Babylonian and Assyrian Literature | Page 4

Erech all Kardunia[12] ruled alone.
[Footnote 1: "Samu," heaven.]
[Footnote 2: "Happy Fields," celestial gardens, heaven.]
[Footnote 3: "Subartu," Syria.]
[Footnote 4: "Sari," plural form of "saros," a cycle or measurement of time used by the Babylonians, 3,600 years.]
[Footnote 5: From the "Accadian Hymn to Ishtar," terra-cotta tablet numbered "S, 954," one of the oldest hymns of a very remote date, deposited in the British Museum by Mr. Smith. It comes from Erech, one of the oldest, if not the oldest, city of Babylonia. We have inserted a portion of it in its most appropriate place in the epic. See translation in "Records of the Past," vol. v. p. 157.]
[Footnote 6: "Kisar," the consort or queen of Sar, father of all the gods.]
[Footnote 7: "Zir-ri" (pronounced "zeer-ree"), short form of "Zi-aria," spirits of the running rivers--naiads or water-nymphs.]
[Footnote 8: "Samas," the sun-god.]
[Footnote 9: Babil, Babylon; the Accadian name was "Diu-tir," or "Duran."]
[Footnote 10: "Pa-te-si," prince.]
[Footnote 11: "Ellat-gula," one of the queens or sovereigns of Erech, supposed to have preceded Nammurabi or Nimrod on the throne. We have identified Izdubar herein with Nimrod.]
[Footnote 12: "Kardunia," the ancient name of Babylonia.]
COLUMN II
THE FALL OF ERECH
O Moon-god,[1] hear my cry! With thy pure light?Oh, take my spirit through that awful night?That hovers o'er the long-forgotten years,?To sing Accadia's songs and weep her tears!?'Twas thus I prayed, when lo! my spirit rose?On fleecy clouds, enwrapt in soft repose;?And I beheld beneath me nations glide?In swift succession by, in all their pride:?The earth was filled with cities of mankind,?And empires fell beneath a summer wind.?The soil and clay walked forth upon the plains?In forms of life, and every atom gains?A place in man or breathes in animals;?And flesh and blood and bones become the walls?Of palaces and cities, which soon fall?To unknown dust beneath some ancient wall.?All this I saw while guided by the stroke?Of unseen pinions:
Then amid the smoke?That rose o'er burning cities, I beheld?White Khar-sak-kur-ra's[2] brow arise that held?The secrets of the gods--that felt the prore?Of Khasisadra's ark; I heard the roar?Of battling elements, and saw the waves?That tossed above mankind's commingled graves.?The mighty mountain as some sentinel?Stood on the plains alone; and o'er it fell?A halo, bright, divine; its summit crowned?With sunbeams, shining on the earth around?And o'er the wide expanse of plains;--below?Lay Khar-sak-kal-ama[3] with light aglow,?And nestling far away within my view?Stood Erech, Nipur, Marad, Eridu,?And Babylon, the tower-city old,?In her own splendor shone like burnished gold.?And lo! grand Erech in her glorious days?Lies at my feet. I see a wondrous maze?Of vistas, groups, and clustering columns round,?Within, without the palace;--from the ground?Of outer staircases, massive, grand,?Stretch to the portals where the pillars stand.?A thousand carvèd columns reaching high?To silver rafters in an azure sky,?And palaces and temples round it rise?With lofty turrets glowing to the skies,?And massive walls far spreading o'er the plains,?Here live and move Accadia's courtly trains,?And see! the pit-u-dal-ti[4] at the gates,?And masari[5] patrol and guard the streets!?And yonder comes a kis-ib, nobleman,?With a young prince; and see! a caravan?Winds through the gates! With men the streets are filled!?And chariots, a people wise and skilled?In things terrestrial, what science, art,?Here reign! With laden ships from every mart?The docks are filled, and foreign fabrics bring?From peoples, lands, where many an empire, king,?Have lived and passed away, and naught have left?In history or song. Dread Time hath cleft?Us far apart; their kings and kingdoms, priests?And bards are gone, and o'er them sweep the mists?Of darkness backward spreading through all time,?Their records swept away in every clime.?Those alabaster stairs let us ascend,?And through this lofty portal we will wend.?See! richest Sumir rugs amassed, subdue?The tilèd pavement with its varied hue,?Upon the turquoise ceiling sprinkled stars?Of gold and silver crescents in bright pairs!?And gold-fringed scarlet curtains grace each door,?And from the inlaid columns reach the floor:?From golden rods extending round the halls,?Bright silken hangings drape the sculptured walls.
But part those scarlet hangings at the door?Of yon grand chamber! tread the antique floor!?Behold the sovereign on her throne of bronze,?While crouching at her feet a lion fawns;?The glittering court with gold and gems ablaze?With ancient splendor of the glorious days?Of Accad's sovereignty. Behold the ring?Of dancing beauties circling while they sing?With amorous forms in moving melody,?The measure keep to music's harmony.?Hear! how the music swells from silver lute?And golden-stringèd lyres and softest flute?And harps and tinkling cymbals, measured drums,?While a soft echo from the chamber comes.
But see! the sovereign lifts her jewelled hand,?The music ceases at the Queen's command;?And lo! two chiefs in warrior's array,?With golden helmets plumed with colors gay,?And golden shields, and silver coats of mail,?Obeisance make to her with faces pale,?Prostrate themselves before their sovereign's throne?In silence brief remain with faces prone,?Till Ellat-gula[6] speaks: "My chiefs, arise!?What word have ye for me? what new surprise?"?Tur-tau-u,[7] rising, says, "O Dannat[8] Queen!?Thine enemy, Khum-baba[9] with