the religion of babylonia and assyria-第4部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ne； in which was placed a great statue of Zeus （Bel…Merodach） sitting； with a large table before it。 Both statue and table are said to have been of gold； as were also the throne and the steps。 Outside the sanctuary （on the ramp； apparently） were two altars； one small and made of gold； whereon only unweaned lambs were sacrificed； and the other larger； for full…grown victims。
A Babylonian description。
In 1876 the well…known Assyriologist； Mr。 George Smith； was fortunate enough to discover a Babylonian description of this temple； of which he published a /précis/。 According to this document； there were two courts of considerable extent； the smaller within the largerneither of them was square； but oblong。 Six gates admitted to the temple…area surrounding the platform upon which the tower was built。 The platform is stated to have been square and walled； with four gates facing the cardinal points。 Within this wall was a building connected with the great /zikkurat/ or towerthe principal edificeround which were chapels or temples to the principal gods； on all four sides； and facing the cardinal pointsthat to Nebo and Ta？m？t being on the east； to Aa or êa and Nusku on the north； Anu and Bel on the south； and the series of buildings on the west； consisting of a double housea small court between two wings； was evidently the shrine of Merodach （Belos）。 In these western chambers stood the couch of the god； and the golden throne mentioned by Herodotus； besides other furniture of great value。 The couch was given as being 9 cubits long by 4 broad； about as many feet in each case； or rather more。
The centre of these buildings was the great /zikkurat/； or temple… tower； square on its plan； and with the sides facing the cardinal points。 The lowest stage was 15 /gar/ square by 5 1/2 high （Smith； 300 feet by 110）； and the wall； in accordance with the usual Babylonian custom； seems to have been ornamented with recessed groovings。 The second stage was 13 /gar/ square by 3 in height （Smith； 260 by 60 feet）。 He conjectured； from the expression used； that it had sloping sides。 Stages three to five were each one /gar/ （Smith； 20 feet） high； and respectively 10 /gar/ （Smith； 200 feet）； 8 1/2 /gar/ （170 feet）； and 7 /gar/ （140 feet） square。 The dimensions of the sixth stage are omitted； probably by accident； but Smith conjectures that they were in proportion to those which precede。 His description omits also the dimensions of the seventh stage； but he gives those of the sanctuary of Belus； which was built upon it。 This was 4 /gar/ long； 3 1/2 /gar/ broad； and 2 1/2 /gar/ high （Smith； 80 x 70 x 50 feet）。 He points out； that the total height was； therefore； 15 /gar/； the same as the dimensions of the base； i。e。； the lowest platform； which would make the total height of this world…renowned building rather more than 300 feet above the plains。
Other temple…towers。
Towers of a similar nature were to be found in all the great cities of Babylonia； and it is probable that in most cases slight differences of form were to be found。 That at Niffer； for instance； seems to have had a causeway on each side； making four approaches in the form of a cross。 But it was not every city which had a tower of seven stages in addition to the platform on which it was erected； and some of the smaller ones at least seem to have had sloping or rounded sides to the basement…portion； as is indicated by an Assyrian bas…relief。 Naturally small temples； with hardly more than the rooms on the ground floor； were to be found； but these temple…towers were a speciality of the country。
Their origin。
There is some probability that； as indicated in the tenth chapter of Genesis； the desire in building these towers was to get nearer the Deity； or to the divine inhabitants of the heavens in generalit would be easier there to gain attention than on the surface of the earth。 Then there was the belief； that the god to whom the place was dedicated would come down to such a sanctuary； which thus became； as it were； the stepping…stone between heaven and earth。 Sacrifices were also offered at these temple…towers （whether on the highest point or not is not quite certain）； in imitation of the Chald？an Noah； Ut…napi？tim； who； on coming out of the ark； made an offering /ina zikkurat ？adê/； 〃on the peak of the mountain；〃 in which passage； it is to be noted； the word /zikkurat/ occurs with what is probably a more original meaning。
CHAPTER III
THE BABYLONIAN STORY OF THE CREATION
This is the final development of the Babylonian creed。 It has already been pointed out that the religion of the Babylonians in all probability had two stages before arriving at that in which the god Merodach occupied the position of chief of the pantheon； the two preceding heads having been； seemingly； Anu； the god of the heavens； and êa or Aa； also called Enki； the god of the abyss and of deep wisdom。 In order to show this； and at the same time to give an idea of their theory of the beginning of things； a short paraphrase of the contents of the seven tablets will be found in the following pages。
