Page:Discovery and Decipherment of the Trilingual Cuneiform Inscriptions.djvu/73

 supported. In front are an elephant on one side and a rhinoceros on the other, having 'visages with beards and long hair like men, agreeable to that fourth beast which Daniel looked upon.' One of the other animals is 'like unto a Pegasus,' 'trapped with warlike mail'; but the fourth 'is so disfigured that it cannot be described.' Turning to the right, we see at the edge of the terrace a tombstone of the usual pattern, engraved apparently with cuneiform letters. It stands entirely by itself, and is no doubt the jasper or marble table referred to in the text. Beyond it, upon the same level, are a large number of columns and the ruins of many others are to be seen strewn upon the ground. He tells us 'there be but 19 pillars at this day extant, yet the fractures and bases of 21 more are perspicable.' 'It is evident,' however, he continues, 'there were in all a hundred pillars when the place was in perfection, as appears by the vacant spaces and also bases. . . which are yet visible.' The entire centre of the picture is occupied by a raised platform, no less than thirty feet above the level of the porch and columns. It is approached by a double staircase constructed in precisely the same manner as the first. The north wall of this elevated terrace stretches across, west to east, from the columns below to the hill that bounds the platform on the east, and it is completely covered from end to end with bas-reliefs. This sculptured wall was entirely forgotten by Herbert in his earlier editions, and it is now described elaborately, the description being evidently borrowed from Della Valle, a few errors being introduced, possibly from the 'mixt notes.' Having ascended to this elevated terrace, we come to a huge two-storied building, open at the top, resembling a modern factory gutted by a fire. It is divided into three compartments, and is represented as occupying