Babylonian and Assyrian Literature Part 43

XVIII

In the might and power of Ashur my Lord, I went to the country of Tsugi, belonging to Gilkhi, which did not acknowledge Ashur my Lord. With 4,000 of their troops, belonging to the countries Khimi, Lukhi, Arirgi, Alamun, Nuni, and all the far-spread land of the _Akhi_, in the country of Khirikhi, a difficult region, which rose up like metal posts, with all their people I fought _on foot_. I defeated them; the bodies of their fighting men on the tops of the mountains I heaped in ma.s.ses. The carca.s.ses of their warriors I strewed over the country of Khirikhi like chaff. I took the entire country of Tsugi. Twenty-five of their G.o.ds, their movables, their wealth, and their valuables I carried off. Many of their cities I burnt with fire, I destroyed and overthrew. The men of their armies submitted to my yoke. I had mercy on them. I imposed on them tribute and offerings. With attachment to the wors.h.i.+p of Ashur, my Lord, I intrusted them.[1]

[Footnote 1: That is, "I caused them to wors.h.i.+p Ashur."]

XIX

At this time 25 of the G.o.ds belonging to those countries, subject to my government, which I had taken, I dedicated for the honor of the temple of the Queen of glory, the great ancestress of Ashur my Lord, of Anu, and of Vul, the G.o.ddess who is the guardian of all the public temples of my city of Ashur, and of all the G.o.ddesses of my country.

XX

Tiglath-Pileser, the powerful King; the subduer of hostile races; the conqueror of the whole circle of kings.

XXI

At this time, in exalted reverence to Ashur, my Lord, by the G.o.dlike support of the heroic "Sun," having in the service of the great G.o.ds, ruled over the four regions imperially; there being found (to me) no equal in war, and no second in battle, to the countries of the powerful Kings who dwelt upon the upper ocean and had never made their submission, the Lord Ashur having urged me, I went. Difficult mountain chains, and distant (or inaccessible) hills, which none of our Kings had ever previously reached, tedious paths and unopened roads I traversed. The countries of Elama, of Amadana, of Eltis, of Sherabili, of _Likhuna_, of Tirkakhuli, of Kisra, of Likhanubi, of Elula, of Khastare, of Sakhisara, of Hubira, of Miliatruni, of _Sulianzi_, of Nubanashe, and of Sh.e.s.h.e, 16 strong countries, the easy parts in my chariots, and the difficult parts in wagons of iron, I pa.s.sed through; the thickets of the mountains I cut down; bridges for the pa.s.sage of my troops I prepared; I crossed over the Euphrates; the King of Elammi, the King of Tunubi, the King of Tuhali, the King of Kindari, the King of Huzula, the King of Vanzamuni, the King of Andiabi, the King of Pilakinna, the King of Aturgina, the King of Kulibartzini, the King of Pinibirni, the King of Khimua, the King of Paiteri, the King of Vairam, the King of Sururia, the King of Abaeni, the King of Adaeni, the King of Kirini, the King of Albaya, the King of v.a.g.i.n.a, the King of Nazabia, the King of _Amalziu_, the King of Dayeni, in all 23 Kings of the countries of Nairi, in their own provinces having a.s.sembled their chariots and troops, they came to fight with me.[1] By means of my powerful servants I straitened them.[2] I caused the destruction of their far-spreading troops, as if with the destroying tempest of Vul. I levelled the ranks of their warriors, both on the tops of the mountains and on the battlements of the cities, like _gra.s.s_. Two soss [3] of their chariots I held as a trophy from the midst of the fight; one soss [4] of the kings of the countries of Nairi, and of those who had come to their a.s.sistance, in my victory as far as the upper ocean I pursued them; I took their great castles; I plundered their movables, their wealth and their valuables; their cities I burnt with fire, I destroyed and overthrew, and converted into heaps and mounds. Droves of many horses and mules, of calves and of lambs, their property, in countless numbers I carried off. Many of the kings of the countries of Nairi fell alive into my hands; to these kings I granted pardon; their lives I spared; their abundance and wealth I poured out before my Lord, the sun-G.o.d. In reverence to my great G.o.ds, to after-times, to the last day, I condemned them to do homage. The young men, the pride of their royalty, I gave over to the service of the G.o.ds; 1,200 horses and 2,000 cattle I imposed on them as tribute, and I allowed them to remain in their own countries.

