[Footnote 5: The Assyrian renders this by "Istar."]
[Footnote 6: Or perhaps "smites."]
[Footnote 7: Or perhaps "smiter."]
REVERSE
1 Thou who on the axis of heaven dawnest, in the dwellings of the
earth her name revolves; my begetter.
2 (As) Queen of heaven above and below may she be invoked; my
begetter.
3 The mountains fiercely she hurls-into-the-deep;[1] my begetter. 4 As to the mountains, their goodly stronghold (art) thou, their
mighty lock (art) thou;[2] my begetter.
5 May thy heart rest; may thy liver be magnified.
6 O Lord Anu, the mighty, may thy heart rest.
7 O Lord, the mighty Prince[3] Bel, may thy liver be magnified. 8 O Istar, the Lady of heaven, may thy heart rest.
9 O Lady, Queen of heaven, may thy liver (be magnified). 10 O Lady, Queen of the House of heaven, may thy heart
(rest).
11 O Lady, Queen of the land of Erech, may thy liver (be
magnified).
12 O Lady, Queen of the land of the four rivers of Erech,[4] may
thy heart (rest).
13 O Lady, Queen of the Mountain of the World,[5] may thy
liver (be magnified).
14 O Lady, Queen of the Temple of the Resting-place of the
world, may thy heart (rest).
15 O Lady, Queen of Babylon, may thy liver (be magnified). 16 O Lady, Queen of the Memorial of Nan'a, may thy heart
(rest).
17 O Queen of the Temple, Queen of the gods, may thy liver
(be magnified).
18 Prayer of the heart to Istar.
19 Like its original[6] written and translated.
20 Palace of Assur-bani-pal, King of Assyria;
21 Son of Esar-haddon, King of multitudes, King of Assyria,
high-priest of Babylon,
22 King of Sumer and Accad, King of the Kings of Cush and
Egypt,
23 King of the four zones; Son of Sennacherib,
24 King of multitudes, King of Assyria;
25 who to Assur and Beltis, Nebo and Tasmit trusts.
26 Thy kingdom, O light of the gods.
[Footnote 1: The Assyrian mistranslates, "I hurl into the deep."]
[Footnote 2: The Assyrian mistranslates "I" for "thou."]
[Footnote 3: "Sadi" in Assyrian, literally "mountain" or "rock," and apparently connected with the Hebrew "Shaddai," as in the phrase "El Shad-dai," "God Almighty."]
[Footnote 4: Possibly the four rivers of Paradise.]
[Footnote 5: Also called the "Mountain of the East," Mount Elwand on which the ark rested.]
[Footnote 6: That is the text from which the Assyrian copy was made for the library of Assurbanipal.]
ANNALS OF ASSUR-NASIR-PAL (SOMETIMES CALLED SARDANAPALUS)
TRANSLATED, WITH NOTES, BY REV. J.M. RODWELL, M.A.
Concerning Assur-nasir-habal or Assur-nasir-pal (_i.e._, "Assur preserves the son") we possess fuller historical records than of any other of the Assyrian monarchs, and among these the following inscription is the most important. From it, and from the inscription upon his statue discovered by Mr. Layard [Footnote: Now in the British Museum.] in the ruins of one of the Nimroud temples, we learn that he was the son of Tuklat-Adar or Tuklat-Ninip, that he reigned over a territory extending from the "Tigris to the Lebanon, and that he brought the great sea and all countries from the sunrise to the sunset under his sway." These inscriptions are published in the "Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia," Vol. I, plates 17 to 27, and were partially translated by Professor Oppert, "_Histoire des Empires de Chaldée et d'Assyrie,_," page 73 and following "_Extrait des Annales de philosophie chrétienne_" tom. IX, 1865.
There is considerable difficulty and a consequent divergence of opinion as to the precise date when Assur-nasir-pal ascended the throne. But he most probably reigned from 883 to 858 B.C.
It need scarcely be remarked that Assur-nasir-pal is a different person from the well-known Sardanapalus of classic writers, or Assur-bani-pal, the son of Esar-haddon, who reigned from about B.C. 668 to 625.
It will be seen from the inscription that the campaigns of Assur-nasir-pal took place in the mountains of Armenia, in Commagene and the provinces of the Pontus, inhabited by the Moschi [Footnote: The Mesek of Psalm cxx. 5.] and other tribes. He probably advanced into Media and a portion of western Persia. The countries on the banks of the Euphrates submitted to his arms, and in one of his expeditions he vanquished Nabu-bal-iddin, King of Babylon. Westward, he reduced the southern part of Syria, and advanced to the mountain chains of the Amanus and Lebanon, but though he penetrated as far as to Tyre and Sidon and exacted tribute from both as well as from Byblus and Aradus, he did not subdue Phoenicia. The kingdoms of Israel and Judah, under the sway of Ahab and Jehosaphat, were no doubt too powerful, as is evinced by the armies which they must have maintained for their struggle with the Syrians, [Footnote: See 2 Chron. xvii. and following chapters.] for Assur-nasir-pal to have ventured upon attacking them. This feat was reserved for his successors on the throne of Assyria.
The inscription was found in the ruins of the Temple at the foot of the Pyramid at Nimroud (Calach).
ANNALS OF ASSUR-NASIR-PAL
1 To Ninip[1] most powerful hero, great, chief of the gods,
warrior, powerful Lord, whose onset in battle has not been opposed, eldest son,
2 crusher of opponents, first-born son of Nukimmut,[2] supporter
of the seven,[3]
noble ruler, King of the gods the producers, governor, he who rolls along the mass
3 of heaven and earth, opener of canals, treader of the wide earth,
the god who in
his divinity nourishes heaven and earth, the beneficent, 4 the exalted, the powerful, who has not lessened the glory of his
face,[4] head of
nations, bestower of sceptres, glorious, over all cities a ruler,[5]
5 valiant, the renown of whose sceptre is not approached, chief of
widespread influence, great among the gods, shading from the southern sun, Lord of Lords, whose hand the vault of heaven 6 (and) earth has controlled, a King in battle mighty[6] who has
vanquished opposition, victorious, powerful, Lord of
water-courses and seas,[7]
7 strong, not yielding, whose onset brings down the green corn,
smiting the land of the enemy, like the cutting of reeds, the deity who changes not his purposes,
8 the light of heaven and earth, a bold leader on the waters,
destroyer of them that hate (him), a spoiler (and) Lord of the disobedient, dividing enemies, whose name in the speech of the gods
9 no god has ever disregarded, the gatherer of life, the god(?)
whose prayers are good, whose abode is in the city of Calah, a great Lord, my Lord--(who am) Assur-nasir-pal, the
mighty King,
10 King of multitudes, a Prince unequalled, Lord of all the
four countries, powerful over hosts of men, the possession of Bel and Ninip the exalted and Anu
11 and of Dakan,[8] a servant of the great gods in the lofty shrine
for great (O Ninip) is thy heart; a worshipper of Bel whose might upon
12 thy great deity is founded, and thou makest righteous his
life, valiant, warrior, who in the service of Assur his Lord hath proceeded, and among the Kings
13 of the four regions who has not his fellow, a Prince for
admiration, not sparing opponents, mighty leader, who an equal
14 has not, a Prince reducing to order his disobedient ones,
who has subdued whole multitudes of men, a strong worker, treading down
15 the heads of his enemies, trampling on all foes, crushing
assemblages of rebels, who in the service of the great gods his Lords
16 marched vigorously and the lands of all of them his hand
captured, caused the forests of all of them to fall,[9] and received their tribute, taking
17 securities, establishing laws over all lands, when Assur the
Lord who proclaims my name and augments my Royalty
18 laid hold upon his invincible power for the forces of my
Lordship, for Assur-nasir-pal, glorious Prince, worshipper of the great gods
19 the generous, the great, the powerful, acquirer of cities and
forests and the territory of all of them, King of Lords, destroying the wicked, strengthening
20 the peaceful, not sparing opponents, a Prince of firm will(?)
