Babylonian and Assyrian Literature Part 2

[Footnote 8: "Dannat" (the "Powerful Lady") was a t.i.tle applied to the Queen, the mother of Izdubar (Sayce's ed. Smith's "Chal. Acc. of Gen.," p.

184). We have here identified her with Ellat-gula, the Queen of Babylon, who preceded Ham-murabi or Nammurabi, whom the inscriptions indicate was an Accadian. The latter we have identified with Nimrod, following the suggestion of Mr. George Smith.]

[Footnote 9: "Khumbaba" was the giant Elamitic king whom Izdubar overthrew. We identify him with the King of the Elamites who, allied with Rimsin or Rimagu, was overthrown by Nammurabi or Izdubar.]

[Footnote 10: "Rim-siu," above referred to, who overthrew Uruk, or Karrak, or Erech. He was King of Larsa, immediately south of Erech.]

[Footnote 11: "Nap-pa-khu," war-trumpet.]

[Footnote 12: "Bar-ru," army officer.]

[Footnote 13: "Samas," the sun-G.o.d.]

[Footnote 14: "Subartu" is derived from the Accadian "subar" ("high"), applied by the Accadians to the highlands of Aram or Syria. It is probable that all these countries, viz., Subartu, Goim, Lullubu, Kharsak-kalama, Eridu, and Duran, were at one time inhabited by the Accadians, until driven out by the Semites.]

[Footnote 15: "Sutu" is supposed to refer to the Arabians.]

[Footnote 16: "Ka.s.si," the Ka.s.sites or Elamites. The Ka.s.si inhabited the northern part of Elam.]

[Footnote 17: "Goim," or "Gutium," supposed by Sir Henry Rawlinson to be the Goyim of Gen. xiv, ruled by Tidal or Turgal ("the Great Son").]

[Footnote 18: "Lul-lu-bu," a country northward of Mesopotamia and Nizir.]

[Footnote 19: "Kharsak-kala-ma," the city supposed to lie at the base of Kharsak-kurra, or Mount Nizir, or Mount Elwend. The same city was afterward called Echatana.]

[Footnote 20: "Eridu," the land of Ur, or Erech.]

[Footnote 21: "Duran," Babylonia.]

[Footnote 22: "Masari," guards of the palace, etc.]

[Footnote 23: See Sayce's translation in the "Chal. Acc. of Gen.," by Smith, p. 193.]

[Footnote 24: "Sedu," spirits of prosperity.]

[Footnote 25: "Tar-u-mani izzu Sarri," son of the faith, the fire of kings, or fire-king.]

[Footnote 26: "Kardunia," the ancient name of Babylon.]

[Footnote 27: "Sami," heavens (plural).]

[Footnote 28: "Tamu," dawn or sunrise, day.]

COLUMN III

THE RESCUE OF ERECH BY IZDUBAR

Heabani, weary, eyes his native land, And on his harp now lays his trembling hand; The song has ended in a joyous lay, And yet, alas! his hands but sadly play: Unused to hope, the strings refuse their aid To tune in sympathy, and heartless played.

Again the minstrel bows his head in woe, And the hot tear-drops from his eyelids flow, And chanting now a mournful melody, O'er Erech's fall, thus sang an elegy:

[1] "How long, O Ishtar, will thy face be turned, While Erech desolate doth cry to thee?

Thy towers magnificent, oh, hast thou spurned?

Her blood like water in Ul-bar,[2] oh, see!

The seat of thine own oracle behold!

The fire hath ravaged all thy cities grand, And like the showers of Heaven them all doth fold.

O Ishtar! broken-hearted do I stand!

Oh, crush our enemies as yonder reed!

For hopeless, lifeless, kneels thy bard to thee, And, oh! I would exalt thee in my need, From thy resentment, anger, oh, us free!"

With eyes bedimmed with tears, he careful scans The plain, "Perhaps the dust of caravans It is! But no!! I see long lines of spears!

A warrior from the lifting cloud appears, And chariots arrayed upon the plain!

