Origin/Historian/Author: Sumer, Temple Library at Nippur, ca 2100 BCE.
Source: Sumerian Religious Texts, Edward Chiera, 1924
Introduction
This Sumerian myth was excavated from the Temple Library at Nippur. It features a young Martu, aka Amurru, god of the Amorites. It was recorded in Semitic, however the characters mentioned are identified by their Sumerian counterparts instead of Akkadian. This allows us to conclude the original version to be at least slightly older than the specific tablet referred to for this translation.
Placing this myth chronologically offers some minor complications due to varying translations. In one version it occurs before the holy crown, in another it occurs after. If it occurs after the holy tiara was established, yet before the holy crown, it could take place just before the death of Tiamat and the matriarchy. If after the holy crown, the events described would take place after the release of the Tablet of Destinies by Inanna, since music is something the common folk now have access to or knowledge of.
In this text, Martu is portrayed as a young man, or perhaps god, living in the city of Ninab. He realizes without a wife, he only receives half the amount of “imposed share” as his married peers. He then seeks a wife and advice from his mother. During a festival, Martu shows off his wrestling capabilities, and in doing so gains the attention of another god. This god, Numushda, offers Martu a gift which he declines and instead asks for the hand of his daughter in marriage. Numushda states that only if Martu meets certain requirements that he can have his daughter to marry, which Martu agrees.
A more modern and complete translation of this myth is available on the ETCSL Corpus website created by The University of Oxford. Click here to view the newer translation: ETCSL The Marriage of Martu t.1.7.1.
Full Text Below
Tablet CBS 14061
Obverse, COLUMN I
The city of Ninab existed, Shid-tab did not exist,
the holy tiara[1] existed, the holy crown did not exist,
the holy perfumed plants existed, the holy palm tree did not exist,
the holy salt existed, the holy corn – plant did not exist.
Cohabitation there was ….. ,
in the fields bringing forth there was.
The one who stands near to the holy palm tree, the renewer of the cedar(?) tree art thou!
The one who is mother to the palm tree, the one who makes to be bright the bark of the cedar tree, art thou!
In that day (there was) a city among the cities of the great land.
Ninab (was) a city among the cities of the great land.
The priest-king in Ninab (took?) a flute, a drum and a tambourine,
his wife ….. , may her name be fixed!
his child ….. who goes by his side, ( as) the god ….. , may his name be fixed!
In their city they gather,
into Ninab, their city, they gather,
they gather, they appear.
Kids, according to (the number of) the men, they slaughter.
For the day, for the coming day, it is prepared,
the place for the gifts[2] is prepared.
In front of the god Kulildu the portions he placed:
the portion of the man who has a wife, double he placed,
the portion of the man who has a son, three fold he placed,
the portion of the man who is alone, single, he placed,
for the god Martu alone he placed a double portion.
The god Martu, to the mother who had given him birth,
into the house he entered and words he spoke:
“In my city I have friends, and they have taken wives,
“I have companions (?), and they have taken wives,
“In my city, unlike my friends, I have not taken a wife,
“I have no wife and I have no children.
“(Thus) the portion standing is bigger for my friend,
“A kid for the neighbor, an additional sheep for my neighbor.”[3]
For the day, for the coming day, it is prepared,
the place for the gifts is prepared.
In front of the god Kulildu the portions he placed:
The portion for the man who has a wife, double he placed,
Obverse, COLUMN II
The portion for the man who has a son, three fold he placed,
the portion for the man who is alone, single he placed.
For the god Martu alone he placed a double portion.
The god Martu, to the mother who had given him birth,
into the house he entered and words he spoke.
“Mother, take me a wife ! Let her bring to thee my portion!”
Martu, to the mother who had given him birth (thus spoke).
The goddess Sudugnum (to Martu) answered:
“Thy manner of speaking a wife (will appreciate?),
“Thy gaze a wife (will appreciate?),
“The contents of thy granary a wife (will appreciate?),
“Do thou meet my bitter want …..
“In thy city build the temple …..
“With thy neighbor dig an excavation,
“Martu, with thy neighbor, ….. “
In that day, in the city, in the city, a feast is held (?),
In Ninab, in the city, a feast is held.
Into the house of fate let the friend enter, let us enter.
Into the temple of Ninab let him enter, let us enter.
The god Numushda prepared the feast,
his beloved child, the goddess Adgaruddug, prepared the feast.
his wife, the goddess Namrat, the gracious lady, prepared the feast.
In the city the living sound of the copper drum called,
The seven tambourins sounded.
By the length of the circumvallation the lord of the sacred belt
into the temple, into the ….. , he entered.
Into the temple of Ninab …..
Into Ninab, the city of the feast, he walked in marvel,
into Ninab, the city of the feast, he walked in marvel.
For him a holy shrine they had made,
The temple of Ninab, the enclosure and the surrounding wall,
the god Martu had perfectly completed upon the lofty temple court.
Reverse COLUMN I
The kindly protecting demon he had sought for protection,
the kindly protecting god he had set up.
Martu had perfectly completed the lofty temple court.
….. , the evil one, from its side he crushed,
In making the lofty temple court he caused the measures to correspond,
the temple court of Ninab he raised upon a dead man (i.e. he built upon a foundation sacrifice).[4]
The god Numushda rejoiced in Martu.
Reverse, COLUMN II, Lines 22 ff.
Offerings of animals towards heaven,
….. ….. sacrifices …..
For the mountaineer i.e. the Amorite) the weapon is his companion …..
he digs the kamunu by the side of the mountain, he knows no submission.
he cats uncooked meat,
through his whole life he does not possess a house,
his dead companion he does not bury.
(Now) Martu possesses a house (?),
towards his house Adgaruddug turns,
(Now) Martu possesses grain,
O Ninab, grow luxuriantly!
(Total of) 142 (lines).
Footnotes
[1] The reference is probably to TAK-KU as the representative of civilized mankind.
[2] The word means “portion” or “gift.” Here it may refer to “gift to the god” i.e. “sacrifice.”
[3] An alternate reading for this verse might be : “A kid for the neighbor: a sheep for my portion is more (than that which the neighbor has received).” Martu had been assigned two portions, though he was not married, and might here complain of the apparent injustice in his favor. However, such a lofty moral standard would appear improbable, in the light of Col. II, 6.
[4] We have here a very early mention of foundation sacrifices.