ing over the deep and wasteness of the earth, shows a similar coloring."

Much of the Chaldean account of the creation has not been recovered. We must be content to pass on to the fifth tablet, which gives the work of the fourth day of Genesis. We read as follows:

He constructed dwellings for the great gods. He fixed up constellations whose figures were like animals. He made the year. Into four quarters he divided it. Twelve months he established, with their constellations, three by three. And for the days of the year he appointed festivals. He made dwellings for the planets; for their rising and setting. And that nothing should go amiss, and that the course of none should be retarded, he placed with them the dwelling of Bel and Hea. He opened great gates on every side; he made strong the portals, on the left hand and on the right. In the center he placed luminaries. The moon he appointed to rule the night, and to wander through the night until the dawn of day. Every month, without fail, he made holy assembly days. In the beginning of the month, at the rising of the night, it shot forth its horns to illuminate the heavOn the seventh day he appointed a holy day, and to cease from all business he commanded. Then arose the sun in the horizon of heaven (in glory). †

ens.

We have here the creation of the heavenly bodies, the appointment of the moon "to rule the night," the division of the year into seasons, months, and days, and the appointment of festivals. Compare the statement of Genesis: "And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years," (i, 14.) The resemblance is striking. A most interesting part of this tablet is that concerning the fixing up of the constellations, "whose figures were like animals." We must date back the beginnings of astronomy to remotest antiquity.

A portion of the seventh tablet is saved, and gives the creation of "cattle of the field, beasts of the field, and creeping things of the field;" corresponding with the "beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind," of the sixth creation day of Genesis (i, 25). Not only in substance, but also in

Letter of Prof. Sayce to "The Academy," March 20, 1875; quoted by Lenormant, "Chaldean Magic," pp. 123, 124.

"Records of the Past," vol. xi, pp. 117, 118, Talbot.

the order of creation, the tablets agree remarkably with the Bible.*

A second account of the creation, coming from Cuthah, and older than our first account, shows marked differences, while agreeing in important particulars with Berosus. According to this tablet, the first creation was one of monsters and giants, "men with the bodies of birds of the desert, human beings with the faces of ravens;" "the terrible brood of Tihamat, the principle of chaos and night. Among them were seven kings, all brothers, the sons of King Banini and Queen Milili, who ruled over a Titanic people 6,000 in number. The eldest of the brothers was called 'the thunder-bolt,' which gives us a clew to the atmospheric origin of the myth." These giants are at last defeated and destroyed by the gods. These legends, in their origin, probably date back centuries before the time of Abraham. We may hope that the spade will yet uncover the Accadian originals.

An Assyrian tablet contains a most curious account of the revolt of the angels. At the first, all was peace and harmony in heaven. When God laid the foundations of the earth, "the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy," (Job xxxviii, 7,) but there were angels who "kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation." Jude 6. According to this tablet, while the hosts of heaven were engaged in holy song, the signal for revolt was given; upon which part of the heavenly hosts broke out in curses, and were cast out of heaven. We give a portion of this interesting legend as translated by Talbot:

The Divine Being spoke three times, the commencement of a psalm. The god of holy songs, Lord of religion and worship, seated a thousand singers and musicians, and established a choral band, who to his hymn were to respond in multitudes. With a loud cry of contempt they broke up his holy song, spoiling, confusing, confounding, his hymn of praise. The god of the bright crown, with a wish to summon his adherents, sounded a trumpet blast which would wake the dead; which to those rebel angels prohibited return. He stopped their service, and sent them to the gods who were his enemies. In their room he created mankind. The first who received life dwelt along with him.

* Later translations of the creation tablets make a few important changes, which, however, do not affect the value of the comparisons suggested in this paper. "Babylonian Literature," p. 33.

May he give them strength never to neglect his word, following the serpent's voice whom his hands had made. And may the god of divine speech expel from his five thousand that wicked thousand who, in the midst of his heavenly song, had shouted evil blasphemies! The god Ashur, who had seen the malice of these gods who deserted their allegiance to raise a rebellion, refused to go forth with them.*

It may be noticed in this connection that the mediæval Church also believed that man was created to fill the void left by the rebel angels.

The epic of Izdubar is, in all respects, a most important production. Any account of the Assyrian religion which neglects this great national epic will be very defective indeed. We endeavor to furnish a general outline of this mythological and religious work: The husband of Ishtar-Dumzi or Dumuzi by name, (Tamzi, Tammuz, of Hebrew history, "the son of life,") the analogue of Adonis-is the chief of Erech. After his death she rules in his stead. She begins to lead a dissolute life, and soon becomes the scandal of the kingdom. Humbaba, or Hubaba, a powerful Elamite chieftain, invades and conquers the kingdom. (Humba was an Elamite god.) This occurs about 2280 B. C.

