Death in all Directions

The bestseller clay tablet that unintentionally gave rise to the tourism industry
This unusual passage from The Condemnation of Mara throws some light on Sumerian views of the known world around 4000 years ago. Maras geography Death in All Directions follows the Woes, a vast collection of judgments distinguished by the high frequency of the introduction Woe to [those, ye who ]. Its position after the Woes was determined by chronology. The most remarkable feature of Death In All Directions is Maras amicable tone, so unlike the prophetess two major prose styles: (a) Declarative statements of detached elegance that speak of finality and fate, and (b) Harshly emotional and accusatory judgements conveyed in a propulsive rhythmic style. Entirely free of the malice which taints the second style, this colloquium also contradicts the fatalism of the first. Death prevails throughout the text but these threats intend only to discourage travelling. Eternal damnation is not an issue nor is the reader berated for real or imagined transgressions. Due to her high regard for death she viewed the possible demise of any fellow citizen outside the borders as a grievous loss to Shumer & Akkad.

To Maras fury and bitterness, the popular clay tablet box set instead promoted the antithesis. Travel and tourism took off in a big way. One week after release, the set hit the bestseller clay tablet lists in Nippur, Ur and Uruk. Within three months, it had reached number one in every major city of Shumer and entered the top 10 in Agade up north. Within a year, the Akkadian translation became a hit all over again in Northern Mesopatamia whilst the Sumerian version still found itself in the top 5. As evidenced by later sections in The Condemnation of Mara, the prophetess initial rage at the boom in foreign travel which was inspired by the box set changed to a wry and grim satisfaction at the incorrigibility of the human soul.

Weve made every effort to adapt the original illustrations and maps so that the modern reader may experience the original mood and style. These are not credited as it is not known which were drawn by Mara and which by her studio artists.

DEATH IN ALL DIRECTIONS

Lo! Travel not. Stay in the land which hath been appointed thee for life and death. For where ever thou movest, there thou wilst meet death sooner. If thou be obstinate, however, I shall warn thee of every snare that awaiteth thee in the foreign lands. Heed thou my words, that thine heeding might arouse He-who-looketh-after-the-traveller, that thou per chance mightest escape doom ahead of the appointed time. For there be no escaping doom in the end.

DEATH TO THE NORTH:

Zin-Suddu [Ziusudra, Noah, Utnapishtim] thou wilst not meet. He is long dead. Do not lend thine ears to fairy tales. Followest thou the Idiina [swift water = Tigris] northwards to the upper lands. Thou traversest the lands Matu and Subar, home of the Gurru and the Hattu. The air will become cold and upon the plains, man-eating wolves will stalk thee by day and by night, seeking to devour thee. Assuredly the Kasku Mountains at the end of Urattu will bar thy way. To the right and the left lies a sea in which dwells certain death. Verily the waters of the one is poisonous to the touch whilst the other is the lair of the leviathan and the sea snake that killeth by
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lightning bolts. Also, thou mightest succumb to freezing cold in those realms. What seekest thou there, anyway? Go not.

DEATH TO THE EAST:

Proceedest thou through Shushin and Elam to the east, an horrible desert will entrap thee where dwell huge scorpions and man-eating lizards. Shouldst thou by miracle not perish in that barren place, thou wilst come upon Barashi, a city where the natives intoxicate the traveller by potions that cause extended, painful death with much writhing and vomiting. In the unlikely event thou managest to go beyond, the wealthy cities of Meluhha will lie before thee. The people are sybarites who will murder thee slowly with rich foods, powerful beer and other unspeakable pleasures and luxuries. Further on the mighty
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Kushu Mountains and impenetrable jungles infested by cannibals prevent further traveling. What wouldst thou in Meluhha? Go not.

DEATH TO THE SOUTH:

Thou mayest sail beyond Dilmun to Magan. Shouldst thou take ship southwards into the sea of terror (but which mad captain of Magan willeth sail south?) thou wilst enter the Upper Apsu which mirroreth the real world. The seasons occur at opposite times and the constellations of heaven become strange. The air is filled with whispering spirits and visions of dancing skeletons that assault thy soul. Assuredly willeth insanity be thy share. From madness to death thou wilst go in less than nine weeks should thou starvest not first of hunger or thirst. What wouldst thou in the Upper Apsu? Go not.

DEATH TO THE WEST:

Hark! The western realms are the most perilous of all! When thou crossest the Buranuna [Euphrates] into the lands of Amuru, the land of Aranu holds a huge city, Ibilu [Ebla?]. In it resides some few righteous. Leave the city at thy peril for the White Mountains and the Great Forest where the trees are taller than the Ziggurats. Its southern end is marked by Mount Siruna, the abode of fallen angels. Do not go near it but cross the River Retenu to the south of it.

Hark! Cross the river and immediately get thee to the coast of the Great Sea without looking north or south. Do not follow the vale of Retenu to the south, to the abominable cities of the plains. There in Sitamu, Humurra and Bila [Sodom & Gomorra & Zoar], dwell perverse people who became demonic after sacrificing their children to demons. Forsooth, these accursed would seek to penetrate each and every one of thine orifici!

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Neither go thou south along the hill country of Kinanu, for the land be infested with man-eating giants, the Anaku and the Nipiren. They will dine on thee with delicious condiments from the land of Bashanu, an upland of tasty herbs. If thou be lucky, they will kill thee first before feasting on thine corpse. Make haste along the way of the sea when the coast turneth westwards, thou wilst be safer. Let thine feet carry thee to Kimu, the land of the Mizuru who are idolaters that worship everything that moveth, including the dung beetle.

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A great river runneth through it and there is a splendid city, Ankitawu [Memphis?] adorned by enormous ziggurats and the statue of the lion angel. Shouldst thou wish to risk death by drowning or by man-eating water lizard to journey upstream, thou wilst come upon the holy city of Tapi [Thebes?]. Beyond that is Wawatu where the air becometh hot and flying insects suck the blood of the foreigner.

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None of those who goeth further hath ever returned. Burning deserts and malarial swamps suffocate them or fearsome animals devour them. Turn back, therefore, and sail downstream to Ankitawu. In vain shalt thou attempt to travel further west. West of Kimu only harsh deserts wait to swallow thee. Take a barge to the coast of the White Mountains, go around them back to Ibilu in Aranu and return to thine own land.

Rather go nowhere. Await thine death here in Shumer and Akkad, the place appointed for thee. Sela.

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RELATED READING

Ancient literary criticism of The Epic of Gilgamesh by the beloved prophetess Mara of Nippur plus a brief biographical note on the Blessed Mara.
The first literary criticism ever discovered, by the Sumerian prophetess Mara on the famous Epic of Gilgamesh. Plus a brief biographical sketch of the author who lived in the city Nippur in the land of Shumer 4000 years ago.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/125927090/Ancient-literary-criticism-of-The-Epic-of-Gilgamesh-by-thebeloved-prophetess-Mara-of-Nippur-plus-a-brief-biographical-note-on-the-Blessed-Mara

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