The seers on silver couches round the throne;The hangings of the carved lintel thrownAside; the heralds cried: "The Sar! The Sar!The council opens our King Izdubar!"The Sar walked o'er the velvets to his throneOf gold inlaid with gems. A vassal proneBefore the Sar now placed the stool of gold,Arranged his royal robes with glittering foldOf laces, fringes rich inwove with pearls,Embroidered with quaint figures, curious twirls.Behind the throne a prince of royal bloodArrayed in courtly splendor, waiting stood,And gently waved a jewelled fan aloftAbove the Sar's tiara; carpets softFrom Accad's looms the varied tilings bright,In tasteful order, part conceal from sight.
The glittering pillars stand with gold o'erlaidIn rows throughout the room to the arcade,Within the entrance from a columned hall.The ivory-graven panels on the wallOn every side are set in solid gold.The canopy chased golden pillars holdAbove the throne, and emeralds and gemsFlash from the counsellor's rich diadems.In silence all await the monarch's sign:"This council hath been called, the hour is thineTo counsel with thy King upon a planOf conquest of our foes, who ride this plain,Unchecked around; these Suti should be drivenFrom Sumir's plain. Have ye our wrongs forgiven?Khumbaba hath enjoyed great Accad's spoilsToo long; with him we end these long turmoils.What sayest thou, Heabani?—all my seers?Hath Accad not her chariots and spears?"
Then one among the wisest seers arose"To save our precious tune which hourly flows,He should our seer, Rab-sak-i[1] first inviteTo lay his plans before the Sar, and lightMay break across our vision. I confessGreat obstacles I see, but acquiesceIn any plan you deem may bring success.The gods, I feel our cause will gladly bless."Another spoke, and all agree at lastTo hear the seer whose wisdom all surpassed.
Heabani modestly arose and said,And gracefully to all inclined his head:"O Sar! thy seer will gladly counsel giveTo thee, and all our seers; my thanks receiveFor thy great confidence in my poor skillTo crush our foes who every country fill.I with the Sar agree that we should strikeA blow against the rival king, who likeOur Sar, is a great giant king, and livesWithin a mountain castle, whence he grievesAll nations by his tyranny, and reignsWith haughty power from Kharsak to these plains.I'll lead the way, my Sar, to his wild home;'Tis twentykas-pu[2] hence, if you will come.A wall surrounds his castle in a wood,With brazen gates strong fastened. I have stoodBeneath the lofty pines which dwindle theseTo shrubs that grow in parks as ornate trees.The mighty walls will reach sixgars[3] in height,And two in breadth, like Nipur's[4] to the sight.And when you go, take with you many mules;With men to bring the spoils, and needed toolsTo break the gates, his castle overthrow:To lose no time, to-morrow we should go.To Erech, pines and cedars we can bringWith all the wealth of Elam's giant king,And Erech fill with glorious parks and halls,Remove theseman-u-bani,[5] ruined walls.Take to your hearts, ye seers, poor Erech's wrongs!Her fall, the bards of Elam sing in songs.I love dear Erech, may her towers shine!"He seized his harp, thus sung the seer divine:
"O Erech! thy bright plains I love;Although from thee thy seer did rove,My heart remained with thee!The foe destroyed thy beauteous towers,Sa-mu forgot to rain her showers,And could I happy be?
Mine eyes beheld thy fallen gates,Thy blood warm flowing in thy streets,My heart was broken then.I raised mine eyes and saw thy SarIn glory on his steed of war,And joy returned again!
I saw the foe in wild dismayBefore him flee that glorious day.With joy I heard the cryOf victory resound afar,Saw Elam crushed 'neath Accad's car:I shouted, Victory!
Away! till birds of prey shall rendHis flesh and haughty Elam bendBefore our mighty Sar!Beneath his forest of pine-treesThe battle-cry then loudly raise,We follow Izdubar!
And may the birds of prey surroundKhumbaba stretched upon the ground,Destroy his body there!And Izdubar alone be king,And all his people joyful sing,With glory crown him here!
All hail! All hail! our giant King,Theamaranti[6] for him bring,To crown him, crown him here,As King of Accad and Sutu,And all the land of Subar-tu!So sayeth Hea's seer!"
The counsellors and chieftains wildly cryAround the throne, "All hailizzu sar-riOf Su-bar-tu!" and shouting leave the hallsTo summon Accad's soldiers from the wallsTo hear the war proclaimed against their foes,And Accad's war-cry from them loud arose.King Izdubar Heabani warmly prestWithin his arms upon his throbbing breast,And said, "Let us to the war temple go,That all the gods their favor may bestow."The seer replied, "Tis well! then let us wendOur way, and at the altar we will bend,—To Ishtar's temple, where our goddess queenDoth reign, seek her propitious favor, thenIn Samas' holy temple pray for aidTo crush our foe;—with glory on each blade,Our hands will carry victory in war."The chiefs, without the temple, join their Sar.
[Footnote 1: "Rab-sak-i," chief of the high ones, chief of the seers and counsellors; prime minister.]
[Footnote 2: "Twenty kaspu," 140 miles; each kaspu was seven miles, or two hours' journey.]
[Footnote 3: "Six gars," 120 feet; each gar was a twenty-foot measure. Khumbaba's walls were thus 120 feet high and forty feet thick—much like the walls of Babylon.]
[Footnote 4: "Nipur" was one of the cities of Izdubar's kingdom, from whence he came to the rescue of Erech.]
[Footnote 5: "Man-u-ban-i," a tree or shrub of unpleasant odor mentioned by Heabani. See Sayce's revised edition Smith's "Chald. Acc. of Genesis," p. 254. The fragment translated by Mr. Sayce should be placed in another position in the epic.]
[Footnote 6: "Amaranti," amaranth. "Immortal amaranth."—"Par. Lost."]
[1]The richest and the poorest here must stay,Each proud or humble maid must take her way;To Ishtar's temple grand, a lofty shrine,With youth and beauty seek her aid divine.Some drive in covered chariots of gold,With courtly trains come to the temple old.With ribbons on their brows all take their seats,The richer maid of nobles, princes, waitsWithin grand chambers for the nobler maids;The rest all sit within the shrine's arcades.Thus fill the temple with sweet beauties, crones;The latest maids are the most timid ones.
In rows the maidens sat along the hallsAnd vestibules, on couches, where the wallsWere carved with mystic signs of Ishtar's feast;Till at the inner shrine the carvings ceased.Amid the crowd long silken cords were strungTo mark the paths, and to the pillows clung.The King through the great crowd now pressed his wayToward the inner shrine, where he may pray.The jewelled maidens on the cushioned seats,Now babbling hailed the King, and each entreatsFor sacred service, silver or of gold,And to him, all, their sweetest charms unfold.Some lovely were, in tears besought and cried,And many would a blooming bride provide;While others were deformed and homely, old,As spinsters still remained, till now grown bold,They raised their bony arms aloft and bawled.Some hideous were with harshest voices squalled,And hags likedal-khifrom the Under-World,Their curses deep, growled forth from where they curled.But these were few and silent soon became,And hid their ugliness away in shame.For years some maids had waited day and night,But beauty hides the ugly ones from sight.
