BM 047529 + BM 047685 (unpublished unassigned ?) [commentaries]

1Geller restores šu-bat?] an-zu-ú; the restoration adopted here is based on SB Anzû I 34.

2As noted by U. Gabbay, the use of lū is very uncommon in commentaries. He suggests taking it as lû (i.e. līʾum), and compares it with Malku V 58: lû = nēšu. He also points out that the lû may be come from a notarikon analysis of the name of Asalluḫi.

3Compare Ea III 2: [... GAD.TÙ]N : ga-da tùn-[na-ku : šu-ku-su šá GAD.TÙN]. Geller restores the lacuna as gada.t[a-kil-ti šá NA₄ pi-i iṣ]-ṣi, after l. 29. Since line 23 reads GURUN pi-i iṣ-ṣi, it seems possible that the present line contains yet another variation of the phrase. The exact meaning of the phrase is uncertain; U. Gabbay (personal communication) suggests understanding it as a technical term with the meaning "etc.," vel sim. The meaning of širmu in this context is unclear; in OB the phrase širim qarni, "širmu of the horn," is attested. Perhaps it could describe the horns of the headress? [EF]

4The meaning of the line remains obscure.

5The equations of the second part of the line could come from Erimḫuš IV 168 (sig-ga = enšu, ulālu, dunnamû) or Malku IV 47 (dunnamû = enšu, ulālu).

6mul.(giš.)ERÍN is zibānītu, "Libra," which is called "pincers of Scorpio," as in the present line, also in Mulapin I ii 11. It is uncertain how the end of the line should be interpreted.

7On the goddess Šidada, see Krebernik RlA 12 p. 452. No astral counterparts of Šidada are known, and thus it is not clear how to interpret the present line.

8On zuqiqīpu tâmti, compare the equation mul.GÍR.TAB (=) d.iš-ḫa-ra (=) tam-tim in 5R 46 31 (see Lambert Babylonian Creation Myths, 2013 p. 245)

9Bēlet dadmē is identified with Zuqaqīpu and Išḫara in Mulapin I ii 29, whence the present equation.

10Geller's translation "who assigns lots" is free; the line probably refers to aleuromancy (for ḫalḫallu as "flour" see AHw 311b).

11The diviner and the dream interpreter are usually associated in Akkadian literature: see CAD Š/1 111a.

12Geller transcribes the end of the line as: SUHUR.MAŠ ina qí-bit-su ina-aṭ-ṭal DÙ. The last sign is probably KÚR, rather than DÙ: KÚR at the end of the line sometimes indicates a corruption in the line, but it is unclear whether the present KÚR represents one such .

13The phrase šupul mê mūti appears to be elsewhere unattested. According to Reynolds "Unpropitious Titles of Mars in Mesopotamian Scholarly Tradition" RAI 43 (1998) p. 347-358, here p. 352; the (ašar niṣirti) of Mars is the Open-Mouthed Storm Demon constellation [EF].

14Geller's restoration of the third word, ṣar-[rip-t]u-šú, seems unlikely. Note that, if the explanation is based on the polysemy of the sign BÙR, the equation BÙR = ṣarḫu would be unattested. The equation between Mars and the sign U also appears to be elsewhere unattested, it may derive from d.U.GUR, "Nergal" [EF].

15The explanation relates the phrase pī nišī, "people's mouth," to the alāla song, which is in turn connected with Enlil pseudo-etymologically [EF]. The reading ^múl⸢gu-la⸣ is courtesy of Frances Reynolds.

16The first half of the line appears to be a literary quotation.

17The connection between Pisces and Addaru is due to the fact that they are both the 12th (zodiac sign and month). The ritual described may be on the 20th because 20 is Šamaš's number [EF]. Note that the "Offering Bread Hemerology" prescribes an offering to Enlil and Ninlil on the 20th of Addaru (Livingstone, Hemerologies of Assyrian and Babylonian Scholars, CUSAS 25, 2013, p. 148).

18The second and third lines of the reverse are not indented.

19The collation of the signs at the end (DUG₄ rather than DUG₄-ú, as trasnliterated by Geller) is courtesy of U. Gabbay. The incantation whose incipit is cited here is attested in 83-1-18,237 (BWL p. 341 and pl. 57). The relationship of the phrase GURUN pi-i iṣ-ṣi (see also l. 29), with the rest of the line is uncertain. iṣṣi could be "weapon" or, as a verb, "it becomes smaller"; it could also be, as suggested by U. Gabbay (privatim), a technical term with the meaning "etc.," vel sim. (see above note on l. 6).

20Geller transliterates the first part of the line as ina giš.gú-ḫ[a-áš-ši.

21Compare the writing reš-tú šá MÚL.[MÚL MÚL].MÚL šá MÚL.MÚL, “The first portion of Tau[rus (is called) ‘Tau]rus of Taurus,’ in LBAT 1499 r 32. Ea and Ayyāru, and Ayyāru and the Plejades, are linked in a number of texts, whence the present explanation. Frances Reynolds (private communication) suggests understanding the line as [ina] ŠÀ ÁB.ÁB ÁB.ÁB, i.e. [ina] libbi zappi zappu, ‘[con]cerning the Bristle, the Bristle (is).’

22The sobriquet of Auriga is also attested in 5R 46/1 l. 3, see Rochberg "Marduk in Heaven" Fs Hunger (2007) p. 433-442, here 435.

23ZUBI = GÀM = PAP.NÁ is equated with šagāšu in a number of lexical lists (see CAD Š/3 66-67), hence the present equation. Geller restores qab-[lu] šaggāšu, but there seems to be room for several more signs.

24The first sign is transliterated by Geller as BI (bi-iṣ-ṣú), but it looks rather like AMAR [EF]. The emendation qa-bi^!(TI) is Lambert’s. ZUR = ezzu may be based on šúr = ezzu, a very common equation [EF]; the line may thus be an etymological analysis of the name of Marduk to demonstrate that his name means the same as the line from Marduk's Address. Alternatively, as proposed by U. Gabbay (private communication), the line might reflect a pseudo-etymology of the name of Marduk that was common in Antiquity, and is in fact attested elsewhere, as ^dMAR-URU₅-^gišTUKUL, “a flood of weapons,” which fits well with the line from “Marduk's Address.”

25The constellation of Enmešarra is part of the ŠU.GI constellation (Hunger & Pingree MUL.APIN. An Astronomical Compendium in Cuneiform, AfO Beih 24, 1989, p. 125b).

26Compare é ^gišgigir ^den-líl-lá = [MI]N ^den-me-šár-ra, "The chariot house of Enlil is Enmešarra's [abo]de," in CT 46 51 o 12 (Lambert, Babylonian Creation Myths, 2013, p. 284).

27The line etymologizes the god name Iliabrat as ili abrāti. DINGIR-MEŠ is probably a singular, referring to Iliabrat. On the equation between Iliabrat and Sipazianna, cf. Wiggermann RlA 9 500a. The first half of the line could probably be restored as [múl.SIPA.ZI.AN.NA : d.Pap-sukkal : d.NIN.ŠUBUR :] d.ì-lí-ab-rat : DINGIR-MEŠ ab-ra-a-ti.