f the temple which he drew was the plan of E-ninnu. And the brick
which rested in its mould upon the cushion was the sacred brick of
E-ninnu. And as for the ass which lay upon the ground, that, the goddess
said, was the patesi himself.

Having interpreted the meaning of the dream, the goddess Nina proceeded
to give Gudea instruction as to how he should go to work to build the
temple. She told him first of all to go to his treasure-house and bring
forth his treasures from their sealed cases, and out of these to make
certain offerings which he was to place near the god Ningirsu, in the
temple in which he was dwelling at that time. The offerings were to
consist of a chariot, adorned with pure metal and precious stones;
bright arrows in a quiver; the weapon of the god, his sacred emblem, on
which Gudea was to inscribe his own name; and finally a lyre, the music
of which was wont to soothe the god when he took counsel with himself.
Nina added that if the patesi carried out her instructions and made the
offerings she had specified, Ningirsu would reveal to him the plan on
which the temple was to be built, and would also bless him. Gudea bowed
himself down in token of his submission to the commands of the goddess,
and proceeded to execute them forthwith. He brought out his treasures,
and from the precious woods and metals which he possessed his craftsmen
fashioned the objects he was to present, and he set them in Ningirsu's
temple near to the god. He worked day and night, and, having prepared a
suitable spot in the precincts of the temple at the place of judgment,
he spread out upon it as offerings a fat sheep and a kid and the skin of
a young female kid. Then he built a fire of cypress and cedar and other
aromatic woods, to make a sweet savour, and, entering the inner chamber
of the temple, he offered a prayer to Ningirsu. He said that he wished
to build the temple, but he had received no sign that this was the will
of the god, and he prayed for a sign.

While he prayed the patesi was stretched out upon the ground, and the
god, standing near his head, then answered him. He said that he who
should build his temple was none other than Gudea, and that he would
give him the sign for which he asked. But first he described the plan
on which the temple was to be built, naming its various shrines and
chambers and describing the manner in which they were to be fashioned
and adorned. And the god promised that when Gudea should build th