Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-02

A>Ah INN WI ~ "
The story Of rebellion in Babylon
that collapsed heavily ana swiftly and
left the founder alone and naked to
his enemies has just been unearthcd
by Professor John Dyncly Prince head
of the department OF Semitic languages
IN Columbia University. Professor
FRINGE. when he hasn't been giving
lectures or deciphering inscriptions.
HAS found time to be president Of the
New Jersey Senate. and for "a time act
ing Governor OF the State
Professor Prince has turned into
English series OF hymns the Baby
lonian tcat of which was published by
David Myrhman in the publications OF
the University of Pennsylvania, and
which hitherto had not been translated.
and IN one Of them h& has found ma
terial which throws Illumination or
certain points III Babyloitian and AS
syrian history.
ShaTash- ssum- ukin sings tho k.y:r.n MS.
ana III one he voices his troubles To tlIS.
sun god, when hard pressed by his
brother Ashur- banipal. This is n sec-
ton Of 1t:
What is my transgrcsston that
aftitction has ovcrtaken me: that evil
ovcrlooks me; that my troops have
left nc: that In my citadel ] am be-
lehguercd? From the midst OF the
darkness going forth, o great RnlI
mighty food has passed over NV head:
clipped are my pinions like those Of n
bird. Broken is he vino Is no longer
mighty. To supplication my hands arc
turned: my weakness Is greater than
my strength. moan like a dove night
and day. ! am troubled. weep Bit
terly; tears are forced from nv eyes
Q god whom ] know not. consider how
! cXeit thy mighty name loudly, yet
thou hast rnvaBed my people"
CnIi. SnrdnnapaIns n Myth.
The real Significance of these hymns
has not been understood by any scholar
up TO the present time. so far as I
know" said Professor Prince ycster-
day. The hymns are somewhat indis-
tinctly written on clay tablets found
n. Niffcr. in Southern Babylonia. by
the University of Pcnnsylvnnia's scicn-
tihc expedition. OF which 1 was n MEM
Der. In 1SSS-S0.
THE great Assyrian King. Ashur-
hani-pal tG2s-6S g. CO.. in whom the
power and pride of the Ninevitc en-
pire eliminated. appointed his brother
Shama sh -shum-uliin as the Assyrian
vicegerent In Babylon to rule over all
the southern kingdom of Babylonio in
the name of the Assyrian overload and
tyrant. After being for Il time regent
OF Babylonia the brother, rcsenting the
expressions and cXactions Of Assyria
aud at the same time with the thought
OF making himself the head of an in
dependent state. fomented Il revolution
against Ashur- bani-p pal The attempt
failed owing to the superior military
machine OF the Assyrians. and Shamash-
shum- ultin persisted in the flames of his
palace in Babylon about CAS- p. c.
This event laid the foundation OF
tho false Greek account Of Sardanap-
alus, which Is unfortunately taught in
some Of our American schools. Ac-
cording to this tale, Sardanapalus-
the Greek form OF the name Ashur-
hani -pal---was an effeminate creature
who died at the fall Of Ninevch in COS,
in the manner in which Shama Sin Shum-
akin really died in Babylon i'm 64S,
Shama sin shum -ukin, however, was not
efteminaie. nor had he any OF the
c!::irilcte ristics attributed 10 the imagi-
mar Sardanapalus who is the result
q! D. mixture of historical traditions:
namely, confusion between Ashur-
bani-ral. Shamash- shum- ulin and the
accounts Of the fall OF Ninevch, years
after Ashur- bani- pal died.
COnsuits sun God About Plans.
"'The documents I have translated
are of more than ordinary interest, as
they arc not the conventional invoca-
ton of Il King to Il divinity. For in
stance, in the first one, after the usual
praises OF Shamash the sun god, Sha-
inash -shum- ukin, says to the god:
a mighty partner thou havcst me- n
plain allusion 20 his mperous brother.
Further on. the singer prays my part
ncr may j overcome; may | change my
command; VIZ: release himself from
the Assyrian ovcrlordship. plainly
showing that at the time when this
hymn was applied. the rupture between
Shamash- shum-ukin and Ashur- bani-
pal was contemplated in Babylon, even
though Il had not yet become fact
The Babylonian King speaks, TOR eX-
ample. of the unopened documents Of
his glory, implying that he expected a
glorious future as independent King
oi Babylon.
''tn the second hymn. which. al
though the name of Shamash -shum-
uhin Is not mentioned. is clearly of
the same purport, the petitioner CON
srlts the dog. tho swine. the bird and
the fish in order to obtain by cntrail-
reading some knowledge of the future
which awaits his dangerous venture
lie prays that his people shall not 10
laid waste. which would seem to in
ti,catc that his hymn was written at
Al ;imc when tho success Of the anti
Aasyrian movement seemed doubtful
Tle same strain follows In tho third
d"cuiaent. where the singer. evidently
the King, alludes to his afIiction while,
has overtakcn him. owing to his sins,
herein showing the genuine Semitic
tone OF mind, for among no people
has the consciousness OF personal sin