The Corpus of Hittite Divinatory Texts (HDivT)

Digital Edition and Cultural Historical Analysis

Andrea Trameri (Hrsg.)

Citatio: Andrea Trameri (Hrsg.), hethiter.net/: CTH 573.4 (transcr. 2025-01-21; TRde 2025-08-05)


CTH 573.4

Bird oracles by the augur Zapalli

transcriptio



Abschnitt 1ID=1: obv. §1´. (fragmentary)

1ID=1 --

[] []

[][]

2ID=2 --

[ …‑a]n a[rḫaweg-:PREV ]

[… flew] a[way …]

3ID=3 --

[ ] na‑[ ]

[][]

4ID=4 --

[] blank

[].

Abschnitt 2ID=2: obv. §2´. Oracle report (fragmentary)

5ID=5 --

[ ]…‑da [ ]

[]

6ID=6 --

[MUŠ]ENḪI.AVogel:NOM.PL(UNM) SI×SÁ‑anduordnen:3PL.IMP []

let the [bir]ds confirm (it).

7ID=7 --

[ ue]tkommen:3SG.PST

[… it ca]me []

8ID=8 --

n=aš=[ ]

and it []

9ID=9 --

[]‑ma GUN‑an(Orakelterminus):ADV N[I‑MURsehen:1PL.PST ]

w[e saw a … bird] GUN-(li)an.

10ID=10 --

[]

[]

11ID=11 --

[T]I₈MUŠENAquila:ACC.SG(UNM) ḫa[š]tapin=a(Orakelvogel):ACC.SG.C=CNJctr []

[We saw an ea]gle and a ḫaštapi- bird []

12ID=12 --

[ ] [ ]

[]

13ID=13 --

[ arḫ]aweg-:PREV pāergehen:3PL.PST []

they flew [aw]ay [].

14ID=14 --

[] blank

[Thus (says) …: “…”].1

Abschnitt 3ID=3: obv. §3´. Oracle report: About a keldi- rite

15ID=15 --

[ ]‑it SISKUROpfer:NOM.SG(UNM);
Opfer:ACC.SG(UNM);
Opfer:GEN.SG(UNM);
Opfer:D/L.SG(UNM)
keld[iWohlbefinden:STF ]

[] a keldi- (offering) rite

16ID=16 --

[ ] [ ] NI‑MURsehen:1PL.PST

we saw [a … bird …]

17ID=17 --

n=aš=kanCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM=OBPk E[GIR?wieder:ADV ]

and it [ba]ck []

18ID=18 --

[ ] aramnan‑[ ]

[] … an aramnan[t- bird …]

19ID=19 --

[ ] arḫaweg-:PREV paitgehen:3SG.PST

[] … it flew away [].

20ID=20 --

EGIRhinter:POSP KASKAL?‑NIWeg:D/L.SG(UNM)

Behind the road:

21ID=21 --

tapašši[šein Orakelvogel:LUW||HITT.NOM.SG.C ]

a tapašši- bird []

22ID=22 --

[ ] [a]n=ma GUN‑an(Orakelterminus):ADV NI‑MURsehen:1PL.PST

[] … we saw a [… bird] GUN-(li)an

23ID=23 --

n=ašCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM G[UN‑… ]

and it [] G[UN-li]

24ID=24 --

[] EGIR?wieder:ADV UGU?oben:ADV SIG₅?‑zavon der guten Seite:HITT.ABL uetkommen:3SG.PST

[a … bird/it] came in the back up from the favorable side

25ID=25 --

n=aš=kanCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM=OBPk peanvor:ADV(ABBR) arḫaweg-:PREV []

and it [flew] away in front.

26ID=26 --

[] blank line

[]

27ID=27 --

[] blank line

[]

Abschnitt 4ID=4: obv. §4´. Oracle report: About offering(s)

28ID=28 --

[ I]Š?‑TU SISKUROpfer:INS [ ]‑ḫa‑…‑nikimi(?)

