interpreted; the oldest accounts name the chief gods, whose qualities and symbols later became merged in more modern ones, and they were given different names at various times, which is most confusing. The great temple consecrated to Enlil is called E-Kur, and is at Nippur. This name for this particular tabernacle became the common name for temple in general (page 411). No king of Babylon ventured to do anything or take any step without "kissing the hand" of Enlil, to obtain his consent and approval. According to Doctor Radau, Enlil was afterwards succeeded or displaced by Marduk (the Merodach of the Bible, and the Jupiter of the Romans), although the supremacy of Enlil lasted some three thousand five hundred years, quite long enough to leave an impression on the "Book of Fate." One of the tablets translated from the Sumerian language has been given almost literally, and is an invocation to Enlil, bewailing the destruction and begging for the restoration of the principal cities of Babylonia, together with the temples that had been destroyed, which were, in fact, the homes of the priests, who always dwelt in the sanctuaries. Doctor Radau (page 444) calls the song, "The Lamentation of the Goddess Nin, of the City of Mar, who was called Nin-Mar." He gives a literal translation of the cuneiform text of the tablet that has a well-defined metre, and is divided into sections. The first three verses are an invocation to Enlil, the supreme god, by this goddess, Nin-Mar, who declares that she is "Mistress of Mar," who, through the power granted to her by Enlil, was once able to destroy the enemies of her country and lay waste their lands, but the power has left her, as her "Master" sleeps. Nin-Mar gets a sympathetic god, named Nin-ib, to sing a hymn with her, in which the destroyed temples are recounted. Nin-ib was the solar deity of Nippur, also a war god, but inclined to be beneficent to mankind. One of his titles was "the warrior," and he is identified as the planet Saturn. His symbol was a man with a lion's head. TO ENLIL. Oh, Enlil, who placed on the waters A shelter for men and for all, Great God, who creates and then slaughters, Come, hark to the children's call. Nin-Mar, the smiter of mountains, I sigh, I sigh; Enlil, to thee I cry, cry, cry. Shall the Mistress of Mar and his daughters, His doves and the broods on their nests, Shall their homes be cast out on the waters, While their Master is lying at rest? Nin-Mar, who was the destroyer of lands, I sigh, I sigh; Enlil, to thee I cry, cry, cry. Exalted one! Listen to pleadings, For my Nippur now covers its face; My E-Kur, my Ki-Ur have vanished, May all be restored to their place. It is Mar, the smiter of mountains, I sigh, I sigh; Enlil, to thee I cry, cry, cry. THE HYMN.