Ishtar Complains to Anu.

Fight with the Winged Bull of Anu.

[Footnote 1: "Anu," the King of Heaven.]

Kharim-tu, smiling sweetly, bent her head, Enticing him the tempter coyly said, "Heabani, like a famous god thou art, Why with these creeping things doth sleep thy heart? Come thou with me to Erech Su-bu-ri To Anu's temple Elli-tar-du-si,

And rising to his feet his eyes he turned Toward sweet Joy, whose love for him yet burned; And eyeing both with beaming face he saith, "With Sam-kha's love the seer hath pledged his faith; And I will go to Elli-tar-du-si, Great Anu's seat and Ishtar's where with thee, I will behold the giant Izdubar, Whose fame is known to me as king of war; And I will meet him there, and test the power Of him whose fame above all men doth tower.

"] XIX At this time 25 of the gods belonging to those countries, subject to my government, which I had taken, I dedicated for the honor of the temple of the Queen of glory, the great ancestress of Ashur my Lord, of Anu, and of Vul, the goddess who is the guardian of all the public temples of my city of Ashur, and of all the goddesses of my country.

XLV At this time the temple of Anu and Vul, the great gods, my Lords, which, in former times, Shansi-Vul, High-priest of Ashur, son of Ismi Dagan, High-priest of Ashur, had founded, having lasted for 641 years, it fell into ruin.

In the beginning of my reign, Anu and Vul, the great gods, my Lords, guardians of my steps, they invited me to repair this their shrine.

This place throughout its whole extent I paved with bricks in set order, 50 feet deep I prepared the ground, and upon this substructure I laid the lower foundations of the temple of Anu and Vul.

XLIX Since a holy place, a noble hall, I have thus consecrated for the use of the great gods, my Lords Anu and Vul, and have laid down an adytum for their special worship, and have finished it successfully, and have delighted the hearts of their noble godships, may Anu and Vul preserve me in power.

XLIX Since a holy place, a noble hall, I have thus consecrated for the use of the great gods, my Lords Anu and Vul, and have laid down an adytum for their special worship, and have finished it successfully, and have delighted the hearts of their noble godships, may Anu and Vul preserve me in power.

L The list of my victories and the catalogue of my triumphs over foreigners hostile to Ashur, which Anu and Vul have granted to my arms, I have inscribed on my tablets and cylinders, and I have placed them to the last days in the temple of my Lords Anu and Vul, and the tablets of Shamsi-Vul, my ancestor, I have raised altars and sacrificed victims (before them), and set them up in their places.

L The list of my victories and the catalogue of my triumphs over foreigners hostile to Ashur, which Anu and Vul have granted to my arms, I have inscribed on my tablets and cylinders, and I have placed them to the last days in the temple of my Lords Anu and Vul, and the tablets of Shamsi-Vul, my ancestor, I have raised altars and sacrificed victims (before them), and set them up in their places.

LI In after-times, and in the latter days ..., if the temple of the great gods, my Lords Anu and Vul, and these shrines should become old and fall into decay, may the prince who comes after me repair the ruins.

[Footnote 2: A title of Anu.]

[Footnote 1: A title of Anu.]

6 The Fire-god on high, the supreme, the first-born, the mighty, the divider of the supreme crown of Anu! 7 The Fire-god the light that exalts him with himself he exalts.

24 Of those baleful seven, as many as he sets before thee, their might may he give thee, 25 according to the command of his blessed mouth, (he who is) the supreme judge of Anu. 26 The Fire-god unto Merodach draws near, and this word he saith unto thee.

66 (It was the seat) of the mighty the mother, begetter of Anu.

[Footnote 1: Zicum, or Zigara, was the primeval goddess, "the mother of Anu and the gods.

[Footnote 7: Lacunæ.] THIRD HYMN 1 Thou who marchest before ... 2 With Anu and Bel ... 3 The support of crowds of men, direct them! 4 He who rules in heaven, he who arranges, is thyself.

9 Sun, the servant of Anu and Bel is thyself; 10 Sun, the supreme judge of heaven and earth is thyself.

May Bin, the great Guardian of heaven and earth, the son of the warrior Anu, inundate his field.

May the gods Anu, Bel, Hea, these great gods, torment him and overwhelm him; that ... May Marduk, the great Lord of eternity without limits, fetter him with inextricable bonds.

May the god Anu, Bel, Hea, the great gods, afflict him and curse him with maledictions which are not (retracted).