The Corpus of Hittite Divinatory Texts (HDivT)

Digital Edition and Cultural Historical Analysis

Andrea Trameri (Hrsg.)

Citatio: Andrea Trameri (Hrsg.), hethiter.net/: CTH 573.64 (transcr. 2025-01-22; TRde 2025-08-08)


CTH 573.64

Bird oracles over three days, concerning military campaigns

transcriptio



Abschnitt 1ID=1: Oracle question

1ID=1 --

[ ][ ]

[]

2ID=2 --

[ ]‑za [ ta]rḫuwanmächtig sein:PTCP.NOM.SG.N;
mächtig sein:PTCP.ACC.SG.N
[]

[][]

3ID=3 --

[DINGIR‑LUM=z(a)Gott:NOM.SG(UNM)=REFL ]ndieser:DEM1.ACC.SG.C ER‑TAMOrakelanfrage:ACC.SG(UNM) [ta]kšanzusammen:ADV mal[ānbilligen:PTCP.INDCL ḫartihaben:2SG.PRS ]

[O deity, … have you app]roved [com]pletely [th]is (oracular) question?

4ID=4 --

[ gi]mriFeld:D/L.SG pa[i]zzigehen:3SG.PRS

[] he goes on the (battle)field.

5ID=5 --

SIG₅‑ingut:ADV EGI[Rwieder:ADV NAM?.R]AMEŠGefangener:ACC.PL(UNM) pēḫutezzihinschaffen:3SG.PRS

[] the captives/spoils he will take [] back successfully.

6ID=6 --

SIG₅‑ingut:ADV [] uwatezzi(her)bringen:3SG.PRS

He will bring here [] successfully.

7ID=7 --

anda=kanin:POSP=OBPk šinaḫḫ[Falle:D/L.PL ]

In(to) ambushes/traps1 [].

8ID=8 --

[ Ú‑ULnicht:NEG ku]wapikkiirgendwo:INDadv ḫandaezziordnen:3SG.PRS

[… no]where/anywhere he will make preparations2 []

9ID=9 --

KÚRFeind:NOM.SG(UNM) uez[zikommen:3SG.PRS ]

The enemy comes/proceeds to []

10ID=10 --

[ …‑m]a Ú‑UL=ma=ašnicht:NEG=CNJctr=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM uezzikommen:3SG.PRS

but [] he will not come []

11ID=11 --

n=ašCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM taran(Orakelterminus):ADV(ABBR) arḫaweg-:PREV GAR?[setzen:3SG.PRS.MP ]

and he … away tar(uyali)an.3

12ID=12 --

[ ] I‑NA KURLand:D/L.SG URUḪAT‑TIḪattuša:GN.GEN.SG(UNM) arḫaweg-:PREV mūwanstark:ACC.SG.N ZAG‑natarRichtigkeit:ACC.SG.N [ ] [dušg]arattann=a(?)Freude:ACC.SG.C=CNJadd udai(her)bringen:3SG.PRS

In the land of Ḫattuša, [] takes away fearsomeness, righfullness and [jo]y.

13ID=13 --

DINGIR‑LUM=z(a)Gott:NOM.SG(UNM)=REFL kūndieser:DEM1.ACC.SG.C E[R‑TAMOrakelanfrage:ACC.SG(UNM) ] KASKAL‑anWeg:ACC.SG.C ḫūmandazganz und gar:ADV takšanzusammen:ADV malānbilligen:PTCP.INDCL [ḫarti]haben:2SG.PRS

O deity, [have you] approved completely this (oracular) ques[tion …] the campaign altogether?

14ID=14 --

[nuCONNn ŠAdes/der:GEN.SG UD]Tag:D/L.SG(UNM) 3KAMdrei:QUANcar ḫūkannašBeschwörung:GEN.SG MUŠENḪI.AVogel:NOM.PL(UNM) SI×SÁ‑anduordnen:3PL.IMP

Let the birds of conjuration [of/over] three [days] confirm (it).

Abschnitt 2ID=2: Oracle report: first day

15ID=15 --

IGI‑zivorderer:D/L.SG UD‑tiTag:D/L.SG […‑i]n taran(Orakelterminus):ADV(ABBR) TUŠ‑ansitzen:PTCP.ACC.SG.C NI‑MURsehen:1PL.PST

On the first day, we saw a []-i bird perched tar(uyali)an,

16ID=16 --

KA×U‑ŠÚ=ma=aš=kanMund:NOM.SG(UNM)_DEM2/3.GEN.SG=CNJctr=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM=OBPk panvon jener Seite:ADV(ABBR) nea[nza](sich) drehen:PTCP.NOM.SG.C

but its beak was turned diagonally.

17ID=17 --

[ ] GUN‑an(Orakelterminus):ADV(ABBR) TUŠ‑ansitzen:PTCP.ACC.SG.C NI‑MURsehen:1PL.PST

We saw [a … bird] perched GUN-lian,

18ID=18 --

KA×U‑ŠÚ=ma=aš=kanMund:NOM.SG(UNM)_DEM2/3.GEN.SG=CNJctr=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM=OBPk p[anvon jener Seite:ADV(ABBR) neanza](sich) drehen:PTCP.NOM.SG.C

but its beak [was turned] d[iagonally].

19ID=19 --

[ ]‑eš=ma=kan peanvor:ADV(ABBR) SIG₅‑zavon der guten Seite:HITT.ABL uetkommen:3SG.PST

[A … bird]4 came in front from the favorable side

20ID=20 --

n=ašCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM 2‑a[nin der Mitte:PREV arḫaweg-:PREV pait]gehen:3SG.PST

and it [flew away] in the middle.

21ID=21 --

[ ]‑lammin=ma taran(Orakelterminus):ADV(ABBR) NI‑MURsehen:1PL.PST

We saw [a …]-lammi5 bird tar(uyali)an

22ID=22 --

n=aš=z(a)CONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM=REFL TUŠ‑atsitzen:3SG.PST

and it perched.

23ID=23 --

[KA×U‑ŠÚ=m]a=z(a)=kanMund:NOM.SG(UNM)_DEM2/3.GEN.SG=CNJctr=REFL=OBPk panvon jener Seite:ADV(ABBR) naiš(sich) drehen:3SG.PST

[B]ut [it] turned [its beak] diagonally.

24ID=24 --

EGIRhinter:POSP KASKALWeg:D/L.SG(UNM)

Behind the road:

25ID=25 --

TI₈MUŠENAdler:NOM.SG(UNM) taran(Orakelterminus):ADV(ABBR) [NI‑MUR]sehen:1PL.PST

[we saw] an eagle tar(uyali)an

26ID=26 --

[n=ašCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM tar]liš(Orakelterminus):NOM.SG.C(ABBR) panvon jener Seite:ADV(ABBR) paitgehen:3SG.PST

[and] it flew diagonally [tar(uya)]li-.

Abschnitt 3ID=3: Oracle report: second day

27ID=27 --

I‑NA UDTag:D/L.SG 2KAMzwei:QUANcar TI₈MUŠENAdler:NOM.SG(UNM) tarliš(Orakelterminus):NOM.SG.C(ABBR) panvon jener Seite:ADV(ABBR) [uet]kommen:3SG.PST

On the second day, an eagle [came/flew] in front tar(uya)li-

28ID=28 --

[damai]š=maanderer:INDoth.NOM.SG.C=CNJctr TI₈MUŠENAdler:NOM.SG(UNM) GUN‑liš(Orakelterminus):NOM.SG.C(ABBR) zianvon dieser Seite:ADV(ABBR) SIG₅‑zavon der guten Seite:HITT.ABL ue[t]kommen:3SG.PST

but [anoth]er eagle came GUN-li- lengthways from the favorable side.

