The foe beheld the gods in wrath above, And Accad's charging lines toward them move, But bravely stand to meet the onset fierce, Their mailed armor, shields, no arrows pierce. And now in direst conflict meet the mass, And furious still meets ringing bronze and brass, Khumbaba on his mighty steed of war, Above the ranks towers high a giant Sar, And sweeps the men of Accad with his blade, Till to his breast a heap of corpses made, And fiercely urged his men to fight, to die; And Izdubar, with helmet towering high, His men has led with fury on the foe, And massacres each man with one fell blow, Who dares to stand in front with sword or spear, And fighting by him stands his valiant seer. The gods now rushing from the gleaming sky, With blazing weapons carry victory; The foe no longer stand before the sight, And shouting fly away in wild affright. Their monarch turned and slowly rode away; And Accad's hosts his men pursue and slay, Until the forest deep resounds with cries. To save himself each man in terror flies.
[Footnote 1: "Mag-an" or "Mizir," Egypt, or the famous mines of Africa.]
[Footnote 2: "Karra! kar-ra!" (cry out) "Hurrah! hurrah!"]
HAND-TO-HAND CONFLICT OF THE RIVAL GIANTS--DEATH OF KHUMBABA
Now the black forest through, the Sar and seer Sought for their foe, Khumbaba, far and near; But he had fled when he beheld the gods In fury rushing from their bright abodes. Now from the battle-field the King and seer The farthest limit of the forest near, And passing on, the Sar thus to his seer: "The gods have filled our foeman's heart with fear; He comes not forth to meet us 'neath his walls." But lo! within their sight, far from his halls, Khumbaba stands beside his steed of snow Held by his queen, and eyes his coming foe. Heabani cries: "Behold the enemy! And with his queen from us disdains to fly!" And Izdubar turned to Heabani, said: "My seer, methought this King from us had fled; His army slain or scattered from us fly; But by our hands this monarch here must die." Heabani eyed Khumbaba, nor replied Before the Queen, who wrung her hands and cried; And Izdubar continued: "He, of war, It seems, doth lack in skill, and from afar He scents the battle, while his fighting men Their raids oft make, and here return again; His castle we may enter without fear, And thou his queen mayst have who standeth here, And now we end the reign of Elam's throne; So lend thy hand to strike this monarch prone. My friend, if I mistake thee not, for war Thou art prepared, since thou upon the car Wast wont to ride in former years now gone; And if he falls, a feast day of the Sun [1]We will appoint, and may the birds of prey Surround his carcass on this glorious day: But stay! this giant I will slay alone, Although his weight is many _gur-ri_[2] stone; This giant's form the gods have surely made An enemy well worthy of my blade."