Ninsun / Ninsumun = Ninsun, daughter of Ninurta & Bau
Spouse to Lugalbanda, Mother to Gods, Goddesses, & Many Giant Mixed-Breed Kings
(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 …mixed-breed demigods in teal…)
(Enki‘s creation = Enkidu, Enlil‘s creation = Hawawa)
Ninsun Speaking in the 1st Person:
“Culgi (semi-divine mixed-breed), you are a pure calf, born to me.
You are a good seed of Lugal-banda (semi-divine King, ½ Anunnaki, ½ earthling).
I raised you upon my own holy lap.
I have decided your fate with my holy bosom.
You are a good fortune which fell to my share.
I requested you from holy An in the …….
I, the lady, holy Ninsun, the royal mother, the good woman with beautiful hair befitting a lady,
Culgi, I am your faithful guardian (?).
May you be dressed in my …… ma garment! Dance …… on my holy knees!
May you, the shepherd, born for justice, trust in my holy words!
Your holy name is worthy of being praised; may it please the flesh of the great gods like fine oil!
An has given you a scepter for rendering judgments; may your head be raised high!
Your father who begot you, holy Lugalbanda,
has named you as the ‘Valiant one whom An made known among the gods’.”
“I, (Ninsun) the lady …… holy temple of residence …….
My mother (is Bau in some texts), Urac (Antu, her great-grandmother), the lady of the gods
and my father (is Ninurta in some texts), An (Anu, great-grandfather),…
… the Anuna (Anunnaki), the great gods, stood by me.
They made Culgi’s shepherdship everlasting for me and made Culgi,
the righteous one of his god, rise over the land like Utu for me.
They set up a throne of firm reign for him …”
“Ninsun entered her chamber
(Here one line is lost)
She donned a garment suitable to her body
Also an ornament appropriate for her breast
Placed her tiara on her head,
Went out into the grounds,
Climbed the stairs, ascended the parapet
Attained the roof and there did offer up
(smoke offering to Shamash)
To Shamash the Sun much incense
With this smoke-offering in progress
She raised her hands to Shamash:
‘Having granted me as my son Gilgamesh,
Why have then have you given my him such a restless heart?
Why have you made him wish to go on a Great Journey to the place of Humbaba? ..”
As Ninsun:
“Nintud (Ninhursag) assisted at my birth.
As I came forth from the womb of my mother Ninsun, a favorable destiny was determined for me.
In me, Ur-Namma, the lands of Sumer and Akkad have their protecting genius …”
“The mother, miserable because of her son,
the mother of the king, holy Ninsun, was crying: ‘Oh my heart!’.
Because of the fate decreed for (King) Ur-Namma, …”
“Gilgamesh prayed: ‘O Shamash, by the life of my mother Ninsun, who gave birth to me,
And of pure Lugulbanda, my father, truly I have entered this land of the cedar
And here have I known your dwelling place …”
“The… words of Gilgamesh, her son, grieving, Queen Ninsun heard over and over.
Ninsun went into her living quarters.
She washed herself with the purity plant, she donned a robe worthy of her body,
she donned jewels worthy of her chest, she donned her sash, and put on her crown.
She sprinkled water from a bowl onto the ground.
She… and went up to the roof.
She went up to the roof and set incense in front of Shamash,.
I she offered fragrant cuttings, and raised her arms to Shamash.
‘Why have you imposed–nay, inflicted!–a restless heart on my son, Gilgamesh!
Now you have touched him so that he wants to travel a long way to where Humbaba is!
He will face fighting such as he has not known, and will travel on a road that he does not know!
Until he goes away and returns, until he reaches the Cedar Forest, until he kills Humbaba the Terrible,
and eradicates from the land something baneful that you hate, on the day that you see him on the road(?)
may Aja (Aya), the Bride, without fear remind you, and command also the Watchmen of the Night,
the stars, and at night your father, Sin.’ …”
(King) “Lugalbanda took an unfamiliar path away from his beloved dwelling.
(1 ms. adds: Ninsun …….) ‘Alas the destroyed city, my destroyed house,’ she cried bitterly …”
“She, the Wise, the Custodian of Knowledge,
Says to her lord –
She, Ninsun (daughter to Ninurta & Bau), Custodian of Knowledge,
Says to Gilgamesh: …”
“Gilgamesh spoke to Enkidu, said to him: ‘Up, my friend, let us go to the Great Palace
To see Ninsun (Lugulbanda‘s spouse), the Great Queen Ninsun the Wise, who has knowledge of everything, …”
“Gilgamec rested his hand on the ground, and addressed Huwawa:
‘By the life of my own mother Ninsun and of my father, holy Lugalbanda!
