The Gods' Whims

            The poems Babylonian Theodicy and Poem of the Righteous Sufferer both share the similar theme of negative things occurring to those who worship the gods. This reoccurring theme is likely used to tell the Mesopotamian reader that humans are helpless to the gods whims, and that the reader should accept what the gods have occur to them.

In Babylonian Theodicy, the protagonist wonders why his goddess would make his “assets vanish,” his “resources dwindle,” and bring his “prosperity [to a] standstill” (28-9). This occurs to him even though he worships the gods. As he says, “those who pray to a goddess have grown poor and destitute” (71). Even though the protagonist worships the gods, less devout people exist who are much more successful than he is. This reinforces the poet’s message that humans are at the whim of the gods, even if those whims are not fair.

Poem of the Righteous Sufferer also depicts a story of a devout man falling from wealth. The story begins with the protagonist proclaiming his ‘praie [for] the lord of wisdom, solicitous god… Marduk” (1-2). Though the protagonist reveres his god, Marduk still brings misfortune upon him. The protagonist deals with losing friends, wealth, and eventually his health. The protagonist suffers until Marduk has a change of mind, and saves him from death. Marduk exemplifies the message that the gods can bring someone to ruin or save someone from death, and that humans can do nothing to change this.

            The purpose for such a negative outlook on humans’ position with the gods is probably used to explain why troubles fall on everyone. Like, the Epic of Creation, the story probably serves to explain events in the world, so that humans can understand why both devout and not devout people are vulnerable to good or bad events, and how to conduct oneself in the gods’ eyes.