Chapter 18

In the service of my Lord Ashur, my chariots and warriors I assembled; I set out on my march. In front of my strong men I went to the country of the Aramæans, 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 Hittites.]

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 assistance 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 assembled 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 mass 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 grass_; their carcasses 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 carcasses filled the valleys and (covered) the heights of the mountains. I captured this city; their gods, 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.

[Footnote 1: "The stone foundation."]

XXX

In the service of Ashur my Lord, my chariots and warriors I assembled, and I approached Kapshuna, their capital city; the tribes of Comani would not engage in battle with me; they submitted to my yoke, and I spared their lives. The great castle of the city and its brick buildings I trampled under foot; from its foundations to its roofs I destroyed it and converted it into heaps and mounds, and a band of 300 fugitive heretics who did not acknowledge my Lord Ashur, and who were expelled from inside this _castle_, I took this band and condemned to the service of the gods, and I imposed upon the people tribute and offerings in excess of their former tribute; and the far-spreading country of Comani throughout its whole extent I reduced under my yoke.

XXXI

There fell into my hands altogether between the commencement of my reign and my fifth year 42 countries, with their kings, from beyond the river Zab, plain, forest, and mountain, to beyond the river Euphrates, the country of the Khatte[1] and the upper ocean of the setting sun. I brought them under one government; I placed them under the Magian religion, and I imposed on them tribute and offerings.

[Footnote 1: Hittites.]

XXXII

I have omitted many hunting expeditions which were not connected with my warlike achievements. In pursuing after the game I traversed the easy tracts in my chariots, and the difficult tracts on foot. I demolished the wild animals throughout my territories.[1]

[Footnote 1: A very difficult paragraph.]

XXXIII

Tiglath-Pileser, the illustrious warrior, he who holds the sceptre of Lashanan; he who has extirpated all wild animals.

XXXIV

The gods Hercules and Nergal gave their valiant servants and their _arrows_ as a glory to support my empire. Under the auspices of Hercules, my guardian deity, four wild bulls, strong and fierce, in the desert, in the country of Mitan, and in the city Arazik, belonging to the country of the Khatte,[1] with my long _arrows_ tipped with iron, and with heavy blows I took their lives. Their skins and their horns I brought to my city of Ashur.

[Footnote 1: Hittites.]

XXXV

Ten large wild buffaloes in the country of Kharran, and the plains of the river Khabur, I slew. Four buffaloes I took alive; their skins and their horns, with the live buffaloes, I brought to my city of Ashur.

XXXVI

Under the auspices of my guardian deity Hercules, two _soss_ of lions fell before me. In the course of my progress on foot I slew them, and 800 lions in my chariots in my exploratory journeys I laid low. All the beasts of the field and the flying birds of heaven I made the victims of my shafts.[1]

[Footnote 1: A very doubtful sentence.]

XXXVII

From all the enemies of Ashur, the whole of them, I exacted _labor_. I made, and finished the repairs of, the temple of the goddess Astarte, my lady, and of the temple of Martu, and of Bel, and Il, and of the sacred buildings and _shrines_ of the gods belonging to my city of Ashur. I _purified_ their shrines, and set up inside the images of the great gods, my Lords. The royal palaces of all the great fortified cities throughout my dominions, which from the olden time our kings had neglected through long years, had become ruined. I repaired and finished them. The castles of my country, I filled up their _breaches_. I founded many new buildings throughout Assyria, and I opened out irrigation for corn in excess of what my fathers had done. I carried off the droves of the horses, cattle, and asses that I obtained, in the service of my Lord Ashur, from the subjugated countries which I rendered tributary, and the droves of the wild goats and ibexes, the wild sheep and the wild cattle which Ashur and Hercules, my guardian gods, incited me to chase in the depths of the forests, having taken them I drove them off, and I led away their young ones like the tame young goats. These little _wild animals_, the delight of their parents' hearts, in the fulness of my own heart, together with my own victims, I sacrificed to my Lord Ashur.

XXXVIII

The pine, the ...,[1] and the _algum tree_, these trees which under the former kings my ancestors, they had never planted, I took them from the countries which I had rendered tributary, and I planted them in the groves of my own territories, and I _bought_ fruit trees; whatever I did not find in my own country, I took and placed in the groves[2] of Assyria.

[Footnote 1: Lacuna.]

[Footnote 2: Or "orchards."]

XXXIX

I built chariots fitted to the yoke for the use of my people[1] in excess of those which had existed before. I added territories to Assyria, and I added populations to her population. I improved the condition of the people, and I obtained for them abundance and security.

