The Religion of Babylonia and Assyria Part 22

In this way the exorciser proceeds to enumerate an exceedingly long list of sins--no less than one hundred--most of which are ethical misdemeanors, while others are merely ceremonial transgressions. In the third tablet of this series[414] there is even a longer list of causes for the ban which Marduk, the "chief exorciser" among the G.o.ds, is called upon to loosen. Here again we find an equal proportion of moral transgressions placed on a par with errors in performing religious rites or unwillful offences in neglecting conventional methods of doing things.

The ethical features of the texts can, without much question, be put down as the work of the later editors. They belong to a period when already an advanced conception not only of right and wrong, but also of sin had arisen among the religious leaders of the people, and perhaps had made its way already among the ma.s.ses, without, however, disturbing the confidence in the traditional superst.i.tions. The strange combination of primitive and advanced religious beliefs is characteristic, as we shall have occasion to see, of various divisions of the Babylonian religious literature. The lapse from the ethical strain to the incantation refrain is as sudden as it is common. The priest having exhausted the category of possible sins or mishaps that have caused the suffering of the pet.i.tioner, proceeds to invoke the G.o.ds, G.o.ddesses, and the powerful spirits to loosen the ban. There is no question of retribution for actual acts of injustice or violence, any more than there is a question of genuine contrition. The enumeration of the causes for the suffering const.i.tutes in fact a part of the incantation. The mention of the real cause in the long list--and the list aims to be exhaustive, so that the exorciser may strike the real cause--goes a long way towards ensuring the departure of the evil spirit. And if, besides striking the real cause, the exorciser is fortunate enough in his enumeration of the various G.o.ds, G.o.ddesses, and spirits to call by name upon the _right_ G.o.d or spirit, the one who has the power over the demon in question, his object is achieved. Speaking the right words and p.r.o.nouncing the right name, const.i.tute, together with the performance of the correct ceremony and the bringing of the right sacrifice, the conditions upon which depends the success of the priest in the incantation ritual. Hence the striking features of these texts, the enumeration of long lists of causes for misfortune, long lists of powers invoked, and a variety of ceremonies prescribed, in the hope that the priest will "hit it" at one time or the other.

Incantations and Prayers.

The incantations naturally shade off into prayers. Frequently they are prayers pure and simple. Powerful as the sacred formulas were supposed to be, the ultimate appeal of the sufferer is to the G.o.ds. Upon their favor it ultimately depends whether the mystic power contained in the sacred words uttered shall manifest itself to the benefit of the supplicant or not. While it is proper, therefore, to distinguish incantations from prayers, the combination of the two could scarcely be avoided by the priests, who, rising in a measure superior to the popular beliefs, felt it to be inconsistent with a proper regard for the G.o.ds not to give them a superior place in the magical texts. The addition, to the sacred formulas, of prayers directly addressed to certain G.o.ds may be put down as due to the adaptation of ancient texts to the needs of a later age; and, on the other hand, the addition of incantations to what appear to have been originally prayers, pure and simple, is a concession made to the persistent belief in the efficacy of certain formulas when properly uttered. Such combinations of prayers and incantations const.i.tuted, as would appear, a special cla.s.s of religious texts; and, in the course of further editing,[415] a number of prayers addressed to various deities were combined and interspersed with incantation and ceremonial directions which were to accompany the prayers.

The incantations accordingly lead us to the next division in the religious literature of the Babylonians,--the prayers and hymns.

FOOTNOTES:

[341] _Die a.s.syrische Beschworungsserie, Maqlu_, p. 14.

[342] There are some preserved solely in the ideographic style, and others of which we have only the phonetic transliteration.

[343] _Die Propheten in ihrer ursprunglichen Form_, pp. 1, 6. This work is a valuable investigation of the oldest form of the poetic compositions of the Semites.

[344] The fifth and sixth tablets of the series. It is probable that several editions were prepared,--some wholly Babylonian, others bilingual.

