Posted by weirdninja at host217-44-183-125.range217-44.btcentralplus.com on August 22, 2003 at 13:27:12:
In Reply to: Inanna's Descent and Return posted by Mrs. Isis Fabulous on August 22, 2003 at 13:25:25:
: : hey peeps, what is your favourite myth or legend??
: : i love the irony of oedipus
: Is my favorite. It's a Sumerian myth whose elements are common in a lot of other world myths. Inanna is the Queen of Heaven and Earth and she descends through seven gates into the underworld, sacrificing one piece of her clothing (each one represents a different aspect of her power) at each gate. Finally she's naked at the bottom and looks her sister Death in the eye. Her body is hung up on a hook for three days and nights, at which point two mysterious genderless beings arrive and see sister Death in the process of giving birth. They sympathize with her and she offers them whatever they will have. They choose Inanna's corpse, and after giving her the food and water of life, revive her and return with her to the upper world.
: In her place she must send another person, and she ends up sending her husband who had not mourned her during her death, but had taken over her throne and made merry.
: I don't know why but that was always my very favorite. I had dreams of it as a little girl before I ever read it in a book.