Inaras

Inaras was the Hittite goddess of wild animals and a daughter of the storm god, Teshub.

When her father was defeated by the dragon Illuyankas, Inaras sought revenge. She set up a feast and recruited the mortal man Hupasiayas of Zigaratta, taking him as a lover and erasing his memories of his wife and children. Inaras lured Illuyankas and his children to the feast; once they were gorged on food, Inaras had Hupasiayas tie them up. This plot resulted in the storm god’s victory over Illuyankas.

Inaras gave Hupasiayas a cliffside house, warning him never to look out the window. He broke the prohibition and saw his wife and children, instantly remembering them. He begged to be allowed to go home. What happened to Hupasiayas and his family after that is unknown.

Sources

• Gurney, O.R. The Hittites. Rev. ed. New York: Penguin, 1990.
• Hoffner, Harry A. Hittite Myths. 2nd ed. Atlanta, GA: Scholars, 1991.
• Hooke, S.H. Middle Eastern Mythology. Mineola, NY: Dover, 2004.

SEE ALSO:

• Hittite Mythology
• Middle Eastern Mythology

SOURCE:

Storytelling: an encyclopedia of mythology and folklore – Edited by : Josepha Sherman – © 2008 by M.E. Sharpe, Inc.

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