Chapter IV: Front Matter (4)

"If anyone to glory can lay claim Among all chiefs and warriors of fame, We Izdubar above them all proclaim Our Izzu-Ul-bar[1] of undying fame. _Sar gabri la isu, Sar-dannu bu-mas-lu!_[2]

"He wears the diadem of Subartu, From Bar-ili[3] he came to Eridu; Our giant monarch, who of all _barri_[4] Can rival him, our Nin-arad _rabi?_[5] _Sar-dannu ina mati basi, Sar bu-mas-la e-mu-ki, nesi._"[6]

Through the grand halls of Erech far resounds The feast their Sar proclaimed through all the grounds Of Erech's palaces; where he now meets His heroes, seers and counsellors, and greets Them in his crowded festal halls. Grand banquets far are spread within the walls, And sparkling rarest wines each freely drank, And revels ruled the hour till Samas sank, And shadows sweep across the joyous plain, And Samas sleeps with Hea 'neath the main. The jewelled lamps are lit within the halls, And dazzling glory on the feasters falls. The rays o'er gems and richest garments shone Upon the lords and ladies round the throne; While troops of dancing girls around them move With cymbals, harps and lutes, with songs of love. Again the board glows with rich food and wines, Now spread before them till each man reclines Upon his couch at rest in the far night, And swimming halls and wines pass from their sight.

[Footnote 1: "Izzu-Ul-bar," the fire of Bel's temple.]

[Footnote 2: "The King who has no rival. The powerful giant King." The royal titles of Izdubar.]

[Footnote 3: "Bar-ili," temple, or country of the gods.]

[Footnote 4: "Barri," chieftains, army, soldiers.]

[Footnote 5: "Nin-arad rabi," "the servant of Nin, the King."]

[Footnote 6: "Who is the great king (in the land) of all countries, the powerful giant king, the lion!" The royal titles of Izdubar.]

COLUMN VI

ISHTAR WEAVES A MYSTIC SPELL OVER THE KING AND SEER, AND VANISHES--THE SEER ADVISES THE KING TO SEEK THE AID OF THE IMMORTAL SEER WHO ESCAPES FROM THE FLOOD.

The goddess Ishtar wrapped in darkness waits Until the goddess Tsil-at-tu[1] the gates Of sleep has closed upon the darkened plain; Then lightly to the palace flies the Queen. O'er the King's couch she weaves an awful dream, While her bright eyes upon him furious gleam. Then o'er Heabani's couch a moment stands, And Heaven's curtains pulls aside with hands Of mystic power, and he a vision sees-- The gods in council;--vanishing, she flees Without the palace like a gleam of light, And wakes the guard around in wild affright.

Next day the seer reveals to Izdubar How all the gods a council held of war, And gave to Anu power to punish them For thus defying Ishtar's godly claim; And thus the seer gave him his counsel, well Considered, how to meet their plottings fell:

"To Khasisadra go, who from the flood Escaped when o'er the earth the waters stood Above mankind, and covered all the ground; He at the river's mouth may yet be found. For his great aid, we now the seer must seek, For Anu's fury will upon us break. Immortal lives the seer beside the sea; Through Hades pass, and soon the seer mayst see."

Thus Izdubar replied, and him embraced: "With thee, Heabani, I my throne have graced; With thee I go, mine own companion dear, And on the road each other we may cheer," "The way is long, my King, and if I live, With thee I go, but oh, thou must not grieve, For perils great attend the way, and old Am I: the suppleness of youth to hold My strength I need, but it alas! is gone. My heart is ready, but I fear, my son, These crippled limbs which Anu's bull hath left Of my strong vigor, have thy seer bereft. Too weak am I, for that long journey hard To undertake; my presence would retard Thee,--with these wounds; nor strength have I to last To guard my body in the mountain fast. But if thou wilt, my strength is thine, my King! To do thy will my agèd form shall spring With gladness, and all perils I'll defy; If need be, for thee will thy servant die."

"Heabani, noble one! my chosen seer! I love thee, bid thy loyal heart good cheer. He steeds may take to ride through all the way, With easy journeys on the road each day; From perils I will guard thee, and defend; To-morrow then we on our way will wend."

Equipped for the long journey they appear Next morn and leave, while Erech's people cheer Them on their way across the glowing plain, To perils dire they go--distress and pain.

[Footnote 1: "Tsil-at-tu," goddess of darkness, or shades of night.]

TABLET VI--COLUMN I

ISHTAR'S DESCENT TO HADES--HER FEARFUL RECEPTION

To Hades' darkened land, whence none return, Queen Ishtar, Sin's great daughter, now doth turn; Inclined her ear and listened through the void That lay beneath of every path devoid, The home of darkness, of the Under-World, Where god Ir-kal-la[1] from the heights was hurled. The land and road from whence is no return, Where light no entrance hath to that dark bourne; Where dust to dust returns, devouring clods; Where light dwells not in Tsil-lat-tus abodes; Where sable ravens hovering rule the air; O'er doors and bolts dust reigneth with despair. Before the gates of gloom the Queen now stands, And to the keeper Ishtar thus commands: "O keeper of the waters! open wide Thy gate, that I through these dark walls may glide; But if thou open'st not the gate for me, That I may enter, shattered thou shalt see The doors and bolts before thee lying prone, And from the dust shall rise each skeleton, With fleshless jaws devour all men with thee, Till death shall triumph o'er mortality." The keeper to the Princess Ishtar said: "Withhold thy speech! or Allat's fury dread! To her I go to bid thee welcome here." To Allat then the keeper doth appear: "Thy sister Ishtar the dark waters seeks-- The Queen of Heaven," thus Allat's fury breaks. "So like an herb uprooted comes this Queen, To sting me as an asp doth Ishtar mean? What can her presence bring to me but hate? Doth Heaven's Queen thus come infuriate?" And Ishtar thus replies: "The fount I seek, Where I with Tammuz, my first love, may speak; And drink its waters, as sweet nectar-wines, Weep o'er my husband, who in death reclines; My loss as wife with handmaids I deplore, O'er my dear Tammuz let my teardrops pour." And Allat said, "Go! keeper, open wide The gates to her! she hath me once defied; Bewitch her as commanded by our laws." To her thus Hades opened wide its jaws.