one who combats oppression, Lord of all Kings,
21 Lord of Lords, the acknowledged, King of Kings, seated
gloriously, the renown of Ninip the warrior, worshipper of the great gods, prolonging the benefits (conferred by) his fathers:
22 a Prince who in the service of Assur and the Sun-god, the
gods in whom he trusted, royally marched to turbulent lands, and Kings who had rebelled against him
23 he cut off like grass, all their lands to his feet he subjected,
restorer of the worship of the goddesses and that of the great gods,
24 Chief unwavering, who for the guidance of the heads (and)
elders of his land is a steadfast guardian, the work of whose hands and
25 the gift of whose finger the great gods of heaven and earth
have exalted, and his steps[10] over rulers have they established forever;
26 their power for the preservation of my Royalty have they
exercised; the retribution of his power, (and) the approach of His Majesty over Princes
27 of the four regions they have extended: the enemies of Assur
in all their country, the upper and the lower I chastised, and tribute and impost
28 upon them I established, capturing the enemies of Assur--mighty
King, King of Assyria, son of Tuklat-Adar who all
his enemies
29 has scattered; (who) in the dust threw down the corpses of
his enemies, the grandson of Bin-nirari, the servant of the great gods,
30 who crucified alive and routed his enemies and subdued
them to his yoke, descendant of Assur-dan-il, who the
fortresses
31 established (and) the fanes made good. In those days by
the decree[11] of the great gods to royalty power supremacy I rose up:
32 I am a King, I am a Lord, I am glorious, I am great, I am
mighty, I have arisen, I am Chief, I am a Prince, I am a warrior
33 I am great and I am glorious, Assur-nasir-habal, a mighty
King of Assyria, proclaimer of the Moon-god, worshipper of Anu, exalter of Yav,[12] suppliant of the gods
34 am I, servant unyielding, subduing the land of his foeman,
a King mighty in battle, destroyer of cities and forests, 35 Chief over opponents, King of the four regions, expeller of
his foes, prostrating all his enemies, Prince of a multitude of lands of all Kings
36 Even of all, a Prince subduing those disobedient to him,
who is ruling all the multitudes of men. These aspirations to the face of the great gods
37 have gone up; on my destiny steadfastly have they determined;
at the wishes of my heart and the uplifting of my
hand, Istar, exalted Lady,
38 hath favored me in my intentions, and to the conduct of
(my) battles and warfare hath applied her heart. In those days I Assur-nasir-pal, glorious Prince, worshipper of the great gods
39 the wishes of whose heart Bel will cause him to attain, and
who has conquered all Kings who disobey him, and by his hand capturing
40 his enemies, who in difficult places has beaten down assemblages
of rebels; when Assur, mighty Lord, proclaimer of my name 41 aggrandizer of my royalty over the Kings of the four
regions, bountifully hath added his invincible power to the forces of my government,
42 putting me in possession of lands, and mighty forests for
exploration hath he given and urgently impelled me--by the might of Assur my Lord,
43 perplexed paths, difficult mountains by the impetuosity of
my hosts I traversed, and an equal there was not. In the beginning of my reign
44 (and) in my first campaign when the Sun-god guider of
the lands threw over me his beneficent protection[13] on the throne of my dominion I firmly seated myself; a sceptre 45 the dread of man into my hands I took; my chariots (and)
armies I collected; rugged paths, difficult mountains, which for the passage
46 of chariots and armies was not suited I passed, and to the
land of Nairi[14] I went: Libie, their capital city, the cities Zurra and Abuqu
47 Arura Arubie, situated within the limits of the land of
Aruni and Etini, fortified cities, I took, their fighting-men 48 in numbers I slew; their spoil, their wealth, their cattle I
spoiled; their soldiers were discouraged; they took possession of a difficult mountain, a mountain exceedingly difficult; after them
49 I did not proceed, for it was a mountain ascending up like
lofty points of iron, and the beautiful birds of heaven had not reached up into it: like nests
50 of the young birds in the midst of the mountain their defence
they placed, into which none of the Kings my fathers had ever penetrated: in three days
51 successfully on one large mountain, his courage vanquished
opposition: along the feet of that mountain I crept and hid: their nests, their tents,
52 I broke up; 200 of their warriors with weapons I destroyed;
their spoil in abundance like the young of sheep I carried off; 53 their corpses like rubbish on the mountains I heaped up;
their relics in tangled hollows of the mountains I consumed; their cities
54 I overthrew, I demolished, in fire I burned: from the land
of Nummi to the land of Kirruri I came down; the tribute of Kirruri
55 of the territory of Zimizi, Zimira, Ulmanya, Adavas, Kargai,
Harmasai, horses,[15] (fish (?),
56 oxen, horned sheep in numbers, copper, as their tribute I
received: an officer to guard boundaries[16] over them I placed. While in the land of Kirruri
57 they detained me, the fear of Assur my Lord overwhelmed
the lands of Gilzanai and Khubuskai; horses, silver
58 gold, tin, copper, _kams_ of copper as their tribute they brought
to me. From the land of Kirruri I withdrew;
59 to a territory close by the town Khulun in Gilhi[17] Bitani
I passed: the cities of Khatu, Khalaru, Nistun, Irbidi, 60 Mitkie, Arzanie, Zila, Khalue, cities of Gilhi situated in the
environs of Uzie and Arue
61 and Arardi powerful lands, I occupied: their soldiers in
numbers I slew; their spoil, their riches I carried off; 62 their soldiers were discouraged; the summits projecting over
against the city of Nistun which were menacing like the storms of heaven, I captured;
63 into which no one among the Princes my sires had ever penetrated;
my soldiers like birds (of prey) rushed upon them;
64 260 of their warriors by the sword I smote down; their
heads cut off in heaps I arranged; the rest of them like birds 65 in a nest, in the rocks of the mountains nestled; their spoil,
their riches from the midst of the mountains I brought down; cities which were in the midst
66 of vast forests situated I overthrew, destroyed, burned in
fire; the rebellious soldiers fled from before my arms; they came down; my yoke
67 they received; impost tribute and a Viceroy I set over them.
Bubu son of Bubua son of the Prefect of Nistun
68 in the city of Arbela I flayed; his skin I stretched in contempt
upon the wall. At that time an image of my person
I made; a history of my supremacy
69 upon it I wrote, and (on) a mountain of the land of Ikin(?)
in the city of Assur-nasir-pal at the foot I erected (it). In my own eponym in the month of July[18] and the 24th day (probably B.C. 882).
70 in honor of Assur and Istar the great gods my Lords, I
quitted the city of Nineveh: to cities situated below Nipur and Pazate powerful countries
71 I proceeded; Atkun, Nithu, Pilazi and 20 other cities in
their environs I captured; many of their soldiers I slew; 72 their spoil, their riches I carried off; the cities I burned with
fire; the rebel soldiers fled from before my arms, submitted, 73 and took my yoke; I left them in possession of their land.
From the cities below Nipur and Pazate I withdrew; the Tigris I passed;
74 to the land of Commagene I approached; the tribute of Commagene
and of the Moschi[19] in _kams_ of copper, sheep and
goats I received; while in Commagene
75 I was stationed, they brought me intelligence that the city
Suri in Bit-Khalupe had revolted. The people of Hamath had slain their governor
76 Ahiyababa the son of Lamamana[20] they brought from Bit-Adini
and made him their King. By help of Assur and
Yav
77 the great gods who aggrandize my royalty, chariots, (and)
an army, I collected: the banks of the Chaboras[21] I occupied; in my passage tribute
78 in abundance from Salman-haman-ilin of the city of Sadi-kannai
and of Il-yav of the city of Sunai,[22] silver, gold,
79 tin, _kam_ of copper, vestments of wool, vestments of linen
I received. To Suri which is in Bit-Halupe I drew near; 80 the fear of the approach of Assur my Lord overwhelmed
them; the great men and the multitudes of the city, for the saving of their lives, coming up after me,[23]
81 submitted to my yoke; some slain, some living, some tongueless
I made: Ahiyababa son of Lamamana
82 whom from Bit-Adini they had fetched, I captured; in the
valor of my heart and the steadfastness of my soldiers I besieged the city; the soldiers, rebels all,
83 were taken prisoners; the nobles to the principal palace of
his land I caused to send; his silver, his gold, his treasure, his riches, copper
84 (?)tin, _kams, tabhani, hariati_ of copper, choice copper in
abundance, alabaster and iron-stone of large size
85 the treasures of his harem, his daughters and the wives of
the rebels with their treasures, and the gods with their treasures,
86 precious stones of the land of ..., his swift chariot,
his horses, the harness, his chariot-yoke, trappings for horses, coverings for men,
87 vestments of wool, vestments of linen, handsome altars of
cedar, handsome ..., bowls of cedar-wood
88 beautiful black coverings, beautiful purple coverings, carpets,
his oxen, his sheep, his abundant spoil, which like the stars of heaven could not be reckoned,
89 I carried off; Aziel as my lieutenant over them I placed; a
trophy along the length of the great gate I erected: the rebellious nobles
90 who had revolted against me and whose skins I had stripped
off, I made into a trophy: some in the middle of the pile I left to decay; some on the top
91 of the pile on stakes I impaled; some by the side of the pile
I placed in order on stakes; many within view of my land 92 I flayed; their skins on the walls I arranged; of the officers
of the King's officer, rebels, the limbs I cut off;
93 I brought Ahiyababa to Nineveh; I flayed[24] him and fastened
his skin to the wall; laws and edicts
94 over Lakie I established. While I was staying in Suri the
tribute of the Princes of Lakie throughout the whole of them,
95 silver, gold, tin, copper, _kam_ of copper, oxen, sheep,
vestments
of wool and linen, as tribute
96 and gift, I defined and imposed upon them. In those days,
the tribute of Khayani of the city of Hindanai, silver, 97 gold, tin, copper, amu-stone, alabaster blocks, beautiful
black (and) lustrous coverings I received as tribute from him. In those days an enlarged image
98 of my Royalty I made; edicts and decrees upon it I wrote;
in the midst of his palace I put it up; of stone my tablets I made;
99 the decrees of my throne upon it I wrote; in the great gate
I fixed them, in the date of this year which takes its name from me, in honor of Assur my Lord and Ninip who uplifts my feet.[25]
100 Whereas in the times of the Kings my fathers no man
of Suhi to Assyria had ever come, Il-bani Prince of Suhi together with his soldiers
101 (and) his son, silver, gold as his tribute to Nineveh in
abundance brought: in my own eponym[26] at the city of Nineveh I stayed: news
102 they brought me that men of the land of Assyria, (and)
Hulai the governor of their city which Shalmaneser King of Assyria my predecessor
103 to the city of Hasiluha had united, had revolted: Dandamusa[27]
a city of my dominion marched out to subdue
(them);
104 in honor of Assur, the Sun-god and Yav, the gods in whom
I trust, my chariots and army I collected at the head of the river Zupnat, the place of an image
105 which Tiglath-Pileser and Tiglath-Adar, Kings of Assyria
my fathers had raised; an image of My Majesty I constructed and put up with theirs.
