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.
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SOURCE:
Storytelling: an encyclopedia of mythology and folklore – Edited by : Josepha Sherman – © 2008 by M.E. Sharpe, Inc.
Inaras was in Near Eastern mythology (Hittite), a goddess who helped slay the evil dragon Illuyankas. She made the dragon drunk with wine, and with the aid of her lover, Hupasiyas, she had the dragon trussed up with a cord and killed by the weather god. As a reward for helping her, Inaras had a house constructed for her lover Hupasiyas but told him never to look out the window or he would see his mortal wife and children. He disobeyed and was killed by Inaras.
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SOURCE:
Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition – Written by Anthony S. Mercatante & James R. Dow– Copyright © 2009 by Anthony S. Mercatante