"Within, O goddess! Cutha thee receives! Thus Hades' palace its first greeting gives." He seized her, and her crown aside was thrown. "O why, thou keeper, dost thou seize my crown?" "Within, O goddess! Allat thee receives! 'Tis thus to thee our Queen her welcome gives." Within the next gate he her earrings takes, And goddess Ishtar now with fury shakes. "Then why, thou slave, mine earrings take away?" "Thus entrance, goddess, Allat bids this day." At the third gate her necklace next he takes, And now in fear before him Ishtar quakes. "And wilt thou take from me my gems away?" "Thus entrance, goddess, Allat bids this day." And thus he strips the goddess at each gate, Of ornaments upon her breast and feet And arms; her bracelets, girdle from her waist, Her robe next took, and flung the Queen undrest Within a cell of that dark solitude. At last, before Queen Ishtar Allat stood, When she had long remained within the walls, And Allat mocked her till Queen Ishtar falls Humiliated on the floor in woe; Then turning wildly, cursed her ancient foe. Queen Allat furious to her servant cries: "Go! Naintar! with disease strike blind her eyes! And strike her side! her breast and head and feet; With foul disease her strike, within the gate!"

[Footnote 1: "Ir-kal-la," the King of Hades, who was hurled from the heights of heaven with the evil gods who rebelled with Tiamatu, the goddess of chaos, against the reign of the gods of heaven.]

COLUMN II

EFFECT OF ISHTAR'S IMPRISONMENT IN HADES--LOVE DEPARTS FROM THE EARTH--THE EARTH'S SOLEMN DIRGE OF WOE.

When Ishtar, Queen of Love, from Earth had flown, With her love fled, and left all nature prone; From Earth all peace with love then fled amain. In loneliness the bull stalked o'er the plain, And tossed his drooping crest toward the sky, In sadness lay upon the green to die; On the far kine looked weary and bereaved, And turned toward the gods, and wondering grieved. The troubled kine then gravely chewed their cud, And hungerless in the rich pastures stood. The ass his mate abandoned, fled away, And loveless wives then cursed the direful day; And loving husbands kiss their wives no more, And doves their cooing ceased, and separate soar; And love then died in all the breasts of men, And strife supreme on earth was reveling then.

The sexes of mankind their wars divide, And women hate all men, and them deride; And some demented hurl aside their gowns, And queens their robes discard and jewelled crowns, And rush upon the streets bereft of shame, Their forms expose, and all the gods defame. Alas! from earth the Queen of Love has gone, And lovers 'void their haunts with faces wan And spurn from them the hateful thought of love, For love no longer reigns, all life to move. An awful thrill now speeds through Hades' doors, And shakes with horror all the dismal floors; A wail upon the breeze through space doth fly, And howling gales sweep madly through the sky; Through all the universe there speeds a pang Of travail. Mam-nu-tu[1] appalled doth hang Upon her blackened pinions in the air, And piteous from her path leads Black Despair, "The queen in chains in Hades dying lies, And life with her," they cry, "forever dies!" Through misty glades and darkened depths of space, Tornadoes roar her fate to Earth's sweet face; The direful tidings from far Hades pour Upon her bosom with their saddest roar; Like moans of mighty powers in misery, They bring the tale with awful minstrelsy. And Earth her mists wrapped round her face in woe, While icy pangs through all her breast deep flow. Her bosom sobbing wails a mighty moan, "Alas! forever my sweet queen hath flown!" With shrieks of hurricane, and ocean's groan, And sobbing of the winds through heights unknown, Through mountain gorges sweep her wails of woe, Through every land and seas, her sorrows flow: Oh, moan! oh, moan! dear mountains, lakes, and seas! Oh, weep with me dear plants, and flowers, and trees! Alas! my beauty fading now will die! Oh, weep, ye stars, for me in every sky! Oh, Samas, hide thy face! I am undone! Oh, weep with me Ur-ru,[2] my precious son. Let all your notes of joy, my birds, be stilled; Your mother's heart with dread despair is filled:

"Come back, my flowerets, with your fragrant dews; Come, all my beauties, with your brightest hues; Come back, my plants and buds and youngling shoots! Within your mother's bosom hide your roots. Oh, children, children! Love hath fled away, Alas! that life I gave should see this day! Your queen lies dying in her awful woe, Oh, why should she from us to Hades go?"

Wide Nature felt her woe, and ceased to spring, And withered buds their vigor lost, and fling No more their fragrance to the lifeless air; The fruit-trees died, or barren ceased to bear; The male plants kiss their female plants no more; And pollen on the winds no longer soar To carry their caresses to the seed Of waiting hearts that unavailing bleed, Until they fold their petals in despair, And dying, drop to earth, and wither there. The growing grain no longer fills its head, The fairest fields of corn lie blasted, dead. All Nature mourning dons her sad attire, And plants and trees with falling leaves expire. And Samas' light and moon-god's soothing rays Earth's love no more attracts; recurring days Are shortened by a blackness deep profound That rises higher as the days come round. At last their light flees from the darkened skies, The last faint gleam now passes, slowly dies. Upon a blasted world, dread darkness falls, O'er dying nature, crumbling cities' walls. Volcanoes' fires are now the only light, Where pale-faced men collect around in fright; With fearful cries the lurid air they rend, To all the gods their wild petitions send.

[Footnote 1: "Mam-nu-tu," goddess of fate.]

[Footnote 2: "Ur-ru," the moon-god.]