106 In those days I renewed the tribute of the land of Izala,
oxen, sheep, goats: to the land of Kasyari[28] I proceeded, and to Kinabu
107 the fortified city of the province of Hulai. I drew near;
with the impetuosity of my formidable attack I besieged and took the town; 600 of their fighting men
108 with (my) arms I destroyed; 3,000 of their captives I consigned
to the flames; as hostages I left not one of them alive; Hulai
109 the governor of their town I captured by (my) hand alive;
their corpses into piles I built; their boys and maidens I dishonored;
110 Hulai the governor of their city I flayed: his skin on the
walls of Damdamusa I placed in contempt; the city I overthrew demolished, burned with fire;
in the city of Mariru within their territory I took; 50 warrior fighting men by (my) weapons I destroyed; 200 of their captives in the flame I burned;
112 the soldiers of the land of Nirbi I slew in fight in the
desert; their spoil, their oxen, their sheep, I brought away; Nirbu which is at the foot of mount Ukhira
113 I boldly took; I then passed over to Tila their fortified city;
from Kinabu I withdrew; to Tila I drew near;
114 a strong city with three forts facing each other: the soldiers
to their strong forts and numerous army trusted and
would not submit;
115 my yoke they would not accept; (then,) with onset and
attack I besieged the city; their fighting men with my weapons I destroyed; of their spoil,
116 their riches, oxen and sheep, I made plunder; much booty
I burned with fire; many soldiers I captured alive;
117 of some I chopped off the hands and feet; of others the
noses and ears I cut off; of many soldiers I destroyed the eyes;[29]
118 one pile of bodies while yet alive, and one of heads I reared
up on the heights within their town; their heads in the midst I hoisted; their boys
(_Continued on Column II._)
[Footnote 1: Ninip was one of the great gods of the Assyrian Pantheon, often joined with Assur as one of the special deities invoked by the Assyrian kings at the opening of their inscriptions. His name is also written under the symbol used for iron ("parzii"). Thus in later times the planets were connected with special metals.]
[Footnote 2: A goddess, called also Nuha, and the mother of Nebo as well as of Ninip. Fox Talbot (Gloss. 158) compares "nu (= 'al') kimmut" with the "al-gum" of Prov. xxx. 31, i.e., "irresistible."]
[Footnote 3: Planets. Or, "warrior among spirits." I mention this rendering as the suggestion of Mr. G. Smith, though I prefer that given above.]
[Footnote 4: Literally, "horn." Cf. Job xvi. 15.]
[Footnote 5: Tigallu. Menant renders this sentence "La massue pour regner sur les villes."]
[Footnote 6: Cf. Ps. xxiv. 8.]
[Footnote 7: Cf. Ps. xcv. 4; civ. 6; cvii. 35.]
[Footnote 8: Probably the Dagon of Scripture.]
[Footnote 9: Compare the boast in Isaiah xxxvii. 24, "I cut down the tall cedars."]
[Footnote 10: Goings. Cf. Ps. xl. 2, "He hath established my goings."]
[Footnote 11: Mouth.]
[Footnote 12: The god Yav may be the Yaveh of the Moabite stone.]
[Footnote 13: Or, shade. This may refer to the eclipse of July 13, 885 B.C.]
[Footnote 14: A federation of States north and northeast of Assyria at the head of the Euphrates. In Tig. iv. 7, 33 of their kings are mentioned.]
[Footnote 15: Literally, "animals of the East." This looks as if the Assyrians obtained the horse from some Eastern land.]
[Footnote 16: Or, a viceroy.]
[Footnote 17: A mountainous country near the upper Tigris, possibly Kurdistan.]
[Footnote 18: The Hebrew month Ab.]
[Footnote 19: In the text, "Kummuhi" and "Muski."]
[Footnote 20: Dr. Hincks was of opinion that Lamaman meant "nobody"; and that "Son of Lamaman" was a delicate way of indicating a man was of low origin. Norr. Dict., p. 690.]
[Footnote 21: Assyrian, "Khabur." This may be the Chebar mentioned in the Prophet Ezekiel. Schultens, however (in his Geogr.), mentions another Chaboras which flows into the Tigris.]
[Footnote 22: In the north of Mesopotamia.]
[Footnote 23: Literally, to my back.]
[Footnote 24: Compare 2 Mace. vii. 7 for a somewhat similar proceeding. The custom may also be alluded to in Mic. iii. 3.]
[Footnote 25: Compare Ps. lxxiv. 3, "Lift up thy feet," etc.]
[Footnote 26: About 882 B.C.]
[Footnote 27: Near the modern Diarbekir, on the road to the sources of the Supnat.]
[Footnote 28: In Armenia near the sources of the Tigris.]
[Footnote 29: Thus in 2 Kings xxv. 7 we read that the Chaldees "put out the eyes of Zedekiah." Samson (Judges xvi. 21) was similarly treated. And the custom may be alluded to in Num. xvi. 14. It may be well to compare the treatment of children as recorded in Joshua xi. 14 with what we read in line 118. Horrible and ferocious as was the treatment of the conquered by the Israelites, they at least on that occasion were content with enslaving the children.]
COLUMN II
1 and their maidens I dishonored, the city I overthrew, razed
and burned with fire,
In those days the cities of the land of Nirbi
2 (and) their strong fortresses, I overthrew, demolished,
burned with fire: from Nirbi I withdrew and to the city Tuskha
3 I approached; the city of Tuskha I again occupied; its
old fort I threw down: its place I prepared, its dimensions I took; a new castle
4 from its foundation to its roof I built, I completed, I reared:
a palace for the residence of My Royalty with doors of _iki_ wood I made;
5 a palace of brick from its foundations to its roof I made, I
completed: a complete image of my person of polished
stone I made; the history
6 of my surpassing nation and an account of my conquests
which in the country of Nairi I had accomplished I wrote upon it; in the city of Tuskha
7 I raised it; on suitable stone I wrote and upon the wall I
fixed it; (then) the men of Assyria, those who from the privation of food to various countries
8 And to Rurie had gone up, to Tuskha I brought back and
settled there: that city to myself
9 I took; the wheats and barleys of Nirbi I accumulated in
it; the populace of Nirbi who before my arms had fled, 10 returned and accepted my yoke; of their towns, their Viceroys,
their many convenient houses I took possession; impost and tribute, horses,
11 horses for the yoke, fish, oxen, sheep, goats in addition to
what I had before settled, I imposed upon them; their
youths as hostages
12 I took. While I was staying in Tuskha, I received the
tribute of Ammibaal son of Zamani, of Anhiti of the land of Rurie
13 of Labduri son of Dubuzi of the land of Nirdun and the
tribute of the land of Urumi-sa Bitani, of the Princes of the land of Nairi,
14 chariots, horses, horses for the yoke, tin, silver, gold, _kam_
of copper, oxen, sheep, goats.
