Babylonian and Assyrian Literature Part 13

The seers on silver couches round the throne; The hangings of the carved lintel thrown Aside; the heralds cried: "The Sar! The Sar!

The council opens our King Izdubar!"

The Sar walked o'er the velvets to his throne Of gold inlaid with gems. A va.s.sal p.r.o.ne Before the Sar now placed the stool of gold, Arranged his royal robes with glittering fold Of laces, fringes rich inwove with pearls, Embroidered with quaint figures, curious twirls.

Behind the throne a prince of royal blood Arrayed in courtly splendor, waiting stood, And gently waved a jewelled fan aloft Above the Sar's tiara; carpets soft From Accad's looms the varied tilings bright, In tasteful order, part conceal from sight.

The glittering pillars stand with gold o'erlaid In rows throughout the room to the arcade, Within the entrance from a columned hall.

The ivory-graven panels on the wall On every side are set in solid gold.

The canopy chased golden pillars hold Above the throne, and emeralds and gems Flash from the counsellor's rich diadems.

In silence all await the monarch's sign: "This council hath been called, the hour is thine To counsel with thy King upon a plan Of conquest of our foes, who ride this plain, Unchecked around; these Suti should be driven From Sumir's plain. Have ye our wrongs forgiven?

Khumbaba hath enjoyed great Accad's spoils Too 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 invite To lay his plans before the Sar, and light May break across our vision. I confess Great obstacles I see, but acquiesce In any plan you deem may bring success.

The G.o.ds, I feel our cause will gladly bless."

Another spoke, and all agree at last To hear the seer whose wisdom all surpa.s.sed.

Heabani modestly arose and said, And gracefully to all inclined his head: "O Sar! thy seer will gladly counsel give To thee, and all our seers; my thanks receive For thy great confidence in my poor skill To crush our foes who every country fill.

I with the Sar agree that we should strike A blow against the rival king, who like Our Sar, is a great giant king, and lives Within a mountain castle, whence he grieves All nations by his tyranny, and reigns With haughty power from Kharsak to these plains.

I'll lead the way, my Sar, to his wild home; 'Tis twenty _kas-pu_[2] hence, if you will come.

A wall surrounds his castle in a wood, With brazen gates strong fastened. I have stood Beneath the lofty pines which dwindle these To shrubs that grow in parks as ornate trees.

The mighty walls will reach six _gars_[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 tools To break the gates, his castle overthrow: To lose no time, to-morrow we should go.

To Erech, pines and cedars we can bring With all the wealth of Elam's giant king, And Erech fill with glorious parks and halls, Remove these _man-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 Sar In glory on his steed of war, And joy returned again!

I saw the foe in wild dismay Before him flee that glorious day.

With joy I heard the cry Of victory resound afar, Saw Elam crushed 'neath Accad's car: I shouted, Victory!

Away! till birds of prey shall rend His flesh and haughty Elam bend Before our mighty Sar!

Beneath his forest of pine-trees The battle-cry then loudly raise, We follow Izdubar!

And may the birds of prey surround Khumbaba 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, The _amaranti_[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 cry Around the throne, "All hail _izzu sar-ri_ Of Su-bar-tu!" and shouting leave the halls To summon Accad's soldiers from the walls To hear the war proclaimed against their foes, And Accad's war-cry from them loud arose.

King Izdubar Heabani warmly prest Within his arms upon his throbbing breast, And said, "Let us to the war temple go, That all the G.o.ds their favor may bestow."

The seer replied, "Tis well! then let us wend Our way, and at the altar we will bend,-- To Ishtar's temple, where our G.o.ddess queen Doth reign, seek her propitious favor, then In Samas' holy temple pray for aid To 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."]

COLUMN III

THE KING WORSHIPS AT THE SHRINE OF ISHTAR

[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 n.o.bles, princes, waits Within grand chambers for the n.o.bler 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 halls And vestibules, on couches, where the walls Were carved with mystic signs of Ishtar's feast; Till at the inner shrine the carvings ceased.

Amid the crowd long silken cords were strung To mark the paths, and to the pillows clung.

The King through the great crowd now pressed his way Toward the inner shrine, where he may pray.

The jewelled maidens on the cushioned seats, Now babbling hailed the King, and each entreats For 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 like _dal-khi_ from 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 G.o.ddess stood Upon a pedestal of cedar wood O'erlaid with gold and pearls and _uk-ni_ stones, And near it stands the altar with its cones Of gold adorned with gems and solid pearls,-- And from the golden censer incense curls.

Beside the altar stands a table grand Of solid metal carved with skilful hand; Upon it stands a ma.s.s 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 girl With Ishtar's eyes and perfect form, the pearl Of beauty of them all; turns to the shrine, When in her lap he drops a golden coin, And says, "The G.o.ddess 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 n.o.ble race Before her heavenly charms transfixed he stood.

Before her heavenly charms transfixed he stood.

"'Tis well! my daughter, I the favor grant!"