TRANSLATED BY DR. JULIUS OPPERT

The document of which I publish a translation has been copied with admirable precision by M. Botta in his "_Monuments de Ninive_" There are four specimens of this same text in the Assyrian palace, which bear the title of Inscriptions of the Halls, Nos. iv, vii, viii, and x.

There is another historical document in the palace of Khorsabad containing more minute particulars, and classed in a chronological order, which I translated in my "_Dur-Sar-kayan_," 1870, and in the "Records of the Past," Vol. VII.

The several copies of this document have been united in one sole text in a work which I published in common with M. Ménant in the "_Journal Asiatique_," 1863.

I published my translation of the "Great Inscriptions of Khorsabad," in the "_Annales de Philosophie Chrétienne_," July and August, 1862, tom. V (New Series), p. 62; then in my "_Inscriptions des Sargonides_," p. 20 (1862). The same text was inserted in the work which I edited in communion with my friend M. Joachim Ménant, entitled "_La Grande Inscription des Salles de Khorsabad_," "_Journal Asiatique_," 1863. Some passages have been since corrected by me in my "_Dur-Sarkayan_," Paris, 1870, in the great work of M. Victor Place, and these corrections have been totally admitted by M. Ménant in a translation which he has given in his book, "_Annales des Rois d'Assyrie_," Paris, 1874, p. 180. As the reader may easily convince himself in collating it with my previous attempts, this present translation is now amended according to the exigencies of the progressing science of Assyriology, as it is now understood.

GREAT INSCRIPTION OF THE PALACE OF KHORSABAD

1   Palace of Sargon, the great King, the powerful King,
    King of the legions, King of Assyria, Viceroy of the gods
    at Babylon, King of the Sumers and of the Accads, favorite
    of the great gods.

2   The gods Assur, Nebo, and Merodach have conferred on
    me the royalty of the nations, and they have propagated
    the memory of my fortunate name to the ends of the earth.
    I have followed the reformed precepts of Sippara, Nipur,
    Babylon, and Borsippa; I have amended the imperfections
    which the men of all laws had admitted.

3   I have reunited the dominions of Kalu, Ur, Orchoé, Erikhi,
    Larsa,[1] Kullab, Kisik, the dwelling-place of the god Laguda;
    I have subdued their inhabitants. As to the laws
    of Sumer[2] and of the town of Harran, which had fallen
    into desuetude from the most ancient times, I have restored
    to fresh vigor their forgotten customs.

4   The great gods have made me happy by the constancy of
    their affection, they have granted me the exercise of my
    sovereignty over all kings; they have re-established obedience
    upon them all. From the day of my accession there
    existed no princes who were my masters; I have not, in
    combats or battles, seen my victor. I have crushed the
    territories of the rebels like straws, and I have struck them
    with the plagues of the four elements. I have opened innumerable
    deep and very extensive forests, I have levelled
    their inequalities. I have traversed winding and thick
    valleys, which were impenetrable, like a needle, and I
    passed in digging tanks dug on my way.

5   By the grace and power of the great gods, my Masters, I
    have flung my arms; by my force I have defeated my enemies.
    I have ruled from Iatnan,[3] which is in the middle
    of the sea of the setting sun, to the frontiers of Egypt and
    of the country of the Moschians, over vast Phoenicia, the
    whole of Syria, the whole of _guti muski_[4] of distant Media,
    near the country of Bikni, to the country of Ellip, from Ras
    which borders upon Elam, to the banks of the Tigris, to
    the tribes of Itu, Rubu, Haril, Kaldud, Hauran, Ubul,
    Ruhua, of the Litaï who dwell on the borders of the Surappi
    and the Ukne, Gambul, Khindar, and Pukud.[5] I have
    reigned over the _suti_ hunters who are in the territory of
    Iatbur, in whatever it was as far as the towns of Samhun,
    Bab-Dur, Dur-Tilit, Khilikh, Pillat, Dunni-Samas, Bubi,
    Tell-Khumba, which are in the dependency of Elam,[6] and
    Kar-duniyas[7] Upper and Lower, of the countries of Bit-Amukkan,
    Bit-Dakkur, Bit-Silan, Bit-Sa'alla, which together
    form Chaldea in its totality, over the country of Bit-Iakin,
    which is on the sea-shore, as far as the frontier of
    Dilmun. I have received their tributes, I have established
    my Lieutenants over them as Governors, and I have reduced
    them under my suzerainty.

