Ashurnasirpal II 001

(i 1) To the god Ninurta, the strong, the almighty, the exalted, foremost among the gods, the splendid (and) perfect warrior whose attack in battle is unequalled, the eldest son who commands battle (skills), offspring of the god Nudimmud, warrior of the Igīgū gods, the capable, ruler of the gods, offspring of Ekur, the one who holds the bond of heaven (and) netherworld, the one who opens springs, the one who walks the wide netherworld, the god without whom no decisions are taken in heaven and netherworld, the swift, the ferocious, the one whose command is unalterable, foremost in the (four) quarters (of the world), the one who gives scepter and (powers of) decision to all of the cities, the stern canal inspector (i 5) whose utterance cannot be altered, extensively capable, sage of the gods, the noble, the god Utulu, the lord of lords into whose hands the circumference of heaven and netherworld is entrusted, king of battle, the hero who rejoices in battles, the triumphant, the perfect, lord of springs and seas, the angry (and) merciless whose attack is a deluge, the one who overwhelms enemy lands (and) fells the wicked, the splendid god who never changes (his mind), the light of heaven (and) netherworld who illuminates the interior of the apsû, annihilator of the evil, subduer of the insubmissive, destroyer of enemies, the one whose command none of the gods in the divine assembly can alter, bestower of life, the compassionate god to whom it is good to pray, the one who dwells in the city Kalḫu, great lord, my lord:

(i 9b) Ashurnasirpal (II), strong king, king of the world, unrivalled king, king of all the four quarters (of the world), sun(god) of all people, chosen of the gods Enlil and Ninurta, beloved of the gods Anu and Dagān, destructive weapon of the great gods, the pious, beloved of your (Ninurta’s) heart, ruler, favorite of the god Enlil, whose priesthood is pleasing to your great divinity and whose reign you established; the valiant man who acts with the support of (the god) Aššur, his lord, and who has no rival among the rulers of the four quarters (of the world); marvelous shepherd, fearless in battle, mighty flood-tide which has no opponent, the king who makes those insubordinate to him bow down, who rules all peoples; the strong male who treads upon (i 15) the necks of his foes, trampler of all of the enemies, the one who breaks up the forces of the rebellious, he who acts with the support of the great gods, his lords, and has conquered all of the lands, gained dominion over the mountains, to their full extent, and received their tribute, capturer of hostages, (and) he who is victorious over all of the lands.

(i 17b) When Aššur, the lord who called my name (and) who makes my kingship supreme, placed his merciless weapon in my lordly arms, (I,) Ashurnasirpal, attentive ruler, worshipper of the great gods, ferocious dragon, conqueror of cities and mountains, to their full extent, king of lords, controller of the obstinate, crowned (i 20) with splendor, fearless in battle, lofty (and) merciless hero, he who stirs up strife, king of all of the rulers, lord of lords, chief herdsman, king of kings, attentive purification priest, designate of the god Ninurta — the warrior — destructive weapon of the great gods, avenger; the king who has always acted justly with the support of the gods Aššur and Šamaš, the gods who support him, and cut down like marsh reeds fortified mountains and rulers who are hostile to him (and) subdued all their lands; provider of offerings for the great gods, legitimate ruler to whom is perpetually entrusted the proper administration of the rites of the temples of his land, whose deeds and (i 25) offerings the great gods of heaven and netherworld love so that they (therefore) established forever his priesthood in the temples, granted to his lordly majesty their fierce weapons, (and) made him more marvelous than (any of) the kings of the four quarters (of the world) with respect to the splendor of his weapons (and) the radiance of his lordly majesty, (he who) has always contested with all enemies of (the god) Aššur above and below and imposed upon them tribute and tax, conqueror of the foes of (the god) Aššur, strong king, king of Assyria;

(i 28b) son of Tukultī-Ninurta (II), vice-regent of (the god) Aššur, who defeated all of his enemies (and) hung the corpses of his enemies on posts; grandson of Adad-nārārī (II), appointee of the great gods, who always achieved the defeat of those who are insubmissive to him and (thereby) became lord of all; (and) offspring of Aššur-dān (II), who opened towns (and) founded shrines.

(i 31b) At that time, my kingship, my dominion, (and) my power came forth at the command of the great gods. I am king, I am lord, I am praiseworthy, I am exalted, I am important, I am magnificent, I am foremost, I am a hero, I am a warrior, I am a lion, and I am virile; Ashurnasirpal (II), strong king, designate of the god Sîn, favorite of the god Anu, loved one of the god Adad — (who is) almighty among the gods — am I, the merciless weapon which lays low lands hostile to him, am I, the king, capable in battle, vanquisher of cities mountains, (i 35) foremost in battle, king of the four quarters (of the world), the one who defeats his enemies, the one who disintegrates all of his enemies, king of the totality of the (four) quarters (of the world), including all of their rulers, the king who forces to bow down those who are insubmissive to him, the one who rules all of the peoples; these destinies came forth at the command of the great gods and they properly fixed (them) as my destinies.

(i 37b) Because of my voluntary offerings and my prayers the goddess Ištar, the lady who loves my priesthood, approved of me and she made up her mind to make war and battle.