The King astounded, eyed them seated round;Beneath their gaze his eyes fell to the ground."And hath great Accad lost so many sons,And left so many maids unmarried ones?"He eyed the image where the goddess stoodUpon a pedestal of cedar woodO'erlaid with gold and pearls anduk-nistones,And near it stands the altar with its conesOf gold adorned with gems and solid pearls,—And from the golden censer incense curls.Beside the altar stands a table grandOf solid metal carved with skilful hand;Upon it stands a mass of golden ware,With wines and fruits which pious hands prepare.The walls are glistening with gold and gems,The priestesses all wear rich diadems.The Sar now eyes the maidens, while they gaze;Thus they expectant wait, while he surveys.And see! he takes from them a charming girlWith Ishtar's eyes and perfect form, the pearlOf beauty of them all; turns to the shrine,When in her lap he drops a golden coin,And says, "The goddess Ishtar, prosper thee!"[2]She springs, for she from Ishtar's halls is free,And kneels and weeps before the monarch's feet,"O great and mighty Sar I thee entreat,My will is thine, but all my sisters free:Behold my sisters here imploring thee!"The King gazed at the beauteous pleading face,Which roused within his breast the noble raceBefore her heavenly charms transfixed he stood.Before her heavenly charms transfixed he stood.
"'Tis well! my daughter, I the favor grant!"And to the priestess said, "Let here be sentGreat coffers filled with gold! for I releaseThese maids. Let all their weary waiting cease,The price I'll send by messengers to thee."And all rejoicing sing a psalmody.A ring of maidens round the image forms;With flashing eyes they sing, with waving arms,A wilderness of snowy arms and feet,To song and dance the holy measure beat;A mass of waving ringlets, sparkling eyes.In wildest transport round each maiden flies,The measure keeps to sacred psalmody,With music ravishing,—sweet melody.The priestess leads for them the holy hymn,Thus sing they, measure keep with body, limb:
[3]"Let length of days, long lasting years,With sword of power, extend his holy life!With years extended full of glory, shine,Pre-eminent above all kings in strife.Oh, clothe our king, our lord, with strength divine,Who with such gifts to gods appears!
"Let his great empire's limits be,Now vast and wide, enlarged, and may he reign(Till it shall spread before his eyes complete)Supreme above all kings! May he attainTo silver hairs, old age, and nations greetOur sovereign in his royalty!
"When gifts are ended of Life's days,The feasts of the Land of the Silver Sky,With bliss, the Blest Abode Refulgent Courts,May he enjoy through all eternity,Where Light of Happy Fields with joy transportsAnd dwell in life eternal, holy thereIn presence of the gods with sacred cheer,With Assur's gods walk blessèd ways!"
When they have ended all their joyful song,They gratefully around their monarch throng;And kneeling at his feet, they bathe his handsWith tears of joy, and kiss the 'broidered bandsOf his bright robes, then joyous haste away;And Erech's shame was ended on that day.
And now the Sar as his libation poursThe sparkling sacred wine before the doorsThat lead to Ishtar's glorious inner shrine.He bows before her golden form divine,Thus prays:
[4]"In thy fair shrine I bow to thee,O Light of Heaven! bright thy majestyAs glowing flames upon the world doth dawn,Bright goddess of the earth, thy fixed abode!Who dawned upon the earth a glorious god!With thee prosperity hath ever gone.To gild the towers of cities of mankind!Thou warrior's god, who rideth on the wind!As a hyena fierce thou sendest war,And as a lion comes thy raging car.Each day thou rulest from thy canopyThat spreads above in glory,—shines for thee;O come, exalted goddess of the Sun!"
[5]Against the tyrant King I go to war,Attend mine arms, O Queen! with radiant carOf battles! ride upon the giant KingWith thy bright, fiery chargers! valor bringTo me at rising of the glistening carOf Samas, send attendants fierce of war!But goddess Mam-nutu of Fate and Death;Oh, keep away from me her blasting breath;Let Samas fix the hour with favor thine,And o'er mine unknown path, Oh ride divine!Thy servant strengthen with thy godly powerThat he invincible in war may tower,Against thy chosen city's greatest foe,Who brought on Erech all her deepest woe."And from the inner shrine with curtains hung,The Oracle of Ishtar sweetly sung:
"O King of vast unnumbered countries, hear!Thine enemy Khum-baba do not fear,My hands will waft the winds for thee.Thus I reveal!Khum-baba falls! thine enemy!Nor aught conceal.
"The harvest month[6] propitious shines,Array great Accad's battle lines!Before thy feet thy Queen descends,Before thy will thine Ishtar bends,To fight thine enemy,To war I go with thee!My word is spoken, thou hast heard,For thee, my favor thou hast stirred.As I am Ishtar of mine Or divine,Thine enemy shall fall! Be glory thine!
"Before mine Izdubar I go,And at thy side direct thy blow.I go with thee, fear not, my King,For every doubt and fear, I bringRelief, to thy heart rest!Of Sars, I love thee best!"
[Footnote 1: The account given by Herodotus of the worship of Beltis or Ishtar, if true (see Herodotus, i. 199), was one of the darkest features of Babylonian religion. It is probable that the first intention was only to represent love as heaven-born, and that it afterward became sensual in the time of Herodotus. (See Sayce's edition Smith's "C.A. of Gen.," p. 50.) The presence of the women may have been intended at first to present an innocent attraction. See also Rawlinson's "Ancient Monarchies," vol. iii. p. 21.]
[Footnote 2: See Herodotus, vol. i. p. 199. Ishtar was called Mylitta orBeltis in the time of Herodotus. We have taken the above description fromHerodotus, whose work is mostly confirmed by the cuneiform inscriptions.]
[Footnote 3: The above psalm is found in vol. iii. of Rawlinson's "British Museum Inscriptions," pl. 66, and was translated by H.F. Talbot, F.R.S., in vol. i. of the "Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archæology," p. 108, and also by M. Lenormant in his "Premières Civilisations," p. 177. We have used Mr. Talbot's transcription.]
[Footnote 4: See terra-cotta tablet numbered "S. 954" in the BritishMuseum; also translation by Rev. A.H. Sayce, M.A., in the "Records of thePast," vol. v. p. 157.]
[Footnote 5: See fragment in Sayce's edition Smith's "Chald. Acc. ofGen.," p. 220, col. iii.]
[Footnote 6: The harvest month was the month of Sivan, which is mentioned by the Oracle of Ishtar of Arbela. See "Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia," vol. iv. pl. 68; also "Records of the Past," vol. xi. pp. 61-62.]