COLUMN III

PAPSUKUL, THE GOD OF HOPE, AND HERALD OF THE GODS, FLIES FROM THE EARTH AND INTERCEDES FOR THE RELEASE OF ISHTAR, AND HEA GRANTS HIS PRAYER

O Hope! thou fleeting pleasure of the mind, Forever with us stay, our hearts to bind! We cling to thee till life has fled away; Our dearest phantom, ever with us stay! Without thee, we have naught but dread despair, The worst of all our torments with us here; Oh, come with thy soft pinions, o'er us shine! And we will worship thee, a god divine: The _ignis fatuus_ of all our skies That grandly leads us, vanishes and dies, And we are left to grope in darkness here, Without a ray of light our lives to cheer. Oh, stay! sweet Love's companion, ever stay! And let us hope with love upon our way! We reck not if a phantom thou hast been, And we repent that we have ever seen Thy light on earth to lead us far astray; Forever stay! or ever keep away!

When Papsukul beheld in man's abodes The change that spread o'er blasted, lifeless clods, And heard earth's wailing through the waning light, With vegetation passing out of sight, From the doomed world to Heaven he quickly flies, While from the earth are rising fearful cries. To Samas' throne he speeds with flowing tears, And of the future dark he pours his fears. To Sin, the moon-god, Pap-su-kul now cries O'er Ishtar's fate, who in black Hades lies; O'er Earth's dire end, which with Queen Ishtar dies; To Hea he appeals with mournful cries:

"O Hea, our Creator, God and King!
Queen Ishtar now is lying prone.
To Earth, our godly queen again, oh, bring!
I trust thy love, O Holy One!
To all the gods who reign o'er us on high
I pray! thus Hope thine aid implores,
Release our queen! To Hades quickly fly!
Thy Pap-su-kul with faith adores.

"The bull hath left the lowing kine bereaved,
And sulking dies in solitude;
The ass hath fled away, his mates hath grieved,
And women are no more imbued
With love, and drive their husbands far away,
And wives enjoy not their caress;
All peace and love have gone from earth this day,
And love on earth knows not its bliss.

"The females die through all the living world,
Among all beasts, and men, and plants;
All love from them on earth have madly hurled,
For blissful love no more each pants;
And Samas' light is turned away from Earth,
And left alone volcanoes' fire;
The land is filled with pestilence and dearth,
All life on earth will soon expire."

When Hea heard the solemn chant of Hope, From his high throne he let his sceptre drop, And cried: "And thus, I rule o'er all mankind! For this, I gave them life, immortal mind; To earth's relief, my herald shall quick go, I hear thy prayer, and song of Ishtar's woe."

"Go! At-su-su-namir, with thy bright head! With all thy light spring forth! and quickly speed; Towards the gates of Hades, turn thy face! And quickly fly for me through yonder space. Before thy presence may the seven gates Of Hades open with their gloomy grates; May Allat's face rejoice before thy sight, Her rage be soothed, her heart filled with delight; But conjure her by all the godly names, And fearless be,--towards the roaring streams Incline thine ear, and seek the path there spread. Release Queen Ishtar! raise her godly head! And sprinkle her with water from the stream; Her purify! a cup filled to the brim Place to her lips that she may drink it all. The herald as a meteor doth fall, With blazing fire disparts the hanging gloom Around the gates of that dark world of doom."

COLUMN IV

RELEASE OF ISHTAR--HER ATTEMPTS TO BRING TO LIFE TAMMUZ, HER FIRST LOVER

When Allat saw the flaming herald come, And his bright light dispelling all her gloom, She beat her breast; and at him furious foams In rage, and stamping shakes all Hades' domes, Thus cursed the herald, At-su-su-namir: "Away! thou herald! or I'll chain thee here In my dark vaults, and throw thee for thy food The city's garbage, which has stagnant stood, With impure waters for thy daily drink, And lodge thee in my prison till you sink From life impaled in yonder dismal room Of torture; to thy fate so thou hast come? Thine offspring with starvation I will strike!"

At last obedient doth Allat speak: "Go, Namtar! and the iron palace strike! O'er Asherim[1] adorned let the dawn break! And seat the spirits on their thrones of gold! Let Ishtar Life's bright waters then behold, And drink her fill, and bring her then to me; From her imprisonment, I send her free." And Namtar then goes through the palace walls, And flings the light through all the darkened halls, And places all the spirits on their thrones, Leads Ishtar to the waters near the cones. She drinks the sparkling water now with joy, Which all her form doth cleanse and purify. And he at the first gate her robe returns, And leads her through the second; where he turns, And gives her bracelets back;--thus at each door Returns to her her girdle, gems; then o'er Her queenly brow he placed her shining crown. With all her ornaments that were her own, She stands with pride before the seventh gate, And Namtar bows to her in solemn state:

"Thou hast no ransom to our queen here paid For thy deliverance, yet thou hast said Thy Tammuz thou didst seek within our walls, Turn back! and thou wilt find him in these halls. To bring him back to life the waters pour Upon him; they thy Tammuz will restore; With robes thou mayst adorn him and a crown Of jewels, and thy maid with thee alone Shall give thee comfort and appease thy grief. Kharimtu, Samkha come to thy relief!"

Now Ishtar lifts her eyes within a room Prepared for her, and sees her maidens come, Before a weird procession wrapped in palls, That soundless glide within and fills the halls. Before her now they place a sable bier Beside the fount; and Ishtar, drawing near, Raised the white pall from Tammuz's perfect form. The clay unconscious, had that mystic charm Of Beauty sleeping sweetly on his face,-- Of agony or sorrow left no trace: But, oh! that awful wound of death was there With its deep mark;--the wound, and not the scar.

When Ishtar's eyes beheld it, all her grief Broke forth afresh, refusing all relief; She smote her breast in woe, and moaning cried, Nor the bright waters to his wound applied: "O Tammuz! Tammuz! turn thine eyes on me! Thy queen thou didst adorn, before thee see! Behold the emeralds and diamond crown Thou gavest me when I became thine own! Alas! he answers not: and must I mourn Forever o'er my love within this bourne? But, oh! the waters from this glowing stream! Perhaps those eyes on me with love will beam, And I shall hear again his song of love. Oh, quickly let these waters to me prove Their claim to banish death with magic power!"

