Babylonian and Assyrian Literature Part 3

[Footnote 1: The above elegy is an a.s.syrian fragment remarkably similar to one of the psalms of the Jewish bible, and I believe it belongs to the Irdubar epic (W.A. I. IV. 19, No. 3; also see "Records of the Past," vol.

xi. p. 160).]

[Footnote 2: "Ul-bar," Bel's temple.]

[Footnote 3: "Nin-a-rad," literally "servant of Nin," or "Nin-mar-ad,"

"Lord of the city of Marad."]

[Footnote 4: "Nin," the G.o.d of the chase and war, or lord.]

[Footnote 5: "Tar-u-ma-ni izzu sar-ri," "son of the faith, the fire-king."]

[Footnote 6: "Nuk-khu," darkness (G.o.d of darkness).]

[Footnote 7: "Nin-a-zu," G.o.d of fate and death.]

[Footnote 8: "Mam-mit," or "Mam-mi-tu," G.o.ddess of fate.]

[Footnote 9: "Dragons," G.o.ds of chaos and death.]

COLUMN IV

CORONATION OF IZDUBAR

A crowd of maidens led a glorious van; With roses laden the fair heralds ran, With silver-throated music chant the throng, And sweetly sang the coronation song: And now we see the gorgeous cavalcade, Within the walls in Accad's grand parade They pa.s.s, led by the maidens crowned with flowers, Who strew the path with fragrance;--to the towers And walls and pillars of each door bright cling The garlands. Hear the maidens joyful sing!

"Oh, shout the cry! Accadians, joyful sing For our Deliverer! Oh, crown him King!

Then strew his path with garlands, tulips, rose, And wave his banners as he onward goes; Our mighty Nin-rad comes, oh, raise the cry!

We crown Tar-u-ma-ni iz-zu sar-ri!

Away to Samas' temple grand, away!

For Accad crowns him, crowns him there!

He is our chosen Sar[1] this glorious day, Oh, send the Khanga[2] through the air!

Then chant the chorus, all ye hosts above!

O daughters, mothers, sing for him we love!

His glory who can sing, who brings us joy?

For hope and gladness all our hearts employ.

He comes, our hope and strength in every war: We crown him as our king, our Izdubar!

Away to Samas' temple grand, away!

For Accad crowns him, crowns him there!

He is our chosen Sar this glorious day, Oh, send the Khanga through the air!"

Toward the temple filed the long parade, The n.o.bles led while Accad's music played; The harps and timbrels, barsoms, drums and flutes Unite with trumpets and the silver lutes.

Surrounded by his chieftains rides the Sar In purple robes upon his brazen car.

Bedecked with garlands, steeds of whitest snow The chariot draw in state with movement slow, Each steed led by a _kisib_, n.o.bleman, A score of beauteous horses linked in span.

The army follows with their nodding plumes, And burnished armor, trumpets, rolling drums, And glistening spears enwreathed with fragrant flowers, While scarfs are waving from the crowded towers, And shouts of joy their welcome loud proclaim, And from each lip resounds their monarch's name.

And now before the holy temple stands The chariot, in silence cease the bands.

Around an altar stand the waiting priests, And held by them, the sacrificial beasts.

The hero from his chair descends, And bowing to the priests, he lowly bends Before the sacred altar of the Sun, And prays to Samas, Accad's Holy One.

[3] "O Samas, I invoke thee, throned on high!

Within the cedars' shadow bright thou art, Thy footing rests upon immensity; All nations eagerly would seek thy heart.

Their eyes have turned toward thee; O our Friend!

Whose brilliant light illuminates all lands, Before thy coming all the nations bend, Oh, gather every people with thy hands!

For thou, O Samas, knowest boundaries Of every kingdom, falsehood dost destroy, And every evil thought from sorceries Of wonders, omens, dreams that do annoy, And evil apparitions, thou dost turn To happy issue; malice, dark designs; And men and countries in thy might o'erturn, And sorcery that every soul maligns.

Oh, in thy presence refuge let me find!

From those who spells invoke against thy King, Protect one! and my heart within thine, oh, bind!

[4]Thy breath within mine inmost soul, oh, bring!

That I with thee, O Samas, may rejoice.

And may the G.o.ds who me created, take Thy hands and lead me, make thy will my choice, [5]Direct my breath, my hands, and of me make They servant, Lord of light of legions vast, O Judge, thy glory hath all things surpa.s.sed!"

The King then rises, takes the sacred gla.s.s,[6]

And holds it in the sun before the ma.s.s Of waiting fuel on the altar piled.

The centring rays--the fuel glowing gild With a round spot of fire and quickly, spring Above the altar curling, while they sing!

[7] "Oh, to the desert places may it fly, This incantation holy!

O spirit of the heavens, us this day Remember, oh, remember!

O spirit of the earth, to thee we pray, Remember! Us remember!

"O G.o.d of Fire! a lofty prince doth stand, A warrior, and son of the blue sea, Before the G.o.d of Fire in thine own land, Before thy holy fires that from us free Dread Darkness, where dark Nuk-khu reigns.

Our prince, as monarch we proclaim, His destiny thy power maintains, Oh, crown his glory with wide fame!

"With bronze and metal thou dost bless All men, and givest silver, gold.

The G.o.ddess with the horned face Did bless us with thee from of old.

From dross thy fires change gold to purity; Oh, bless our fire-king, round him s.h.i.+ne With Heaven's vast sublimity!

And like the earth with rays divine, As the bright walls of Heaven's shrine."

[Footnote 1: "Sar," king.]

[Footnote 2: "Khanga," chorus.]

[Footnote 3: One of the Accadian psalms is here quoted from "Chaldean Magic," by Lenormant, pp. 185, 186. See also "Records of the Past," vol.

xi. pl. 17, col. 2.]

[Footnote 4: Literally, "Right into my marrow, O Lords of breath."]

[Footnote 5: Literally, "Direct the breath of my mouth!"]

[Footnote 6: Sacred gla.s.s, sun-gla.s.s used to light the sacred fire.]

[Footnote 7: Incantation to Fire ("Records of the Past," vol. xi. p. 137).

The Accadian and a.s.syrian text is found in "C.I.W.A.," vol. iv. pl. 14, and on tablet K. 49,002, in the British Museum.]