"What meanest thou, thou wanton brazen thing? Wouldst thou on me the direst curses bring?" And lo! the goddess is transformed! the crown Of her own silver skies shines like the sun, And o'er her dazzling robes a halo falls; Her stately form with glory him appals, For Heaven's dazzling splendor o'er her flows, With rays celestial; o'er her brow there glows A single star. "Have I embraced a god?" He horrified now cries; and she doth nod Assent. "But, oh! wilt thou thy queen forgive? I love thee! stay! oh, stay! my heart you grieve!" He springs beyond the mystic circling ring, And from their sight thus glides the angry King, Beneath the wood himself he doth disguise In tattered garments, on his steed he flies; And when he comes in sight of Erech's gate, His beggar's mantle throws aside; in state Again enrobed, composed his anxious face, Through Erech's gates he rides with kingly grace; O'er his adventure thus the King reflects: "Alas my folly leads, my life directs! 'Tis true, the goddess hath seductive charms, E'en yet I feel her warm embracing arms. Enough! her love from me I'll drive away; Alas! for me, is this unfruitful day!" [Footnote 1: "Hea," god of the ocean.] [Footnote 2: "Zir-ri," spirits of the river, the sea-daughters of Hea.] [Footnote 3: "Zir-ru," water-nymph.] [Footnote 4: "Mandrake," the "love-plant."] [Footnote 5: "Dud'im" or "dudaim," [Hebrew: dud'im] or Chald. [Hebrew: ibduchin] and Syr. [Hebrew: ibduch'] the "love-plant" or mandrake; perhaps also originally from "du-du" ("love") or ex. [Hebrew: du] ("particula"), Arab. "possessorem designante," et ex rad. Arab. [Hebrew: ddy] ("ægrotavit"), or [Hebrew: dud] or "amare." See Simoni's Lex. Man. Heb. et Chald. et Lat., pp. 204-206, and Park's Heb. Lex., p. 113, note +.] [Transcriber's Note: The above "+" is my rendering of a footnote "cross" common in older books.] [Footnote 6: "An-nu-na-ci," spirits of the earth.] TABLET II--COLUMN I ISHTAR'S MIDNIGHT COURTSHIP IN THE PALACE OF IZDUBAR. As Samas' car sank in the glowing west, And Sin the moon-god forth had come full drest For starry dance across the glistening skies, The sound of work for man on earth now dies, And all betake themselves to sweet repose. The silver light of Sin above bright flows, And floods the figures on the painted walls, O'er sculptured lions, softly, lightly falls; Like grim and silent watch-dogs at the door They stand; in marble check their leaping roar. The King within his chamber went his way, Upon his golden jewelled couch he lay. The silken scarlet canopy was hung In graceful drapery and loosely clung Around his couch, and purple damask cloths Embroidered with rare skill, preserved from moths By rich perfumes, to the carved lintel clung In graceful folds; thus o'er the entrance hung.