Then with her maids, she o'er his form doth pour The sparkling drops of life-- "He moves! he lives! What happiness is this my heart receives? O come, my Tammuz! to my loving arms!"

And on breast his breathing form she warms; With wondering eyes he stares upon his queen, And nestling closed his eyes in bliss again.

[Footnote 1: "Asherim," literally "stone stakes" or "cones," the symbols of the goddess Asherah or Ishtar (Sayce), but Calmet says that the god Ashima is a deity of very uncertain origin, and that the name "Ashima" may be very well compared with the Persian "asuman" ("heaven"); in "Zend," "acmano," so Gesenius in his Man. Lex., 1832. This also, according to the magi, is the name of the angel of death, who separates the souls of men from their bodies, Cal. Dic., p. 106. Cones are to be seen in the British Museum which are probably of the character which represented Elah-Gabalah, the sun-god, adored in Rome during the reign of Heliogabalus. The symbol and worship came from Hamath in Syria.]

COLUMN V

TAMMUZ IS RESTORED TO LIFE BY THE WATERS OF LIFE--HIS SONG OF LOVE

The nectared cup the queen placed to his lips, And o'er his heaving breast the nectar drips, And now his arms are folded round his queen, And her fond kisses he returns again; And see! they bring to him his harp of gold, And from its strings, sweet music as of old His skilful hands wake through the sounding domes; Oh, how his Song of Love wakes those dark rooms!

"My Queen of Love comes to my arms!
Her faithful eyes have sought for me,
My Love comes to me with her charms;
Let all the world now happy be!
My queen has come again!

Forever, dearest, let me rest
Upon the bosom of my queen!
Thy lips of love are honeyed best;
Come! let us fly to bowering green!
To our sweet bower again.

O Love on Earth! O Love in Heaven!
That dearest gift which gods have given,
Through all my soul let it be driven,
And make my heart its dearest haven,
For Love returns the kiss!

Oh! let me pillow there within
Thy breast, and, oh, so sweetly rest,
My life anew shall there begin;
On thy sweet charms, oh, let me feast!
Life knows no sweeter bliss.

Oh, let me feast upon thy lips,
As honey-bird the nectar sips,
And drink new rapture through my lips,
As honey-bee its head thus drips
In nectarine abyss!

O Love, sweet queen! my heart is thine!
My Life I clasp within mine arms!
My fondest charmer, queen divine!
My soul surrenders to thy charms,
In bliss would fly away.

No dearer joy than this I want;
If love is banished from that life
There bodyless, my soul would pant,
And pine away in hopeless grief,
If love be fled away.

If Love should hide and fold her wings
In bowers of yonder gleaming skies,
Unmeaning then each bard oft sings
Of bliss that lives on earth and dies,--
I want such love as this.

I want thy form, thy loving breast,
Mine arms of love surrounding thee,
And on thy bosom sweetly rest,
Or else that world were dead to me.
No other life is bliss.

If it is thus, my queen, I go
With joy to yonder blissful clime;
But if not so, then let me flow
To soil and streams through changing time,
To me would be more bliss.

For then, in blooming flowerets, I
Could earth adorn, my soul delight,
And never thus on earth could die;
For though I should be hid from sight,
Would spring again with joy!

And sing as some sweet warbling bird,
Or in the breezes wave as grain,
As yellow sun-birds there have whirred
On earth, could I thus live again,
That beauteous world enjoy!

'Mid safflower-fields or waving cane,
Or in the honeysuckles lie,
In forms of life would breathe again,
Enjoy Earth's sweetest revelry,
And ever spring again!

Each life to me new joys would bring,
In breast of beast or bird or flower,
In each new form new joys would spring,
And happy, ever, Love would soar!
Triumphant filled with joy!

In jujube or tamarisk
Perhaps would come to life again,
Or in the form of fawns would frisk
'Mid violets upon the plain;
But I should live again!

And throb beneath the glistening dew,
In bamboo tufts, or mango-trees,
In lotus bloom, and spring anew,
In rose-tree bud, or such as these
On Earth return again!

And I should learn to love my mate,
In beast or singing bird or flower,
For kiss of love in hope could wait;
Perhaps I then would come that hour,
In form I have again!

And love you say, my queen, is there,
Where I can breathe with life anew?
But is it so? My Love, beware!
For some things oft are false, some true,
But I thee trust again!

We fly away! from gates away!
Oh, life of bliss! Oh, breath of balm!
With wings we tread the Silver Way,
To trailing vines and feathery palm,
To bower of love again."

COLUMN VI

ESCAPE OF TAMMUZ FROM HADES--HIS DEATH IN THE CLOUDS--FUNERAL PROCESSION OF THE GODS--ISHTAR'S ELEGY OVER THE DEATH OF TAMMUZ--HIS REVIVAL IN HADES, WHERE HE IS CROWNED AS THE LORD OF HADES--ISHTAR'S RETURN BRINGS LIGHT AND LOVE BACK TO EARTH.

But see! they pass from those dark gates and walls, And fly upon the breeze from Hades' halls, Hark! hark! the sounding harp is stilled! it falls From Tammuz's hands! Oh, how its wailing calls To you bright _zi-ni_[1] flying through the skies, See! one sweet spirit of the wind swift flies And grasps the wailing harp before it ends Its wail of woe, and now beneath it bends, With silent pinions listening to its strings, Wild sobbing on the winds;--with wailing rings The conscious harp, and trembles in her hands. A rush of pinions comes from myriad lands, With moanings sends afar the awful tale, And mourners brings with every whispering gale. And see! the queen's companion fainting sinks! She lays him on that cloud with fleecy brinks! And oh! his life is ebbing fast away! She wildly falls upon his breast, and gray Her face becomes with bitter agony. She tearless kneels, wrapt in her misery And now upon his breast she lays her head, With tears that gods, alas! with men must shed; She turning, sobs to her sweet waiting maids, Who weeping o'er her stand with bended heads: "Assemble, oh, my maids, in mourning here, The gods! and spirits of the earth bring near!"

