United States or Cabo Verde ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
He denounces Adapa in solemn assembly, and demands his presence of Ea, in whose domain Adapa has taken refuge. The text at this point is defective, but one can gather that Ea, who constitutes himself Adapa's protector, warns the latter, as he warned Parnapishtim.
The wind sweeps Adapa into the waters, but, since this element is controlled by Adapa's father, the god Ea, Adapa succeeds in mastering the south wind, and, as we learn from the course of the narrative, in breaking the wings of the storm-bird. When the tablet becomes intelligible we find Adapa engaged in this contest with the south wind. The south wind blew and drove him under the water.
Thy wings I will break. Adapa's threat is carried out. Even as he spoke the wings of the south wind were broken. For seven days the south wind did not blow across the land. Seven is to be interpreted as a round number, as in the Deluge story, and indicates a rather long, though indefinite, period.
Adapa's mourning is thus an indication of the season of the year when his encounter with the south wind took place. Since Adapa succeeds in overcoming the destructive wind, the wintry season has passed by. Summer is approaching. The time for celebrating both the fast and the festival of the two solar deities has arrived.
Tammuz and Gishzida, the gods of spring, accordingly stand at Adapa's side, ready to plead his cause before Anu. So much being clear, we may advance a step further in the interpretation of the legend.
Word Of The Day