the religion of babylonia and assyria-第20部分

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The　/？êdu/　were　apparently　deities　in　the　form　of　bulls。　They　were　destructive；　of　enormous　power；　and　unsparing。　In　a　good　sense　the　/？êdu/　was　a　protecting　deity；　guarding　against　hostile　attacks。　Erech　and　the　temple　ê…kura　were　protected　by　spirits　such　as　these；　and　to　one　of　them　I？um；　〃the　glorious　sacrificer；〃　was　likened。

The　/lamassu/；　from　the　Sumerian　/lama/；　was　similar　in　character　to　the　/？êdu/；　but　is　thought　to　have　been　of　the　nature　of　a　colossusa　winged　man…headed　bull　or　lion。　It　is　these　creatures　which　the　kings　placed　at　the　sides　of　the　doors　of　their　palaces；　to　protect　the　king's　footsteps。　In　early　Babylonian　times　a　god　named　Lama　was　one　of　the　most　popular　deities　of　the　Babylonian　pantheon。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　specimen　incantation。

Numerous　inscriptions；　which　may　be　regarded　as　dating；　in　their　origin；　from　about　the　middle　of　the　third　millennium　before　Christ；　speak　of　these　supernatural　beings；　and　also　of　others　similar。　One　of　the　most　perfect　of　these　inscriptions　is　a　large　bilingual　tablet　of　which　a　duplicate　written　during　the　period　of　the　dynasty　of　Hammurabi　（before　2000　B。C。）　exists；　and　which　was　afterwards　provided　with　a　Semitic　Babylonian　translation。　This　inscription　refers　to　the　evil　god；　the　evil　/utukku/；　the　/utukku/　of　the　plain；　of　the　mountain；　of　the　sea；　and　of　the　grave；　the　evil　/？êdu/；　the　glorious　/al？/；　or　divine　bull；　and　the　evil　unsparing　wind。　There　was　also　that　which　takes　the　form　of　a　man；　the　evil　face；　the　evil　eye；　the　evil　mouth；　the　evil　tongue；　the　evil　lip；　the　evil　breath；　also　the　afflicting　/asakku/　（regarded　as　the　demon　of　fever）；　the　/asakku/　which　does　not　leave　a　man：　the　afflicting　/namtaru/　（fate）；　the　severe　/namtaru/；　the　/namtaru/　which　does　not　quit　a　man。　After　this　are　mentioned　various　diseases；　bodily　pains；　annoyances；　such　as　〃the　old　shoe；　the　broken　shoe…lace；　the　food　which　afflicts　the　body　of　a　man；　the　food　which　turns　in　eating；　the　water　which　chokes　in　drinking；〃　etc。　Other　things　to　be　exorcised　included　the　spirit　of　death；　people　who　had　died　of　hunger；　thirst；　or　in　other　ways；　the　handmaid　of　the　/lilu/　who　had　no　husband；　the　prince　of　the　/lilu/　who　had　no　wife；　whether　his　name　had　been　recorded　or　unrecorded。

The　method　of　exorcising　the　demons　causing　all　these　things　is　curious。　White　and　black　yarn　was　spun；　and　fastened　to　the　side　and　canopy　of　the　afflicted　person's　bedthe　white　to　the　side　and　the　top　or　canopy；　the　black　to　the　left　handand　then；　apparently；　the　following　words　were　said：

〃Evil　/utukku/；　evil　/al？/；　evil　/êdimmu/；　evil　/gallu/；　evil　god；　evil　/rabisu/；　/labartu/；　/labasu/；　/ahhazu/；　/lilu/；　/lilithu/；　handmaid　of　/lilu/；　sorcery；　enchantment；　magic；　disaster；　machination　which　is　not　goodmay　they　not　set　their　head　to　his　head；　their　hand　to　his　hand；　their　foot　to　his　footmay　they　not　draw　near。　Spirit　of　heaven；　mayest　thou　exorcise；　spirit　of　earth；　mayest　thou　exorcise。〃

But　this　was　only　the　beginning　of　the　real　ceremony。　The　god　Asari…　alim…nunna　（Merodach）；　〃eldest　son　of　êridu；〃　was　asked　to　wash　him　in　pure　and　bright　water　twice　seven　times；　and　then　would　the　evil　lier…　in…wait　depart；　and　stand　aside；　and　a　propitious　/？êdu/　and　a　propitious　/labartu/　reside　in　his　body。　The　gates　right　and　left　having　been　thus；　so　to　say；　shut　close；　the　evil　gods；　demons；　and　spirits　would　be　unable　to　approach　him；　wherever　he　might　be。　〃Spirit　of　heaven；　exorcise；　spirit　of　earth；　exorcise。〃　Then；　after　an　invocation　of　êrê？…ki…gal　and　I？um；　the　final　paragraph　was　pronounced：

