Editing Nergal (section)

==Mythology==
===''Nergal and Ereshkigal''===
Two versions of the myth ''Nergal and Ereshkigal'' are known, one from a single Middle Babylonian copy found in [[Amarna]], seemingly copied by a scribe whose native language was not [[Akkadian language|Akkadian]]{{sfn|Gadotti|2020|p=2}} and another known from [[Sultantepe]] and from [[Uruk]], with copies dated to the [[Neo-Assyrian Empire|Neo-Assyrian]] and [[Neo-Babylonian Empire|Neo-Babylonian]] periods, respectively.{{sfn|Gadotti|2020|pp=2–3}} The time of original composition is uncertain, with proposed dates varying from [[Old Babylonian Empire|Old Babylonian]] to Middle Babylonian times.{{sfn|Gadotti|2020|p=3}} Whether a Sumerian original existed is unknown, and the surviving copies are all written in Akkadian.{{sfn|Gadotti|2020|p=3}}

After Nergal fails to pay respect to Ereshkigal's sukkal [[Namtar]] during a feast where he acts as a proxy of his mistress, who cannot leave the underworld to attend, she demands to have him sent to the underworld to answer for it. The El Amarna version states that she planned to kill Nergal, but this detail is absent from the other two copies.{{sfn|Gadotti|2020|p=3}}

Nergal descends to the underworld, but he's able to avoid many of its dangers thanks to advice given to him by [[Enki|Ea]].{{sfn|Gadotti|2020|p=3}} However, he ignores one of them, and has sex with Ereshkigal. After six days he decides to leave while Ereshkigal is asleep. After noticing this she dispatches Namtar, and demands the other gods to convince Nergal to return again, threatening to open the gates of the underworld if she does not get what she asks for. Nergal is handed over to her again.{{sfn|Gadotti|2020|p=4}}

In the Amarna version, where Ereshkigal initially planned to kill Nergal, he defeats Namtar and prepares to kill Ereshkigal. To save herself, she suggests that they can get married and share the underworld.{{sfn|Gadotti|2020|p=4}} The other two known copies give the myth a happy ending: as noted by assyriologist Alhena Gadotti, "the two deities seem to reunite and live happily ever after", and the myth concludes with the line "they impetuously entered the bedchamber".{{sfn|Gadotti|2020|p=4}}

According to assyriologists such as [[Stephanie Dalley]] the purpose of this narrative was most likely to find a way to reconcile two different views of the underworld,{{sfn|Gadotti|2020|p=2}} one from the north centered on Nergal, and another from the south centered on Ereshkigal.{{sfn|Gadotti|2020|p=8}} [[Tikva Frymer-Kensky]]'s attempt at interpreting it as evidence of "marginalization of goddesses"{{sfn|Gadotti|2020|p=5}} is regarded as erroneous.{{sfn|Gadotti|2020|pp=15–16}} According to Alhena Gadotti the idea that Ereshkigal was supposed to share kingship over the underworld with her spouse is also known from the Old Babylonian composition ''[[Gilgamesh]], [[Enkidu]] and the Underworld'', in which [[Anu]] and [[Enlil]] give the underworld to her "as a dowry, her portion of the paternal estate's inheritance, which she controlled until she married".{{sfn|Gadotti|2020|pp=14–15}} It is however impossible to tell which of the three gods regarded as Ereshkigal's husbands in various sources was implicitly meant to be the recipient of the dowry in this composition—[[Gugalanna]], Nergal, or [[Ninazu]].{{sfn|Gadotti|2020|p=15}}

===''Epic of Erra''===
The oldest surviving copies of the ''Epic of Erra'' come from the Assyrian city of [[Nineveh]] and have been dated to the seventh century BCE, but it has been argued that the composition is between 100 and 400 years older than that based on possible allusions to historical events which occurred during a period of calamity which Babylonia experienced roughly between eleventh and eighth centuries BCE.{{sfn|George|2013|p=47}} A [[Colophon (publishing)|colophon]] indicates that it was compiled by a certain Kabti-ilani-Marduk, which constitutes an uncommon of example of a direct statement of authorship of an ancient Mesopotamian text.{{sfn|George|2013|p=61}}

Nergal (the names Nergal and Erra are both used to refer to the protagonist of the narrative{{sfn|George|2013|p=61}}) desires to wage war to counter a state of inertia he found himself in.{{sfn|George|2013|p=65}} His weapons (the [[Sebitti]]{{sfn|Wiggermann|1998|p=220}}) urge him to take action, while his sukkal [[Ishum]], who according to [[Andrew R. George]] appears to play the role of Nergal's conscience in this myth,{{sfn|George|2013|p=62}} attempts to stop him.{{sfn|George|2013|pp=51–53}} Nergal dismisses the latter, noting that it is necessary to regain respect in the eyes of humans, and embarks on a campaign.{{sfn|George|2013|p=53}}
 
