Information about the Hittites

Plague Prayer of Mursili II, 3rd Version Plague Prayer of Muršili II, 3^rd Version
CTH 378.3

Ed. Götze, Albrecht, "Die Pestgebete des Muršiliš", Kleinasiatische Forschungen, Band 1 (1930) 161-251

§1
Sun Goddess of Arinna, my lady, and gods, my lords, this is what [you] did! You let a plague into the midst of the land of Ḫatti, and the land of Ḫatti is very oppressed [by the plague. The dying kept occurring] in the time of my father and my brother. [And since] I have now become priest for the gods, the dying is occurring [before me. Because] the dying has being going on [in the land of Ḫatti] (for) these 20 years and more, the land of Ḫatti [has been greatly damaged by] the plague.

§2
The land of Ḫatti [has been] greatly oppressed by the plague. If a man of Ḫatti begets a son, of the plague for him [. . . He] will become a young man, but he will not become an old man. [And if he] is for anything, he the plague [. . . he will] not [restore (his)] former state [. . .] When [anyone] reaches old age, [he will . . .], but he will not keep warm. [. . .]

§3
If [. . .] before [. . .]

Rev.

§x'
Now I, Muršili, [your priest, your servant, am making a prayer.] Oh gods, my lords, [hear] me! [Send away] worry from my heart. [Take the agony from my soul. Expel] the plague from the land of Ḫatti, and send [it] to the enemy lands! [Make well] the midst of the land of Ḫatti! If the gods, my lords, [do not send] the plague from [the land of Ḫatti,] bread men and libation pourers [will die.] If those, too, die, [thick bread] and libations will be omitted for the gods, [my] lords. You will come to hold the sin for me, oh gods, [my lords], (saying,) "Why [do you not give] us thick bread and libations?" Further now gods, my lords, take pity on the land of Ḫatti. Further, send away the plague! [Abate the plague] in the midst of the land of Ḫatti. May it sleep (and) perish! It [. . .] forth to the previous state!

					Why?
	Plague Prayer of Mursili II, 3rd Version Plague Prayer of Muršili II, 3^rd Version CTH 378.3 Ed. Götze, Albrecht, "Die Pestgebete des Muršiliš", Kleinasiatische Forschungen, Band 1 (1930) 161-251 §1 Sun Goddess of Arinna, my lady, and gods, my lords, this is what [you] did! You let a plague into the midst of the land of Ḫatti, and the land of Ḫatti is very oppressed [by the plague. The dying kept occurring] in the time of my father and my brother. [And since] I have now become priest for the gods, the dying is occurring [before me. Because] the dying has being going on [in the land of Ḫatti] (for) these 20 years and more, the land of Ḫatti [has been greatly damaged by] the plague. §2 The land of Ḫatti [has been] greatly oppressed by the plague. If a man of Ḫatti begets a son, of the plague for him [. . . He] will become a young man, but he will not become an old man. [And if he] is for anything, he the plague [. . . he will] not [restore (his)] former state [. . .] When [anyone] reaches old age, [he will . . .], but he will not keep warm. [. . .] §3 If [. . .] before [. . .] Rev. §x' Now I, Muršili, [your priest, your servant, am making a prayer.] Oh gods, my lords, [hear] me! [Send away] worry from my heart. [Take the agony from my soul. Expel] the plague from the land of Ḫatti, and send [it] to the enemy lands! [Make well] the midst of the land of Ḫatti! If the gods, my lords, [do not send] the plague from [the land of Ḫatti,] bread men and libation pourers [will die.] If those, too, die, [thick bread] and libations will be omitted for the gods, [my] lords. You will come to hold the sin for me, oh gods, [my lords], (saying,) "Why [do you not give] us thick bread and libations?" Further now gods, my lords, take pity on the land of Ḫatti. Further, send away the plague! [Abate the plague] in the midst of the land of Ḫatti. May it sleep (and) perish! It [. . .] forth to the previous state!