He rose and raised the pendant mystic charmsAnd kissed them, and the jewels of her armsAnd ornaments upon her breast divine,And then her crown with jewels iridineHe placed upon his brow, and it returned;And from the shrine in reverence he turned;To Samas' temple all the chiefs of warAnd seers,pa-te-si,go with Izdubar.
Before the fire he stands where holy burnsThe flames of Samas. In a vase he turnsThe crimson wine, to Samas, God, he poursLibation, and his favor thus implores:
"O Samas, why hast thou established, raisedMe in thy heart?—protected? Men have praisedThee, Holy One! my expedition blessIn thine own will, O God, I acquiesce.I go, O Samas, on a path afar,Against Khumbaba I declare this war;The battle's issue thou alone dost know,Or if success attends me where I go.The way is long, O may thy son returnFrom the vast pine-tree forest, I would earnFor Erech glory and renown! DestroyKhumbaba and his towers! he doth annoyAll nations, and is evil to thy sight.To-morrow I will go, O send thy LightUpon my standards, and dark Nina-zuKeep thou away, that I may wary viewMine enemies, and fix for me the hourWhen I shall strike and crush Khumbaba's power.
To all the gods I humbly prayTo Izdubar propitious be![1]Assur Samas u Marduk-u,Ana Sar bel-ni-ya lik-ru-bu!"
And thus the Oracle with sweetest voiceTo him replied, and made his heart rejoice:
"Fear not, O Izdubar,For I am Bel, thy strength in war.[2]A heart of strength give I to thee!To trust, we can but faithful be!As thou hast shown to me.The sixty gods, our strongest ones,Will guide thy path where'er it runs;The moon-god on thy right shall ride,And Samas on thy left shall guide.The sixty gods thy will commandsTo crush Khumbaba's bands.In man alone, do not confide,Thine eyes turn to the gods,Who rule from their abodes,And trust in Heaven where powers abide!"
With joyous heart the Sar comes from the shrineTo bathe his brow in Samas' rays divine;Upon the pyramid he stands and viewsThe scene below with its bright varied hues.A peerless pile the temple grandly shoneWith marble, gold, and silver in the sun;In seven stages rose above the walls,With archways vast and polished pillared halls.A marble portico surrounds the massWith sculptured columns, banisters of brass,And winding stairways round the stages' side,Grand temples piled on temples upward glide,A mass of colors like the rainbow hues,Thus proudly rise from breezy avenues.The brazen gates lead to the temple's side,The stairs ascend and up the stages glide.The basement painted of the darkest blueIs passed by steps ascending till we viewFrom them the second stage of orange hueAnd crimson third! from thence a glorious view—A thousand turrets far beneath, is spreadO'er lofty walls, and fields, and grassy mead;The golden harvests sweep away in sightAnd orchards, vineyards, on the left and right;Euphrates' stream as a broad silver bandSweeps grandly through the glowing golden land,Till like a thread of silver still in sightIt meets the Tigris gleaming in the lightThat spreads along the glorious bending skies,The brightest vault of all the emperies.
Now rested from the cushioned seats we riseAnd to the stairway turn again our eyes;The fourth stage plated o'er with beaten goldWe pass, and topaz fifth till we beholdThe sixth of azure blue; to seventh glide,That glows with silvery summit where resideThe gods, within a shrine of silvery sheenWhich brightly glows, and from afar is seen.Without the temple, burnished silver shines;Within, pure gold and gems in rare designs.
[Footnote 1: "Assur Samas and Merodac" ("Unto the king, my lord, may they be propitious!"), the response of the priest to the prayer.]
[Footnote 2: See "Records of the Past," vol. xi. p. 63. These oracles seem to be formulas which are filled in with the monarch's name, and may apply to any king.]
At early dawn the shining ranks are massed,And Erech echoes with the trumpet's blast;The chosen men of Erech are in line,And Ishtar in her car above doth shine.The blazing standards high with shouts are raised,As Samas' car above grand Sumir blazed.The march they sound at Izdubar's command,And thus they start for King Khumbaba's land;The gods in bright array above them shine,By Ishtar led, with Samas, moon-god Sin,On either side with Merodac and Bel,And Ninip, Nergal, Nusku with his spell,The sixty gods on chargers of the skies,And Ishtar's chariot before them flies.
Across Cazina's desert far have come,The armies now have neared Khumbaba's home;Beneath grand forests of tall cedar, pine,And the dark shades near Khar-sak's brow divine.A brazen gate before them high appeared,And massive walls which their great foe had reared;The mighty gates on heavy pivots hung,They broke, and on their brazen hinges swungWith clanging roars against the solid wall,And sent through all the wilds a clarion call.Within his halls Khumbaba is enthroned,In grand Tul-Khumba's walls by forests zonedWith her bright palaces and templed shrines,The sanctuaries of the gods, where pinesSigh on the wafting winds their rich perfumes;Where Elam's god with sullen thunder doomsFrom Kharsak's brow the wailing nation's round,And Elam's hosts obey the awful sound.The giant here his castled city oldHad strengthened, wrung his tributes, silver, gold;His palace ceiling with pure silver shines,And on his throne of gold from Magan's[1] minesIn all his pride the conqueror exults,With wealth has filled his massive iron vaults.Oft from his marble towers the plains surveys,And sees his foes' most ancient cities blaze;While hispa-te-silead his allied hosts,And o'er his famous victories he boasts.
With Rimsin he allied when Erech fell,The King of Sarsa, whose great citadelWas stormed by Nammurabi the great Sar,Ninrad of Erech, our King Izdubar.Khumbaba's ally was by him o'erthrown,And thus appeared to take Khumbaba's throne.And now within his palace came a soundThat roared through all the forest, shook the ground:"Our foes! our foes! the gate! hear how it rings!"And from his throne the giant furious springs:"Ho! vassals! sound the trump! 'tis Izdubar,To arms! our foes are on us from afar!"His weapons seizes, drives his men in fearBefore him with his massive sword and spear,And as a tempest from his lips he poursHis orders, while his warrior steed he spursAlong his serried lines of bristling spears;Among the pines the army disappears.
The men of Accad now in squadrons form,Arrayed to take Khumbaba's towers by storm;While Izdubar the forest black surveyedOf pines and cedars thickly grown, and madeA reconnoitre of his hidden foe.The road was straight; afar the turrets glowWith Samas' light, and all the gods arrayed,Ride o'er the pines and flash through their dark shade.The glorious blaze of Accad's glistening spearsOnekaspupass, and now the foe appears;Beneath the deepest shadows of the pinesKhumbaba stands with solid battle linesBefore the marching host of Izdubar.The forest echoes with the shouts of war,As they sweep on with ringing battle cries,Now loudly echoed from the woods and skies:"Kar-ro! kar-ra![2] we follow Izdubar!"And through the forests fly the bolts of war.