15 Over the land of Nairi I established a viceroy: (but) on
my return the land of Nairi, and Nirbu which is in
16 the land of Kasyari, revolted; nine of their cities leagued
themselves with Ispilipri one of their fortified towns and to a mountain difficult of access
17 they trusted; but the heights of the hill I besieged and
took; in the midst of the strong mountain their fighting men I slew; their corpses like rubbish on the hills
18 I piled up; their common people in the tangled hollows of
the mountains I consumed; their spoil, their property I carried off; the heads of their soldiers
19 I cut off; a pile (of them) in the highest part of the city I
built; their boys and maidens I dishonored; to the environs of the city Buliyani
20 I passed; the banks of the river Lukia[1] I took possession
of; in my passage I occupied the towns of the land of
Kirhi hard by; many of their warriors
21 I slew; their spoil I spoiled; their cities with fire I burned:
to the city of Ardupati I went. In those days the tribute 22 of Ahiramu son of Yahiru of the land of Nilaai son of Bahiani
of the land of the Hittites[2] and of the Princes of the land of Hanirabi, silver, gold,
23 tin, _kam_ of copper, oxen, sheep, horses, as their tribute I
received; in the eponym of Assuridin[3] they brought me intelligence that
24 Zab-yav Prince of the land of Dagara had revolted. The
land of Zamua throughout its whole extent he boldly
seized; near the city of Babite
25 they constructed a fort; for combat and battle they
marched forth: in the service of Assur, the great god my Lord and the great Merodach
26 going before me,[4] by the powerful aid which the Lord
Assur extended to my people, my servants and my soldiers I called together; to the vicinity
27 of Babite I marched: the soldiers to the valor of their army
trusted and gave battle: but in the mighty force of the great Merodach going before me
28 I engaged in battle with them; I effected their overthrow:
I broke them down; 1,460 of their warriors in the environs 29 I slew; Uzie, Birata, and Lagalaga, their strong towns,
with 100 towns within their territory I captured;
30 their spoil, their youths, their oxen, and sheep I carried
off; Zab-yav for the preservation of his life, a rugged mountain
31 ascended; 1,200 of their soldiers I carried off; from the
land of Dagara I withdrew; to the city of Bara I approached; the city of Bara
32 I captured; 320 of their soldiers by my weapons I destroyed;
their oxen, sheep, and spoil in abundance I removed;
33 300 of their soldiers I took off; on Tasritu[5] 15th from the
town Kalzi I withdrew, and came to the environs of Babite; 34 from Babite I withdrew; to the land of Nizir which they
call Lúlu-Kinaba I drew near; the city Bunasi one of their fortified cities
35 belonging to Musazina and 20 cities of their environs I
captured; the soldiers were discouraged; they took possession of a mountain difficult of access; I, Assur-nasir-pal
impetuously after them
36 like birds swooped down; their corpses lay thick on the
hills of Nizir; 326 of their warriors I smote down; his horses I exacted of him,
37 their common people in the tangled hollows I consumed;
seven cities in Nizir, which were of their duly appointed fortresses I captured; their soldiers
38 I slew; their spoil, their riches, their oxen, their sheep I
carried off; the cities themselves I burned; to these my tents I returned to halt;
39 from those same tents I departed; to cities of the land of
Nizir whose place no one had ever seen I marched; the city of Larbusa
40 the fortified city of Kirtiara and 8 cities of their territory
I captured; the soldiers lost heart and took to a steep mountain, a mountain (which) like sharp iron stakes
41 rose high upward; as for his soldiers, I ascended after them;
in the midst of the mountain I scattered their corpses; 172 of their men I slew; soldiers
42 in numbers in the hollows of the mountain I hunted down;
their spoil, their cattle, their sheep, I took away; their cities with fire
43 I burned; their heads on the high places of the mountain
I lifted up;[6] their boys and maidens I dishonored; to the tents aforesaid I returned to halt;
44 from those same tents I withdrew; 150 cities of the territory
of Larbusai, Durlulumai, Bunisai and Barai I captured; 45 their fighting men I slew; their spoil I spoiled; the city of
Hasabtal I razed (and) burned with fire; 50 soldiers of Barai I slew in battle on the plain.
46 In those days the Princes of the entire land of Zamua were
overwhelmed by the dread of the advance of Assur my
Lord and submitted to my yoke; horses, silver, gold,
47 I received; the entire land under a Prefect I placed; horses,
silver, gold, wheat, barley, submission, I imposed upon them
48 from the city of Tuklat-assur-azbat I withdrew; the land
of Nispi accepted my yoke; I went down all night; to cities of remote site in the midst of Nispi
49 which Zab-yav had established as his stronghold I went,
took the city of Birutu and consigned it to the flames. In the eponym of Damiktiya-tuklat, when I was stationed at Nineveh, they brough me news[7]
50 that Amaka, and Arastua withheld the tribute and vassalage
due to Assur my Lord. In honor of Assur mighty
Lord and Merodach the great going before me,
51 on the first of May[8] I prepared for the third time an
expedition against Zamua: my fighting men[9] before the many chariots I did not consider: from Kalzi I withdrew; the lower Zab
52 I passed; to the vicinity of Babite I proceeded; the river
Radanu at the foot of the mountains of Zima, my birthplace, I approached; oxen,
53 sheep, goats, as the tribute of Dagara I received: near
Zimaki I added my strong chariots and battering rams as chief of warlike implements to my magazines; by night
54 and daybreak I went down; the Turnat in rafts I crossed;
to Amali the strong city of Arastu I approached;
55 with vigorous assault the city I besieged and took; 800
of their fighting men I destroyed by my weapons; I filled the streets of their city with their corpses;
56 their many houses I burned; many soldiers I took alive;
their spoil in abundance I carried off; the city I overthrew razed and burnt with fire; the city Khudun
57 and 20 cities in its environs I took; their soldiers I slew;
their booty in cattle and sheep I carried off; their cities I overthrew razed and burned; their boys
58 their maidens I dishonored; the city of Kisirtu a fortified
city of Zabini with 10 neighboring cities I took; their soldiers I slew; their spoil
59 I carried off; the cities of Barai and Kirtiara, Bunisai together
with the province of Khasmar I overthrew razed and
burned with fire;
60 I reduced the boundaries to a heap, and then from the
cities of Arastua I withdrew: to the neighborhood of the territory of Laara and Bidirgi, rugged land, which for the passage
61 of chariots and an army was not adapted, I passed; to the
royal city Zamri of Amika of Zamua I drew near; Amika
from before the mighty prowess of my formidable attack 62 fled in fear and took refuge on a hill difficult of access: I
brought forth the treasures of his palace and his chariot; from Zamri I withdrew and passed the river Lallu and to the mountains of Etini,
63 difficult ground, unfit for the passage of chariots and
armies, whither none of the Princes my sires had ever penetrated; I marched in pursuit of his army on the mountains
of Etini:
64 the hill I ascended: his treasure, his riches, vessels of copper,
abundance of copper, _kam_ of copper, bowls of copper, pitchers of copper, the treasures of his palace and of his storehouses,
65 from within the mountains I took away to my camp and
made a halt: by the aid of Assur and the Sun-god, the gods in whom I trust, from that camp I withdrew and proceeded on my march;
66 the river Edir I passed on the confines of Soua and Elaniu,
powerful lands; their soldiers I slew in numbers; their treasure, their riches, _am_[10] of copper,
67 _kam_ of copper, _sapli_ and _namziete_ of copper,
vessels of copper
in abundance, _pásur_ wood, gold and _ahzi_, their oxen, sheep, riches,
68 his abundant spoil, from below the mountains of Elani, his
horses, I exacted from him: Amika for the saving of his life to the land of Sabue went up;
69 the cities Zámru, Arazitku, Amaru, Parsindu, Eritu, Zuritu
his fortified city, with 150 cities
70 of his territory I overthrew, razed, burned; the boundary
I reduced to a heap.
While in the vicinity of Parsindi I was stationed, the warlike engines of the tribe of Kallabu
71 came forth against the place; 150 of the fighting men of
Amika I slew in the plain; their heads I cut off and put them up on the heights of his palace;
72 200 of his soldiers taken by (my) hands alive I left to rot
on the wall of his palace:[11] from Zamri the battering-rams and ... my banners I made ready;
73 to the fortress Ata, of Arzizai, whither none of the Kings
my sires had ever penetrated I marched: the cities of Arzizu, and Arzindu
74 his fortified city, with ten cities situated in their environs
in the midst of Nispi a rugged country, I captured; their soldiers I slew the cities I overthrew razed and burned with fire:
75 to those my tents I returned. In those days I received copper,
_tabbili_ of copper, _kanmate_ of copper, and _sariete_ as the tribute of the land of Siparmina, such as women 76 collect: from the city of Zamri I withdrew; to Lara, (the
rugged hill-country, unfitted for the passage of chariots and armies, with instruments [axes] of iron I cut through and 77 with rollers of metal I beat down) with the chariots and
troops I brought over to the city of Tiglath-assur-azbat in the land of Lulu--the city of Arakdi they call it--I went down;
78 the Kings of Zamue, the whole of them, from before the
impetuosity of my servants and the greatness of my power drew back and accepted my yoke; tribute of silver, gold, tin,
79 copper, _kam_ of copper, vestments of wool, horses, oxen,
sheep, goats, in addition to what I had before settled, I imposed upon them; a Viceroy
80 in Kalach I created. While in the land of Zamue I was
stationed the cities Khudunai, Khartisai, Khutiskai Kirzanai 81 were overwhelmed by fear of the advance of Assur my
Lord; impost, tribute, silver, gold, horses, vestments of wool, oxen, sheep, goats, they brought to me; the rebel soldiers
82 fled from before my arms; they fled to the mountains; I
marched after them; within confines of the land of Aziru they settled and got ready the city of Mizu as their strong place;
83 the land of Aziru I overthrew and destroyed; from Zimaki
as far as the Turnat I scattered their corpses; 500 of their fighting men I destroyed;
84 their spoil in abundance I carried off.
