Ashurnasirpal II 030

(1) Palace of Ashurnasirpal (II), vice-regent of (the god) Aššur, chosen of the gods Enlil and Ninurta, beloved of the gods Anu and Dagān, destructive weapon of the great gods, strong king, king of the world, [king of] Assyria, son of Tukultī-Ninurta (II), great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, son of Adad-nārārī (II), (who was) also great king, strong king, king of the world, (and) king of Assyria; the valiant man who acts with the support of (the god) Aššur, his lord, and who has no rival among the rulers of the four quarters (of the world); marvelous shepherd, fearless in battle, mighty flood-tide which has no opponent, the king who subdues those insubordinate (to him), he who rules all peoples, the king who acts with the support of the great gods, his lords, and has conquered all lands, gained dominion over all the highlands and received their tribute, capturer of hostages, he who is victorious over all countries; the king who made (the territory stretching) from the opposite bank of the Tigris River to Mount Lebanon and the Great Sea, the land Lāqê in its entirety, (and) the land Sūḫu, including the city Rapiqu, bow down at his feet; he conquered from the source of the Subnat River to the land Urarṭu.

(14b) I brought within the boundaries of my land (the territory stretching) from the passes of the land Ḫabruri to the land Gilzānu, from the opposite bank of the Lower Zab to the city Tīl-bāri, which is upstream from the land Zabban, from the city Tīl-ša-Abtāni to the city Tīl-ša-Zabdāni, (and) the cities Ḫirimmu (and) Ḫarutu, (which are) fortresses of Karduniaš (Babylonia); I counted (the people) from the pass of the city Babite to the land Ḫašmar as people of my land.

(20b) (The god) Aššur, the great lord, cast his eyes upon me and my authority (and) my power came forth by his holy command. Ashurnasirpal (II), the king whose strength is praiseworthy, with my cunning that the god Ea, king of the apsû, extensively wise, gave to me, I reorganized the city Kalḫu. I cleared away the old ruin hill (and) dug down to water level. From water level to the top, (a depth of) 120 layers of brick, I filled in the terrace. I founded inside it a palace of boxwood, meskannu-wood, cedar, cypress, terebinth, tamarisk, meḫru-wood, eight palace (area)s as the residence of my royal majesty (and) for my lordly leisure. I splendidly decorated (the palace). I fastened with bronze bands doors of cedar, cypress, daprānu-juniper, boxwood, (and) meskannu-wood (and) installed (them) in their gates. I surrounded them with knobbed nails of bronze. I depicted in greenish glaze on their walls my heroic praises, in that I had gone right across mountains, lands, (and) seas, (and) the conquest of all of the lands. I glazed bricks with lapis lazuli (and) laid (them) above their gates.

(33) I took people which I had conquered from the lands over which I had gained dominion, from the land Sūḫu, (from) the city [Ka]prabi, (from) the land Zamua to its full extent, (from) the lands Bīt-Zamāni and Šubria, (from) the city Sirqu, which is at the crossing of the Euphrates River, (from) the multitude of the people of the land Lāqê, from the land Ḫatti, and from Lubarna of the land Pattinu. I settled (them) therein.

(36b) I dug out a canal from the Upper Zab, cutting through a mountain at its peak, (and) I called it Patti-ḫegalli. I irrigated the meadows of the Tigris River (and) planted orchards with all kinds of fruit trees in its environs. I pressed wine (and) offered first-fruit offerings to (the god) Aš[š]ur, my lord, and the temples of my land. I dedicated this city to (the god) Aššur, my lord.

(40b) In the lands through which I marched and the mountains which I traversed, the trees (and) plants (lit. “seeds”) which I saw were: cedar, cypress, šimiššalû, burāšu-juniper, ..., daprānu-juniper, almond, date, ebony, meskannu, olive, ṣuṣūnu, oak, tamarisk, dukdu, terebinth and murrānu, meḫru, ..., tīiatu, Kanish-oak, ḫaluppu, ṣadānu, pomegranate, šallūru, fir, ingirašu, pear, quince, fig, grapevines, angašu-pear, ṣumlalû, titipu, ṣippūtu, zanzaliqqu, “swamp-apple,” ḫambuququ, nuḫurtu, urzīnu, and kanaktu. The canal cascades from above into the gardens. Fragrance pervades the walkways. Streams of water (as numerous) as the stars of the heavens flow into the pleasure garden. Pomegranates which are bedecked with clusters like grape vines ... in the garden ... [I], Ashurnasirpal (II), in the delightful garden pick fruit like ... [...]

(53) I founded temples which had previously not existed, (such as) the temple of the gods Enlil and Ninurta, in the city Kalḫu, the cult center of my lordly majesty. I refounded therein the temple of the god Ea-šarru (and) the goddess Damkina, the temple of the god Adad (and) the goddess Šala, the temple of the goddess Gula, the temple of the god Sîn, the temple of the god Nabû, the temple of the goddess Šarrat-nipḫi, the temple of the Sebetti, (and) the temple of the Kidmuri, the temples of the great gods. (60) I established the abodes of the gods, my lords, inside them. I sp[le]ndidly decorated them. I installed over them beams of cedar (and) made magnificent cedar doors. I fastened (them) with bronze bands (and) installed (them) in their gates. I stationed holy bronze images in their gates. I made (the images of) their great divinity resplendent with reddish gold and sparkling stones. I gave to them gold jewelry, many possessions which I had captured. I adorned the room of the shrine of the god Ninurta, my lord, with gold (and) lapis lazuli. I stationed bronze ... on his right and left, (and) installed wild ferocious dragons of gold at his throne.