Izdubar (this is but a provisional conjectural reading; George Smith identifies him with Nimrod) has a dream. The stars of heaven fall. They strike him on the back. He beholds a terrible being, with claws like a lion, standing over him. He calls upon the wise men to interpret the dream. He offers them rich rewards if they prove successful. None of them are able to show the interpretation of the dream. Izdubar is sorely troubled.

He thinks of Heabani, "creation of Hea." This monster is a satyr which avoids human society, dwells in a forest in a cave by himself, by the side of a great river. His only companions are the wild beasts which surround his gloomy dwelling. He is represented as half man and half bull, somewhat resembling the Minotaur or Pan of the Greeks. Hea has endowed him with great wisdom, for which he has become renowned. Izdubar calls upon him to interpret the dream. At first he is angry because his solitude has been thus invaded. At length the god Samas persuades him, and Zaidu, "the hunter," son of

*"Records of the Past," vol. vii, pp. 127, 128.

Izdubar, with the help of two dissolute women, Harimtu and Samhat, entices him to Erech.

Izdubar prays and offers sacrifices to Samas and Ishtar. After this, in company with Heabani, he goes to the palace of Humbaba. Humbaba is slain, and the two heroes carry away trophies of their exploit. Izdubar now becomes king of Erech.

Ishtar proposes marriage to Izdubar, but is refused. She is angry, goes to heaven, and complains to Anu and Anatu. A "divine bull" is created to slay Izdubar, but the latter procures the assistance of Heabani, and they slay the "bull." (Representations of this conflict are to be found on the monuments.) Ishtar rages, and curses Izdubar. She goes to Hades to summon unearthly powers against him, "to the house where all meet, the dwelling of the god Irkalla-to the home men enter, but cannot depart from; to the road men go, but cannot return. The abode of darkness and famine, where earth is their food, . . . ghoul-like birds flutter their wings there." It is not an easy matter to gain admittance to this realm of the shades, for there are seven gates which must be passed, and each gate is well guarded. She applies for admission at the first of the seven gates, threatening to let out the dead as vampires if her request be not granted. After considerable difficulty the porter is commanded by Ninkigal, "goddess of the great region," to admit her. Through the seven gates she passes, but at each is compelled to leave some portion of her attire and ornaments-her crown, her earrings, her necklace, her mantle, her bracelet, her tunic-until, naked at last, she appears in the presence of Ninkigal, who derides her. Namtar, the plague demon, smites her for her sins with loathsome diseases in the sides, eyes, feet, heart, head, and limbs. She still nurses wrath and jealousy against Izdubar.

There is great grief upon the earth at her departure, for every thing goes wrong. Upon the petition of the gods, Hea, "lord of deep thoughts," undertakes her release. He creates Uddusu-namir, a monster half man and half bitch, and, like Cerberus of the classics, having more than one head. First he forms a figure of clay, and then breathes into it, and it is alive. This monster he sends to Hades with the command to secure the release of Ishtar by magic rites. He succeeds, although at first Ninkigal only strikes her forehead and bites

her finger. Namtar heals Ishtar of her disease by pouring upon her the water of life, and she returns to earth receiving back her clothing and jewels as she passes through the seven gates.

Now Anatu, the mother of Ishtar, plots against Izdubar. She smites him with a terrible disease. His friend and ally, Heabani, is killed by an unknown reptile or insect, called Tambukki. Izdubar is weighed down with great grief, and for advice goes in search of his father, Hasisadra, son of Ubaratutu. He reaches a fabulous region, in which there are monsters with feet resting in hell and heads towering into the heavens. They possess great power, and control the sun. A scorpion man with his wife, "burning with terribleness," guards the gate. Izdubar reveals to them his purpose. The monsters endeavor to dissuade him from proceeding, and describe in unmeasured terms the dangers of the journey. He pleads the necessity, and they permit him to pass. He reaches the sea-coast, and his progress is again barred by two women, Siduri and Sabitu. Having prevailed with them, he meets with a boatman, Nes-Hea, and with him journeys by water. Through many adventures and perils, in which we will not follow him, he at length reaches the land where his father dwells, and unfolds his mission. In the course of his reply Hasisadra says, "Spoiling and death together exist; of death the image has not been seen. The man or servant, on approaching death, the spirit of the great gods takes his hand. The goddess Mamitu, maker of fate, to them their fate brings. She has fixed death and life; of death the day is not known." Again Hasisadra, who is the Chaldean Noah, says, "Be revealed to Izdubar, the Concealed," and relates the story of the flood. It is in substance as follows: Hasisadra is ordered to build a ship six hundred cubits long and sixty cubits wide, and the same number in height. He is commanded to "cause also the seed of life of every kind to go up into the midst of the ship." There must be placed in the ship "thy grain, thy furniture, thy goods, thy wealth, thy women slaves, thy handmaids, and the sons of the host (the beasts) of the field, the wild animals of the field." The ship is made according to directions, and covered outside and inside with pitch. Hasisadra makes a trial trip, and is satisfied with his work. He is forewarned of