No one really knows where in the mountains you live;
they would like to know where in the mountains you live.
Here, I have brought you En-me-barage-si, my big sister, to be your wife in the mountains.’ …”
“’By the life of my mother Ninsun and of my father, holy Lugalbanda!
No one really knows where in the mountains you live;
they would like to know where in the mountains you live.
Here, I have brought you Ma-tur, my little sister, to be your concubine in the mountains.’ …”
“His sister …….
His mother who bore him (Ninsun) ……
Pectur (mixed-breed), his little sister ……. Gilgamec ……
‘My mother who bore me, in the house (?) of Enki (?) ……. Pectur, the little sister, ……,
will bring back the cattle to their tethering stakes ……,
will bring back the sheep to their tethering stakes …….’ …”
As Ninsumun:
“Dumuzid-ama-ušumgal-ana has declared ‘It is a matter for me!
and assigned Gilgameš (Gilgamesh), the son of Ninsumun, to me as a constable!’
The citizens of Unug and Kulaba rejoiced …”
“Warrior Gilgamec, son of Ninsumun, …”
“put your hand in my hand and then escort me to my house.
Escort me to my house, to my house in Zabalam.
Escort me to my mother, to my mother Ningal (Nannar’s spouse).
Escort me to my mother-in-law, to Ninsumun (Ninsun, Dumuzi‘s mother).
Escort me to my sister-in-law, to Jectin-ana (Dumuzi‘s sister Geshtinana) …”
“Utnapishtim (Noah) replied: (to Gilgamesh)
‘You are two parts divine from virgin Ninsun mother yours‘ …”
Ninsun As Rimat-Ninsun:
“The offspring of Lugulbanda, Gilgamesh is perfect in strength
The son of the revered Cow, of the woman Rimat-Ninsun (Ninsun).
Gilgamesh inspires perfect awe …”
Dannat / Ellat-gula = Ninsun, Spouse to Lugalbanda
Goddess of Uruk, Mother to Gods & Mixed-Breed Giants
His mother Ellat-gula on the throne
From Erech (Uruk) all Kardunia ruled alone
Behold the sovereign on her throne of bronze,
While crouching at her feet a lion fawns;
The glittering court with gold and gems ablaze
With ancient splendor of the glorious days
Of Accad‘s sovereignty. Behold the ring
Of dancing beauties circling while they sing
With amorous forms in moving melody,
The measure keep to music’s harmony.
Hear! how the music swells from silver lute
And golden-stringèd lyres and softest flute
And harps and tinkling cymbals, measured drums,
While a soft echo from the chamber comes.
But see! the sovereign lifts her jeweled hand,
The music ceases at the Queen’s command;
And lo! two chiefs in warrior’s array,
With golden helmets plumed with colors gay,
And golden shields, and silver coats of mail,
Obeisance make to her with faces pale,
Prostrate themselves before their sovereign’s throne;
In silence brief remain with faces prone,
Till Ellat-gula speaks: ‘My chiefs, arise!
What word have ye for me? what new surprise?’
Tur-tau-u, rising, says, ‘O Dannat Queen!
Thine enemy, Khum-baba with Rim-Siun (King Rim-Sin)
With clanging shields, appears upon the hills,
And Elam’s host the land of Sumir fills.’
‘Away, ye chiefs! sound loud the nappa-khu!
Send to their post each warrior bar-ru! ‘…”
“Queen Daunat’s (Ninsun’s) son, our Izdubar, …”
“Izdubar (Gilgamesh)…
His mother Ellat-gula (Ninsun) on the throne
From Erech (Uruk) all Kardunia ruled alone …”
Dutur Quotes From Text
Durtur = Ninsun, Dumuzi‘s & Geshtinanna‘s mother with Enki
“My mother will call to me, my mother, my Durtur, will call to me,
my mother will call to me for five things, my mother will call to me for ten things:
if she does not know the day when I am dead …”
“Only his mother Durtur can gladden my master!
Only his mother Durtur can gladden Dumuzid!
My goddess, born in Kuara, the maiden who is the crown of all ……,
the admiration and acclaim of the black-headed people, the playful one who also voices laments and the cries,
who intercedes before the king – Jectin–ana, the lady, did …….”