The foe beheld the gods in wrath above,And Accad's charging lines toward them move,But bravely stand to meet the onset fierce,Their mailed armor, shields, no arrows pierce.And now in direst conflict meet the mass,And furious still meets ringing bronze and brass,Khumbaba on his mighty steed of war,Above the ranks towers high a giant Sar,And sweeps the men of Accad with his blade,Till to his breast a heap of corpses made,And fiercely urged his men to fight, to die;And Izdubar, with helmet towering high,His men has led with fury on the foe,And massacres each man with one fell blow,Who dares to stand in front with sword or spear,And fighting by him stands his valiant seer.The gods now rushing from the gleaming sky,With blazing weapons carry victory;The foe no longer stand before the sight,And shouting fly away in wild affright.Their monarch turned and slowly rode away;And Accad's hosts his men pursue and slay,Until the forest deep resounds with cries.To save himself each man in terror flies.
[Footnote 1: "Mag-an" or "Mizir," Egypt, or the famous mines of Africa.]
[Footnote 2: "Karra! kar-ra!" (cry out) "Hurrah! hurrah!"]
Now the black forest through, the Sar and seerSought for their foe, Khumbaba, far and near;But he had fled when he beheld the godsIn fury rushing from their bright abodes.Now from the battle-field the King and seerThe farthest limit of the forest near,And passing on, the Sar thus to his seer:"The gods have filled our foeman's heart with fear;He comes not forth to meet us 'neath his walls."But lo! within their sight, far from his halls,Khumbaba stands beside his steed of snowHeld by his queen, and eyes his coming foe.Heabani cries: "Behold the enemy!And with his queen from us disdains to fly!"And Izdubar turned to Heabani, said:"My seer, methought this King from us had fled;His army slain or scattered from us fly;But by our hands this monarch here must die."Heabani eyed Khumbaba, nor repliedBefore the Queen, who wrung her hands and cried;And Izdubar continued:"He, of war,It seems, doth lack in skill, and from afarHe scents the battle, while his fighting menTheir raids oft make, and here return again;His castle we may enter without fear,And thou his queen mayst have who standeth here,And now we end the reign of Elam's throne;So lend thy hand to strike this monarch prone.My friend, if I mistake thee not, for warThou art prepared, since thou upon the carWast wont to ride in former years now gone;And if he falls, a feast day of the Sun[1]We will appoint, and may the birds of preySurround his carcass on this glorious day:But stay! this giant I will slay alone,Although his weight is manygur-ri[2] stone;This giant's form the gods have surely madeAn enemy well worthy of my blade."
And Izdubar upon his foe advanced,Who waiting stood, and at him fiercely glanced,And naught replied; but raised his glory blade.Their furious glance, the giant's queen dismayed.She wildly eyed the rivals towering high,And breathless stood, then quickly turned to fly,As Izdubar upon his heavy shieldReceived Khumbaba's stroke, and then doth wieldHis massive blade as lightning o'er his head,He strikes the giant's helmet on the mead.Khumbaba, furious, strikes a mighty blow,Which staggers Izdubar, who on his foeNow springs and rains upon him faster blows,Until his blade with fire continuous glows.Khumbaba caught his blows on sword and shieldWith parries; thrusts returned, and naught would yield;And thus they fought, the peerless kings of war.Now Ishtar downward drove his raging car,And in Khumbaba's eyes her rays she cast,The giant turned his glance—it was his last;Unwary caught, his foe has swung his sword,Khumbaba's gory head rolls o'er the sward.
[Footnote 1: Smith's "Chald. Acc. of Gen.," Sayce's edition, p. 223, ls. 35 and 41.]
[Footnote 2: "Gur-ri," a measurement of weight corresponding to "ton"(?). It [Transcriber's note: missing, probably "was"] also used as a measurement of ships.]
To Erech's palaces returns the Sar,Rich laden with Khumbaba's spoils of war.The land of Ur with grandest glories shines—And gleams with palaces and towers and shrines.The plain with temples, cities, walls is filled,And wide canals, and yellow harvests tilled.Grand Erech to the sight presents no wallsIn ruins laid, but glows with turrets, halls;With splendor proudly shines across the plain.And now with joy he meets his courtly train;Their shouts of welcome rend the gleaming skies,And happiness beams from his people's eyes.Within the walls he rides with kingly pride,And all his chiefs and seers beside him ride;To his grand palace they now lead the way,To crown him king of Subartu this day.
Arrayed in splendor on his throne, the SarBefore him eyes the Kassite spoils of war,Khumbaba's crown of gold, and blazing gems,The richest of the Kassite diadems,The royal sceptre of all Subartu,Of Larsa, Ur, Kardunia and SutuThe Sar upon his brow the crown now bound,Receives the sceptre while his courts resoundWith shouts for Sar-dan-nu of Subartu,The Sar of Kip-rat arba[1] and Sutu,Of Sumir, Accad, Nipur, Bar-ili,[2]And Erech, Larsa, Mairu, and Kus-si,Of Mal-al-nak, Kitu;—the sky resounds—For Iz-zu-bar-ili,[3] from earth rebounds;For Nam-mu-rabi, Bar-bels king of fire.What king to his great glory can aspire?
The Zig-gur-at-u to the skiesHis hands have built, where holy firesTo Samas burn; its flame ne'er dies,To holiness lead man's desires.He opens wide the fiery gatesOf all the gods at Dintir old,Ka-ding-ir-a.[4] This day completesHis grandeur—may it far be toldOf our great Sar whose godly gateWide opens Heaven's joy for man,Of Iz-zu-bar-ili the great,Who rules from Khar-sak to the main.Within the entrance to the royal rooms,Queen Ishtar with her train in splendor comes,Her radiant form with glistening gems ablaze,And shining crescent with its glorious rays,Glow with bright Heaven's unremitting flame;Thus came the Queen of Love of godly fame.The richest robe of gods her form enshrines,With every charm of Heaven and earth she shines;Of their wide splendors robs the farthest skies,That she with love her hero may surprise.Her train she robes with liveries of Heaven,To her are all the dazzling splendors given.
