ISHTAR AND IZDUBAR
64
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 goddess 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 mass 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 goddess Ishtar, prosper thee! ” *
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 noble race
See Herodotus, vol. i. p. 199. Ish- above description from Herodotus,
tar was called Mylitta or Beltis in the whose work is mostly confirmed by the
time of Herodotus. We have taken the cuneiform inscriptions.
THE KING WORSHIPS AT THE SHRINE OF ISHTAR
67
Before her heavenly charms transfixed he stood.
Before her heavenly charms transfixed he stood.
“ ’Tis well! my daughter, I the favor grant! ”
And to the priestess said, “ Let here be sent
Great coffers filled with gold! for I release
These maids. Let all their weary waiting cease,
The price I’ll send by messengers to thee.”
And all rejoicing sing a psalmody.
A ring of maidens round the image forms;
With flashing eyes they sing, with waving arms,
A wilderness of snowy arms and feet,
To song and dance the holy measure beat;
A mass of waving ringlets, sparkling eyes.
In wildest transport round each maiden flies.
The measure keeps to sacred psalmody,
With music ravishing,—sweet melody.
The priestess leads for them the holy hymn,
Thus sing they, measure keep with body, limb:
* “ Let length of days, long lasting years,
With sword of power, extend his holy life 1
With years extended full of glory, shine,
Pre-eminent above all kings in strife.
Oh, clothe our king, our lord, with strength divine,
Who with such gifts to gods appears 1
“ Let his great empire’s limits be,
Now vast and wide, enlarged, and may he reign
(Till it shall spread before his eyes complete)
Supreme above all kings! May he attain
To silver hairs, old age, and nations greet
Our sovereign in his royalty!
“ When gifts are ended of Life’s days,
The feasts of the Land of the Silver Sky,
With bliss, the Blest Abode Refulgent Courts,
•The above psalm is found in vol.
iii. of Rawlinson s “ British Museum In¬
scriptions," pi. 66, and was translated
by H. F. Talbot, F.R.S., in vol. *. of
the “ Transactions of the Society ®t
Biblical Archatology,” p. 108, and also
by M. Lenormant in nis “ Premieres
Civilisations," p. 177. We hare used
Mr. Talbot’s transcription.
68
ISHTAR AND IZDUBAR
May he enjoy through all eternity,
Where Light of Happy Fields with joy transports
And dwell in life eternal, holy there
In presence of the gods with sacred cheer,
With Assur’s gods walk blessed ways! ”
When they have ended all their joyful song.
They gratefully around their monarch throng;
And kneeling at his feet, they bathe his hands
With tears of joy, and kiss the ’broidered bands
Of his bright robes, then joyous haste away ;
And Erech’s shame was ended on that day.
And now the Sar as his libation pours
The sparkling sacred wine before the doors
That lead to Ishtar’s glorious inner shrine.
He bows before her golden form divine,
Thus prays:
4 “ In thy fair shrine I bow to thee,
O Light of Heaven! bright thy majesty
As glowing flames upon the world doth dawn,
Bright goddess of the earth, thy fixed abode!
Who dawned upon the earth a glorious god!
With thee prosperity hath ever gone.
To gild the towers of cities of mankind!
Thou warrior’s god, who rideth on the wind!
As a hyena fierce thou sendest war.
And as a lion comes thy raging car.
Each day thou rulest from thy canopy
That spreads above in glory,—shines for thee;
O come, exalted goddess of the Sun! ”
5 Against the tyrant King I go to war,
Attend mine arms, O Queen! with radiant car
Of battles! ride upon the giant King
With thy bright, fiery chargers! valor bring
To me at rising of the glistening car
Of Samas, send attendants fierce of war!
4 See terra-cotta tablet numbered “ S. 6 See fragment in Sayce'a edition
954” in the British Museum; also Smith's " Chald. Acc. of Gen.," p. 22 o,
translation by Rev. A. H. Sayce, M.A., col. iii.
in the “ Records of the Past,” vol. v.
p. IS7-
THE KING WORSHIPS AT THE SHRINE OF ISHTAR 69
But goddess Mam-nutu of Fate and Death;
Oh, keep away from me her blasting breath;
Let Samas fix the hour with favor thine,
And o’er mine unknown path. Oh ride divine!
Thy servant strengthen with thy godly power.
That he invincible in war may tower.
Against thy chosen city’s greatest foe.
Who brought on Erech all her deepest woe.”
And from the inner shrine with curtains hung.
The Oracle of Ishtar sweetly sung:
“ O King of vast unnumbered countries, hear l
Thine enemy Khum-baba do not fear,
My hands will waft the winds for thee.
Thus I reveal!
Khum-baba falls! thine enemy 1
Nor aught conceal.
“ The harvest month 8 propitious shines.
Array great Accad’s battle lines!
