the religion of babylonia and assyria-第22部分

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　been　laid　for　him。

The　gods　were　therefore　prayed；　in　turn；　to　bring　him　back；　but　none　of　them　listened　except　êa；　who　begged　him　of　Nerigal；　whereupon　the　latter　opened　the　entrance　to　the　place　where　he　wasthe　hole　of　the　earthand　brought　forth　〃the　spirit　（/utukku/）　of　Enki…du　like　mist。〃　Immediately　after　this　come　the　words；　〃Tell；　my　friend；　tell；　my　friendthe　law　of　the　land　which　thou　sawest；　tell；〃　and　the　answer；　〃I　will　not　tell　thee；　friend；　I　will　not　tell　theeif　I　tell　thee　the　law　of　the　land　which　I　saw；　。　。　。　sit　down；　weep。〃　Ultimately；　however；　the　person　appealed　toapparently　the　disembodied　Enki…du　reveals　something　concerning　the　condition　of　the　souls　in　the　place　of　his　sojourn　after　death；　as　follows：

　　〃Whom　thou　sawest　＇die＇　the　death（？）　＇of＇＇*＇　。　。　。　＇I　see＇　　　In　the　resting…place　of　。　。　。　reposing；　pure　waters　he　drinketh。　　　Whom　in　the　battle　thou　sawest　killed；　I　see　　　His　father　and　his　mother　raise　his　head；　　　　　And　his　wife　upon　＇him　leaneth？＇。　　　Whose　corpse　thou　hast　seen　thrown　down　in　the　plain；　I　see　　　His　/edimmu/　in　the　earth　reposeth　not。　　　Whose　/edimmu/　thou　sawest　without　a　caretaker；　I　see　　　The　leavings　of　the　dish；　the　remains　of　the　food；　　　　　Which　in　the　street　is　thrown；　he　eateth。〃

＇*＇　（？）〃The　death　of　the　righteous；〃　or　something　similar？

It　is　naturally　difficult　to　decide　in　a　passage　like　this；　the　difference　existing　between　a　man's　/utukku/　and　his　/edimmu/；　but　the　probability　is；　that　the　former　means　his　spiritual　essence；　whilst　the　latter　stands　for　the　ghostly　shadow　of　his　body；　resembling　in　meaning　the　/ka/　of　the　Egyptians。　To　all　appearance　the　abode　described　above　is　not　the　place　of　the　punishment　of　the　wicked；　but　the　dwelling　of　those　accounted　good；　who；　if　lucky　in　the　manner　of　their　death；　and　the　disposal　of　their　bodies；　enjoyed　the　highest　happiness　in　the　habitation　of　the　blest。　The　other　place；　however；　is　otherwise　described　（it　occurs　in　the　account　of　I？tar's　descent　into　Hades；　and　in　the　seventh　tablet　of　the　Gilgame？　seriesthe　latter　differing　somewhat）：

　　〃Upon　the　land　of　No…return；　the　region　of　。　。　。；　　　＇Set＇　Istar；　daughter　of　Sin；　her　ear。　　　The　daughter　of　Sin　set　then　her　ear　。　。　。　　　Upon　the　house　of　gloom；　the　seat　of　Irkalla＇*＇　　　Upon　the　house　whose　entrance　hath　no　exit；＇？＇　　　Upon　the　path　whose　way　hath　no　return；　　　Upon　the　house　whose　enterers　are　deprived　of　light；　　　Where　dust　is　their　nourishment；　their　food　mud；　　　Light　they　see　not；　in　darkness　they　dwell；　　　Clothed　also；　like　a　bird；　in　a　dress　of　feathers。　　　Upon　the　door　and　bolt　the　dust　hath　blown。〃

＇*＇　One　of　the　names　of　Nergal。

＇？＇　Or　〃whose　enterer　goeth　not　forth。〃

Seven　gates　gave　access　to　this　place　of　gloom；　and　the　porter；　as　he　let　the　visitor　in；　took　from　her　（the　goddess　I？tar　in　the　narrative）　at　each　an　article　of　clothing；　until；　at　the　last；　she　entered　quite　naked；　apparently　typifying　the　fact　that　a　man　can　take　nothing　with　him　when　he　dieth；　and　also；　in　this　case；　that　he　has　not　even　his　good　deeds　wherewith　to　clothe　himself；　for　had　they　outweighed　his　evil　ones；　he　would　not　have　found　himself　in　that　dread　abode。

On　the　arrival　of　I？tar　in　Hades；　Erê？…ki…gal　commanded　Namtaru；　the　god　of　fate；　to　smite　I？tar　with　disease　in　all　her　memberseyes；　sides；　feet；　heart；　and　head。　As　things　went　wrong　on　the　earth　in　consequence　of　the　absence　of　the　goddess　of　love；　the　gods　sent　a　messenger　to　effect　her　release。　When　he　reached　the　land　of　No…　return；　the　queen　of　the　region　threatened　him　with　all　kinds　of　tormentsthe　food　of　the　gutters　of　the　city　were　to　be　his　food；　the　oil…jars　of　the　city　（naptha？）　his　drink；　the　gloom　of　the　castle　his　resting…place；　a　stone　slab　his　seat；　and　hunger　and　thirst　were　to　shatter　his　strength。　These　were　evidently　the　punishments　inflicted　there；　but　as　the　messenger　threatened　was　a　divine　one；　they　were　probably　not　put　into　execution；　and　he　obtained　his　demand；　for　I？tar　was　set　free；　receiving　back　at　each　gate；　in　reverse　order；　the　clothing　and　ornaments　which　had　been　taken　from　her　when　she　had　descended　thither。　It　is　uncertain　whether　Tammuz；　for　whom　she　had　gone　down；　was　set　free　also；　but　as　he　is　referred　to；　it　is　not　improbable　that　this　was　the　case。





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