Information about the Hittites

Arnuwanda-Asmunikal Prayer

Prayer of Great King Arnuwanda I and Great Queen Ašmu-Nikal Concerning the City of Nerik

(CTH #375)

TRANSLATION

Col. I

§1
[Thusly] My Sun, Arnuwanda (I), Great King, and [Ašmu-Nikal, Great Queen: ]
. . . . . . . . . . to the Sun Goddess of Arinna . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . what/because Arnuwanda . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . your temples (to) you (pl.) . . . . . . . . . . never/nowhere . . . . .

§2'
Only the land of Ḫattuša is truly pure to you. Only in the land of Ḫattuša do we give offerings in a pure, great, (and) first-rate manner. Only in the land of Ḫattuša do we continually establish reverence for you, the gods.

§3'
Only you gods know by means of the minds of gods. Formerly no one had kept account of your temples like us.

§4'
No one had established reverence [for] your [implements] like this. No one had kept account of the goods of yours, of the gods, like us, with respect to silver, gold, rhytons, (and) garments.

§5'
Further: What images of you gods exist (made) of silver (and) gold, what is worn with age on some diety, on its body, or what implements of a god are worn with age, no one had made them new again like us.

§6'
Further: No one had established reverence in matters of the purity of the rituals for you in the following way: No one has completed the daily, monthly, and annual rituals and festivals for you like this.

§7'
Further: they used to mistreat the servants and cities of you gods by means of šaḫḫan- and luzzi-obligations. They also used to take the male and female servants of you gods for themselves. They used to make them into their own male servants. They used to make them into their own female servants. ...

Col. II

(top of column lost in A. Column I continued in B.)

§8'
I, Arnuwanda, Great King, [and Ašmu-Nikal, Great Queen, had established(?)] [rever]en[ce(?) with regard to all of these things for you gods.]

§9'
The thick bread and libations which they used to give, ... only you know by means of [the minds of gods].

§10'
[We], Arnuwanda, Great King, and Ašmu-Nikal, Great Queen, will again continually give fattened oxen (and) sheep, fine ..., thick loaves, and fine libations.

§11'
(broken)

(end of Col. I in B)

(GAP)

§12'
Further, what ... of you [gods] ...
We, the king and the queen, all(?) ...

§13'
We will establish reverence for your temples...
Further, we will protect all of those towns of yours...

§14'

With the people, the cattle, the sheep, the grain...
Further, we will exempt them with respect to šaḫḫan- and luzzi-obligations. They will again be exempt for you gods.

§15'
Whatever is lacking for you, we, Arnuwanda, Great King, and Ašmu-Nikal, Great Queen, will always make it right again for you. We will always make it well.

§16'
How your wish is in every respect, you gods know that.

§17'
What matter is troublesome to some god, ... in whatever manner we are not pleasing...

§18'
He of the god ... that matter to us... Say it by means of a seer or an omen interpreter, and we will comply. We will make it well.

(Joins with A (577/u))

§19'
. . . . . . . . you (pl.) stand/stood . . . . . . . . .

§20'
When the enemy attacked the land of Ḫatti, . . . . . they plundered the land. They took it for themselves. . . . it . . . We continually speak to you gods. We continually advance the (legal) case to you.

§21'
What lands of you gods were those of (supplying) thick breads, libations, and tribute: From which the priests, the šiwanzanna-priestesses, the holy priests, the musicians and the singers left; from which they carried the tribute and the cult provisions:

§22'
From which they carried the sun disks and lunula of silver, gold, bronze, and copper, the fine garments, the adupli-garments, the kušišiya-shirts, the thick loaves, and the libations:

§23'
From which they drove the sacrificial animals, (namely) fattened bulls, fattened cows, fattened sheep, and fattened goats:

§24'
From the land of Nerikka, the land of Ḫuršama, the land of Kaštama, the land of Šiyeriša, the land of Ḫimuwa, the land of Taggašta, the land of Kammama, the land of Zalpuwa, the land of Kapiruḫa, the land of Ḫurna, the land of Dankušna, the land of Tapašawa, the land of Tarukka, the land of Ilaluḫa, the Ziḫḫana, the land of Šipidduwa, the land of Wašḫaya, (and) the land of Patalliya.

§25'
They smashed the images of you gods in these lands.

