Weekly Watering Hole #6
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silvershoes
9 years agoHave you ever wondered what the oldest handwritten love poem is?
Wonder no more.
It's thought to be the "The Love Song for Shu-Sin," written c.2000 BCE.
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Backstory (summary):
In 19th century CE Mesopotamia, while looking for physical evidence to corroborate the biblical narratives of the Old Testament, archaeologists discovered "The Love Song for Shu-Sin."
The poem was part of sacred rite known as the "sacred marriage" in which the king would symbolically marry the goddess Inanna, mate with her, and ensure fertility and prosperity for the coming year.
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Translation by Samuel Noah Kramer:
Bridegroom, dear to my heart,
Goodly is your beauty, honeysweet,
Lion, dear to my heart,
Goodly is your beauty, honeysweet.
You have captivated me, let me stand tremblingly before you.
Bridegroom, I would be taken by you to the bedchamber,
You have captivated me, let me stand tremblingly before you.
Lion, I would be taken by you to the bedchamber.
Bridegroom, let me caress you,
My precious caress is more savory than honey,
In the bedchamber, honey-filled,
Let me enjoy your goodly beauty,
Lion, let me caress you,
My precious caress is more savory than honey.
Bridegroom, you have taken your pleasure of me,
Tell my mother, she will give you delicacies,
My father, he will give you gifts.
Your spirit, I know where to cheer your spirit,
Bridegroom, sleep in our house until dawn,
Your heart, I know where to gladden your heart,
Lion, sleep in our house until dawn.
You, because you love me,
Give me pray of your caresses,
My lord god, my lord protector,
My Shu-Sin, who gladdens Enlil's heart,
Give my pray of your caresses.
Your place goodly as honey, pray lay your hand on it,
Bring your hand over like a gishban-garment,
Cup your hand over it like a gishban-sikin-garment
It is a balbale-song of Inanna. -
Britt
9 years agoSo much honey and beauty... this truly is sweet seeming.
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Larry Chamberlin
9 years agoAh, it's so annoying when they stand tremblingly before you.