[] with the offering [] I []

29ID=29 --

nu=kanCONNn=OBPk apē‑[ ]

and in that []

30ID=30 --

[ N]I?‑MURsehen:1PL.PST

we saw [a … bird …]

31ID=31 --

n=ašCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM GUN‑liš(Orakelterminus):NOM.SG.C(ABBR) z[ia]nvon dieser Seite:ADV(ABBR) paitgehen:3SG.PST

and it went GUN-li len[gth]ways.

32ID=32 --

aramnanza=ma=kan(Orakelvogel):NOM.SG.C=CNJctr=OBPk []

An aramnant- bird, however, []

33ID=33 --

[n]=aš=kanCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM=OBPk pehin-:PREV S[IG₅]‑zavon der guten Seite:HITT.ABL

It came in front from the favo[rable side]

34ID=34 --

n=ašCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM 2‑anin der Mitte:PREV arḫaweg-:PREV paitgehen:3SG.PST

and it flew away in the middle.

35ID=35 --

EGIRwieder:ADV UGUhinauf:ADV kušungünstig:ABL(ABBR) []

In the back up from the unfavorable side2 []

36ID=36 --

[ ] panvon jener Seite:ADV(ABBR) kušungünstig:ABL(ABBR)

[] diagonally from the unfavorable side.

37ID=37 --

ḫaštapiš=ma=kan(Orakelvogel):NOM.SG.C=CNJctr=OBPk [ ]

A ḫaštapi- bird, however, … []

38ID=38 --

[ ] [ ] ME‑ašnehmen:3SG.PST

[] it turned [back].

39ID=39 --

n=aš=kanCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM=OBPk peanvor:ADV(ABBR) SIG₅‑zavon der guten Seite:HITT.ABL uetkommen:3SG.PST

It came in front from the favorable side

40ID=40 --

n=ašCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM 2[a]nin der Mitte:PREV a[rḫaweg-:PREV ]

and it [flew awa]y in the middle.

41ID=41 --

[] blank line

[Thus (says) …: “…”]

Abschnitt 5ID=5: obv. §5´. Oracle report (fragmentary)

42ID=42 --

[ ][ ]

[]

43ID=43 --

nuCONNn MUŠENḪI.AVogel:NOM.PL(UNM) S[I×SÁ‑andu(?)]ordnen:3PL.IMP

[] let the birds c[onfirm (it)].

44ID=44 --

tapaššinein Orakelvogel:LUW||HITT.ACC.SG.C []

[We saw] a tapašši- bird []

45ID=45 --

[ ][ š]ēḫurUrin:ACC.SG.N arḫaweg-:PREV tarnašlassen:3SG.PST

[] it left [d]roppings,

46ID=46 --

[n]=ašCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM GUB‑išsich erheben:3SG.PST

it took flight

47ID=47 --

n=[aš‑… ][ ]

and [it …]

48ID=48 --

n=aš=kanCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM=OBPk pehin-:PREV SIG₅‑z[a]von der guten Seite:HITT.ABL

It (came) in front from the favorable side

49ID=49 --

[n]=aš=kanCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM=OBPk p[ehin-:PREV ]

and it [flew away in fr]ont.

50ID=50 --

[ ] ue]tkommen:3SG.PST

[… it ca]me []

51ID=51 --

n=aš=kanCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM=OBPk peanvor:ADV(ABBR) arḫaweg-:PREV [ ]

and it [flew] away in front.

52ID=52 --

[ ] [ ] uetkommen:3SG.PST

[] it came []

53ID=53 --

n=aš=kanCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM=OBPk peanvor:ADV(ABBR) arḫaweg-:PREV []

and it [flew] away in front.

54ID=54 --

[]

[]

Abschnitt 6ID=6: obv. §6´. Oracle report: new question/addendum (fragmentary)

55ID=55 --

[ ] [ ]‑ki taliyamilassen:1SG.PRS

[] I will let (it) be;3

56ID=56 --

nuCONNn MUŠENḪI.A[Vogel:NOM.PL(UNM) ]

[let] the birds [confirm/exclude (it)].

