Reading akkadian PRayeRs & Hymns An Introduction

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21. li-iz-zi--ú-ma
22. i-na te-er-ti e-ep-pu-š[u]
READING AKKADIAN PRAYERS AND HYMNS: AN INTRODUCTION
23. i-na pu-ḫa-ad a-ka-ar-ra-bu-ú
24. ki-it-ta-am šu-uk-na-an
turen: Ausgewählte Vorträge der XXXII. Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale, Münster, 8.–
12.7.1985 [ed. K. Hecker and W. Sommerfeld; Berlin: Dietrich Reimer, 1986], 55–59). In
these mythological contexts, however, there is no need to identify kusarrikkum with this
astral manifestation. Bašmum, “horned serpent.” This unidentified constellation is only
attested in the OB period. Though Gössmann (#51) suggested that this be identified as the
constellation Hydra, his proposal is merely a stab in the dark. A bašmum is also featured as
one of the monsters created by Tiamat in Enūma eliš (I 141). In addition to their literary
attestations, these two monsters appear together in Šurpu VIII 6–7 (see Erica Reiner, Šurpu:
A Collection of Sumerian and Akkadian Incantations [AfO Beiheft 11; Graz, 1958], 39). MS B
omits bašmum but adds ilū mušītim rabītim, “gods of the great night.”
kusarikkum bašmum
Line 21: Izuzzum/uzuzzum, “to stand, to make an appearance.” The form is a G 3mp
precative. This root in the precative is quite common in prayers which request a god’s
presence. The scribe mistakenly omitted a ZU sign. MS B has the cp impv. izizzānim here,
thus keeping the person by which the supplicant addresses the deities consistent. See
comment on line 24 below. The enclitic –ma is attached to a volitive/injunctive form and
is followed by another volitive/injunctive form, i.e., šuknān in line 23. Thus, a simple
“and” will not suffice in a translation. It needs to be rendered as indicating a purpose
clause (“so that, in order that”).
lizzizū-ma
Line 22: Têrtum, “extispicy.” The term refers broadly to a report or instruction. But
within this context it is a technical term referring to this particular act of divination.
Epēšum, “to do, to make.” The verb has the subordinating/subjunctive marker –u. The
relative clause is, in this case, not marked by ša. In such unmarked clauses the antecedent
is in the bound/construct state, as is têrti here (see also line 23). Têrtam epēšum is an idiom
meaning, “to perform an extispicy.”
ina têrti eppušu
Line 23: Puḫādum, “lamb.” The word is in the bound/construct state, since it precedes
an unmarked relative clause. MS B has ikribi, “offering.” Karābum, “to offer.” Note again the
subordinating/subjunctive marker –u.
ina puḫād akarrabu
Line 24: Kittum, “truth, justice.” Šakānum, “to place” (cp impv. plus what seems to be
a shortened form of the 1cs dative object [= ventive suffix –nim]). Note that between the
first verb in the sequence, lizzizū-ma (in line 21), and this verb, the author has changed the
person in which the gods are addressed from third person to second. Just as “the locking