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He goes and swings the purification device over the table. He comes back and swings the purification device over the censer, puts combustibles on the censer, burns honey and oil, completes his libations, and appears to the public. |
The king stands up, opens the vat and completes the libations of the vat. The king steps upon the stand. The singer intones, "Hurrah, hurrah!" The king and the magnates deploy clappers. |
When the song reaches its end, the king sits down for the meal. The table is placed before the king, and he finishes his meal. The singer performs battle. The singer performs his offices. |
When the francolin is brought out, the priest gives water to Ištar and to the king. The singer finishes his offices. The people are removed, the doors closed. |
The king rises and swings the purification device on the censer, gives incense thrice, and completes his libations. He goes to place the foreleg on the loaves upon the table and feeds Lisikutu. The singer intones, "Who opens the house of silver?" When he reaches the refrain, he lifts it up, throws it into the pit, and pours honey, oil, beer and wine upon it. |
The singer fills up the pit. The king places his foot upon the pit and kisses the feet. The king goes straight to the palace. |
Aššur, drink! Enlil, drink! Anu, drink! Ea-šarru, drink! Queen of the Gods, drink! Sîn, drink! Šamaš, drink! Adad, drink! Ištar, drink! |
, the Upper Lamassu, Gimagan, the images of kings and princes, the images of soldiers, Kunuš-kadru, the Elaborate Door, the doors of gold, the doors of silver and the doors of bronze; Ili-pada, the Deposed Gods, the Anzû-bird, the guardian of the throne, the Bull-Son-of-Šamaš, Kittu and Mišaru, who stand in the temple; |
Tambaya and Šamšiya; Enpi, Kalkal, Neš-ili-mati, Neš-igigani, the Steps and the Lahmus of the Eastern Gate; Nusku, the Bull-Son-of-Šamaš and the Judges behind the God; |
the images of the temple and the images of the House of Aššur, the great holy of holies, the treasuries, the Court of Lead, the Apsû and everything in it, the Court of Mullissu and everything in it, the Court of Namru and everything in it; |
the four gates and their doors, the gods of the four houses and everything there, the doorjamb and the lock, Ehursagkurkurra and the gods who dwell in it, the divine Ittu, the pavement, the hiburnu vats and the sacred outlet conduits, |
Anu and Antu, the Great Gods, the Narudi, Šalimtu, Šunipuru, Enlil and Mullissu, Ninurta and Nusku, Ea-šarru and Damkina, Usumû; |
The land of Aššur, its city walls, daises, strongholds, watchtowers, uncultivated fields, wastelands and mounds; the Tongue-and-Mouth, the chapel, the couch, the dais, the cella and the shrine of Assyria; |
Give Aššur-etelli-ilani long days, everlasting years, a strong weapon, a long reign, good years of abundance, offspring, seed, fame, and leadership over kings! |
He who performed this ceremonial feeding and gave bread and water to the gods — give them back to him long, copious and wide! May he live and be well! May he exercise priesthood, kingship and hegemony! May he attain old age, even extreme old age! For these partakers of the meal, may there be corn, silver, oil, wool, and salt of Bariku for their food, and good oil for their lamp! Live, be rich and prosperous! |
They enter the Akitu House. The king comes; they give the gods around the king’s neck. He goes and lights the censer, and steps upon the stand. |
The king goes to the spring. He performs sheep offerings and offers blood to the spring. He throws a fish and a crab into the spring, pours oil, honey, and wine into the spring. He swings the purification device, and appears to the public. |
From the spring the king enters the Akitu House. He kisses the feet and sets the table. He strews salt and performs sheep offerings. He performs them before the gods of heaven and before the gods of earth. The king goes straight to the palace. |
He sacrifices kimru-sheep. He sacrifices before the royal statue and in the house of Adad. The king goes straight to the palace. |
He goes to the heads. He pours a kukkubu-vessel of water, mixed beer, beer, wine, milk, and blood upon them. He sprinkles flour and swings the purification device. He places a head before the gods of heaven and pours a kukkubu-vessel in the same manner. The king steps upon the stand. They give the king tidbits to eat. |
When you make libation after libation you say: "May Igigi, the gods of heaven, and Anunnaki, the gods of earth, accept and listen!" |
When you are to pour out a libation bowl in the evening, between the doors, you say: "Nusku, vizier of the gods, accept life!" |
When you are to verse wine and premium beer in front of Aššur, all the gods, you say: "Aššur, bless Mullissu! Mullissu, may Aššur bless you!" |
