Babylonian and Assyrian Literature Part 49

[Footnote 1: Or, "the descendings."]

[Footnote 2: That is, the Mediterranean.]

[Footnote 3: Namely, in sacrifice.]

[Footnote 4: "Khamanu" in a.s.syrian.]

FACE C

37 his royal city, he fortified. The Euphrates I crossed.

38 The city unto a.s.syria I restored. I took it. (The town) which (is) on the further side 39 of the Euphrates which (is) upon the river 'Sagurri, which the Kings 40 of the Hitt.i.tes call the city of Pitru,[1]

41 for myself I took. At my return 42 into the lowlands of the country of Alzi I descended. The country of Alzi I conquered.

43 The countries of Dayaeni (and) Elam, (and) the city of Arzascunu, the royal city 44 of Arame of the country of the Armenians, the country of Gozan (and) the country of Khupuscia.

45 During the eponymy of Dayan-a.s.sur from the city of Nineveh I departed. The Euphrates 46 in its upper part I crossed. After Akhuni the son of Adin I went.

47 The heights on the banks of the Euphrates as his stronghold he made.

48 The mountains I attacked, I captured. Akhuni with his G.o.ds, his chariots, 49 his horses, his sons (and) his daughters I carried away. To my city a.s.sur 50 I brought (them). In that same year the country of Kullar I crossed. To the country of Zamua 51 of Bit-Ani I went down. The cities of Nigdiara of the city of the Idians 52 (and) Nigdima I captured. In my fifth year to the country of Kasyari I ascended.

53 The strongholds I captured. Elkhitti of the Serurians (in) his city I shut up. His tribute 54 to a large amount I received. In my sixth year to the cities on the banks of the river Balikhi

[Footnote 1: Pethor in the Old Testament.]

FACE D

55 I approached. Gi'ammu, their Governor, I smote.

56 To the city of Tel-abil-akhi I descended.

57 The Euphrates in its upper part I crossed.

58 The tribute of the Kings of the Hitt.i.tes 59 all of them I received. In those days Rimmon-idri[1]

60 of Damascus, Irkhulina of Hamath, and the Kings 61 of the Hitt.i.tes and of the sea-coasts to the forces of each other 62 trusted, and to make war and battle 63 against me came. By the command of a.s.sur, the great Lord, my Lord, 64 with them I fought. A destruction of them I made.

65 Their chariots, their war-carriages, their war-material[2] I took from them.

66 20,500 of their fighting men with arrows I slew.

67 In my seventh year to the cities of Khabini of the city of Tel-Abni I went.

68 The city of Tel-Abni, his stronghold, together with the cities which (were) dependent on it I captured.

69 To the head of the river, the springs of the Tigris, the place where the waters rise,[3] I went.

70 The weapons of a.s.sur in the midst (of it) I rested. Sacrifices for my G.o.ds I took. Feasts and rejoicing 71 I made. An image of my Royalty of large size I constructed.

The laws of a.s.sur my Lord, the records 72 of my victories, whatsoever in the world I had done, in the midst of it I wrote. In the middle (of the country) I set (it) up.

[Footnote 1: This is the Ben-hadad of Scripture whose personal name seems to have been Rimmon-idri.]

[Footnote 2: Or, "furniture of battle."]

[Footnote 3: Or, "the place of the exit of the waters situated." The tablet is still to be seen near the town of Egil.]

FACE A, _base_

73 In my eighth year, Merodach-suma-iddin King of Gan-Dunias[1]

74 did Merodach-bila-yu'sate his _foster_-brother against him rebel; 75 strongly had he fortified (the land). To exact punishment[2]

76 against Merodach-suma-iddin I went. The city of the waters of the Dhurnat[3] I took.

77 In my ninth campaign a second time to the land of Accad I went.

78 The city of Gana-nate I besieged. Merodach-bila-yu'sate exceeding fear 79 of a.s.sur (and) Merodach overwhelmed, and to save his life to 80 the mountains he ascended. After him I rode.

Merodach-bila-yu'sate (and) the officers 81 the rebels[4] who (were) with him (with) arrows I slew.

To the great fortresses 82 I went. Sacrifices in Babylon, Borsippa, (and) Cuthah I made.

83 Thanksgivings to the great G.o.ds I offered up. To the country of Kaldu [5] I descended. Their cities I captured.

84 The tribute of the Kings of the country of Kaldu I received.

The greatness of my arms as far as the sea overwhelmed.

85 In my tenth year for the eighth time the Euphrates I crossed. The cities of 'Sangara of the city of the Carchemis.h.i.+ans I captured.

