Babylonian and Assyrian Literature Part 15

[Footnote 1: "a.s.sur 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.]

COLUMN V

EXPEDITION AGAINST KHUMBABA, AND BATTLE IN THE BLACK FOREST

At early dawn the shining ranks are ma.s.sed, 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 G.o.ds in bright array above them shine, By Ishtar led, with Samas, moon-G.o.d Sin, On either side with Merodac and Bel, And Ninip, Nergal, Nusku with his spell, The sixty G.o.ds 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 ma.s.sive walls which their great foe had reared; The mighty gates on heavy pivots hung, They broke, and on their brazen hinges swung With 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 zoned With her bright palaces and templed shrines, The sanctuaries of the G.o.ds, where pines Sigh on the wafting winds their rich perfumes; Where Elam's G.o.d with sullen thunder dooms From Kharsak's brow the wailing nation's round, And Elam's hosts obey the awful sound.

The giant here his castled city old Had strengthened, wrung his tributes, silver, gold; His palace ceiling with pure silver shines, And on his throne of gold from Magan's[1] mines In all his pride the conqueror exults, With wealth has filled his ma.s.sive iron vaults.

Oft from his marble towers the plains surveys, And sees his foes' most ancient cities blaze; While his _pa-te-si_ lead his allied hosts, And o'er his famous victories he boasts.

With Rimsin he allied when Erech fell, The King of Sarsa, whose great citadel Was 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 sound That 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! va.s.sals! sound the trump! 'tis Izdubar, To arms! our foes are on us from afar!"

His weapons seizes, drives his men in fear Before him with his ma.s.sive sword and spear, And as a tempest from his lips he pours His orders, while his warrior steed he spurs Along 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 surveyed Of pines and cedars thickly grown, and made A reconnoitre of his hidden foe.

The road was straight; afar the turrets glow With Samas' light, and all the G.o.ds arrayed, Ride o'er the pines and flash through their dark shade.

The glorious blaze of Accad's glistening spears One _kaspu_ pa.s.s, and now the foe appears; Beneath the deepest shadows of the pines Khumbaba stands with solid battle lines Before 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 G.o.ds 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 ma.s.s, And furious still meets ringing bronze and bra.s.s, 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 ma.s.sacres 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 G.o.ds 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!"]

COLUMN VI

HAND-TO-HAND CONFLICT OF THE RIVAL GIANTS--DEATH OF KHUMBABA

Now the black forest through, the Sar and seer Sought for their foe, Khumbaba, far and near; But he had fled when he beheld the G.o.ds In fury rushing from their bright abodes.

Now from the battle-field the King and seer The farthest limit of the forest near, And pa.s.sing on, the Sar thus to his seer: "The G.o.ds 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 snow Held 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 replied Before the Queen, who wrung her hands and cried; And Izdubar continued: "He, of war, It seems, doth lack in skill, and from afar He scents the battle, while his fighting men Their 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 p.r.o.ne.

My friend, if I mistake thee not, for war Thou art prepared, since thou upon the car Wast 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 prey Surround his carca.s.s on this glorious day: But stay! this giant I will slay alone, Although his weight is many _gur-ri_[2] stone; This giant's form the G.o.ds have surely made An 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 shield Received Khumbaba's stroke, and then doth wield His ma.s.sive 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 foe Now springs and rains upon him faster blows, Until his blade with fire continuous glows.

Khumbaba caught his blows on sword and shield With 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.]

ALCOVE II

TABLET V--COLUMN I

CORONATION OF IZDUBAR AS KING OF THE FOUR RACES, AND APPEARANCE OF ISHTAR IN HIS ROYAL PRESENCE, WHO SUES FOR HIS HAND

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 ca.n.a.ls, and yellow harvests tilled.

Grand Erech to the sight presents no walls In 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 Sar Before him eyes the Ka.s.site spoils of war, Khumbaba's crown of gold, and blazing gems, The richest of the Ka.s.site diadems, The royal sceptre of all Subartu, Of Larsa, Ur, Kardunia and Sutu The Sar upon his brow the crown now bound, Receives the sceptre while his courts resound With 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 skies His hands have built, where holy fires To Samas burn; its flame ne'er dies, To holiness lead man's desires.

He opens wide the fiery gates Of all the G.o.ds at Dintir old, Ka-ding-ir-a.[4] This day completes His grandeur--may it far be told Of our great Sar whose G.o.dly gate Wide 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 G.o.dly fame.

The richest robe of G.o.ds 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 sh.o.r.e.

The G.o.ddess 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 soar Above An-un-na-ci from every sh.o.r.e, And herald Ishtar's presence, Queen of Love, With music through the halls, around, above.