[Footnote 1: Literally, to make war and do battle.]

[Footnote 2: Or, brought them into difficulties.]

[Footnote 3: One hundred and twenty.]

[Footnote 4: Sixty.]

XXII

Tseni, the King of Dayani, who was not submissive to Ashur my Lord, his abundance and wealth I brought it to my city of Ashur. I had mercy on him.

I left him in life to learn the wors.h.i.+p of the great G.o.ds from my city of Ashur. I reduced the far-spreading countries of Nairi throughout their whole extent, and many of their kings I subjected to my yoke.

XXIII

In the course of this expedition, I went to the city of Milidia, belonging to the country of Khanni-rabbi, which was independent and did not obey me.

They abstained from engaging in the rude fight with me; they submitted to my yoke, and I had mercy on them. This city I did not occupy, but I gave the people over to religious service, and I imposed on them as a token of their allegiance a fixed tribute of ...[1]

[Footnote 1: Lacuna.]

XXIV

Tiglath-Pileser, the ruling constellation; the powerful; the lover of battle.

XXV

In the service of my Lord Ashur, my chariots and warriors I a.s.sembled; I set out on my march. In front of my strong men I went to the country of the Aramaeans, the enemies of my Lord Ashur. From before Tsukha, as far as the city of Qarqamis[1] belonging to the country of Khatte,[2] I smote with _one blow_. Their fighting men I slew; their movables, their wealth, and their valuables in countless numbers I carried off. The men of their armies who fled from before the face of the valiant servants of my Lord Ashur, crossed over the Euphrates; in boats covered with bitumen skins I crossed the Euphrates after them; I took six of their cities which were below the country of Bisri; I burnt them with fire, and I destroyed and overthrew; and I brought their movables, their wealth, and their valuables to my city of Ashur.

[Footnote 1: Carchemish.]

[Footnote 2: The Hitt.i.tes.]

XXVI

Tiglath-Pileser, he who tramples upon the Magian world; he who subdues the disobedient; he who has overrun the whole earth.

XXVII

My Lord Ashur having urged me on, I took my way to the vast country of Muzri, lying beyond Elammi, Tala, and Kharutsa; I took the country of Muzri throughout its whole extent; I subdued their warriors; I burnt their cities with fire, I destroyed and overthrew; the troops of the country of Comani hastened to the a.s.sistance of the country of Muzri: in the mountains I fought with them and defeated them. In the metropolis, the city of Arin, which was under the country of Ayatsa, I besieged them; they submitted to my yoke; I spared this city; but I imposed on them religious service and tribute and offerings.

XXVIII

At this time the whole country of Comani which was in alliance with the country of Muzri, all their people a.s.sembled and arose to do battle and make war. By means of my valiant servants I fought with 20,000 of their numerous troops in the country of Tala, and I defeated them; their mighty ma.s.s broke in pieces; as far as the country of Kharutsa, belonging to Muzri, I smote them and pursued; the ranks of their troops on the heights of the mountains I cut down _like gra.s.s_; their carca.s.ses covered the valleys and the tops of the mountains; their great castles I took, I burnt with fire, I destroyed, and overthrew into heaps and mounds.

XXIX

The city of Khunutsa, their stronghold, I overthrew like a heap of stubble. With their mighty troops in the city and on the hills I fought _fiercely_. I defeated them; their fighting men in the middle of the forests I scattered like _chaff_. I cut off their heads as if they were _carrion_; their carca.s.ses filled the valleys and (covered) the heights of the mountains. I captured this city; their G.o.ds, their wealth, and their valuables I carried off, and burnt with fire. Three of their great castles, which were built of brick, and the entire city I destroyed and overthrew, and converted into heaps and mounds, and upon the site I laid down large stones; and I made tablets of copper, and I wrote on them an account of the countries which I had taken by the help of my Lord Ashur, and about the taking of this city, and the building of its castle; and upon it[1] I built a house of brick, and I set up within it these copper tablets.