urls
Of twining vines and tendrils bearing birds,
Among the leaves and blooming flowers, that words
May not reveal, such loveliness in art,
With fancies spirit hands can only start
From plastic elements before the eye,
And mingle there the charms of empery.
Beneath two diamond doves that shining glow
Upon the summit, the bright waters flow,
With aromatic splendors to the skies,
While glistening colors of the rainbow rise.

Here ends the tablet,[5] "When the hero viewed
The fountain which within the garden stood."

[Footnote 1: "La-Atzu," Hades, hell, the spirit-world.]

[Footnote 2: "Gesdin," the Tree of Life and Immortality.]

[Footnote 3: See Sayce's edition Smith's "Chald. Acc. of Gen.," p. 264.]

[Footntoe 4: "Eridu," the Garden of Eden. Idem, pp. 84-86.]

[Footnote 5: "Tablet of the series; when the hero Izdubar saw the
fountain."--Sayce's edition Smith's "Chald. Acc. of Gen.," p. 264, l. 14.]

TABLET VIII--COLUMN I

THE KING'S ADVENTURE AT THE GATE OF THE GARDEN OF THE GODS WITH THE TWO
MAIDENS--ONE OF THEM LEADS HIM INTO THE HAPPY HALLS--SONGS OF THE SABITU
AND ZI-SI.

A gate half opened shows the silvery sea
Yet distant shining lambent on his way.
And now he sees young Siduri,[1] whose breast
Infuses life; all nature she hath blest,
Whose lips are flames, her arms are walls of fire,
Whose love yields pleasures that can never tire,
She to the souls who joy on earth here miss,
Grants them above a holier, purer bliss.
The maiden sits within a holy shrine
Beside the gate with lustrous eyes divine,
And beckons to the King, who nearer comes,
And near her glows the Happy Palace domes.

And lo! 'tis she his lips have fondly kissed
Within the garden, when like fleeing mist
She disappeared with the bright spirit Seven,[2]
The Sabit, who oft glide from earth to Heaven.
And lo! one of the Seven, Sabitu,
Emerging from the gate doth jealous view
The coming hero who hath kissed her mate,
She angry springs within to close the gate,
And bars it, enters then the inner halls,
And Izdubar to her now loudly calls,
"O Sabitu! what see-est thou, my maid?
Of Izdubar is Sabitu afraid?
Thy gate thou barrest thus before my face.
Quick, open for me! or I'll force the brass!"
The maid now frightened opens wide the door.
The Sar and Siduri now tread the floor
Of the bright palace where sweet joy doth reign.
Through crystal halls 'neath golden roofs the twain
Next go within a lofty ceilinged hall,
With shining