Babylonian and Assyrian Literature Part 32

The cruel spirit, the strong spirit of the head, the head-spirit that departs not, the head-spirit that goes not forth, the head-spirit that will not go, the noxious head-spirit. Spirit of heaven remember, spirit of earth remember.

TABLET VII

The poisonous spittle of the mouth[1] which is noxious to the voice, the phlegm which is destructive to the ..., the pustules of the _lungs_, the pustule of the body, the loss of the nails, the removal (and) dissolving of old _excrement_, the _skin_ which is _stripped off_, the recurrent ague of the body, the food which hardens in a man's body, the food which returns after being eaten, the drink which distends after drinking, death by poison, from the swallowing of the mouth which distends, the unreturning wind from the desert. Spirit of heaven remember, spirit of earth remember.

[Footnote 1: That would be consumption.]

TABLET VIII

May Nin-cigal,[1] the wife of Nin-a'su, turn her face toward another place; may the noxious spirit go forth and seize another; may the propitious cherub and the propitious genie settle upon his body. Spirit of heaven remember, spirit of earth remember.

[Footnote 1: "Nin-cigal" ("The Lady of the Mighty Earth") was Queen of Hades and a form of "Allat" or "Istar." She is also identified with Gula or Bahu (the Bohu or "Chaos" of Gen. i. 2), "The Lady of the House of Death," and wife of Hea or Nin-a'su.]

TABLET IX

May Nebo, the great steward, the recliner (or _incubus_) supreme among the G.o.ds, like the G.o.d who has begotten him, seize upon his head; against his life may he not break forth. Spirit of heaven remember, spirit of earth remember.

TABLET X

(On) the sick man by the sacrifice of mercy may perfect health shine like bronze; may the Sun-G.o.d give this man life; may Merodach, the eldest son of the deep (give him) strength, prosperity, (and) health. Spirit of heaven remember, spirit of earth remember.

ACCADIAN HYMN TO ISTAR

TRANSLATED BY REV. A.H. SAYCE, M.A.

The following is one of the many early Chaldean hymns that were incorporated into a collection which M. Lenormant has aptly compared with the Rig-Veda of India. The concluding lines show that it originally belonged to the city of Erech (now Warka). The date of its composition must be exceedingly remote, and this increases the interest of the astronomical allusions contained in it. The original Accadian text is given, with an interlinear a.s.syrian translation, as is usually the case with hymns of this kind. The terra-cotta tablet on which it is found is numbered S, 954, being one of those that have been recently brought back from a.s.syria by Mr. George Smith, who has translated the Reverse in his "a.s.syrian Discoveries," pp. 392, 393. I owe a copy of the text to the kindness of Mr. Boscawen. It is of considerable importance for the study of a.s.syrian grammar.

ACCADIAN HYMN TO ISTAR

OBVERSE

1 Light of heaven, who like the fire dawnest on the world, (art) thou.

2 G.o.ddess in the earth, in thy fixed abode, 3 who dawnest[1] like the earth, (art) thou.

4 (As for) thee, prosperity approaches thee.

5 To the house of men in thy descending (thou goest).

6 A hyena, which as they go in warlike strength are made to march, (art) thou.

7 A lion, which into the midst is wont to march, (art) thou.

8 Day (is thy) servant, heaven (thy) canopy.

9 The servant of Istar;[2] heaven (is thy) canopy.

10 Princess of the four cities, head of the sea,[3] heaven (is thy) canopy.

11 The exalted of the Sun-G.o.d, heaven (is thy) canopy.

12 For the revolver of the seasons sanctuaries I build, a temple I build.

13 For my father the Moon-G.o.d, the revolver of the seasons, sanctuaries I build, a temple I build.

14 For my brother the Sun-G.o.d, the revolver of the seasons, sanctuaries I build, a temple I build.

15 (As for) me, for Nannaru[4] I build the precinct, for the revolver of seasons sanctuaries I build, a temple I build.

16 In heaven _he laid the hand_; for the revolver of seasons sanctuaries I build, a temple I build.

17 In the beginning (thou art) my begetter; in the beginning (thou art) my begetter.

18 In the beginning the G.o.ddess _spoke thus to men_: 19 The Lady of heaven,[5] the divinity of the zenith, (am) I.

20 The Lady of heaven, the divinity of the dawn, (am) I.

21 The Queen of heaven, the opener of the locks of the high heaven, my begetter.

22 Heaven she benefits, earth she enlightens;[6] my begetter.

23 The benefiter of heaven, the enlightener[7] of earth; my begetter.

[Footnote 1: The a.s.syrian rendering has, "art caused to journey."]

[Footnote 2: The a.s.syrian mistranslates, "A servant (is) Istar."]

[Footnote 3: The translation given in the text is extremely doubtful.]

[Footnote 4: Literally, "the brilliant one," a t.i.tle of the moon-G.o.d, which gave rise to the cla.s.sical legend of Nannarus.]

[Footnote 5: The a.s.syrian renders this by "Istar."]

[Footnote 6: Or perhaps "smites."]

[Footnote 7: Or perhaps "smiter."]

REVERSE

1 Thou who on the axis of heaven dawnest, in the dwellings of the earth her name revolves; my begetter.

2 (As) Queen of heaven above and below may she be invoked; my begetter.

3 The mountains fiercely she hurls-into-the-deep;[1] my begetter.

4 As to the mountains, their goodly stronghold (art) thou, their mighty lock (art) thou;[2] my begetter.

5 May thy heart rest; may thy liver be magnified.

6 O Lord Anu, the mighty, may thy heart rest.

7 O Lord, the mighty Prince[3] Bel, may thy liver be magnified.