Abschnitt 7ID=7: obv. §7´. Oracle report: offences against the Storm god of Urikina

57ID=57 --

[] A‑NAzu:D/L.SG [] D?10Wettergott:DN.NOM.SG(UNM);
Wettergott:DN.ACC.SG(UNM);
Wettergott:DN.GEN.SG(UNM);
Wettergott:DN.D/L.SG(UNM);
Wettergott:DN.ABL(UNM);
Wettergott:DN.VOC.SG(UNM)
URUurikinaUrikina:GN.STF

[] to [] the Storm-god of Urikina,

58ID=58 --

kūš=patdieser:DEM1.NOM.PL.C=FOC wa[škuiēš(?)Verfehlung:HITT.NOM.PL.C ]

only4 these of[fences …]

59ID=59 --

[ta]pašši[nein Orakelvogel:LUW||HITT.ACC.SG.C ]

[We saw] a [ta]pašši- bird []

60ID=60 --

n=aš=kanCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM=OBPk EGIRwieder:ADV UGUoben:ADV SIG₅‑zavon der guten Seite:HITT.ABL ue[tkommen:3SG.PST ]

and it cam[e] in the back up from the favorable side

61ID=61 --

[TI₈?]MUŠEN=maAdler:NOM.SG(UNM)=CNJctr []

[An eagle], however [],

62ID=62 --

[n]=aš=kanCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM=OBPk peanvor:ADV(ABBR) kušungünstig:ABL(ABBR) uetkommen:3SG.PST

it came in front from the unfavorable side

63ID=63 --

nu=z[(a)CONNn=REFL ]

and i[t turned back]5

64ID=64 --

[ …‑a]n‑[ ]

[][]

65ID=65 --

n=aš=kanCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM=OBPk p[e]hin-:PREV a[rḫ]aweg-:PREV [pai]tgehen:3SG.PST

and it [fl]ew a[wa]y in fro[nt].

66ID=66 --

[]

[]

67ID=67 --

[n]=aš=k[anCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM=OBPk ] [ ]

and it []

68ID=68 --

[]

[]

obv. breaks off

Abschnitt 8ID=8: rev. §8´. Oracle report, augur Zapalli (fragmentary)

69ID=69 --

[]

[]

70ID=70 --

nu=z(a)CONNn=REFL [EGIR]‑pawieder:PREV []

and it [turned ba]ck []

71ID=71 --

UM‑M[A?folgendermaßen:ADV mz]apa[lli]Zapalli:PNm.NOM.SG(UNM)

Thu[s (says) Z]apa[lli]:

72ID=72 --

[]

[“…”]

Abschnitt 9ID=9: rev. §9´. Oracle report: about the town of Zitḫara, augur Zapalli

73ID=73 --

nu=kanCONNn=OBPk D?[ ]‑ma kuitweil:CNJ URUzi[tḫaraZitḫara:GN.D/L.SG(UNM) ]

Because the dei[tyin] Zi[tḫara …]

74ID=74 --

[] apaddadort:DEMadv šerauf:POSP

[is it] about/because of that?

75ID=75 --

nuCONNn MUŠENḪI.AVogel:NOM.PL(UNM) SI×SÁ‑anduordnen:3PL.IMP

Let the birds confirm (it).

76ID=76 --

[]

[]

77ID=77 --

n=at=kanCONNn=PPRO.3PL.C.NOM=OBPk pe[a]nvor:ADV(ABBR) SIG₅‑zavon der guten Seite:HITT.ABL uērkommen:3PL.PST

and they came in front from the favorable side.

78ID=78 --

[]

[]

79ID=79 --

TI₈MUŠENAdler:ACC.SG(UNM) GUN‑lian(Orakelterminus):ADV NI‑MURsehen:1PL.PST

We saw an eagle GUN-lian,

80ID=80 --

n=aš=k[anCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM=OBPk ]

and it []

81ID=81 --

[n=aš]=kan(?)CONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM=OBPk p[ea]nvor:ADV(ABBR) arḫaweg-:PREV paitgehen:3SG.PST

[and it] flew away in fr[on]t.