(73b) I appointed his festivals in the months of Šabāṭu (XI) (and) Ulūlu (VI). I called the name of his festival in the month Šabāṭu (XI) “Splendor.” I established for them food (and) incense offerings. I made an image of my royal majesty with a likeness of my countenance of reddish gold (and) sparkling stones (and) stationed (it) before the god Ninurta, my lord.

(78b) I reorganized abandoned cities, which had turned into ruin hills during the time of my ancestors, (and) I settled therein many people. I built anew ancient palaces throughout my land. I splendidly decorated them (and) stored grain and straw inside them.

(84b) The gods Ninurta (and) Nergal, who love my priesthood, gave to me the wild beasts and commanded me to hunt. I killed 450 strong lions. I killed 390 wild bulls from my ... chariot with the assault of my lordly majesty. (90) I slew 200 ostriches like caged birds. I drove 30 elephants into an ambush. I captured alive 50 wild bulls, 140 ostriches, (and) 20 strong lions from the mountains and forests. I received five live elephants as payment from the governor of the land Sūḫu and the governor of the land Lubdu, (and) they went about with me on my campaign(s). I formed herds of wild bulls, lions, ostriches, (and) male (and) female monkeys. I bred herds of them. I added by force additional territory to Assyria (and) people to its population.

(102) When Ashurnasirpal (II), king of Assyria, consecrated the joyful palace, the palace full of wisdom, in the city Kalḫu (and) invited inside (the god) Aššur, the great lord, and the gods of the entire land; 100 fat oxen, 1,000 calves (and) sheep of the stable, 14,000 ...-sheep which belonged to the goddess Ištar, my lady, 200 oxen which belonged to the goddess Ištar, my lady, 1,000 siserḫu-sheep, 1,000 spring lambs, 500 ayyalu-deer, 500 deer, 1,000 ducks (iṣṣūrū rabûtu), 500 ducks (usū), 500 geese, 1,000 mesukku-birds, 1,000 qāribu-birds, 10,000 pigeons, 10,000 turtle doves, 10,000 small birds, 10,000 fish, 10,000 jerboa, 10,000 eggs, 10,000 loaves of bread, 10,000 jugs of beer, 10,000 skins of wine, 10,000 containers of grain (and) sesame, 10,000 pots of hot ..., 1,000 boxes of greens, 300 (containers of) oil, 300 (containers of) malt, 300 (containers of) mixed raqqatu-plants, 100 (containers of) kudimmus (a salty plant), 100 (containers of) ..., 100 (containers of) parched barley, 100 (containers of) ubuḫšennu-grain, 100 (containers of) fine billatu-beer, 100 (containers of) pomegranates, 100 (containers of) grapes, 100 (containers of) mixed zamrus, 100 (containers of) pistachios, 100 (containers of) ..., 100 (containers of) onions, 100 (containers of) garlic, 100 (containers of) kunipḫus, 100 bunches of turnips, 100 (containers of) ḫinḫinu-seeds, 100 (containers of) giddū, 100 (containers of) honey, 100 (containers of) ghee, 100 (containers of) roasted abšu-seeds, 100 (containers of) roasted šuʾu-seeds, 100 (containers of) karkartu-plants, 100 (containers of) tīyatu-plants, 100 (containers of) mustard, 100 (containers of) milk, 100 (containers of) cheese, 100 bowls of mīzu-drink, 100 salted oxen, 10 homers of shelled dukdu-nuts, 10 homers of shelled pistachios, 10 homers of ..., 10 homers of ḫabbaququ, 10 homers of dates, 10 homers of titipu, 10 homers of cumin, 10 homers of saḫūnu, 10 homers of uriānu, 10 homers of andaḫšu, 10 homers of šišanibu, 10 homers of simberu-fruit, 10 homers of ḫašû, 10 homers of fine oil, 10 homers of fine aromatics, 10 homers of ..., 10 homers of naṣṣabu-gourds, 10 homers of zinzimmu-onions, 10 homers of olives;

(140b) when I consecrated the palace of the city Kalḫu, 47,074 men (and) women who were invited from every part of my land, 5,000 dignitaries (and) envoys of the people of the lands Sūḫu, Ḫindānu, Pattinu, Ḫatti, Tyre, Sidon, Gurgum, Melid, Ḫubuškia, Gilzānu, Kummu, (and) Muṣaṣir, 16,000 people of the city Kalḫu, (and) 1,500 zarīqū of my palace, all of them — altogether 69,574 (150) (including) those summoned from all of the lands and the people of the city Kalḫu — for ten days, I gave them food, I gave them drink, I had them bathed, (and) I had them anointed. I honored them (and) sent them back to their lands in peace and joy.