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His consort bears a name that is simply the feminine form to Anu, just as Belit is the feminine to Bel. 'Anu, signifying 'the one on high, a feminine to it was formed, manifestly under the influence of the notion that every god must have a consort of some kind. After Agumkakrimi no further mention of Anatum occurs, neither in the inscriptions of Babylonian nor of Assyrian rulers.
The omission of Ramman here, though invoked at the close of the inscription, is noticeable. Ishtar takes the place that in the more developed system belongs to the god of storms, who with the moon-god and sun-god constitutes a second triad. See p. 163. Written with the sign An, and the feminine ending tum, but probably pronounced Anatum. I prefer the fuller forms of these names.
'Let them call to thee but answer them not, Let them address thee, but hearken not to them. Let me call to thee, and do thou answer me, Let me address thee, and do thou hearken unto me. By the command of Anu, Anatum, and Belit, recite the incantation. I choose one which illustrates in greater detail the symbolical burning of the image of the witch:
But, in addition, our investigations have shown that we are justified in adding the following as forming part of the Babylonian pantheon during this entire period: Sarpanitum, Belit, Tashmitum, Sin, Ninib, Ishtar, Nergal, Nin-khar-sag, and the two other members of the triad, Anu and Ea, with their consorts, Anatum and Damkina.
We are permitted to conclude, therefore, that Anatum was a product of the schools, and one that never took a strong hold on the popular mind.
The description continues: I have kept back the ferry, have shut off the wall, Have thus checked the enchantment from all quarters. Anu and Anatum have commissioned me. Whom shall I send to Belit of the field? Into the mouth of the sorcerer and sorceress cast the lock. Recite the incantation of the chief of gods, Marduk.
Atque ex duobus montis lateribus, stagnum cum diuersorum copia piscium, et volucrum indomitarum, vt aucarum, anatum, cignorum, ciconiarum, ardearum, et collectorum in magna pluralitate, nec non et per parcum, multae syluestres bestiae, et bestiolae quatenus per aulae fenestras possit Dominus pro solatio respicere volucrum aucupationes, bestiarum venationes, et piscium captiones.
Again Ashurbanabal, in a dedicatory inscription giving an account of improvements made in the temple of Ishtar, addresses the goddess as Belit 'lady of lands, dwelling in E-mash-mash. Anu and Anatum.
At the close, the king Agumkakrimi appeals to Anu and his consort Anatum, who are asked to bless the king in heaven, to Bel and Belit who are asked to fix his fate on earth, and to Ea and Damkina, inhabiting the deep, who are to grant him long life.
From being merely the personification of the heavens, he is raised to the still higher dignity of symbolizing, as Jensen puts it, the abstract principle of which both the heavens and earth are emanations. All the earliest gods conceived of by popular tradition as existing from the beginning of things are viewed as manifestations of Anu, or of Anu and Anatum in combination.
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