The glittering court is filled with chiefs and seers,When Ishtar at the entrance now appears,The Ner-kalli,[5] her heralds at the door,As some grand sovereign from a foreign shore.The goddess proudly enters with her train,The spirits of the earth, and tossing main,From mountains, rivers, woods, and running streams;And every spirit where the sunlight gleams,Now fill the courts and palaces and halls,And thousands glowing bright surround the walls;Each wafting wind brings I-gi-gi[6] that soarAbove An-un-na-ci from every shore,And herald Ishtar's presence, Queen of Love,With music through the halls, around, above.From lyres and lutes their softest wooings bring,As Ishtar bows before her lover king.A halo from the goddess fills the halls,And shines upon the dazzling jewelled walls.The Sar and seers in wonder were amazedAt the sweet strains, and glorious light that blazed;Transfixed in silence stood, as she now spoke,And sweeter music through the palace woke.Like fragrant zephyrs, warbling from retreatsOf gardens of the gods, she thus entreatsFrom Izdubar her welcome, or a glanceOf love; and she the Sar would thus entrance:
"Thy wisdom, Sar, surpasses all mankind,In thee, O king! no blemish do I find.The Queen of Heaven favor seeks from thee,I come with love, and prostrate bend the knee.My follies past, I hope thou wilt forgive,Alone I love thee, with thee move and live;My heart's affections to thee, me have led,To woo thee to thine Ishtar's marriage bed.O kiss me, my beloved! I adoreThee! Hear me! I renounce the godly shoreWith all its hollow splendor where as queenI o'er the heavenly hosts, unrivaled reignIn grandest glory on my shining throne;And yet for thee my heart here pines alone,I cannot live without my Izdubar!My husband's love and simple word shall farSurpass the godly bond. O let me, king,Rest on thy breast, and happiness will clingTo all the blissful days which shall be thine.With glory of the skies, my love shall shine.O Izdubar, my king! this love belowIs grander here than mortals e'er can know,For this I leave my throne in yonder skies,And at the feet of love thy queen now lies.Oh, let me taste with thee the sweets of love,And I my love for thee will grandly prove,And thou shalt ride upon a diamond car,Lined with pure gold; and jeweled horns of warShall stud it round like rays of Samas' fire.Rich gifts whate'er my lover shall desire,Thy word shall bring to thee, my Sar-dan-nu!Lo! all the wealth that gods above can view,I bring to thee with its exhaustless store.Oh, come my love! within the halls, where moreThan I have named is found, all, all is thine;Oh, come with me within our halls divine!Amid the fragrant odors of the pines,And all shrubs and flowers, vines,Euphrates'zir-rithere shall sing for thee,And dance around thy feet with zi-mu-ri[7]And kings and lords and princes I will bringTo bow to thee, beloved, glorious king!With tribute from the mountains and the plains,As offerings to thee. Thy flocks shall twinsBring forth; and herds of fattened, lowing kineShall fast increase upon the plains divine.Thy warrior steeds shall prance with flowing manes,Resistless with thy chariot on the plain.Vast spoils, thy beasts of burden far shall bear,Unrivaled then shall be my king of war;And victory o'er all, thine eyes shall view,And loud acclaims shall rend the bright Samu."
[Footnote 1: "Kip-rat arba," the four races or regions.]
[Footnote 2: "Bar-ili," from "bar," gate, and "ili," of the gods—Babel, Bab—originates from the Accadian word "bar," Semitic "bab;" thus Babel was originally called "bar-ili." See Taylor and Furst. The latter renders it "Bar-(Bir-)Bel," "town of Belus."]
[Footnote 3: "Izzu-bar-ili" we believe to be the original name of Izdubar, afterward shortened to Izdubar, and means literally the fire-king of "bar-ili," or the "fire-king of the gate of the gods." This identifies him with Nimrod, the founder of Bar-bet or Babylon.]
[Footnote 4: Ka-ding-ir-a (Acc.), "gate of God"—Pinches.]
[Footnote 5: "Ner-kalli," or "Ner-ekalli," chief of the palace.]
[Footnote 6: "I-gi-gi," pronounced "e-gee-gee," spirits of heaven.]
[Footnote 7: "Zi-mu-ri," spirits of the light.]
Amazed the sovereign sat upon his throne;And while she wooed, his heart was turned to stone;In scorn replied:
"Rise Ishtar, Heaven's high queen,Though all thy wealth, possessions I had seenNow piled before me, all in gems and gold,Of all the wealth of Heaven there heaped of old,I nakedness and famine would preferTo all the wealth divine thou canst confer.What carest thou for earthly royalty?The cup of poison shall thy lovers see.Thou sawest me within a haunt awayFrom men. I lingered on that direful day,And took thee for a beauteouszi-re-mu[1]Orzi-ar-i-aor azi-lit-tu[2]And thou didst cause to enter love divine.Aszi-cur-un-i,spirit of the wine,Thou didst deceive me with thine arts refined,And love escaped upon the passing wind.Then to my palace come, and me there seek;Didst place thy mouth upon my lips, and wakeWithin my breast a dream of love and fire,Till I awoke and checked thy wild desire;Thou camest with the form of spirits fair,Didst hover o'er me in my chamber there.Thy godly fragrance from the skies above,A sign did carry of the Queen of Love:I woke, and thou didst vanish, then didst standAs mine own servant in my palace grand.Then as a skulking foe, a mystic spellDidst weave, and scorch me with the fires of hellWhile I was wrapped in sleep. Again I woke,I saw around medal-khi, sulphurous smoke,Which thou didst send around my royal bed;And I believed that I was with the dead,Withdal-khigloating over me in hell.Mysu-khu-lithen sought thy presence fell.Forever may thy wooing cease! for loveHath fled, may godly praises never moveUpon the lips of holy gods, or men,—Of thee, the god of Love ne'er speak again!I loved thee once; with love my heart inflamedOnce sought thee, but my troubles I have blamedUpon thee, for the dreams which thou didst send.Go! rest thy heart; and to thy pleasures wend!
"For Tammuz of thy youth thy heart once wailed,For years his weary form thy love assailed;Allala next, the eagle, lovest, toreHis wings. No longer could he joyful soarAnd float above the forest to the sky.Thou leavest him with fluttering wings to die.A lusty lion thou didst love, his mightDestroyed, and plucked his claws in fierce delight,By sevens plucked, nor heard his piteous cry.A glorious war-steed next thy love didst try,Who yielded to thee, till his strength was gone:For sevenkaspu[3] thou didst ride uponHim without ceasing, gave no food nor drink,Till he beneath thee to the earth did sink,And to his mistress, Sil-i-li, the steedReturned with broken spirit, drooping head.Thou lovest Tabulu, the shepherd king,And from his love continuous didst wringSem-uk-ki[4], till he to appease thy love,The mighty gods of heaven then sought to moveTo pity with his daily offerings.Beneath thy wand upon the ground he springs,Transformed to a hyena; then was drivenFrom his own city—by his dogs was riven.Next Is-ul-lan-u lov'st, uncouth, and rude,Thy father's laborer, who subject stoodTo thee, and daily scoured thy vessels bright:His eyes from him were torn, before thy sight.And chained before thee, there thy lover stood,With deadly poison placed within his food.Thou sayst:'O Isullanu, stretch thy hand!The food partake, that doth before thee stand!'Then with thy hand didst offer him the food.He said: 'What askest thou? It is not good!I will not eat the poison thus prepared.'Thy godly wand him from thy presence cleared,Transformed him to a pillar far away.And for my love Queen Ishtar comes this day?As thou hast done with others, would thy loveReturn to me, thine actions all doth prove."
The queen in fury from his presence turned,In speechless rage the palace halls she spurned;And proudly from the earth swept to the skies;Her godly train in terror quickly flies.
[Footnote 1: "Zi-re-mu," spirit of mercy or grace.]
[Footnote 2: "Zi-lit-tu," spirit of the mist.]
[Footnote 3: "Seven kaspu," fourteen hours; each kaspu was two hours.]
