Adapa

Adapa (Amarna, 15th century BC;
Assur, late second millenium BC)

Notes

• Adapa is the first of the ancient seven sages.
• Adapa is also known as Uan or Oannes.
• Eridu is usually considered to be the first of the Sumerian cities.
  

Synopsis

Adapa is the priest of the Temple of Ea at Eridu. In this capacity, it is his responsibility to prepare the food and drink offerings for Ea. One way he does is through fishing. While out on a fishing trip, Adapa is caught in a storm and breaks the wing of the South Wind, causing it to stop blowing. Anu, king of the gods, then gets involved, wanting to know who has caused the South Wind to stop blowing. Knowing that Adapa will be summoned before Anu, Ea tries to prepare him by instructing him how to get the guards, Dumuzi and Gizzida, on his side and what to expect from Anu. In particular, Ea warns him not to eat or drink what is offered him, but to clothe and anoint himself with the clothing and oil that is offered him. Before Anu, Adapa reveals that he was about to be drowned by the storm when he cursed the South Wind, and the guards of heaven speak on his behalf. Anu becomes favorably disposed towards him, and offers him food and drink which will make him immortal, but Adapa refuses them, while accepting the clothing and oil. In the end Anu wonders aloud why Adapa has refused immortality and makes a wry comment about mortals. Adapa tries to explain, but is kicked out back to earth. We are then left to wonder whether Ea tricked Adapa out of immortality, or whether Anu's gift was unexpected.

Commentary

• Ea is credited with creating Adapa and granting him wisdom, but not eternal life. Adapa has a special connection to Ea, a recipient of revelation from his god, perhaps? Later in the poem, Anu laments that Ea had "disclosed the ways of heaven and earth to mankind", perhaps comparable to Prometheus and the gift of fire.
• Adapa is called "extra-wise", which is atra-hasis in Akkadian. Is this a possible connection with the Noah figure?
• Adapa is depicted as a very capable priest - holy, pure, dedicated to providing offerings to Ea. His duties include baking, fishing, and setting up the offering table.
• The mythopoeism of this story is portrayal of the wind and storm as a god or goddess.
• There may be an interesting parallel here with Odysseus, whose defiance of a god leads to shipwreck.
• I'm inclined to think of Dumuzi and Gizzida as "angels who stand as sentinels" at the gates of heaven.
• Should we think of the food and drink offered by Anu as 'nectar and ambrosia'?
• In the divine presence, Adapa is instructed to accept a special garment and an anointing by oil, an interesting comparison with the Israelite priests of the tabernacle and temple.
  

Reflection

To me, the central message of Adapa is that men must recognize and be satisfied with their lot in life - something akin to the lesson that Namtar learns in Nergal and Ereshkigal. Adapa gets himself in trouble through his defiance of a goddess, cursing the South Wind. It may be that Adapa has learned how to curse the gods from Ea, who "disclosed the ways of heaven and earth to mankind". Anu comments that such divine knowledge makes men sad, probably because they have learned about things that are beyond their access or control. Adapa has a special connection to Ea, and as such is more blessed than other mortals, but even though he seems to have a chance at immortality - ascending from a mortal to an immortal existence, the lesson here is humans should not aim at such gifts.

This brings up the big issue of the poem: Ea's trickery. Is Ea tricking Adapa, or is Anu essentially tricking Ea? On the one hand, Ea seems to be favorably disposed towards Adapa, and Adapa seems to give him faithful service. So, why would Ea want to trick him? It is possible that Ea likes Adapa, appreciates his faithful service, and just does not want to lose him, or simply does not think that a mortal should rise that high. Keep in mind that Adapa's "sin" is not against Ea, but the South Wind. Ea wants to bless Adapa to a point, but he doesn't want to give away the store. Of course, the other option is that Anu is unpredictably generous, which Ea could not foresee. Anu certainly appears quite angry at first, and from the other poems I've read, he never seems to be too kind towards men. Is it possible that Ea simply miscalculated? Thinking that he knows Anu, Ea tries to protect Adapa from eating or drinking instant death, but Anu decides upon a positive boon almost as whim - Mesopotamian gods are known to be whimsical. Of course, we shouldn't assume that even if Ea was mistaken that he is overly distraught about Adapa - man must know his place visa-vis the gods.