But one desire possessed me--to return to Azala.
In the many days which followed the first night of my captivity I
witnessed innumerable marvels. The pageantry in the palace, known to
all as E Sagilla, "The House of the Raising of the Head," was of amazing
brilliance; and in the great city, sixty English miles in circumference,
and built with extreme regularity, with broad, straight streets crossing
one another at right angles, the sights which met my gaze filled me with
astonishment. Though the dwellers in that long-forgotten kingdom
possessed many inventions similar to those I had witnessed in London,
yet their religion, manners and customs were the same as those which
existed four thousand years ago, when the all-powerful Semiramis caused
her record to be engraved in the foundations of the rock she consecrated
to her supposed father, the Moon-god, Sin, "the lord of the waxing and
the waning." The buildings were on colossal scale, with towers reaching
to a far greater height than any I had seen in European cities, and the
display of gold, silver and gems, mostly brought there ages ago by the
notable woman who founded Babylon and conquered Ethiopia, held me in
constant wonderment. In the great courts of the temple-palace I watched
the sacrifice of rams upon the triangular fire-altars, attended by
long-bearded priests of Gibil, the Fire-god, in robes whereon were
embroidered fir cones, apt emblems of fire; and everywhere I noticed
symbols of the celestial deities, while power was typified
indiscriminately on every hand by colossal figures of winged,
human-headed, and sometimes eagle-headed, lions and bulls.
Through one whole moon I had been slave of Istar, and scarcely left her
side for a single instant by night or day, hourly witnessing sights that
were amazing, and occupying my leisure in deciphering the profuse
cuneiform inscriptions graven on almost every wall or door-lintel by
hands that ages ago had crumbled to dust. From them I learned much
regarding the history of that wondrous kingdom; how, before the death of
Semiramis, she was worshipped as Istar, Goddess of Love. In some
inscriptions I found her referred to as "Queen of the Crescent-moon,"
"Queen of the Stars," and "Queen of Heaven"; in others as "Queen of War
and Battle," "Archeress of the Gods," and "Queen of all the Gods;" but
it was distinctly stated in several of the colossal wall-pictures that,
before she died, she decreed that her daughter should be ruler of Ea,
and that all should worship her as Istar. Each Queen should remain
unmarried until the age of forty, and should be worshipped as Goddess of
Love, and each King should be known as Hea, and should place his
daughter upon the throne in preference to his son. Through four
thousand years this wonderful kingdom had existed in all its
magnificence, in defiance to Anu, the god of Destruction, and during
that period the dignity of queen-goddess had been handed down from
generation to generation, its bearer dwelling within that great temple
raised by the autocratic Empress who founded Babylon. Those giant
walls, with their sculptured feasts and victories, had remained intact,
black and polished like iron, colossal monuments of Assyria's greatness,
and as in the silence of night, when I watched while Istar slept, I
gazed upon them and reflected, wondering whether Allah would ever allow
me to escape to tell the world of my amazing discovery of this
mysterious, unknown realm.
Many were the feasts held within that colossal palace, but chief among
them was the Festival of Tammuz, "The only-begotten son of Dav-Kina, the
lady of the earth." This, held about one moon after my captivity, was
upon a scale of unsurpassed magnificence, the feasting, drinking and
merry-making continuing throughout seven days and nights. The court of
the garden of the palace wherein Istar feasted the people of Ea was
fitted up with white, green and blue hangings, fastened with cords of
fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble; the couches
of the female guests were of gold and silver upon the pavement of red,
blue, white and black marble. Men sat in high chairs of ivory, and
drank wine from golden vessels, slaves served them with various fruits
and viands, and each hour the guests were entertained with music and
dancing. Of musical instruments there were but two kinds--a drum, and a
sort of triangular lyre with ten strings, held in the left hand, and
struck with a plectrum held in the right. Exalted upon her dais, in the
centre of the beautiful garden, sat Istar, with queenly hauteur gazing
down upon the animated scene. Every house throughout the city was
illuminated, for the Festival of Tammuz was celebrated by all, and many
were the magnificent banquets given by high officers and notabilities.
Twice Istar drove through the streets in her gilded chariot, drawn by
eight milk-white stallions, I, her slave, sitting at her side. She did
this, no doubt, to publicly demonstrate to the populace the fact that
she held me captive, for as we passed along the straight, broad
thoroughfares she was greeted by the wild plaudits of the multitude,
while upon my head curses most terrible were showered.
