SCIENCE OF BABYLONIA AND ASSYRIA 



Altogether similar are the exorcisms intended to 

 ward off disease. Professor Sayce has published trans- 

 lations of some of these. 18 Each of these ends with 

 the same phrase, and they differ only in regard to the 

 particular maladies from which freedom is desired. 

 One reads: 



"From wasting, from want of health, from the evil spirit 

 of the ulcer, from the spreading quinsy of the gullet, from the 

 violent ulcer, from the noxious ulcer, may the king of heaven 

 preserve, may the king of earth preserve." 



Another is phrased thus: 



"From the cruel spirit of the head, from the strong spirit 

 of the head, from the head spirit that departs not, from the 

 head spirit that comes not forth, from the head spirit that will 

 not go, from the noxious head spirit, may the king of heaven 

 preserve, may the king of earth preserve." 



As to omens having to do with the affairs of every- 

 day life the number is legion. For example, Moppert 

 has published, in the Journal Asiatique, the transla- 

 tion of a tablet which contains on its two sides several 

 scores of birth-portents, a few of which may be quoted 

 at random : 



"When a woman bears a child and it has the ears of a lion, 

 a strong king is in the country." "When a woman bears a 

 child and it has a bird's beak, that country is oppressed." 

 "When a woman bears a child and its right hand is wanting, 

 that country goes to destruction." "When a woman bears a 

 child and its feet are wanting, the roads of the country are 

 cut; that house is destroyed." "When a woman bears a 

 child and at the time of its birth its beard is grown, floods 

 are in the country." "When a woman bears a child and at 

 the time of its birth its mouth is open and speaks, there is 



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