Nin-karrak, lofty goddess, look with favor upon the work of my hands, Mercy towards me be the command of thy lips, Long life, abundance of strength, Health, and joy, grant to me as a gift. In the presence of Shamash and Marduk cause my deeds to be regarded with favor, Command grace for me. A prayer of the same king addressed to Shamash, upon restoring the great temple at Sippar, E-babbara, runs:[418] O Shamash, great lord, upon entering joyfully into thy glorious temple E-babbara, Look with favor upon my precious handiwork, Mercy towards me be thy command; Through thy righteous order, may I have abundance of strength. Long life, and a firm throne, grant to me. May my rule last forever! With a righteous sceptre of blissful rulership, With a legitimate staff, bringing salvation to mankind, adorn my sovereignty forever. With strong weapons for the fray, protect my soldiers; Then, O Shamash, by oracle and dream, answer me correctly! By thy supreme command, which is unchangeable, May my weapons advance, and strike and overthrow the weapons of the enemies. Nebuchadnezzar's inscriptions are characterized by the prayer with which they almost invariably close. Whether erecting a sanctuary or building a canal or improving the walls of Babylon, he does not fail to add to the description of his achievements a prayer to some deity, in which he asks for divine grace and the blessings of long life and prosperity. There were other occasions, too, in which, both in ancient times and in more modern periods, prayers were sent up to the gods. Kudur-mabuk, of the second dynasty of Ur, informs us that he built a temple, E-nun-makh, to Sin in gratitude to the god for having hearkened to his prayer. The Assyrian kings pray to Ashur or Ishtar before the battle, and offer thanks after the victory has been gained. "O goddess of Arbela!" says Ashurbanabal,[419] "I am Ashurbanabal, the king of Assyria, the product of thy hands, created by thee in the house of my father. To renew the sanctuaries of Assyria, and to enlarge the cities of Babylonia, ... have I devoted myself to thy dwelling-places, and have steadfastly worshipped thy sovereignty.... Hearken unto me! O thou mistress of mistresses, supreme in battle, mistress of the fray, queen of the gods, ... who speakest good things in the presence of Ashur, the father, that produced thee. Teumman, king of Elam, has arrayed his army and fixed upon battle, brandishes his weapons to proceed against Assyria. Do thou now, O warrior, like ... drive him into the midst of the fray, pursue him with a storm, with an evil wind." Ishtar, the narrative tells us, hearkened to the fervent words of the king. "Be not afraid," says the goddess to her royal subject. Elsewhere the same king prays more briefly to Ashur and Ishtar. "May his corpse [viz., of a certain enemy] be cast before his enemy [_i.e._, before Ashurbanabal], and his remains be carried off."[420]