6   This is what I did from the beginning of my reign to my
    fifteenth year of reign:
    I defeated Khumbanigas, King of Elam, in the plains of
    Kalu.

7   I besieged and occupied the town of Samaria, and took
    27,280 of its inhabitants captive. I took from them 50
    chariots, but left them the rest of their belongings. I
    placed my Lieutenants over them; I renewed the obligation
    imposed upon them by one of the Kings who preceded
    me.[8]

8   Hanun, King of Gaza, and Sebech, Sultan[9] of Egypt,
    allied themselves at Rapih[10] to oppose me, and fight against
    me; they came before me, I put them to flight. Sebech
    yielded before my cohorts, he fled, and no one has ever
    seen any trace of him since. I took with my own hand
    Hanun, King of Gaza.

9   I imposed a tribute on Pharaoh, King of Egypt; Samsie,
    Queen of Arabia; It-amar, the Sabean, of gold, sweet smelling
    herbs of the land, horses, and camels.

10  Kiakku of Sinukhta had despised the god Assur, and refused
    submission to him. I took him prisoner, and seized
    his 30 chariots and 7,350 of his soldiers. I gave Sinuhta,
    the town of his royalty, to Matti from the country of Tuna,
    I added some horses and asses to the former tribute and
    appointed Matti as Governor.

11  Amris of Tabal, had been placed upon the throne of Khulli
    his father; I gave to him a daughter and I gave him Cilicia[10]
    which had never submitted to his ancestors. But he did
    not keep the treaty and sent his ambassador to Urzaha,
    King of Armenia, and to Mita, King of the Moschians,
    who had seized my provinces. I transported Amris to
    Assyria, with his belongings, the members of his ancestors'
    families, and the magnates of the country, as well as 100
    chariots; I established some Assyrians, devoted to my government,
    in their places. I appointed my Lieutenant Governor
    over them, and commanded tributes to be levied
    upon them.

12  Jaubid of Hamath, a smith,[12] was not the legitimate master
    of the throne, he was an infidel and an impious man, and
    he had coveted the royalty of Hamath. He incited the
    towns of Arpad, Simyra, Damascus, and Samaria to rise
    against me, took his precautions with each of them, and
    prepared for battle. I counted all the troops of the god
    Assur; in the town of Karkar which had declared itself
    for the rebel, I besieged him and his warriors, I occupied
    Karkar and reduced it to ashes. I took him, himself, and
    had him flayed, and I killed the chief of the rioters in each
    town, and reduced them to a heap of ruins. I recruited
    my forces with 200 chariots and 600 horsemen from among
    the inhabitants of the country of Hamath and added them
    to my empire.

13  Whilst Iranzu of Van[13] lived, he was subservient and devoted
    to my rule, but fate removed him. His subjects
    placed his son Aza on the throne. Urzaha the Armenian
    intrigued with the people of Mount Mildis, Zikirta, Misiandi,
    with the nobles of Van, and enticed them to rebellion;
    they threw the body of their Master Aza on the top of the
    mountains. Ullusun of Van, his brother, whom they had
    placed on his father's throne, did homage to Urzaha, and
    gave him 22 fortresses with their garrisons. In the anger
    of my heart I counted all the armies of the god Assur, I
    watched like a lion in ambush and advanced to attack these
    countries. Ullusun of Van saw my expedition approaching,
    he set out with his troops and took up a strong position
    in the ravines of the high mountains. I occupied Izirti the
    town of his royalty, and the towns of Izibia and Armit, his
    formidable fortresses, I reduced them to ashes. I killed
    all that belonged to Urzaha the Armenian, in these high
    mountains. I took with my own hand 250 royal members
    of his family. I occupied 55 royal towns of which 8 were
    ordinary towns and 11 impregnable fortresses. I reduced
    them to ashes. I incorporated the 22 strong towns, that
    Ullusun of Van had delivered to him with Assyria. I occupied
    8 strong cities of the country of Tuaya and the districts
    of Tilusina of Andia; 4,200 men, with their belongings,
    were carried away into slavery.

14  Mitatti, of Zikirta, had secured himself against my arms;
    he and the men of his country had fled into the forests;
    no trace of them was to be seen. I reduced Parda, the
    town of his royalty to ashes; I occupied twenty-three great
    towns in the environs, and I spoiled them. The cities of
    Suandakhul and Zurzukka, of the country of Van, took
    the part of Mitatti; I occupied and pillaged them. Then I
    took Bagadatti of the Mount Mildis, and I had him flayed.
    I banished Dayaukku and his suite to Hamath, and I made
    them dwell there.