When on the last night of the great festival the music had been
silenced, the guests had left their couches, the dancing-girls had
retired, and we were alone together in the silent, moonlit garden, she
sighed deeply, glanced at me for an instant, and rose. Her heavy
anklets of gold clinked as she descended the silver steps of her throne,
and, as mutely I followed, I saw that high above us still shone the
single shaft of intense white light from the summit of the towering
Temple of the Seven Lights. It was, I had learned from one of the
priests, known as The Eye of Istar, a light that had shone forth, night
and day without ceasing, ever since Semiramis herself made the first
sacrifice in that high temple tower of seven coloured stories,
consecrated to the Goddess of Love. On the summit of that tower every
woman was bound by the law of Babylon's founder to make sacrifice to
Istar, and it was the duty of the white-robed vestal virgins to keep the
light burning incessantly, to remind the people that Istar watched over
them and was their ruler. Ofttimes I had been seized with curiosity to
ascend that tower where all women, rich and poor alike, were compelled
to prostrate themselves at least once in their lives, and it was with
satisfaction that I now saw my royal mistress slowly approach the
entrance to the temple-tower. As we crossed the great court the huge
crowd that had assembled bowed in silence. At the portals twelve
fair-haired girls, in robes of pure white, greeted her with great
ceremony; then, headed by a wizened old priest, with snowy beard and
horned cap of gold, surmounted by a star, we commenced to climb the wide
flight of winding marble stairs. The ascent was long and toilsome. At
each stage we halted, and a prayer was recited to the god to whom it was
dedicated, until at length we reached the great domed pavilion that
formed its summit.
From above, the unquenchable light shone down upon the gigantic city,
while the roof of pale blue, decorated with golden stars, was supported
by twisted columns of gilded marble. Ibises, the sacred birds of love,
flitted in and out at will, and in the centre, raised upon a silver
pedestal from the pearl and ebony mosaic pavement, stood an undraped
statue of Istar herself. Its sight entranced me, for in her right hand
she was represented as holding two asps entwined, the same symbol as
that branded upon my breast!
Around the image of the Goddess of Love, a crowd of young women and
girls from the city were kneeling. Some had their lips pressed to its
feet; others were lounging upon skins gazing away out upon the
brightly-lit city. The scene was indeed a striking one. The bright
moon shed her light full upon the statue, causing it to stand out in
bold relief, while the golden braziers, here and there, burned perfumes
which filled the air with a delicious, intoxicating fragrance. When we
entered all was silence, but the instant it became known that Istar
herself was present, with one accord the worshippers rose, struggling
with one another to kiss the hem of her gold-embroidered robe.
Once each year, at the conclusion of the Festival of Tammuz, Istar
herself ascended to pass the night within the temple, and pose in the
flesh as the Goddess of Love. Hence, on that night, great crowds
assembled to see her enter the tower, and the unmarried women of Ea, who
had not before made sacrifice, congregated at the summit. The scene was
strangely impressive. Surrounded by her white-robed priestesses, she
stood before the image in the ekal, or main nave, and raised her bare
white arms to heaven.
When all her votaries had kissed her robe, and ranged themselves around
her, a dead silence fell. Suddenly, in clear, musical tones, her hands
still raised above her head, whereon was fixed the golden star, she
commenced to chant the beautiful hymn to the Moon-god, Sin,--
"Merciful one, begotten of the universe, who foundeth his illustrious
seat among living creatures. Long-suffering father, full of
forgiveness, whose hand upholdeth the lives of mankind. Lord, thy
divinity is as the wide heavens, and filleth the unknown seas with its
fear. On the surface of the peopled world he biddeth the sanctuary be
placed--he proclaimeth their name. The father, the begotten of gods and
men, who causeth the shrine to be founded, who established the offering,
who proclaimeth dominion, who giveth the sceptre, who shall fix destiny
unto a far distant day, look down upon this our House of Lustre, and let
it never be cast down."
Then the women, casting aside their outer garments of silk and purple,
knelt and prayed long, invoking the indwelling spirit of life, called
"Zi," following it by a supplication to Mul-lil "lord of the night-sky,"
and concluding with an appeal to Istar herself, crying,--
"In heaven, who is supreme? Thou alone art supreme! On earth, who is
supreme? Thou alone art supreme!"
It was a curious and weird form of adoration and worship. The Goddess
of Love stood erect and statuesque, without moving a muscle, as each
worshipper, advancing, paid her homage. Some kissed her fingertips,
others her bare feet, each making declaration that they were
henceforward her slaves. Meanwhile, the priestesses, all young women of
extreme beauty, chanted softly strange hymns to the great Baal,
head-father and creator of the universe, and with the moonlight
streaming full upon her, Istar looked, indeed, one of entrancing beauty,
yet cold as an icicle. Above her head the statue, its stone arm
outstretched, held the strange symbol that Azala and I bore upon our
breasts, and as I stood watching I saw with what intense devotion the
women worshipped her. Unseemly rites were undoubtedly connected with
the worship of Istar, the Babylonian Venus, in the time-effaced city of
Sardanapalus, but here there were no degrading symbols; indeed, the
surroundings in this elevated temple showed considerable purity of taste
and feeling, and the sacrifices were in the form of gold, jewels, food
and wine.