In those days in the land of Samua, (in which is) the
city of Atlila which Zibir King of Kardunias had taken, devastated,
85 and reduced to a heap of ruins, I Assur-nasir-pal King of
Assyria took, after laying siege to its castle a second time; the palace as a residence for My Majesty I therein strengthened, made princely and enlarged beyond what of old was
planned;
86 the wheat and barleys of the land of Kalibi I accumulated
therein; I gave it the name of Dur-Assur.
On the first of May in the eponym of Sanmapakid[12] I
collected my chariots and soldiers
87 the Tigris I crossed; to the land of Commagene I passed
on; I inaugurated a palace in the city of Tiluli; the tribute due from Commagene I received; from Commagene I
withdrew;
88 I passed on to the land of the Istarat;[13] in the city of Kibaki
I halted; from Kibaki I received oxen, sheep, goats,
and copper; from Kibaki I withdrew;
89 to the city of Mattyati I drew nigh; I took possession of
the land of Yatu with the town Kapranisa; 2,800 of their fighting men I smote down with my weapons; their spoil in abundance I carried off;
90 the rebels who had fled from before my arms now accepted
my yoke; of their cities I left them in possession; tribute impost and an officer[14] over them I set;
91 an image of my person I made; collected laws I wrote upon
it and in the city of Mattiyati I placed it; from Mattiyati I withdrew; at the city of Zazabuka
92 I halted; the tribute of Calach in oxen, sheep, goats and
various copper articles I received; from Zazabuka I withdrew; 93 at the city of Irzia I made a halt; that city I burned; but
received there the tributes due from Zura in oxen, sheep, goats and _kam_ copper:
94 from Izria I withdrew; in the land of Kasyari I halted;
Madara (and) Anzi two cities of the territory I captured and slew their soldiers;
95 their spoil I carried off; the cities I burned with fire; six
lakes I crossed over in Kasyari, a rugged highland for the passage of chariots and an army
96 unsuited; (the hills with instruments of iron I cut through
[and] with rollers of metal I beat down;) the chariots and army I brought over. In a city of Assur[15] on the sandy side which is in Kasyari,
97 oxen, sheep, goats _kam_ and _gurpisi_ of copper I received;
by the land of Kasyari I proceeded; a second time to the land of Nairi I went down; at the city of Sigisa
98 I made a halt; from Sigisa I withdrew; to Madara the
fortified city of Labduri the son of Dubisi I drew near, a city extremely strong with four impregnable castles;
99 the city I besieged; they quailed before my mighty
prowess; I received, for the preservation of their lives, their treasures, their riches, their sons, by tale; I imposed upon them
100 tribute and duties; an officer[16] I appointed over them; the
city I demolished, razed, and reduced to a heap of ruins; from Madara I withdrew; to Tuskha
101 I passed over; a palace in Tuskha I dedicated; the tribute
of the land of Nirdun, horses, yoke-horses, fish, _kam_ of copper, _gurpisi_ of copper, oxen, sheep,
102 goats, in Tuskha I received; 60 cities and strong castles
below Kasyari, belonging to Labduri son of Dubuzi
I overthrew razed and converted to a heap of ruins.
103 In the service of Assur my Lord from Tuskha I withdrew.
The powerful chariots and battering-rams I put
up in my stores; on rafts
104 I passed the Tigris; all night I descended; to Pitura a
strong town of Dirrai I drew near--a very strong city-- 105 two forts facing each other, whose castle like the
summit of a mountain stood up: by the mighty hands of
Assur my Lord and the impetuosity of my army and my
formidable attack
106 I gave them battle; on two days before sunrise like Yav
the inundator I rushed upon them; destruction upon them I rained with the might[17]
107 and prowess of my warriors; like the rush of birds coming
upon them, the city I captured; 800 of their soldiers by my arms I destroyed; their heads
108 I cut off; many soldiers I captured in hand alive; their
populace in the flames I burned; their spoil I carried off in abundance; a trophy of the living and of heads
109 about his great gate I built;[18] 700 soldiers I there impaled
on stakes;[19] the city I overthrew, razed, and reduced to a heap of ruins all round; their boys,
110 their maidens, I dishonored; the city of Kukunu[20] facing
the mountains of Matni I captured; 700 of their fighting men I smote down with my weapons;
111 their spoil in abundance I carried off; 50 cities of Dira I
occupied; their soldiers I slew; I plundered them; 50 soldiers I took alive; the cities I overthrew
112 razed and burned; the approach of my Royalty overcame
them; from Pitura I withdrew, and went down to Arbaki
in Gilhi-Bitani;
113 they quailed before the approach of my Majesty, and deserted
their towns and strong places: for the saving of
their lives they went up to Matni a land of strength
114 I went after them in pursuit; 1,000 of their warriors I left
in the rugged hills; their corpses on a hill I piled up; with their bodies the tangled hollows
115 of the mountains I filled; I captured 200 soldiers and cut
off their hands; their spoil I carried away; their oxen, their sheep
116 without number, I took away; Iyaya, Salaniba, strong
cities of Arbaki I occupied; the soldiers I slew; their spoil I carried off
117 250 towns surrounded with strong walls in the land of
Nairi I overthrew demolished and reduced to heaps and
ruins; the trees of their land I cut down; the wheat
118 and barley in Tuskha I kept. Ammiba'al the son of
Zamani had been betrayed and slain by his nobles.[21] To revenge Ammiba'al
119 I marched; from before the vehemence of my arms and
the greatness of my Royalty
120 they drew back: his swift chariots, trappings for men and
horses one hundred in number,
121 horses, harness, his yokes, tribute of silver and gold with
100 talents
122 in tin, 100 talents in copper, 300 talents in _annui_, 100 _kam_
of copper, 3,000 _kappi_ of copper, bowls of copper, vessels of copper,
123 1,000 vestments of wool, _nui_ wood, _eru_ wood, _zalmalli_
wood, horns, choice gold,
124 the treasures of his palace, 2,000 oxen, 5,000 sheep, his
wife, with large donations from her; the daughters
125 of his chiefs with large donations from them I received.
I, Assur-nasir-pal, great King, mighty King, King of legions, King of Assyria,
126 son of Tuklat-Adar great and mighty King, King of
legions, King of Assyria, noble warrior, in the strength of Assur his Lord walked, and whose equal among the
Kings
127 of the four regions exists not;[22] a King who from beyond
the Tigris up to Lebanon and the Great Sea
128 hath subjugated the land of Laki in its entirety, the land
of Zuhi with the city of Ripaki: from the sources of
the Ani
129 (and) the Zupnat to the land bordering on Sabitan has he
held in hand: the territory of Kirrouri with Kilzani on the other side the Lower Zab
130 to Tul-Bari which is beyond the country of the Zab; beyond
the city of Tul-sa-Zabdani, Hirimu, Harute, the land
of Birate
131 and of Kardunias I annexed to the borders of my realm
and on the broad territory of Nairi I laid fresh tribute. The city of Calach I took anew; the old mound
132 I threw down; to the top of the water I brought it; 120
hand-breadths in depth I made it good; a temple to Ninip my Lord I therein founded; when
133 an image of Ninip himself which had not been made before,
in the reverence of my heart for his great mighty god-ship, of mountain stone and brilliant gold I caused to make
in its completeness;
134 for my great divinity in the city of Calach I accounted
him: his festivals in the months of January and September[23] I established: Bit-kursi which was unoccupied I
closed:
135 an altar to Ninip my Lord I therein consecrated: a temple
for Beltis, Sin, and Gulanu, Hea-Manna[24] and Yav
great ruler of heaven and earth I founded.
[Footnote 1: Probably the Lycus or upper Zab.]
[Footnote 2: The term "Hittites" is used in a large sense, as the equivalent of "Syrians," including the northern parts of Palestine.]
[Footnote 3: About 881 B.C.]
[Footnote 4: A scriptural phrase of frequent occurrence.]
[Footnote 5: Corresponding to the Jewish month Tisri, and to part of our September, called in Accadian "the Holy Altar."]
