Tablet IX.

This tablet is in a somewhat better state than the others, and all the narrative is clearer from this point, not a single column of the inscription being entirely lost. The ninth tablet commences with the sorrow of Izdubar at the death of Hea-bani.

Column I.

1. Izdubar over Hea-bani his friend
2. bitterly weeps, and traverses the desert.
3. I have no judgment like Hea-bani here;
4. sickness entered into my stomach;
5. death I feared, and traverse the desert.
6. To the majesty of Xisuthrus, son of Ubara-tutu,
7. the road I am taking, and quickly I go;
8. to the lowlands of the mountains I take (my way) at night.
9. .... a (dream) I saw, and I feared.
10. I (bow) on my face, to Sin (the moon god) I pray;
11. and into the presence of the gods came my supplication;
12. Grant thou (health) to me, even unto me!
13. ....... dream.
14. (Through) the dream (sent by) Sin (my) life had been gladdened.
15. Precious stones (?) ... to his hand.
16. He pulled out ..... his girdle
17. like a ... their ... he struck
18. he struck .... he smote, he broke
19. and .... they rejoiced, and
20. he threw (?) ....
21. he removed ....
22. the former name ....
23. the new name ....

(About eight lines lost here.)

The second column shows Izdubar in some fabulous region, whither he has wandered in search of Xisuthrus. Here he sees composite monsters with their feet resting in Hades and their heads reaching heaven. These beings are supposed to guide and direct the sun at its rising and setting. This passage is as follows:—

Column II.

1. Of the mountains hearing him as many as ....
2. To the mountain of Masu in his course ....
3. who all day long guard the rising (sun).
4. Their crown was at the lattice of heaven,
5. below Hades was their footing.
6. Scorpion-men guard its gate,
7. burning with terribleness, and their appearance was death,
8. the greatness of their bulk overthrows the forests.
9. At the rising of the sun and the setting of the sun, they guard the sun, and
10. Izdubar saw them and fear and terror seized his face.
11. He took his counsel and approached before them.
12. The scorpion-man of his female asked:
13. Who has gone to us with his body the flesh of the gods?
14. To the scorpion-man his female answered:
15. His going (is) that of a god, but his feeble gait (is) that of a man.
16. The scorpion-man of the hero asked,
17. .... of the gods the word he recounts:
18. .... distant road
19. .... up to the presence
20. .... of which the passage is difficult.
21. .... thy .... thou puttest on.
22. .... mountains situated.
23. .... thou puttest on.

The rest of this column is lost. In it Izdubar converses with the monsters, and where the third column begins he is telling them his purpose of seeking Xisuthrus.

Column III.

(1 and 2 lost.)
3. He Xisuthrus my father .....
4. who has been established also in the assembly (of the gods)
5. death and life [are known to him].
6. The scorpion-man opened his mouth (and spake);
7. they say to Izdubar:
8. Izdubar was not ....
9. of the mountain ....
10. for twelve kaspu (84 miles) [is the journey];
11. on the boundary of the field did he carry himself, and (there is) no light.
12. To the rising sun ....
13. to the setting sun ....
14. to the setting sun ....
15. they descended ....

In this mutilated passage, the monster describes the journey to be taken by Izdubar; there are now many lines wanting, until we come to the fourth column.

Column IV.

1. In (his) sickness ....
2. in difficulty and ....
3. in lamentation and ....
4. again thou ....
5. the scorpion-man ....
6. (said) to Izdubar ....
7. Go Izdubar ....
8. the mountains of Mas ....
9. the mountains, the path (of the Sun) ....
10. may the women ....
11. the great gate of the land ....
12. Izdubar ....
13. for a memorial ....
14. the road of the sun ....
15. 1 kaspu (he went) ....
16. on the boundary of the field ....
17. he was not able (to look behind him).
18. 2 kaspu (he went) ....

This is the bottom of the fourth column; there are five lines lost at the top of the fifth column, and then the narrative reopens; the text is, however, mutilated and doubtful.

Column V.

6. 4 (kaspu he went) ....
7. on the boundary (of the field)....
8. he was not able (to look behind him).
9. 5 kaspu (he went) ....
10. on the boundary of the field ....
11. he was not able (to look behind him).
12. 6 kaspu he went ....
13. on the boundary of the field did he carry himself (and there is no light).
14. He was not able (to look behind him).
15. 7 kaspu (he went) ....
16. on the boundary of the field was it situated and not ....
17. he was not able to look behind him.
18. 8 kaspu like a .... he mounts up;
19. on the boundary of the field (did he carry himself and) there is no light.
20. He was not able to look behind him.
21. 9 kaspu he went .... to the north
22. .... his face
23. (on the boundary of the field did he carry himself and) there is no light;
24. (he was not able) to look behind him.
25. (10 kaspu he went) .... him
26. .... a meeting
27. .... 4 kaspu
28. .... from the shadow of the sun
29. .... sight was established
30. to the forest of the trees of the gods in appearance it was equal.

Izdubar among the Trees of the Gods (?) From a Babylonian cylinder found in Cyprus by Gen. di Cesnola.

31. Emeralds it carried as its fruit,
32. the branch refuses not to support a canopy.
33. Crystals they carry as shoots (?)
34. fruit they carry, and to the sight it is glistening.

Some of the words in this fragment are obscure, but the general meaning is clear. In the next column the wanderings of Izdubar are continued, and he comes to a country near the sea. Fragments of several lines of this column are preserved, but too mutilated to translate with certainty. The fragments are:—

Column VI.

(About six lines lost.)

1. the pine tree ....
2. its nest of stone ....
3. not sweeping away the sea .... jet stones
4. like the tree of Elam and the tree of the prince .... emeralds
5. a locust ....
6. jet stone, ka stone .... the goddess Istar
7. like bronze and .... he carried
8. like .... obstacles
9. which .... the sea
10. it has, and .... may he raise
11. Izdubar [saw this] in his travelling,
12. on this sea he carried ....
13. Colophon. The women Siduri and Sabitu (who on the shore) of the sea dwelt.
14. .... tablet of the series: “When the hero Izdubar saw the fountain.”
—–———–———–———–

This tablet brings Izdubar to the region of the sea-coast, but his way is then barred by two women, one named Siduri and the other Sabitu. His further adventures are given on the tenth tablet, which opens: