Inanna's Decent

[Dark Muse]

I noticed that the story of Gilgamesh was mentioned, which is a fabulous tale that I have much enjoyed reading, but I just had to say that I think one of my favorite works of mythology that I have read, and one which has stuck out within my mind the most is the Inanna's Decent There is just something about this story that I think is fabulous and I adore the tale.

It is the story of the Goddess Inanna whom decides to descend into the underworld, where her sister reigns. And there is this marvelous scene in which to inter the underworld she must pass through seven gates and at each gate she must remove a piece of her clothing until when she appears to her sister at the throne of the Underworld, she is humbled before her, completely nude.

And when it comes time for Inanna to return back to Heaven, where she rules, she reverses the process, and passes back through the gates, dressing herself on the way, so she can emerge reborn into the world.

It is very symbolic of the mother's womb, and the process of birth and death, and rebirth.

The story can be read here:

http://www.sibyllineorder.org/sacred_texts/sw_innana.htm

[Wilde woman]

Dark Muse,

I'd only ever heard of Inanna in relation Ishtar and Aphrodite. I'd never heard of this story until I randomly ran across a (doubtlessly butchered) version of it in a recent sci-fi novel, Vellum (http://www.amazon.com/Vellum-Book-Hours-Hal-Duncan/dp/0345487311/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1284689130&sr=1-1) by Hal Duncan.

In it, one of the main characters is equated to Inanna and makes her descent into the Underworld as part of her mission to save her version of reality. (As far as I know, the original does not give her motivations for the descent, correct? I'll have to look at your link soon.) In a largely incoherent book, I found this one of the most intriguing, and ultimately redeeming, passages. Luckily for you (if you decide to read it), this particular section comes early in the book.

Have you read any of Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles? (I thought I remembered you mentioning them somewhere.) If so, is Inanna (or her Egyptian counterpart) mentioned in any of Lestat's books? I seem to remember some character with a name similar to Enki or Enlil in Queen of the Damned.

[Dark Muse]

It has been a while sense I have read the myth but if my memory serves me right she makes he descent into the underworld on account of her husband who has died.

It has also been a while sense I have read Anne Rice, so I honestly cannot recall if Inanna is refered to in any form within those books, but I would not be surprsied if they were.