e the sun in the midst
of the stars, or like a mountain of lapis lazuli, or like a mountain of
shining marble. Parts of it are said to have been terrible and strong as
a savage bull, or a lion, or the antelope of the abyss, or the monster
Lakhamu who dwells in the abyss, or the sacred leopard that inspires
terror. One of the doors of the temple was guarded by a figure of the
hero who slew the monster with six heads, and at another door was a good
dragon, and at another a lion; opposite the city were set figures of
the seven heroes, and facing the rising sun was fixed the emblem of the
Sun-god. Figures of other heroes and favourable monsters were set up as
guardians of other portions of the temple. The fastenings of the main
entrance were decorated with dragons shooting out their tongues, and the
bolt of the great door was fashioned like a raging hound.

After this description of the construction and adornment of the
temple the text goes on to narrate how Gudea arranged for its material
endowment. He stalled oxen and sheep, for sacrifice and feasting, in the
outhouses and pens within the temple precincts, and he heaped up grain
in its granaries. Its storehouses he filled with spices so that
they were like the Tigris when its waters are in flood, and in its
treasure-chambers he piled up precious stones, and silver, and lead in
abundance. Within the temple precincts he planted a sacred garden which
was like a mountain covered with vines; and on the terrace he built
a great reservoir, or tank, lined with lead, in addition to the great
stone reservoir within the temple itself. He constructed a special
dwelling-place for the sacred doves, and among the flowers of the temple
garden and under the shade of the great trees the birds of heaven flew
about unmolested.

The first of the two great cylinders of Gudea ends at this point in the
description of the temple, and it is evident that its text was composed
while the work of building was still in progress. Moreover, the writing
of the cylinder was finished before the actual work of building the
temple was completed, for the last column of the text concludes with a
prayer to Ningirsu to make it glorious during the progress of the work,
the prayer ending with the words, "O Ningirsu, glorify it! Glorify the
temple of Ningirsu during its construction!" The text of the second of
the two great cylinders is shorter than that of the first, consisting
of twenty-four instead of thirty col