82ID=82 --

E[GIR?hinter:POSP ]

Be[hind the road]:

83ID=83 --

[ …‑a]n NI‑M[UR]sehen:1PL.PST

We sa[w … birds …]

84ID=84 --

n=at=kanCONNn=PPRO.3PL.C.NOM=OBPk peanvor:ADV(ABBR) [ ]

and they [came] in front []

85ID=85 --

[]

[]

86ID=86 --

[] TI₈MUŠEN=ma=kanAdler:NOM.SG(UNM)=CNJctr=OBPk EGIRwieder:ADV UGUhinauf:ADV S[IG₅‑zavon der guten Seite:HITT.ABL ]

[] eagles, however, [came] in the back up from the fav[orable side].

87ID=87 --

[UM‑M]Afolgendermaßen:ADV mzapalliZapalli:PNm.NOM.SG(UNM)

[Th]us (says) Zapalli:

88ID=88 --

SI×SÁ‑at=w[a]ordnen:3SG.PST=QUOT

“it was confirmed”.

Abschnitt 10ID=10: rev. §10´. Oracle report: unclear topic, augur Zapalli

89ID=89 --

[ ]

[]

90ID=90 --

IGI‑zi=z(a)vorderer:NOM.SG.N=REFL;
vorderer:ACC.SG.N=REFL
Ú‑ULnicht:NEG kui[tki(?)irgendwie:INDadv;
irgendein:INDFany.NOM.SG.N;
irgendein:INDFany.ACC.SG.N
]

The first (one) [] not[hing …] for him/herself.6

91ID=91 --

[ ]

[].

92ID=92 --

nuCONNn MUŠENḪI.AVogel:NOM.PL(UNM) SI×SÁ‑an[duordnen:3PL.IMP ]

[Let] the birds confirm (it).

93ID=93 --

[] peanvor:ADV(ABBR) kušungünstig:ABL(ABBR) uetkommen:3SG.PST

[a … bird/it] came in front from the unfavorable side

94ID=94 --

n=a‑[ ]

and []

95ID=95 --

[ …‑a]n=ma tarlian(Orakelterminus):ACC.SG.C(ABBR) NI‑MURsehen:1PL.PST

however, we saw a [… bird] tar(uya)lian

96ID=96 --

n=[a‑… ]

and []

97ID=97 --

[ G]UN‑an(Orakelterminus):ADV paitgehen:3SG.PST

[] it flew GUN-lian.

98ID=98 --

EGIRhinter:POSP K[ASKAL?]Weg:D/L.SG(UNM)

Behind the r[oad]:

99ID=99 --

[]

[A … bird …]

100ID=100 --

[n=aš]=kanCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM=OBPk peanvor:ADV(ABBR) kušungünstig:ABL(ABBR) ue[t]kommen:3SG.PST

[and it] came in front from the unfavorable side

101ID=101 --

[ G]UN‑an(Orakelterminus):ADV NI‑MURsehen:1PL.PST

we saw [a … bird … G]UN-lian.

102ID=102 --

n=aš=kanCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM=OBPk p[eanvor:ADV(ABBR) ]

It [came] in fr[ont …]

103ID=103 --

[n=ašCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM z]ianvon dieser Seite:ADV(ABBR) tarliš(Orakelterminus):NOM.SG.C(ABBR) paitgehen:3SG.PST

[it] flew lengthways tar(uya)li-.

