When Samas ceased; then to his rock returns,
And seats himself with calmness on his brow;
His thoughts in happy memories now flow,
And he recalls the blissful days of yore
When he as seer lived on Euphrates' shore,
As the queen's bard oft tuned a festive lay,
While soft-eyed maidens dance and cymbals play.

[Footnote 1: "Gab-ri," mountains.]

[Footnote 2: "A-si," fox.]

[Footnote 3: "Sam-kha-tu" ("Joy"), one of the maids of Ishtar.]



COLUMN V

EXPEDITION OF ZAIDU IN SEARCH OF THE SEER


Prince Zaidu on his steed now hastes away,
Upon the plains he travelled all that day;
Next morn the Za-Gabri he slow ascends,
Along the mountain sides the horseman wends
Beneath the Eri-ni,[1] and cliffs, and sees
The plains and mountains o'er the misty trees
From the wild summit, and old Khar-sak glow
Above them all with its twin crests of snow.
He plunges in the wild to seek the cave;