15  Then Ullusun heard in his high mountains of my glorious
    exploits: he departed in haste like a bird, and kissed my
    feet; I pardoned his innumerable misdeeds, and I blotted
    out his iniquities. I granted pardon to him; I replaced
    him upon the throne of his royalty. I gave him the two
    fortresses and the 22 great towns that I had taken away
    from Urzaha and Mitatti. I endeavored to restore peace
    to his country. I made the image of my Majesty: I wrote
    on it the glory of the god Assur, my Master, I erected many
    fac-similes of it in Izirti, the town of his royalty.

16  I imposed a tribute of horses, oxen, and lambs upon Ianzu,
    King of the river country, in Hupuskia, the town of his
    power.

17  Assurlih, of Kar-Alla, Itti, of Allapur, had sinned against
    Assur and despised his power. I had Assurlih flayed. I
    banished the men of Kar-Alla, whoever they were, and Itti,
    with his suite, I placed them in Hamath.

18  I took the inhabitants of the towns of Sukkia, Bala,
    Ahitikna, Pappa,[14] Lallukni away from their homes; I made
    them dwell at Damascus in Syria.

19  I occupied the 6 towns of the country of Niksamma, I took
    with my own hand Nirisar, Governor of the town of Surgadia;
    I added these towns to the satrapy of Parsuas.[15]

20  Bel-sar-usur[16] was King of the town of Kisisim; I had him
    transported to Assyria with all that he possessed, his treasure,
    the contents of his palace; I put my Lieutenant in as
    Governor of the town, to which I gave the name of Kar-Marduk.
    I had an image made of my Majesty and erected
    it in the middle of the town. I occupied 6 towns in the
    neighborhood and I added them to his government.

21  I attacked and conquered Kibaba, Prefect of the town of
    Kharkhar, I took him and the inhabitants of his country
    captive, I rebuilt this city and made the inhabitants of the
    provinces, that my arm had conquered, live there. I placed
    my Lieutenant as Governor over them. I named the town
    Kar-Sarkin; I established the worship of the god Assur,
    my Master, there. I erected an image of my Royal self.
    I occupied 6 towns in the environs, and added them to his
    government.

22  I besieged and took the towns of Tel-Akhi-tub, Khindau,
    Bagai, and Anzaria; I transported the inhabitants of them
    to Assyria. I rebuilt them; I gave them the names of
    Kar-Nabu, Kar-Sin, Kar-Ben, Kar-Istar.

23  To maintain my position in Media, I have erected fortifications
    in the neighborhood of Kar-Sarkin. I occupied
    34 towns in Media and annexed them to Assyria and I
    levied annual tributes of horses upon them.

24  I besieged and took the town of Eristana, and the surrounding
    towns in the country of Bait-Ili; I carried away the
    spoil.

25  The countries of Agag[17] and Ambanda,[18] in Media, opposite
    the Arabs of the East, had refused their tributes, I destroyed
    them, laid them waste, and burnt them by fire.

26  Dalta of Ellip was subject to me, and devoted to the worship
    of Assur; 5 of his towns revolted and no longer recognized
    his dominion. I came to his aid, I besieged and
    occupied these towns, I carried the men and their goods
    away into Assyria with numberless horses.

27  Urzana, of the town of Musasir, had attached himself to
    Urzaha the Armenian, and had refused me his allegiance.
    With the multitude of my army, I covered the city of Musasir
    as if it were with ravens, and he to save his life, fled
    alone into the mountains.

28  I entered as a Ruler into Musasir. I seized as spoil Urzana's
    wife, sons and daughters, his money, his treasures, all
    the stores of his palace whatever they were, with 20,100
    men and all that they possessed, the gods Haldia and Bagabarta,
    his gods, and their holy vessels in great numbers.

29  Urzaha, King of Armenia, heard of the defeat of Musasir
    and the carrying away of the god Haldia[19] his god, he cut
    off his life by his own hands with a dagger of his girdle.
    I held a severe judgment over the whole of Armenia. I
    spread over the men, who inhabit this country, mourning
    and lamentation.