[Footnote 1: Or "throughout my territories."]

XL

Tiglath-Pileser, the illustrious prince, whom Ashur and Hercules have exalted to the utmost wishes of his heart; who has pursued after the enemies of Ashur, and has subjugated all the earth.

XLI

The son of Ashur-ris-ili, the powerful King, the subduer of foreign countries, he who has reduced all the lands of the Magian world.

XLII

The grandson of Mutaggil-Nabu, whom Ashur, the great Lord, aided according to the wishes of his _heart_ and established in strength in the government of Assyria.

XLIII

The glorious offspring of Ashur-dapur-Il, who held the sceptre of dominion, and ruled over the people of Bel; who in all the works of his hand and the deeds of his life placed his reliance on the great gods, and thus obtained a prosperous and _long life_.

XLIV

The beloved child[1] of Barzan-pala-kura, the king who first organized the country of Assyria, who purged his territories of the wicked as if they had been ...,[2] and established the troops of Assyria in authority.

[Footnote 1: Or, "heart of hearts."]

[Footnote 2: Lacuna.]

XLV

At this time the temple of Anu and Vul, the great gods, my Lords, which, in former times, Shansi-Vul, High-priest of Ashur, son of Ismi Dagan, High-priest of Ashur, had founded, having lasted for 641 years, it fell into ruin. Ashur-dapur-Il, King of Assyria, son of Barzan-pala-kura, King of Assyria, took down this temple and did not rebuild it. For 60 years the foundations of it were not laid.

XLVI

In the beginning of my reign, Anu and Vul, the great gods, my Lords, guardians of my steps, they invited me to repair this their shrine. So I made bricks; I levelled the earth, I took its _dimensions_; I laid down its foundations upon a mass of strong rock. This place throughout its whole extent I paved with bricks in _set order_, 50 feet deep I prepared the ground, and upon this substructure I laid the lower foundations of the temple of Anu and Vul. From its foundations to its roofs I built it up, better than it was before. I also built two lofty cupolas in honor of their noble godships, and the holy place, a spacious hall, I consecrated for the convenience of their worshippers, and to accommodate their votaries, who were numerous as the stars of heaven, and in quantity poured forth like flights of arrows.[1] I repaired, and built, and completed my work. Outside the temple I fashioned (everything with the same care) as inside. The mound of earth (on which it was built) I enlarged like the firmament of the rising stars, and I beautified the entire building. Its cupolas I raised up to heaven, and its roofs I built entirely of brick. An inviolable shrine for their noble godships I laid down near at hand. Anu and Vul, the great gods, I glorified inside,[2] I set them up on their honored purity, and the hearts of their noble godships I delighted.

[Footnote 1: Very doubtful.]

[Footnote 2: The shrine.]

XLVII

Bit-Khamri, the temple of my Lord Vul, which Shansi-Vul, High-priest of Ashur, son of Ismi-Dagan, High-priest of Ashur, had founded, became ruined. I levelled its site, and from its foundation to its roofs I built it up of brick, I enlarged it beyond its former state, and I adorned it. Inside of it I sacrificed precious victims to my Lord Vul.

XLVIII

At this time I found various sorts of stone[1] in the countries of Nairi which I had taken by the help of Ashur, my Lord, and I placed them in the temple of Bit-Khamri, belonging to my Lord, Vul, to remain there forever.

[Footnote 1: The particular sorts cannot be identified.]

XLIX

Since a holy place, a noble hall, I have thus consecrated for the use of the great gods, my Lords Anu and Vul, and have laid down an adytum for their special worship, and have finished it successfully, and have delighted the hearts of their noble godships, may Anu and Vul preserve me in power. May they support the men of my Government. May they establish the authority of my officers. May they bring the rain, the joy of the year, on the cultivated land and the desert during my time. In war and in battle may they preserve me victorious. Many foreign countries, turbulent nations, and hostile Kings I have reduced under my yoke; to my children and descendants may they keep them in firm allegiance. I will lead my steps, firm as the mountains, to the last days before Ashur and their noble godships.

L

The list of my victories and the catalogue of my triumphs over foreigners hostile to Ashur, which Anu and Vul have granted to my arms, I have inscribed on my tablets and cylinders, and I have placed them to the last days in the temple of my Lords Anu and Vul, and the tablets of Shamsi-Vul, my ancestor, I have raised altars and sacrificed victims (before them), and set them up in their places.