They come! they come! three hundred spirits high, The heavenly spirits come! the I-gi-gi! From Heaven's streams and mouths and plains and vales, And gods by thousands on the wings of gales. The spirits of the earth, An-un-na-ci, Now join around their sisters of the sky. Hark! hear her weeping to the heavenly throng, Imploring them to chant their mournful song:

"With your gold lyres, the dirge, oh, sing with me! And moan with me, with your sweet melody; With swelling notes, as zephyrs softly wail, And cry with me as sobbing of the gale. O Earth! dear Earth! oh, wail with thy dead trees! With sounds of mountain torrents, moaning seas! And spirits of the lakes, and streams, and vales, And Zi-ku-ri of mountains' trackless trail, Join our bright legions with your queen! Oh, weep With your sad tears, dear spirits of the deep! Let all the mournful sounds of earth be heard, The breeze hath carried stored from beast and bird; Join the sweet notes of doves for their lost love To the wild moans of hours,--wailing move; Let choirs of Heaven and of the earth then peal, All living beings my dread sorrow feel! Oh, come with saddest, weirdest melody, Join earth and sky in one sweet threnody!"

Ten thousand times ten thousand now in line, In all the panoplies of gods divine; A million crowns are shining in the light, A million sceptres, robes of purest white! Ten thousand harps and lutes and golden lyres Are waiting now to start the Heavenly choirs.

And lo! a chariot from Heaven comes, While halves rise from yonder sapphire domes; A chariot incrusted with bright gems, A blaze of glory shines from diadems. See! in the car the queen o'er Tammuz bends, And nearer the procession slowly wends, Her regal diadem with tears is dimmed; And her bright form by sorrow is redeemed To sweeter, holier beauty in her woe; Her tears a halo form and brighter flow.

Caparisoned with pearls, ten milk-white steeds Are harnessed to her chariot that leads; On snow-white swans beside her ride her maids, They come! through yonder silver cloudy glades! Behind her chariot ten sovereigns ride; Behind them comes all Heaven's lofty pride, On pale white steeds, the chargers of the skies. The clouds of snowy pinions rustling rise! But hark! what is that strain of melody That fills our souls with grandest euphony? Hear how it swells and dies upon the breeze! To softest whisper of the leaves of trees; Then sweeter, grander, nobler, sweeping comes, Like myriad lyres that peal through Heaven's domes. But, oh! how sad and sweet the notes now come! Like music of the spheres that softly hum; It rises, falls, with measured melody, With saddest notes and mournful symphony. From all the universe sad notes repeat With doleful strains of woe transcendent, sweet; Hush! hear the song! my throbbing heart be still! The songs of gods above the heavens fill!

"Oh, weep with your sweet tears, and mourning chant,
O'er this dread loss of Heaven's queen.
With her, O sisters, join your sweetest plaint
O'er our dear Tammuz, Tammuz slain.
Come, all ye spirits, with your drooping wings,
No more to us sweet joy he brings;
Ah, me, my brother![2]

Oh, weep! oh, weep! ye spirits of the air,
Oh, weep! oh, weep! An-un-na-ci!
Our own dear queen is filled with dread despair.
Oh, pour your tears, dear earth and sky,
Oh, weep with bitter tears, O dear Sedu,
O'er fearful deeds of Nin-azu;
Ah, me, my brother!

Let joy be stilled! and every hope be dead!
And tears alone our hearts distil.
My love has gone!--to darkness he has fled;
Dread sorrow's cup for us, oh, fill!
And weep for Tammuz we have held so dear,
Sweet sisters of the earth and air;
Ah, me, my sister!

Oh, come ye, dearest, dearest Zi-re-nu,
With grace and mercy help us bear
Our loss and hers; our weeping queen, oh, see!
And drop with us a sister's tear.
Before your eyes our brother slain! oh, view;
Oh, weep with us o'er him so true;
Ah, me, his sister!

The sky is dead; its beauty all is gone,
Oh, weep, ye clouds, for my dead love!
Your queen in her dread sorrow now is prone.
O rocks and hills in tears, oh, move!
And all my heavenly flowerets for me weep,
O'er him who now in death doth sleep;
Ah, me, my Tammuz!

Oh, drop o'er him your fragrant dewy tears,
For your own queen who brings you joy,
For Love, the Queen of Love, no longer cheers,
Upon my heart it all doth cloy.
Alas! I give you love, nor can receive,
O all my children for me grieve;
Ah, me, my Tammuz!

Alas! alas! my heart is dying--dead!
With all these bitter pangs of grief
Despair hath fallen on my queenly head,
Oh, is there, sisters, no relief?
Hath Tammuz from me ever, ever, gone?
My heart is dead, and turned to stone;
Ah, me, his queen!

My sister spirits, O my brothers dear,
My sorrow strikes me to the earth;
Oh, let me die! I now no fate can fear,
My heart is left a fearful dearth.
Alas, from me all joy! all joy! hath gone;
Oh, Ninazu, what hast thou done?
Ah, me, his queen!"

To Hades' world beyond our sight they go, And leave upon the skies Mar-gid-da's[3] glow, That shines eternally along the sky, The road where souls redeemed shall ever fly. Prince Tammuz now again to life restored, Is crowned in Hades as its King and Lord,[4] And Ishtar's sorrow thus appeased, she flies To earth, and fills with light and love the skies.

[Footnote 1: "Zi-ni," pronounced "Zee-nee," spirits of the wind.]

[Footnote 2: "Ah, me, my brother, and, ah, me, my sister! Ah, me, Adonis (or Tammuz), and ah, me, his lady (or queen)!" is the wailing cry uttered by the worshippers of Tammuz or Adonis when celebrating his untimely death. It is referred to in Jer. xxii. 18, and in Ezek. viii. 14, and Amos viii. 10, and Zech. xii. 10, 11. See Smith's revised edition of "Chal. Acc. of Genesis," by Sayce, pp. 247, 248.]

