ressed to Ramman: Bara
refused to attempt the enterprise. Shamash, called in his turn, at
length consented to set out for Mount Sabu: he triumphed over the
storm-bird, tore the fatal tablets from him, and brought him before Ea
as a prisoner.

* Literally, "Construct thy cities in the four regions of
the world (cf. pp. 12, 13 of the present work), and thy
cities will extend to the mountain of the earth." Anu would
appear to have promised to Ramman a monopoly; if he wished
to build cities which would recognize him as their patron,
these cities will cover the entire earth.

[Illustration: 186.jpg SHAMASH FIGHTS WITH ZU AND THE STORM BIRDS.]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from Layard.

[Illustration: 186a.jpg The Plenisphere taken from the Temple of
Tentyra]

[Illustration: 186b.jpg Text of The Plenisphere]

The sun of the complete day, the sun in the full possession of his
strength, could alone win back the attributes of power which the morning
sun had allowed himself to be despoiled of. From that time forth the
privilege of delivering immortal decrees to mortals was never taken out
of the hands of the gods of light.

Destinies once fixed on the earth became a law--"mamit"--a good or bad
fate, from which no one could escape, but of which any one might learn
the disposition beforehand if he were capable of interpreting the
formulas of it inscribed on the book of the sky. The stars, even those
which were most distant from the earth, were not unconcerned in the
events which took place upon it. They were so many living beings endowed
with various characteristics, and their rays as they passed across the
celestial spaces exercised from above an active control on everything
they touched. Their influences became modified, increased or weakened
according to the intensity with which they shed them, according to the
respective places they occupied in the firmament, and according to the
hour of the night and the month of the year in which they rose or
set. Each division of time, each portion of space, each category of
existences--and in each category each individual--was placed under their
rule and was subject to their implacable tyranny. The infant was born
their slave, and continued in this condition of slavery until his life's
end: the star which was in the ascendent at the instant of his birth
became his star, and ruled his destiny. The Chaldaeans, like the
Egyptians, fancied they discerned i