THE RELIGIOUS IDEAS OF THE BABYLONIANS. 17 



judges;" and EtiUipl Samo.s, " Samas is prince of the word."* 

 Like the other gods, he could protect {Samas-hela-{sarra, aha, 

 pira)-usur, "Samas, protect the lord (king, father, offspring)," 

 Jie could give peace {SamaS-sulwn-sukun), grace or favour 

 (Sanias-rema-sukim), and life (^Samas-uballtt, Samas-halat-su- 

 ikbi). He could save {Samas-usezib), confirm one's name 

 {Samas-sum-uhhi)\ or direct it {Samas-sum-Usir), create seed 

 {Samas-zera-uSahsi) and protect one's life (Samas-etir-najjsdti). 

 Among the more poetical combinations in which his name is 

 found, are Lusesi-ana-nur- Samas, "Let (my son) go forth to 

 the light of the Sungod ; " Gabbi-ina-kdtd- Samas, " All is in 

 tlie hands of the Sungod;" Samas-ddrua, "The Sungod is 

 my fortress ; " Tdbu-sil Samas, "Good is the protection of the 

 Sungod," and Itti-Samas-lumur, "Let me look with the 

 Sungod." 



Zagaga {^•>^ ]] ^f J^f), who was, like Nergal, a god of 

 war, was also looked upon with favour by the Babylonians, 

 Avho named one of tlie gates of the capital after him. He 

 was identified with >-4- t^^T IdJ' -'^^"^-^i^? the god who, 

 according to the Tel-el-Amarua tablets, was worshipped at 

 Jerusalem. Zagaga was the patron deity of the city of Kes 

 (Hymer), near Babylon, The names containing his name are 

 Zagaga-aldu, "Zagaga begets;" Zagaga-pira-usur, "Zagaga, 

 protect the offspring ; " Zagaga-napisti'"-usur, " Zagaga, 

 protect my life; " Zagaga-sarra-usur, " Zagaga, protect the 

 king ; " Zagaga-silim, " Zagaga, give peace," &c. 



Ninip seems to have been identified with many gods. 

 Besides Zagaga, he appears as the same as Ann and Anatu™, 

 the male and female personifications of the heavens ; Nebo, 

 the god of wisdom ; Bel mdtdti, " lord of the lands,'' one of 

 the titles of Merodach ;| and figirsu, the god of Lagash.§ 

 He had also many other names, as, for instance, Madanunu, 

 explained as " Ninip, the proclaimed (?), the renowned, the 

 high ; " En-banda, " Ninip, he who takes the decision of the 

 gods ; " Hal-halla, " Ninip, protector of the decision, father 

 of Bel," Me-ma^'a ("supreme word"), "Ninip, guardian of the 

 supreme commands ; " with many others. It is probably on 

 a3Count of his being identified so often with other gods, that 

 his name occlu's so seldom in composition with the names of 



* Lit. : mouth. 



t The Saosduchinos of Ptolemj'. 

 X See page 6. 



§ See the Journal of the Victoria Institute, Vol. XXVI., p. 123 ff. 



C 



