d's son in some inscriptions. Indeed, as "the
father of the gods," Bel-Nimrod might evidently claim an almost infinite
paternity.

The worship of Bel-Nimrod in Chaldaea extends through the whole time of
the monarchy. It has been shown that he was probably the deified Nimrod,
whose apotheosis would take place shortly after his decease. Urukh, the
earliest monumental king, built him a temple at Niffer; and Kurri-galzu,
one of the latest, paid him the same honor at Akkerkuf. Urukh also
frequently mentions him in his inscriptions in connection with Hurki, the
Moon-god, whom he calls his "eldest son."

BELTIS.

Beltis, the wife of Bel-Nimrod, presents a strong contrast to Anata, the
wife of Ana. She is far more than the mere female power of Bel-Nimrod,
being in fact a separate and very important deity. Her common title is
"the Great Goddess." In Chaldaea her name was Mulita or Enuta--both
words signifying "the Lady;" in Assyria she was Bilta or Bilta-Nipruta,
the feminine forms of Bil and Bilu-Nipru. Her favorite title was "the
Mother of the Gods," or "the Mother of the Great Gods:" whence it is
tolerably clear that she was the "Dea Syria" worshipped at Hierapolis
under the Arian appellation of Mabog. Though commonly represented as the
wife of Bel-Nimrod, and mother of his son Nin or Ninip, she is also
called "the wife of Nin," and in one place "the wife of Asshur." Her
other titles are "the lady of Bit-Ana," "the lady of Nipur," "the Queen
of the land" or "of the lands," "the great lady," "the goddess of war and
battle," and the "queen of fecundity." She seems thus to have united the
attributes of the Juno, the Ceres or Demeter, the Bellona, and even the
Diana of the classical nations: for she was at once the queen of heaven,
the goddess who makes the earth fertile, the goddess of war and battle,
and the goddess of hunting. In these latter capacities she appears,
however, to have been gradually superseded by Ishtar, who sometimes even
appropriates her higher and more distinctive appellations.

The worship of Beltis was wide-spread, and her temples were very
numerous. At Erech (Warka) she was worshipped on the same platform, if
not even in the same building with Ana. At Calneh or Nipur (Niffer), she
shared fully in her husband's honors. She had a shrine at Ur (Mugheir),
another at Rubesi, and another outside the walls of Babylon. Some of
these temples were very ancient, those at Warka and Niffer being bui