30  Tarhunazi, of the town of Melid, sought for revenge. He
    sinned against the laws of the great gods, and refused his
    submission. In the anger of my heart, I crushed like
    briars Melid, which was the town of his kingdom, and the
    neighboring towns. I made him, his wife, sons and daughters,
    the slaves of his palace whoever they were, with 5,000
    warriors, leave Tel-Garimmi; I treated them all as booty.
    I rebuilt Tel-Garimmi; I had it entirely occupied by some
    archers from the country of Khammanua, which my hand
    had conquered, and I added it to the boundaries of this
    country. I put it in the hands of my Lieutenant, and I
    restituted the surface of the dominion, as it had been in
    the time of Gunzinan, the preceding King.

31  Tarhular, of Gamgum, had a son Muttallu, who had murdered
    his father by the arms, and sat on the throne against
    my will, and to whom they had intrusted their country.
    In the anger of my heart, I hastily marched against the
    town of Markasi, with my chariots and horsemen, who
    followed on my steps, I treated Muttallu, his son and the
    families of the country of Bit-Pa'alla in its totality, as
    captives, and seized as booty the gold and silver and the
    numberless treasures of his palace. I reinstated the men of
    Gamgum and the neighboring tribes, and placed my Lieutenant
    as Governor over them; I treated them like the
    Assyrians.

32  Azuri, King of Ashdod,[20] determined within himself to
    render no more tributes; he sent hostile messages against
    Assyria to the neighboring kings. I meditated vengeance
    for this, and I withdrew from him the government over
    his country. I put his brother Akhimit on his throne.
    But the people of Syria, eager for revolt, got tired of Akhimit's
    rule, and installed Iaman, who like the former, was
    not the legitimate master of the throne. In the anger of
    my heart, I did not assemble the bulk of my army nor
    divide my baggage, but I marched against Ashdod with
    my warriors, who did not leave the trace of my feet.

33  Iaman learnt from afar of the approach of my expedition;
    he fled beyond Egypt toward Libya (Meluhhi),[21] and no
    one ever saw any further trace of him. I besieged and
    took Ashdod and the town of Gimtu-Asdudim;[22] I carried
    away captive Iaman's gods, his wife, his sons, his daughters,
    his money, and the contents of his palace, together
    with the inhabitants of his country. I built these towns
    anew and placed in them the men that my arm had conquered.

34  I placed my Lieutenant as Governor over them, and I
    treated them as Assyrians. They never again became
    guilty of impiety.

35  The King of Libya[23] lives in the middle of the desert, in an
    inaccessible place, at (a month's) journey. From the most
    remote times until the renewal of the lunar period[24] his
    fathers had sent no ambassadors to the kings, my ancestors,
    to ask for peace and friendship and to acknowledge the
    power of Merodach. But the immense terror inspired by
    my Majesty roused him, and fear changed his intentions.
    In fetters of iron he threw him (Iaman), directed his steps
    toward Assyria and kissed my feet.

36  Muttallu, of Commagene, a fraudulent and hostile man,
    did not honor the memory of the gods, he plotted a conspiracy,
    and meditated defection. He trusted upon Ar-gisti,[25]
    King of Armenia, an helper who did not assist him,
    took upon himself the collection of the tributes and his
    part of the spoil, and refused me his submission. In the
    anger of my heart, I took the road to his country with the
    chariots of my power, and the horsemen who never left
    the traces of my feet. Muttallu saw the approach of my
    expedition, he withdrew his troops, and no one saw any
    further trace of him. I besieged and occupied his capital
    and 62 large towns all together. I carried away his wife,
    his sons, his daughters, his money, his treasure, all precious
    things from his palace, together with the inhabitants of his
    country as spoil, I left none of them. I inaugurated this
    town afresh; I placed in it men from the country of Bit-Iakin,
    that my arm had conquered. I instituted my Lieutenant
    as Governor, and subdued them under my rule. I
    previously took from them 150 chariots, 1,500 horsemen,
    20,000 archers, 1,000 men armed with shields and lances,
    and I confided the country to my Satrap.

37  While Dalta, King of Ellip, lived, he was submissive and
    devoted to my rule, the infirmities of age however came
    and he walked on the path of death. Nibie and Ispabara,
    the sons of his wives, claimed both the vacant throne of
    his royalty, the country and the taxes, and they fought a
    battle. Nibie applied to Sutruk-Nakhunti[26] King of Elam
    to support his claims, giving to him pledges for his alliance,
    and the other came as a helper. Ispabara, on his side,
    implored me to maintain his cause, and to encourage him,
    at the same time bowing down, and humbling himself, and
    asking my alliance. I sent seven of my Lieutenants with
    their armies to support his claims, they put Nibie and the
    army of the four rivers,[27] which had helped him, to flight,
    at the town of Mareobisti. I reinstated Ispabara on the
    throne; I re-established peace in his country, and confided
    it to his care.