[Footnote 4: "Sem-uk-ki," translated by Sayce "stibium," antimony; byTalbot, "lütarish semukki," "thou who didst make evil with thy drugs."—"Trans. Soc. Bib. Arch.", vol. v. p. 110. Sayce's edition Smith's"C.A.G.," p. 229.]
Before the throne of Anu, Ishtar cries,And Anatu, the sovereigns of the skies:"O Sar, this king my beauty doth despise,My sweetest charms beholds not with his eyes."And Anu to his daughter thus replied:"My daughter, thou must crush his vaunting pride,And he will claim thy beauty and thy charms,And gladly lie within thy glorious arms."
"I hate him now, O Sar, as I did love!Against the strength of Anu let him proveHis right divine to rule without our aid,Before the strength of Anu let him bleed.Upon this giant Sar so filled with pride,Let Anu's winged bull[1] in fury ride,And I will aid the beast to strike him prone,Till he in death shall breathe his dying groan."And Anu said: "If thou to it shall joinThy strength, which all thy noble names defineThy glories[2] and thy power thus magnified,Will humble him, who has thy power defied,"And Ishtar thus: "By all my might as queenOf war and battles, where I proudly reign,This Sar my hands shall strike upon the plain,And end his strength and all his boastings vain.By all the noble names with gods I holdAs queen of war, this giant monarch bold,Who o'er mine ancient city thinks to reign,Shall lie for birds of prey upon the plain.For answering my love for thee with scorn,Proud monarch! from thy throne thou shalt be torn!"
For Ishtar, Anu from the clouds createsA shining monster with thick brazen platesAnd horns of adamant;[3] and now it fliesToward the palace, roaring from the skies.
[Footnote 1: "Anu's winged bull," Taurus, constellation of the heavens.]
[Footnote 2: "Glories" ("maskhi"). This word is not translated by Mr.Sayce.]
[Footnote 3: "Horns of adamant." Sayce translates in I. 22, col. v., horns of crystal—"thirty manehs of crystal," etc. The meaning probably of "zamat stone," as given by Smith, was a hard substance, such as the diamond or adamant. By some translators it has been rendered onyx, and others lazuli.]
The gods appear above to watch the fight,And Erech'smasarirush in affrightTo Izdubar, who sits upon his throne,Before him fall in speechless terror prone.A louder roar now echoes from the skies,And Erech's Sar without the palace flies.He sees the monster light upon the plain,And calls Heabani with the choicest menOf Erech's spearsmen armed, who fall in lineWithout the gates, led by their Sar divine.
And now the monster rushed on Izdubar,Who meets it as the god of chase and war.With whirling sword before the monster's face,He rains his blows upon its front of brassAnd horns, and drives it from him o'er the plain,And now with spreading wings it comes again,With maddened fury; fierce its eyeballs glare.It rides upon the monarch's pointed spear;The scales the point have turned, and broke the haft.Then as a pouncing hawk when sailing daft,In swiftest flight o'er him drops from the skies,But from the gleaming sword it quickly flies.Three hundred warriors now nearer drewTo the fierce monster, which toward them flew;Into their midst the monster furious rushed,And through their solid ranks resistless pushedTo slay Heabani, onward fought and brokeTwo lines and through the third, which met the shockWith ringing swords upon his horns and scales.At last the seer it reaches, him impalesWith its sharp horns: but valiant is the seer—He grasps its crest and fights without a fear.The monster from his sword now turns to fly;Heabani grasps its tail, and turns his eyeTowards his king, while scudding o'er the plain.So quickly has it rushed and fled amain,That Izdubar its fury could not meet,But after it he sprang with nimble feet.
Heabani loosed his grasp and stumbling falls,And to his king approaching, thus he calls:"My friend, our strongest men are overthrown:But see! he comes! such strength was never known.With all my might I held him, but he fled!We both it can destroy! Strike at its head!"Like Rimmon now he flies upon the air,As sceptred Nebo,[1] he his horns doth bear,That flash with fire along the roaring skies,[2]Around the Sar and seer he furious flies.Heabani grasps the plunging horns, nor breaksHis grasp; in vain the monster plunging shakesHis head, and roaring, upward furious rears.Heabani's strength the mighty monster fears;He holds it in his iron grasp, and cries:"Quick! strike!" Beneath the blows the monster dies;And Izdubar now turned his furious faceToward the gods, and on the beast doth placeHis foot; he raised his gory sword on high,And sent his shout defiant to the sky:"'Tis thus, ye foes divine! the Sar proclaimsHis war against your power, and highest names!Hurl! hurl! your darts of fire, ye vilekal-bi![3]My challenge hear! ye cravens of the sky!"
[Footnote 1: "Nebo," the holder of the sceptre of power; also the god of prophecy.]
[Footnote 2: "Around" ("tarka"), or it may mean "between."]
[Footnote 3: "Kal-bi," dogs.]
The monarch and his seer have cleft the headFrom Anu's bull prone lying on the mead.They now command to bring it from the plainWithin the city where they view the slain.The heart they brought to Samas' holy shrine,Before him laid the offering divine.Without the temple's doors the monster lays,And Ishtar o'er the towers the bulk surveys;She spurns the carcass, cursing thus, she cries:"Woe! woe to Izdubar, who me defies!My power has overthrown, my champion slain;Accursèd Sar! most impious of men!"
Heabani heard the cursing of the Queen,And from the carcass cleft the tail in twain,Before her laid it; to the goddess said:"And wherefore comest thou with naught to dread?Since I with Izdubar have conquered thee,Thou hearest me! Before thee also seeThine armored champion's scales! thy beast is dead,"And Ishtar from his presence furious fled,And to her maids the goddess loudly callsJoy and Seduction from the palace halls;And o'er her champion's death she mourning cries,And flying with her maids, sped to the skies.
King Izdubar his summons sends afarTo view the monster slain by Erech's Sar.The young and old the carcass far surround,And view its mighty bulk upon the ground.The young men eye its horns with wild delight,And weigh them on the public scales in sightOf Erech. "Thirtymanehsweighs!" they cry;"Of purestzamatstone, seems to the eyeIn substance, with extremities defaced."Sixgurriweighed the monster's bulk undressed.As food for Lugul-turda, their Sar's god,The beast is severed, placed upon the wood.Piled high upon the altar o'er the fires.Then to Euphrates' waters each retiresTo cleanse themselves for Erech's grand parade,As Izdubar by proclamation bade.Upon their steeds of war with IzdubarThe chiefs and warriors extend afarWith chariots, and waving banners, spears,And Erech rings with their triumphant cheers.Before the chariot of their great Sar,Who with his seer rides in his brazen car,The seers a proclamation loud proclaimAnd cheer their Sar and seer; and laud the nameOf their great monarch, chanting thus his praise,While Erech's band their liveliest marches play:
"If anyone to glory can lay claimAmong all chiefs and warriors of fame,We Izdubar above them all proclaimOur Izzu-Ul-bar[1] of undying fame.Sar gabri la isu,Sar-dannu bu-mas-lu![2]
"He wears the diadem of Subartu,From Bar-ili[3] he came to Eridu;Our giant monarch, who of allbarri[4]Can rival him, our Nin-aradrabi?[5]Sar-dannu ina mati basi,Sar bu-mas-la e-mu-ki, nesi."[6]
Through the grand halls of Erech far resoundsThe feast their Sar proclaimed through all the groundsOf Erech's palaces; where he now meetsHis heroes, seers and counsellors, and greetsThem in his crowded festal halls.Grand banquets far are spread within the walls,And sparkling rarest wines each freely drank,And revels ruled the hour till Samas sank,And shadows sweep across the joyous plain,And Samas sleeps with Hea 'neath the main.The jewelled lamps are lit within the halls,And dazzling glory on the feasters falls.The rays o'er gems and richest garments shoneUpon the lords and ladies round the throne;While troops of dancing girls around them moveWith cymbals, harps and lutes, with songs of love.Again the board glows with rich food and wines,Now spread before them till each man reclinesUpon his couch at rest in the far night,And swimming halls and wines pass from their sight.