[Footnote 3: "Mar-gid-da," "the Long Road." We have also given the Accadian name for "The Milky Way." It was also called by them the "River of Night."]

[Footnote 4: "Lord of Hades" is one of the titles given to Tammuz in an Accadian hymn found in "C.I.W.A.," vol. iv. 27, 1, 2. See also translation in "Records of the Past," vol. xi. p. 131.]

TABLET VII--COLUMN I

THE KING AND SEER CONVERSING ON THEIR WAY TO KHASI-SADRA--INTERPRETATION OF THE KING'S DREAM IN THE PALACE ON THE NIGHT OF THE FESTIVAL

"The dream, my seer, which I beheld last night Within our tent, may bring to us delight. I saw a mountain summit flash with fire, That like a royal robe or god's attire Illumined all its sides. The omen might Some joy us bring, for it was shining bright." And thus the Sar revealed to him his dream.

Heabani said, "My friend, though it did seem Propitious, yet, deceptive was it all, And came in memory of Elam's fall. The mountain burning was Khumbaba's halls We fired, when all his soldiers from the walls Had fled;--the _ni-takh-garri_,[1]--on that morn, Of such deceptive dreams, I would thee warn!"

Some twenty _kaspu_ they have passed this day, At thirty _kaspu_ they dismount to pray And raise an altar, Samas to beseech That they their journey's end may safely reach. The tent now raised, their evening meal prepare Beneath the forest in the open air; And Izdubar brought from the tent the dream He dreamed the festal night when Ishtar came To him;--he reads it from a written scroll: "Upon my sight a vision thus did fall: I saw two men that night beside a god; One man a turban wore, and fearless trod. The god reached forth his hand and struck him down Like mountains hurled on fields of corn, thus prone He lay; and Izdubar then saw the god Was Anatu,[2] who struck him to the sod. The troubler of all men, Samu's fierce queen, Thus struck the turbaned man upon the plain. He ceased his struggling, to his friend thus said: 'My friend, thou askest not why I am laid Here naked, nor my low condition heed. Accursèd thus I lie upon the mead; The god has crushed me, burned my limbs with fire.'

"The vision from mine eyes did then expire. A third dream came to me, which I yet fear, The first beyond my sight doth disappear. A fire-god thundering o'er the earth doth ride; The door of darkness burning flew aside; Like a fierce stream of lightning, blazing fire, Beside me roared the god with fury dire, And hurled wide death on earth on every side; And quickly from my sight it thus did glide, And in its track I saw a palm-tree green Upon a waste, naught else by me was seen."

Heabani pondering, thus explained the dream: "My friend, the god was Samas, who doth gleam With his bright glory, power, our God and Lord, Our great Creator King, whose thunders roared By thee, as through yon sky he takes his way; For his great favor we should ever pray. The man thou sawest lying on the plain Was thee, O King,--to fight such power is vain. Thus Anatu will strike thee with disease, Unless thou soon her anger shalt appease; And if thou warrest with such foes divine, The fires of death shall o'er thy kingdom shine. The palm-tree green upon the desert left Doth show that we of hope are not bereft; The gods for us their snares have surely weft,[3] One shall be taken, and the other left."

[Footnote 1: "Ni-takh-garri," "the helpers," or soldiers of Khumbaba.]

[Footnote 2: "Anatu," the consort of Anu.]

[Footnote 3: "Weft," weaved.]

COLUMN II

CONTEST WITH THE DRAGONS IN THE MOUNTAINS--THE SEER IS MORTALLY WOUNDED-- HIS CALM VIEW OF THE HEREAFTER

[1]"O Mam-mitu, thou god of fate and death! Thou spirit of fierce hate and parting breath, Thou banisher of joy! O ghastly Law, That gathers countless forces in thy maw! A phantom! curse! and oft a blessing, joy! All Heaven and earth thy hands shall e'er employ. With blessings come, or curses to us bring, The god who fails not with her hovering wing; Nor god, nor man thy coming e'er may ken, O mystery! thy ways none can explain."

If thou must come in earthquakes, fire, and flood, Or pestilence and eftsoons cry for blood, Thou comest oft with voice of sweetest love, Our dearest, fondest passions, hopes, to move; And men have worshipped thee in every form, In fear have praised thee, sought thy feet to charm. We reck not if you blessings, curses bring, For men oft change thy noiseless, ghoulish wing. And yet, thou comest, goddess Mam-mitu, To bring with thee the feet of Nin-a-zu, Two sister ghouls, remorseless, tearless, wan, We fear ye not; ye _bu'i-du_,[2] begone!

Sweet life renews itself in holy love, Your victory is naught! Ye vainly rove Across our pathway with yours forms inane, For somewhere, though we die, we live again. [3]The soul departed shall in glory shine, As burnished gold its form shall glow divine, And Samas there shall grant to us new life; And Merodac, the eldest son, all strife Shall end in peace in yonder Blest Abode, Where happiness doth crown our glorious God.

[4]The sacred waters there shall ever flow, To Anat's arms shall all the righteous go; The queen of Anu, Heaven's king, our hands Outstretched will clasp, and through the glorious lands Will lead us to the place of sweet delights; The land that glows on yonder blessed heights Where milk and honey from bright fountains flow. And nectar to our lips, all sorrows, woe, Shall end in happiness beside the Stream Of Life, and Joy for us shall ever gleam; Our hearts with thankfulness shall sweetly sing And grander blissfulness each day will bring.

And if we do not reach that spirit realm, Where bodyless each soul may ages whelm With joy unutterable; still we live, With bodies knew upon dear Earth, and give Our newer life to children with our blood. Or if these blessings we should miss; in wood, Or glen, or garden, field, or emerald seas, Our forms shall spring again; in such as these We see around us throbbing with sweet life, In trees or flowerets.

