observed:

‘O lord, Ninurta was circling Zu,

Ninurta was girding up the dust of destruction;

He loaded [the...] of the bow with an arrow,

He drew the bow and loosed the arrow at him,

But the arrow would not approach Zu, it turned back,

(For) Zu called to it:

"O arrow that has come, return to thy canebrake,

Stave of the bow (return) to thy wood,

(Return, bow)-gut, to the sheep’s rump, return wings to the birds!"

While he bore the Tablet of Destinies of the gods in his hand,

...the arrows could not approach his body.

The battle was stilled, the conflict ceased,

The weapons were stopped, in the midst of the mountain

they vanquished not Zu."

Adad, the prince, took the report,

The news of the fight he bore to Ea Ninigiku.

Whatever the lord had spoken to him he repeated to Ea:

‘O lord, Ninurta was circling Zu,

Ninurta was girding up the dust of destruction;

He loaded [the...] of the bow with an arrow,

He drew the bow and loosed the arrow at him,

But the arrow would not approach Zu, it turned back,

(For) Zu called to it:

"O arrow that has come, return to thy canebrake,

Stave of the bow (return) to thy wood,

(Return, bow)-gut, to the sheep’s rump, return wings to the birds!"

While he bore the Tablet of Destinies of the gods in his hand,

...the arrows could not approach his body.

The battle was stilled, the conflict ceased,

The weapons were stopped, in the midst of the mountain

they vanquished not Zu."

When [Ea ninigi]ku heard the word of his son,

He called to [Adad and] gave him instructions:

"Repeat [to him], to thy lord, my instructions,

Wha[te]ver I say outline to him:

‘In battle do not tire, prove thy strength,

Subdue him, by the onslaught of the south wind let his

pinions be overcome.

Take the ...-weapon to the back of thy darts,

Cut off his pinions, scatter (them) to the right and left.

When he sees his wings (the sight) will rob him of speech:

"Wing to wing!" he will cry, fear him (longer).

Draw thy bow (and) from its breast let fly the arrows like lightning,

Let pinions (and) wings dance like bloody things.

Slit his throat, vanquish Zu,

Let the winds carry his wings to a secret place,

Toward Ekur, to thy father Enlil.

Take flood (and) confusion into the midst of the mountains,

Cut the throat of evil Zu.

Let sovereignty (again) enter Ekur,

Let the norms return [to] the fat[her] who begot thee.

Let built shrines appear,

Establish thy cult sites in the four quarters.

Let thy cult sites enter (again) into Ekur,

(And) may thy mighty name be splendid bef[ore the g]ods!"

{Adad], the prince, took the directions,

Instructions for the fight [he b]ore to Ninurta, his lord,

Wha[tev]er Ea said he repeated to him:

‘In battle do not tire, prove thy strength,

Subdue him, by the onslaught of the south wind let his

pinions be overcome.

Take the ...-weapon to the back of thy darts,

Cut off his pinions, scatter (them) to the right and left.

When he sees his wings (the sight) will rob him of speech:

"Wing to wing!" he will cry, fear him (longer).

Draw thy bow (and) from its breast let fly the arrows like lightning,

Let pinions (and) wings dance like bloody things.

Slit his throat, vanquish Zu,

Let the winds carry his wings to a secret place,

Toward Ekur, to thy father Enlil.

Take flood (and) confusion into the midst of the mountains,

Cut the throat of evil Zu.

Let sovereignty (again) enter Ekur,

Let the norms return [to] the fat[her] who begot thee.

Let built shrines appear,

Establish thy cult sites in the four quarters.

Let thy cult sites enter (again) into Ekur,

(And) may thy mighty name be splendid bef[ore the g]ods!"

When the lord [heard the words of] Ea Ninigiku,

[He was w]roth, he raged (and) departed for his (Zu’s) mountain.

[My] lord hitched the Seven-of-the-Battle,

The hero hitched the seven ill winds,

The seven whirlwinds which stir up the dust.

He routed Zu and cut his throat.

{...} He (Ninurta) sent forth the fours winds [to d]o battle.

[...] the earth shook, filled [...]

[...] its [...] became dark, the heavens [became] black,

[...] at the onset of the south wind the pinions of Zu [were overcome].

Ancient Near Eastern Texts, ed. James Pritchard, translated by E.A. Speiser.

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