And is the glorious omen not in vain?

What! no?" He rubs his eyes in wild surprise, And drinks the vision while he loudly cries: "Oh, joy! our standards flas.h.i.+ng from afar!

He comes! he comes! our hero Izdubar!"

He grasps his harp inspired, again to wake In song--the cry of battle now doth break.

"Nin-a-rad,[3] servant of our great Nin,[4]

Shall lead our hosts to victory!

G.o.d of the chase and war, o'er him, oh, s.h.i.+ne!

Tar-u-ma-ni iz-zu sar-ri![5]

"Let Elam fall! the cause of Accad's woes, Revenge of Erech, be the cry!

This land our father's blessed, our king they chose, Tar-u-ma-ni iz-zu sar-ri!

Our holy fathers sleep upon this plain, We conquer, or we here will die; For victory, then raise the cry, ye men!

Tar-u-ma-ni iz-zu sar-ri!"

The minstrel ceases, lifts his hands on high, And still we hear his joyful waning cry: Now echoed by yon hosts along the sky, "He comes! Tar-u-ma-ni iz-zu sar-ri!

Great Accad's hosts arrayed with spears and s.h.i.+elds Are coming! see them flas.h.i.+ng o'er the fields!

And he! bright flas.h.i.+ng as the G.o.d's attire, Doth lead in burnished gold, our king of fire.

His armor s.h.i.+nes through yonder wood and fen, That tremble 'neath the tread of armed men.

See! from his jewelled breastplate, helmet, fly The rays like Samas from the cloudless sky!

How martially he rides his sable steed, That proudly treads and lifts his n.o.ble head, While eagerly he gallops down the line, And bears his princely load with porte divine; And now, along the plains there sounds afar The piercing bugle-note of Izdubar; For Erech's walls and turrets are in view, And high the standards rise of varied hue.

The army halts; the tw.a.n.ging bows are strung; And from their chariots the chieftains sprung.

The wheeling lines move at each chief's command, With chariots in front;

On either hand Extend the lines of spears and cavalry, A winged storm-cloud waiting for its prey: And see! while Accad's army ready waits, The enemy are swarming from the gates.

The charge, from either host, the trumpets sound, And bristling chariots from each army bound: A cloud of arrows flies from Accad's bows That hides the sun, and falls among their foes.

Now roars the thunder of great Accad's cars, Their brazen chariots as blazing stars Through Nuk-khu's[6] depths with streams of blazing fire, Thus fall upon the foe with vengeful ire.

The smoking earth shakes underneath their wheels, And from each cloud their thunder loudly peals.

Thus Accad on their foes have fiercely hurled Their solid ranks with Nin-rad's flag unfurled, The charging lines meet with a fearful sound, As tempests' waves from rocks in rage rebound; The foe thus meet the men of Izdubar, While o'er the field fly the fierce G.o.ds of war.

Dark Nin-a-zu[7] her torch holds in her hand.

With her fierce screams directs the gory brand; And Mam-mit[8] urges her with furious hand, And coiling dragons[9] poison all the land With their black folds and pestilential breath, In fierce delight thus ride the G.o.ds of death.

The shouts of Accad mingle with the cries Of wounded men and fiery steeds, which rise From all the fields with shrieks of carnage, war, Till victory crowns the host of Izdubar.

The chariots are covered with the slain, And crushed beneath lie dead and dying men, And horses in their harness wounded fall, With dreadful screams, and wildly view the wall Of dying warriors piling o'er their heads, And wonder why each man some fury leads; And others break across the gory plain In mad career till they the mountain gain; And snorting on the hills in wild dismay, One moment glance below, then fly away; Away from sounds that prove their masters, fiends, Away to freedom snuffing purer winds, Within some cool retreat by mountain streams, Where peacefully for them, the sun-light gleams.

At last the foe is scattered o'er the plain, And Accad fiercely slays the flying men; When Izdubar beholds the victory won By Accad's grand battalions of the sun, His bugle-call the awful carnage stays, Then loud the cry of victory they raise.