His first goal is Babylon. Through trickery he manages to convince [[Marduk]] (portrayed as a ruler past his prime, rather than as a dynamic hero, in contrast with other compositions{{sfn|George|2013|p=54}}) to leave his temple. However, Marduk returns too soon for Nergal to successfully start his campaign, and as a result in a long speech he promises to give other gods a reason to remember him. As a result of his declaration (or perhaps because of Marduk's temporary absence), the world seemingly finds itself in a state of cosmic chaos.{{sfn|George|2013|pp=54–56}}

Ishum once again attempts to convince  Nergal to stop, but his pleading does not accomplish its goal. Nergal's acts keep escalating and soon Marduk is forced to leave his dwelling again, fully leaving the world at Nergal's mercy. A number of graphic descriptions of the horrors of war focused on nameless humans suffering because of Nergal's reign of terror follow. This is still not enough, and he declares his next goal is to destroy the remaining voices of moderation, and the cosmic order as a whole.{{sfn|George|2013|p=57}}

However, Ishum eventually manages to bring an end to the bloodshed. He does so by waging a war himself, targeting the inhabitants of Mount Sharshar, seemingly a site associated with the origin of the aforementioned  period of chaos in the history of late second and early first millennium BCE Babylonia. Ishum's war is described in very different terms to Nergal's, and with its end the period of instability comes to a close.{{sfn|George|2013|pp=57-58}} Nergal is seemingly content with the actions of his sukkal and with hearing the other gods acknowledge the power of his rage. The narrative ends with Nergal instructing Ishum to spread the tale of his rampage, but also to make it clear that only thanks to his calming presence the world was spared.{{sfn|George|2013|pp=59–61}}

===Other myths===
A poorly preserved Middle Assyrian composition, regarded as similar to the [[Labbu myth]], seemingly describes a battle between Nergal (possibly acting on behalf of his father Enlil or the sky god Anu) and a monstrous serpent born in the sea.{{sfn|Lambert|2013|pp=384–385}}

The myth ''[[Enmesharra]]'s Defeat'', only known from a single, heavily damaged copy from the [[Seleucid Empire|Seleucid]] or [[Parthian Empire|Parthian]] period, casts Nergal as the warden of the eponymous antagonist and his seven sons, the [[Sebitti]],{{sfn|Lambert|2013|p=281}} presumably imprisoned in the underworld.{{sfn|Lambert|2013|p=288}} In the surviving fragments Enmesharra unsuccessfully pleads with him to be released to avoid being put to death for his crimes at the orders of Marduk.{{sfn|Lambert|2013|p=281}} In the aftermath of the ordeal, the universe is reorganized and Marduk shares lordship over it, which seemingly originally belonged to Anu in this composition, with Nergal and Nabu.{{sfn|Lambert|2013|pp=281–282}} Wilfred G. Lambert notes these gods were the 3 most prominent deities in the neo-Babylonian state pantheon.{{sfn|Lambert|2013|p=282}} Curiously, Erra makes a brief appearance as a god distinct from Nergal, with his former sphere of influence reassigned to the latter.{{sfn|Lambert|2013|p=282}}

Andrew R. George proposes that a myth presently unknown from textual records dealt with Nergal's combat with a one-eyed monster, the ''igitelû''.{{sfn|George|2012|p=423}} He notes that Akkadian omen texts from [[Susa]] and from the [[First Sealand dynasty|Sealand]] archives appears to indicate that one-eyed creatures were known as ''igidalu'', ''igidaru'' or ''igitelû'', possibly a loanword from Sumerian ''igi.dili'' ("one eye"),{{sfn|George|2012|pp=422–423}} and that the only god associated with them was Nergal, who in one such omen texts is identified as the slayer of an igitelû.{{sfn|George|2012|p=423}} There is also evidence that birth of one-eyed animals was regarded as an omen connected to Nergal.{{sfn|George|2012|p=423}} He proposes that a relief originally excavated in [[Khafajah]] (ancient Tubub) depicting a god stabbing a one-eyed monster with rays of light emenating from his head might be a pictorial representation of this hypothetical myth,{{sfn|George|2012|pp=422–423}} though other interpretations have been proposed too, including Marduk killing [[Tiamat]] and [[Ninurta]] killing [[Asag]].{{sfn|George|2012|p=422}} However, neither of these found widespread support, and art historian Anthony Green in particular showed skepticism regarding them, noting art might preserve myths not known from textual record.{{sfn|George|2012|p=422}} Wilfred G. Lambert suggested that the cyclops in mention might instead be a depiction of Enmesharra, based on his description as a luminous deity in Enmesharra's Defeat.{{sfn|Lambert|2013|p=288}}