Col. III

§26'
They plundered they silver, gold, rhytons, cups of silver and gold, (and) gems, and your implements of bronze, (and) your garments. They divided them amongst themselves.

§27'
They divided amongst themselves holy priests, priests, šiwanzanna-priestesses, GUDÚ-priests, musicians, singers, cooks, bakers, farmers, and gardeners. They made them into servants for themselves.

§28'
They divided up your cattle and sheep. They divided up for themselves your fields - those of the thick bread - and your vineyards -those of the libations. The men of Kaška took them for themselves.

§29'
No longer does anyone call out the names for you gods in those lands. No one gives the daily, monthly, and annual rituals. No one performs the festivals or cult rites for you.

§30'
Further, here, to the land of Ḫatti, no one brings the tribute and cult provisions for you. Holy priests, priests, šiwanzanna-priestesses, singers, and musicians no longer come from any (place).

§31'
No longer does anyone bring sun-disks and crescents of silver, gold, and bronze, gems, delicate(?) garments, adupli-garments, and kušiya-shirts for you gods, and for the Sun Goddess of Arinna. [No one gives] thick breads and libations to you gods. No one drives [sacrificial herds] of fattened bulls, fattened cows, fattened sheep, and fattened goats [to you gods(?)].

(Lacuna)

§32'
... x x ...

§33'
... holy priests ... they used to ... Further them ... priests, šiwanzanna-priestesses, we [will?] celebrate...
... we...

§34'
We call all the innocent lands for your sake: Gaštama, Taggašta, Šerišša, Taštareša, Takkupša, Kammama, Zalpuwa, and Nerik.

§35'
Now we, Arnuwanda, Great King, and Ašmu-Nikal, Great Queen, stood before you gods. We continually entreat to you [gods...]

§36'

x x x

(Lacuna)

§37'
x

§38'
The men of Kaška... to you gods... Do not wear yourselves out(?)...

Col. IV

§39'
They came to . . . . . here in the land of Ḫattuša. They came to . . . . . here . . . . . They attacked Tuḫašuna... Tuḫašuna... they attacked Taḫatariya... the gate of Taḫantariya.. they came down. The City of Ḫum[...] they came down...

§40'
Because we are respectful to the gods, we stand before the gods as before for the festivals. Because the men of Kaška have taken the land of Nerik for themselves, we are continually sending the rituals for the Storm God in Nerik and for the gods of Nerik from Ḫattuša in the city of Ḫakmišša, (namely) thick-breads, libations, oxen, and sheep.

§41'
We will call the men of Kaška. We will give presents to them. Further, we will make them swear oaths: What ritual stuff we send to the Stormgod of Nerik, "You support it! May no one attack it on the road!"

§42'
They will take the gifts. Then they will take oaths. When they support it, will they transgress the oaths? Will they belittle the words of you gods? Will they smash the seal of the oath of the Storm God? (No!)

§ 43'
They will take the gifts in the land of Ḫattuša, and [they will perform(?)] the rituals for the Storm God of Nerik, (namely) the thick bread and libations... The men of Kaška(?)... them to the Storm God... not...

§44'
In the land of Ḫattuša... the land... and...

(Lacuna)

§45
... the commander...

§46'
...and the commanders...

§47'
...and the commanders... and the help...

§48'
...and the commanders... Mr. Ḫirḫirri ......

§49'

(broken)

Tablet 2, Col. I

§50'
All the cities of Iškuruḫa
The commanders and Mr. Kannunnu and Mr. Piddu-muwa.

§51'
All the cities of Tiwara. The commanders and Mr. Pikašdwili and Mr. Ḫirḫirri.

§52'
All his cities of Pišunupa: The commanders and Mr. Piḫataḫi and Mr. Peḫataḫila.

§53'
All the cities of Ziḫarzi. The commanders and Mr. Pikkanušša.

§54'
All the cities of Talmali. The commanders and Mr. Pazzizispišdumuwa and Mr. Artu-...

§55'
[All the cities of] Iškalu-...
[The commanders and] Mr. Pittu-...

§56'

[All the cities of] Taḫani-...
The commanders...

§57'
[All the cities of] Kapiru-...
[The commanders and] Mr. Putiš-...

§58'
[All the cities of] Zikur-...
the commanders...

