A fragmentary bilingual hymn speaks thus of the sacred spot, and of the tree of life that grew therein:— 1. In Eridu a dark pine grew, in an illustrious place it was planted. 2. Its (root) was of white crystal which spread towards the deep. 3. The (shrine?) of Hea (was) its pasturage in Eridu, a canal full of (water). 4. Its seat (was) the (central) place of this earth. 5. Its shrine (was) the couch of mother Zicum, (the mother of gods and men). 6. The (roof) of its illustrious temple like a forest spread its shade; there (was) none who within entered. 7. (It was the seat) of the mighty mother (Zicum), the begetter of Anu. Eridu was the special seat of the worship of Hea, and was often known as “the good city.” The flaming sword, which according to Genesis guarded the approach to the tree of life is paralleled by the flaming sword of Merodach, which is explained to be the lightning. It was with this sword which is represented on the monuments as having the form of a sickle like the sword of the Greek hero Perseus, that Merodach overthrew the dragon and the powers of darkness. A hymn put into the mouth of Merodach, thus speaks of it:— The sun of fifty faces, the lofty weapon of my divinity, I bear. The hero that striketh the mountains, the propitious sun of the morning, that is mine, I bear. My mighty weapon, which like an orb smites in a circle the corpses of the fighters, I bear. The striker of mountains, my murderous weapon of Anu, I bear. The striker of mountains, the fish with seven tails, that is mine, I bear. The terror of battle, the destroyer of rebel lands, that is mine, I bear. The defender of conquests, the great sword, the falchion of my divinity, I bear. That from whose hand the mountain escapes not, the hand of the hero of battle, which is mine, I bear. The delight (?) of heroes, my spear of battle, (I bear). My crown which strikes against men, the bow of the lightning, (I bear). The crusher of the temples of rebel lands, my club and buckler of battle, (I bear). The lightning of battle, my weapon of fifty heads, (I bear). The feathered monster of seven heads, like the huge serpent of seven heads, (I bear). Like the serpent that beats the sea, (which attacks) the foe in the face, the devastator of forceful battle, lord over heaven and earth, the weapon of (seven) heads, (I bear). That which maketh the light come forth like day, god of the East, my burning power, (I bear). The establisher of heaven and earth, the fire-god, who has not his rival, (I bear). [Illustration: SACRED TREE, SEATED FIGURE ON EACH SIDE, AND SERPENT IN BACKGROUND, FROM AN EARLY BABYLONIAN CYLINDER.]