38  Merodach-Baladan, son of Iakin,[28] King of Chaldæa, the
    fallacious, the persistent in enmity, did not respect the
    memory of the gods, he trusted in the sea, and in the retreat
    of the marshes; he eluded the precepts of the great
    gods, and refused to send his tributes. He had supported
    as an ally Khumbanigas, King of Elam. He had excited
    all the nomadic tribes of the desert against me. He prepared
    himself for battle, and advanced. During twelve
    years,[29] against the will of the gods of Babylon, the town
    of Bel which judges the gods, he had excited the country
    of the Sumers and Accads, and had sent ambassadors to
    them. In honor of the god Assur, the father of the gods,
    and of the great and august Lord Merodach, I roused my
    courage, I prepared my ranks for battle. I decreed an
    expedition against the Chaldeans, an impious and riotous
    people. Merodach-Baladan heard of the approach of my
    expedition, dreading the terror of his own warriors, he fled
    before it, and flew in the night time like an owl, falling back
    from Babylon, to the town of Ikbibel. He assembled together
    the towns possessing oracles, and the gods living
    in these towns he brought to save them to Dur-Iakin, fortifying
    its walls. He summoned the tribes of Gambul,
    Pukud, Tamun, Ruhua, and Khindar, put them in this place,
    and prepared for battle. He calculated the extent of a
    plethrum[30] in front of the great wall. He constructed a
    ditch 200 spans[31] wide, and deep one fathom and a half.[32]
    The conduits of water, coming from the Euphrates, flowed
    out into this ditch; he had cut off the course of the river,
    and divided it into canals, he had surrounded the town,
    the place of his revolt, with a dam, he had filled it with
    water, and cut off the conduits. Merodach-Baladan, with
    his allies and his soldiers had the insignia of his royalty
    kept as in an island on the banks of the river; he arranged
    his plan of battle. I stretched my combatants all along
    the river dividing them into bands; they conquered the
    enemies. By the blood of the rebels the waters of these
    canals reddened like dyed wool. The nomadic tribes
    were terrified by this disaster which surprised him and fled;
    I completely separated his allies and the men of Marsan
    from him; I filled the ranks of the insurgents with mortal
    terror. He left in his tent the insignia of his royalty, the
    golden ...[33] the golden throne, the golden parasol,
    the golden sceptre, the silver chariot, the golden ornaments,
    and other effects of considerable weight; he fled
    alone, and disappeared like the ruined battlements of his
    fortress, and I entered into his retreat. I besieged and
    occupied the town of Dur-Iakin, I took as spoil and made
    captive, him, his wife, his sons, his daughters, the gold
    and silver and all that he possessed, the contents of his
    palace, whatever it was, with considerable booty from the
    town. I made each family and every man who had withdrawn
    himself from my arms, accountable for this sin. I
    reduced Dur-Iakin the town of his power to ashes. I undermined
    and destroyed its ancient forts. I dug up the
    foundation stone;[34] I made it like a thunder-stricken ruin,
    I allowed the people of Sippara, Nipur, Babylon, and Borsippa,
    who live in the middle of the towns to exercise their
    profession, to enjoy their belongings in peace, and I have
    watched upon them. I took away the possession of the
    fields which from remote times had been in the hand of
    the _Suti_ Nomad, and restored them to their rightful owners.
    I placed the nomadic tribes of the desert again under my
    yoke, and I restored the forgotten land delimitations which
    had existed during the tranquillity of the land. I gave to
    each of the towns of Ur, Orchoé, Erikhi, Larsa, Kullab,
    and Kisik, the dwelling of the god Laguda, the god that
    resides in each, and I restored the gods who had been
    taken away, to their sanctuaries. I re-established the
    altered laws in full force.

