Babylonian and Assyrian Literature Part 62

[Footnote 12: Obscure.]

TRANSLATION OF AN UNEDITED FRAGMENT

Five-sixths of an _artaba_[1] of corn sows an _arura_, a field situated on the Euphrates.

....adjoining ... wide ... adjoining ... a field in great measure ... Zirbet-u-Alzu ... and for the days to come he has given ... this table ... sin-idin ... son of Tuklat-habal-Marduk, Governor of the town of Nisin. Bani-Marduk, son of Tuklat ... Malik-kilim, son of Tuklat ... Chief of ... An-sali ... son of Zab-zib-malik ...

Malik-habal-idin, of the town of Balaki ... Chief of Sin-idin-habal ... May he cause him to perish ...

and his offering.[2]

[Footnote 1: The artaba was 3 epha, 18 hins; the mentioned quant.i.ty of 15 hins necessary to seed this very fertile field is only 79 pints.]

[Footnote 2: Dr. Oppert copied this text twenty years ago; he does not know whether since that time any other piece of the stone has been discovered.]

GREAT INSCRIPTION IN THE PALACE OF KHORSABAD

TRANSLATED BY DR. JULIUS OPPERT

The doc.u.ment of which I publish a translation has been copied with admirable precision by M. Botta in his "_Monuments de Ninive_" There are four specimens of this same text in the a.s.syrian palace, which bear the t.i.tle of Inscriptions of the Halls, Nos. iv, vii, viii, and x.

There is another historical doc.u.ment in the palace of Khorsabad containing more minute particulars, and cla.s.sed in a chronological order, which I translated in my "_Dur-Sar-kayan_," 1870, and in the "Records of the Past," Vol. VII.

The several copies of this doc.u.ment have been united in one sole text in a work which I published in common with M. Menant in the "_Journal Asiatique_," 1863.

I published my translation of the "Great Inscriptions of Khorsabad," in the "_Annales de Philosophie Chretienne_," July and August, 1862, tom. V (New Series), p. 62; then in my "_Inscriptions des Sargonides_," p. 20 (1862). The same text was inserted in the work which I edited in communion with my friend M. Joachim Menant, ent.i.tled "_La Grande Inscription des Salles de Khorsabad_," "_Journal Asiatique_," 1863. Some pa.s.sages have been since corrected by me in my "_Dur-Sarkayan_," Paris, 1870, in the great work of M. Victor Place, and these corrections have been totally admitted by M. Menant in a translation which he has given in his book, "_Annales des Rois d'a.s.syrie_," Paris, 1874, p. 180. As the reader may easily convince himself in collating it with my previous attempts, this present translation is now amended according to the exigencies of the progressing science of a.s.syriology, as it is now understood.

GREAT INSCRIPTION OF THE PALACE OF KHORSABAD

1 Palace of Sargon, the great King, the powerful King, King of the legions, King of a.s.syria, Viceroy of the G.o.ds at Babylon, King of the Sumers and of the Accads, favorite of the great G.o.ds.

2 The G.o.ds a.s.sur, Nebo, and Merodach have conferred on me the royalty of the nations, and they have propagated the memory of my fortunate name to the ends of the earth.

I have followed the reformed precepts of Sippara, Nipur, Babylon, and Borsippa; I have amended the imperfections which the men of all laws had admitted.

3 I have reunited the dominions of Kalu, Ur, Orchoe, Erikhi, Larsa,[1] Kullab, Kisik, the dwelling-place of the G.o.d Laguda; I have subdued their inhabitants. As to the laws of Sumer[2] and of the town of Harran, which had fallen into desuetude from the most ancient times, I have restored to fresh vigor their forgotten customs.

4 The great G.o.ds have made me happy by the constancy of their affection, they have granted me the exercise of my sovereignty over all kings; they have re-established obedience upon them all. From the day of my accession there existed no princes who were my masters; I have not, in combats or battles, seen my victor. I have crushed the territories of the rebels like straws, and I have struck them with the plagues of the four elements. I have opened innumerable deep and very extensive forests, I have levelled their inequalities. I have traversed winding and thick valleys, which were impenetrable, like a needle, and I pa.s.sed in digging tanks dug on my way.

