Ishtar reproduces among the planetary gods Anat and Bilit, the great goddess of nature, the mother of all the gods and of all beings; she is their active and martial form, for she is called “the Goddess of Battles, the Queen of Victories, she who leads armies to the fight and is the judge of warlike exploits;” but she has a double form uniting two characters, one fierce and sanguinary, the other voluptuous, for under the names of Zarpanit and Nana she presides over the reproduction of beings, and over sensual pleasures; she is in this last character always represented naked, always full face and with the two hands on the chest. Moreover two Ishtars were always distinguished, that of Arbela (called also Arbail), and that of Nineveh, who presided over the two fortnights of the month. The plural name of this double Ishtar, Ishtaroth, was the origin of the Phœnician Ashtaroth. Nergal, whose image is very uncommon, stands on the legs of a cock, and carries a sword in his hand. The application of the name of Mars to his star was quite natural, for his titles in the inscriptions are “the great hero, the king of fight, the master of battles, champion of the gods,” and also “god of the chase.” THE GENII OF ASSYRIA. Such were the great gods of Nineveh and Babylon. Below them popular superstition believed in an immense number of personifications of inferior order, of lesser gods, or rather _genii_, whom it would be waste of time to enumerate. We must, however, mention some personages who are found on the monuments occupying an important position in the Chaldæo-Assyrian pantheon, and who were evidently other forms of the gods already named, but whose position has not as yet been precisely determined. Such is Nisroch, called also Shalman, who “presides over the course of human destiny,” and who is also the protector of marriages; this is the god with an eagle’s head and large wings, whose image is so common on the sculptures of the Assyrian palaces. It was in the temple of this god at Nineveh, that Sennacherib was assassinated by his sons. Possibly we ought to consider this god as another form of Oannes. [Illustration: ELEVATION OF PALACE OF SARGON AT KHORSABAD AS RESTORED BY MR. FERGUSON. Sargon’s greatest work as a builder consisted in building Dur-Sargina, which is now represented by the Mound of Khorsabad. It was a mile square, and on the north-west face stood the palace platform, in shape like a T. On the outer and northern portion of this platform he built his palace, the halls and chambers of which were paneled with slabs of alabaster, richly adorned with sculptures, and inscribed with the titles, exploits and annals of his reign.]