lo Pinches, Hymns to Tammuz in the Manchester Museum. 



20. Lost one, Ama-elaggi,* the enemy rageth. 



21. Against her peerless one the enemy rageth. 



22. The lost one comes, he is at pe[ace, he is at pe]ace. 



23. The lost one comes to Nana, h[e is at peace, he is at p]eace. 



24. Si-umunnagi t is [at peace, at peace]. 



25. Exalted in Erech % 



26. Divine name (in) Erech 



27. The crown 



28. Lost one 



29. The goddess 



30. Prince , 



31. Nourisher of 



32 • 



In this column there is but little of interest except 

 the names, and the various stanzas seem to be somewhat 

 disconnected. The first of them is exceedingly imperfect, 

 but it would appear, with the second, to recite praises of 

 Tammuz, who is apparently conceived as coming forth 

 from the Underworld, and the pleasure of Istar in his 

 domain and in his person are referred to. But the voice 

 of joy suddenly turns to that of apprehension, when the 

 thought occurs that the god will have to return to the 

 sombre domain, which he has just left, before the year 

 had run its course. 



Column IV. 



The goddess thinks of the glory of Tammuz, and laments his loss. 



1. Going 



2. A crown in the midst 



3. He illurainateth ; he illuminateth. 



* Perhaps "Honoured mother." Another name of Tammuz means 

 "Peerless mother of heaven." Possibly he was a hermaphroditus. Or is 

 Istar, his spouse, referred to ? 



t " Life of the people." This is apparently a parallel to the non-dia- 

 lectic Zi-ukkina (with the same meaning), a title of Merodach, who may be 

 intended here. In this case the rendering would be "he is at peace." 



X Istar was worshipped in Erech, which was one of the chief centres of 

 her cult. 



