to visit a shrine of Beltis, and there remain till some stranger cast
money in her lap and took her away with him. Herodotus, who seems to
have visited the disgraceful scene, describes it as follows. "Many women
of the wealthier sort, who are too proud to mix with the others, drive
in covered carriages to the precinct, followed by a goodly train of
attendants, and there take their station. But the larger number seat
themselves within the holy inclosure with wreaths of string about their
heads--and here there is always a great crowd, some coming and others
going. Lines of cord mark out paths in all directions among the woman;
and the strangers pass along them to make their choice. A women who
has once taken her seat is not allowed to return home till one of the
strangers throws a silver coin into her lap, and takes her with
him beyond the holy ground. When he throws the coin, he says these
words--'The goddess Mylitta (Beltis) prosper thee.' The silver coin may
be of any size; it cannot be refused; for that is forbidden by the law,
since once thrown it is sacred. The woman goes with the first man who
throws her money, and rejects no one. When she has gone with him, and
so satisfied the goddess, she returns home; and from that time forth
no gift, however great, will prevail with her. Such of the women as are
tall and beautiful are soon released; but others, who are ugly, have to
stay a long time before they can fulfil the law. Some have even waited
three or four years in the precinct." The demoralizing tendency of this
religious prostitution can scarcely be overrated.

Notions of legal cleanliness and uncleanliness, akin to those prevalent
among the Jews, are found to some extent in the religious system of the
Babylonians. The consummation of the marriage rite made both the man
and the woman impure, as did every subsequent act of the same kind.
The impurity was communicated to any vessel that either might touch. To
remove it, the pair were required first to sit down before a censer of
burning incense, and then to wash themselves thoroughly. Thus only could
they re-enter into the state of legal cleanness. A similar impurity
attached to those who came into contact with a human corpse. The
Babylonians are remarkable for the extent to which they affected
symbolism in religion. In the first place they attached to each god a
special mystic number, which is used as his emblem and may even stand
for his name in an inscription. To