Gutumdug / Jatumdug Quotes From Texts
Gutumdug / Jatumdug = Ninsun, Bau‘s & Ninurta‘s daughter, spouse to mix-breed Lugalbanda
Mother to Anunnaki Gods, & Mother to many Giant Semi-Divine Mixed-Breed Kings
As Gatumdug / Gutumdug:
“Your god Nin-jiczida (Ningishzidda, Enki‘s son) is the grandson of An;
your (Gudea) divine mother is Ninsun, the bearing mother of good offspring,
who loves her offspring; you are a child born by the true cow …”
“Gudea,...the offspring of the goddess Gutumdug,
dowered with sovereignty and the scepter supreme by the god Gal-alim (Ig-alim, …”
“covered with renown by the goddess Bau (Ninsun’s mother),
(Gudea) the offspring begotten by the goddess Gatumdug,
endowed with sovereignty and the scepter supreme by the god Gal-alim (Ninurta‘s son) ...”.
“may the mother of Shirpurla (Lagash) the august goddess Gatumdug,
may the goddess Bau (Ninurta‘s spouse) the lady the elder daughter of Anna (Anu) ,…”
“To the goddess Gatumdug, the mother of Shirpurla (Lagash),
Gudea the patesi of Shirpurla, the man of the goddess Gatumdug,
thy favorite servant, who has made the dedicatory (?) inscriptions,
(and) the temple of E-ninnû which illuminates the darkness (?),
(the temple) of the god Nin-girsu (Ninurta) (who) has constructed,
the goddess Gatumdug his lady, who in Shirpurla, her favorite city,
for the supreme rank (?) has created him, the temple of the goddess Gatumdug
his lady to construct has given him the order …”
“Gudea, the architect (?), the patesi of Shirpurla,
the shepherd chosen by the unchangeable will of the god Nin-girsu (Ninurta),
regarded with a favorable eye by the goddess Ninâ (Enki‘s daughter),
dowered with power by the god Nin-dara (Nanshe‘s husband),
covered with renown by the goddess Bau (Ninurta‘s spouse),
the offspring of the goddess Gutumdug (Ninsun), …”
“The temple of the goddess Gatumdug he (Ur-Nanshe) has erected …”
“[The palace] of the Ti-ash-ra (?) he has erected.
The temple of the goddess Gatumdug …”
“Ninâ-ur king of Shirpurla (Lagash), son of Nini-ghal-gin…
The temple of the goddess Gatumdug he has erected …”
“To the goddess Gatumdug, the mother of Shirpurla-ki (Lagash),
Entena, the patesi of Shirpurla-ki, who has built the temple of the goddess Gatumdug …”
As Jatumdug:
“she is indeed Jatumdug.
In ……, her …… that reaches the heavens, she is indeed ……, the firstborn child.
In …… Jirsu, the shrine which first brought forth the seed of mankind,
my lady is indeed mother Bau .…”
“Jatumdug has abandoned that house Lagac (Lagash) and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold …”
“for Gudea, born in the august sanctuary by Jatumdug …”
“Gudea celebrated the ecec festival in the house of Bagara.
The ruler set up his bed near to Jatumdug
He offered bread and poured cold water and went to holy Jatumdug to pray to her:
‘My lady, child begotten by holy An (Bau is Anu‘s daughter)…
Lady, mother, you who founded Lagac (Lagash)’ …”
“For me, who has no mother, you are my mother; for me, who has no father, you are my father.
You implanted my semen in the womb, gave birth to me in the sanctuary, Jatumdug, sweet is your holy name!’ …”
“May the favorable, right-hand palm of your lofty hands, my lady Jatumdug, lend me protection!…
His call was heard; his lady, holy Jatumdug, accepted from Gudea his prayer and supplication …”
“In the house, Enki drove in the the foundation pegs,
while Nance, the daughter of Eridu, took care of the oracular messages.
The mother of Lagac, holy Jatumdug, gave birth to its bricks amid cries (?),
and Bau (Ninurta‘s spouse), the lady, first-born daughter of An (Anu), sprinkled them with oil and cedar essence.
En and lagar priests were detailed to the house to provide maintenance for it.
The Anuna (Anunnaki) gods stood there full of admiration ….”
Ningul / Nungal Quotes From Texts
Nin-gul = Ninsun, Lugalbanda‘s Spouse, Mother to Many Kings 2/3rds Divine, Demigods
“to Lugal-banda his god and Nin-gul his goddess …”
“He attached the seventh roar to the goddess Nungal …”
Lama Quote From Text
Ninurta’s inspector of the fisheries
“With his divine duties, namely to make sure that Imin-catam, the messenger of Gu-edina,
informs Nin-jirsu about the amount of carp and perch yielded by the marshes,
and about the quantity of new shoots of reed yielded by the green reedbeds,
Gudea introduced Lama, the inspector of the fisheries of Gu-edina, to lord Nin-jirsu …”