39  I imposed tributes on the countries of Bet-Iakin, the high
    and low part, and on the towns of Samhun, Bab-Dur, Dur-Tilit,
    Bubi, Tell-Khumba, which are the resort of Elam.
    I transplanted into Elam the inhabitants of the Commagene,
    in Syria, that I had attacked with my own hand,
    obeying the commands of the great gods my Masters, and
    I placed them on the territory of Elam, in the town of
    Sakbat. Nabu-Pakid-Ilan was authorized to collect the
    taxes from the Elamites in order to govern them; I claimed
    as a pledge the town of Birtu. I placed all this country
    in the hands of my Lieutenant at Babylon and my Lieutenant
    in the country of Gambul.[35]

40  I returned alone to Babylon, to the sanctuaries of Bel, the
    judge of the gods, in the excitement of my heart and the
    splendor of my appearance; I took the hands of the great
    Lord, the august god Merodach, and I traversed the way
    to the chamber of the spoil.

41  I transported into it 154 talents 26 minas 10 drachms of
    gold _russù_;[36] 1804 talents 20 minas of silver;[37] ivory,
    a great deal of copper, iron in an innumerable quantity,
    some of the stone _ka_, alabaster, the minerals _pi digili_,
    flattened _pi sirru_ for witness seals, blue and purple stuffs,
    cloth of _berom_ and cotton, ebony; cedar, and cypress wood,
    freshly cut from the fine forests on Mount Amanus, in
    honor of Bel, Zarpanit, Nebo, and Tasmit, and the gods
    who inhabit the sanctuaries of the Sumers and Accads; all
    that from my accession to the third year of my reign.[38]

42  Upir, King of Dilmun who dwells at the distance of 30
    parasanges[39] in the midst of the sea of the rising sun and
    who is established as a fish, heard of the favor that the gods
    Assur, Nebo, and Merodach had accorded me; he sent
    therefore his expiatory gift.

43  And the seven Kings of the country of Iahnagi, of the
    country of Iatnan (who have established and extended
    their dwellings at a distance of seven days' navigation in
    the midst of the sea of the setting sun, and whose name
    from the most ancient ages until the renewal of the lunar
    period,[40] none of the Kings my fathers in Assyria and
    Chaldea[41] had heard), had been told of my lofty achievements
    in Chaldea and Syria, and my glory, which had
    spread from afar to the midst of the sea. They subdued
    their pride and humbled themselves; they presented themselves
    before me at Babylon, bearing metals, gold, silver,
    vases, ebony wood, and the manufactures of their country;
    they kissed my feet.

44  While I endeavored to exterminate Bet-Iakin and reduce
    Aram, and render my rule more efficacious in the country
    of Iatbur, which is beyond Elam, my Lieutenant, the Governor
    of the country of Kue, attacked Mita, the Moschian,
    and 3,000 of his towns; he demolished these towns, destroyed
    them, burnt them with fire, and led away many
    captives. And this Mita the Moschian, who had never
    submitted to the Kings my predecessors and had never
    changed his will, sent his envoy to me to the very borders
    of the sea of the rising sun, bearing professions of allegiance
    and tributes.

45  In these days, these nations and these countries that my
    hand has conquered, and that the gods Assur, Nebo, and
    Merodach have made bow to my feet, followed the ways
    of piety. With their help I built at the feet of the _musri_,
    following the divine will and the wish of my heart, a town
    that I called _Dur-Sarkin_[42] to replace Nineveh.[43]
    Nisroch,[44] Sin, Samas, Nebo, Bin, Ninip, and their great
    spouses, who procreate eternally in the lofty temple of the upper
    and the nether world (Aralli) blessed the splendid wonders,
    the superb streets in the town of Dur-Sarkin. I reformed
    the institutions which were not agreeable to their ideas.
    The priests, the _nisi ramki_, the _surmahhi supar_ disputed
    at their learned discussions about the pre-eminence of
    their divinities, and the efficacy of their sacrifices.

46  I built in the town some palaces covered with the skin of
    the sea-calf,[45] and of sandal wood, ebony, the wood of mastic
    tree, cedar, cypress, wild pistachio nut tree, a palace of
    incomparable splendor, as the seat of my royalty. I
    placed their _dunu_ upon tablets of gold, silver, alabaster,
    _tilpe_ stones, _parut_ stones, copper, lead, iron, tin, and
    _khibisti_ made of earth. I wrote thereupon the glory of the gods.
    Above I built a platform of cedar beams. I bordered the
    doors of pine and mastic wood with bronze garnitures,
    and I calculated their distance. I made a spiral staircase
    similar to the one in the great temple of Syria, that is
    called in the Phoenician language, _Bethilanni_. Between
    the doors I placed 8 double lions whose weight is 1 _ner_ 6
    _soss_, 50 talents[46] of first-rate copper, made in honor of
    Mylitta ...[47] and their four _kubur_ in materials from
    Mount Amanus; I placed them on _nirgalli_.[8] Over them I
    sculptured artistically a crown of beast of the fields, a bird
    in stone of the mountains. Toward the four celestial regions,
    I turned their front. The lintels and the uprights
    I made in large gypsum stone that I had taken away with
    my own hand, I placed them above. I walled them in
    and I drew upon me the admiration of the people of the
    countries.