(Large Lacuna)

Col. IV

§59
And to...

Colophon
Two tablets, when they speak a plea before the gods... of the Sun Goddess of Arinna. Complete.

					Why?
	Arnuwanda-Asmunikal Prayer Prayer of Great King Arnuwanda I and Great Queen Ašmu-Nikal Concerning the City of Nerik (CTH #375) TRANSLATION Col. I §1 [Thusly] My Sun, Arnuwanda (I), Great King, and [Ašmu-Nikal, Great Queen: ] . . . . . . . . . . to the Sun Goddess of Arinna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . what/because Arnuwanda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . your temples (to) you (pl.) . . . . . . . . . . never/nowhere . . . . . §2' Only the land of Ḫattuša is truly pure to you. Only in the land of Ḫattuša do we give offerings in a pure, great, (and) first-rate manner. Only in the land of Ḫattuša do we continually establish reverence for you, the gods. §3' Only you gods know by means of the minds of gods. Formerly no one had kept account of your temples like us. §4' No one had established reverence [for] your [implements] like this. No one had kept account of the goods of yours, of the gods, like us, with respect to silver, gold, rhytons, (and) garments. §5' Further: What images of you gods exist (made) of silver (and) gold, what is worn with age on some diety, on its body, or what implements of a god are worn with age, no one had made them new again like us. §6' Further: No one had established reverence in matters of the purity of the rituals for you in the following way: No one has completed the daily, monthly, and annual rituals and festivals for you like this. §7' Further: they used to mistreat the servants and cities of you gods by means of šaḫḫan- and luzzi-obligations. They also used to take the male and female servants of you gods for themselves. They used to make them into their own male servants. They used to make them into their own female servants. ... Col. II (top of column lost in A. Column I continued in B.) §8' I, Arnuwanda, Great King, [and Ašmu-Nikal, Great Queen, had established(?)] [rever]en[ce(?) with regard to all of these things for you gods.] §9' The thick bread and libations which they used to give, ... only you know by means of [the minds of gods]. §10' [We], Arnuwanda, Great King, and Ašmu-Nikal, Great Queen, will again continually give fattened oxen (and) sheep, fine ..., thick loaves, and fine libations. §11' (broken) (end of Col. I in B) (GAP) §12' Further, what ... of you [gods] ... We, the king and the queen, all(?) ... §13' We will establish reverence for your temples... Further, we will protect all of those towns of yours... §14' With the people, the cattle, the sheep, the grain... Further, we will exempt them with respect to šaḫḫan- and luzzi-obligations. They will again be exempt for you gods. §15' Whatever is lacking for you, we, Arnuwanda, Great King, and Ašmu-Nikal, Great Queen, will always make it right again for you. We will always make it well. §16' How your wish is in every respect, you gods know that. §17' What matter is troublesome to some god, ... in whatever manner we are not pleasing... §18' He of the god ... that matter to us... Say it by means of a seer or an omen interpreter, and we will comply. We will make it well. (Joins with A (577/u)) §19' . . . . . . . . you (pl.) stand/stood . . . . . . . . . §20' When the enemy attacked the land of Ḫatti, . . . . . they plundered the land. They took it for themselves. . . . it . . . We continually speak to you gods. We continually advance the (legal) case to you. §21' What lands of you gods were those of (supplying) thick breads, libations, and tribute: From which the priests, the šiwanzanna-priestesses, the holy priests, the musicians and the singers left; from which they carried the tribute and the cult provisions: §22' From which they carried the sun disks and lunula of silver, gold, bronze, and copper, the fine garments, the adupli-garments, the kušišiya-shirts, the thick loaves, and the libations: §23' From which they drove the sacrificial animals, (namely) fattened bulls, fattened cows, fattened sheep, and fattened goats: §24' From the land of Nerikka, the land of Ḫuršama, the land of Kaštama, the land of Šiyeriša, the land of Ḫimuwa, the land of Taggašta, the land of Kammama, the land of Zalpuwa, the land of Kapiruḫa, the land of Ḫurna, the land of Dankušna, the