History of Egypt, Chaldea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria in the Light of Recent DiscoveryKing, L. W. (Leonard William)
History
History of Egypt, Chaldea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria in the Light of Recent Discovery
King, L. W. (Leonard William)
Egypt -- History -- To 332 B.C.; History, Ancient
While he prayed the patesi was stretched out upon the ground, and the
god, standing near his head, then answered him. He said that he who
should build his temple was none other than Gudea, and that he would
give him the sign for which he asked. But first he described the plan
on which the temple was to be built, naming its various shrines and
chambers and describing the manner in which they were to be fashioned
and adorned. And the god promised that when Gudea should build the
temple, the land would once more enjoy abundance, for Ningirsu would
send a wind which should proclaim to the heavens the return of the
waters. And on that day the waters would fall from the heavens, the
water in the ditches and canals would rise, and water would gush out
from the dry clefts in the ground. And the great fields would once
more produce their crops, and oil would be poured out plenteously in
Sumer[sp.] and wool would again be weighed in great abundance. In that
day the god would go to the mountain where dwelt the whirlwind, and he
would himself direct the wind which should give the land the breath of
life. Gudea must therefore work day and night at the task of building
the temple. One company of men was to relieve another at its toil, and
during the night the men were to kindle lights so that the plain should
be as bright as day. Thus the builders would build continuously. Men
were also to be sent to the mountains to cut down cedars and pines and
other trees and bring their trunks to the city, while masons were to go
to the mountains and were to cut and transport huge blocks of stone to
be used in the construction of the temple. Finally the god gave Gudea
the sign for which he asked. The sign was that he should feel his side
touched as by a flame, and thereby he should know that he was the man
chosen by Ningirsu to carry out his commands.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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