Darius screamed and sat up running his fingers through his sweat-drenched hair. He had just woken up from a nightmare; he dreamt that he died without ever experiencing love. He then stayed up the remainder of the night thinking about love.” Will I ever love?” he thought. He looked around his average house wondering if he will ever have the privilege to love (Kramer 89).
The next morning he wore his leather sandals (Flaherty 27). He looked at his reflection in a bowl of water, and combed his fingers through his thick dark hair; he was picture perfect! Darius set off to work. It was 1760 B.C. and his tenth year at being a scribe. At thirty years’ old he managed to be more successful than ever. He walked out into the streets of Sumer’s Isin, the newly conquered city-sizete by King Kim- Sin of Larrsa (Encarta 2003 Encyclopedia). Although Kim-Sin was a conqueror, Darius adored because under Kim-Sin scribal annals prospered (Encarta 2003 Encyclopedia).He passed through the crowded bazaar and set up at his stand, seeing his fellow scribe friend, Ishtar.
-“Good morning”, Ishtar, said Darius
-“Yes, you are right, it is a good morning”, Ishtar replied.
-“Hah…!” sighed Darius sleepily.
-“Didn’t catch any sleep last night, did you? Were you thinking of love again?”
-“Am I that transparent, Ishtar? My friend, the only reason for me to live is hope of loving someone.”
-“ I will not lie to you Darius. Love feels great, you feel intoxicated all the time. Believe me, I have loved before.”
-“What? When was this?”
-“Many years ago, my friend. Many years ago…..”
-“Excuse me men, which one of you is Darius?” said a large man.
-“ I am . How can I assist you kind sir?” replied Darius.
-“I come to you from my master Hammurabi in Babylon. He has heard of you Darius, and is quite impressed with your work. He would like you to accompany me back to Babylon to be his personal scribe.”
-“I would be honored.”
-“Excellent. Be ready at sunrise tomorrow, I will pick you up here. Good day.”
Hammurabi’s messenger left and Darius jumped with excitement. He worked the rest of the day till sunset, and exchanged goodbyes with Ishtar. As Darius hugged Ishtar, he couldn’t control the tears from flowing down his face. Ishtar saw this and reassured Darius that they will see each other again, if not in this life, in the after life.
It was morning, and Darius was ready to travel. He had all his necessities, and made his way through the bazaar saying goodbye to the things he may never see again. He met Hammurabi’s man, and they rode a two –wheeled chariot that was pulled by horses (Kramer 104).Then they reached the Euphrates River and rode a small wooden boat (Kramer 104). For two days, Darius sat there thinking about his new life and remembering his past life. They finally arrived and went on a chariot ride to Hammurabi’s palace, in what seemed like a few minutes. Darius entered the palace and couldn’t believe his eyes. It was a beautiful place composed of 300 rooms (Jacobs 37). He walked into the throne room, and saw the beautiful floors and walls covered with reed mats, skin rugs, and woolen hangings (Kramer 89). He sat down on a beautiful high backed-chair which was decorated with gold. Hammurabi’s palace was so different from Darius’s simple one storey and brick house. A beautiful lady came up to Darius wearing something very revealing offering him a platter of pomegranates, apples, pears, plums, figs ,and pistachios (ghs.phila.k12). He wasn’t very hungry, but took some grapes just to be polite. The grapes tasted fresh and sweet, like they were just plucked off the tree. The sweetness of the grapes cut through his tongue like a blade. Music was playing and he could hear the voice of a beautiful lady praising Hammurabi. Then Hammurabi entered.
-“Ah, Darius, just the man I wanted to see.”
-“Your grace, I feel honored to be here”, said Darius as he bowed down.
-“Yes, yes, come to dinner, we will talk about business later.”
Darius walked into the dinning and saw the most beautiful feast. He saw the finest baked fish and a gorgeous grilled lamb garnished with vegetables. Darius then set his eyes on the most beautiful woman he ever saw. She was tall, slim, had olive colored skin, and long dark hair. Her green eyes met Darius’s dark brown eyes and together they made hazel. Although he never loved before, he was sure he was in love.