[Footnote 1: "Izzu-Ul-bar," the fire of Bel's temple.]
[Footnote 2: "The King who has no rival. The powerful giant King." The royal titles of Izdubar.]
[Footnote 3: "Bar-ili," temple, or country of the gods.]
[Footnote 4: "Barri," chieftains, army, soldiers.]
[Footnote 5: "Nin-arad rabi," "the servant of Nin, the King."]
[Footnote 6: "Who is the great king (in the land) of all countries, the powerful giant king, the lion!" The royal titles of Izdubar.]
The goddess Ishtar wrapped in darkness waitsUntil the goddess Tsil-at-tu[1] the gatesOf sleep has closed upon the darkened plain;Then lightly to the palace flies the Queen.O'er the King's couch she weaves an awful dream,While her bright eyes upon him furious gleam.Then o'er Heabani's couch a moment stands,And Heaven's curtains pulls aside with handsOf mystic power, and he a vision sees—The gods in council;—vanishing, she fleesWithout the palace like a gleam of light,And wakes the guard around in wild affright.
Next day the seer reveals to IzdubarHow all the gods a council held of war,And gave to Anu power to punish themFor thus defying Ishtar's godly claim;And thus the seer gave him his counsel, wellConsidered, how to meet their plottings fell:
"To Khasisadra go, who from the floodEscaped when o'er the earth the waters stoodAbove mankind, and covered all the ground;He at the river's mouth may yet be found.For his great aid, we now the seer must seek,For Anu's fury will upon us break.Immortal lives the seer beside the sea;Through Hades pass, and soon the seer mayst see."
Thus Izdubar replied, and him embraced:"With thee, Heabani, I my throne have graced;With thee I go, mine own companion dear,And on the road each other we may cheer,""The way is long, my King, and if I live,With thee I go, but oh, thou must not grieve,For perils great attend the way, and oldAm I: the suppleness of youth to holdMy strength I need, but it alas! is gone.My heart is ready, but I fear, my son,These crippled limbs which Anu's bull hath leftOf my strong vigor, have thy seer bereft.Too weak am I, for that long journey hardTo undertake; my presence would retardThee,—with these wounds; nor strength have I to lastTo guard my body in the mountain fast.But if thou wilt, my strength is thine, my King!To do thy will my agèd form shall springWith gladness, and all perils I'll defy;If need be, for thee will thy servant die."
"Heabani, noble one! my chosen seer!I love thee, bid thy loyal heart good cheer.He steeds may take to ride through all the way,With easy journeys on the road each day;From perils I will guard thee, and defend;To-morrow then we on our way will wend."
Equipped for the long journey they appearNext morn and leave, while Erech's people cheerThem on their way across the glowing plain,To perils dire they go—distress and pain.
[Footnote 1: "Tsil-at-tu," goddess of darkness, or shades of night.]
To Hades' darkened land, whence none return,Queen Ishtar, Sin's great daughter, now doth turn;Inclined her ear and listened through the voidThat lay beneath of every path devoid,The home of darkness, of the Under-World,Where god Ir-kal-la[1] from the heights was hurled.The land and road from whence is no return,Where light no entrance hath to that dark bourne;Where dust to dust returns, devouring clods;Where light dwells not in Tsil-lat-tus abodes;Where sable ravens hovering rule the air;O'er doors and bolts dust reigneth with despair.Before the gates of gloom the Queen now stands,And to the keeper Ishtar thus commands:"O keeper of the waters! open wideThy gate, that I through these dark walls may glide;But if thou open'st not the gate for me,That I may enter, shattered thou shalt seeThe doors and bolts before thee lying prone,And from the dust shall rise each skeleton,With fleshless jaws devour all men with thee,Till death shall triumph o'er mortality."The keeper to the Princess Ishtar said:"Withhold thy speech! or Allat's fury dread!To her I go to bid thee welcome here."To Allat then the keeper doth appear:"Thy sister Ishtar the dark waters seeks—The Queen of Heaven," thus Allat's fury breaks."So like an herb uprooted comes this Queen,To sting me as an asp doth Ishtar mean?What can her presence bring to me but hate?Doth Heaven's Queen thus come infuriate?"And Ishtar thus replies: "The fount I seek,Where I with Tammuz, my first love, may speak;And drink its waters, as sweet nectar-wines,Weep o'er my husband, who in death reclines;My loss as wife with handmaids I deplore,O'er my dear Tammuz let my teardrops pour."And Allat said, "Go! keeper, open wideThe gates to her! she hath me once defied;Bewitch her as commanded by our laws."To her thus Hades opened wide its jaws.
"Within, O goddess! Cutha thee receives!Thus Hades' palace its first greeting gives."He seized her, and her crown aside was thrown."O why, thou keeper, dost thou seize my crown?""Within, O goddess! Allat thee receives!'Tis thus to thee our Queen her welcome gives."Within the next gate he her earrings takes,And goddess Ishtar now with fury shakes."Then why, thou slave, mine earrings take away?""Thus entrance, goddess, Allat bids this day."At the third gate her necklace next he takes,And now in fear before him Ishtar quakes."And wilt thou take from me my gems away?""Thus entrance, goddess, Allat bids this day."And thus he strips the goddess at each gate,Of ornaments upon her breast and feetAnd arms; her bracelets, girdle from her waist,Her robe next took, and flung the Queen undrestWithin a cell of that dark solitude.At last, before Queen Ishtar Allat stood,When she had long remained within the walls,And Allat mocked her till Queen Ishtar fallsHumiliated on the floor in woe;Then turning wildly, cursed her ancient foe.Queen Allat furious to her servant cries:"Go! Naintar! with disease strike blind her eyes!And strike her side! her breast and head and feet;With foul disease her strike, within the gate!"
[Footnote 1: "Ir-kal-la," the King of Hades, who was hurled from the heights of heaven with the evil gods who rebelled with Tiamatu, the goddess of chaos, against the reign of the gods of heaven.]
