List of Illustrations xi Foreword • DANIEL E. FLEMING xxiii Preface to the 1975 Edition xxvii Preface to the 1958 Edition xxix Egyptian Myths and Tales . JOHN A. WILSON The Memphite Theology of Creation 1 Deliverance of Mankind from Destruction 3 The Story of Si-nuhe 5 The Story of Two Brothers 11 The Journey of Wen-Amon to Phoenicia 14 The Tradition of Seven Lean Years in Egypt 21 Myths and Epics from Mesopotamia A Sumerian Myth • S. N. KRAMER The Deluge 25 Akkadian Myths and Epics The Creation Epic (Enuma elish) • E. A. SPEISER 28 Additions to Tablet V • A, K. GRAYSON 36 The Epic of Gilgamesh • E. A. SPEISER 39 A Cosmological Incantation: The Worm and the Toothache • E. A. SPEISER 72 Adapa • E. A. SPEISER 73 Descent of Ishtar to the Nether World • E. A. SPEISER The Legend of Sargon • E. A. SPEISER 82 Nergal and Ereshkigal • A. K. GRAYSON 83 The Myth of Zu (Anzu) • A. K. GRAYSON 92 A Babylonian Theogony • A. K. GRAYSON 99 Hittite Myths • ALBRECHT GOETZE The Telepinus Myth 101 El, Ashertu, and the Storm-god (Elkunirsha andAshertu) 105 Ugaritic Myths and Epics • H. L. GINSBERG Poems about Baal and Anath (The Baal Cycle) 107 The Tale of Aqhat 134 Legal Texts Collections of Laws from Mesopotamia The Laws of Eshnunna • ALBRECHT GOETZE 150 The Code of Hammurabi • THÉOPHILE J. MEEK 155 The Laws of Ur-Nammu • J. J. FINKELSTEIN 179 Sumerian Laws • J. J. FINKELSTEIN 182 The Edict of Ammisaduqa • J. J. FINKELSTEIN 183 Documents from the Practice of Law Mesopotamian Legal Documents • THÉOPHILE J. MEEK, J. J. FINKELSTEIN 187 Aramaic Papyri from Elephantine • H. L. GINSBERG Treaties Hittite Treaty • ALBRECHT GOETZE Treaty of Suppiluliumas of Aziras of Amurru 205 Akkadian Treaties from Syria and Assyria • ERICA REINER Treaty between Niqmepa of Alalakh and Ir-'^iM of Tunip 208 Treaty between Idrimi and Pilliya 210 Treaty between Ashurnirari V of Assyria and Mati'ilu ofArpad 210 Treaty of Esarhaddon with Baal of Tyre 212 The Vassal-Treaties of Esarhaddon 213 Egyptian Historical Texts . JOHN A. WILSON The Expulsion of the Hyksos 226 The Asiatic Campaign of Thut-mose III 228 A Campaign of Seti I in Northern Palestine 234 The Report of a Frontier Official 235 A Syrian Interregnum 236 The War against the Peoples of the Sea 237 CONTENTS • Vii The Megiddo Ivories 239 The Campaign of Sheshonk I 239 Asiatics in Egyptian Household Service 240 The War against the Hyksos 242 Assyrian and Babylonian Historical Texts VIII A. LEO OPPENHEIM The Dedication of the Shamash Temple by Yahdun-Lim 246 The Story of Idrimi, King of Alalakh 248 Ashurnasirpal II (883-859): Expedition to the Lebanon 250 The Banquet of Ashurnasirpal II 250 Shalmaneser III (858-824): The Fight against the Aramean Coalition 255 Adad-nirari III (810-783): Expedition to Palestine 258 The Assyrian King List 259 Tiglath-pileser III (744-727): Campaigns against Syria and Palestine 264 Sargon II (721-705): The Fall of Samaria 266 Sennacherib (704-681): The Siege of Jerusalem 269 Esarhaddon (680-669): The Syro-Palestinian Campaign 271 Receipt of Tribute from Palestine 272 The Fall of Nineveh 272 The Fall of Jerusalem 273 The Conquest of Jerusalem 273 Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562) 274 The Mother of Nabonidus 275 Nabonidus and His God 278 The Fall of Babylon 281 Cyrus(557-529) 282 The Uruk King List from Kandalanu to Seleucus II 284 A Seleucid King List 285 Palestinian Inscriptions • w. E ALBRIGHT IX The Gezer Calendar 287 The Moabite Stone 287 The Ostraca of Samaria 289 The Siloam Inscription 290 A Letter from the Time of Josiah (Mesad Hashavyahu Ostracon) 290 Three Ostraca from Arad 291 The Lachish Ostraca 292 Viii • CONTENTS X Canaanite and Aramaic Inscriptions FRANZ ROSENTHAL Building Inscriptions YehimilkofByblos 294 Azitawadda of Adan 294 Kilamuwa of Ydy-Sennal 296 Barrakab of Ydy-Sam^l 297 Cultic Inscriptions Ben-Hadad of Damascus 298 Kilamuwa of 7iiy-Sam'al 298 Zakir of Hamat and Lu ath 298 Yehawmilk of Byblos 299 The Marseilles Tariff 300 The Carthage Tariff 302 Other Inscriptions TheKingofKedar 303 Punic Ex-voto Inscriptions 303 The Amulet from Arslan Tash 304 The Uruk Incantation 305 The Treaty between KTK and Arpad 305 Ahiram of Byblos 310 Agbar, Priest of the Moon-god in Nerab 310 Tabnit of Sidon 310 Eshmuhazar of Sidon 311 XI South-Arabian Inscriptions . A. JAMME Sabaean Inscriptions 313 Minaean Inscriptions 315 Qatabanian Inscriptions 318 Hadrami Inscriptions 320 XII Egyptian Execration Texts • JOHN A. WILSON The Execration of Asiatic Princes 322 XIII Egyptian Hymns • JOHN A. WILSON The Hymn to the Aton 324 Hymn of Victory of Mer-ne-Ptah ("The Israel Stela') 328 XIV Mesopotamian Hymns Sumerian Hymns • S. K KRAMER Hymn to Ninurta as God of Vegetation 330 Hymn to Ninurta as God of Wrath 331 CONTENTS • ix Hymnal Prayer of Enheduanna: The Adoration of InannaofUr 332 The King of the Road: A Self-Laudatory Shulgi Hymn 337 An Akkadian Hymn • FERRIS J. STEPHENS Hymn to Ishtar 341 Didactic and Wisdom Literature XV Egyptian Instructions • JOHN A. WILSON The Instruction of the Vizier Ptah-hotep 343 The Instruction of Amen-em-Opet 346 Sumerian Didactic and Wisdom Literature Man and His God: A Sumerian Variation of the "Job" Motif. S. N. KRAMER 352 Proverbs from Mesopotamia • ROBERT H. PFEIFFER 357 Akkadian Didactic and Wisdom Literature Observations on Life: A Pessimistic Dialogue between Master and Servant • ROBERT H. PFEIFFER 358 An Akkadian Fable • ROBERT D. BIGGS 360 Counsels of Wisdom • ROBERT D. BIGGS 362 Ludlul Bel NemeqU "I Will Praise the Lord of Wisdom" • ROBERT D. BIGGS 365 The Babylonian Theodicy • ROBERT D. BIGGS 374 Aramaic Proverbs and Precepts The Words of Ahiqar • H. L. GINSBERG 379 XVI The Egyptian Prophecy of Nefer-rohu • JOHN A. WILSON 384 Akkadian Oracles and Prophecies Divine Revelations in Letters from Mari and Ashur • WILLIAM L. MORAN 388 Oracles concerning Esarhaddon • ROBERT D. BIGGS 398 A Letter to Ashurbanipal • ROBERT D. BIGGS 399 An Oracular Dream concerning Ashurbanipal • ROBERT D. BIGGS 400 Prophecies • ROBERT D. BIGGS 400 Love Poetry XVII Egyptian Love Songs • JOHN A. WILSON 403 Sumerian Love Poetry • S. N. KRAMER Dumuzi and Inanna: Love in the Gipar 404 Dumuzi and Inanna: The Ecstasy of Love 406 Inanna and the King: Blessing on the Wedding Night 408 X • CONTENTS "The Honey-man": Love-song to a King 410 "Set Me Free, My Sister": The Sated Lover 411 XVIII Other Literary Texts An Egyptian Poem In Praise of the City Ramses • JOHN A. WILSON 413 Sumerian Literature • S. N. KRAMER The Curse of Agade: The Ekur Avenged 414 Ua-aua: A Sumerian Lullaby 423 XIX Letters Akkadian Letters The Mari Letters • W F. ALBRIGHT 427 The Amarna Letters • W. F. ALBRIGHT 429 The Substitute King • WILLIAM L. MORAN 443 A Happy Reign • WILLIAM L. MORAN 444 A Royal Decree of Equity • WILLIAM L. MORAN 444 A Letter to a God • WILLIAM L. MORAN 445 Punishment by Fire • WILLIAM L. MORAN 445 Treaties and Coalitions • WILLIAM L. MORAN 445 "The God of My Father" • WILLIAM L. MORAN 446 A Loan between Gentlemen • WILLIAM L. MORAN 447 A Boy to His Mother • WILLIAM L. MORAN 447 Aramaic Letters • H. L. GINSBERG Letters of the Jews in Elephantine 448 Assignment to a New Lessor of Land Abandoned in the Egyptian Rebellion of 410 B.C. 452 Illustration Credits 455 Index to Biblical References 457 Index 461 .