Although scholars once assumed that there was only one epic relating Enmerkar's subjugation of a ri.... enmerkar aratta

Enmerkar therefore requested his sister, the goddess , to aid him in acquiring material and manpower from Aratta; she agreed and advised him to send a threatening message to the lord of Aratta. Though Enmerkar complied, the lord of Aratta refused to complete his part of the agreement; threatening messages were again sent out by both men, each claiming the aid and sanction of the goddess Inanna. The other epic relating the defeat of Aratta is known as Enmerkar and Ensuhkeshdanna . Although the members of Ensuhkeshdanna's council advised him to comply with Enmerkar, he listened instead to a local priest, who promised to make Uruk subject to Aratta. A third epic, Lugalbanda and Enmerkar , tells of the heroic journey to Aratta made by Lugalbanda in the service of Enmerkar. In order to save his domain, Enmerkar required the aid of Inanna, who was in Aratta. enmerkar aratta