“In our great generosity, we have decided to remove you from the slave pit and transfer you to an encampment…” the eunuch intended to finish his sentence, '…on the ground,' but the slaves' shouts of joy swallowed his words.
The slaves ignored the taskmaster's whip, flailing ecstatically in every direction. They ignored the eunuch, whose thin voice was swallowed up in the noise, and began shouting as one: “Freedom, freedom, freedom…” They stamped their feet and threw clods of mud in every direction, staining the eunuch's purple cloak and covering the balcony in sodden mud.
Amid the uproar, a few slaves whispered among themselves. Jets of mud from the stinking reed bucket flew towards the torches and extinguished some of them. Three slaves got down on all fours, two more climbed on top of them, another stood on their shoulders and the smallest of all climbed up to the top of the pyramid. He reached the bottom of the balcony, directly underneath where the eunuch stood. He felt around in the dark and tried to grip Seruf's ankle, but he could not encircle the thick flesh of the ankle with his hand. The slave below him pushed him up in a tremendous effort, which made his entire body quiver. The small slave at the top managed to grab hold of the edge of Seruf's cloak. Despite the eunuch's attempts to free himself, the slave would not let go. He tried but could not move the heavy eunuch even slightly. The eunuch's guards tried to hold back the slave, but with exceptional resilience, he refused to let go despite the severe blows he was dealt. All six slaves below him held on to him until His Excellency the Eunuch, Minister of Slaves, slid down into the mud pit. The slaves set upon the immense mound of flesh like a pack of hyenas. Dozens of hands tore at his flesh and gouged out his eyes, lost in the ecstasy of vengeance. It took an entire day and a harnessed donkey to recover his shredded body.
Eo was ready. Kishmi had wrapped him in a woven linen shawl, dyed yellow by turmeric root. Over it he wore a goat's leather overcoat with shells decorating the edges. She pinned the golden healer's snake pin on the overcoat. On his head she wound a stripped turban and folded its edge inward. She adorned the front of the turban with an onyx pin. She brushed his sandals with goose fat and anointed his beard with sheep's butter.
Next she turned to dress Rukha. He was not used to the purple tunic, colored with pomegranate peels, covering his upper body. As was the custom of the common people, Rukha was used to walking about his chest exposed and his feet bare, only with a strip of fabric wrapped around his loins. The new sandals, with their laces that reached his knees, were uncomfortable as well. Kishmi removed the strip of fabric he usually wrapped around his head, with the end hanging over his right ear, like the common people. She shaved his hair neatly with a piece of volcanic glass, like a youth from the landowning class. Around his neck she placed a pendant, and on it a small clay image of the Goddess Inanna.
Kishmi herself had already donned a shawl of white sheep's wool felt, which clung to the curves of her hips. Her upper body was covered in linen, colored indigo by snail's dye, but her right shoulder remained uncovered. The hair on her head was plaited in braids into which she had threaded thin strands of copper. Copper bracelets decorated her forearms and ankles. On her feet she wore flat shoes made from soft sheep's skin, colored black with charcoal and oil, and fastened with white tendons. Rings with red, blue and green gemstones adorned her fingers while a necklace with a tiny stone image of the Goddess Nammu rested about her neck. The festive dress emphasized her noble beauty. After the preparations were complete, they left the house. Outside, three litters were waiting for them, sent on the king's command, to bring them to the banquet.
The passersby bowed their heads in respect when they saw the king's guests on their way. At the entrance to the palace, the litter carriers halted as the three descended together with many other guests. The sentries bowed before each of the guests.
Eo and Kishmi were excited, but Rukha's breath was caught in his throat. The magnificent hall where the banquet was taking place rose to the height of three houses. Delicate engravings, plated in gold, decorated the edges of the ceiling. Paintings of animals, warriors, and delegations of ambassadors and subjects bringing tributes adorned the walls in bright colors. In some of the paintings, Rukha saw Gods bearing the head of a lion or crocodile, or the body of a bull and the wings of an eagle. Servants with ostrich feather fans cooled the air and spread fragrant incense. The polished marble floor reflected the decorations on the ceiling and paintings on the walls.
