"A war?" cried Nakir-Kish, who knew that the nations rested on their arms and were at peace. "What war?"
Semiramis turned upon him with a cry of consuming rage, and with the scepter of an hundred lands she smote him across his mouth. The High Priest Nakir-Kish went down before her throne, and she raised her eyes on high and called aloud:
"Dear Ishtar, hear the fool who asketh me what war!"
She turned to her brother warriors, her children of the sword, grim, battle-scarred, and faithful unto death; and to them she stretched her empty arms and opened her empty heart.
"War! War!" she cried. "I care not where nor how, so be it that we war! Rise Babylon—and sink Assyria!"
*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SEMIRAMIS ***