Position in chronology
SAA 08 073. Mercury Sighted in Capricorn (RMA 238) [planetary]
Translation · reference
High confidence(1) If the Yoke star is low and dark when it comes out: [the land] will go to ruin. (4) [The Yoke st]ar (means) Mercury; [it] is faint (and) [...] are scarce. (r 1) [If] the Fish star stands close to the Raven star: fish (and) birds will become abundant. (r 3) — Mercury becomes visible in Capricorn. (r 5) From Nabû-ahhe-eriba.
Source: Hunger, H. 1992. Astrological Reports to Assyrian Kings. SAA 8. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa08/P336536/
Why it matters
Transliteration
1 MUL.ŠUDUN ina È-šú [o] / [šu]-up-pu-ul-ma / da-ʾi-im / [KUR] ár-bu-tú il-la-ka / [MUL].⸢ŠUDUN⸣ MUL.UDU.IDIM.GUD.UD / [x x]+⸢x⸣ un-nu-ut / [x x] e-ṣu [o] / [1 MUL].KU₆ ana MUL.⸢UGA⸣ / [i]-mid KU₆-MEŠ / MUŠEN-MEŠ ú-deš-šu-u / MUL.UDU.IDIM.GUD.UD ina ŠÀ MUL.SUḪUR.MÁŠ* / in-na-mar-ma / šá mdPA—PAB-MEŠ—SU
Scholarly note
Astrological report from a court scholar to an Assyrian king, edited by Hermann Hunger (SAA 8, 1992). Celestial and meteorological observation correlated with omens. ORACC text P336536.
Attribution
Image: BM — (British Museum, London, UK) — from Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (cdli.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/artifacts, P336536). source
Translation excerpted from Hunger, H. 1992. Astrological Reports to Assyrian Kings. SAA 8. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa08/P336536/.
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