When Ishtar, Queen of Love, from Earth had flown,With her love fled, and left all nature prone;From Earth all peace with love then fled amain.In loneliness the bull stalked o'er the plain,And tossed his drooping crest toward the sky,In sadness lay upon the green to die;On the far kine looked weary and bereaved,And turned toward the gods, and wondering grieved.The troubled kine then gravely chewed their cud,And hungerless in the rich pastures stood.The ass his mate abandoned, fled away,And loveless wives then cursed the direful day;And loving husbands kiss their wives no more,And doves their cooing ceased, and separate soar;And love then died in all the breasts of men,And strife supreme on earth was reveling then.
The sexes of mankind their wars divide,And women hate all men, and them deride;And some demented hurl aside their gowns,And queens their robes discard and jewelled crowns,And rush upon the streets bereft of shame,Their forms expose, and all the gods defame.Alas! from earth the Queen of Love has gone,And lovers 'void their haunts with faces wanAnd spurn from them the hateful thought of love,For love no longer reigns, all life to move.An awful thrill now speeds through Hades' doors,And shakes with horror all the dismal floors;A wail upon the breeze through space doth fly,And howling gales sweep madly through the sky;Through all the universe there speeds a pangOf travail. Mam-nu-tu[1] appalled doth hangUpon her blackened pinions in the air,And piteous from her path leads Black Despair,"The queen in chains in Hades dying lies,And life with her," they cry, "forever dies!"Through misty glades and darkened depths of space,Tornadoes roar her fate to Earth's sweet face;The direful tidings from far Hades pourUpon her bosom with their saddest roar;Like moans of mighty powers in misery,They bring the tale with awful minstrelsy.And Earth her mists wrapped round her face in woe,While icy pangs through all her breast deep flow.Her bosom sobbing wails a mighty moan,"Alas! forever my sweet queen hath flown!"With shrieks of hurricane, and ocean's groan,And sobbing of the winds through heights unknown,Through mountain gorges sweep her wails of woe,Through every land and seas, her sorrows flow:Oh, moan! oh, moan! dear mountains, lakes, and seas!Oh, weep with me dear plants, and flowers, and trees!Alas! my beauty fading now will die!Oh, weep, ye stars, for me in every sky!Oh, Samas, hide thy face! I am undone!Oh, weep with me Ur-ru,[2] my precious son.Let all your notes of joy, my birds, be stilled;Your mother's heart with dread despair is filled:
"Come back, my flowerets, with your fragrant dews;Come, all my beauties, with your brightest hues;Come back, my plants and buds and youngling shoots!Within your mother's bosom hide your roots.Oh, children, children! Love hath fled away,Alas! that life I gave should see this day!Your queen lies dying in her awful woe,Oh, why should she from us to Hades go?"
Wide Nature felt her woe, and ceased to spring,And withered buds their vigor lost, and flingNo more their fragrance to the lifeless air;The fruit-trees died, or barren ceased to bear;The male plants kiss their female plants no more;And pollen on the winds no longer soarTo carry their caresses to the seedOf waiting hearts that unavailing bleed,Until they fold their petals in despair,And dying, drop to earth, and wither there.The growing grain no longer fills its head,The fairest fields of corn lie blasted, dead.All Nature mourning dons her sad attire,And plants and trees with falling leaves expire.And Samas' light and moon-god's soothing raysEarth's love no more attracts; recurring daysAre shortened by a blackness deep profoundThat rises higher as the days come round.At last their light flees from the darkened skies,The last faint gleam now passes, slowly dies.Upon a blasted world, dread darkness falls,O'er dying nature, crumbling cities' walls.Volcanoes' fires are now the only light,Where pale-faced men collect around in fright;With fearful cries the lurid air they rend,To all the gods their wild petitions send.
[Footnote 1: "Mam-nu-tu," goddess of fate.]
[Footnote 2: "Ur-ru," the moon-god.]
O Hope! thou fleeting pleasure of the mind,Forever with us stay, our hearts to bind!We cling to thee till life has fled away;Our dearest phantom, ever with us stay!Without thee, we have naught but dread despair,The worst of all our torments with us here;Oh, come with thy soft pinions, o'er us shine!And we will worship thee, a god divine:Theignis fatuusof all our skiesThat grandly leads us, vanishes and dies,And we are left to grope in darkness here,Without a ray of light our lives to cheer.Oh, stay! sweet Love's companion, ever stay!And let us hope with love upon our way!We reck not if a phantom thou hast been,And we repent that we have ever seenThy light on earth to lead us far astray;Forever stay! or ever keep away!
When Papsukul beheld in man's abodesThe change that spread o'er blasted, lifeless clods,And heard earth's wailing through the waning light,With vegetation passing out of sight,From the doomed world to Heaven he quickly flies,While from the earth are rising fearful cries.To Samas' throne he speeds with flowing tears,And of the future dark he pours his fears.To Sin, the moon-god, Pap-su-kul now criesO'er Ishtar's fate, who in black Hades lies;O'er Earth's dire end, which with Queen Ishtar dies;To Hea he appeals with mournful cries:
"O Hea, our Creator, God and King!Queen Ishtar now is lying prone.To Earth, our godly queen again, oh, bring!I trust thy love, O Holy One!To all the gods who reign o'er us on highI pray! thus Hope thine aid implores,Release our queen! To Hades quickly fly!Thy Pap-su-kul with faith adores.
"The bull hath left the lowing kine bereaved,And sulking dies in solitude;The ass hath fled away, his mates hath grieved,And women are no more imbuedWith love, and drive their husbands far away,And wives enjoy not their caress;All peace and love have gone from earth this day,And love on earth knows not its bliss.
"The females die through all the living world,Among all beasts, and men, and plants;All love from them on earth have madly hurled,For blissful love no more each pants;And Samas' light is turned away from Earth,And left alone volcanoes' fire;The land is filled with pestilence and dearth,All life on earth will soon expire."
When Hea heard the solemn chant of Hope,From his high throne he let his sceptre drop,And cried: "And thus, I rule o'er all mankind!For this, I gave them life, immortal mind;To earth's relief, my herald shall quick go,I hear thy prayer, and song of Ishtar's woe."
"Go! At-su-su-namir, with thy bright head!With all thy light spring forth! and quickly speed;Towards the gates of Hades, turn thy face!And quickly fly for me through yonder space.Before thy presence may the seven gatesOf Hades open with their gloomy grates;May Allat's face rejoice before thy sight,Her rage be soothed, her heart filled with delight;But conjure her by all the godly names,And fearless be,—towards the roaring streamsIncline thine ear, and seek the path there spread.Release Queen Ishtar! raise her godly head!And sprinkle her with water from the stream;Her purify! a cup filled to the brimPlace to her lips that she may drink it all.The herald as a meteor doth fall,With blazing fire disparts the hanging gloomAround the gates of that dark world of doom."