(i 38b) At that time, Ashurnasirpal (II), attentive ruler, worshipper of the great gods, whose desires the god Enlil helped him obtain so that his great hand conquered all of the rulers who were insubmissive to him, conqueror of his foes, the one who in rugged terrain broke up the forces of the rebellious —

(i 40b) when (the god) Aššur, my great lord, who called me by name, made my kingship supreme over the kings of the four quarters (of the world), (and) had made (my) great name supreme, he placed his merciless weapon in my lordly arms (and) sternly commanded me to rule, subdue, and direct the lands (and) mighty mountains. With the support of (the god) Aššur, my lord, I kept marching along difficult routes (and) over rugged mountains with the mass of my troops and there was no opponent.

(i 43b) In my accession year (and) in my first regnal year, when the god Šamaš, judge of the (four) quarters (of the world), spread his beneficial protection over me, (and) when I sat on the throne of my royal majesty in a grandiose manner, (i 45) he placed in my hand the scepter for the shepherding of the people. I mustered my chariotry (and) troops. I passed through difficult paths (and) rugged mountains, which were unsuitable for chariotry and troops, (and) marched to the land Nimme. I conquered Libê, their fortified city, the cities Surra, Abuqu, Arura, (and) Arubê, which lie between Mounts Urina, Aruni, (and) Etini, mighty mountains.

(i 47b) I massacred many of them (and) carried off captives, possessions, (and) oxen from them. The troops were frightened (and) took to a rugged mountain. Since the mountain was exceptionally rugged, I did not pursue them. The mountain was as jagged as the point of a dagger and therein no winged bird of the sky flew. (i 50) Like the nest of the udīnu-bird their fortress was situated within the mountain which none of the kings, my ancestors, had penetrated. For three days, the hero explored the mountain. His bold heart yearned for battle. He ascended on foot (and) overwhelmed the mountain. He smashed their nest (and) scattered their flock. I struck down 200 of their fighting men with the sword (and) carried off a multitude of captives like a flock of sheep. With their blood I dyed the mountain red like red wool with their blood (and) the ravines (and) torrents of the mountain swallowed the rest of them. I destroyed, devastated, (and) burned with fire their cities.

(i 54b) Moving on from the land Nimme, I went down to land Ḫabruri. I received the payment of the lands Ḫabruri, Simesi, Simerra, Ulmania, Addauš, Ḫargu, (and) Ḫarmasa: horses, mules, oxen, sheep, wine, (and) bronze casseroles. I imposed upon them corvée. While I was in the land Ḫabruri, the radiance of (the god) Aššur, my lord, overwhelmed the people of the lands Ḫubuškia and Gilzānu (and) they brought to me horses, silver, gold, tin, bronze, (and) bronze casseroles as their payment.

(i 58b) Moving on from the land Ḫabruri, I entered the pass which (leads from) the city Ḫulunu to the interior of the land Ḫabḫu. I conquered the cities Ḫattu, Ḫataru, Ništun, Sabidi, (i 60) Metqia, Arṣania, Tēla, (and) Ḫalua, cities of the land Ḫabḫu that lie between Mounts Usu, Arua, (and) Arardi, mighty mountains. I massacred many of them (and) carried off prisoners (and) possessions from them. The troops were frightened (and) took to a lofty peak in front of the city Ništun, which hovered like a cloud in the sky. Into the midst of those (mountains) which none of the kings, my ancestors, had ever approached, my warriors flew like birds. I struck down 260 of their combat troops with the sword. I cut off their heads and formed (therewith) a pile. The rest of them (i 65) built nests like birds on mountain precipices. I brought down prisoners (and) possessions of theirs from the mountain (and then) I destroyed, devastated, (and) burned with fire the cities that lay within the mighty mountains. The troops, as many as had fled from my weapons, came down (and) grasped my feet. I imposed upon them tribute, tax, and corvée.

(i 67b) I flayed Būbu, son of Bubâ (Babua), son of the city ruler of the city Ništun, in the city Arbela (and) draped his skin over the wall. At that time, I made an image of myself (and) wrote thereon the praises of my power. I erected (it) on the ēqu-mountain in (the city) Āl-Ashurnasirpal, (which is) at the source of a spring.

(i 69b) In that same eponymy (882), on the twenty-fourth day of the month Abu (V), by the command of (the god) Aššur (and) the goddess Ištar, the great gods, my lords, I moved out from Nineveh (and) marched to the cities that lie at the foot of Mounts Nipur and Paṣate, mighty mountains. I conquered the cities Atkun, Ušḫu, (and) Pilazi, (together with) twenty cities in their environs. I massacred many of them, carried off prisoners (and) possessions from them, (and) burned with fire th(ose) cities. The troops, as many as had fled from my weapons, came down (and) grasped my feet. I imposed upon them corvée.

(i 73b) Moving on from the cities that are at the foot of Mounts Nipur and Paṣate, I crossed the Tigris River (and) approached the land Katmuḫi. I received the tax (and) tribute of the lands Katmuḫi (and) Musku: bronze casseroles, oxen, sheep, (and) wine. While I was in the land Katmuḫi, (i 75) this report was brought back to me: “The city Sūru of (the land) Bīt-Ḫalupê has rebelled. They have killed Ḫamatāyu, their governor, (and) appointed Aḫi-iababa, the son of a nobody whom they brought from the land Bīt-Adini, as their king.” With the assistance of the gods Aššur (and) Adad, the great gods who made my kingship supreme, I mustered my chariotry (and) troops (and) made my way to the banks of the Ḫābūr River. On my march, I received the plenteous payment of Samnuḫa-šar-ilāni of the city Šadikanni, (and) of Amēl-Adad of the city Qatnu: silver, gold, tin, bronze casseroles, garments with multi-colored trim, (and) linen garments.