Before Šamaš in like manner. Before Adad, in like manner. Before Bel and Nabû, in like manner. You say in like manner before all the gods, and invoke each god by his name. |
When you are to strew salt before Nergal in Tarbiṣu, you say: "Nergal, Laṣ and Išum, accept (pl.) life!" |
Wherever you are to place a censer, you say in all the temples as when providing for the House of God of Nineveh. |
On the 20th day, when you are to strew salt on cooked meat before Belat-dunani, you say: "May Igigi, the gods of heaven, and Anunnaki, the gods of earth, accept and listen!" |
When a dispatch from a campaign comes to Aššur, he (= the king) brings the dispatch into the qirsu-enclosure and seats the messenger. He performs a sheep offering, provides cooked meat and burns a female kid. He places the dispatch on the neck of the message master and goes to the Inner City. |
When a sealed message from the Inner City comes to Nergal, whether in Nineveh, or in Calah, or in an enemy country, the king |
Tablet of Marduk-kabti-ilani, high priest of Aššur, son of Ruqahayu, priest of Nergal, son of Urdu-Aššur ditto, son of Nergal-kuzub-ilani ditto, son of Aššur-bel-ilani ditto, son of DN-ahu-iddina, priest of Aššur. |
Anu and Antu, the Great Gods, Šunipuru, the Narudi, Šalimtu, Enlil and Mullissu, Ninurta and Nusku, Ea-šarru and Damkina, Usumû |
As soon as the king is seated on his seat, the overseer of the palace enters, kisses the ground before the king, and gives his report before the king. The overseer of the palace goes out and brings in the palace herald. |
The palace herald enters, kisses the ground before the king, and stands with the standard opposite the king. The palace herald gives his report before the king. The overseer of the palace goes out and brings in the grand vizier. |
The grand vizier enters, kisses the ground opposite the king before the threshold, and stands opposite the king. |
The chariot-driver brings in the censers, placing one to the right of the king and the other to the left of the king, at the head of the couch. A lackey gives aromatics. If the aromatics run out, the lackey goes out, brings in an iron shovel and removes the burnt aromatics with it. |
One special lackey keeps watch over the brazier with an iron shovel and an iron rake and thongs in his hands. If an ember or a coal falls from the brazier, he enters, picks it up and puts it back on the brazier. If the fire is not in order, he adjusts it. If the wood in the brazier is burnt out, he goes out, brings in wood and places it on the brazier. And if the fire on the brazier is strong, he goes out and brings in his colleague; they ‘collect’ the fire and distribute it where the king commands. |
One special stock-room assistant keeps watch, receives dirty napkins and gives out clean ones, receives dirty handkerchiefs and gives out clean ones. |
One lackey stands before the container of hand-water. If water is lacking, he pours water from the hand-water container. |
One special lackey keeps watch with a broom and a wooden box in his hand. If any tableware is scattered, he brings in a šaliptu and picks it up. And if any |
falls down, he brings in the broom and the wooden box and has it collected, finishes his job, goes and leaves. |
Before sunset, at torch time, torches are lit and brought into the palace. A lackey keeps watch. As soon as a torch is burnt out, he lights a torchwood, brings it in, receives the stumps and takes them out. |
Large goblets are placed on the tables. The overseer of the palace steps in and says: "Give to drink, cupbearer!" |
The magnates rise and remain standing. The tables of the crown prince and of the magnates are lifted up. The table of the crown prince and the table before the king are set in motion. Lackeys enter, sweep the floor with brooms and go. |
He ascends the dais and sets the table. He places upon it loaves of bread, plates with spicy grains, budê-confection, and all sorts of fruit. They fill up the cauldrons, the pithoi and the pots, and place a napkin on the king’s shoulders. The king offers hand-water to Aššur, strews salt, and says thus: "Aššur and Mullissu, Adad and Mašmaš, accept life!" He strews salt on the tables to the right and left. |
He swings the purification device over the table, saying: "The hand is released." He swings it in the centre of the house, saying: "The centre of the house is released." He swings it in the area of the censers, saying: "The house is seized." He swings it over the censer, saying: "May Fire purify!" He gives incense thrice, saying: "Aššur, accept! Aššur, listen!" |
He pours out a libation bowl. While bread is being placed on the table, he treats the gods, performs a funerary offering, and performs sheep offerings. |
