TUKULTI-NINURTA EPIC

Excerpt only

(ii)

Within the confines of the land of [Assyria], he imposed an ordinance, lest any secret go out.

They came….very much…

Those who bore the in[signia?] of the king of the Kassites, merchants were captured at night?,

They brought [them] before Tukulti-ninurta, lord of all peoples, bound together.

The king gathered them in the place of Shamash, he perpetrated no infamy,

But he sustained them, he did a good deed for the lord of Babylon:

He released the merchants…bearers of money bagsm

He had them stand before Shamash and anointed their heads with oil.

The tablets of the king of the Kassites, the seal impression which he had made official,

He re-confirmed before Shamash, he…his utterances he presented in measured words to the god,

"O shamash, …lord, I respected your oath, I feared your greatness.

He who does not….transgressed before your…., but I observed your ordinance,

"When our fathers made a pact before your divinity,

They swore an oath between them and invoked your greatness.

"You are the heroe, the valiant one, who from old was unalterable judge of our fathers,

"And you are the god who sets arights, whos ees now our loyalty.

"Why has the king of the Kassites from of old invalidated your plan and your ordinance?

"He had no fear of your oath, he transgressed your command, he schemed an act of malice.

"He made his crimes enormous before you, judge me, O Shamash!

"But he hwo committed no crime [against] the king of the Kassites, [act favourably towards him],

"By your great…bestow the victory…on the observer of oaths,

"[He who does not] your command, obliterate his people in the rout of battle".

[The wi]se shepherd, whoknows what should be donem waxed wroth, [hi frigh]tening brilliance became enraged.

He sent a message [to Kashtili]ash the wicked, the obstinate, the heedless,

"[Whereas] formerly you [forswore] what belonged to the time of our forefathers' hostilities,

"Now you face Shamash with false testimony about us.

"[Ellil-nira]ri, my forefather, king of all peoples,…

"[Against Kur]igalzu, (he) pursued the oath of the gods…

"[Adad-n]irari, my grandfather,…[1],[2]

"….Nazimarrutash…in battle…

…..

…..

"among all the lands, he is the unalterable judge."

 

Source: Grayson, ARI II, 92; Weidner, AfO 20 1963  113, "Assyrische Epen uber die Kassiten-Kampfe"

 

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