What is the "Enlil and Ninlil" Myth?
The poem begins with an introductory passage descriptive of the city of Nippur, a Nippur that seems to be conceived as having existed before the creation of man:
Which Gods Were Born from the Union of Enlil and Ninlil?
is almost complete. It seems to have been evolved to explain the begetting of the moon-God Nanna as well as that of the three underworld deities, Nergal, Ninazu, and a third whose name is illegible.
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| Ninlil and spouse Enlil, artifact discovered in Nippur, their patron city |
How Does the Myth Explain the Metamorphosis of Gods?
If rightly interpreted this poem furnishes us with the first known example of the metamorphosis of a god; Enlil assumes the form of three different individuals in impregnating his wife Ninlil with the three nether world deities.
The City of Nippur: Its Role and Significance
Behold the "bond of heaven and earth," the city,
Behold Nippur, the city,
Behold the "kindly wall," the city,
Behold the Idsalla, its pure river,
Behold the Karkurunna, its quay,
Behold the Karasarra, its quay where the boats stand,
Behold the Pulal, its well of good water,
Behold the Idnunbirdu, its pure canal,
Behold Enlil, its young man,
Behold Ninlil, its young maid,
Behold Nunbarshegunu, its old woman.
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| E-kur residence of Enlil and Ninlil |
The Role of Ninlil in the Myth: Motherhood and Guidance
After this brief background sketch the actual story begins.
Nunbarshegunu, the "old woman" of Nippur, Ninlil's mother, instructs her daughter how to obtain the love of Enlil:
In those days the mother, her begetter, gave advice to the maid,
Nunbarshegunu gave advice to Ninlil:
"At the pure river, O maid, at the pure river wash thyself,
O Ninlil, walk along the bank of the Idnunbirdu,
The bright-eyed, the lord, the bright-eyed,
The 'great mountain, Father Enlil, the bright-eyed, will see thee,
The shepherd . . . who decrees the fates, the bright-eyed, will see thee, He will . . .. he will kiss thee."
How Does the Water Symbolize Power in the Myth?
Ninlil follows her mother's instructions and as a consequence is impregnated by "the water" of Enlil and conceives the moon-God Nanna.
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Death and Immortality of the Gods in Mesopotamian Mythology
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| nanna moon god |
The Transformation of Enlil: Impersonating Different Forms
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| A flowchart illustrating the transformation of Enlil into different forms as he journeys with Ninlil to the underworld, with arrows showing his impersonations: the 'man of the gate,' the 'man of the river,' and the 'man of the boat,' culminating in the impregnation of Ninlil with three deities |
Enlil then departs from Nippur in the direction of the nether world, but
is followed by Ninlil. As he leaves the gate he instructs the "man of the
gate" to give the inquisitive Ninlil no information of his whereabouts.
Ninlil comes up to the "man of the gate" and demands to know whither
Enlil has gone. Enlil then seems to take the form of the "man of the gate"
and answers for him.
Ninlil thereupon reminds him that while, true enough, Enlil is his king, she is his queen.
Thereupon Enlil, still impersonating "the man of the gate," cohabits with her and impregnates her.
The Underworld Deities: Nergal, Ninazu, and Others
As a result, Ninlil conceives Meslamtaea, more commonly known as Nergal, the king of the nether world.
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| Nergal Son To Enlil and Ninlil |
In spite of the unintelligible parts, the flavor of this remarkable passage will be readily apparent from the following quotations:
Enlil . . . departed from the city,
Nunamnir (a name of Enlil) . . . departed from the city.
Enlil walked, Ninlil followed,
Nunamnir walked, the maid followed,
Enlil says to the man of the gate:
"O man of the gate, man of the lock,
O man of the bolt, man of the pure lock,
Thy queen Ninlil is coming;
If she asks thee about me,
Tell her not where I am."
Ninlil approached the man of the gate:
"O man of the gate, man of the lock,
O man of the bolt, man of the pure lock,
Enlil, thy king, where is he going?"
Enlil answers her for the man of the gate:
"Enlil, the king of all the lands, has commanded me":
Four lines follow containing the substance of this command but their
meaning is obscure. Then comes the following dialogue between Ninlil and Enlil, the latter impersonating the "man of the gate":
Ninlil: "True, Enlil is thy king, but I am thy queen."
Enlil: "If now thou art my queen, let my hand touch thy . . ."
Ninlil: "The 'water' of thy king, the bright 'water' is in my heart,
The 'water' of Nanna, the bright 'water' is in my heart."
