A reading, published with its checks still open. A Vigslist translation.
Shuila 23 — the šuila “of the Great Bull”: a prayer to Nanna copied at Uruk in the Seleucid age. Filed under “the great gods” for its opening litany, but the prayer is Nanna's; copied at Uruk on 21 Ulūlu in a year of Seleucus the king (the record's year numeral is disputed — the build prints the dispute).
A reading with its checks still open. The editions of record are Daisuke Shibata, HES 3 no. 23, and Werner Mayer, “Seleukidische Rituale aus Warka” (German). Two checks stand open — the HES 3 pages for this prayer (pp. 269–278) and its eISL score page have not been read. No first-English claim is made for this piece until they have been.
Museum number: IM 65050 (Iraq Museum), from Uruk (Warka). Hellenistic script. No photograph on the record. Composition: the šuila to the great gods — eISL Shuila 23, Q009572. eISL files it under the great gods because its opening litany addresses them; the prayer itself turns to Nanna, the moon god — "its god, like Nanna, may he grow in radiance" — and its own rubric names it "Šuila of the Great Bull" (GU₄.MAH, the moon god's standing form). The search that found it is a lesson in itself: the hunt's exact incipit phrases returned only the Kalûtu catalogue, but the composition's second line-family — dim₃-me-er gal-gal-e-ne, "the great gods" — carried a 28-line pool in an earlier chunk's run, and this tablet was in it. The endpoint's run-to-run variance is stated in the report; the verdict rests on the fetched record. Source: eBL Fragmentarium's served transliteration of IM 65050 (fetched live, Wave C7). eBL serves no translation for the tablet (0 #tr.en lines). Counting rule: a line counts part if a complete verb form or a glossed phrase survives; fragment if only isolated words or traces survive; whole only if a complete clause survives intact. A bilingual pair counts as one unit. Counts: 23 units — 2 whole / 16 part / 5 fragment / 0 invented.
Publication check (C7, Oct 22): the record's EDITION references are exactly the two German ones above; no English edition appears. #note: sigla grep (D6's lesson): this record's #note: lines are unusually rich — they carry Shibata's own working notes, including the cross-reference that ties this prayer's line 5 to HES 3, no. 3, line 2 ("mušimmū šīmātu" restored after the Enlil šuila built tonight from K.10261), Mayer's two competing restorations at reverse 11–12, and Mayer's correction of the colophon's year numeral (see below). No hidden English edition hides in them. Doors left on the face: (1) the HES 3 eyeball (no. 23, pp. 269–278); (2) Mayer's article eyeball; (3) the eISL score page (Q009572) — ORACC refused all night; (4) the prayer's twin frame: the tablet opens with the same "By the command of Anu and Antu, Enlil, Ea…" invocation that heads the building-ritual šuila Shuila 24 (IM.65055, built by no one tonight — its served text carries 19 #tr.en lines and is barred); (5) CDLI is down.
A kalû's prayer from Seleucid Uruk. The great gods are praised as the makers of heaven and earth and the decreers of fates; then the singer turns to his work — he has bound the pure bond, offered the pure first-fruits, censed — and asks that Nanna, the Great Bull born in the pure fold, shine like the sun forever. The tablet closes by naming itself, its scribe, and its date: the 21st of Ulūlu, in a year of Seleucus the king.
frame (top 1). ina a-mat {d}[60 ... liš-lim] "By the command of [Anu … may it succeed!]" (fragment: the prayer's frame invocation, broken; its twin stands whole at the head of Shuila 24's witness)
o 1. %es dim₃-me-er gal-gal-e-ne an ki-a mu-un-dim₂-ma / DINGIR-MEŠ GAL-MEŠ [ba-ni AN-e u KI-ti₃] "The great gods, who created heaven and earth" / gloss: "The great gods, [creators of heaven and earth]." (part: the incipit line — the phrase the hunt rode in on)
o 2. %es sug mu-un-ge-na [...] / mu-kin-nu eš-re-e-ti [...] "… who makes […] firm …" / gloss: "who establishes the shrines […]."
