Babylonian and Assyrian Literature · Chapter 12Column IV
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Before a cave within the Gab-ri[1] wild, A seer is resting on a rock; exiled By his own will from all the haunts of men, Beside a pool within a rocky glen He sits; a turban rests upon his brow, And meets the lengthened beard of whitest snow. This morn an omen comes before his eyes, And him disturbs with a wild eagle's cries That fierce attacks a fox before his cave; For he of beasts is the most cunning knave; In wait upon the ground the fox hath lain To lure the bird, which flying deems him slain. He fiercely seizes it, as swooping down, The bird with its sly quarry would have flown; But the a-si[2] quick seized it by the throat, While the wide wings with frantic fury smote The beast, and the sharp talons deeply tore Its foe—both greedy for the other's gore.
And lo! a voice from yonder sky resounds; Heabani to his feet now quickly bounds, And bowing, listens to the voice that comes In gentleness; upon the winds it roams From yon blue heights like sighing of the trees; The seer in reverence upon his knees Now holy bares his head in Samas' rays, While the soft voice to him thus gently says: "A messenger, Heabani, soon shall come With offers rich, to leave thy lonely home. This eagle sought its food and found a snare, The messenger will come from Izdubar, To learn from thee the meaning of his dream Which goddess Ishtar sent,—a snare for him. Then to the messenger prove not a snare, As yonder a-si doth the eagle tear."
The seer in fury tore his beard of snow And cried—
"Alas! my days shall end in woe Within these wilds my happiness is mine, No other joys I seek, my god divine; I would upon these rocks lie down to die, Upon my back here sleep eternally." And Samas urging, to him thus replied: "Heabani, hast thou not some manly pride? And thinkest thou no joy thou here wilt lose? The lovely Sam-kha-tu[3] the seer may choose. Arrayed in trappings of divinity And the insignia of royalty, Heabani then in Erech shall be great, And live in happiness and royal state; And Izdubar shall hearken, and incline His heart in warmest friendship, and recline With thee upon a couch of luxury. And seat thee on a throne of royalty, On his left hand, a crown shall grace thy brow. Kings of the earth shall to thee subject bow And kiss thy feet, and Izdubar shall give Thee wealth, and thou in luxury shalt live. In silence Erech's men shall bow to thee, In royal raiment thou shalt happy be." Heabani listened to the words that came From Samas, and his brow was lit with shame To hear the god of war urge him to go To earthly happiness—mayhap to woe; But he within his cave now listless turns When Samas ceased; then to his rock returns, And seats himself with calmness on his brow; His thoughts in happy memories now flow, And he recalls the blissful days of yore When he as seer lived on Euphrates' shore, As the queen's bard oft tuned a festive lay, While soft-eyed maidens dance and cymbals play.
[Footnote 1: "Gab-ri," mountains.]
[Footnote 2: "A-si," fox.]
[Footnote 3: "Sam-kha-tu" ("Joy"), one of the maids of Ishtar.]