Babylonian and Assyrian Literature Part 25

"So thus you visit all these realms of woe, To torture them with hopes they ne'er can know?

Avaunt! If this thy mission is on Earth Or h.e.l.l, thou leavest after thee but dearth!"

"Not so, my King! behold yon glorious sphere, Where G.o.ds at last take all these souls from here!

Adieu! thou soon shalt see the World of Light, Where joy alone these souls will e'er delight."

The G.o.d now vanishes away from sight, The hero turns his face toward the light; Nine _kaspu_ walks, till weird the rays now gleam, As _zi-mu-ri_ behind the shadows stream.

He sees beyond, umbrageous grots and caves, Where odorous plants entwine their glistening leaves.

And lo! the trees bright flashing gems here bear!

And trailing vines and flowers do now appear, That spread before his eyes a welcome sight, Like a sweet dream of some mild summer night.

But, oh! his path leads o'er that awful stream, Across a dizzy arch 'mid sulphurous steam That covers all the grimy bridge with slime.

He stands perplexed beside the waters grime, Which sluggish move adown the limbo black, With murky waves that writhe demoniac,-- As ebon serpents curling through the gloom And hurl their inky crests, that silent come Toward the yawning gulf, a tide of hate; And sweep their dingy waters to Realms of Fate.

He cautious climbs the slippery walls of gloom, And dares not look beneath, lest Fate should come; He enters now the stifling clouds that creep Around the causeway, while its shadows sleep Upon the stream that sullen moves below,--

He slips!--and drops his torch! it far doth glow Beneath him on the rocks! Alas, in vain He seeks a path to bring it back again.

It moves! s.n.a.t.c.hed by a _dal-khu's_ hand it flies Away within the gloom, then falling dies Within those waters black with a loud hiss That breaks the silence of that dread abyss.

He turns again, amid the darkness gropes, And careful climbs the cragged, slimy slopes, And now he sees, oh, joy! the light beyond!

He springs! he flies along the glowing ground, And joyous dashes through the waving green That l.u.s.trous meets his sight with rays serene, Where trees pure amber from their trunks distil, Where sweet perfumes the groves and arbors fill, Where zephyrs murmur odors from the trees, And sweep across the flowers, carrying bees With honey laden for their nectar store; Where humming sun-birds upward flitting soar O'er groves that bear rich jewels as their fruit, That sparkling tingle from each youngling shoot, And fill the garden with a glorious blaze Of chastened light and tender thrilling rays.

He glides through that enchanted mystic world, O'er streams with beds of gold that sweetly twirled With woven splendor 'neath the blaze of gems That crown each tree with glistening diadems.

The sounds of streams are weft with breezes, chant Their arias with trembling leaves,--the haunt Of G.o.ds! O how the tinkling chorus rings!-- With rhythms of the unseen rustling wings Of souls that hover here where joy redeems Them with a happiness that ever gleams.

The hero stands upon a damasked bed Of flowers that glow beneath his welcome tread, And softly sink with 'luring odors round, And beckon him to them upon the ground.

Amid rare pinks and violets he lies, And one sweet pink low bending near, he eyes.

With tender petals thrilling on its stem, It lifts its fragrant face and says to him, "Dear King, wilt thou love me as I do thee?

We love mankind, and when a mortal see We give our fragrance to them with our love, Their love for us our inmost heart doth move."

The King leans down his head, it kissing, says, "Sweet beauty, I love thee? with thy sweet face?

My heart is filled with love for all thy kind.

I would that every heart thy love should find."

The fragrant floweret thrills with tenderness, With richer fragrance answers his caress.

He kisses it again and lifts his eyes, And rises from the ground with glad surprise.

And see! the glorious spirits cl.u.s.tering round!

They welcome him with sweet melodious sound.

We hear their golden instruments of praise, As they around him whirl a threading maze; In great delight he views their beckoning arms, And l.u.s.trous eyes, and perfect, moving forms.

And see! he seizes one bright, charming girl, As the enchanting ring doth nearer whirl; He grasps her in his arms, and she doth yield The treasure of her lips, where sweets distilled Give him a joy without a taint of guilt.

It thrills his heart-strings till his soul doth melt, A kiss of chast.i.ty, and love, and fire, A joy that few can dare to here aspire.

The beauteous spirit has her joy, and flees With all her sister spirits 'neath the trees.

And lo! the _gesdin_[2] shining stands, With crystal branches in the golden sands, In this immortal garden stands the tree, With trunk of gold, and beautiful to see.