land of Tapašawa, the land of Tarukka, the land of Ilaluḫa, the Ziḫḫana, the land of Šipidduwa, the land of Wašḫaya, (and) the land of Patalliya. §25' They smashed the images of you gods in these lands. Col. III §26' They plundered they silver, gold, rhytons, cups of silver and gold, (and) gems, and your implements of bronze, (and) your garments. They divided them amongst themselves. §27' They divided amongst themselves holy priests, priests, šiwanzanna-priestesses, GUDÚ-priests, musicians, singers, cooks, bakers, farmers, and gardeners. They made them into servants for themselves. §28' They divided up your cattle and sheep. They divided up for themselves your fields - those of the thick bread - and your vineyards -those of the libations. The men of Kaška took them for themselves. §29' No longer does anyone call out the names for you gods in those lands. No one gives the daily, monthly, and annual rituals. No one performs the festivals or cult rites for you. §30' Further, here, to the land of Ḫatti, no one brings the tribute and cult provisions for you. Holy priests, priests, šiwanzanna-priestesses, singers, and musicians no longer come from any (place). §31' No longer does anyone bring sun-disks and crescents of silver, gold, and bronze, gems, delicate(?) garments, adupli-garments, and kušiya-shirts for you gods, and for the Sun Goddess of Arinna. [No one gives] thick breads and libations to you gods. No one drives [sacrificial herds] of fattened bulls, fattened cows, fattened sheep, and fattened goats [to you gods(?)]. (Lacuna) §32' ... x x ... §33' ... holy priests ... they used to ... Further them ... priests, šiwanzanna-priestesses, we [will?] celebrate... ... we... §34' We call all the innocent lands for your sake: Gaštama, Taggašta, Šerišša, Taštareša, Takkupša, Kammama, Zalpuwa, and Nerik. §35' Now we, Arnuwanda, Great King, and Ašmu-Nikal, Great Queen, stood before you gods. We continually entreat to you [gods...] §36' x x x (Lacuna) §37' x §38' The men of Kaška... to you gods... Do not wear yourselves out(?)... Col. IV §39' They came to . . . . . here in the land of Ḫattuša. They came to . . . . . here . . . . . They attacked Tuḫašuna... Tuḫašuna... they attacked Taḫatariya... the gate of Taḫantariya.. they came down. The City of Ḫum[...] they came down... §40' Because we are respectful to the gods, we stand before the gods as before for the festivals. Because the men of Kaška have taken the land of Nerik for themselves, we are continually sending the rituals for the Storm God in Nerik and for the gods of Nerik from Ḫattuša in the city of Ḫakmišša, (namely) thick-breads, libations, oxen, and sheep. §41' We will call the men of Kaška. We will give presents to them. Further, we will make them swear oaths: What ritual stuff we send to the Stormgod of Nerik, "You support it! May no one attack it on the road!" §42' They will take the gifts. Then they will take oaths. When they support it, will they transgress the oaths? Will they belittle the words of you gods? Will they smash the seal of the oath of the Storm God? (No!) § 43' They will take the gifts in the land of Ḫattuša, and [they will perform(?)] the rituals for the Storm God of Nerik, (namely) the thick bread and libations... The men of Kaška(?)... them to the Storm God... not... §44' In the land of Ḫattuša... the land... and... (Lacuna) §45 ... the commander... §46' ...and the commanders... §47' ...and the commanders... and the help... §48' ...and the commanders... Mr. Ḫirḫirri ...... §49' (broken) Tablet 2, Col. I §50' All the cities of Iškuruḫa The commanders and Mr. Kannunnu and Mr. Piddu-muwa. §51' All the cities of Tiwara. The commanders and Mr. Pikašdwili and Mr. Ḫirḫirri. §52' All his cities of Pišunupa: The commanders and Mr. Piḫataḫi and Mr. Peḫataḫila. §53' All the cities of Ziḫarzi. The commanders and Mr. Pikkanušša. §54' All the cities of Talmali. The commanders and Mr. Pazzizispišdumuwa and Mr. Artu-... §55' [All the cities of] Iškalu-... [The commanders and] Mr. Pittu-... §56' [All the cities of] Taḫani-... The commanders... §57' [All the cities of] Kapiru-... [The commanders and] Mr. Putiš-... §58' [All the cities of] Zikur-... the commanders... (Large Lacuna) Col. IV §59 And to... Colophon Two tablets, when they speak a plea before the gods... of the Sun Goddess of Arinna. Complete.