the religion of babylonia and assyria-第7章

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nd　other　less　important　shrines；　the　Assyrians　sometimes　name　Bêltu　the　spouse　of　A？？ur；　their　national　god；　suggesting　an　identification；　in　the　minds　of　the　priests；　with　that　deity。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ênu…rê？tu　or　Nirig。＇*＇

Whether　/ênu…rê？tu/　be　a　translation　of　/Nirig/　or　not；　is　uncertain；　but　not　improbable；　the　meaning　being　〃primeval　lord；〃　or　something　similar；　and　〃lord〃　that　of　the　first　element；　/ni/；　in　the　Sumerian　form。　In　support　of　this　reading　and　rendering　may　be　quoted　the　fact；　that　one　of　the　descriptions　of　this　divinity　is　/a？sarid　？lani　ahê…？u/；　〃the　eldest　of　the　gods　his　brothers。〃　It　is　noteworthy　that　this　deity　was　a　special　favourite　among　the　Assyrians；　many　of　whose　kings；　to　say　nothing　of　private　persons；　bore　his　name　as　a　component　part　of　theirs。　In　the　bilingual　poem　entitled　/Ana…kime　gimma/　（〃Formed　like　Anu〃）；　he　is　described　as　being　the　son　of　Bel　（hence　his　appearance　after　Bel　in　the　list　printed　above）；　and　in　the　likeness　of　Anu；　for　which　reason；　perhaps；　his　divinity　is　called　〃Anuship。〃　Beginning　with　words　praising　him；　it　seems　to　refer　to　his　attitude　towards　the　gods　of　hostile　lands；　against　whom；　apparently；　he　rode　in　a　chariot　of　the　sacred　lapis…lazuli。　Anu　having　endowed　him　with　terrible　glory；　the　gods　of　the　earth　feared　to　attack　him；　and　his　onrush　was　as　that　of　a　storm…flood。　By　the　command　of　Bel；　his　course　was　directed　towards　ê…kur；　the　temple　of　Bel　at　Niffur。　Here　he　was　met　by　Nusku；　the　supreme　messenger　of　Bel；　who；　with　words　of　respect　and　of　praise；　asks　him　not　to　disturb　the　god　Bel；　his　father；　in　his　seat；　nor　make　the　gods　of　the　earth　tremble　in　Up？ukennaku　（the　heavenly　festival…hall　of　the　gods）；　and　offers　him　a　gift。＇？＇　It　will　thus　be　seen　that　ênu…rê？tu　was　a　rival　to　the　older　Bel；　whose　temple　was　the　great　tower　in　stages　called　ê…kura；　in　which；　in　all　probability；　ê…？u…me…du；　the　shrine　of　ênu…rê？tu；　was　likewise　situated。　The　inscriptions　call　him　〃god　of　war；〃　though；　unlike　Nergal；　he　was　not　at　the　same　time　god　of　disease　and　pestilence。　To　all　appearance　he　was　the　god　of　the　various　kinds　of　stones；　of　which　another　legend　states　that　he　〃determined　their　fate。〃　He　was　〃the　hero；　whose　net　overthrows　the　enemy；　who　summons　his　army　to　plunder　the　hostile　land；　the　royal　son　who　caused　his　father　to　bow　down　to　him　from　afar。〃　〃The　son　who　sat　not　with　the　nurse；　and　eschewed（？）　the　strength　of　milk；〃　〃the　offspring　who　did　not　know　his　father。〃　〃He　rode　over　the　mountains　and　scattered　seedunanimously　the　plants　proclaimed　his　name　to　their　dominion；　among　them　like　a　great　wild　bull　he　raises　his　horns。〃

＇*＇　/ênu…rê？tu/　is　the　reading　which　I　have　adopted　as　the　Semitic　　　　　Babylonian　equivalent　of　the　name　of　this　divinity；　in　consequence　　　　　of　the　Aramaic　transcription　given　by　certain　contract…tablets　　　　　discovered　by　the　American　expedition　to　Niffer；　and　published　by　　　　　Prof。　Clay　of　Philadelphia。

＇？＇　The　result　of　this　request　is　not　known；　in　consequence　of　the　　　　　defective　state　of　the　tablets。

Many　other　interesting　descriptions　of　the　deity　Nirig　（generally　read　Nin…ip）　occur；　and　show；　with　those　quoted　here；　that　his　story　was　one　of　more　than　ordinary　interest。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Nusku。

This　deity　was　especially　invoked　by　the　Assyrian　kings；　but　was　in　no　wise　exclusively　Assyrian；　as　is　shown　by　the　fact　that　his　name　occurs　in　many　Babylonian　inscriptions。　He　was　the　great　messenger　of　the　gods；　and　is　variously　given　as　〃the　offspring　of　the　abyss；　the　creation　of　êa；〃　and　〃the　likeness　of　his　father；　the　first…born　of　Bel。〃　As　Gibil；　the　fire…god；　has　likewise　the　same　diverse　parentage；　it　is　regarded　as　likely　that　these　two　gods　were　identical。　Nusku　was　the　god　whose　command　is　supreme；　the　counsellor　of　the　great　gods；　the　protector　of　the　Igigi　（the　gods　of　the　heavens）；　the　great　and　powerful　one；　the　glorious　day；　the　burning　one；　the　founder　of　cities；　the　renewer　of　sanctuaries；　the　provider　of　feasts　for　all　the　Igigi；　without　whom　no　feast　took　place　in　ê…kura。　Like　Nebo；　he　bore　the　glorious　spectre；　and　it　was　said　of　him　that　he　attacked　mightily　in　battle。　Without　him　the　sun…god；　the　judge；　could　not　give　judgment。

