ts
and rulers.

The legends of Semiramis indicate that Sammu-rammat was associated
like Queen Tiy with the revival of mother worship. As we have said,
she went down to tradition as the daughter of the fish goddess,
Derceto. Pliny identified that deity with Atargatis of
Hierapolis.[466]

In Babylonia the fish goddess was Nina, a developed form of Damkina,
spouse of Ea of Eridu. In the inscription on the Nebo statue, that god
is referred to as the "son of Nudimmud" (Ea). Nina was the goddess who
gave her name to Nineveh, and it is possible that Nebo may have been
regarded as her son during the Semiramis period.

The story of Semiramis's birth is evidently of great antiquity. It
seems to survive throughout Europe in the nursery tale of the "Babes
in the Wood". A striking Indian parallel is afforded by the legend of
Shakuntala, which may be first referred to for the purpose of
comparative study. Shakuntala was the daughter of the rishi,
Viswamitra, and Menaka, the Apsara (celestial fairy). Menaka gave
birth to her child beside the sacred river Malini. "And she cast the
new-born infant on the bank of that river and went away. And beholding
the newborn infant lying in that forest destitute of human beings but
abounding with lions and tigers, a number of vultures sat around to
protect it from harm." A sage discovered the child and adopted her.
"Because", he said, "she was surrounded by _Shakuntas_ (birds),
therefore hath she been named by me _Shakuntala_ (bird
protected)."[467]

Semiramis was similarly deserted at birth by her Celestial mother. She
was protected by doves, and her Assyrian name, Sammu-rammat, is
believed to be derived from "Summat"--"dove", and to signify "the dove
goddess loveth her". Simmas, the chief of royal shepherds, found the
child and adopted her. She was of great beauty like Shakuntala, the
maiden of "perfect symmetry", "sweet smiles", and "faultless
features", with whom King Dushyanta fell in love and married in
Gandharva fashion.[468]

Semiramis became the wife of Onnes, governor of Nineveh, and one of
the generals of its alleged founder, King Ninus. She accompanied her
husband to Bactria on a military campaign, and is said to have
instructed the king how that city should be taken. Ninus fell in love
with Semiramis, and Onnes, who refused to give her up, went and hanged
himself. The fair courtesan then became the wife of the king.

The story proceeds that Semiramis exercised so great an infl