104ID=104 --

UM!‑M[Afolgendermaßen:ADV ]

Thus (says) [the augur …]:

105ID=105 --

[] arḫa=waweg-:PREV=QUOT pe[ššer]werfen:3PL.PST blank line

[“they ex]cluded (it)”.7

Abschnitt 11ID=11: rev. §11´. Oracle report: about the festival of the New Year

106ID=106 --

[EZEN₄]kultisches Fest:NOM.SG(UNM);
kultisches Fest:ACC.SG(UNM);
kultisches Fest:GEN.SG(UNM);
kultisches Fest:D/L.SG(UNM);
kultisches Fest:ABL(UNM)
puruliyašNeujahrsfest:GEN.SG kuitweil:CNJ DUT[U‑… ]

Concerning [the festival] of the New Year, His Maj[esty/the Sun (god) …]

107ID=107 --

[mān]=at=mu=kanwie:CNJ=PPRO.3SG.N.NOM=PPRO.1SG.DAT=OBPk;
wie:CNJ=PPRO.3SG.N.ACC=PPRO.1SG.DAT=OBPk;
wie:CNJ=PPRO.3PL.N.NOM=PPRO.1SG.DAT=OBPk;
wie:CNJ=PPRO.3PL.N.ACC=PPRO.1SG.DAT=OBPk
IŠ‑TU INIMWort:ABL;
Wort:INS
[]

[If] it [] for me, because of the matter []

108ID=108 --

[]

[Let the birds …]

109ID=109 --

[ ]‑aššin tarlian(Orakelterminus):ACC.SG.C(ABBR) NI‑MURsehen:1PL.PST

We saw [a(n) …]-ašši bird tar(uya)lian,

110ID=110 --

n=a[š(‑)CONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM ]

and i[t …]

111ID=111 --

[n=aš]=kanCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM=OBPk peanvor:ADV(ABBR) SIG₅‑zavon der guten Seite:HITT.ABL

[it] came in front from the favorable side

112ID=112 --

n=ašCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM 2?[anin der Mitte:PREV ]

and it [flew away] in the mid[dle].

113ID=113 --

[ GU]N‑lian(Orakelterminus):ADV NI‑MURsehen:1PL.PST

We saw [… birds GU]N-lian,

114ID=114 --

n=at=kanCONNn=PPRO.3PL.C.NOM=OBPk E[GIRwieder:ADV ]

and they [came] in the b[ack …]

115ID=115 --

[] [p]āergehen:3PL.PST

[and] they fle[w away …].

116ID=116 --

EGIRhinter:POSP KASKAL‑NIWeg:D/L.SG(UNM)

Behind the road:

117ID=117 --

T[I₈MUŠEN(?)Adler:NOM.SG(UNM) ]

an ea[gle …]

118ID=118 --

[ u]etkommen:3SG.PST

[] came []

119ID=119 --

[ ]

[]

rev. breaks off

Possibly, the augur is Zapalli, the author of the only two entries where the augur’s name is preserved. However, we cannot rule out the possibility that other augurs also contributed to this text (see also the discussion in Introductio).
This sentence is unusual for two reasons: the subject is not expressed, and the formula is atypical, as flights from the ‘unfavorable’ side are as a rule only associated with the adverb ‘down’ (not ‘up’). One might expect the bird’s name to follow in the break, but the word order is atypical in the standard formulary. Otherwise, the sentence cannot refer to the previously mentioned bird, since this bird “flew away,” a movement that typically concludes the description of a bird's flight.
Unless this is talliya- ‘to call upon (a god), beseech’ (thus Sakuma Y. 2009b, II, 436). This interpretation seems less likely, as the expected spelling would be tal-li-…; this verb is otherwise not attested in the first person (see Kloekhorst A. 2008a, 819).
Or: “these very of[fences …]”.
Tentative: nu=z[a appa/EGIR dāš].
Cf. Sakuma Y. 2009b, II, 439, who interprets the first term as a verbal form: “[] … er sieht sich keines[wegs …]”.
The formula arḫa=wa pe[ššer] is indented in rev. 20´, but the name of the augur (Zapalli?) would not fit in the small residual space: most likely, there was no text at all. Instead, UM-[MA] was apparently already written in rev. 19´, and the name or title of the augur followed on the same line.
Editio ultima: Textus 2025-01-21; Traductionis 2025-08-05