(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)
(gods in blue….semi-divine mixed-breeds in teal)
Ereckigala / Ereshkigal Quotes From Texts
Ereckigala / Ereshkigal = Nannar‘s eldest daughter
Queen of the Netherworld, spouse to Gugulanna (Nergal)
Ereshkigal As Erickigala:
“when An (Anu) had taken the heavens for himself, when Enlil had taken the earth for himself,
when the nether world had been given to Erec-kigala as a gift; …”
“Neti, the chief doorman of the underworld, entered the house of his mistress Erec-ki-gala and said:
‘My mistress, there is a lone girl outside.
It is Inanna, your sister, and she has arrived at the palace Ganzer’ …”
“Erec-ki-gala slapped the side of her thigh.
She bit her lip and took the words to heart.
She said to Neti, her chief doorman:
‘Come Neti, my chief doorman of the underworld, don’t neglect the instructions I will give you.
Let the seven gates of the underworld be bolted.
Then let each door of the palace Ganzer be opened separately.
As for her, after she has entered, and crouched down
and had her clothes removed, they will be carried away’ …”
“I (Nungal / Bau) am the daughter of An (Anu).
Enlil too has provided me with an eminent fate, for I am his daughter-in-law (Enlil‘s 1/2 sister, & spouse to Enlil‘s son Ninurta).
The gods have given the divine powers of heaven and earth into my hands.
My (Nungal / Bau) own mother, Ereckigala, has allotted to me her divine powers.
I have set up my august dais in the nether world, …”
“To Ereckigala, the mother of Ninazu
in her palace, the shepherd Ur-Namma offered a …… which he filled with oil,
a cajan bowl of perfect make, a heavy garment, a long-fleeced garment,
a queenly pala robe, …… the divine powers of the nether world …”
As Ereshkigal:
“Ereshkigal reigns sovereign here, and those who worship her may never leave.
Would you go back now, little Lord?’
‘ I won’t go back without Ereshkigal.
I’ll fight up to my last breath, but alone I won’t return to the Middleworld.
Not as a loser, not without her.’
Deep inside though Enki’s heart was heavy with terror.
For the first time he contemplated the immensity of Ereshkigal’s loss to him and the Realms Above. …”
“In the Worlds Above, his first Breath and Awareness he had shared with Ereshkigal, his Beloved Twin.
For Ereshkigal he had built his magur boat, for Ereshkigal he had come this far.
For Ereshkigal now Enki laid down his shield, mail and spear in the hope to fulfill his promise
to rescue Ereshkigal to the Worlds Above. …”
“’I already know who you are. And why you came too.
You made it very loud and clear that you want to bring your sister
Ereshkigal back to the Worlds Above’, continued the Voice. ‘
But how can you be so sure that she wants to return with you?
Time has gone by, she might have found the Depths are her home now, not the Heights Above.’ …”
“’She who lies there, she who lies there, Ninazu‘s mother (Ereshkigal) who lies there —
her pure shoulders are not covered with a garment, and no linen is spread over her pure breast.’ …”
“’Do you understand now, Enki?
Why my place is here, why I cannot return with you?’ asked softly Ereshkigal.
I’ve become one of the Great Guardians now., and my choice to be so.
Father An for the Sky, Ki-Ninhursag of Many Names for the Earth,
Enlil for Air, you for the Sweet, Shape-Forming Waters and myself for the Underworld.’ …”
“’Don’t regret your choice of having descended for me, Enki,’ continued Ereshkigal.
‘Indeed, I knew you would come, and expected you all along.
Our bond was and will always be strong, so whenever you seek me out, you will find me,’ …”
“’Ever since I (Ereshkigal) was a child and a daughter, I have not known the playing of other girls,
I have not known the romping of children.
That god whom you sent to me and who has impregnated me- let him sleep with me again!
Send that god to us, and let him spend the night with me as my lover!
I am unclean, and I am not pure enough to perform the judging of the great gods,
The great gods who dwell within Erkalla.
If you do not send that god to me
According to the rites of Erkalla and the great Earth I shall raise up the dead, and they will eat the living.
I shall make the dead outnumber the living!'”
“Ereshkigal, saw Enlil‘s wrongdoing and heard the lament of the Maiden:
the Lady of the Great Below heeded the Maiden’s words.
She knew a door had been opened for Justice,
Growth and Regeneration in the Underworld if only Enlil submitted to the Laws of the Land of No Return.
In Nippur, Ki, Mother Earth, also known as Urash, Ninmah, and Ninhursag
felt strongly that Enlil should suffer the hardest of all punishments for his conduct.
Never before had the Anunnaki taken to trial one of their own.
Shocked and circumspect, they gathered, and were forty-nine, not the usual fifty in number,
because Enlil was counted out for the first time.
In the lower platform sat 46 judges, in the higher was An, who presided all judgments,
sided by Ki (Ninhursag) on his right and Enki on his left.
Father, Mother and Brother to Enlil they were, but also the Guardians of the Attributes of Civilization, Law and Order.
The fourth high seat was empty.
It belonged to Enlil, the defendant.
Red-eyed Ninlil, sided by the healer goddess Gula (Bau, Enlil‘s 1/2 sister), sat quiet and dignified on the right.
On the left and opposite to her was Enlil, whose discomfort was evident for all to see …”
“Ereshkigal´s face.
Not the lioness-headed goddess or the projection of one’s worst nightmares.
Instead, the radiant beauty of a dark-haired goddess looked at Ninlil.
The Lady of the Great Place was older, yet young and Ageless, a Woman in Her own right, tall and slim …”
“Ninlil found herself smiling back at Ereshkigal.
Hers and Enlil‘s baby would indeed have a most splendid fate.
A child whose Light would wax and wane in a never-ending cycle,
out of Darkness towards Light and back again from Brightness to Dark.
‘Great Lady, I lend you graces.’
Ereshkigal smiled at Ninlil, and then Great Goddess’ voice turned gentle and direct at once.
Ninlil suspected that this right balance of inquisitiveness, prodding and humor was Ereshkigal’s trademark: …”
Allat Quotes From Texts
Allat = Ereshkigal, Nannar & Ningal‘s daughter
“Within, O goddess! Allat (Ereshkigal) thee receives!
Tis thus to thee our Queen her welcome gives.”
“Within the next gate he her earrings takes,
And goddess Ishtar now with fury shakes, …
And thus he strips the goddess at each gate,
Of ornaments upon her breast and feet
And arms; her bracelets, girdle from her waist,
Her robe next took, and flung the Queen undrest
Within a cell of that dark solitude.
At last, before Queen Ishtar Allat stood,
When she had long remained within the walls
And Allat mocked her till Queen Ishtar falls
Humiliated on the floor in woe;
Then turning wildly, cursed her ancient foe.
Queen Allat furious to her servant cries:
‘Go! Naintar (Namtar)! with disease strike blind her eyes!
And strike her side! her breast and head and feet;
With foul disease her strike, within the gate!’ …”
“At last obedient doth Allat speak:
‘Go, Namtar (Ereshkigal’s son)! and the iron palace strike!
O’er Asherim1 adorned let the dawn break!
And seat the spirits on their thrones of gold!
Let Ishtar Life’s bright waters then behold,
And drink her fill, and bring her then to me;
From her imprisonment, I send her free’ …”
Irkalla, The Under World Ziggurat
Irkalla = Ereshkigal’s residence
“To the Land of No Return, the realm of Ereshkigal,
Ishtar (Inanna), the daughter of the Moon (Nannar), set her mind.
To the dark house, the abode of Irkalla (Ereshkigal’s palace residence in the Netherworld),
To the house which none leave who have entered it, …”