The Annals of Assur-Natsir-Pal

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The Annals of Assur-Natsir-Pal

The text below is only the introductory section of the 1st column. The majority of Assyrian inscriptions in this manner are typically summaries of their past exploits. This portion is preserved due to its mythological nature and identification of certain deities.

Translated by A. H. Sayce, [1888]

COLUMN I

1. To Uras, the strong, the almighty, the supreme, the firstborn of the gods, the lusty warrior, the unique one, whose onset in battle is unrivalled, the

2. eldest son, the crusher of opposition, the firstborn of Ea, the powerful warrior of the angels (Igigi), the counsellor of the gods, the offspring of the temple of the earth, the binder of the bonds

3. of heaven and earth, the opener of fountains, who treads down the widespreading earth, the god without whom the laws of heaven and earth are unmade,

4. the strong champion (?) who changes not the command of his mouth, the firstborn of the zones, the giver of the sceptre and law to all cities, the forceful

5. minister, the utterance of whose lips alters not, in power far-reaching, the augur of the gods, the exalted one, the meridian Sun-god, the lord of lords, who the extremities of heaven

6. (and) earth superintends with his hand, the king of battle, the illustrious one who overcomes opposition, the sovereign, the unique one, the lord of fountains and seas,

7. the strong, the unsparing, whose onset is the deluge that sweeps away the land of the enemy, the slayer of the wicked, the lusty god whose counsel is unchanging,

8. the light of heaven (and) earth, the illuminator of the recesses of the deep, the destroyer of the evil, the subduer of the disobedient, the uprooter of the hostile, whose name in the assembly of the gods

9. no god has changed, the giver of life, the god of mercy to whom prayer is good, who dwells in Calah, the great lord, my lord; [I] Assur-natsir-pal the powerful king,

10. the king of hosts, the king unrivalled, the king of all the four regions (of the world), the Sun-god of multitudes of men, the favourite of Bel and Uras, the beloved of Anu

11. and Dagon, the hero of the great gods who bows himself (in prayer), the beloved of thy heart, the prince, the favourite of Bel whose high-priesthood

12. has seemed good to thy great divinity so that thou hast established his reign, the warrior hero who has marched in the service of Assur his lord, and among the princes

13. of the four regions (of the world) has no rival, the shepherd of fair shows who fears not opposition, the unique one, the mighty, who has not

14. an opponent, the king who subdues the unsubmissive, who has overcome all the multitudes of men, the powerful hero, who treads

15. upon the neck of his enemies, who tramples upon all that is hostile, who breaks in pieces the squadrons of the mighty, who in reliance on the great gods, his lords,

16. has marched, and whose hand has conquered all lands, has overcome the mountains to their furthest bounds, and has received their tribute, who has taken

17. hostages, who has established empire over all lands. At that time Assur the lord, the proclaimer of my name, the enlarger of my kingdom,

18. entrusted his weapon that spares not to the hands of my lordship, (even to me) Assur-natsir-pal the exalted prince, the adorer of the great

19. gods, the mighty monster, the conqueror of cities and mountains to their furthest bounds, the king of lords, the consumer of the violent, who is crowned with

20. terror, who fears not opposition, the valiant one, the supreme judge who spares not, who overthrows resistance, the king of all princes,

21. the lord of lords, the shepherd-prince, the king of kings, the exalted prophet, named by Uras the warrior-god (and) hero of the great gods, the avenger of his fathers,

22. the king who has marched with justice in reliance on Assur and Samas, the gods his helpers, and powerful countries and princes his foemen

23. he has cast down like a reed (and) has subjugated all their lands under his feet, the supplier of the freewill offerings for the great

24. gods, the established prince, who is provident to direct the laws of the temples of his country, the work of whose hands and

25. the gift of whose sacrifices the great gods of heaven and earth desire and have established his high-priesthood in the temples for ever;

26. their strong weapons have they given for the spoil of my lordship; the terror of his weapon, the glory of his lordship, over the kings

27. of the four regions (of the world) have they made strong for him; the enemies of Assur to their furthest bounds above and below he has combated, and tribute and gifts

28. he has laid upon them; (he), the conqueror of the foes of Assur, the powerful king, the king of Assyria, the son of Tiglath-Uras, the high priest of Assur, who upon all his foemen

29. has laid the yoke, has set up the bodies of his adversaries upon stakes; the grandson of Rimmon-nirari the high-priest of the great gods,

30. who brought about the overthrow of those who would not obey him, and overcame the world; the great-grandson of Assur-dân, who

31. founded fortresses (and) established shrines: in those days from the mouth of Assur (and) the great gods kingdom, sovereignty (and) majesty issued forth.

32. I am king, I am sovereign, I am exalted, I am strong, I am glorious, I am lusty, I am the firstborn, I am the champion, I am the warrior,

33. I am a lion, I am a hero; Assur-natsir-pal, the powerful king, the king of Assyria, named of the Moon God, the favourite of Anu, the beloved of Rimmon mightiest among the gods,

34. (am) I; a weapon that spares not, which brings slaughter to the land of his enemies, (am) I; a king valiant in battle, the destroyer of cities and mountains,

35. the leader of the conflict, the king of the four regions (of the world), who lays the yoke upon his foes, who enslaves (?) all his enemies, the king of all the zones of all princes,

36. every one of them, the king who subjugates the un-submissive to him, who has overcome all the multitudes of men. This is the destiny which from the mouth of the great gods

37. has issued forth for me, and they have established (it) firmly as my destiny. According to the desire of my heart and the stretching forth of my hand Istar, the lady who loves

38. my high-priesthood, looked with favour upon me and set her heart to make combat and battle, and in those days Assur-natsir-pal, the exalted prince, the worshipper of the great gods,

39. whom Bel has caused to obtain the desire of his heart so that his hand conquered the lands of all princes who submitted not unto him, the conqueror

40. of his foes who in difficult places has broken through the squadrons of the mighty—at that time Assur my great lord, the proclaimer of my name,

41. the enlarger of my kingdom over the kings of the four regions (of the world), has mightily magnified my name, the weapon that spares not unto the hands of my lordship

42. he has given to hold. To effect the submission and homage of countries and mighty mountains powerfully has he urged me. In reliance on Assur my lord

43. I traversed impassable paths (and) trackless mountains with the forces of my armies: a rival unto me existed not.