The first adventure of the mind a study of the legend Syria and Mesopotamia

Author's name: Firas Al-Sawadadar Publication: Al-Takween for Publishing and Distribution Year of publication: 2023 Literary classification: Philosophy and Thought Brief about the book: The myth is a sacred traditional story, meaning it has been transmitted from generation to generation, through oral narration. Making it the memory of the community that preserves its values, customs, rituals, and wisdom, and passes them to successive generations, and gives it the dominant power over souls. It is the strongest tool in education, normalization, and the channel through which a culture’s existence and continuity across generations are reinforced, even during periods of widespread writing, oral mythology has not lost its strength and influence. This is because clay tablets were preserved in temples and in kings’ libraries, and only played the role of preserving the myth from distortion through transmission. Senses remained the main means of its circulation. On more than one periodic occasion, myths were recited or sung at public religious celebrations, such as, for example, the New Year festivals in Babylon, where the Babylonian creation myth was recited and performed. And the spring festivals, where the suffering of the god Tammuz was recited and performed. Additionally, the myth is also a literary text, crafted in the most beautiful artistic form possible, and in the most powerful emotionally affecting style, which increased its dominance and influence. Literature and poetry had to wait a long time before they separated from the myth. Most Syrian, Sumerian, and Babylonian myths were put in the most beautiful poetic form possible. Homer composed most of the circulating myths of his era in poetry, in the Odyssey and Iliad. Alongside poetry and literature, myths created other arts such as theater, which began with the performance of main myths during religious festivals. Other arts like singing, music, and others were also driven by myths. After this, there is a book on the myth of the ancient East, and it is in the hands of the reader in its thirteenth edition. The researcher’s goal behind this book is to define the myth in ancient Syria and Mesopotamia, relying on the complete texts of the most well-known myths, which have been retrieved from more than one text and more than one translation. The researcher’s skill in presenting each myth within its overall context was clear, as each myth in this study took its place in the image of myths as a whole, deriving its interpretation from the overall structure of the study. His approach to presenting myths was based on collecting them from groups according to their themes, not according to chronological order or geographic distribution, because interpreting a myth seems difficult if it is not viewed through a comprehensive perspective that groups it with other myths dealing with the same subject. This is a new approach in studying the region’s myths. Additionally, the researcher, through the book’s pages, made a comprehensive comparison with the Hebrew Torah regarding the mythological texts contained therein, to show how much Jewish culture relied on Syrian and Babylonian culture in shaping the most important religious and cultural reference for the Jewish people, demonstrating the relationship between Syrian and Babylonian myths and the myths of neighboring peoples such as Egyptians and Greeks, tracing as much as possible the Eastern origins of Greek myths. As for why his research was limited to Syria and Mesopotamia without aiming at other ancient Eastern cultures, the researcher explains that this is due to three reasons: the first is the cultural unity existing in this part of the region; this unity gives any research about them a sense of harmony and integration. The second reason is the vastness and complexity of the subject, which does not allow a comprehensive study of the mythology of the ancient East in one book and by one author. The third reason is the researcher’s inclination towards the literature of this region, and his passion for its history and heritage. Furthermore, the researcher’s approach in this book was not aimed at a specific group of readers, but rather targeted multiple groups. The ordinary reader will find a new subject in this book compared to modern Arabic writings, as it is the first book to address the topic of myth at this level of comprehensiveness. The informed reader will find many new pieces of information and new interpretations. Those interested in comparative religions will find a number of points suitable for study and discussion, as will students of literature and Judaism. For specialists, the researcher hopes that the new perspectives and ideas presented in this book will open the door to fruitful dialogues.