o 3. %es na-aĝ₂ tar-tar-re-e-ne [...] / mu-šim-mu ši-ma-tu₄ (x) mu-uṣ-[ṣi-ru u₂-ṣu-ra-a-ti] "… who decree the fates …" / gloss: "who decrees destinies, who draws the [designs]." (part: the gloss's second half is restored after HES 3 no. 3, line 2 — Shibata's own note on this record says so)
o 4. %es mar-za mu-un-si-sa₂ a₂-aĝ₂-ĝa₂ k[i-šu-peš₅?] x ti/en/bal un [(x)] / muš-te-ši-ru par-ṣi u [te]-ret ša₂ kul-lat ma-ha-[zi] "… who sets the rites in order, […] the commands […]" / gloss: "who keeps in order the cultic ordinances and the commands of all the shrines." (fragment: the Sumerian line is heavily damaged and carries competing restorations in Shibata's note; the gloss carries the sense)
o 5. %es zi KU-ra mu-un-ši-ma-al-la an (x) pa mud-da x [x] ru / ba-nu-u₂ nap-har šik-na-at n[a-pi]š-ti gi-mir iš/ka/il-(x)-[(x)]-ti₃ "… who […] life […] …" / gloss: "creator of all that holds life, of all […]."
o 6. %es e-ne-eš₂ ba-an-ge mu-un-kiĝ₂-zu-e-ne-ne mu-lu ša₃-ab šeg₉-ga-ta ki-za an-kiĝ₂-kiĝ₂-ĝe₂₆ / i-{d}nanna ana ud-du-uš šip-ri-šu-nu ana qe₂-reb ap-si-i a-še-ʾe aš₂-ra-ku-un "… […] …" / gloss: "… Nanna — to renew their work, into the midst of the Apsû I seek your place." (part: the prayer's turn — the singer speaks in the first person, and Nanna enters)
o 7. %es keše₂-da i-lu mu-un-keše₂-da-e-ne / rik-si el-li₃ aš-ku-su-ku-nu-ši "The pure bond I have bound for you" / gloss: "A pure bond I have bound for you."
o 8. %es ne-saĝ sikil-la & mu-un-bala-bala-e-ne / ni-qu-u₂ eb-ba & aq-qi₂-ku-nu-ši "The pure first-fruit offering I have poured out for you" / gloss: "A pure offering I have offered you."
o 9. %es ki ku₃-ga-ta & hul₂-le-eš gub-ba-e-ne / ina aš₂-ri el-li₃ & ha-diš iz-zi-za-ma "In the pure place they stand, rejoicing" / gloss: "In the pure place they stand joyfully."
o 10. %es niĝ₂-na mu-un-dadag-ga & i-bi₂-e-ne-ne / [q]ut-rin-nu el-li₃ mu-uh₂-ra "Purified incense […] before their eyes" / gloss: "Receive the pure incense."
o 11. %es gu₄-gal gu₄-mah a₂-ur₂ kur₄-kur₄-ra su-be₂ mu-un-šu-du₇ / MIN MIN ša₂ meš-re-e-ti pu-ug-gu-lu zu-mur-šu₂ šuk-lu-lu "Great bull, mighty bull, whose limbs are huge, whose body is perfected" / gloss: "The same, the same: whose limbs are massive, whose body is perfected." (part: the Great Bull is the moon god — the name the rubric will give the whole prayer)
o 12. %es {d}nanna amaš ku₃-ga-ta & mim zi-de₃-eš du₁₁-ga / <(ina su)>-pu-ri {d}30 & ki-niš iʾ-al-du "Nanna, in the pure fold, was truly born" / gloss: "In the fold Sîn was truly born." (whole: a complete clause in both languages)
o 13. %es ga zi in-na₈-na₈ [(x)] & me-te nam-diĝir-ra tum₃-ma / ši-iz-bi ki-nim i-ni₇-qu & šu-lu-uk ana si-mat DINGIR-ti "He drank the true milk […] and what befits godhead he bears" / gloss: "He sucked the true milk, fitted for the emblem of godhead."