29ID=29 --

[ ]‑šiš=ma=kan peanvor:ADV(ABBR) SIG₅‑zavon der guten Seite:HITT.ABL uetkommen:3SG.PST

[A …-a]šši6 bird came in front from the favorable side,

30ID=30 --

n=ašCONNn=PPRO.3SG.C.NOM 2‑anin der Mitte:PREV [arḫaweg-:PREV pait]gehen:3SG.PST

and it [flew away] in the middle.

31ID=31 --

[ …‑i]n=ma taran(Orakelterminus):ADV(ABBR) NI‑MURsehen:1PL.PST

We saw [a … bird] tar(uyali)an

32ID=32 --

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

and if flew in front tar(uya)li-.

33ID=33 --

[EGIRhinter:POSP KASKAL]Weg:D/L.SG(UNM)

[Behind the road]:

34ID=34 --

[T]I₈?MUŠENAdler:NOM.SG(UNM) taran(Orakelterminus):ADV(ABBR) tarnašlassen:3SG.PST

an [e]agle let (droppings)7 tar(uyali)an

35ID=35 --

nuCONNn gapirtana[nMaus:{ a → ACC.SG.C};
Maus:ACC.SG.C;
Maus:ACC.SG.C=PPRO.3SG.C.ACC
]

and it [caught] a ‘mouse’8

36ID=36 --

[] panvon jener Seite:ADV(ABBR) uetkommen:3SG.PST

[and] it came in front [].

Abschnitt 4ID=4: Oracle report: third day

37ID=37 --

I‑NA UDTag:D/L.SG 3KAMdrei:QUANcar TI₈MUŠENAdler:NOM.SG(UNM) tar[an(Orakelterminus):ADV(ABBR) ]

On the third day, [we saw] an eagle [perched] tar[(uyali)an]

38ID=38 --

[ ] neanza(sich) drehen:PTCP.NOM.SG.C

[but its beak] was turned [].

39ID=39 --

damain=maanderer:INDoth.ACC.SG.C=CNJctr [TI₈MUŠENAdler:NOM.SG(UNM) ]

Another [eagle …]

40ID=40 --

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

We saw [a … bird] GUN-lian.

41ID=41 --

[ …‑ue]n

[] we []-ed

42ID=42 --

nuCONNn 2zwei:QUANcar T[I₈?MUŠENAdler:NOM.SG(UNM) ]

and two e[agles …]

43ID=43 --

[ …‑i]š=ma []

[A … bird ], however []

44ID=44 --

[ ][ ]

[][]

Text breaks off

Or sg. “In(side of an) ambush…”.
Or perhaps: “will inquire by oracle”? It is possible that kola 7-8 actually belong to the same sentence, but it is difficult to provide a meaningful restoration.
The oracular terminology suggests this sentence refers to a bird, but the context remains quite unclear.
Perhaps a bird ḫarrani-, in reason of the -eš suffix, frequently sg. com. with this bird’s name. Although very rarely, other birds’ names show the same ending, however, e.g. urayanni-eš (KBo 15.28 obv. 4), ḫaštapi-eš (DAAM 1.21, obv. 6).
hapax.
Several possibilities: ḫalwašši-, maršanašši-, tapašši-, zamnašši.
Most likely elliptic for: šeḫur (arḫa) tarnaš (this kind of observation is rarely attested, e.g. KUB 12.33, rev. 9; also KBo 24.131 obv. 22).
See discussion in HW2 K, 115 (and addendum in HW2 K, Lieferung 29, II); Archi A. 1975j, 372; Archi A. 1975e, 143 n. 69; Haas V. 2010b. The animal might be a real mouse, or alternatively a kind of bird; elsewhere in bird oracles Sum. PÉŠ in fact also indicates a type of bird (a ‘mouse-bird’; discussion in Sakuma Y. 2009b, I, 349-352). Here, the usage of the Hittite word instead of the Sumerian logogram might be meant to disambiguate, thus the eagle caught a true mouse in the field.
Editio ultima: Textus 2025-01-22; Traductionis 2025-08-08