[Illustration:  198.jpg A LION ISSUING FROM ITS CAGE]

     Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a photograph taken from the
     original in the British Museum.

Frequently the beast would be turned loose in the park, and left there till accustomed to his surroundings, so that later on he might be run down under conditions somewhat resembling his native freedom.  Assur-bani-pal did not shun a personal encounter with an infuriated lion; he displayed in this hazardous sport a bravery and skill which rivalled that of his ancestors, and he never relegated to another the task of leading the attack or dealing the final death-blow.  This, however, was not the case when it was a question of starting on some warlike expedition; he would then leave to his Tartans, or to the Eabshakeh, or to some other chosen officer, the entire conduct of all operations.*

     * We have seen, for example, that after the death of
     Esarhaddon, the Egyptian campaign was conducted by one of
     the Tartans and the Eabshakeh.

This did not preclude the king from taking an interest in what was passing beyond the frontier, nor did he fail in his performance of the various religious duties which custom imposed on an Assyrian sovereign:  he consulted the oracles of Shamash or Ishtar, he offered sacrifices, he fasted and humbled himself in the temples to obtain the success of his troops, and when they returned laden with spoil from the campaign, he attributed their victories no less to his prayers than to their courage or to the skill of their leaders.  His generals, thoroughly equipped for their task, and well supported by their troops, had no need of the royal presence to ensure their triumph over any foe they might encounter; indeed, in the absence of the king they experienced a liberty of action and boldness in pressing their victories to the uttermost which they would not have enjoyed had he been in command.  Foreigners, accustomed to see the sovereigns of Nineveh conduct their armies in person, as long as they were not incapacitated by age, thought that the indolence of Assur-bani-pal was the unconscious expression of weariness or of his feeble control of the empire, and Akhsheri determined to be one of the first to take advantage of it.  Events proved that he was mistaken in his calculations.  No sooner had his intentions become known, than a division of Assyrian troops appeared on his frontier, and prepared to attack him.  Resolving to take the initiative, he fell one night unexpectedly upon the Assyrian camp, but fortune declared against him:  he was driven back, and his broken ranks were closely pursued for a distance of twenty-three miles.  Eight of his strongholds fell one after the other, and he was at length forced to abandon his capital of Izirtu, and flee precipitately to his fortress of Adrana in the heart of the mountains.  Even there he did not find the security he desired, for the conqueror pursued him thither, methodically