47  From the beginning to the end, I walked worshipping the
    god Assur, and following the custom of wise men, I built
    palaces, I amassed treasures.

48  In the month of blessing, on the happy day, I invoked,
    in the midst of them, Assur, the father of the gods, the
    greatest sovereign of the gods and the _Istarât_[49] who inhabit
    Assyria. I presented vessels of glass, things in
    chased silver, ivory, valuable jewels and immense presents,
    in great quantities, and I rejoiced their heart. I exhibited
    sculptured idols, double and winged, some ...[50]
    winged, some ...[50] winged, serpents, fishes, and birds,
    from unknown regions and abysses, the ...[50] in high
    mountains, summits of the lands that I have conquered
    with my own hand, for the glory of my royalty. As a worshipper
    of the gods and the god Assur, I sacrificed in their
    presence, with the sacrifice of white lambs, holy holocausts
    of expiation, in order to withdraw the gifts that had not
    been agreeable to the gods.

49  He has granted me in his august power, a happy existence,
    long life, and I obtained a constantly lucky reign.
    I have entrusted myself to his favor.

50  The great Lord Bel-El, the Master of the lands, inhabits
    the lofty tracts; the gods and _Istarât_ inhabit Assyria;
    their legions remain there in _pargiti_, and _martakni_.

51  With the Chiefs of provinces, the Satraps, wise men,
    Astronomers, Magnates, the Lieutenants and Governors
    of Assyria, I have ruled in my palace, and administered
    justice.

52  I have bid them take gold, silver, gold and silver vessels,
    precious stones, copper, iron, considerable products of
    mountains the mines of which are rich, cloth of _berom_ and
    cotton, blue and purple cloth, amber, skins of sea-calves,
    pearls, sandal-wood, ebony, horses from higher Egypt,[51]
    asses, mules, camels, oxen. With all these numerous
    tributes I have rejoiced the heart of the gods.

53  May Assur, the father of the gods, bless these palaces, by
    giving to his images a spontaneous splendor. May he
    watch over the issue even to the remote future. May the
    sculptured bull, the protector and god who imparts perfection,
    dwell in day and in night-time in his presence, and
    never stir from this threshold!

54  With the help of Assur, may the King who has built these
    palaces, attain an old age, and may his offspring multiply
    greatly! May these battlements last to the most remote
    future! May he who dwells there come forth surrounded
    with the greatest splendor; may he rejoice in his corporal
    health, in the satisfaction of his heart accomplish his
    wishes, attain his end, and may he render his magnificence
    seven times more imposing!


[Footnote 1: Orchoé, the Erech of the Bible, is certainly the Warka of the present day; Sippara, Sofeira; Nipur, Niffar; Larsam, Senkereh. Ur (the Ur of the Bible) is Mugheir; Kullab and Erikhi are unknown. (See "Expéd. en Mésopot.," i. p. 255 et seq.)]

[Footnote 2: The old empire Bal-bat-ki. The syllabaries explain this ideogram by "Assur," but it is very awkward that in these texts the identification with Assur occurs nowhere. I therefore transcribe "Sumer," which was the true name of the people and the language named wrongly Accadian. The term of "Sumerian" is supported by MM. Ménant, Eneberg, Gelzer, Prætorius, Delitzsch, Olshausen, and other scholars.]

[Footnote 3: "Itanus," or Yatnan, in the island of Crete, became afterward the name of the island of Cyprus.]

[Footnote 4: For the words in italics no satisfactory translation has as yet been found.]

[Footnote 5: The "Pekod" of the Bible (Jer. i. 21; Ezek. xxiii. 23).]

[Footnote 6: Which belongs to Elam.]

[Footnote 7: Lower Chaldea. Nearly all the names of the Elamite towns are Semitic (see Gen. x. 22), but the Susian ones are not.]

[Footnote 8: Tiglatpileser, whom Sargon would not acknowledge.]

[Footnote 9: This is the word "siltan," the Hebrew "shilton" ("power"),
the Arabic "sultan."]

[Footnote 10: Raphia, near the frontier of Egypt.]