At length, after many prayers and supplications to each of the gods of
the celestial triad, Istar turned, and, accompanied by her priestesses,
slowly moved away, her votaries still remaining prostrate upon their
faces.
Behind the ekal in which she had been standing was a veil of golden
thread, which, being drawn aside, disclosed the sacred seat or couch
called the papakha, the holy of holies of the Goddess of Love.
When we had passed beyond the veil, it fell behind us, and the
priestesses, having attended Istar at her elaborate toilet, she reclined
with languor upon the purple velvet cushions of her soft couch.
Meanwhile, the votaries were leaving, and, when the veil was again
raised, the ekal was deserted. But only for a moment. An aged man, in
long, black gown, came forth from the darkness, and, standing on the
spot where the goddess had stood, raised both hands towards her. His
appearance was evidently part of the annual custom, for it was apparent
that the priestesses and slaves, cooling their mistress with their great
fans, had expected him.
Scarcely, however, had he opened his mouth, when Istar, springing from
her couch, stood glaring at him with threatening gesture. Her hands
trembled as words escaped her, "Ah! I had forgotten! Forgotten!" she
wailed. Unsteadily she swayed forward for a moment, then sank back
again upon her couch with blanched countenance.
"Lo!" cried the aged prophet, in a croaking voice, "through three-score
years have I uttered warning!--the same warning, that since the day of
the founder of Ea, hath been spoken at the conclusion of each Festival
of Tammuz, son of the Lady of the Earth."
"Yea, I know! I know!" gasped Istar. "Loose not thy tongue's strings.
Each year thou hast repeated thy prophecy; spare me its recital
to-night!"
"Semiramis, our great queen, commanded that it should be uttered,
therefore seek not to stay my words," he answered reproachfully, in a
grave voice. "Thus saith Anu, god of Destruction, `Semiramis, when she
built Ea, made no sacrifice, because she feared me not. Behold, I will
direct unto Ea a stranger, who shall enter within its gates, and the day
of whose coming none shall know. He shall be as a sign unto you that I
will bring upon Ea a king of kings from the north, with horses and with
chariots, and with horsemen, and with companies, and with much people.
He--'"
"No!" cried Istar, covering her haggard face with her hands, while the
tame lioness stood watching, her tail sweeping the ground. "I know thou
art the skeleton of the Feast of Tammuz, but spare me thy disconcerting
words."
The prophet, however, continued, heedless of her earnest supplications.
"`He shall kill the daughters of Ea in the field; and he shall make a
fort against thee, and cast a mount against thee, and lift up the
buckler against thee. And he shall set engines of war against thy
walls, and with his axes shall he break down these towers. By reason of
the abundance of his horses, their dust shall cover thee; the walls of
Ea shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wheels and of
the chariots, when he shall enter into thy gates, as men enter into a
city wherein is made a breach. With the hoofs of his horses shall he
tread down all thy streets; he shall put thy people to the sword, and
thy strong garrisons shall be against them as a weak reed. And they
shall kill thee and send thee to the city of Ninkigat, ruler of the
great land of evil, whose palace walls are clothed in dust, the
inhabitants thereof wearing robes of feathers like birds. And they
shall make a spoil of thy riches and a prey of thy merchandise; and they
shall break down thy walls and destroy thine houses; and they shall root
up thy foundation-stones, and lay thy timber and thy dust in the midst
of the water.'"
Istar set her teeth. For an instant she glanced at me, the stranger
foretold by the prophet; then her eyes were turned upon the man who had
prophesied her downfall. I saw in their violet depths a steely glitter,
as with one hand she fondled her pet Ninep. Almost as the last word
left the old man's lips she rose to her feet, and, with a word to the
lioness, she pointed to the aged man who had dared to incur her
displeasure. Ninep crouched at the feet of her mistress for a single
instant, then, flying through the air, fixed her deadly fangs in the
sage's throat.
One loud scream of agony sounded as man and beast rolled over in deadly
embrace. Next second I saw the polished pavement was defiled by blood.
Obedient to the call of her mistress, Ninep trotted back and licked her
hand, leaving the prophet mangled and dead. Slaves quickly removed all
evidences of the tragedy, and while they did so Istar sank back, her
fair face buried among the cushions, a single sob escaping her.