The king occupies the stand. Two ox-calves are brought in. The king places a horn of an ox-calf, muscles of sheep and combustibles on the censers. He treats the gods. He burns oil and honey. |
He ascends the dais, displays mēzu-wine and boiled wine, and pours them into the censers. He heaps up the cauldrons, the pithoi and the pots. |
The king comes out from the palace and goes down to the House of God. The god sets out in procession |
He sets the table. He strews salt. He swings the purification device over the table, swings it in the area of the censers, swings it over the censer, gives incense, and pours out a libation bowl. |
Aššur, Mullissu, Lord Tiara, Sîn, Šamaš, Anu, Adad, Mašmaš, the Chariots of War, Šerua, Kippat-mati, Kakka, Mandanu, the Conquerors, the Weapon, the Axe. |
On the 8th day the king went up to the House of God. He kissed the ground before Aššur. He poured out a libation bowl. |
swung it on the censer. He poured out a libation bowl, treated the gods, performed the sheep offerings |
The priests cleaned the table and swept the room with brooms. They offered hand-water, and passed along fumigants. The priests led the way for Lord Tiara and seated him in the centre of the dais. |
The king came out. He performed a sheep offering, poured out a libation bowl. He seated himself on the throne and lifted Lord Tiara upon his head. He went out through the Kalkal Gate and came in through the Kalkal Gate. The exorcists recited the incantations "Tiara, whose awesome splendour" and "Weapon, imbued with great fear." |
On the 18th day the king went up to the House of God. He kissed the ground before Aššur. He performed a sheep offering before Ninurta, Nusku and the gods of the House of God. He performed one before the Conquerors and the Golden Chariot. He performed one before DN. He performed one before Bel and Nabû. He seated the chanters and retired to the side room. |
The king made the chanters rise. He provided for the House of God. He gave presents to the priest and to the steward. He kissed the ground and went straight to the palace. |
On the 19th day the king went up to the House of God. He performed the regular offering before Aššur and Mullissu. He seated the chanters and retired to the side room. |
On the 20th day the king went up to the House of God. He performed the regular offering before Aššur and Mullissu. |
He made the God rise and seated him on the Dais of Destinies. He returned, raised Lord Tiara and seated him on the Dais of Destinies. He illuminated the face. He brought forth a censer and a torch, performed the sheep offerings. He went and seated the chanters. |
He entered the house of Ea-šarru. He seated the chanters again and retired to the side room. He returned and made the chanters rise. |
He provided cooked meat and seated the god on his seat. The table was not cleared. He handed out presents and kissed the ground. |
When you are to provide for the House of Aššur, and to strew salt, you say: "Aššur and Mullissu, Adad and Mašmaš, accept life!" |
When you are to swing the purification device over the table, you say: "The hand is released." You repeat it and swing it in the centre of the house, saying: "The centre of the house is released." You go and swing it in the area of the censers, saying: "The centre of the house is seized." You return and swing it over the censers, saying: "May Fire purify!" |
When you are to provide for the House of God of Nineveh, when you are to strew salt, you say: "Aššur-Ištar, Šamaš, and Marduk, king of the gods, accept life!" |
When you are to swing the purification device over the table, you say: "The hand is released." You repeat it and swing it on the dais, saying: "The centre of the house is released." You go and say in the area of the censers, without coming close: "The centre of the house is seized." You return and swing the purification device over the censer, saying: "May Fire purify!" |
When you are to put combustibles on the censer, you give incense thrice and say: "Ištar accept, Ištar listen!" |
When you are to strew salt on the bread and the glass vessel, you say: "May Nikkal accept, may Kidinbirbir listen!" You return and treat the gods. |
When you are to pour out a libation bowl in the evening on the lintels of the doors, you say: "Nusku, vizier of the gods, accept life!" |
All this is of providing for the House of God of Nineveh. You invoke their names in the morning and evening. |
Before Šamaš in like manner. Before Adad, ditto. Before Bel, ditto. Before Nabû, ditto. You say in like manner before all the gods, and invoke each god by his name. |
When you are to strew salt before Adad and Šala in Kurbail, you say: "Adad-Šala, accept (sg.) life!" |
When you are to kiss the feet of God (lit. ‘gods’), you say: "May Heaven and Apsû bless you (sg.)!" |
When you are to strew salt on cooked meat before Belat-dunani, you say: "May the gods of heaven and the gods of earth accept and listen!" |
