{"collection":"Ancient Near East","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/ane/iai/iai18.htm","path":"ane/iai/iai18.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/ane/iai/iai18.htm","text":"The sounds of wild rejoicing now arise;\n \"Heabani comes!\" resound the joyful cries,\n And through the gates of Erech Suburi\n Now file the chieftains, Su-khu-li rubi.\u00a01\n A festival in honor of their guest\n The Sar proclaims, and Erech gaily drest,\n Her welcome warm extends to the famed seer.\n The maidens, Erech's daughters, now appear,\n With richest kirtles gaily decked with flowers,\n And on his head they rain their rosy showers.\n Rejoicing sing, while harps and cymbals play,\n And laud him to the skies in their sweet way;\n And mingling with their joy, their monarch rode\n Before the seer, who stately after strode\n Beside his beast, and next the men of fame.\n The maids thus chant high honors to his name:\n\"A prince we make thee, mighty seer!\n Be filled with joy and royal cheer!\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0All hail to Erech's seer!\nWhom day and night our Sar hath sought,\n O banish fear! for Hea taught\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The seer, his glory wrought.\nHe comes! whom Samas loves as gold,\n To Erech grace, our city old;\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0All wisdom he doth hold.\nGreat Hea doth to him unfold\n All that remains to man untold;\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Give him the chain of gold!\nHe cometh from the Za-Gab-ri\n To our dear Erech Su-bu-ri.\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Heabani glorify!\nThy dream he will reveal, O Sar!\n Its meaning show to Izdubar,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Victorious king of war.\"\nWithin the council halls now lead the seers\n With trepidation and with many fears,\n To hear the seer explain their monarch's dream.\n Beside the royal throne he sits supreme\n Among the seers, the Sar, his scribe commands\n To read his dream recorded as it stands\n In Erech's Gi;\u00a02 who reads it to the seer,\n Who answers thus:\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"In this there doth appear\n A god, whose ardent love will lead to deeds\n Of hate against thee, Sar; thy present needs\n Are great, O king! as fire this love will burn\n Until the wicked seven\u00a03 on thee turn;\n And blood, alone, will not their fury sate:\n The gods will hurl upon thee some dread fate.\"\n In silence, Izdubar the warning heard;\n His blood with terror froze, and then was stirred\n By passions wild, when he recalled the scene\n Of Ishtar's love for him by man unseen;\n When she so wildly then proclaimed her love;\n And now with hate his utmost soul doth move,\n And her bright form to a black dal-khu\u00a04 turned\n And furious passions on his features burned.\n And then of the first dream he thought, and light\n Across his vision broke:\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"'Tis true! aright\n Thy seer hath read! for Ishtar came to me\n In the first dream, her face e'en yet I see!\n Aye, more! her lips to mine again then fell!\n Her arms I felt around me,--breath too well\n I know! of fragrance, while perfume arose\n Around my dream and fled not at the close;\n As frankincense and myrrh it lingered, when\n I woke. Ah yes! the queen will come again!\"\nThen to his counsellor who wondering stood,\n Nor heard his murmuring, but saw subdued\n His features were, at first, and then, they grand\n Became with settled hate; he raised his hand;\n \"'Tis true!\" he said, \"Reward oil him bestow!\n Then to the waiting feast we all shall go.\"\n50:1 \"Su-khu-li ru-bi,\" attendants of the King.\n51:2 \"Gi,\" literally a written tablet, a record.\n51:3 The seven wicked spirits of the earth, air, and ocean.\n51:4 \"Dal-khu,\" an evil spirit, a demon.","title":"Ishtar and Izdubar: Alcove I: Column V. Festival in Honor of Heabani, who Arrives at Erech--Interpretation of the Dream","type":"page"}