English

Iltani, to her dear lord, Bel├ónu: May Bêl-Marduk and Ishtar, Mistress of the gods, cause my lord to live forever. Such was also my prayer to them all the night that is past. Iltani tells her lord that she did not sleep. Iltani tells her dear lord, that she lay on a couch in the garden this night that is gone, because of the house being too little for her heart. But sleep visited her not. The Star of Ishtar was her companion. All night she gazed upon the Star of Ishtar. Iltani has no sister — the Star was her sister. A mother she has — but the Star was more than a mother.

Since by the promise of Iltani
I have been crowned,
I am a king indeed.

The Four Quarters of the earth are mine,
The Four Quarters of the heaven are mine!
The mighty King who dwelleth delicately
In his palace beside E-Sagila,
In his house near the lofty House of Marduk
Walketh as in a sleep,
Dreaming that the Four Quarters are his;
But I, Belânu the poet,
I Belânu, Lord of Iltani,
Am King of Kings
Being King of Iltani!

Hands that have touched her hands
In the clasp of betrothal,

Iltani, to Sikku my dearest friend: Sikku, he has come. He has gone. Sikku, he ate and drank, though not much. I could neither eat nor drink. Tell me, Sikku, when Etiatim, your husband, came to see you for the first time, did he eat and drink? Did you do so? I shook under my garments. My teeth wished to knock together, but I would not allow them to. When he drank the red wine of Eridu, his beard glistened. He smiled at my mother, and wiped it delicately on the napkin of purple linen which she handed him. His mouth was red from the wine and his teeth were white within it.

I have seen my jewel in its pure setting,
I have seen Iltani in the silver setting
Of her mother's love,
Yet fair as was that setting of silver,
Lovely as Iltani shone within it,
I long with a mighty longing
To take forth from it my jewel,
To reset my jewel beyond price
In the fiery gold of my love.

Oh, how beautiful,
How much sweeter than fine myrrh,
How beautiful and sweet was Iltani
In that setting of mild silver!
How far more beautiful than precious stones

Iltani to Sikku, my dear friend; It is the day of his coming. But it is only the eleventh hour. There is this hour to wait. I am already adorned for the occasion. My mother has left me to see that the cakes of sesame and cinnamon, and the clarified honey, and the frothed cream, and the wine and conserves of citron are set forth in fit order. Damka also has gone to assist her. I feel that I must speak to some one. I will speak to you, O Sikku, my kind friend. I would wish you to put your arms about me. I would wish you to put your necklace of blue and green stones about my neck.

Iltani to Sikku my friend: May Marduk and Nabu and Irnini whose other name is Ishtar, all be praised. The device of the image of Ti'u and the little boat has borne fruit. Baal Belânu is cured of his fever. Ti'u has departed out of him. He wrote me these things. He also wrote me other things. But I do not think they would interest my friend Sikku. He thought the rose very small. It was indeed a small rose, as I wrote you, Sikku. But it found favour with him. This will not be interesting news to you. This news will be more interesting.

Iltani has sent me a tiny rose,
Tinier than her little ear
Which is so small, so small
That I fear my great love can never,
Never all be poured into it!
Iltani has sent me a rose,
A little, little rose,
Yet so great has she made it seem to me
By the magic of her graciousness,
That it shuts out heaven and earth,
It shuts out everything to me
But the face of Iltani,
The lovely, lovely face of Iltani,
Which by the magic of her graciousness,
She has imprinted on the heart of the rose she sent me.

Iltani to Sikku my friend: A terrible thing. A terrible thing. Baal Belânu has gone mad. The Demon Ti'u has entered into him with madness. He has sent me another poem calling me Queen and fish of fire. What may a man not do who thinks of such a thing as a fish of fire? What may he not do to her he calls fire-fish? My knees are loosed with fear. Great is my fear, O Sikku. By the life of the gods write to me with comfortable words, Sikku. In the name of the goddess Irnini send me a message of advice quickly. Damka my nurse has brought your letter.

Iltani to Sikku, my friend: May Bêl and Nabu bless my friend and grant her health and joy: I am well and my mother also is well. Because it is the fourth month there are many flowers in Babylon. I went this morning with my mother to the temple of Marduk. Many others went also. The litter was stopped some time at the gate of Ishtar through so many people. A young man looked much at me. He had a beautiful beard. It was the colour of wild grapes. It was curled tighter than the wool of my black Persian lamb. But the curls were like rods, not like rings. I smiled to see such a beautiful beard.

Not direct do I dare speak,
Not direct do I dare speak
To the most beautiful Lady in Babylon,
Not direct to the wondrous Lady Iltani
Do I, all unworthy, venture to speak.
These are but the thoughts of my heart
Upon first beholding her,
Which I set forth
That she may look upon them
Or not look upon them
As seemeth best to her.

In the Street of Procession it was,
Near the gate of Ishtar
On this seventh morning
Seven times blessed
Of the fourth month
That I first beheld her.