The Dying God (Dumuzi / Tammuz)
Love sends him to the grave in her place — and a whole month is given over to weeping for the god who must die.
When Inana returns from the netherworld, the demons who escort her demand a substitute, and her own consort Dumuzi is taken in her place — though a yearly arrangement lets him and his sister alternate, half a year each below. Dumuzi (Tammuz in Akkadian) thus becomes the god who dies and returns, his disappearance mourned with bitter lament in the summer month that bears his name. The theme touches the rhythm of the seasons and the pain of loss, and the wailing for Tammuz was remembered for millennia — even reaching a famous mention in the book of Ezekiel.
Key passages(10)
She can make the lament for you, my Dumuzid, the lament for you, the lament, the lamentation, reach the desert -- she can make it reach the house Arali; she can make it reach Bad-tibira; she can make
Tap to expand
A small demon opened his mouth and said to the big demon, Come on, let's go to the lap of holy Inana. The demons entered Unug and seized holy Inana. Come on, Inana, go on that journey which is yours a
Tap to expand
Lady, you who wander among sweet-voiced cows and gentle-voiced calves in the cattle-pen; young woman, no sooner will you arrive there, Inana, than the churn should sound! May the churn of your spouse
Tap to expand
It is Dumuzi whom Ištar keeps searching; – “Oh my shepherd!”, she searches the pasture. His cattle enters all the time, looking for pasture, where the grass veils itself with pomegranates, (where) on
Tap to expand
A song of Inana and Dumuzid (Dumuzid-Inana J)
…… beloved sister of Dumuzid, beloved …… of Durtur, …… seed implanted into the womb by a good bull, my lady, born to ladyship! With her aid the cattle-pen was filled with butter and cream, with her ai
Tap to expand
…… my ……. …… my lacerated eyes ……. …… my lacerated nose ……. …… my beaten ……. …… my hasty ……. …… my …… …… my ……. …… my loaded waggon ……. …… my ……. …… my ……. …… who is cheerful ……. …… who laments ……. ……
Tap to expand
His heart was full of tears as he went out into the countryside. The lad's heart was full of tears as he went out into the countryside. Dumuzid's heart was full of tears as he went out into the countr
Tap to expand
Come in, shepherd, Ištar’s lover, Spend the night here, shepherd, Ištar’s lover, At your entering, my father is happy for you, my mother, Ningal, is rejoiced over you. She served you oil in a bowl. At
Tap to expand
A love song of Išme-Dagan (Išme-Dagan J)
Lady, going to the sweet-voiced cows and gentle-voiced calves in the cattle-pen, young woman, when you arrive there, Inana, may the churn sound! May the churn of your spouse sound, Inana, may the chur
Tap to expand
The song of the lettuce: a balbale to Inana (Dumuzid-Inana E)
He has sprouted, he has burgeoned, he is well-watered lettuce, my shaded garden of the desert, richly flourishing, his mother's favourite he is well-watered lettuce ; my grain lovely in beauty in its
Tap to expand