5 By the grace and power of the great G.o.ds, my Masters, I have flung my arms; by my force I have defeated my enemies.

I have ruled from Iatnan,[3] which is in the middle of the sea of the setting sun, to the frontiers of Egypt and of the country of the Moschians, over vast Phoenicia, the whole of Syria, the whole of _guti muski_[4] of distant Media, near the country of Bikni, to the country of Ellip, from Ras which borders upon Elam, to the banks of the Tigris, to the tribes of Itu, Rubu, Haril, Kaldud, Hauran, Ubul, Ruhua, of the Lita who dwell on the borders of the Surappi and the Ukne, Gambul, Khindar, and Pukud.[5] I have reigned over the _suti_ hunters who are in the territory of Iatbur, in whatever it was as far as the towns of Samhun, Bab-Dur, Dur-Tilit, Khilikh, Pillat, Dunni-Samas, Bubi, Tell-Khumba, which are in the dependency of Elam,[6] and Kar-duniyas[7] Upper and Lower, of the countries of Bit-Amukkan, Bit-Dakkur, Bit-Silan, Bit-Sa'alla, which together form Chaldea in its totality, over the country of Bit-Iakin, which is on the sea-sh.o.r.e, as far as the frontier of Dilmun. I have received their tributes, I have established my Lieutenants over them as Governors, and I have reduced them under my suzerainty.

6 This is what I did from the beginning of my reign to my fifteenth year of reign: I defeated Khumbanigas, King of Elam, in the plains of Kalu.

7 I besieged and occupied the town of Samaria, and took 27,280 of its inhabitants captive. I took from them 50 chariots, but left them the rest of their belongings. I placed my Lieutenants over them; I renewed the obligation imposed upon them by one of the Kings who preceded me.[8]

8 Hanun, King of Gaza, and Sebech, Sultan[9] of Egypt, allied themselves at Rapih[10] to oppose me, and fight against me; they came before me, I put them to flight. Sebech yielded before my cohorts, he fled, and no one has ever seen any trace of him since. I took with my own hand Hanun, King of Gaza.

9 I imposed a tribute on Pharaoh, King of Egypt; Samsie, Queen of Arabia; It-amar, the Sabean, of gold, sweet smelling herbs of the land, horses, and camels.

10 Kiakku of Sinukhta had despised the G.o.d a.s.sur, and refused submission to him. I took him prisoner, and seized his 30 chariots and 7,350 of his soldiers. I gave Sinuhta, the town of his royalty, to Matti from the country of Tuna, I added some horses and a.s.ses to the former tribute and appointed Matti as Governor.

11 Amris of Tabal, had been placed upon the throne of Khulli his father; I gave to him a daughter and I gave him Cilicia[10]

which had never submitted to his ancestors. But he did not keep the treaty and sent his amba.s.sador to Urzaha, King of Armenia, and to Mita, King of the Moschians, who had seized my provinces. I transported Amris to a.s.syria, with his belongings, the members of his ancestors'

families, and the magnates of the country, as well as 100 chariots; I established some a.s.syrians, devoted to my government, in their places. I appointed my Lieutenant Governor over them, and commanded tributes to be levied upon them.

12 Jaubid of Hamath, a smith,[12] was not the legitimate master of the throne, he was an infidel and an impious man, and he had coveted the royalty of Hamath. He incited the towns of Arpad, Simyra, Damascus, and Samaria to rise against me, took his precautions with each of them, and prepared for battle. I counted all the troops of the G.o.d a.s.sur; in the town of Karkar which had declared itself for the rebel, I besieged him and his warriors, I occupied Karkar and reduced it to ashes. I took him, himself, and had him flayed, and I killed the chief of the rioters in each town, and reduced them to a heap of ruins. I recruited my forces with 200 chariots and 600 hors.e.m.e.n from among the inhabitants of the country of Hamath and added them to my empire.

13 Whilst Iranzu of Van[13] lived, he was subservient and devoted to my rule, but fate removed him. His subjects placed his son Aza on the throne. Urzaha the Armenian intrigued with the people of Mount Mildis, Zikirta, Misiandi, with the n.o.bles of Van, and enticed them to rebellion; they threw the body of their Master Aza on the top of the mountains. Ullusun of Van, his brother, whom they had placed on his father's throne, did homage to Urzaha, and gave him 22 fortresses with their garrisons. In the anger of my heart I counted all the armies of the G.o.d a.s.sur, I watched like a lion in ambush and advanced to attack these countries. Ullusun of Van saw my expedition approaching, he set out with his troops and took up a strong position in the ravines of the high mountains. I occupied Izirti the town of his royalty, and the towns of Izibia and Armit, his formidable fortresses, I reduced them to ashes. I killed all that belonged to Urzaha the Armenian, in these high mountains. I took with my own hand 250 royal members of his family. I occupied 55 royal towns of which 8 were ordinary towns and 11 impregnable fortresses. I reduced them to ashes. I incorporated the 22 strong towns, that Ullusun of Van had delivered to him with a.s.syria. I occupied 8 strong cities of the country of Tuaya and the districts of Tilusina of Andia; 4,200 men, with their belongings, were carried away into slavery.