[Footnote 11: Khilakku. It seems to be identical with the "Sparda" of Persian, the "Sepharad" of Obadiah.]

[Footnote 12: The condition of Jaubid before his accession.]

[Footnote 13: Or Minni.]

[Footnote 14: It seems not to be Paphos.]

[Footnote 15: Parthia(?).]

[Footnote 16: The same name as Belshazzar.]

[Footnote 17: This Agag is very possibly the country of Haman the Agagite, if we must not read Agaz.]

[Footnote 18: Ambanda is perhaps the Median "Kampanda."]

[Footnote 19: We find in the inscriptions of Van, the god Haldi as god of the Armenians, which proves more forcibly than ever that the syllabary of the Armenian inscriptions is the same as the Assyrian syllabary.]

[Footnote 20: See Isaiah xx. 1.]

[Footnote 21: Meluhhi is not Méroe, but Libya, and especially the Marmarica. The name seems to be the "Milyes" of Herodotus.]

[Footnote 22: "Asdudim" seems to be a Hebraic plural.]

[Footnote 23: Meluhhi. This is the only passage where small gaps occur.]

[Footnote 24: This is one of the most important passages of the text; the period is the Chaldean eclipse period of 1,805 years, and ended in 712 B.C. Instead of this passage, the stele of Larnaca, now in Berlin, has, "from the remotest times, the beginning of Assyria, until now." The commencement of the period, 2517 B.C., coincided very nearly with the capture of Babylon by the Medes. This date commences the real history; previous to this time reigned the 86 princes during twelve lunar periods of 1,805, and twelve solar periods of 1,460 years, viz., 39,180 years. The very event may have happened eleven years afterward, 2506 B.C. The Deluge happened, according to the Chaldeans, in 41697 B.C.]

[Footnote 25: This royal name is still found in the Armenian texts of Van.]

[Footnote 26: The inscriptions of this prince are translated in the seventh volume.]

[Footnote 27: Elam. We are now certain of this identification.]

[Footnote 28: The same who occurs in the Ptolemaic canon (721-709).]

[Footnote 29: From 721 to 709 B.C.]

[Footnote 30: 32 m. 91 cm., 39 yds.]

[Footnote 31: 54 m. 85 cm., 65 yds.]

[Footnote 32: 4 m. 94 cm., 17-1/2 ft.]

[Footnote 33: Unexplained.]

[Footnote 34: "Timin," not "cylinder."]

[Footnote 35: Only two years after the commencement of the war.]

[Footnote 36: 12,544. pd. troy 68.]

[Footnote 37: 152,227. pd. troy, 75. A royal silver drachm is nearly 3s., a royal mina £9; the state drachm and mina is the half of it. A silver talent is always very close to £270 sterling.]

[Footnote 38: Sargon speaks of his third "year" and not of his third campaign, in order to mark what he had already accomplished before the year 717.]

[Footnote 39: One hundred and ten English miles.]

[Footnote 40: This is the second passage where Sargon alludes to this period ending under his reign.]

[Footnote 41: "Karduniyas."]

[Footnote 42: Or "Dur-Sarkayan." The King passes rapidly over some other peculiarities which he inserts in other texts, namely, the measures of the town, and the ceremonies of its edification. The circuit is given as containing 3-1/3 ners (miles) 1 stadium 3 canes 2 spans, or 24,740 spans, and Botta's measurings afford 6,790 metres (7,427 yds.). This statement gives for the span, with a slight correction in the fourth decimal, 27,425 cm. (10.797 ins., and for the cubit 5,485 cm. 21.594 ins.).]

[Transcriber's Note: Above, the author seems to be using the European decimal point ",", in the metric measurements, and the American decimal point in the Imperial measurements, ".".]

[Footnote 43: At this time the palace of Nineveh was still in ruins. It was rebuilt by Sennacherib.]

[Footnote 44: This is my former transcription of the divine name which is now pronounced Hea. But I think sincerely that the latter is not better than the former one.]

[Footnote 45: This assimilation is not quite certain.]

[Footnote 46: One thousand ten talents 602 cwt. English.]

[Footnote 47: Obscure.]

[Footnote 48: A very difficult passage; the name of the god Nergal does not interfere with the object.]

[Footnote 49: The Hebrew "Astaroth," which signifies "goddesses." Compare Judges x. 6.]

[Footnote 50: Obscure.]

[Footnote 51: It is not clear what animals are meant.]