[Footnote 6: "I-gi-gi," pronounced "e-gee-gee," spirits of heaven.] [Footnote 7: "Zi-mu-ri," spirits of the light.] COLUMN II THE KING'S ANSWER AND ISHTAR'S RAGE Amazed the sovereign sat upon his throne; And while she wooed, his heart was turned to stone; In scorn replied: "Rise Ishtar, Heaven's high queen, Though all thy wealth, possessions I had seen Now piled before me, all in gems and gold, Of all the wealth of Heaven there heaped of old, I nakedness and famine would prefer To all the wealth divine thou canst confer. What carest thou for earthly royalty? The cup of poison shall thy lovers see. Thou sawest me within a haunt away From men. I lingered on that direful day, And took thee for a beauteous _zi-re-mu_[1] Or _zi-ar-i-a_ or a _zi-lit-tu_[2] And thou didst cause to enter love divine. As _zi-cur-un-i,_ spirit of the wine, Thou didst deceive me with thine arts refined, And love escaped upon the passing wind. Then to my palace come, and me there seek; Didst place thy mouth upon my lips, and wake Within my breast a dream of love and fire, Till I awoke and checked thy wild desire; Thou camest with the form of spirits fair, Didst hover o'er me in my chamber there. Thy godly fragrance from the skies above, A sign did carry of the Queen of Love: I woke, and thou didst vanish, then didst stand As mine own servant in my palace grand. Then as a skulking foe, a mystic spell Didst weave, and scorch me with the fires of hell While I was wrapped in sleep. Again I woke, I saw around me _dal-khi_, sulphurous smoke, Which thou didst send around my royal bed; And I believed that I was with the dead, With _dal-khi_ gloating over me in hell. My _su-khu-li_ then sought thy presence fell. Forever may thy wooing cease! for love Hath fled, may godly praises never move Upon the lips of holy gods, or men,-- Of thee, the god of Love ne'er speak again! I loved thee once; with love my heart inflamed Once sought thee, but my troubles I have blamed Upon thee, for the dreams which thou didst send. Go! rest thy heart; and to thy pleasures wend!