"On the fifteenth day the sun and moon are seen together, A powerful enemy raises his weapons against the land, The enemy will smash the great gate of the city; The star of Anu appears bright-- The enemy will devastate." Or this: "The moon is seen out of season, Crops will be small. On the twelfth day the moon is seen together with the sun-- A strong enemy will devastate the land." A numerous list of omens pertained to the doings of animals. Stray dogs might bring disaster if they entered houses in unusual ways, and yet it was necessary that they frequent the streets. By-ways that they left were not thought lucky. The following omens have been translated from old tablets: "If a yellow dog enters a palace, it is a sign of distress. If a speckled dog enters a palace, the palace will give peace to the enemy. If a dog enters a palace and crouches on the couch, no one will enjoy that palace in peace. If a dog enters a temple, the gods will not enlarge the land. If a raven enters a man's house, that man will secure whatever he desires." All kinds of dreams were carefully tabulated, and were noted from time to time in connection with events in the dreamers' lives: "If in a dream a fish appear on a man's head, that man will be powerful." "If a mountain appear on a man's head, that man will be without a rival."[4] While all these omens were not directly connected with worship, they were consistent with the religious teaching of the time, and so are perhaps rightly considered here. The Babylonians were more religious than the Assyrians and their government was far more bound up in religious ceremonies. One fact alone bears out this statement: In Babylonia the king must each year celebrate anew the ceremony of taking his temporal power from the god Marduk by taking the hands of the god's image. This service took place on New Year's day, and no matter what might be the situation in other parts of the empire, to Babylon the king must come and observe the ancient custom would he remain possessor of the kingly crown. FOOTNOTES: [1] See the apocryphal story of Bel and the Dragon. [2] Johns: Baby. and Assy. Laws, Contracts and Letters, 211. [3] Jastrow: Babylonian Religion. [4] Jastrow: Babylonian Religion. [Illustration: The name Nebuchadnezzar in two forms of writing--as found on brick and in inscriptions.] CHAPTER XVI. THE LABORING CLASSES.