240 THEOPHILUS G. PINCHES, ESQ., LL.D., M.R.A.S., ON 



which was also deemed theft. On the other hand, the stealing 

 of such a thing as an ox, a sheep, an ass, a pig, or a ship (boat), 

 either from a temple or from a palace, was attended by the 

 penalty of thirtyfold restitution, unless the thief was a poor 

 man, in which case he refunded tenfold only. If, however, he 

 had not the wherewithal to pay, he was to be put to death. 



The drastic nature of some of the enactments is well illus- 

 strated by the laws referring to the purchase of lost property, 

 one of which states that if the owner of the object lost (hel 

 hidkim) be unable to bring witnesses who recognize that object, 

 he is a liar (or something of the kind), — he had stirred up 

 deceit, and was to be put to death. In these and similar case& 

 the intention apparently was to discourage the bringing of 

 actions at law. 



Further instances of severity, however, occur in the enact- 

 ments dealing with the female drink-sellers, which, from 

 their nature, are of more than ordinary interest, and point to- 

 the giving of credit extensively for the drink which they 

 supplied. Indeed, from this and other inscriptions one gets the 

 idea that the Babylonians were dreadful winebibbers : — 



" If a wine-woman has not accepted grain as the price of 

 drink, (but) has accepted silver by the great stone (probably 

 the ^ man a, the ' little stone ' being ^ mana), and has set the 

 tariff of the drink below the tariff of the grain, they shall 

 summon that wine- woman, and throw her into the water." 



In all probability every wine-woman took care to know how 

 to swim. 



" If a wine-woman, (when) riotous fellows are collected at 

 her house, does not seize them and take them to the palace,, 

 that wine-woman shall be killed." 



Ladies of high degree, especially if they had anything to do 

 with a temple, had to be careful of their conduct : — 



" If a devotee, who dwells not in the cloister, open a 

 wine-house, or enter a wine-house for drink, that female they 

 shall burn." 



The wants of the thirsty field-labourers were carefully safe- 

 guarded : — 



"If a wine-woman has given 60 qa of second (?) quaHty 

 drink, for thirst, she shall take 50 qa of corn at harvest-time." 



But in all probability my audience will be most interested in 

 the enactments whicti illustrate the Mosaic code, especially 

 those of " an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." In the 

 space of a short paper, such as this must necessarily be, I am 

 unable to treat of this branch of the subject fully, but the 



