the religion of babylonia and assyria-第16章
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Jupiter and Saturn。
Concerning Jupiter； who is in the above called Dapinu （Semitic）； and Umun…sig…êa （Sumerian）； it has already been noted that he was called Nibiruaccording to Jensen； Merodach as he who went about among the stars 〃pasturing〃 them like sheep； as stated in the Babylonian story of the Creation （or Bel and the Dragon）。 This is explained by him as being due to the comparatively rapid and extensive path of Jupiter on the ecliptic； and it would seem probable that the names of Saturn； /Kaawanu/ and /Sag…u？/ （the former； which is Semitic Babylonian； meaning 〃steadfast；〃 or something similar； and the latter； in Sumerian； 〃head…firm〃 or 〃steadfast〃〃phlegmatic〃）； to all appearance indicate in like manner the deliberation of his movements compared with those of the planet dedicated to the king of the gods。
Venus at sunrise and sunset。
A fragment of a tablet published in 1870 gives some interesting particulars concerning the planet Venus； probably explaining some as yet unknown mythological story concerning her。 According to this； she was a female at sunset； and a male at sunrise； I？tar of Agadé （Akad or Akkad） at sunrise； and I？tar of Erech at sunset： I？tar of the stars at sunrise； and the lady of the gods at sunset。
And in the various months。
I？tar was identified with Nin…si…anna in the first month of the year （Nisan = March…April）； with the star of the bow in Ab （August… September）； etc。 In Sebat （January…February） she was the star of the water…channel； Ik？； which was Merodach's star in Sivan （May…June）； and in Marcheswan her star was Rabbu； which also belonged to Merodach in the same month。 It will thus be seen； that Babylonian astronomy is far from being as clear as would be desired； but doubtless many difficulties will disappear when further inscriptions are available。
Stars identified with Merodach。
The same fragment gives the celestial names of Merodach for every month of the year； from which it would appear； that the astrologers called him Umun…sig…êa in Nisan （March…April）； Dapinu in Tammuz （June… July）； Nibiru in Tisri （September…October）； ？arru （the star Regulus）； in Tebet （December…January）； etc。 The first three are names by which the planet Jupiter was known。
As for the planets and stars； so also for the constellations； which are identified with many gods and divine beings； and probably contain references； in their names and descriptions； to many legends。 In the sixth tablet of the Creation…series； it is related of Merodach that； after creating the heavens and the stations for Anu； Bêl； and Ae；
〃He built firmly the stations of the great gods Stars their likenesshe set up the /Lumali/； He designated the year； he outlined the （heavenly） forms。 He set for the twelve months three stars each； From the day when the year begins； 。 。 。 for signs。〃
As pointed out by Mr。 Robert Brown； jr。； who has made a study of these things； the 〃three stars〃 for each month occur on one of the remains of planispheres in the British Museum； and are completed by a tablet which gives them in list…form； in one case with explanations。 Until these are properly identified； however； it will be impossible to estimate their real value。 The signs of the Zodiac； which are given by another tablet； are of greater interest； as they are the originals of those which are in use at the present time：
Month Sign Equivalent
Nisan （Mar。…Apr。） The Labourer The Ram Iyyar （Apr。…May） /Mulmula/ and the Bull of heaven The Bull Sivan （May…June） /Sib…zi…anna/ and the great Twins The Twins Tammuz （June…July） /Allul/ or /Nagar/ The Crab Ab （July。…Aug。） The Lion （or dog） The Lion Elul （Aug。…Sep。） The Ear of corn（？） The ear of Corn （Virgo） Tisri （Sep。…Oct。） The Scales The Scales Marcheswan （Oct。…Nov。） The Scorpion The Scorpion Chisleu （Nov。…Dec。） /Pa…bil…sag/ The Archer Tebet （Dec。…Jan。） /Sahar…ma？/； the Fish…kid The Goat Sebat （Jan。…Feb。） /Gula/ The Water…bearer Adar （Feb。…Mar。） The Water Channel and the Tails The Fishes
Parallels in Babylonian legends。
The 〃bull of heaven〃 probably refers to some legend such as that of the story of Gilgame？ in his conflict with the goddess I？tar when the divine bull was killed； /Sib…zi…anna/； 〃the faithful shepherd of heaven；〃 suggests that this constellation may refer to Tammuz； the divine shepherd； whilst 〃the scorpion〃 reminds us of the scorpion…men who guarded the gate of the sun （？ama？）； when Gilgame？ was journeying to gain information concerning his friend Enki…du； who had departed to the place of the dead。 Sir Henry Rawlinson many years ago pointed out that the story of the Flood occupied the eleventh tablet of the Gilgame？ series； corresponding with the eleventh sign of the Zodiac； Aquarius； or the Water…bearer。
Other star…names。
Other names of stars or constellations include 〃the weapon of Merodach's hand；〃 probably that with which he slew the dragon of Chaos； 〃the Horse；〃 which is described as 〃the god Z？；〃 Rimmon's storm…birdPegasus； 〃the Serpent；〃 explained as Ere？…ki…gal； the queen of Hades； who would therefore seem to have been conceived in that form； 〃the Scorpion；〃 which is given as /I？hara tantim/； 〃I？hara of the sea；〃 a description difficult to explain； unless it refer to her as the goddess of the Ph？nician coast。 Many other identifications； exceedingly interesting； await solution。
How the gods were represented。 On cylinder…seals。
Many representations of the gods occur； both on bas…reliefs； boundary… stones； and cylindrical and ordinary seals。 Unfortunately； their identification generally presents more or less difficulty； on account of the absence of indications of their identity。 On a small cylinder… seal in the possession of the Rev。 Dr。 W。 Hayes Ward； Merodach is shown striding along the serpentine body of Tiawath； who turns her head to attack him； whilst the god threatens her with a pointed weapon which he carries。 Another； published by the same scholar； shows a deity； whom he regards as being Merodach； driven in a chariot drawn by a winged lion； upon whose shoulders stands a naked goddess； holding thunderbolts in each hand； whom he describes as Zer…pan？tum。 Another cylinder…seal shows the corn…deity； probably Nisaba； seated in flounced robe and horned hat； with corn…stalks springing out from his shoulders； and holding a twofold ear of corn in his hand； whilst an attendant introduces； and another with a threefold ear of corn follows； a man carrying a plough； apparently as an offering。 On another； a beautiful specimen from Assyria； I？tar is shown standing on an Assyrian lion； which turns his head as if to caress her feet。 As goddess of war； she is armed with bow and arrows； and her star is represented upon the crown of her tiara。
On boundary…stones； etc。
On the boundary…stones of Babylonia and the royal monoliths of Assyria the emblems of the gods are nearly always seen。 Most prominent are three horned tiaras； emblematic； probably； of Merodach； Anu； and Bêl （the older）。 A column ending in a ram's head is used for êa or Ae； a crescent for Sin or Nannar； the moon…god； a disc with rays for ？ama？； the sun…god； a thunderbolt for Rimmon or Hadad； the god of thunder； lightning； wind； and storms； a lamp for Nusku； etc。 A bird； perhaps a hawk； stood for Utu…gi？gallu； a deity whose name has been translated 〃the southern sun；〃 and is explained in the bilingual inscriptions as ？ama？； the sun…god； and Nirig； one of the gods of war。 The emblem of Gal…alim； who is identified with the older Bêl； is a snarling dragon's head forming the termination of a pole； and that of Dun…a？aga is a bird's head similarly posed。 On a boundary…stone of the time of Nebuchadnezzar I。； about 1120 B。C。； one of the signs of the gods shows a horse's head in a kind of shrine； probably the emblem of
