which perhaps may be explained thus--we learn, from another tablet, that the various classes of evil spirits troubled different parts of the body. Some injured the head, some the hands and feet, etc., etc. Therefore the passage before us may mean: "The spirits whose power is over the hand, shall loose their hands from his," etc. But I can offer no decided opinion on such obscure points of their superstition. INHERITED OR IMPUTED SINS These were supposed to pursue a sick man and torment him. [Footnote: See "Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia," vol. iv. p. 7.] 1 The _mamit_ for him reveal! The _mamit_ for him unfold![1] 2 Against the evil spirit, disturber of his body! 3 Whether it be the sin of his father: 4 or whether it be the sin of his mother: 5 or whether it be the sin of his elder brother: 6 or whether it be the sin of someone who is unknown![2] [Footnote 1: A holy object, the nature of which has not been ascertained.] [Footnote 2: "Trans. Soc. Bib. Arch.," vol. ii, p. 58.] MAGIC KNOTS Justin Martyr, speaking of the Jewish exorcists, says "They use magic ties or knots." A similar usage prevailed among the Babylonians. [Footnote 7: Ibid., p. 54.] The god Marduk wishes to soothe the last moments of a dying man. His father Hea says: Go my son! 1 Take a woman's linen kerchief 2 bind it round thy right hand! loose it from the left hand! 3 Knot it with seven knots: do so twice: 4 Sprinkle it with bright _wine_: 5 bind it round the head of the sick man: 6 bind it round his hands and feet, like manacles and fetters. 7 Sit down on his bed: 8 sprinkle holy water over him. 9 He shall hear the voice of Hea, 10 Davkina[1] shall protect him! 11 And Marduk, Eldest Son of heaven, shall find him a happy habitation![2] [Footnote 1: One of the principal goddesses, the wife of the god Hea.] [Footnote 2: "Trans. Soc. Bib. Arch.," vol. ii. p. 84.] TALISMANS To cure diseases they seem to have relied wholly on charms and incantations. The first step was to guard the entrance to the sick man's chamber. A tablet says: "That nothing evil may enter, place at the door the god (...) and the god (...)." That is to say, their images. I believe these were little figures of the gods, brought by the priests, perhaps a sort of Teraphim. The following line is more explicit: "Place the guardian statues of Hea and Marduk at the door, on the right hand and on the left." But they added to this another kind of protection: 1 Right and left of the threshold of the door, spread out holy texts and sentences. 2 Place on the statues texts bound around them. These must have been long strips like ribbons of parchment or papyrus. The following line is still clearer: "In the night-time bind around the sick man's head a sentence taken from a good book."[10]