[Footnote 6: Cf. Gen. xi. 19, "Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee."]
[Footnote 7: About 880 B.C.]
[Footnote 8: The Hebrew Sivan.]
[Footnote 9: I.e., in comparison with.]
[Footnote 10: "Am" may be the name of some weight, or figure; v. Norr. Assyr. Dict., pp. 127 and 720.]
[Footnote 11: Menant renders, "j'ai fait etouffer _dans_ le mur."]
[Footnote 12: About 879 B.C.]
[Footnote 13: Goddesses.]
[Footnote 14: Urasi.]
[Footnote 15: Or, "Assur-sidi-huli" may be taken as the name of the town.]
[Footnote 16: "Urasi"(?).]
[Footnote 17: Compare a similar expression, Job xx. 23, "God shall rain (his fury) upon him while he is eating."]
[Footnote 18: Cf. 2 Kings x. 8, "Lay ye them (the heads) in two heaps in the entering in of the gate."]
[Footnote 19: Or, crosses.]
[Footnote 20: On the upper Tigris.]
[Footnote 21: I follow Dr. Oppert in the rendering of this obscure passage. Compare with Ammiba'al the name of the father of Bathsheba, which like many other proper names is indicative of the close relations between Assyria, Phoenicia, Syria, and Judea.]
[Footnote 22: This frequently recurring expression refers to the four races of Syria.]
[Footnote 23: "Tabita" (Heb. "Tebeth") and "Tasritu" (Heb. "Tisri"). It should be remarked that after the captivity the names of the months were exchanged for the Chaldean; and the old Hebrew names, such as "Abib" (Exod. xiii. 4), "Zif" (1 Kings vi. 37), "Ethanim" (ib. viii. 2), "Bul" (ib. vi. 38), and the titles first, second, third month, etc., were dropped.]
[Footnote 24: This name has also been read as "Nisroch-Salmon."]
COLUMN III
l On the 22d day of the third month, May,[1] in the eponym
of Dagan-bel-ussur,[2] withdrew from Calach; I passed the Tigris at its nearer bank
2 and received a large tribute; at Tabite I made a halt; on the
6th day of the fourth month, June,[3] I withdrew from
Tabite and skirted the banks of Kharmis;
3 at the town of Magarizi I made a halt; withdrew from it
and passed along by the banks of the Chaboras and halted at Sadikanni;
4 the tribute due from Sadikanni, silver, gold, tin, _kam_ of
copper, oxen, sheep, I received and quitted the place. 5 At the city of Katni I made a halt; the tribute of Sunaya
I received, and from Katni withdrew;
6 at Dar-Kumlimi[4] halted; withdrew from it and halted at
Bit-Halupe, whose tribute
7 of silver, gold, tin, _kam_ of copper, vestments of wool and
linen, oxen and sheep I received, and withdrew from it; 8 at the city of Zirki I made a halt; the tribute of Zirki,
silver, gold, tin, oxen,
9 sheep, I received; withdrew from Zirki; halted at Zupri,
whose tribute
10 of silver, gold, tin, _kami_, oxen, sheep, I received; withdrew
from Zupri and halted at Nagarabani,
11 whose tribute in silver, gold, tin, _kami_, oxen, sheep, I
received and withdrew from it;
12 near Khindani, situated on the nearer banks of the Euphrates
I halted;
13 the tribute of Khindani, silver, gold, tin, _kami_, oxen, sheep,
I received. From Khindani
14 I withdrew; at the mountains over against the Euphrates[5]
I halted; I withdrew from those mountains and halted at Bit-Sabáya near the town of Haridi
15 situate on the nearer bank of the Euphrates. From Bit-Sabáya
I withdrew; at the commencement of the town of
Anat[6]
16 I made a halt. Anat is situated in the midst of the Euphrates.
From Anat I withdrew. The city of Zuru the
fortified city of
17 Sadudu of the land of Zuhi I besieged: to the numerous
warriors of the spacious land of the Kassi he trusted and to make war and battle to my presence advanced;
l8 the city I besieged; two days I was engaged in fighting; I
made good an entrance: (then) through fear[7] of my
mighty arms Sadudu and his soldiers
19 for the preservation of his life, into the Euphrates threw
himself: I took the city; 50 _bit-hallu_[8] and their soldiers in the service of Nabu-bal-idin King of Kardunias;
20 Zabdanu his brother with 300 of his soldiers and Bel-bal-idin
who marched at the head of their armies I captured,
together with them
21 many soldiers I smote down with my weapons; silver, gold,
tin, precious stone of the mountains,[9] the treasure of his palace,
22 chariots, horses trained to the yoke, trappings for men and
horses, the women of his palace, his spoil,
23 in abundance I carried off; the city I pulled down and razed;
ordinances and edicts I imposed on Zuhi; the fear of my dominion to Kardunias reached;
24 the greatness of my arms overwhelmed Chaldæa;[10] on the
countries of the banks of the Euphrates my impetuous
soldiers I sent forth; an image
25 of my person I made; decrees and edicts upon it I inscribed;
in Zuri I put it up, I Assur-nasir-pal, a King who
has enforced his laws
26 (and) decrees and who to the sword hath directed his face
to conquests and alliances hath raised his heart. While I was stationed at Calach
27 they brought me news that the population of Laqai and
Khindanu of the whole land of Zukhi had revolted and
crossed the Euphrates
28 on the eighteenth of May[11] I withdrew from Calach; passed
the Tigris, took the desert to Zúri
29 by Bit-Halupí I approached in ships belonging to me which
I had taken at Zúri: I took my way to the sources of the Euphrates;
30 the narrows of the Euphrates I descended, the cities of
Khintiel and Aziel in the land of Laqai I took; their soldiers I slew; their spoil
31 I carried off; the cities I overthrew, razed, burned with
fire. In my expedition marching westward of the banks of the Chaboras to
32 the city Zibate of Zuhi, cities on the other side of the
Euphrates in the land of Laqai I overthrew, devastated and burned with fire; their crops I seized 460 soldiers
33 their fighting men by (my) weapons I destroyed; I took
20 alive and impaled them on stakes;[12] on ships which I had built--
34 in 20 ships which were drawn up on the sand at Haridi
I crossed the Euphrates. The land of Zuhaya and Laqai
35 and the city of Khindanai[13] to the power of their chariots
armies and hands trusted and summoned 6,000 of their
soldiers to engage in fight and battle.
36 They came to close quarters; I fought with them; I
effected their overthrow; I destroyed their chariots 6,500 of their warriors I smote down by my weapons; the remainder 37 in starvation in the desert of the Euphrates I shut up.
From Haridi in Zukhi to Kipina and the cities of Khin-danai[13] 38 in Laqai on the other side I occupied; their fighting men
I slew; the city I overthrew razed and burned. Aziel of Laqai
39 trusted to his forces and took possession of the heights
of Kipina; I gave them battle; at the city of Kipina I effected his overthrow; 1,000 of his warriors I slew;
40 his chariots I destroyed; spoil I carried off in plenty;
their gods I took away; for the preservation of his life he took refuge on a rugged hill of Bizuru at the sources of the Euphrates;
41 for two days I descended the river in pursuit: the relics
of his army with my weapons I destroyed; their hiding
place by the hills on the Euphrates I broke up;
42 to the cities of Dumite and Azmú belonging to the son of
Adini[14] I went down after him; his spoil, his oxen, his sheep,
43 which like the stars of heaven were without number I
carried off.
In those days Ila of Laqai, his swift chariots and 500 soldiers
44 to my land of Assyria I transported; Dumutu and Azmu
I captured, overthrew, razed and burned; in the narrows of the Euphrates I turned aside in my course and
45 I outflanked Aziel, who fled before my mighty power to
save his life. Ila; the Prince of Laqai, his army his chariots, his harness,
46 I carried off and took to my city of Assur: Khimtiel of
Laqai I made prisoner in his own city. Through the might of Assur my Lord, (and) in the presence of my mighty
arms and the formidable attack
47 of my powerful forces he was afraid, and I received the
treasures of his palaces, silver, gold, tin, copper, _kam_ of copper, vestments of wool, his abundant spoil; and tribute 48 and impost in addition to what I had previously fixed I laid
upon them; in those days I slew 50 buffaloes in the neighborhood of the nearer side of the Euphrates: eight buffaloes
I caught alive;
49 I killed 20 eagles, and captured others alive: I founded two
cities on the Euphrates; one on the farther bank
50 of the Euphrates which I named Dur-Assur-nasir-pal; one
on the nearer bank which I named Nibarti-Assur. On the 20th of May[16] I withdrew from Calach;
51 I crossed the Tigris; to the land of Bit-Adini I went; to
their strong city of Katrabi I approached, a city exceedingly strong, like a storm rushing from heaven,[17]
52 the soldiers confided to their numerous troops, and would
not submit and accept my yoke: in honor of Assur the great Lord, my Lord, and the god the great protector going before me, I besieged the city
53 by the warlike engines[18] on foot and strong, the city I
captured; many of their soldiers I slew; 800 of their fighting men I dispersed; their spoil and property I carried off, 2,400 of their warriors
54 I transported away and detained them at Calach; the city
I overthrew razed and burnt; the fear of the approach of Assur my Lord over Bit-Adini I made good.