One of the king's servants escorted them through the hall, which opened up into a blooming garden surrounded by shade trees. Brooks gushed under small bridges, and songbirds flew about and drank from water basins and fountains. The garden was bustling with guests leaning on couches padded with down cushions. When the guests noticed them, they stood in respect. The servant led them to their chairs, which were adjacent to those of the royal throne. The servant poured them wine in goblets made from animal horn on wooden bases engraved in the shape of a lion's head. He served them a bowl with roasted shelled and salted pistachio nuts and then turned back to tend to the other guests.
The three of them exchanged looks of wonder and grinned from ear to ear. Kishmi admired the fancy clothing of the lords and ladies coming into the garden in pairs. Rukha and Eo stared at the giant royal throne, made of rose wood and adorned with slivers of shells and gold plated armrests.
When the garden and the hall were full, the horns heralded the entrance of the king and his entourage. All the guests knelt to their knees to bow to him. On his right hand side, the crown prince Enmerkar walked, brimming with health. At his left was Queen Partakhti. Behind him came the Vizier Murdoch, and behind them a line of dozens of the king's ministers, wives, concubines and adult sons and daughters. After they had taken their places, the horns sounded again and everyone returned to their seats.
The herald called out:
Welcome to the banquet of the supreme and admired King of Uruk,
The ground bows before his might,
Our lord and leader, King Meskiagasher,
Son of Utnapishtim-Noah who saved humanity in the ark as God commanded him,
Son of Lemech,
Son of Methuselah,
Son of Enoch,
Son of Jared,
Son of Mehalalel,
Son of Cainan,
Son of Enosh,
Son of Seth,
Son of Adam our father and Eve our mother.
Distinguished and supreme king,
May An strengthen the crown on your head,
And lengthen your days,
And establish you on your throne for all your life,
And fill your hand with the scepter of justice,
And lift up your arms to rule the people,
And give you the productivity of your subjects,
And open the skies for you,
For prosperity and happiness in your entire kingdom.
The entire crowd stood to face the king. And then the king himself stood; a jeweled crown on his head and gold covered wooden scepter in his hand. The golden signet ring sparkled on his finger, a red cloak embroidered with golden threads rested atop his shoulders, the edges trimmed with cheetah fur. The king began:
“My dear guests, ministers, ambassadors, and all who wish for my wellbeing, the wellbeing of my family, and the prosperity of the city state of Uruk: Welcome to my home. Today is a holiday in the kingdom. The crown prince, Prince Enmerkar, who is destined for greatness, has recovered from his illness. I have invited you all here today to drink and eat, to sing and celebrate, to rejoice in our joy at the miracle that has been performed for us thanks to the great oil healer, Eogulades.”
Vizier Murdoch presented Eo and Rukha, who bowed before the king while the crowd clapped their hands and cheered, “Long live Eogulades!”
The king lifted his hand. The crowd was silent and he continued. He told in great detail the story of the healing, emphasizing the skill and resourcefulness that the healers had demonstrated. He spoke of his joy and the joy of his queen, Partakhti, an
d of their son's recovery. When he finished, the king turned to the healer.
“Eogulades, you recognized that the wellbeing of the demon, like the wellbeing of my son, was dependent on changes I had to make in our treatment of slaves. For this I thank you, and your apprentice, from the bottom of my heart.”
The crowd cheered, the musicians blew on their horns and the drummers beat their drums. Tears sprung into Kishmi and Eo's eyes. Rukha could not stop the quivering that overcame him in his excitement. Kishmi hurried to support him so that he would not fall and offend the king's honor.
“I declare,” continued the king, “a change in the laws of slavery in the kingdom. Even if the landowners among you are worried about loss of income, do not worry. These changes will guarantee support from the upper and lower Gods and bring us rains at their proper times, fields full of produce, well-fed animals and widespread fertility. The vizier Murdoch will fill you in on the full details.” The king gestured with his hand to the vizier. The landowners masked their worry with contrived smiles.
