they discovered, like
Wordsworth, that the soul has--

An obscure sense
Of possible sublimity, whereto
With growing faculties she doth aspire.

One of the last kings of Babylon, Nebuchadrezzar, recorded a prayer
which reveals the loftiness of religious thought and feeling attained
by men to whom graven images were no longer worthy of adoration and
reverence--men whose god was not made by human hands--

O eternal prince! Lord of all being!
As for the king whom thou lovest, and
Whose name thou hast proclaimed
As was pleasing to thee,
Do thou lead aright his life,
Guide him in a straight path.
I am the prince, obedient to thee,
The creature of thy hand;
Thou hast created me, and
With dominion over all people
Thou hast entrusted me.
According to thy grace, O Lord,
Which thou dost bestow on
All people,
Cause me to love thy supreme dominion,
And create in my heart
The worship of thy godhead
And grant whatever is pleasing to thee,
Because thou hast fashioned my life.[547]

The "star-gazers" had become scientists, and foretold eclipses: in
every sphere of intellectual activity great men were sifting out truth
from the debris of superstition. It seemed as if Babylon and Assyria
were about to cross the threshold of a new age, when their doom was
sounded and their power was shattered for ever. Nineveh perished with
dramatic suddenness: Babylon died of "senile decay".

When, in 668 B.C., intelligence reached Nineveh that Esarhaddon had
passed away, on the march through Egypt, the arrangements which he had
made for the succession were carried out smoothly and quickly. Naki'a,
the queen mother, was acting as regent, and completed her lifework by
issuing a proclamation exhorting all loyal subjects and vassals to
obey the new rulers, her grandsons, Ashur-bani-pal, Emperor of
Assyria, and Shamash-shum-ukin, King of Babylon. Peace prevailed in
the capital, and there was little or no friction throughout the
provinces: new rulers were appointed to administer the States of Arvad
and Ammon, but there were no changes elsewhere.

Babylon welcomed its new king--a Babylonian by birth and the son of a
Babylonian princess. The ancient kingdom rejoiced that it was no
longer to be ruled as a province; its ancient dignities and privileges
were being partially restored. But one great and deep-seated grievance
remained. The god Merodac