55 In those days the tribute of Ahuni son of Adini of Habini,
of the city of Tul-Abnai,[19] silver, gold, tin,[20] copper, vestments of wool and linen, wood for bridges,
56 cedar wood, the treasures of his palace I received; their
hostages I took, _rimutu_[21] I imposed upon them.
In the month April[22] and on the eighth day I quitted Calach; the Tigris
57 I passed; to Carchemish[23] in Syria I directed my steps; to
Bit-Bakhiani I approached; the tribute due from the son[24] of Bakhiani, swift chariots, horses, silver,
58 gold, tin, copper, _kami_ of copper, I received; the chariots
and warlike engines of the officer of the son of Bakhiani I added to my magazines;
59 I menaced the land of Anili: the tribute of Hu-immi of
Nilaya, swift war chariots, horses, silver, gold, tin,[25] copper,
60 _kami_ of copper, oxen, sheep, horses, I received; the
chariots and warlike instruments of the officer I added to my magazines. From Anili I withdrew; to Bit-Adini I approached; 61 the tribute of Ahuni son of Adini, silver, gold, tin,[5] copper,
wood of _ereru_ and _rabaz_, horns, _sai_-wood, horns[26] 62 of thrones horns of silver, and gold, _sari_, bracelets of gold,
_sahri_ fastenings for covers of gold, scabbards of gold, oxen, sheep, goats as his tribute I received;
63 the chariots and warlike engines of the officer of Ahuni I
added to my magazines. In those days I received the tribute of Habini of Tul-Abnai, four maneh of silver and 400
sheep;
64 ten maneh of silver for his first year as tribute I imposed
upon him: from Bit-Adini I withdrew; the Euphrates, in a difficult part of it, I crossed in ships of hardened skins: 65 I approached the land of Carchemish: the tribute of Sangara
King of Syria, twenty talents of silver, _sahri_ gold, bracelets of gold, scabbards of gold, 100 talents
66 of copper, 250 talents of annui _kami, harlate, nirmakate
kibil_[27] of copper, the extensive furniture of his palace, 67 of incomprehensible perfection[28] different kinds of woods,[29]
_ka_ and _sara_, 200 female slaves, vestments of wool, 68 and linen; beautiful black coverings, beautiful purple coverings,
precious stones, horns of buffaloes, white[30] chariots, images of gold, their coverings, the treasures of his
Royalty, I received of him;
69 the chariots and warlike engines of the General of Carchemish
I laid up in my magazines; the Kings of all those
lands who had come out against me received my yoke; their hostages I received;
70 they did homage in my presence; to the land of Lebanon[31]
I proceeded. From Carchemish I withdrew and marched
to the territory of Munzigani and Harmurga:
71 the land of Ahanu I reduced; to Gaza[32] the town of Lubarna[33]
of the Khatti I advanced; gold and vestments of
linen I received:
72 crossing the river Abrie I halted and then leaving that
river approached the town of Kanulua a royal city belonging to Lubarna of the Khatti:
73 from before my mighty arms and my formidable onset he
fled in fear, and for the saving of his life submitted to my yoke; twenty talents of silver, one talent of gold,
74 100 talents in tin, 100 talents in _annui_, 1,000 oxen, 10,000
sheep, 1,000 vestments of wool, linen, _nimati_ and _ki_ woods coverings,
75 _ahuzate_ thrones, _kui_ wood, wood for seats, their
coverings, _sarai, zueri_-wood, horns of _kui_ in abundance, the numerous utensils of his palace, whose beauty
76 could not be comprehended:[34] ... _pagatu_(?)[35] from
the wealth of great Lords as his tribute
77 I imposed upon him; the chariots and warlike engines of
the land of the Khatti I laid up in my magazines; their hostages I took.
In those days (I received) the tribute of Guzi
78 of the land of Yahanai, silver, gold, tin,[36] ... oxen,
sheep, vestments of wool and linen I received: from Kunalua the capital of Lubarna I withdrew,
79 of the land of the Khatti, crossed the Orontes,[37] and after
a halt left it, and to the borders
80 of the land of Yaraki and of Yahturi I went round: the
land[38] ... had rebelled: from the Sangura after a
halt I withdrew;
81 I made a detour to the lands of Saratini and Girpani[39]
... I halted and advanced to Aribue a fortified city
belonging to Lubarna of the land of the Khatti:
82 the city I took to myself; the wheats and barleys of Luhuti
I collected; I allowed his palace to be sacked and settled Assyrians there.[40]
83 While I was stationed at Aribua, I captured the cities of the
land of Luhiti and slew many of their soldiers; overthrew razed and burned them with fire;
84 the soldiers whom I took alive I impaled on stakes close
by their cities.
In those days I occupied the environs of Lebanon; to the great sea
85 of Phoenicia[41] I went up: up to the great sea my arms I
carried: to the gods I sacrificed; I took tribute of the Princes of the environs of the sea-coast,
86 of the lands of Tyre, Sidon, Gebal, Maacah[42] Maizai Kaizai,
of Phoenicia and Arvad
87 on the sea-coast--silver, gold, tin, copper, _kam_ of copper,
vestments of wool and linen, _pagutu_[43] great and small, 88 strong timber, wood of _ki_[44] teeth of dolphins, the produce
of the sea, I received as their tribute: my yoke they accepted; the mountains of Amanus[45] I ascended; wood for
bridges,
89 pines, box, cypress, _li_-wood, I cut down; I offered sacrifices
for my gods; a trophy[46] of victory I made, and in a
central place I erected it;
90 _gusuri_-wood, cedar wood from Amanus I destined for
Bit-Hira,
and my pleasure house called Azmaku, for the temple
of the Moon and Sun the exalted gods.
91 I proceeded to the land of Iz-mehri, and took possession
of it throughout: I cut down beams for bridges of _mehri_ trees, and carried them to Nineveh; (and)
92 to Istar Lady of Nineveh (on) my knees I knelt.[47] In the
eponym of Samas-nuri[48] in the honor of the great Lord Assur my Lord on the 20th of April[49]
93 from Calach I withdrew--crossed the Tigris--descended
to the land of Kipani, and there, in the city of Huzirina, received the tribute of the governors of its cities.
94 While stationed at Huzirana I received the tribute of
Ittiel of Nilaya, Giridadi of Assaya, in silver
95 gold, oxen, sheep. In those days I received the tribute in
beams for bridges, cedar wood, silver, gold of Qatuzili 96 of Commagene[50]--withdrew from Huzirina and took my
way upward along the banks of the Euphrates; to Kubbu.[51] 97 I crossed over into the midst of the towns of Assa in
Kirkhi over against Syria. The cities of Umalie and
Khiranu
98 powerful cities centrally situated in Adani I captured; numbers
of their soldiers I slew; spoil beyond reckoning
99 I carried off; the towns I overthrew and demolished; 150
cities of their territory I burned with fire; then from Khiranu 100 I withdrew; I passed over to the environs of the land of
Amadani; I went down among the cities of Dirrie, and
the cities within the lands of
101 Amadani and Arquanie I burned with fire: Mallanu which
is in the middle of Arquanie I took as my own possession; I withdrew from Mallanu
102 to the cities of Zamba on the sandy outskirt, which I
burned with fire: I passed the river Sua, proceeding up to the Tigris whose cities
103 on those banks and on these banks of the Tigris in Arkanie
to a heap I reduced: its waters overflowed all Kirkhi: my yoke they took;
104 their hostages I exacted; a Viceroy of my own I appointed
over them: in the environs of the land of Amadani I
arrived: at Barza-Nistun
105 To Dandamusa the fortified city of Ilani son of Zamani
I drew near and laid siege to it: my warriors like birds of prey rushed upon them;
106 600 of their warriors I put to the sword and decapitated;
400 I took alive;
107 3,000 captives I brought forth; I took possession of the
city for myself: the living soldiers, and heads to the city of Amidi[52] the royal city, I sent;
108 heaps of the heads close by his great gate I piled; the
living soldiers I crucified on crosses[53] at the gates of the town;
109 inside the gates I made carnage; their forests I cut down;[54]
from Amidi I withdrew toward the environs of Kasyari;
the city of Allabzie
110 to whose rocks and stones no one among the Kings my
fathers had ever made approach, I penetrated; to the town of Uda the fortress of Labduri son of Dubuzi
111 I approached and besieged the city with _bilsi_(?) strengthened
and marching; the city I captured;[55] ... soldiers[56] ... with my weapons I destroyed; 570 soldiers
112 I captured; 3,000 captives I took forth; soldiers alive I
caught; some I impaled on stakes;[57] of others
113 the eyes I put out: the remainder I carried off to Assur
and took the city as my own possession--I who am Assur-nasir-pal mighty King, King of Assyria son of Tuklat-Adar, (Tuklat-Ninip) 114 great King, powerful King, King of legions, King of
Assyria son of Vul-nirari[58] great King, mighty King, King of legions, King of Assyria, noble warrior, who in the service of Assur his Lord proceeded, and among the Kings of the four regions,
115 has no equal, a Prince[59] (giving) ordinances, not fearing
opponents, mighty unrivalled leader, a Prince subduer of the disobedient, who all
116 the thrones of mankind has subdued; powerful King
treading over the heads of his enemies, trampling on the lands of enemies, breaking down the assemblages of the wicked; who in the service of the great gods
117 his Lords marched along; whose hand hath taken possession
of all their lands, laid low the forests of all of them, and received their tributes, taking hostages (and) imposing laws
