y Mr. George Smith, who has translated the Reverse in his
"Assyrian Discoveries," pp. 392, 393. I owe a copy of the text to the
kindness of Mr. Boscawen. It is of considerable importance for the study
of Assyrian grammar.

ACCADIAN HYMN TO ISTAR

OBVERSE

1 Light of heaven, who like the fire dawnest on the world,
(art) thou.
2 Goddess in the earth, in thy fixed abode,
3 who dawnest[1] like the earth, (art) thou.
4 (As for) thee, prosperity approaches thee.
5 To the house of men in thy descending (thou goest).
6 A hyena, which as they go in warlike strength are made to
march, (art) thou.
7 A lion, which into the midst is wont to march, (art) thou.
8 Day (is thy) servant, heaven (thy) canopy.
9 The servant of Istar;[2] heaven (is thy) canopy.
10 Princess of the four cities, head of the sea,[3] heaven (is thy)
canopy.
11 The exalted of the Sun-god, heaven (is thy) canopy.
12 For the revolver of the seasons sanctuaries I build, a temple I
build.
13 For my father the Moon-god, the revolver of the seasons,
sanctuaries I build, a temple I build.
14 For my brother the Sun-god, the revolver of the seasons,
sanctuaries I build, a temple I build.
15 (As for) me, for Nannaru[4] I build the precinct, for the
revolver of seasons sanctuaries I build, a temple I build.
16 In heaven _he laid the hand_; for the revolver of seasons
sanctuaries I build, a temple I build.
17 In the beginning (thou art) my begetter; in the beginning
(thou art) my begetter.
18 In the beginning the goddess _spoke thus to men_:
19 The Lady of heaven,[5] the divinity of the zenith, (am) I.
20 The Lady of heaven, the divinity of the dawn, (am) I.
21 The Queen of heaven, the opener of the locks of the high
heaven, my begetter.
22 Heaven she benefits, earth she enlightens;[6] my begetter.
23 The benefiter of heaven, the enlightener[7] of earth; my
begetter.

[Footnote 1: The Assyrian rendering has, "art caused to journey."]

[Footnote 2: The Assyrian mistranslates, "A servant (is) Istar."]

[Footnote 3: The translation given in the text is extremely doubtful.]

[Footnote 4: Literally, "the brilliant one," a title of the moon-god,
which gave rise to the classical legend of Nannarus.]

[Footnote 5: The Assyrian renders this by "Istar."]

[Footnote 6: Or perhaps "smites."]

[Footnote 7: Or perhaps "smiter."]

REVERSE

1 T