　　〃The　afflicted　man；　by　an　offering　of　grace　　　In　health　like　shining　bronze　shall　be　made　bright。　　　As　for　that　man；　　　？ama？　shall　give　him　life。　　　Merodach；　first…born　son　of　the　Abyss；　　　It　is　thine　to　purify　and　glorify。　　　Spirit　of　heaven；　mayest　thou　exorcise；　spirit　of　　　　　earth；　mayest　thou　exorcise。〃


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Rites　and　ceremonies。

As　may　be　expected；　the　Babylonians　and　Assyrians　had　numerous　rites　and　ceremonies；　the　due　carrying　out　of　which　was　necessary　for　the　attainment　of　the　grace　demanded；　or　for　the　efficacy　of　the　thanks　tendered　for　favours　received。

Perhaps　the　oldest　ceremony　recorded　is　that　which　Ut…napi？tim；　the　Chald？an　Noah；　made　on　the　/zikkurat/　or　peak　of　the　mountain　after　the　coming　forth　from　the　ship　which　had　saved　him　and　his　from　the　Flood。　The　Patriarch's　description　of　this　ceremony　is　short：

　　〃I　sent　forth　to　the　four　winds；　I　poured　out　a　libation　　　I　made　an　offering　on　the　peak　of　the　mountain：　　　Seven　and　seven　I　set　incense…vases　there；　　　Into　their　depths　I　poured　cane；　cedar；　and　scented　wood（？）。　　　The　gods　smelled　a　savour；　　　The　gods　smelled　a　sweet　savour；　　　The　gods　gathered　like　flies　over　the　sacrificer。〃

Following　in　the　footsteps　of　their　great　progenitor；　the　Babylonians　and　Assyrians　became　a　most　pious　race；　constantly　rendering　to　their　gods　the　glory　for　everything　which　they　succeeded　in　bringing　to　a　successful　issue。　Prayer；　supplication；　and　self…abasement　before　their　gods　seem　to　have　been　with　them　a　duty　and　a　pleasure：

　　〃The　time　for　the　worship　of　the　gods　was　my　heart's　delight；　　　The　time　of　the　offering　to　I？tar　was　profit　and　riches；〃

sings　Ludlul　the　sage；　and　all　the　people　of　his　land　were　one　with　him　in　that　opinion。

It　is　noteworthy　that　the　offering　of　the　Chald？an　Noah　consisted　of　vegetable　produce　only；　and　there　are　many　inscriptions　referring　to　similar　bloodless　sacrifices；　and　detailing　the　ritual　used　in　connection　therewith。　Sacrifices　of　animals；　however；　seem　to　have　been　constantly　madein　any　case；　offerings　of　cattle　and　fowl；　in　list…form；　are　fairly　numerous。　Many　a　cylinder…seal　has　a　representation　of　the　owner　bringing　a　young　animala　kid　or　a　lamb　as　an　offering　to　the　deity　whom　he　worshipped；　and　in　the　inscriptions　the　sacrifice　of　animals　is　frequently　referred　to。　One　of　the　bilingual　texts　refers　to　the　offering　of　a　kid　or　some　other　young　animal；　apparently　on　behalf　of　a　sick　man。　The　text　of　this；　where　complete；　runs　as　follows：

　　〃The　fatling　which　is　the　'head…raiser'　of　mankind　　　He　has　given　the　fatling　for　his　life。　　　He　has　given　the　head　of　the　fatling　for　his　head；　　　He　has　given　the　neck　of　the　fatling　for　his　neck；　　　He　has　given　the　breast　of　the　fatling　for　his　breast。〃

Whether　human　sacrifices　were　common　or　not　is　a　doubtful　point。　Many　cylinder…seals　exist　in　which　the　slaying　of　a　man　is　depicted；　and　the　French　Assyriologist　Menant　was　of　opinion　that　they　represented　a　human　offering　to　the　gods。　Hayes　Ward；　however；　is　inclined　to　doubt　this　explanation；　and　more　evidence　would　seem；　therefore；　to　be　needed。　He　is　inclined　to　think　that；　in　the　majority　of　cases；　the　designs　referred　to　show　merely　the　victims　of　divine　anger　or　vengeance；　punished　by　the　deity　for　some　misdeed　or　sin；　either　knowingly　or　unknowingly　committed。

In　the　Assyrian　galleries　of　the　British　Museum；　A？？ur…nasir…apli；　king　of　Assyria；　is　several　times　shown　engaged　in　religious　ceremonieseither　worshipping　before　the　sacred　tree；　or　about　to　pour　out；　apparently；　a　libation　to　the　gods　before　departing　upon　some　expedit