An ancient Mesopotamian myth and epic poem that tells how the god Nergal (or Erra) came to be Ereshkigal’s husband and to share with her the rule of the Land of No Return (the Underworld). The tale begins with a banquet in heaven, overseen by An, father of the gods. An feels bad that Ereshkigal cannot leave her nether realm to join the party, so he sends a messenger to tell her that she is welcome to a portion of the food. Delighted, she sends her chief administrator, Namtar, up to collect the meal. But while in heaven Namtar is insulted by the god Nergal. The powerful god Ea (or Enki) tells Nergal that he must go down to the Underworld and apologize to Ereshkigal. But Ea is careful to warn him to avoid doing certain things during the visit, lest Ereshkigal become too attached to him. “From the moment they bring a chair to you, do not. . . sit upon it,” Ea warns.
When the baker brings you bread, do not. . . eat the bread. When the butcher brings you meat, do not eat the meat. When the brewer brings you beer, do not drink the beer. When they bring you a foot bath, do not wash your feet. When she (Ereshkigal) has been to the bath and dressed herself in a fine robe, allowing you to glimpse her body. . . you must not do that which men and women do.
Having reached the Underworld, Nergal is able to resist all of these temptations but one. Ereshkigal, who has up to now been a virgin, seduces him in her bath, and they make love for six days.
After his tryst with Ereshkigal, Nergal takes his leave. But just as Ea had warned, Ereshkigal has come to care for him and is not ready to let him go. Ereshkigal threatens that she will raise all the dead and allow them to overrun Earth if the gods do not return Nergal to her. Eventually Ner-gal is compelled to reenter Ereshkigal’s dark realm and in time agrees to become her husband and co-ruler.
See Also: Ereshkigal; literature; Nergal
World History