86 To the cities of Arame I approached. Arne his royal city with 100 of his (other) towns I captured.

87 In my eleventh year for the ninth time the Euphrates I crossed. Cities to a countless number I captured. To the cities of the Hitt.i.tes 88 of the land of the Hamathites I went down. Eighty-nine cities I took. Rimmon-idri of Damascus (and) twelve of the Kings of the Hitt.i.tes 89 with one another's forces strengthened themselves. A destruction of them I made. In my twelfth campaign for the tenth time the Euphrates I crossed.

90 To the land of Pagar-khubuna I went. Their spoil I carried away. In my thirteenth year to the country of Yaeti I ascended.

91 Their spoil I carried away. In my fourteenth year the country I a.s.sembled; the Euphrates I crossed. Twelve Kings against me had come.

92 I fought. A destruction of them I made. In my fifteenth year among the sources of the Tigris (and) the Euphrates I went. An image 93 of my Majesty in their hollows I erected. In my sixteenth year the waters of the Zab I crossed. To the country of Zimri 94 I went. Merodach-mudammik King of the land of Zimru to save his life (the mountains) ascended. His treasure 95 his army (and) his G.o.ds to a.s.syria I brought. Yan'su son of Khanban to the kingdom over them I raised.[6]

[Footnote 1: That is, Chaldea.]

[Footnote 2: Or, "to return benefits."]

[Footnote 3: The Tornadotus of cla.s.sical geographers.]

[Footnote 4: Or, "the Lord of sin."]

[Footnote 5: This is the primitive Chaldea. The Caldai or Chaldeans afterward overran Babylonia and gave their name to it among cla.s.sical writers.]

[Footnote 6: Or, "I made."]

FACE B, _base_

96 In my seventeenth year the Euphrates I crossed. To the land of Ama.n.u.s I ascended. Logs 97 of _cedar_ I cut. In my eighteenth year for the sixteenth time the Euphrates I crossed. Hazael 98 of Damascus to battle came. 1,221 of his chariots, 470 of his war-carriages with 99 his camp I took from him. In my nineteenth campaign for the eighteenth[1] time the Euphrates I crossed. To the land of Ama.n.u.s 100 I ascended. Logs of cedar I cut. In my 20th year for the 20th time the Euphrates 101 I crossed. To the land of Kahue I went down. Their cities I captured. Their spoil 102 I carried off. In my 21st campaign, for the 21st time the Euphrates I crossed. To the cities 103 of Hazael of Damascus I went. Four of his fortresses I took. The tribute of the Tyrians, 104 the Zidonians (and) the Gebalites I received. In my 22d campaign for the 22d time the Euphrates 105 I crossed. To the country of Tabalu[2] I went down. In those days (as regards) the 24 106 Kings of the country of Tabalu their wealth I received.

To conquer 107 the mines of silver, of salt and of stone for sculpture I went. In my 23d year 108 the Euphrates I crossed. The city of Uetas, his strong city, 109 (which belonged) to Lalla of the land of the Milidians I captured. The Kings of the country of Tabalu 110 had set out. Their tribute I received. In my 24th year, the lower Zab 111 I crossed. The land of Khalimmur I pa.s.sed through. To the land of Zimru 112 I went down. Yan'su King of the Zimri from the face 113 of my mighty weapons fled and to save his life 114 ascended (the mountains). The cities of 'Sikhisatakh, Bit-Tamul, Bit-Sacci 115 (and) Bit-Sedi, his strong cities, I captured. His fighting men I slew.

116 His spoil I carried away. The cities I threw down, dug up, (and) with fire burned.

117 The rest of them to the mountains ascended. The peaks of the mountains 118 I attacked, I captured. Their fighting men I slew. Their spoil (and) their goods 119 I caused to be brought down. From the country of Zimru I departed. The tribute of 27 Kings 120 of the country of Par'sua[3] I received. From the country of Par'sua I departed. To 121 the strongholds of the country of the Amadai,[4] (and) the countries of Arazias (and) Kharkhar I went down.

122 The cities of Cua-cinda, Khazzanabi, Ermul, 123 (and) Cin-ablila with the cities which were dependent on them I captured. Their fighting men

[Footnote 1: The King counts his pa.s.sage of the river on his return from Syria the seventeenth time of his crossing the Euphrates.]

[Footnote 2: The Tubal of the Old Testament, and Tibareni of cla.s.sical geographers.]

[Footnote 3: The Parthia of cla.s.sical authors.]

[Footnote 4: These seem to be the Madai or Medes of later inscriptions.