Reading akkadian PRayeRs & Hymns An Introduction

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READING AKKADIAN PRAYERS AND HYMNS: AN INTRODUCTION
handful of which comprise two four line strophes (see lines 9–12 and 29–32)
that recall Sumerian hymnic style. 1 But the hymn is also punctuated by lines that
do not conform to this dominant style. For example, lines 2, 4, 33, and 34 all
attest a semantic antithesis within their lines and lines 19–20 form a couplet with
synonymous parallelism (see also lines 39–40, possibly).
The hymn’s structure may be analyzed in various ways. For example, one
might see the placement of Marduk’s name as a structuring principle. It appears
in lines 3, 11, and 31, each of which is the third line of a four-line strophe (1–4,
9–12, and 29–32). But it is not clear how this informs our reading of the text,
since the segments thus delineated do not evince a clear thematic coherence or
progression.
Albertz has proposed a detailed structure in which a double frame (lines 1–
4, 29–36, 37–40) announces the theme of the hymn while the hymn’s core (lines
5–28) develops it. Lines 1 and 37–40 correspond in their use of the first person
voice and form the first, hortatory frame of the hymn. Lines 1–4 correspond to
lines 29–36 thematically and form the second frame, presenting the initial praise
for Marduk’s anger and relenting (lines 1–4) and his paramount position among
the gods with regard to the same (29–36). Only here, as noted above, does one
find both anger and mercy mentioned within the same line (lines 2, 4, 33, and
34). The core of the hymn, according to Albertz, may be divided into three equal
parts: lines 5–12, 13–20, and 21–28. Each of these develop the theme of Marduk’s
anger and relenting with regard to the deity’s character (lines 5–12) or the
impact of Marduk’s anger and relenting on humanity (lines 13–20 and 21–28).
Albertz sees each of these core parts breaking down further into two antithetical
couplets followed by a four line strophe (of varied structure: A, B, Aʹ, B, as in
lines 9–12, or A, B, C // D, as in lines 17–20 and 25–28 2 ). Although one may
balk at interpreting the final twelve lines of the hymn (nearly a third of it) as
part of its frame, Albertz’s analysis brings out several important features of the
text. Moreover, the remainder of the article shows how the introductory hymn
orients the interpretation of the entire poem.
Moran presents a much simpler structure. As he reads it, the hymn consists
of three parts, each of which starts with a 1cs precative verb. Part one begins in
line 1, two in line 37, and three in line 39. The first part he calls “objective, “for
it hymns the wrath and mercy of Marduk without specific reference to the
speaker.” The second part tells of the speaker’s experience; and the third “announces
his intention to provide the people with instruction in the worship of
Marduk.” 3 Although one might hesitate to see three parts so distinguished, the
use of first person precatives at the beginning and then again only at the end of
the hymn is surely significant (as Albertz would affirm, too). On the one hand,
the absence of the first person from lines 2–36 practically hides the speaker for
1 This style is also evidenced in lines 1–4, but this strophe does not employ antithetical couplets.
2 His understanding of line 27 differs significantly from the text presented below.
3 See Moran, 255.