14 Mitatti, of Zikirta, had secured himself against my arms; he and the men of his country had fled into the forests; no trace of them was to be seen. I reduced Parda, the town of his royalty to ashes; I occupied twenty-three great towns in the environs, and I spoiled them. The cities of Suandakhul and Zurzukka, of the country of Van, took the part of Mitatti; I occupied and pillaged them. Then I took Bagadatti of the Mount Mildis, and I had him flayed.

I banished Dayaukku and his suite to Hamath, and I made them dwell there.

15 Then Ullusun heard in his high mountains of my glorious exploits: he departed in haste like a bird, and kissed my feet; I pardoned his innumerable misdeeds, and I blotted out his iniquities. I granted pardon to him; I replaced him upon the throne of his royalty. I gave him the two fortresses and the 22 great towns that I had taken away from Urzaha and Mitatti. I endeavored to restore peace to his country. I made the image of my Majesty: I wrote on it the glory of the G.o.d a.s.sur, my Master, I erected many fac-similes of it in Izirti, the town of his royalty.

16 I imposed a tribute of horses, oxen, and lambs upon Ianzu, King of the river country, in Hupuskia, the town of his power.

17 a.s.surlih, of Kar-Alla, Itti, of Allapur, had sinned against a.s.sur and despised his power. I had a.s.surlih flayed. I banished the men of Kar-Alla, whoever they were, and Itti, with his suite, I placed them in Hamath.

18 I took the inhabitants of the towns of Sukkia, Bala, Ahitikna, Pappa,[14] Lallukni away from their homes; I made them dwell at Damascus in Syria.

19 I occupied the 6 towns of the country of Niksamma, I took with my own hand Nirisar, Governor of the town of Surgadia; I added these towns to the satrapy of Parsuas.[15]

20 Bel-sar-usur[16] was King of the town of Kisisim; I had him transported to a.s.syria with all that he possessed, his treasure, the contents of his palace; I put my Lieutenant in as Governor of the town, to which I gave the name of Kar-Marduk.

I had an image made of my Majesty and erected it in the middle of the town. I occupied 6 towns in the neighborhood and I added them to his government.

21 I attacked and conquered Kibaba, Prefect of the town of Kharkhar, I took him and the inhabitants of his country captive, I rebuilt this city and made the inhabitants of the provinces, that my arm had conquered, live there. I placed my Lieutenant as Governor over them. I named the town Kar-Sarkin; I established the worship of the G.o.d a.s.sur, my Master, there. I erected an image of my Royal self.

I occupied 6 towns in the environs, and added them to his government.

22 I besieged and took the towns of Tel-Akhi-tub, Khindau, Bagai, and Anzaria; I transported the inhabitants of them to a.s.syria. I rebuilt them; I gave them the names of Kar-Nabu, Kar-Sin, Kar-Ben, Kar-Istar.

23 To maintain my position in Media, I have erected fortifications in the neighborhood of Kar-Sarkin. I occupied 34 towns in Media and annexed them to a.s.syria and I levied annual tributes of horses upon them.

24 I besieged and took the town of Eristana, and the surrounding towns in the country of Bait-Ili; I carried away the spoil.

25 The countries of Agag[17] and Ambanda,[18] in Media, opposite the Arabs of the East, had refused their tributes, I destroyed them, laid them waste, and burnt them by fire.

26 Dalta of Ellip was subject to me, and devoted to the worship of a.s.sur; 5 of his towns revolted and no longer recognized his dominion. I came to his aid, I besieged and occupied these towns, I carried the men and their goods away into a.s.syria with numberless horses.

27 Urzana, of the town of Musasir, had attached himself to Urzaha the Armenian, and had refused me his allegiance.

With the mult.i.tude of my army, I covered the city of Musasir as if it were with ravens, and he to save his life, fled alone into the mountains.