This needs no belief On which to base the fabric of a dream, For Earth her children from death doth redeem, And each contributes to continuous bloom; So go your way! ye sisters, to your gloom!

Far on their road have come the king of fame And seer, within the land of Mas[5] they came, Nor knew that Fate was hovering o'er their way, In gentle converse they have passed the day. Some twenty _kaspu_ o'er the hills and plain, They a wild forest in the mountain gain, In a deep gorge they rode through thickets wild, Beneath the pines; now to a pass they filed, And lo! two dragons[6] near a cave contend Their path! with backs upreared their coils unbend, Extend their ravenous jaws with a loud roar That harshly comes from mouths of clotted gore.

The sky overhead with lowering clouds is cast, Which Anu in his rage above them massed. Dark tempests fly above from Rimmon's breath, Who hovers o'er them with the gods of death; The wicked seven winds howl wildly round, And crashing cedars falling shake the ground. Now Tsil-lattu her black wings spreads o'er all, Dark shrouding all the forest with her pall, And from his steed for safety each dismounts, And o'er their heads now break the ebon founts. But hark! what is that dreadful roaring noise? The dragons come! Their flaming crests they poise Above, and nearer blaze their eyes of fire, And see! upon them rush the monsters dire.

The largest springs upon the giant Sar, Who parrying with the sword he used in war, With many wounds it pierces, drives it back; Again it comes, renews its fierce attack, With fangs outspread its victims to devour, High o'er the monarch's head its crest doth tower, Its fiery breath upon his helm doth glow.

Exposed its breast! he strikes! his blade drives through Its vitals! Dying now it shakes the ground, And furious lashes all the forest round. But hark! what is that awful lingering shriek And cries of woe, that on his ears wild break? A blinding flash, see! all the land reveals, With dreadful roars, and darkness quick conceals The fearful sight, to ever after come Before his eyes, wherever he may roam. The King, alas! too late Heabani drags From the beast's fangs, that dies beneath the crags Overhanging near the cave. And now a din Loud comes from _dalkhi_ that around them spin In fierce delight, while hellish voices rise In harsh and awful mockery; the cries Of agony return with taunting groans, And mock with their fell hate those piteous moans.

Amazed stands Izdubar above his seer, Nor hears the screams, nor the fierce _dalkhi's_ jeer; Beneath the flashing lightnings he soon found The cave, and lays the seer upon the ground. His breaking heart now cries in agony, "Heabani! O my seer, thou must not die! Alas! dread Mam-mitu hath led us here, Awake for me! arouse! my noble seer! I would to gods of Erech I had died For thee! my seer! my strength! my kingdom's pride!"

The seer at last revives and turns his face With love that death touched not, his hand doth place With friendly clasp in that of his dear king, And says: "Grieve not, beloved friend, this thing Called death at last must come, why should we fear? 'Tis Hades' mist that opens for thy seer!

"The gods us brought, nor asked consent, and life They give and take away from all this strife That must be here, my life I end on earth; Both joy and sorrow I have seen from birth; To Hades' awful land, whence none return, Heabani's face in sorrow now must turn. My love for thee, mine only pang reveals, For this alone I grieve."

A teardrop steals Across his features, shining 'neath the light The King has lit to make the cavern bright. "But oh, friend Izdubar, my King, when I From this dear earth to waiting Hades fly, Grieve not; and when to Erech you return, Thou shalt in glory reign, and Zaidu learn As thy companion all that thine own heart Desires, thy throne thou wilt to him impart. The female, Samkha, whom he brought to me Is false, in league with thine own enemy. And she will cause thee mischief, seek to drive Thee from thy throne; but do not let her live Within the walls of Erech, for the gods Have not been worshipped in their high abodes. When thou returnest, to the temple go, And pray the gods to turn from thee the blow Of Anu's fury, the strong god, who reigns Above, and sent these woes upon the plains. His anger raised against thee, even thee, Must be allayed, or thy goods thou shalt see, And kingdom, all destroyed by his dread power. But Khasisadra will to thee give more Advice when thou shalt meet the ancient seer, For from thy side must I soon disappear." The seer now ceased, and on his couch asleep Spoke not, and Izdubar alone doth weep.

And thus twelve days were past, and now the seer Of the great change he saw was drawing near Informed his King, who read to him the prayers, And for the end each friendly act prepares, Then said: "O my Heabani, dearest friend, I would that I thy body could defend From thy fierce foe that brings the end to thee. My friend in battle I may never see Again, when thou didst nobly stand beside Me; with my seer and friend I then defied All foes; and must thou leave thy friend, my seer?" "Alas! my King, I soon shall leave thee here."

[Footnote 1: We have here quoted an Accadian hymn to the goddess of fate. ("Trans. Soc. of Bib. Arch.," vol. ii. p. 39.)]

[Footnote 2: "Bu'i-du," ghosts.]

[Footnote 3: Accadian hymn on the future of the just. ("Trans. Soc. of Bib. Arch.," vol. ii. p. 32.)]

[Footnote 4: Assyrian fragmentary hymn ("W.A.I.," iv. 25, col. v.), translated in "Records of the Past," vol. xi. pp. 161, 162.]

[Footnote 5: The land of Mas, Mr. Sayce supposes, was situated west of the Euphrates Valley.]

[Footnote 6: "Dragons." The word for this animal is "tammabuk-ku." It was probably one of the monsters portrayed on the Babylonian cylinders now in the British Museum.]

