The national whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1847, 1847-06-04
= j., ne Nep 70 4 Commgdal .ldeeri'se<.

fef0nts uOI uhuy VI oe'
researches wncn have been carried on =" 'a''''
parts Of the Eastern worI within few years. aii'
Of the imporlaat discov res that have reHueu he'e
from. We alIude particularly 20 those IN ahc'eh
As.y ia and Persia, inc'u,ing the explorations H.
NiDeyeh and Babylon The French Government
has had for several years, scirnhc corps engage
in these researches, md several distinguished sem
lars from England asd Germany are on the same
prouod though not under the orders Of their Gov
ernmen,s, occupied upon he inscriptions and srulp
lures of which eat numbers have been brought to
view. The results Of these explorations are OF i'm
portance as they throw much light on the ancient
history Of countries hitherto involv in darkness
Without speaking Of the monuments that made
known the siae of the arts for or 700 years beon
the Christian era, aud consequently the state OF civ
ilizaiien we Will spe'k Of some Of the hist 'ricai
facts disclosed by decy phelng The mysterious arrow
headed characters in which oil the ancient inscrp-
tions Of Assyria written.
AT Behistun. midway between Babylon and Ec
BAHAMA, Is an inscription cut in several large tables
on rock at the base Of mountain, extending h.
400 lines, in the arrow headed character. This grea
work has been fully decyphered by Major Rawn
sen, Of the British army, who hes employed much
OF his time during the lest ten years in effecting it
Professors Grotefend, L:sssn and Wes,ergaard have
also been diligently employed on the same inscrip-
ton, and have contributed much to its decypher-
ment and grammatical translation. It is memorial
of the time Of Darius Hystaspes, who lived in the
sixth century B. c., the purport Of which, to the
historian, must be Of equal interest with the pecul-
arilies Of the language to the philologst For the
following extracts, which are transations Of por.
ton of this great inscription, we are indebted to
work by Mr. John R. Bartlett.
81 am Darius the great King, the King OF
Kings the XII g of Persia, the King Of (the depen-
dent) Provinces, the of Hystsspes the grandson
Of Arsames tile Archamenan.
!" Says Darius the King My father Yves Hys-
taspes; Of Hystaspes. the father was Arsames; Of
Ars mes, the father YVES Ariyerainnes Of Ariya-
ramnes; Of Ariyaramnes, the father was Teispes I;
Of Teispes, the father was Achgmenes.
Says Darius the King :-On that account we
have been called Ach@menians; from antiquity
those ofnur race have been kings.
" Says Darius the King There are eight of my
racen who have been kings before me / am the
ninth ). for avery long time we have been kings.
Says Darius the King BY the grace of Or
muzd am King; Ormuzd has granted me the en-
pire.
Says Darius the ng:--These ere the coun.
tries which have fallen into my hands--by the
grace Of Ormuzd have become king of them
Per-ia, Susiana, Babylonia, Assysia, Arabia, Egypt
those which are of the sea, Sparta and Ionia Ar
L., m
rasmia, Bac.ria, Sogdiana; the Saee, the Sattagy-
des, Arachosia, and the Medians; the total amount
being twenty-one countries.
Says Darius The King He who has named
Candy SEES, the son Of Cyrus Of our race, he was
here hing before me- There wss Of that Camhyses
br"ther named Bsltus; he YVES Of the same father
and moth as Gamhyses. Cemhyses slew this
Bsrtius. When Camhyses slew that Bartus, the
trouhlss Of the state ceased which Bartus had ex-
ci,ed. Then Cambyfes proceeded TO Egypt When
Camhys@s had gone TO Egypt The state became her
eticsl then The lie became Astounding in the land
both in Persia and in Media, aud in other provin-
ces"
He then goes on to sieak Of the rebellions in his
dominions after the death Of Camhys.s. Of the Ma
gian who declared himself hing, an that n, one
dared to resist him. He continues:
Every one was standing obedientiy around the
Magyar until arrived Then | abode in the wor-
ship Of Ormuzd; Ormuzd brought help to m. On
the 10Th day OF the month Bagayadsh slew the
Magian and the chief men who were bis followers.
BY The grace Of Ormuzd became king Ormuzd
granted me the sceptre.''
He then says, he " established his race on the
throne in the days Of old" prohibited the sacrii-
ral worship introduced by tie Magisl. and restored
the old families to Office, al Of which was accom-
rli.hed by the sid Of Ormuz!. The lenp'e of Susi-
.k.,t., az. ,bnI a
The leader ofthe former.
Says Darius the King Then / procee,lel 10
Babylon against the Natitabus, who was called
Nabokhadrosser (Nehuchadn. zzar.) The forces Of
Natitabirus held the Tisris; there they had come
and they bad boals Then placed a detachment
on rats. brought the enemy into difficulty; l -
saul'ed the enemy's position. Otmuztl brought help
TO me; by the grace II Ofmrz succeeded in pass
ing the Iigns. Then l entirely defeated the army
Of that Natliabrus. On the 9Th day Of he month
Of Ahyata, then it was that thus fough t."
Darius then continued his march 10 Babylon,
where he was met by the army Of N ,'i,abi,us; he
gave him battle and defeated hun, driving his srmy
into the water. He then took Babylon. II would
appear from what this monarch related, that he had
pretty retelious set Of subjects, who took advan-
tage of his absence at Babylon. The inscription
continues:
Says Darius the King While was at Baby
lon these the counties that revol,ed against me:
Persis, Susiana, Media. Assyria, Armenia, Pathia,
Margiana, Satiagyd ia and Saca."
He then gives the names Of the relellious lee lers
and Of The officers sent 70 sujugate them; the f.r,s
villages, cities where battles were fought the ay
Of the month when they took pace and the result in
every case by the help Of Ormuzd. One example
will suffice After speaking Of the revolt Of Arme.
ma; the inscription continues:
Says Darius the King Then Dedarses hy
name, an Armenian, one of my servants, him sent
to Armenia. thus said to him Greeting TO thee,