A Hymn to Mullil. Tablet 29615, CT. XV, Plates 7, 8 and 9

Abstract

PLATES 7, 8 and 9 in Volume XV of CuneiJorm Texts from Babylonian Tablets in British Museum contain texts of sixteen tablets of Sumerian Hymns which are very important. The hymns are of sufficient length and variety to afford a good idea of what Babylonian Psalmody consists. Not one has less than thirty lines, and, in collection, seven different deities are addressed: BO1, Sin, Adad, Nergal, Bau, Kirgilu, and Tammuz, gods whose functions relate to almost every phase of Babylonian theology. This hymn, addressed to Bel, who is called in colophon, line 74, Mu-ul-lil, is first in collection and one of longest unilingual Babylonian hymns on record. The first sixteen or eighteen lines, however, and last thirteen are too badly broken to give a connected discourse. From line 20 to line 63, text is in fairly good condition. This hymn dwells upon majesty of Bel's word. The Non-Semitic Bel, older than Nannar or Samag, who were successively rivals of Bel as local gods, came to be recognized as the Lord of lands. The place of his dwelling was in temple, E-kur, located at Nippur, probably house referred to in this hymn. As the Lord of lands, he was conceived of as controlling destinies of men. Thus, we find him approaching men and speaking to them, as following hymn shows. The fuller development of Bel's position, as belonging to a triad, where Anu was considered god of heaven, Bel, god of earth, and Ea, god of deep, was Assyrian. We have no trace of this thought in our hymn. My translation of this very difficult hymn and its commentary have had cooperation of Dr. J. Dyneley Prince, Professor of Semitic Languages in Columbia University, and Author of Materials for a Sumerian Lexicon, whom I have