Mythology

it seems difficult to regard them as ghosts or shades, although they are so represented in Driver’s and Gordon’s translations of these obscure texts. The most attractive interpretation is that put forward by Dr John Gray’ who sees in them cultic functionaries associated with the king, who were concerned with the rituals intended to secure the fertility of the fields, and who had a special part to play at the festival of the enthronement of Baal. Hence these three fragments may contain a ritual myth which was recited at some such festival as the tablets describe. There are two more Ugaritic myths which call for mention. The Births Of Dawn And Dusk (Shahar And Shalim) This curious text shows every sign of being a ritual myth. It is divided by lines into episodes which are accompanied by rubrics giving directions for the performance of ritual acts. The poem or hymn begins with an invocation to the gracious gods which is several times repeated. The gracious gods are the twin gods, Shahar and Shalim, whose birth the myth describes. In order to avert evil influences from the birth an apotropaic ritual is performed in which an image of Mot, the god of sterility, is subjected to beating and opprobrious treatment. Then preparatory rituals are described, among which is the cooking of a kid in milk, a ritual which was forbidden in the early Hebrew sacrificial regulations. [8] Then various rituals take place which are intended to increase the potency of El, who proceeds to impregnate the goddesses, Asherah and Rahmaya. They first give birth to the twin gods, Shahar and Shalim, and then to a second pair of gods who appear to be sea-gods. Caster has suggested [9] that we have here the text of a ritual performed at a Canaanite feast of first-fruits in early summer. The Myth Of Nikkal And The Kathirat This poem describes the marriage of Nikkal, the goddess of the fruits of the earth, daughter of Hiribi, the god of summer, to Yarikh, the moon-god. The wise goddesses, the Kathirat, are summoned to provide the things necessary for the wedding, and the announcement is made of the rich gifts which Yarikh will provide as the bride-price.’ Driver has suggested that the Kathirat may correspond to the Graces of Greek mythology. [10] They are mentioned in connexion with the marriage of Danel, and are described as ’swallows’, because swallows are connected with fertility and childbirth. [11] Hiribi appears to act as an intermediary, and suggests other possible brides for Yarikh, but the divine bridegroom declares himself determined to have no other bride but Nikkal. The weighing-out of the bride-price is described, and the poem ends with an invocation to the Kathirat who celebrate the marriage with joyful songs. It has been suggested that the poem is an epithalamium for a mortal bride, and that what has been taken to be the name of the youngest of the Kathirat is the name of the real bride. [12] This is possible; but if so, the occasion would probably be a royal wedding, and the poem celebrating it may be compared with a similar royal epithalamium in Hebrew poetry, Ps. 45. In bringing this account of Ugaritic mythology to an end it must be remarked that the texts from which it is drawn are in a very imperfect condition and without vowel points, so that much remains obscure, and translations are often conjectural. Nevertheless the account here given represents the general agreement of scholars on the main outlines and significance of these interesting myths. They show clear evidence of the influence of both Egyptian and Babylonian mythology, the latter predominating. It has also been established that Canaanite mythology has left marked traces in Hebrew poetry and mythology.

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