Original pgs 1-6. Alcheringa 1-2

from_two_ugartitic-pages_from_alcheringa_1-2_summer-1971_1_.pdf

This text is from Harris Lenowitz's original translations from Cyrus Gordon's Ugaritic Textbook, specifically lines 30-53 from Text 52 and lines 2-41 from 'nt II. The original language was in Ugarit. It was commonly spoken in Canaan.

The poem is divided into two parts, and according to the Note at the end, it is from the “Poem of the Gracious Gods.” It has been described as a “descent into burlesque, ” but might be better seen as a pure spiritual manifestation of the protagonist character EL as God. He is the Creator of the universe and somewhat of a prankster as as well.

The first line after the Roman numeral gives the reader a one sentence summary, or abstract of the entire section. In this case, it describes how EL hunts a bird, makes it into soup, then has a threesome with two women who sing his praises and it ends with a strange birth.

Structurally, the text is divided into two columns, implying to the reader that the far left carries more weight. This pattern follows for the first two pages, but towards the end of the first portion, there are only two short lines describing El's state of mind. The one at the top states he is puzzled, and the one at the end preceding the final stanza states he is absorbed with thought.

It is apparent to the reader, that there is an implicit sexual metaphor in which El's penis is described by the first woman as being “as long as the Ocean and Rivers.” It is interesting that the original translation has the two bodies of water ( or anything that has to do with water, such as the Deep) are capitalized, while the other natural setting such as the seashore is not. His penis is also referred to as “shaft”, “thing”, “stick.”

There also seems to be an interesting pattern ebb and flow, the rise and fall of El's penis is always associated with the cooking of the bird he shoots down with his arrow. When the women ask him, “Whatever happened to your stick?” implying that his penis is small, then there mention that the bird is roasting. Where in contrast, they shriek with delight, “Fatherofusall!…Put that stick down!” they are implying that his penis is aroused and it is huge. It is mentioned that the bird is still roasting, and there is parallel structure.

El had a menage-a-trois with the two women and towards the end of the poem they gave birth to Dusk and Dawn.

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