Beside a sacred fount the tree is placed, With emeralds and unknown gems is graced, Thus stands, the prince of emeralds,[3] Elam's tree, As once it stood, gave Immortality To man, and bearing fruit, there sacred grew, Till Heaven claimed again Fair Eridu.[4]

The hero now the wondrous fountain eyes; Its beryl base to ruby stem doth rise, To emerald and sapphire bands that glow, Where the bright curvings graceful outward flow; Around the fountain to its widest part, The wondrous lazite bands now curling start And mingle with bright amethyst that glows, To a broad diamond band,--contracting grows To _uk-ni_ stone, turquoise, and cl.u.s.tering pearls, Inlaid with gold in many curious curls Of twining vines and tendrils bearing birds, Among the leaves and blooming flowers, that words May not reveal, such loveliness in art, With fancies spirit hands can only start From plastic elements before the eye, And mingle there the charms of empery.

Beneath two diamond doves that shining glow Upon the summit, the bright waters flow, With aromatic splendors to the skies, While glistening colors of the rainbow rise.

Here ends the tablet,[5] "When the hero viewed The fountain which within the garden stood."

[Footnote 1: "La-Atzu," Hades, h.e.l.l, the spirit-world.]

[Footnote 2: "Gesdin," the Tree of Life and Immortality.]

[Footnote 3: See Sayce's edition Smith's "Chald. Acc. of Gen.," p. 264.]

[Footntoe 4: "Eridu," the Garden of Eden. Idem, pp. 84-86.]

[Footnote 5: "Tablet of the series; when the hero Izdubar saw the fountain."--Sayce's edition Smith's "Chald. Acc. of Gen.," p. 264, l. 14.]

TABLET VIII--COLUMN I

THE KING'S ADVENTURE AT THE GATE OF THE GARDEN OF THE G.o.dS WITH THE TWO MAIDENS--ONE OF THEM LEADS HIM INTO THE HAPPY HALLS--SONGS OF THE SABITU AND ZI-SI.

A gate half opened shows the silvery sea Yet distant shining lambent on his way.

And now he sees young Siduri,[1] whose breast Infuses life; all nature she hath blest, Whose lips are flames, her arms are walls of fire, Whose love yields pleasures that can never tire, She to the souls who joy on earth here miss, Grants them above a holier, purer bliss.

The maiden sits within a holy shrine Beside the gate with l.u.s.trous eyes divine, And beckons to the King, who nearer comes, And near her glows the Happy Palace domes.

And lo! 'tis she his lips have fondly kissed Within the garden, when like fleeing mist She disappeared with the bright spirit Seven,[2]

The Sabit, who oft glide from earth to Heaven.

And lo! one of the Seven, Sabitu, Emerging from the gate doth jealous view The coming hero who hath kissed her mate, She angry springs within to close the gate, And bars it, enters then the inner halls, And Izdubar to her now loudly calls, "O Sabitu! what see-est thou, my maid?

Of Izdubar is Sabitu afraid?

Thy gate thou barrest thus before my face.

Quick, open for me! or I'll force the bra.s.s!"

The maid now frightened opens wide the door.

The Sar and Siduri now tread the floor Of the bright palace where sweet joy doth reign.

Through crystal halls 'neath golden roofs the twain Next go within a lofty ceilinged hall, With shining pearled columns, golden wall, And purple silken hangings at each door, With precious gems inlaid upon the floor; Where couches grand are spread for one to rest Beneath the softened rays that sweet invest The senses with a thrill of happiness; Where Siduri with joy all souls doth bless.

The maid sits on a couch and turns her face Toward the King with that immortal grace That love to G.o.ds and men will e'er bestow.

Their eyes now mingling with a happy glow, The maiden sweetly says: "Where wouldst thou go?

Within these Happy Halls we joy but know, And if thou wilt, my King, my heart is thine!

Our love will ever bring us bliss divine."

"Alas, my maid, thy love to me is dear, And sad am I that I must go from here.

I came from Erech by advice from one I loved more than thou canst e'er know, but gone From me is my Heabani, faithful seer.

Across a desert waste have I come here, And he has there to dust returned,--to dust-- O how the love of my friend I did trust!

I would that we had never started here, I now must find the great immortal seer."

The maiden turns her glowing eyes on him, Replies: "My King, thou knowest joy may gleam, Take courage, weary heart, and sing a song!

The hour of sorrow can never be long; The day will break, and flood thy soul with joy, And happiness thy heart will then employ!

Each day must end with all its sorrow, woe, Oh, sing with me, dear heart! I love thee so!"

And lo! the curtains flung aside, now comes The joyous Sabitu from yonder rooms, And gathering round, a song they gayly sing, Oh, how with music the bright walls now ring!

If evil thou hast done, my King,

Oh, pray! oh, pray!

And to the G.o.ds thy offerings bring, And pray! and pray!

The sea is roaring at thy feet, The storms are coming, rain and sleet; To all the G.o.ds, Oh, pray to them! oh, pray!

_Chorus_

To all the G.o.ds, Oh, pray to them! oh, pray!