He pours a libation of beer and wine, provides cooked meat before Aššur, provides roast meat before the Lady-of-the-Mountain. He scatters dust on his head and opens the vat with a |
The priest of Aššur offers hand-water to the Lady-of-the-Mountain and to the king, and places a rib on the terrace before the Seven Gods. |
The king strews salt on it, performs a funerary offering, strews salt, pours a libation of beer and wine, and provides cooked meat before the Lady-of-the-Mountain. |
Ea, Belet-ili, Damkina and Ninurta go to the Akitu House after Aššur. The Chariot, the Weapon, Amurru, Haya, Mandanu, Nusku and Kakka go before Aššur. |
Aššur, Mullissu, Mašmaš, Šerua, Sîn, Nikkal, Šamaš, Aya, Enlil, Ištar of Nineveh, Kakka, Kippat-mati in the courtyard. Haya and Kusu in the courtyard. Total 14 gods on the right. |
Anu, Antu, Adad, Šala, Ea, Belet-ili, Damkina, Ninurta, Nergal, Nusku, and Mandanu in the courtyard. Total 11 gods on the left. |
On the second day of Nisan I, when he (= the king) has provided cooked meat before Aššur, the chariot-driver enters. He holds the whip towards Aššur, sets the chariot in motion and goes to the Akitu House. The white horses, the teams and the |
For Mullissu to sit at the right-side watchtower is favourable. For Mullissu to sit at the right-side front is favourable. For Mullissu to sit at the left-side watchtower is favourable. For Šerua to sit on the right is unfavourable. For Šerua to sit on the left is favourable. They sit thus in the house of Dagan on the 22nd day. |
He performs the regular offering, sets Aššur in motion and seats him on the dais. Mullissu, Šerua, Kippat-mati, Kakka and Mandanu are seated on the right, Haya and Kusu on the left side, opposite Aššur. He performs the sheep offerings before Aššur. The chanters install the kettledrum. After the chanters have left, cooked meat is provided. |
Haya goes to stand at the head of the boat. The gods of Subartu are made to cross over before him. Aššur sets off and is seated on the dais. He provides for the House of God. |
The xth of Nisan I, the 18th of Elul VI, the xth of Tishri VII, the 4th of Kislev IX, the xth of Shebat XI, the 7th of Adar XII. |
The 4th of Iyyar, the 3rd of Elul VI, the 6th of Tishri VII, the 12th of Marchesvan VIII, the 18th of Shebat XI. |
The 8th of Nisan I, the 17th of Elul VI, the 3rd of Tishri VII, the 16th, 17th, 20th, 22nd, 23rd and 24th of Shebat XI. |
At the dawn of the xth day of Nisan I, the king rises early in the morning and goes to the house of the Assyrian Ištar. He performs a sheep offering before Tašmetu, before Belat-šarri, before Ber, before Uraš, and before Kutatati. The king then goes straight to the palace. He does all this in the morning. |
At the passing of the evening the king puts on the jewellery and goes to the house of the Assyrian Ištar. The king halts in the courtyard. The priest of Aššur pours out one libation bowl of water and another one of |
Tablet of Aššur-nadin-ahhe, junior student, son of Kiṣir-Aššur, exorcist, descendant of Abu-eriba, exorcist of the House of Aššur, son of Babu-šumu-ibni, zabardabbu in Ešarra. |
The officient offers it to the master of the banquet, saying: "It is wine of fame and offspring, |
He thus blesses him and gives him to drink. The officiant and the master of the banquet kiss the ground before Šarrat-eqi and stand up. |
for setting the table and performing the sheep offerings is the responsibility of the high priest and the assistant priest. |
To open the golden locks and the wooden pegs of the doors, to look after the garments and jewellery of all the gods, to give out the palm-leaf fans and arrows, and to guard all the utensils of the House is the responsibility of the steward. |
To sweep the area from the feet of the dais to the bottom of the House, to guard the utensils of the House, to remove the utensils, and to illuminate the pipes is the responsibility of the warden of the House. |
To sweep the area from the Kunuš-kadru gate to the threshold, to guard the gods of the šahūru anteroom, to fill the purification cones, and to guard the golden thunderbirds is the responsibility of the warden of the šahūru anteroom. |
The chief baker of the House of Aššur is responsible for providing bread and date-cakes for the House of Aššur and all the temples. |
The chief brewer of the House of Aššur is responsible for providing beer and hammurtu-beer for the House of Aššur and all the temples. |
To inspect bread and beer constantly and to receive the votive gifts to all the gods is the responsibility of the scribe of the House of Aššur. |
The steward of Aššur, the gatekeeper of the dais, the warden of the House of Aššur, the stool-man, the warden of the šahūru anteroom, the firewood-man, and the cupbearer. |