[345] Haupt, _Akkadische und Sumerische Keilschrifttexte_, p. 83. col.

I. ll. 1-10.

[346] Wherever feasible, the Babylonian name of the demon will be used in the translations.

[347] Our word 'nightmare' still embodies the same ancient view of the cause of bad dreams as that found among the Babylonians.

[348] See above, p. 182.

[349] IV R. pl. 5.

[350] See Perrot and Chiplez, _History of Art in Chaldaea and a.s.syria_, i. 61, 62; ii. 81 for ill.u.s.trations.

[351] IV R. 2, col. v. ll. 30-60.

[352] The G.o.d of humanity. The phrase is equivalent to saying that the spirits are hostile to mankind.

[353] Literally, 'to their second time,' _i.e._, repeat 'seven are they.'

[354] See Hopkins, _The Holy Numbers in the Rig-Veda_ (Oriental Studies), pp. 144-147.

[355] IV R. 15, col. ll. 21 _seq._

[356] See chapter xi.

[357] For the general views connected with the evil eye among all nations, see Elworthy's recent volume, _The Evil Eye_. (London, 1896.)

[358] For ill.u.s.trations taken from various nations, see Fraser, _The Golden Bough_, ii. 9-12; ii. 85-89.

[359] See for ill.u.s.trations of similar practices among Egyptians and Greeks, Budge, _Life and Exploits of Alexander the Great_ (London, 1896), pp. xii-xvii.

[360] Mr. L. W. King describes (_Zeits. fur a.s.syr._ xl. 50-62) interesting fragments of the Dibbarra (or 'plague-G.o.d') legend found on tablets which were evidently intended to be hung up. Mr. King suggests that such tablets were hung up in the houses of the Babylonians whenever a plague broke out. One is reminded of the _mezuzoth_, the metallic or wooden cases, attached to the doorposts of their houses by the Jews, and which originally served a similar purpose.

[361] Tallqvist, _a.s.syr. Beschworungsserie Maklu_, p. 115, suggests that the 'veiled bride' may be a name of some G.o.ddess of the night. This is improbable. It sounds more like a direct personification of the night, for which an epithet as 'veiled bride' seems appropriate. The name may have arisen in consequence of mythological conceptions affecting the relations.h.i.+p between day and night.

[362] A magic potion compounded of this plant. 'Maklu' series, i. ll.

8-12.

[363] 'Maklu' series, ii. ll. 148-168.

[364] See Relsner, _Sumerisch-Babylonische Hymnen_ (Berlin, 1896), p.

15.

[365] See p. 137.

[366] Robertson Smith, _Religion of the Semites_, p. 352. Grimm, _Deutsche Mythologie_, i. 508-596. Tylor, _Primitive Culture_, ii. 383 _seq._ See also the article "Hestia" in Roscher's _Ausfuhrliches Lexikon der Griechischen und Romischen Mythologie_.

[367] 'Maklu' series, ii. ll. 1-17.

[368] A reference to the sacred action of the fire in the burnt offerings.

[369] A favorite t.i.tle of several G.o.ds, Bel, Sin, etc., that emphasizes their strength.

[370] Here the seeker for help inserts his name.

[371] Here the names of special deities are to be inserted.

[372] See above, Nusku, p. 220.

[373] See p. 67.

[374] A form of Nusku, according to Tallqvist, _a.s.syr. Beschwor._ p.

146. It would be more accurate to say a form of Ninib. See p. 92.

[375] See p. 91.

[376] King, _Babylonian Magic_, p. 3.

[377] Humanity.

[378] The reference is to the formal lamentations on the occasion of the death of any one. The moon-G.o.d, having disappeared, is bewailed as though dead.

[379] _I.e._, under all conditions and at all times.

[380] The reading Naru is not altogether certain, but probable. See Tallqvist, _a.s.syr. Beschwor._ pp. 131, 132, whose suggestion, however, that Naru may be a female deity, is not acceptable. _Elitti_ is probably a scribal error.

[381] See above p. 103.