o 14. %es {d}gašan-amaš-ku₃-ga buluĝ₃-ĝa₂ & ki ku₃-ga-ta mu-un-dim₂-ma / tar-bit {d}MIN ša₂ ina aš₂-ri el-li₃ ib-ba-nu-u₂ "Lady of the Pure Fold, grown great, created in the pure place" / gloss: "The nursling of the ditto (the goddess), who was created in the pure place."
r 1. %es enim ku₃-ga mah-zu-e-ne & i-bi₂ mu-lu gub-ba-zu / ina qi₂-biti-ku-nu ṣir-ti & uš-ziz ma-har-kun "At your exalted, pure command, the man stands before you" / gloss: "At your exalted command he is made to stand before you."
r 2. %es mu-lu kiĝ₂-kiĝ₂-zu AK.AK-be₂-še₃ & ša₃ engur-ra-ta mu-un-ge / ana šip-ri ep-še-ti-ku-nu & ša₂ ina qe₂-reb ap-si kun-nu "The one who seeks your work […] is established in the midst of the deep" / gloss: "For the work of your deeds, which is established in the midst of the Apsû."
r 3. %es enim-ma-zu-e-ne-ne lu₂ nu-mu-un-bala-e he₂ me-te nam-diĝir-ra tum₂-ma / ina e-peš pi-i-ku-nu ša₂ la in-nen-nu-u₂ lu-u šu-lu-uk ana si-mat DINGIR-ti "Your utterance, which no man changes — may it be fit for godhead" / gloss: "By the doing of your mouth, which cannot be changed, may it truly be fit for godhead."
r 4. %es dim-me-er-be₂ {d}nanna-gen₇ še-er-zi mu₂-mu₂-da-ke₄ / DINGIR šu-u₂ ki-ma {d}na-an-na-ri & li-diš ša₂-ru-ru "Its god, like Nanna, grows in radiance" / gloss: "That god, like the moon, may he renew his radiance." (part: one word of the gloss is disputed in Shibata's note and is not forced here)
r 5. %es {d}utu-gen₇ pa e₃-a & u₄ da-ri₂-še₃ / ki-ma {d}UTU liš-te-pi ana u₄-me da-ru-u₂-ti "Like Utu may it shine forth, for eternal days" / gloss: "Like Šamaš may it shine, for everlasting days." (whole: the prayer's wish in one complete line)
r 6. %es para₁₀ gi₁₆-sa-ka (x) ki ni₂ tub₂-bu-da ĝar-ra-ab / ina šub-ti-šu₂ ša₂ da-ra-a-tu₂ & šub-ti ne₂-eh-tu₂ li-šib "On the everlasting dais […] a seat of rest may he occupy" / gloss: "On his everlasting seat, a seat of repose, may he sit." (fragment: the gloss's verb carries Mayer's two competing restorations in the record's note)
rubric (r 13). ŠU.IL₂.LA₂ ša₂ GU₄!(GA).MAH ša₂ E₂ mu-um-mu "Šuila of the Great Bull, of the House of Mummu." (the tablet names its own prayer; the temple name is given as written)
colophon (r 14–17). tup-pi {m}{d}60-PAP-GUR ma-ru₃ ša₂ {m}{d}60-EN-šu₂-nu ma-ru₃ {m}{d}30-le-eq-ER₂ / GIŠ {m}{d}60-DIN-su-E A ša₂ {m}NIG₂.SUM.MU-{d}60 A ša₂ {m}{d}60-EN-šu₂-nu / DUMU {m}{d}30-le-eq-ER₂ UNUG{ki}-u₂ UNUG{ki} {iti}KIN.{d}INNIN.NA / U₄ 21.KAM MU 1 ME 56/36.KAM {m}si-lu-ku LUGAL "Tablet of Anu-aḫa-[…], son of Anu-bēlšunu, descendant of Sîn-leqe-[…]; written by Anu-uballiṭ-su(?), son of Nig₂summu-Anu(?), son of Anu-bēlšunu, descendant of Sîn-leqe-[…], the Urukean. Uruk, month Ulūlu, day 21, year 156 — Mayer reads the numeral as 136 — of Seleucus the king." (part: two names in the colophon are written logographically and are rendered only as far as the signs carry; the disputed year numeral is printed, not settled — a Seleucid date either way, 156 BC or 176 BC era reckoning)
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