Babylonian and Assyrian Literature · Chapter 24Column IV
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He rose and raised the pendant mystic charms And kissed them, and the jewels of her arms And ornaments upon her breast divine, And then her crown with jewels iridine He placed upon his brow, and it returned; And from the shrine in reverence he turned; To Samas' temple all the chiefs of war And seers, pa-te-si, go with Izdubar.
Before the fire he stands where holy burns The flames of Samas. In a vase he turns The crimson wine, to Samas, God, he pours Libation, and his favor thus implores:
"O Samas, why hast thou established, raised Me in thy heart?—protected? Men have praised Thee, Holy One! my expedition bless In thine own will, O God, I acquiesce. I go, O Samas, on a path afar, Against Khumbaba I declare this war; The battle's issue thou alone dost know, Or if success attends me where I go. The way is long, O may thy son return From the vast pine-tree forest, I would earn For Erech glory and renown! Destroy Khumbaba and his towers! he doth annoy All nations, and is evil to thy sight. To-morrow I will go, O send thy Light Upon my standards, and dark Nina-zu Keep thou away, that I may wary view Mine enemies, and fix for me the hour When I shall strike and crush Khumbaba's power.
To all the gods I humbly pray To Izdubar propitious be! [1]Assur Samas u Marduk-u, Ana Sar bel-ni-ya lik-ru-bu!"
And thus the Oracle with sweetest voice To him replied, and made his heart rejoice:
"Fear not, O Izdubar, For I am Bel, thy strength in war.[2] A heart of strength give I to thee! To trust, we can but faithful be! As thou hast shown to me. The sixty gods, our strongest ones, Will guide thy path where'er it runs; The moon-god on thy right shall ride, And Samas on thy left shall guide. The sixty gods thy will commands To crush Khumbaba's bands. In man alone, do not confide, Thine eyes turn to the gods, Who rule from their abodes, And trust in Heaven where powers abide!"
With joyous heart the Sar comes from the shrine To bathe his brow in Samas' rays divine; Upon the pyramid he stands and views The scene below with its bright varied hues. A peerless pile the temple grandly shone With marble, gold, and silver in the sun; In seven stages rose above the walls, With archways vast and polished pillared halls. A marble portico surrounds the mass With sculptured columns, banisters of brass, And winding stairways round the stages' side, Grand temples piled on temples upward glide, A mass of colors like the rainbow hues, Thus proudly rise from breezy avenues. The brazen gates lead to the temple's side, The stairs ascend and up the stages glide. The basement painted of the darkest blue Is passed by steps ascending till we view From them the second stage of orange hue And crimson third! from thence a glorious view— A thousand turrets far beneath, is spread O'er lofty walls, and fields, and grassy mead; The golden harvests sweep away in sight And orchards, vineyards, on the left and right; Euphrates' stream as a broad silver band Sweeps grandly through the glowing golden land, Till like a thread of silver still in sight It meets the Tigris gleaming in the light That spreads along the glorious bending skies, The brightest vault of all the emperies.
Now rested from the cushioned seats we rise And to the stairway turn again our eyes; The fourth stage plated o'er with beaten gold We pass, and topaz fifth till we behold The sixth of azure blue; to seventh glide, That glows with silvery summit where reside The gods, within a shrine of silvery sheen Which brightly glows, and from afar is seen. Without the temple, burnished silver shines; Within, pure gold and gems in rare designs.
[Footnote 1: "Assur Samas and Merodac" ("Unto the king, my lord, may they be propitious!"), the response of the priest to the prayer.]
[Footnote 2: See "Records of the Past," vol. xi. p. 63. These oracles seem to be formulas which are filled in with the monarch's name, and may apply to any king.]