Before thy feet thy Queen descends,
Before thy will thine Ishtar bends.
To fight thine enemy.
To war I go with thee!
My word is spoken, thou hast heard,
For thee, my favor thou hast stirred.
As I am Ishtar of mine Or divine,
Thine enemy shall fall! Be glory thine 1
“ Before mine Izdubar I go.
And at thy side direct thy blow.
I go with thee, fear not, my King,
For every doubt and fear, I bring
Relief, to thy heart rest!
Of Sars, I love thee best 1 ”
• The harvest month was the month neiform Inscriptions of Western Asia,”
o! Sivan. which is mentioned by the vol. iv. pi. 68; also Records of the
Oracle of Ishtar of Arbela. See “ Cu- Past,’ vol. xi. pp. 61-63.
7 <»
ISHTAR AND IZDUBAR
COLUMN IV
The King Goes from Ishtar's Temple to the Temple of
Samas
He rose and raised the pendant mystic charms
And kissed them, and the jewels of her arms
And ornaments upon her breast divine,
And then her crown with jewels iridine
He placed upon his brow, and it returned;
And from the shrine in reverence he turned;
To Samas’ temple all the chiefs of war
And seers, pa-te-si, go with Izdubar.
Before the fire he stands where holy burns
The flames of Samas. In a vase he turns
The crimson wine, to Samas, God, he pours
Libation, and his favor thus implores:
! O Samas, why hast thou established, raised
Me in thy heart?—protected? Men have praised
Thee, Holy One! my expedition bless
In thine own will, O God, I acquiesce.
I go, O Samas, on a path afar,
Against Khumbaba I declare this war;
The battle’s issue thou alone dost know,
Or if success attends me where I go.
The way is long, O may thy son return
From the vast pine-tree forest, I would earn
For Erech glory and renown! Destroy
Khumbaba and his towers! he doth annoy
All nations, and is evil to thy sight.
To-morrow I will go, O send thy Light
Upon my standards, and dark Nina-zu
Keep thou away, that I may wary view
Mine enemies, and fix for me the hour
When I shall strike and crush Khumbaba’s power.
To all the gods I humbly pray
To Izdubar propitious be!
the king goes to the temple OF SAMAS 71
1 Assur Santas u Mardtik-u,
Ana Sar bel-ni-ya lik-ru-bu! ”
And thus the Oracle with sweetest voice
To him replied, and made his heart rejoice:
“ Fear not, O Izdubar,
For I am Bel, thy strength in war . 2
A heart of strength give I to thee!
To trust, we can but faithful be!
As thou hast shown to me.
The sixty gods, our strongest ones,
Will guide thy path where’er it runs;
The moon-god on thy right shall ride,
And Samas on thy left shall guide.
The sixty gods thy will commands
To crush Khumbaba’s bands.
In man alone, do not confide,
Thine eyes turn to the gods,
Who rule from their abodes,
And trust in Heaven where powers abide! ”
With joyous heart the Sar comes from the shrine
To bathe his brow in Samas’ rays divine;
Upon the pyramid he stands and views
The scene below with its bright varied hues.
A peerless pile the temple grandly shone
With marble, gold, and silver in the sun;
In seven stages rose above the walls,
With archways vast and polished pillared halls.
A marble portico surrounds the mass
With sculptured columns, banisters of brass,
And winding stairways round the stages’ side,
Grand temples piled on temples upward glide,
A mass of colors like the rainbow hues,
Thus proudly rise from breezy avenues.
I ** Assur Samas and Merodac ”
(" Unto the king, my lord, may they
be propitious! "), the response of the
priest to the prayer.
II 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.
72
ISHTAR AND IZDUBAR
The brazen gates lead to the temple’s side.
The stairs ascend and up the stages glide.
The basement painted of the darkest blue
Is passed by steps ascending till we view
From them the second stage of orange hue
And crimson third! from thence a glorious view—
A thousand turrets far beneath, is spread
O’er lofty walls, and fields, and grassy mead;
The golden harvests sweep away in sight
And orchards, vineyards, on the left and right;
Euphrates’ stream as a broad silver band
Sweeps grandly through the glowing golden land.
Till like a thread of silver still in sight
It meets the Tigris gleaming in the light
That spreads along the glorious bending skies.
The brightest vault of all the emperies.
Now rested from the cushioned seats we rise
And to the stairway turn again our eyes;
The fourth stage plated o’er with beaten gold
We pass, and topaz fifth till we behold
The sixth of azure blue; to seventh glide,
That glows with silvery summit where reside
The gods, within a shrine of silvery sheen
Which brightly glows, and from afar is seen.
Without the temple, burnished silver shines;
Within, pure gold and gems in rare designs.
COLUMN V
Expedition Against Khumbaba, and Battle in the
Black Forest
At early dawn the shining ranks are massed,
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.
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