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Records of the Past, 2nd series, Vol. I

By A. H. Sayce

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Translation of the Annals of Sargon of Accad and Naram-Sin

OBVERSE

1. When the moon at its setting with the colour of a dust-cloud 2 filled the crescent, the moon was favourable for Sargon who at this season

2. marched against the country of Elam and subjugated the men of Elam.

3. Misery (?) he brought upon them; their food he cut off.

_________

4. When the moon at its setting filled the crescent with the colour of a dust-cloud, and over the face of the sky the colour extended behind the moon during the day and remained bright,

5. the moon was favourable for Sargon who marched against the country of [Phœnicia], and

6. subjugated the country of Phœnicia. His hand conquered the four quarters (of the world).

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7. When the moon increased in form on the right hand and on the left, and moreover [during] the day the finger reached over the horns, 3

8. the moon was favourable for Sargon who at this season produced joy (?) [in] Babylon, and

9. [like] dust the spoil of Bab-dhuna was carried away and

10. … he made Accad a city; the city of … he called its name;

11. [the men of … in the] midst he caused to dwell.

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12. [When the moon] on the left the colour of fire [on] the left of the planet, and

13. [the moon was favourable to Sargo]n who at this season against the country of Phœnicia

14. [marched and subjugated it]. The four quarters (of the world) his hand conquered.

_________

15. [When the moon] behind the moon the four heads were placed,

16. [the moon was favourable to Sargon who at this season] marched [against] the country of Phœnicia and

17. [subjugated the country of Phœnicia.] His [enemies?] he smote; his heroes

18. …………in the gate of its 1 rising.

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19. [When the moon was fixed?] and a span [the moon was favourable to Sargon] as for whom at this season the goddess [Ishtar]

20. [with favours] filled for him his hand the goddess Ishtar [all countries]

21. caused him to conquer; against Tiri (?) …

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22. [When the moon] appeared [like] a lion, the moon was favourable to Sargon who at this season

23. was [very] exalted and a rival (or) equal had not; his own country was at peace. Over

24. [the countries] of the sea of the setting sun 2 he crossed and for 3 years at the setting sun

25. [all countries] his hand conquered. Every place to form but one (empire) he appointed. His images at the setting sun

26. he erected. Their spoil he caused to pass over into the countries of the sea. 1

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27. [When the moon on] the right hand was like the colour of gall, and there was no finger; 2 the upper part was long and the moon was setting (?),

28. [the moon was favourable for] Sargon who enlarged his palace of Delight (?) by 5 mitkhu, and

29. established the chiefs [in it] and called it the House of Kiâm-izallik. 3

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30. When the moon was like a cloud (?), like the colour of gall, and there was no finger; 2 on the right side was the colour of a sword; the circumference of the left side was visible;

31. towards its face on the left the colour extended; the moon was favourable for Sargon against whom at this season Kastubila of the country of Kazalla rebelled and against Kazalla

32. (Sargon) marched and he smote their forces; he accomplished their destruction.

33. Their mighty army he annihilated; he reduced Kazalla to dust and ruins.

34. The station of the birds 4 he overthrew.

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35. When the moon was like a cloud (?), like the colour of gall, and there was no finger; 1 on the right side was the colour of a sword; the circumference of the left was visible;

36. and against its face the Seven 2 advanced; the moon was favourable to Sargon, against whom at this season

37. the elders of the whole country revolted and besieged him in the city of Accad; but

38. Sargon issued forth and smote their forces; their destruction he accomplished.

Reverse

1. Their numerous soldiery he massacred; the spoil that was upon them he collected.

2. "The booty of Istar!" he shouted.

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3. When the moon had two fingers, and swords were seen on the right side and the left, [and] might and peace were on the left

4. its hand presented a sword; the sword in its left hand was of the colour of ’sukhuruni; the point was held in the left hand and there were two heads;

5. [the moon] was favourable for Sargon who at this season

6. subjected the men of [the country] of ’Su-edin 3 in its plenitude to the sword, and

7. Sargon caused their seats to be occupied, and

8. smote their forces; their destruction he accomplished; their mighty army

9. he cut off, and his troops he collected; into the city of Accad he brought (them) back.

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10. [When the moon] had two fingers and on the right side it was of the colour of a sword and on the left it was visible;

11. [and against its face] the Seven advanced; (its) appearance was of the colour of gall; the moon was favourable for Naram-Sin

12. [who at] this season marched against the city of Apirak, and

13. [utterly] destroyed it: Ris-Rimmon the king of Apirak

14. [he overthrew], and the city of Apirak his hand conquered.

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15. [When the moon] on the right it was of the colour of a sword, and on the left it was visible;

16. [and against its face the Seven advanced?]; the moon was favourable for Naram-Sin who at this season

17. marched [against the country of Mâ]ganna 1 and seized the country of Mâganna, and

18 the king of Mâganna his hand captured.

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19. [When against the moon] the Seven were banded, [and] behind it

20. …… never may there be a son (?) ……

Footnotes
37:1 W.A.I., iv. 34. The text has been translated in part by Mr. George Smith. The astrological notices with which the account of Sargon's campaigns is associated are explained by the fact that the great Chaldean work on astronomy and astrology was compiled for his library at Accad, and that one of the objects of this work was to trace a connection between certain astronomical occurrences and the events which immediately followed them.

37:2 Ana pikhirti-su tsirip zakiki.

37:3 The moon lay on its back, and the distance from the extremity of one horn to that of another was as much as a span.

38:1 The Sun-god must be referred to.

38:2 The Mediterranean.

39:1 We infer from this that Sargon had crossed over into Cyprus, and there erected an image of himself. This might explain why his later namesake Sargon sent to the island a monument, which is now in Berlin. General di Cesnola brought back from Cyprus a Babylonian cylinder of hæmatite bearing the inscription, "Abil-Istar, the son of Ilu-Balidh, the servant of the deified Naram-Sin." The cylinder was probably executed either during the reign of Naram-Sin, or shortly afterwards, as the cult of the king is not likely to have continued after the fall of his dynasty.

39:2 It could not be measured.

39:3 "Thus he has appointed."

39:4 What this refers to it is impossible to say. The expression can hardly be metaphorical.

40:1 It could not be measured.

40:2 The Seven Evil Spirits who were supposed to cause eclipses of the moon.

40:3 "The plain of the ’Suti," or nomad tribes on the eastern side of Babylonia.

41:1 The Sinaitic Peninsula.