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179 that at that crucial moment, the rivalry between Ninurta—the legal heir, being the son of Enlil by his half-sister—and Nannar, the firstborn of Enlil by his official spouse Ninlil. had broken out in full force. Enlil. we are told, contemplated favorably the attributes of Nannar: "A firstborn . . . of beautiful countenance, perfect of limbs, wise without compare." Enlil "him loved" because he gave him the two all-important grandchildren, the twins Utu/Shamash and Inanna/Ishtar; he called Nannar SU.EN—"Multiplying Lord"—an endearing epithet from which there stemmed the Akkadian/Semitic name for Nannar: Sin. But as much as Enlil had favored Nannar, the fact was that it was Ninurta who was the legal heir; he was "Enlil's foremost warrior," and he led the Enlilites to victory. As Enlil wavered between Sin and Ninurta. Sin enlisted the help a a YG CoS SS De PS Ot On | RO he Lord"—an of his wife Ningal, who appealed to Enlil as well as to his spouse Ninlil, the mother of Sin: To the place of decision he called Ningal, Suen invited her to approach. A favorable decision she asked of the father . . . Enlil weighed [her words] . . . Before the mother she [pleaded] . . . "Remember the childhood," she said [to Ninlil] . . . The mother quickly embraced him. . . She said to Enlil: . . ."Follow your heart's desire". . . Could one ever imagine, in those far-reaching decisions that were to affect the fate of gods and men for millennia to come, that the female spouses had played such a decisive role? We read of Ningal coming to the aid of her husband; we see Ninlil being en- listed in persuading the wavering Enlil. But then there entered the scene yet another great goddess—and by her words achieved an unintended decision. . . . As Enlil was urged by Ninlil to "follow your heart" rather than his mind, to prefer the firstborn over the legal heir. "Ninurta opened his mouth and said ...". His words of oppo- sition are lost by a damage to the verses; but, as the tale is con- tinued, we learn that Ninharsag threw in her weight behind her son Ninurta: She cried out and lamented to her brother; Like a pregnant woman she was agitated, [saying:] "Inside the Ekur I call to my brother, Peace on Earth