The king sat down and his guests followed suit. Only Murdoch remained standing.
“By order of the king,” began the vizier, “and after consulting with his ministers and advisers, the new laws on slavery will take effect today.”
He waited a few seconds and continued. “On this day, the fifth day of the month of Tammuz, in the one hundred and seventy-fifth year since the Great Flood, in the twenty-first year of the reign of the almighty Meskiagasher, the laws of slavery shall be as follows:
“Henceforth, slaves will no longer suffer physical punishment given to them by the king's soldiers or landowners.”
A few of those present, who found this practice unpleasant, smiled in satisfaction.
“Henceforth, slaves will be allowed to bring their problems before the elders at the city gates in a just trial.
“Henceforth, children of slaves will no longer be separated from their parents, or slaves from their spouses.
“Henceforth, slaves will be given a wage, equal to one twentieth of the wage of employees, and this wage will be available to them to buy their freedom from slavery.”
Despite the presence and majesty of the king, the landowners could not avoid a murmur of dissatisfaction. The murmur ceased as soon as the king lifted his hand.
“Henceforth, there will no longer be third generation slaves in Uruk. Any child born to a slave who was born into slavery will be born free. This order has been written and signed by His Royal Highness King Meskiagasher the Almighty.” The vizier displayed the tablet with the king's declaration to all the guests, with the imprint of his signet ring at the bottom.
The vizier sat down. The guests' faces revealed their astonishment. Such far-reaching changes as these had been previously unheard of among all the eastern nations. The landowners had trouble hiding their displeasure.
The herald returned and proclaimed: “Now the oil healer Eogulades, his wife Kishmi and his apprentice Rukha will approach His Royal Highness King Meskiagasher the Almighty."
Three servants escorted them to the king's table. The herald signaled all present to stand. The king stood as well and gestured to the three of them to sit at the table next to him. The beautiful Kishmi was radiant with happiness. Rukha was supported by the servant. His heart wanted to burst from his chest and his knees failed him. When the king asked the blushing Eo to speak, he could not even muster up one word out of excitement. The king, smiling at Eo's embarrassment, waited patiently. Finally, Eo began.
“I thank the Gods of the heavens and the netherworld for your help. I thank the Goddess Gula who granted me the knowledge of healing. I thank you, Your Highness, King Meskiagasher, for your faith in me and in my apprentice, for depositing your son in our care. I thank you, my beloved wife Kishmi,” he looked her in the eye and was silent a moment, “the earth beneath my feet and the spirit of my soul. I thank you.” Eo choked.
“I thank you, Rukha, my son, for your courage and loyalty to your freedom, in whose merit you were destined to grasp the healing snake of the Goddess Gula. I thank you, Rukha, for the gift of the God, the phonetic script.” Rukha's flood of emotion dissipated. The palace with all its guests dissipated. Only the phrase “my son” filled his entire being with love.
“I wish to thank you, the Almighty Crown Prince Enmerkar,” continued Eo. “When looking into Layil's soul through your own, I saw the magnitude of your courage, the depth of your wisdom, the flame of your passion and the breadth of your grace. Thanks to these traits, there is no doubt that you are destined to rule many nations in the future. You shall sow the seeds of understanding within them, making your mark with the reed stylus on the languages of man.” The prince bowed modestly to Eo.
The proud king continued.
“I have described to you the wonders that Eogulades has performed and the great contribution made by Rukha his slave. As a sign of appreciation, and as a first step, I hereby free Rukha completely and proclaim him a completely free man.”
Rukha could hear Timin's voice in his head: “Now both of us have earned our freedom!”
“To Eogulades and his household,” continued the king, “I grant an estate on my fertile lands on the banks of the Euphrates, a donkey's load of gold coins, water allocations as his land needs and all the cattle, sheep, goats and donkeys that he needs. From this day forth, Eogulades will hold the official title of 'Court Healer'.”
