Page:The Babylonian conception of heaven and hell - Jeremias (1902).djvu/56

nectar and ambrosia. The plant of life also, is occasionally mentioned elsewhere. "Delicate as the plant of life may his royal shepherdhood be," says the Assyrian king Rammanirari III., and Asarhaddon expresses the wish "that his royal rule may be favourable to the well-being of mankind, as is the plant of life." Frequent mention is made of the water of life, especially in the worship of Ea and Marduk, and the story of Adapa shows that this water was used for drinking and not merely for sprinkling and lustration. In the "Journey of Istar through Hades" express mention is made of drinking the water of life at the despatching of Uddushunamir, the messenger of the gods:

" Papsukal, the servant of the great gods, bowed his face before [Samas], in mourning garb clothed, with hair (?) dishevelled. Samas stepped before Sin, his father, wee[ping], before Ea the king his tears to pour forth: Istar has gone down into the Underworld and has not returned thence."

After he has told how all generation on earth has been suspended because of this journey in Hades, it continues :

"Then Ea in the wisdom of his heart created a male being, created Uddushunamir, the servant of the gods;