On 24 August 2010 16:02, Nadia Linder <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Anyways, back to the possible origins of the LBRP.
>
> The 'Devils and Evil Spirits of Babylonia' is an early edition of the series 'utukkû lemnūtu', the most recent edition of which is Markham J. Geller's edition in the SAACT series (State Archives of Assyrian Cuneiform Texts). The series is for exorcists dealing with the titular demons, usually in the form of diseases and/or strange behaviour. I am in the library right now, but that edition is still not down here; however, I have a copy at home and will cite the stuff from there. What I can offer here is that it's apparently from the beginning of Tablet IV. Readable in Thompson's edition:
>
> Utu/Šamaš is placed in front of me (lit. 'in front of my eye'),
>Nanna(r)/Su'en/Sîn is placed behind me (lit. 'in my back').
>
> Nergal (is) to my right hand.
>
> Ninurta (is) to my left hand.
>
> For those who don't have the associations of the Mesopotamian deities in their head: Utu/Šamaš is the deity of the sun and justice; Nanna(r)/Su'en resp. Sîn is the moon deity, Nergal the lord of the netherworld and originally a war god, and Ninurta (sum. Ninĝirsu) is the classical 'young hero'-type of deity. Correspondence ideas, anyone?
likely best not to start with astrological associations (they're
later, and not fixed anyway, Mikael is notorious for associations with
Mercury and the Sun, while Uriel is both Solar and Saturnine, and why
not?) - so how does it hang starting with existing positions? :
Shamash/Raphael before, not bad. They're both good guys and the solar
associations don't hurt the angelic equivalent.
Sin/Gabriel behind, good enough,
Nergal/Mikael to the right - excellent in my opinion, these guys have
common evolution. (Mikael gradually took over from Reshef as Yahweh's
right hand heavy. Nergal and Reshef are either equivalents or Reshef
is a title of Nergal that split off. Plus Mikal is a title of Reshef.
Also Mikael as bearer of the scales took over from another Underworld
figure, Anubis, in the syncretic period).
Ninurta/Uriel to the left, dunno, Uriel is such a complex character,
but Ninurta does have a journey to the Underworld, which fits with
some of Uriel's darker associations (and he has plenty!)
Quite a promising start, though I'd happily defer to more qualified
folks (more comfortable with Greco-Roman/Grimoire crossovers myself).
ALWays
Jake
http://www.underworld-apothecary.com/
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