Myth of Etana
King Etana rescues an eagle from a pit and rides it to heaven seeking the plant of birth, testing the limits of mortal ambition.
The Childless King
Etana, king of Kish, was a righteous ruler but had no heir. Without a son, his dynasty and his legacy would end. He prayed to the gods for the plant of birth.
The Eagle and the Serpent
An eagle and a serpent had sworn an oath of friendship before Shamash. But the eagle betrayed the serpent, devouring its young. Shamash commanded the serpent to trap the eagle in a pit.
The Bargain
Etana found the eagle, broken and starving. He nursed it back to health, and in gratitude, the eagle agreed to carry him to heaven to find the plant of birth before Ishtar.
The Ascent
Higher and higher they flew. The earth shrank below: the sea became a garden pond, the land a bread basket. Etana looked down and was seized with terror. The eagle's wings faltered.
Participants
Sources & References
- Myths from Mesopotamia (2000)
- The Sumerians: Their History, Culture, and Character (1963)