Enlil: "The 'water' of my king, let it go toward heaven, let it go toward earth, Let my 'water,' like the 'water' of my king, go toward earth."
Enlil, as the man of the gate, lay down in the
He kissed her, be cohabited with her,
Having kissed her, having cohabited with her,
The "water" of . . . Meslamtaea he caused to flow over (her) heart.
The poem then continues with the begetting of the nether world deity Ninazu; this time it is the "man of the river of the nether world, the man-devouring river" whom Enlil impersonates.
In all other respects, the passage is a repetition of that describing the begetting of Meslamtaea; thus:
Enlil walked, Ninlil followed,
Nunamnir walked, the maid followed,
Enlil says to the man of the river of the nether world, the man-devouring
river:
"O man of the river of the nether world, the man-devouring river,
Thy queen Ninlil is coming;
If she asks thee about me,
Tell her not where I am."
Ninlil approached the man of the river of the nether world, the man devouring river:
"O man of the river of the nether world, the man-devouring river,
Enlil, thy king, where is he going?"
Enlil answers her for the man of the river of the nether world, the man devouring river:
"Enlil, the king of all the lands, has commanded me."
The substance of the command is unintelligible. Follows the dialogue
between Ninlil and Enlil, the latter impersonating the "man of the river
of the nether world, the man-devouring river":
Ninlil: "True, Enlil is thy king, but I am thy queen."
Enlil: "If now thou art my queen, let my hand touch thy . . ."
Ninlil: "The 'water' of thy king, the bright 'water' is in my heart,
The 'water' of Nanna, the bright 'water' is in my heart."
Enlil: "The 'water' of my king, let it go toward heaven, let it go toward earth,
Let my 'water,' like the 'water' of my king, go toward earth."
Enlil, as the man of the river of the nether world, the man-devouring
river, lay down in the . . . .
He kissed her, he cohabited with her,
Having kissed her, having cohabited with her,
The "water" of Ninazu, the king of . . ., he caused to flow over (her) heart.
The poem then continues with the begetting of the third underworld
deity whose name is illegible; this time it is the "man of the boat" whom Enlil impersonates.
The Conclusion of the Myth: Enlil as Lord of Abundance
Our myth then comes to a close with a brief hymnal
passage in which Enlil is exalted as the lord of abundance and the king whose decrees are unalterable.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Myth of Enlil and Ninlil
1. What is the significance of the "water" in the myth of Enlil and Ninlil?
The "water" symbolizes divine power and fertility. In the myth, it represents Enlil's life-giving essence, which he shares with Ninlil, leading to the conception of various deities.
2. Why does Enlil transform into different forms during the myth?
Enlil transforms into different forms (like the "man of the gate," "man of the river," and "man of the boat") to fulfill his divine duties and interact with Ninlil in various ways, signifying his omnipresence and power.
3. Who are the deities born from Enlil and Ninlil, and what are their roles?
The deities born from their union are Nanna (the moon god), Nergal (king of the underworld), and Ninazu (another underworld deity). Each plays a significant role in the Sumerian pantheon, especially in the realms of fertility, death, and the afterlife.
4. What does the underworld symbolize in the myth of Enlil and Ninlil?
The underworld symbolizes death, transformation, and the afterlife in the myth. It is a place of rebirth and regeneration, where the divine order is established, and the deities continue to shape the world.
5. What is the meaning behind the unintelligible parts of the poem?
Some parts of the poem are deliberately obscure, reflecting the mystery and divine secrecy surrounding the gods. These sections may symbolize the unexplainable aspects of divine actions and the mysteries of creation.
6. How does the myth of Enlil and Ninlil relate to Sumerian religion and culture?
The myth reflects core aspects of Sumerian religion, including the interaction between gods and humans, fertility, death, and the cyclical nature of life. It highlights the importance of divine rulership and cosmic order in Sumerian culture.
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References
- Jacobsen, Thorkild. The Sumerian King List. University of Chicago Press, 1939.
- Wolkstein, Diane, and Samuel Noah Kramer. Inanna: Queen of Heaven and Earth. Harper & Row, 1983.
- Kramer, Samuel Noah. History Begins at Sumer: Thirty-Nine Firsts in Recorded History. University of Pennsylvania Press, 1981.
- Mitchell, Stephen. The Sumerians: The History of the Ancient Civilization of Mesopotamia. Thames & Hudson, 2011.
- Heeßel, Nils. "The Sumerian Myth of Enlil and Ninlil." Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religions 6, no. 2 (2006): 131-142.