An Embodiment of doctrine。
As far as our knowledge goes； the doctrines incorporated in this legend would seem to show the final official development of the beliefs held by the Babylonians； due； in all probability； to the priests of Babylon after that city became the capital of the federated states。 Modifications of their creed probably took place； but nothing seriously affecting it； until after the abandonment of Babylon in the time of Seleucus Nicator； 300 B。C。 or thereabouts； when the deity at the head of the pantheon seems not to have been Merodach； but Anu…Bêl。 This legend is therefore the most important document bearing upon the beliefs of the Babylonians from the end of the third millennium B。C。 until that time； and the philosophical ideas which it contains seem to have been held； in a more or less modified form； among the remnants who still retained the old Babylonian faith； until the sixth century of the present era； as the record by Damascius implies。 Properly speaking； it is not a record of the creation； but the story of the fight between Bel and the Dragon； to which the account of the creation is prefixed by way of introduction。
Water the first creator。
The legend begins by stating that； when the heavens were unnamed and the earth bore no name； the prim？val ocean was the producer of all things； and Mummu Tiawath （the sea） she who brought forth everything existing。 Their waters （that is； of the prim？val ocean and of the sea） were all united in one； and neither plains nor marshes were to be seen； the gods likewise did not exist； even in name； and the fates were undeterminednothing had been decided as to the future of things。 Then arose the great gods。 Lahmu and Lahame came first； followed； after a long period； by An？ar and Ki？ar； generally identified with the 〃host of heaven〃 and the 〃host of earth；〃 these being the meanings of the component parts of their names。 After a further long period of days； there came forth their son Anu； the god of the heavens。
The gods。
Here the narrative is defective； and is continued by Damascius in his /Doubts and Solutions of the First Principles/； in which he states that； after Anos （Anu）； come Illinos （Ellila or Bel； 〃the lord〃 /par excellence/） and Aos （Aa； Ae； or êa）； the god of Eridu。 Of Aos and Dauké （the Babylonian Aa and Damkina） is born； he says； a son called Belos （Bel…Merodach）； who； they （apparently the Babylonians） say； is the fabricator of the worldthe creator。
The designs against them。
At this point Damascius ends his extract； and the Babylonian tablet also becomes extremely defective。 The next deity to come into existence； however； would seem to have been Nudimmud； who was apparently the deity Aa or êa （the god of the sea and of rivers） as the god of creation。 Among the children of Tauthé （Tiawath） enumerated by Damascius is one named Moumis； who was evidently referred to in the document at that philosopher's disposal。 If this be correct； his name； under the form of Mummu； probably existed in one of the defective lines of the first portion of this legendin any case； his name occurs later on； with those of Tiawath and Apsu （the Deep）； his parents； and the three seem to be compared； to their disadvantage； with the progeny of Lahmu and Lahame； the gods on high。 As the ways of these last were not those of Tiawath's brood； and Apsu complained that he had no peace by day nor rest by night on account of their proceedings； the three representatives of the chaotic deep； Tiawath； Apsu； and Mummu； discussed how they might get rid the beings who wished to rise to higher things。 Mummu was apparently the prime mover in the plot； and the face of Apsu grew bright at the thought of the evil plan which they had devised against 〃the gods their sons。〃 The inscription being very mutilated here； its full drift cannot be gathered； but from the complete portions which come later it would seem that Mummu's plan was not a remarkably cunning one； being simply to make war upon and destroy the gods of heaven。
Tiawath's preparations。
The preparations made for this were elaborate。 Restlessly； day and night； the powers of evil raged and toiled； and assembled for the fight。 'Mother Hubur；〃 as Tiawath is named in this passage； called her creative powers into action； and gave her followers irresistible weapons。 She brought into being also various monstersgiant serpents； sharp of tooth； bearing stings； and with poison filling their bodies like blood； terrible dragons endowed with brilliance； and of enormous stature； reared on high； raging dogs； scorpion…men； fish…men； and many other terrible beings； were created and equipped； the whole being placed under the command of a deity named Kingu； whom she calls her 〃only husband；〃 and to whom she delivers the tablets of fate； which conferred upon him the godhead of Anu （the heavens）； and enabled their possessor to determine the gates among the gods her sons。