LI

In after-times, and in the latter days ...,[1] if the temple of the great gods, my Lords Anu and Vul, and these shrines should become old and fall into decay, may the prince who comes after me repair the ruins. May he raise altars and sacrifice victims before my tablets and cylinders, and may he set them up again in their places, and may he inscribe his name on them together with my name. As Anu and Vul, the great gods, have ordained, may he worship honestly with a good heart and full trust.

[Footnote 1: Lacuna.]

LII

Whoever shall abrade or injure my tablets and cylinders, or shall moisten them with water, or scorch them with fire, or expose them to the air, or in the holy place of god shall assign them a position where they cannot be seen or understood, or who shall erase the writing and inscribe his own name, or who shall divide the sculptures, and break them off from my tablets,

LIII

Anu and Vul, the great gods, my Lords, let them consign his name to perdition; let them curse him with an irrevocable curse; let them cause his sovereignty to perish; let them pluck out the stability of the throne of his empire; let not offspring survive him in the kingdom;[1] let his servants be broken; let his troops be defeated; let him fly vanquished before his enemies. May Vul in his fury tear up the produce of his land. May a scarcity of food and of the necessaries of life afflict his country. For one day may he not be called happy. May his name and his race perish in the land.

In the month of _Kuzallu_[2] on the 29th day, in the High-Priesthood of _Ina-iliya-hallik,_ (entitled) _Rabbi-turi._

[Footnote 1: Doubtful and faulty in text.]

[Footnote 2: Chisleu.]

THE REVOLT IN HEAVEN

TRANSLATED BY H. FOX TALBOT, F.R.S.

This curious narrative is found on a cuneiform tablet in the British Museum. The original text is published in Plate 42 of Delitzsch's work, "_Assyrische Lesestucke_." I gave a translation of it in the "Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archæology," Vol. IV, pp. 349-362.

This tablet describes the revolt of the gods or angels against their Creator. It seems to have been preceded by an account of the perfect harmony which existed in heaven previously. And here I would call to mind a noble passage in Job, chap, xxxviii, which deserves particular attention, since it is not derived from the Mosaic narrative but from some independent source, namely, that when God laid the foundations of the world, "the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." By "the sons of God" in this passage are to be understood the angels. In the beginning, therefore, according to this sacred author, all was joy and harmony and loyalty to God. But this state of union and happiness was not to last. At some unknown time, but before the creation of man, some of the angels ceased to worship their Creator: thoughts of pride and ingratitude arose in their hearts, they revolted from God, and were by his just decree expelled from heaven. These were the angels of whom it is said in the book of Jude that "they kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation." [Footnote: Jude 6.] The opinions of the fathers and of other religious writers on this mysterious subject it were useless to examine, since they admit that nothing can be certainly known about it. The opinion that one-third of the heavenly host revolted from their Creator is founded on Rev. xii. 3, where it is said: "And there appeared a dragon in heaven, having seven heads ... and his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven and did cast them to the earth. And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels. And prevailed not: neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out--he was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out with him,"

The Revelation of St. John was written in the first century, but some of the imagery employed may have been far more ancient, and for that reason more impressive to the religious mind of the age.

The war between Michael and the dragon bears much resemblance to the combat of Bel and the dragon recounted on a Chaldean tablet. [Footnote: See G. Smith, p. 100 of his Chaldean Genesis.] And it is not unworthy of remark that the Chaldean dragon had seven heads, like that spoken of in the Revelation. [Footnote: See 2 R 19, col. ii. 14, and my Assyrian Glossary, No. 108.]

At the creation harmony had prevailed in heaven. All the sons of God, says Job, shouted for joy. What caused the termination of this blissful state? We are not informed, and it would be in vain to conjecture. But the Babylonians have preserved to us a remarkable tradition, which is found in the tablet of page 42, and has not, I believe, been hitherto understood. It is unlike anything in the Bible or in the sacred histories of other countries. While the host of heaven were assembled and were all engaged in singing hymns of praise to the Creator, suddenly some evil spirit gave the signal of revolt. The hymns ceased in one part of the assembly, which burst forth into loud curses and imprecations on their Creator. In his wrath he sounded a loud blast of the trumpet and drove them from his presence never to return.

THE REVOLT IN HEAVEN

(The first four lines are broken. They related, no doubt, that a festival of praise and thanksgiving was being held in heaven, when this rebellion took place.)

