Semiramis - Semiramis (English spelling)

A legendary queen of Babylon. Born to the Syrian goddess Derketo and Caysterus, she was soon abandoned and raised by doves and shepherds. As she grew up, she was seen for her beauty and married Onnes, a servant of the Assyrian king Ninos. She helped her husband with her intelligence, but this turned out to be her enemy. King Ninos, who was fascinated by her military strategy, forcibly took her away from Onnes and made her his wife. They had one child, Ninyas, but the king died soon after, so she took the throne and ruled Babylon for a long time. She built many buildings, but the Hanging Gardens are particularly famous. After conquering all of Asia, she turned her sights to India, but later handed the throne over to her son and transformed into a dove after her death. Her model is said to be Samramat, the wife of the Assyrian king Shamshi-Adad V.

[Kazuhiko Tange]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

伝説的なバビロンの女王。シリアの女神デルケトとカユストロスとの間に生まれたが、すぐに捨て子にされ、鳩(はと)と羊飼いに育てられた。成長後はその美貌(びぼう)を見込まれてアッシリア王ニノスの臣オンネスと結婚し、その才知で夫を助けたが、それがかえって仇(あだ)となり、彼女の軍略にほれ込んだニノス王が彼女をオンネスからむりやり奪い取って妻とした。1子ニニュアスが生まれたが、王がまもなく死去したため、彼女が王位を継いで長くバビロンを支配した。数々の建築造営工事を行ったが、なかでもとくに空中庭園は有名である。また彼女は全アジアを征服したのち、その矛先をインドにまで向けたが、のちに王位を息子に譲って死後は鳩に変身したという。アッシリア王シャムシ・アダド5世の妃(きさき)サムラマトがそのモデルとされる。

［丹下和彦］

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