Page:Discovery and Decipherment of the Trilingual Cuneiform Inscriptions.djvu/128

Rh confessed, after all, that he was still unconvinced. He, however, made another copy of the now celebrated inscription. After a stay of only one day, Rich retraced his steps towards Persepolis, and pitched his tent on the top of the great staircase, beneath the shadow of the Entrance Porch.

His resolution to abstain from antiquarian labour entirely broke down in presence of the inscriptions. He employed workmen to clear away the rubbish which in some places concealed them, and he disclosed for the first time the inscription on the south stairs leading to the Palace of Darius, and the one opposite on the façade of the stairs of the Palace of Ochus. 'I was actually diligent enough,' he writes, to fall to work at copying the inscriptions; and during the six days we remained at Persepolis I copied all the inscriptions except one. I have found much to corroborate Grotefend's system, and have admired his sagacity. The labour T have gone through will greatly assist him.' Indeed the result of his industry, combined with that of his predecessors, was to leave little more to be done by the copyist at Persepolis. The inscriptions over the animals on the Porch, and the long inscription at Naksh-i-Rustam seem indeed to be the only ones that remained.

1. He copied the three tablets of inscriptions of Xerxes on the Anta of the Palace of Darius, which had been imperfectly done by Le Bruyn (Table 131)

2. The three tablets of inscriptions of Xerxes on the Anta in this palace—now first taken.