5 The Divine Being spoke three times, the commencement of a psalm. 6 The god of holy songs, Lord of religion and worship 7 seated a thousand singers and musicians: and established a choral band 8 who to his hymn were to respond in multitudes ... 9 With a loud cry of contempt they broke up his holy song 10 spoiling, confusing, confounding, his hymn of praise. 11 The god of the bright crown [1] with a wish to summon his adherents 12 sounded a trumpet blast which would wake the dead, 13 which to those rebel angels prohibited return, 14 he stopped their service, and sent them to the gods who were his enemies.[2] 15 In their room he created mankind.[3] 16 The first who received life dwelt along with him. 17 May he give them strength, never to neglect his word, 18 following the serpent's voice, whom his hands had made. 19 And may the god of divine speech [4] expel from his five thousand [5] that wicked thousand 20 who in the midst of his heavenly son, had shouted evil blasphemies! 21 The god Ashur, who had seen the malice of those gods who deserted their allegiance 22 to raise a rebellion, refused to go forth with them.

(The remainder of the tablet, nine or ten lines more, is too much broken for translation.)

[Footnote 1: The Assyrian scribe annotates in the margin that the same god is meant throughout, under all these different epithets.]

[Footnote 2: They were in future to serve the powers of evil.]

[Footnote 3: It will be observed that line 15 says that mankind were created to fill up the void in creation which the ungrateful rebellion of the angels had caused. A friend has supplied me with some striking evidence that the mediæval church also held that opinion, though it was never elevated to the rank of an authorized doctrine.]

[Footnote 4: See note 4. This is another epithet.]

[Footnote 5: The total number of the gods is, I believe, elsewhere given as 5,000.]

THE LEGEND OF THE TOWER OF BABEL

TRANSLATED BY W. ST. CHAD BOSCAWEN

This legend is found on a tablet marked K, 3,657, in the British Museum. The story which the tablet contains appears to be the building of some great temple tower, apparently by command of a king. The gods are angry at the work, and so to put an end to it they confuse the speech of the builders. The tablet is in a very broken condition, only a few lines being in any way complete.

The late Mr. George Smith has given a translation of the legend in his work on Chaldean Genesis, and I have published the text and translation in the fifth volume of "Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archæology."

LEGEND OF THE TOWER OF BABEL

COLUMN I

1 ...[1] them the father. 2 (The thoughts) of his heart were evil 3 ...[1] the father of all the gods[2] he turned from. 4 (The thoughts) of his heart were evil[3] 5 ...[1] Babylon corruptly to sin went and 6 small and great mingled on the mound.[4] 7 ...[1] Babylon corruptly to sin went and 8 small and great mingled on the mound.

[Footnote 1: Lacunæ.]

[Footnote 2: A title of Anu.]

[Footnote 3: Refers to the king who caused the people to sin.]

[Footnote 4: The verb used here is the same as in Gen. xi. 7, [Hebrew: bll].]

COLUMN II

1 The King of the holy mound[1] ...[2] 2 In front and Anu lifted up ...[2] 3 to the good god his father..,[2] 4 Then his heart also ...[2] 5 which carried a command ...[2] 6 At that time also ...[2] 7 he lifted it up ...[3] 8 Davkina. 9 Their (work) all day they founded 10 to their stronghold[4] in the night 11 entirely an end he made. 12 In his anger also the secret counsel he poured out 13 to scatter (abroad) his face he set 14 he gave a command to make strange their speech[5] 15 ...[6] their progress he impeded 16 ...[6]the altar

(Column III is so broken only a few words remain, so I have omitted it.)

[Footnote 1: A title of Anu.]

[Footnote 2: Lacunæ.]

[Footnote 3: All these broken lines relate to council of gods?]

[Footnote 4: The tower.]

[Footnote 5: "Uttaccira--melic-su-nu," "make hostile their council."]

[Footnote 6: Lacunæ.]

COLUMN IV [Footnote: Relates to the destruction of the tower by a storm.]

1 In (that day) 2 he blew and ...[1] 3 For future time the mountain ...[1] 4 Nu-nam-nir[2] went ...[1] 5 Like heaven and earth he spake ...[1] 6 His ways they went ...[1] 7 Violently they fronted against him [3] 8 He saw them and to the earth (descended) 9 When a stop he did not make 10 of the gods ...[1] 11 Against the gods they revolted 12 ...[1] violence ...[1] 13 Violently they wept for Babylon[4] 14 very much they wept. 15 And in the midst

(The rest is wanting.)

[Footnote 1: Lacunæ.]

[Footnote 2: The god of "no rule," or lawlessness.]

[Footnote 3: The builders continued to build.]

[Footnote 4: Lamentations of the gods for the Babylonians.]

AN ACCADIAN PENITENTIAL PSALM

TRANSLATED BY REV. A.H. SAYCE, M.A.