“Now ye shall see in Babylon gods of silver, and of gold, and of wood, borne upon shoulders, which cause the nations to fear.... And taking gold, as it were, for a virgin that loveth to go gay, they make crowns for the heads of their gods. Sometimes also the priests convey from their gods gold and silver, and bestow it upon themselves. Yea, they will give thereof to the common harlots, and deck them as men with garments, being gods of silver, and gods of gold and wood.... And he that cannot put to death one that offendeth him holdeth a sceptre (Nebo), as though he were a judge of the country. He (Bel Merodach) hath also in his right hand a dagger and an axe, but cannot deliver himself from war and thieves.... They light them candles, yea, more than for themselves, whereof they cannot see one. They are as one of the beams of the temple, yet they say their hearts are gnawed upon by things creeping out of the earth; and when they eat them and their clothes they feel it not.... As for the things that are sacrificed unto them, their priests sell and abuse; in like manner their wives lay up part thereof in salt; but unto the poor and impotent they give nothing of it. ... The priests also take off their garments and clothe their wives and children.... The women also with cords about them sitting in the way burn bran for perfume.” The most remarkable building in Babylon was the temple of Bel. It was pyramidal in shape, having eight stages. The lowest stage was 200 yards square. On the summit a golden statue of Bel, 40 feet high, stood in a shrine. There were also two other golden statues and a golden table in this shrine. At the bottom of the pyramid-temple stood a chapel with a table and two images of gold within it. Two altars stood outside of this chapel. A similar temple was at Borsippa near Babylon. It had seven stages, each decorated in one of the seven primary colors. Like all Chaldean temples, and like the Great Pyramid of Egypt, the four corners of this exactly corresponded with the four cardinal points of the compass. CHAPTER VII. THE JEWS. For those the race of Israel oft forsook Their living strength, and unfrequented left His righteous altar, bowing lowly down To bestial gods; for which their heads as low Bowed down in battle, sunk before the spear Of despicable foes, with these in troop Came Astoreth, whom the Phœnicians call’d Astrate, queen of Heav’n, with crescent horns; To whose bright image nightly by the moon Sidonian virgins paid their vows and songs; In Sion also not unsung.--MILTON.