All　this　points　to　the　probability；　that　Nusku　may　not　have　been　the　fire…god；　but　the　brother　of　the　fire…god；　i。e。　either　flame；　or　the　light　of　fire。　The　sun…god；　without　light；　could　not　see；　and　therefore　could　not　give　judgment：　no　feast　could　be　prepared　without　fire　and　its　flame。　As　the　evidence　of　the　presence　of　the　shining　orbs　in　the　heavensthe　light　of　their　fireshe　was　the　messenger　of　the　gods；　and　was　honoured　accordingly。　From　this　idea；　too；　he　became　their　messenger　in　general；　especially　of　Bel…Merodach；　the　younger　Bel；　whose　requests　he　carried　to　the　god　êa　in　the　Deep。　In　one　inscription　he　is　identified　with　Nirig　or　ênu…rê？tu；　who　is　described　above。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Merodach。

Concerning　this　god；　and　how　he　arose　to　the　position　of　king　of　all　the　gods　of　heaven；　has　been　fully　shown　in　chapter　III。　Though　there　is　but　little　in　his　attributes　to　indicate　any　connection　with　？ama？；　there　is　hardly　any　doubt　that　he　was　originally　a　sun…god；　as　is　shown　by　the　etymology　of　his　name。　The　form；　as　it　has　been　handed　down　to　us；　is　somewhat　shortened；　the　original　pronunciation　having　been　/Amar…uduk/；　〃the　young　steer　of　day；〃　a　name　which　suggests　that　he　was　the　morning　sun。　Of　the　four　names　given　at　the　end　of　chapter　III。；　two〃lord　of　Babylon；〃　and　〃lord　god　of　heaven　and　earth；〃may　be　regarded　as　expressing　his　more　well…known　attributes。　/En…ab…？ar…　u/；　however；　is　a　provisional；　though　not　impossible；　reading　and　rendering；　and　if　correct；　the　〃36；000　wild　bulls〃　would　be　a　metaphorical　way　of　speaking　of　〃the　36；000　heroes；〃　probably　meaning　the　gods　of　heaven　in　all　their　grades。　The　signification　of　/En…　bilulu/　is　unknown。　Like　most　of　the　other　gods　of　the　Babylonian　pantheon；　however；　Merodach　had　many　other　names；　among　which　may　be　mentioned　/Asari/；　which　has　been　compared　with　the　Egyptian　Osiris；　/Asari…lu…duga/；　〃/Asari/　who　is　good；〃　compared　with　Osiris　Unnefer；　/Namtila/；　〃life〃；　/Tutu/；　〃begetter　（of　the　gods）；　renewer　（of　the　gods）；〃　/？ar…azaga/；　〃the　glorious　incantation；〃　/Mu…azaga/；　〃the　glorious　charm；〃　and　many　others。　The　last　two　refer　to　his　being　the　god　who；　by　his　kindness；　obtained　from　his　father　êa；　dwelling　in　the　abyss；　those　charms　and　incantations　which　benefited　mankind；　and　restored　the　sick　to　health。　In　this　connection；　a　frequent　title　given　to　him　is　〃the　merciful　one；〃　but　most　merciful　was　he　in　that　he　spared　the　lives　of　the　gods　who；　having　sided　with　Taiwath；　were　his　enemies；　as　is　related　in　the　tablet　of　the　fifty…one　names。　In　connection　with　the　fight　he　bore　also　the　names；　〃annihilator　of　the　enemy；〃　〃rooter　out　of　all　evil；〃　〃troubler　of　the　evil　ones；〃　〃life　of　the　whole　of　the　gods。〃　From　these　names　it　is　clear　that　Merodach；　in　defeating　Tiawath；　annihilated；　at　the　same　time；　the　spirit　of　evil；　Satan；　the　accuser；　of　which　she　was；　probably；　the　Babylonian　type。　But　unlike　the　Saviour　in　the　Christian　creed；　he　saved　not　only　man；　at　that　time　uncreated；　but　the　gods　of　heaven　also。　As　〃king　of　the　heavens；〃　he　was　identified　with　the　largest　of　the　planets；　Jupiter；　as　well　as　with　other　heavenly　bodies。　Traversing　the　sky　in　great　zigzags；　Jupiter　seemed　to　the　Babylonians　to　superintend　the　stars；　and　this　was　regarded　as　emblematic　of　Merodach　shepherding　them〃pasturing　the　gods　like　sheep；〃　as　the　tablet　has　it。

