(Several lines are lost at the commencement.)
- 1. ..... the river ....
- 2. of food (?) .... rest ....
- 3. full flood .... the Tigris ....
- 4. they restrained .... they had the face ...
- 5. the water-lily .... not in the neighbourhood
- 6. the high place .... appearance
- 7. the valley .... the mountain (was perishing),
- 8. at the appearance .... the timid fled (not),
- 9. a boundless place .... he turned
- 10. in the side ....
- 11. of the waste .... earth was free within it;
- 12. the tribes of cattle rejoiced in companionship and friendship,
- 13. the ox and the horse made friendship,
- 14. their maw rejoiced when to friendship
- 15. it inclined, and their heart was glad; they
made agreement together.
—–———–———–———– - 16. The ox opened his mouth, and speaks; he says to the horse glorious in war:
- 17. I am pondering now upon the good fortune at my hand.
- 18. At the beginning of the year and the end of the year I dream (or ponder) of fodder.
- 19. The abundant floods had been dried up, the waters of the canals were reduced,
- 20. the water-lily had drooped, it was suffering the summer-heat,
- 21. the valleys were stony, my mountain was perishing,
- 22. the high places had perished, the zambatu languished,
- 23. at the sight of my horn the timid fled not.
- 24. A boundless place is portioned for his ....
- 25. the man .... who knew ceased ....
- 26. he smote the ropes (?) and waited ....
- 27. and the horse ....
- 28. cut off thyself thy ....
- 29. he ascends also ....
—–———–———–———–
Here the ox describes the state of the country during the drought of summer, and makes a league with the horse, apparently for the purpose of sharing with him the same pastures. Most of the speeches, however, made by the two animals are lost or only present in small fragments, and the story recommences on the reverse with the end of a speech from the horse.
- 1. fate ....
- 2. strong brass? ....
- 3. as with a cloak I am clothed ....
- 4. over me a child not suited ....
- 5. king, high priest, lord and prince do not seek
the plain ....
—–———–———–———– - 6. The ox opened his mouth and spake and says to the horse glorious (in war):
- 7. Thee they strike and thou alliest ....
- 8. in thy fighting why ....
- 9. the lord of the chariot ....
- 10. in my body firmness ....
- 11. in my inside firmness ....
- 12. the warrior draws out the quiver ....
- 13. strength carries a curse ....
- 14. the weapon (?) of thy masters over ....
- 15. he causes to see servitude like ....
- 16. shudder and in thee is not ....
- 17. he causes to go on the path over (the marsh) ..
—–———–———–———– - 18. The horse opened his mouth and spake (and said to the ox) ....
- 19. In my hearing ....
- 20. the weapon (?) ....
- 21. the swords ....
- 22. ......
- 23. strength? of the heart which ....
- 24. in crossing that river ....
- 25. in the path of thy mountains ....
- 26. I reveal? and the ox the story ....
- 27. in thy appearance, it is not ....
- 28. thy offspring is subdued? ....
- 29. when thou runnest, O horse ....
—–———–———–———– - 30. The ox opened his mouth and spake and says to (the horse glorious in war) ....
- 31. In addition to the stories which thou hast told
- 32. open first (that of) “Behold Istar the noble ....” (Colophon)
- Palace of Assur-bani-pal, king of nations, king (of Assyria).
It appears from these fragments that the story described a time when the animals associated together, and the ox and horse fell into a friendly conversation. The ox, commencing the discussion, praised himself; the answer of the horse is lost, but where the story recommences it appears that the ox objects to the horse drawing the chariot from which he himself is hunted, and the horse ultimately offers to tell the ox a story, the ox choosing the story called “Behold Istar,” probably some story of the same character as that of Istar’s descent into Hades.
It is uncertain if any other tablet followed this; it is, however, probable that there was one containing the story told by the horse. Although there is no indication to show the date of this fable, the fact that it is not stated to have been copied from an older document seems to show that it is not earlier than the time of Assur-bani-pal. The loss of the tablet containing the story of Istar, told by the horse to the ox, is unfortunate. The last fable is a mere fragment similar to the others, containing a story in which the calf speaks. There is not enough of it to make it worth translation.
Chapter X.
FRAGMENTS OF MISCELLANEOUS TEXTS.
Atarpi.—Punishment of world.—Riddle of wise man.—Nature and universal presence of air.—Sinuri.—Divining by fracture of reed.—The foundling.—Tower of Babel.—Obscurity of legend.—Not noticed by Berosus.—Fragmentary tablet.—Destruction of Tower.—Dispersion.—Site of the Tower.—Meaning of Babel.—Chedor-laomer.—The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.