-“ Darius, this is my dear daughter, Inanna, said Hammurabi .”
-“ Pleased to meet you your grace,” said Darius as he bowed down to her .
-“ It is not necessary to bow down for me kind sir”, replied Inanna.
All three of them sat down and enjoyed their feast, as Darius talked about Isin. After dinner, they went to the courtyard to do some talking.
Darius tell me some more about KingRim-Sin.”
“Well he…”
“Your highness, we need you urgently,” said some servants.
“We’ll continue our talk later Darius, feel free to talk with Inanna,” said Hammurabi as he was leaving.
“Darius, what interests you most in life?” said Inanna.
“Love, your grace”.
“There is no need to call me ‘your grace’, it is so formal! Love, huh?
That is interesting. Personally, I have never loved, or ever love for that matter. I will probably marry some rich king. ”What about you?”
Then they both stared into each other’s eyes for what seemed like a lifetime for Darius. Then Darius finally returned from his day dream and said: “ I have never loved, Inna…..but I’m beginning to.”
That was when Innana gently placed her lips on his and kissed him tenderly caressing his tongue with hers. She ran his fingers through his thick dark hair and whispered in his ear:
“I’m beginning to love as well.”
She left the room, and Darius went on his way to his sleeping chambers. He slept peacefully, knowing that he began to love. He woke up at sunrise thinking that if Hammurabi ever found out about his love to Hammurabi’s daughter, he would be a dead man. Then he heard a knock on the door and someone asked him to join Hammurabi at the breakfast table.
“Darius, let’s get down to business. Your first scribal job is to write to all the leaders of city states which are Babylon’s allies, saying that I Hammurabi, king of Babylon will defeat Kim-Sin and invade Isin to unite Sumer (Kramer 72)”.
When Darius heard this he felt as if his heart fell to the floor. Hammurabi then left the table saying that he would like Darius to send them out as soon as possible. Darius just sat there for what felt like hours, until Innana appeared more beautiful than ever. She made sure no one was watching and planted a kiss on his moist lips. She sensed Darius was troubled but Darius couldn’t tell her about her “evil” father. After they exchanged romantic feelings and gestures, Inna left and told Darius how much she loved him. Darius was in such a dilemma! If he warned Isin about Hammurabi, Babylon would suffer thus Innana would suffer. Also Hammurabi could get hurt, and Innana would be in so much pain. But if he didn’t warn Isin, his people would die.
Darius got out his clay tablets from the Euphrates River and sharp fork to write with (Jacobs 43).He started writing to all Babylon’s allies informing them on the invasion. As he wrote, he could not stop tears from rolling down his sweaty cheeks. All he wanted was to become a man of love and now he was turning into a man of hate. He gave the clay tablets to the messenger, and was sitting in his chambers crying until he heard a knock on the door. He opened the door and it was his friend Ishtar. Ishtar noticed his friend’s unhappiness and Darius had no choice but to reveal everything to him.
“What’s in your heart, Darius?”
”Love.”
“Love for Isin, or for Innana?”
“Both.”
“Then save both.”
Darius then told Ishtar to leave to warn RIM-Sin, and that after the battle he and Innana would elope.
Two days later, Darius was back in Isin ready for battle. But then they heard a loud noise,it was a stampede of people from Isin ready for battle, with Kim-Sin as their leader.
“Who told them?!”Exclaimed Hammurabi.
Courage burst in Darius’s body and he exclaimed:” I told them! This is my home, I will not allow you to destroy it.”
Hammurabi took out his bow and arrow and said:” An eye for an eye ,you betrayed me, I will betray you.”
Then he shot Darius with his bow. Innana saw this and ran to Darius .She pledged:” I will love you forever Darius, forever!”
“As will I, Innana, as will I “, said Darius having his last breath.
Darius died a happy man because he died knowing that he was loved. He died with the love of his lady and the love of his home in his heart.
Samar Al Ansari
Class 9.2
March 19th 2003
In loving memory of Samar Al Ansari: a loving daughter, wonderful sister, and great friend.