Eo almost choked with emotion. He began coughing, although in other circumstances, coughing could have shown dangerous offense to the king's honor. Kishmi handed him a goblet of wine. He sipped it and calmed down a little.
The king smiled and continued. “In addition to the property, as a sign of my gratitude and the gratitude of my queen Partakhti, I grant Eogulades a new cylinder seal, as a testament to his devotion and my faith in him.” He fastened the beaded chain with the golden seal around Eo's neck.
“As a sign of appreciation for freeing the demon and my son from slavery, I hereby grant Rukha, the freeman, this onyx cylinder seal, which shows that he serves in the royal court.”
The king raised the seal and showed it to the guests. He placed it around the neck of the emotional Rukha. Eo and Kishmi could not restrain their happiness.
The king sat down, followed by Eo, Kishmi and Rukha. They were followed by the ministers, ambassadors, landowners and the remainder of the guests. The herald signaled to the horn blowers to blow their horns and then he called out loudly:
“Let the festivities begin!”
The royal orchestra burst out in song. Rows of dancers entered the room, dancing. They enchanted the guests as they danced to the music of lyres, flutes and cymbals. Acrobats spun in the air while jugglers breathed fire and threw sand-filled leather balls in the air. From the kitchen, servants brought out calf ribs, lamb browned on open fire, roast pheasant decorated with colorful feathers, fragrant stuffed vegetables, onions, wild strawberries and herbs, slices of gazelle meat in honey, cumin, and red and hot peppers, wild pig's meat minced and roasted with fennel and coriander and fish caught in the Euphrates that had been smoked in a slightly sour tamarind sauce. For dessert, there was a mint infusion with semolina cakes and candied dates, ground walnuts and almonds with dried figs, watermelons and melons. The guests washed down the food with jugs of grape wine, pomegranate wine and fig wine. Fresh ale, both dark and pale, which had been fermented and filtered in preparation for the banquet, was poured like water.
EPILOGUE
Rukha, Kishmi and Eo sat among the dragonflies in the shade of the grape arbor on the banks of the canal. They feasted on roasted pigeons stuffed with barley and figs as they imbibed on expensive wine that the king had imported in enormous jugs from the land of the Hittites. For dessert, they enjoyed a delicacy reserved for nobility—honeycomb that hunters had brought from the forest. Kishmi beamed with pride as she listened again to the details of how her husband and son had exorcized the demon. Now that the giddiness of their success had somewhat subsided, the f
amily could find time to perform the adoption ceremony. At the close of the meal, Kishmi took a lump of clay from the banks of the canal and Eo found a reed, which he sharpened with a piece of flint. They then made their way home together.
The whole way home, Rukha excitedly kneaded the clay in his hands until it was sufficiently firm. When they arrived home, Rukha impressed the phonetic symbols into the clay as Eo dictated to him:
The redeemer from slavery,
His gaze descends to the depths of the bowels,
And his word is redemption.
He returns the son to his fathers
And unfetters the captives.
From Uruk shall come the Earth's salvation.
After they stamped the charm with the new golden signet that Eo had received from the king, as well as with Rukha's onyx signet, they put it aside to dry. The following day, they baked the charm and buried it three cubits below the threshold of the entrance to their home. “May this charm be an everlasting reminder,” said Eo, one hand grasping Kishmi's hand while the other held Rukha's. The three of them recited, “May it remain here for posterity, as a testimony for the future.”
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About the authors
Yehuda Israely is a Clinical Psychologist and Psychoanalyst, Practicing and teaching in Israel. Previous non-fiction book: "The Philosophy and Psychoanalysis of Jacques Lacan" was published in Hebrew by IDF publishing, following a radio program. His third book "Craft of the treatment – a Lacanian Orientation" will come out in September 2012. Dor Raveh who is Yehuda Israely's step son, is Intelligence and Risk Management Director at a private international security firm.
Mesopotamia - The Healer, the Slave and the Prince Page 11