ndeed,
the worker of spells was held in high repute, and his operations were
in most cases allowed free play. There are only two paragraphs in the
Hammurabi Code which deal with magical practices. It is set forth that
if one man cursed another and the curse could not be justified, the
perpetrator of it must suffer the death penalty. Provision was also
made for discovering whether a spell had been legally imposed or not.
The victim was expected to plunge himself in a holy river. If the
river carried him away it was held as proved that he deserved his
punishment, and "the layer of the spell" was given possession of the
victim's house. A man who could swim was deemed to be innocent; he
claimed the residence of "the layer of the spell", who was promptly
put to death. With this interesting glimpse of ancient superstition
the famous Code opens, and then strikes a modern note by detailing the
punishments for perjury and the unjust administration of law in the
courts.

The poor sufferers who gathered at street corners in Babylon to make
mute appeal for cures believed that they were possessed by evil
spirits. Germs of disease were depicted by lively imaginations as
invisible demons, who derived nourishment from the human body. When a
patient was wasted with disease, growing thinner and weaker and more
bloodless day by day, it was believed that a merciless vampire was
sucking his veins and devouring his flesh. It had therefore to be
expelled by performing a magical ceremony and repeating a magical
formula. The demon was either driven or enticed away.

A magician had to decide in the first place what particular demon was
working evil. He then compelled its attention and obedience by
detailing its attributes and methods of attack, and perhaps by naming
it. Thereafter he suggested how it should next act by releasing a
raven, so that it might soar towards the clouds like that bird, or by
offering up a sacrifice which it received for nourishment and as
compensation. Another popular method was to fashion a waxen figure of
the patient and prevail upon the disease demon to enter it. The figure
was then carried away to be thrown in the river or burned in a fire.

Occasionally a quite effective cure was included in the ceremony. As
much is suggested by the magical treatment of toothache. First of all
the magician identified the toothache demon as "the worm ". Then he
recited its history, which is as follows: After Anu created the
heave