118 upon all those lands; when Assur the Lord proclaimer
of my name, aggrandizer of my Royalty, who added his
unequivocal service to the forces of my government
119 I destroyed the armies of the spacious land of Lúlumi.
In battle by weapons I smote them down. With the help
of the Sun-god
120 and Yav, the gods in whom I trust, I rushed upon the
armies of Nairi, Kirkhi Subariya and Nirbi like Yav the inundator;[60]
121 a King who from the other side the Tigris to the land of
Lebanon and the great sea has subjugated to his yoke the entire land of Lakie and the land of Zukhi as far as the city Rapik;
122 to whose yoke is subjected (all) from the sources of the
Zupnat to the frontiers of Bitani; from the borders of Kirruri to Kirzani;
123 from beyond the Lower Zab to the town of Tulsa-Zabdani
and the town of Tul-Bari beyond the land of Zaban as far as the towns of Tul-sa-Zabdani and
124 Tul-sa-Abtani; Harimu, Harutu in Birate of Kardunias[61]
to the borders of my land I added; (the inhabitants) of the territory of Babite
125 with Khasmar among the people of my own country I
accounted: in the countries which I held I established a deputy: they performed homage: submission
126 I imposed upon them; I, Assur-nasir-pal, great, noble, worshipper
of the great gods, generous, great, mighty
possessors of cities and the forests of all their domains, King of Lords, consumer of
127 the wicked _taskaru_ invincible, who combats injustice,
Lord of all Kings, King of Kings, glorious, upholder of Bar (Ninip) the warlike, worshipper
128 of the great gods, a King who, in the service of Assur
and Ninip, gods in whom he trusted, hath marched royally, and wavering lands and Kings his enemies in all their
lands
129 to his yoke hath subdued, and the rebels against Assur,
high and low, hath opposed and imposed on them impost
and tribute--Assur-nasir-pal
130 mighty King, glory of the Moon-god[62] worshipper of Anu,
related[63] to Yav, suppliant of the gods, an unyielding servant, destroyer of the land of his foes; I, a King vehement in war,
131 destroyer of forests and cities, chief over opponents, Lord
of four regions, router of his enemies in strong lands and forests, and who Kings mighty and fearless from the rising 132 to the setting of the sun to my yoke subjugated.
The former city of Calach which Shalmaneser King of
Assyria going before me, had built--
133 that city was decayed and reduced to a heap of ruins: that
city I built anew; the people captured by my hand of the countries which I had subdued, Zukhi and Lakie,
134 throughout their entirety, the town of Sirku on the other
side of the Euphrates, all Zamua, Bit-Adini, the Khatti, and the subjects of Liburna I collected within, I made them occupy.[64]
135 A water-course from the Upper Zab I dug and called it
Pati-kanik: timber upon its shores I erected: a choice of animals to Assur my Lord and (for) the Chiefs of my
realm I sacrificed;
136 the ancient mound I threw down: to the level of the water
I brought it: 120 courses on the low level I caused it to go: its wall I built; from the ground to the summit I built (and) completed.
[Additional clauses are found on the monolith inscription in the British Museum. They are not, however, of any great importance and amount to little more than directions for the preservation and reparation of the palace, with imprecations upon those who should at any time injure the buildings. On this same monolith is found an invocation to the great gods of the Assyrian Pantheon: namely, to Assur, Anu, Hea, Sin [the Moon], Merodach, Yav Jahve, Jah[?], Ninip, Nebo, Beltis, Nergal, Bel-Dagon, Samas [the Sun], Istar.]
[Footnote 1: Sivan.]
[Footnote 2: 878 B.C.]
[Footnote 3: Heb. "Tammuz," Assyr. "Duwazu."]
[Footnote 4: A city in Mesopotamia.]
[Footnote 5: "Burattu." In Hebrew (Gen. ii. 14). "Phrat."]
[Footnote 6: Dr. Oppert renders this "Anatho."]
[Footnote 7: Literally, "from the face of."]
[Footnote 8: Probably military engines used in sieges.]
[Footnote 9: Or, sadi-stone shining.]
[Footnote 10: "Kaldu." There are fragments existing in the British Museum of a treaty made between this Nabu-bal-idin, King of Kardunias (Babylonia), and Shalmaneser, son of Assur-nasir-pal. v. "Trans. Soc. Bib. Archæol.," i. 77.]
[Footnote 11: The Hebrew Sivan.]
[Footnote 12: Literally, "impaled on stakes." But Dr. Oppert and Mr. Norris generally adopt the rendering given in the text, I. 108, p. 194.]
[Footnote 13: It will be observed that this city is differently spelled in line 27. Irregularities of this kind are very frequent, especially in the termination of proper names.]
[Footnote 14: See note 3, p. 188.]
[Footnote 15: "Ahuni." See l. 61, p. 191.]
[Footnote 16: The Hebrew Sivan.]
[Footnote 17: Or, "as it were situated among the storm-clouds of heaven."]
[Footnote 18: The nature of these engines ("bilsi") is uncertain.]
[Footnote 19: I.e., stony-hill.]
[Footnote 20: Or, lead.]
[Footnote 21: Possibly "humiliation," from the Chaldee "rama."]
[Footnote 22: Airu.]
[Footnote 23: Carchemish. Cf. Jeremiah xlvi. 2.]
[Footnote 24: Tribe(?).]
[Footnote 25: Or, lead.]
[Footnote 26: Some projecting ornament, like "horns of an altar." Cf. Ps. cxviii. 27; Exod. xxx. 2.]
[Footnote 27: Probably some utensils, as explained by the Hebrew word "unutu" ("anioth").]
[Footnote 28: Or, with Mr. Norris, "the whole of it was not taken." Dict., p. 558.]
[Footnote 29: The words specified are "sa" or "issa," "passur," and probably "ebony"; the others have not been identified.]
[Footnote 30: Probably "in ivory."]
[Footnote 31: Labnana.]
[Footnote 32: Hazazi.]
[Footnote 33: Prince.]
[Footnote 34: The Inscription is here defaced.]
[Footnote 35: May this be the Hebrew word for garments, "beged"?]
[Footnote 36: Defaced.]
[Footnote 37: Arunte.]
[Footnote 38: Defaced.]
[Footnote 39: Defaced.]
[Footnote 40: Precisely thus: "The King of Assyria brought men from Babylon ... and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel."--2 Kings xvii. 24.]
[Footnote 41: "Akhari." Heb. [Hebrew: achari].]
[Footnote 42: Literally, Zurai, Sidunai, Gubalai, Makullat.]
[Footnote 43: See p. 192, note 5.]
[Footnote 44: Ebony.]
[Footnote 45: The mountain chain which divides Syria from Cilicia.]
[Footnote 46: Or, proof.]
[Footnote 47: Literally, sat.]
[Footnote 48: I.e., "the sun is my light."]
[Footnote 49: Assyr. "Airu," Heb. "Iyar." 866 B.C.]
[Footnote 50: Literally, Kumukhaya.]
[Footnote 51: Between Carchemish and the Orontes.]
[Footnote 52: Diarbekr, still known by the name of "Kar-Amid." Rawlinson's "Herodotus," l. 466. The name is of frequent occurrence in early Christian writers.]
[Footnote 53: See p. 188, note 2.]
[Footnote 54: Cf. Is. x. 34, "He shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron"; also Ezek. xxxix. 10.]
[Footnote 55: The inscription is here defaced.]
[Footnote 56: Defaced.]
[Footnote 57: See p. 188, note 2.]
[Footnote 58: The grandfather of Assur-nasir-pal. His reign probably terminated at 889 B.C.]
[Footnote 59: Literally, shepherd. Thus, Isa. xliv. 28, "Cyrus is my shepherd."]