COLUMN III

HEABANI REVEALS TWO WONDERFUL VISIONS TO THE KING, ONE OF DEATH AND OBLIVION, AND THE OTHER OF HEAVEN, AND DIES IN THE ARMS OF THE KING

"But, oh, my King! to thee I now reveal A secret that my heart would yet conceal, To thee, my friend, two visions I reveal: The first I oft have dreamed beneath some spell Of night, when I enwrapped from all the world, With Self alone communed. Unconscious hurled By winged thought beyond this present life, I seeming woke in a Dark World where rife Was Nothingness,--a darksome mist it seemed, All eke was naught;--no light for me there gleamed; And floating 'lone, which way I turned, saw naught; Nor felt of substance 'neath my feet, nor fraught With light was Space around; nor cheerful ray Of single star. The sun was quenched; or day Or night, knew not. No hands had I, nor feet, Nor head, nor body, all was void. No heat Or cold I felt, no form could feel or see; And naught I knew but conscious entity. No boundary my being felt, or had; And speechless, deaf, and blind, and formless, sad, I floated through dark space,--a conscious blank! No breath of air my spirit moved; I sank I knew not where, till motionless I ceased At last to move, and yet I could not rest, Around me spread the Limitless, and Vast. My cheerless, conscious spirit,--fixed and fast In some lone spot in space was moveless, stark! An atom chained by forces stern and dark, With naught around me. Comfortless I lived In my dread loneliness! Oh, how I grieved! And thus, man's fate in Life and Death is solved With naught but consciousness, and thus involved All men in hopes that no fruition have? And this alone was all that death me gave? That all had vanished, gone from me that life Could give, and left me but a blank, with strife Of rising thoughts, and vain regrets, to float;-- Away from life and light, be chained remote!

"Oh, how my spirit longed for some lone crag To part the gloom beneath, and rudely drag My senses back! or with its shock to end My dire existence;--to oblivion send Me quickly! How I strove to curse, and break That soundless Void, with shrieks or cries, to wake That awful silence which around me spread! In vain! in vain! all but my soul was dead. And then my spirit soundless cried within: 'Oh, take me! take me back to Earth again!' For tortures of the flesh were bliss and joy To such existence! Pain can never cloy The smallest thrill of earthly happiness! 'Twas joy to live on earth in pain! I'll bless Thee, gods, if I may see its fields I've trod To kiss its fragrant flowers, and clasp the sod Of mother Earth, that grand and beauteous world! From all its happiness, alas! was hurled My spirit,--then in frenzy--I awoke! Great Bel! a dream it was! as vanished smoke It sped! and I sprang from my couch and prayed To all the gods, and thus my soul allayed. And then with blessings on my lips, I sought My couch, and dropped away in blissful thought In dream the second:

"Then the Silver Sky Came to me. Near the Stream of Life I lie: My couch the rarest flowers; and music thrills My soul! How soft and sweet it sounds from rills And streams, and feathered songsters in the trees Of Heaven's fruits!--e'en all that here doth please The heart of man was there. In a dear spot I lay, 'mid olives, spices, where was wrought A beauteous grotto; and beside me near, Were friends I loved; and one both near and dear With me reclined, in blissful converse, sweet With tender thoughts. Our joy was full, complete! The ministering spirits there had spread Before us all a banquet on the mead, With Heaven's food and nectar for our feast; And oh, so happy! How our joy increased As moments flew, to years without an end! To Courts Refulgent there we oft did wend.

"Beside a silver lake, a holy fane There stood within the centre of the plain, High built on terraces, with walls of gold, Where palaces and mansions there enfold A temple of the gods, that stands within 'Mid feathery palms and _gesdin_[1] bowers green, The city rises to a dizzy height, With jewelled turrets flashing in the light, Grand mansions piled on mansions rising high Until the glowing summits reach the sky. A cloud of myriad wings, e'er fills the sky, As doves around their nests on earth here fly; The countless millions of the souls on earth, The gods have brought to light from mortal birth, Are carried there from the dark world of doom; For countless numbers more there still is room. Through trailing vines my Love and I oft wind, With arms of love around each other twined. This day, we passed along the Stream of Life, Through blooming gardens, with sweet odors rife; Beneath the ever-ripening fruits we walk, Along dear paths, and sweetly sing, or talk, While warbling birds around us fly in view, From bloom to bloom with wings of every hue; And large-eyed deer, no longer wild, us pass, With young gazelles, and kiss each other's face.

"We now have reached the stately stairs of gold, The city of the gods, here built of old. The pearled pillars rise inlaid divine, With lotus delicately traced with vine In gold and diamonds, pearls, and unknown gems, That wind to capital with blooming stems Of lilies, honeysuckles, and the rose. An avenue of columns in long rows Of varied splendor, leads to shining courts Where skilful spirit hands with perfect arts Have chiselled glorious forms magnificent, With ornate skill and sweet embellishment. Their golden sculpture view on every hand, Or carvèd images in pearl that stand In clusters on the floor, or in long rows; And on the walls of purest pearl there glows The painting of each act of kindest deed Each soul performs on earth;--is there portrayed.

"The scenes of tenderness and holy love, There stand and never end, but onward move, And fill the galleries of Heaven with joy, And ever spirit artist hands employ. The holiest deeds are carved in purest gold, Or richest gems, and there are stored of old; Within the inner court a fountain stood, Of purest diamond moulded, whence there flowed Into a golden chalice,--trickling cool, The nectar of the gods,--a sparkling pool, That murmuring sank beneath an emerald vase That rested underneath;--the fountain's base.

"We entered then an arcade arching long Through saph'rine galleries, and heard the song That swelling came from temples hyaline; And passed through lazite courts and halls divine, While dazzling glories brighter round us shone. How sweet then came the strains! with grander tone! And, oh, my King! I reached the gates of pearl That stood ajar, and heard the joyous whirl That thrilled the sounding domes and lofty halls, And echoed from the shining jasper walls. I stood within the gate, and, oh, my friend, Before that holy sight I prone did bend, And hid my face upon the jacinth stairs. A shining god raised me, and bade my fears Be flown, and I beheld the glorious throne Of crystaled light; with rays by man unknown. The awful god there sat with brows sublime, With robes of woven gold, and diadem That beamed with blazing splendor o'er his head. I thus beheld the god with presence dread, The King of Kings, the Ancient of the Days, While music rose around with joyous praise. With awful thunders how they all rejoice! And sing aloud with one commingled voice!