A　long　list　of　gods　gives　as　it　were　the　court　of　Merodach；　held　in　what　was　apparently　a　heavenly　/ê…sagila/；　and　among　the　spiritual　beings　mentioned　are　/Mina…？kul…bêli/　and　/Mina…i？t？…bêli/；　〃what　my　lord　has　eaten；〃　and　〃what　has　my　lord　drunk；〃　/Nadin…mê…gati/；　〃he　who　gives　water　for　the　hands；〃　also　the　two　door…keepers；　and　the　four　dogs　of　Merodach；　wherein　people　are　inclined　to　see　the　four　satellites　of　Jupiter；　which；　it　is　thought；　were　probably　visible　to　certain　of　the　more　sharp…sighted　stargazers　of　ancient　Babylonia。　These　dogs　were　called　/Ukkumu/；　/Akkulu/；　/Ik？suda/；　and　/Iltebu/；　〃Seizer；〃　〃Eater；〃　〃Grasper；〃　and　〃Holder。〃　Images　of　these　beings　were　probably　kept　in　the　temple　of　ê…sagila　at　Babylon。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Zer…pan？tum。

This　was　the　name　of　the　consort　of　Merodach；　and　is　generally　read　Sarp（b）anituma　transcription　which　is　against　the　native　orthography　and　etymology；　namely；　〃seed…creatress〃　（Zer…ban？tum）。　The　meaning　attributed　to　this　word　is　partly　confirmed　by　another　name　which　Lehmann　has　pointed　out　that　she　possessed；　namely；　/Erua/　or　/Aru'a/；　who；　in　an　inscription　of　Antiochus　Soter　（280…260　B。C。）　is　called　〃the　queen　who　produces　birth；〃　but　more　especially　by　the　circumstance；　that　she　must　be　identical　with　Aruru；　who　created　the　seed　of　mankind　along　with　Merodach。　Why　she　was　called　〃the　lady　of　the　abyss；〃　and　elsewhere　〃the　voice　of　the　abyss〃　（/Me…abzu/）　is　not　known。　Zer…pan？tum　was　no　mere　reflection　of　Merodach；　but　one　of　the　most　important　goddesses　in　the　Babylonian　pantheon。　The　tendency　of　scholars　has　been　to　identify　her　with　the　moon；　Merodach　being　a　solar　deity　and　the　meaning　〃silvery〃/Sarpanitum/；　from　/sarpu/；　one　of　the　words　for　〃silver；〃　was　regarded　as　supporting　this　idea。　She　was　identified　with　the　Elamite　goddess　named　Elagu；　and　with　the　Lahamum　of　the　island　of　Bahrein；　the　Babylonian　Tilmun。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Nebo　and　Ta？mêtum。

As　〃the　teacher〃　and　〃the　hearer〃　these　were　among　the　most　popular　of　the　deities　of　Babylonia　and　Assyria。　Nebo　（in　Semitic　Babylonian　Nab？）　was　worshipped　at　the　temple…tower　known　as　ê…zida；　〃the　ever…　lasting　house；〃　at　Borsippa；　now　the　Birs　Nimroud；　traditionally　regarded　as　the　site　of　the　Tower　of　Babel；　though　that　title；　as　has　already　been　shown；　would　best　suit　the　similar　structure　known　as　ê…sagila；　〃the　house　of　the　high　head；〃　in　Babylon　itself。　In　composition　with　men's　names；　this　deity　occurs　more　than　any　other；　even　including　Merodach　himselfa　clear　indication　of　the　estimation　in　which　the　Babylonians　and　Assyrians　held　the　possession　of　knowledge。　The　character　with　which　his　name　is　written　means；　with　the　pronunciation　of　/ak/；　〃to　make；〃　〃to　create；〃　〃to　receive；〃　〃to　proclaim；〃　and　with　the　pronunciation　of　/me/；　〃to　be　wise；〃　〃wisdom；〃　〃open　of　ear；〃　〃broad　of　ear；〃　and　〃to　make；　of　a　house；〃　the　last　probably　referring　to　the　design　rather　than　to　the　actual　building。　Under　the　name　of　/Dim…？ara/　he　was　〃the　creator　of　the　writing　of　the　scribes；〃　as　/Ni…zu/；　〃the　god　who　knows〃　（/zu/；　〃to　know〃）；　as　/Mermer/；　〃the　speeder（？）　of　the　command　of　the　gods〃on　the　Sumerian　side　indicating　some　connection　with　Addu　or　Rimmon；　the　thunderer；　and　on　the　Semitic　side　with　ênu…rê？tu；　who　was　one　of　the　gods'　messengers。　A　small　fragment　in　the　British　Museum　gave　his　attributes　as　god　of　the　various　cities　of　Babylonia；　but　unfortunately　their　names　are　lost　or　incomplete。　From　what　remains；　however；　we　see　that　Nebo　was　god　of　ditching（？）；　commerce（？）；　granaries（？）；　fasting（？）；　and　food；　it　was　he　who　overthrew　the　land　of　the　e