In this enumeration it will be observed that a defect in regard to a ‘right’ limb or organ portends evil to the owner or the country, or both, while the defect in a ‘left’ limb or organ is an omen of disaster to the enemy, but not to the owner or his country—a reversal, though a perfectly logical one,
* Boissier, Documents Assyriens relatifs aua présages, p.
110f.
t Wherein the child is born. t Boissier, p. 11.
§ i.e. like alion. The preposition ‘like’ is sometimes added, though generally omitted.
|| Boissier, pp. 132, 143f., 169, etc.
§| Will become insane (?). ** 7,¢e. the herd.
RELIGION OF BABYLONIA
of the usual association of ideas with reference to ‘right’ and ‘left.’ It is because ‘right’ is: gener- ally a good omen that the absence of a ‘right’ ear portends evil, whereas a defect in regard to a ‘Jeft’? ear represents a bad sign for the ‘other party.’ The specific character of the omens may be taken as evidence that the tablets were drawn up on the basis of answers given in the past to inquiries made at a time when the monstrosities, or the unusual phenomena in question, actually occurred ; though it also seems likely that these actual answers were supplemented by indications, furnished in accordance with the principle under- lying the science of omen interpretation, in order to cover future and possible contingencies. The tablets themselves thus assume, in contradistine- tion to the astrological reports above discussed, the character of handbooks, and therefore resemble the incantation texts and rituals. Each large temple would be supplied with such a handbock, and it would be the natural endeavour of the priests of each generation to make additions to it, so as to be in a position to answer readily any question that chee be put. As there were special omen collections for oxen, sheep, swine, colts, birds, insects, and the like, one can readily see how, in this way, the collections would in the course of time assume exceedingly large dimensions.*
It will also be clear that such collections could never be absolutely complete. Cases would arise not thought of or not provided for, and it would then devolve upon the priests to work out new decisions that might be depended upon as trust- worthy. Besides monstrosities among aninals, the actions of certain animals—dogs, oxen, ravens, and certain insects, etc.— were invested with significance ; and the task of the priests would be increased by the endeavour to explain what it meant if one encountered a yellow, white, black, or speckled dog on the street ; or if a dog entered a palace or temple or an ordinary house ; or if araven flew into a man’s house; and even so trivial an occurrence as the dropping of a bit of meat into a man’s house by a raven was regarded as fraught with some meaning. <A tablet informs us that t—
‘If a yellow dog enters a palace, it is a sign of an ominous fate for the palace. If a speckled dog enters the palace, the palace will secure peace from the enemy. If a dog enters the palace and some one kills him, the peace of the palace will be disturbed. If a dog enters a palace and crouches on a couch, no one will live in that palace in peace. If a dog enters a palace and crouches on the throne, the palace will encounter an ominous fate. If a dog enters a palace and lies on a bowl, the palace will secure peace from the enemy.’
As with dogs, so the appearance of locusts in a house was regarded as an omen of ill-luck ; but here, again, distinctions were drawn according to the colour of the locusts, whether black, yellow, white, brown, or speckled. In short, these handbooks of omen interpretation endeavoured, though of course in vain, to cover all possible occurrences that in any way might arouse the attention of those who were directly or indirectly involved ; and the task of the priests, constantly consulted as to the meaning of the purely trivial incidents which form a large proportion of the cases introduced, was no easy one. On the other hand, it was precisely their supposed power of being able to interpret ‘signs,’ and thus to aid the inquirers in preparing for the event prognosticated, and perhaps to fore- stall it, that enabled the priests to retain a firm hold on the people. It was of the utmost im- portance, therefore, for the priests to cultivate the science of omen interpretation, as representing, with the endeavour to free the subjects of the gods from ills and troubles, the practical side of
* The most complete collection as yet published, from which the above examples are taken, is that of Boissier, Documents Assyriens relatifs aux présages, Paris, 1894.
t Boissier, p. 104.
RELIGION OF BABYLONTA re ee a
the prevailing religion ; just as the doctrines re- presented the theoretical phase, and the cult the natural outcome of the desire to do homage to the gods, in order to retain the goodwill of the powers in whose hands the welfare of the country, the success of the rulers, and the fate of the indi- viduallay. The large space occupied by the omen texts in the religious literature that was produced in Babylonia and Assyria, is a valuable testimony to the strength and persistence of the belief that the intention of the gods was revealed in the movements of the sun, moon, and planets, and the phenomena of heaven in general, or in the un- usual happenings in nature, and in abnormal events among men and animals, as well as in all manner of incidents arousing special attention or calling for comment of whatever kind.