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ga （Merodach）； In…ab （or Ine？）； the pilot of êridu （êa's city）； and Nin…igi…nagar…sir； 〃the great architect of heaven〃：
〃May the ship before thee bring fertility； May the ship after thee bring joy； In thy heart may it make joy of heart 。 。 。 。〃
êa was the god of fertility； hence this ending to the poetical description of the ship of êa。
Bel。
The deity who is mentioned next in order in the list given above is the 〃older Bel；〃 so called to distinguish him from Bel…Merodach。 His principal names were /Mullil/ （dialectic） or /En…lilla/＇*＇ （standard speech）； the /Illinos/ of Damascius。 His name is generally translated 〃lord of mist；〃 so…called as god of the underworld； his consort being /Ga？an…lil/ or /Nan…lilla/； 〃the lady of the mist；〃 in Semitic Babylonian /Bêltu/； 〃the Lady；〃 par excellence。 Bel； whose name means 〃the lord；〃 was so called because he was regarded as chief of the gods。 As there was considerable confusion in consequence of the title Bel having been given to Merodach； Tiglath…pileser I。 （about 1200 B。C。） refers to him as the 〃older Bel〃 in describing the temple which he built for him at A？？ur。 Numerous names of men compounded with his occur until the latest times； implying that； though the favourite god was Merodach； the worship of Bel was not forgotten； even at Babylon that he should have been adored at his own city； Niffur； and at Dur… Kuri…galzu； where Kuri…galzu I。 built a temple for 〃Bel； the lord of the lands；〃 was naturally to be expected。 Being； like êa； a god of the earth； he is regarded as having formed a trinity with Anu； the god of heaven； and êa； the god of the deep； and prayer to these three was as good as invoking all the gods of the universe。 Classification of the gods according to the domain of their power would naturally take place in a religious system in which they were all identified with each other； and this classification indicates； as Jastrow says； a deep knowledge of the powers of nature； and a more than average intelligence among the Babyloniansindeed； he holds it as a proof that； at the period of the older empire； there were schools and students who had devoted themselves to religious speculation upon this point。 He also conjectures that the third commandment of the Law of Moses was directed against this doctrine held by the Babylonians。
＇*＇ Ordinarily pronounced /Illila/； as certain glosses and Damascius's /Illinos/ （for /Illilos/） show。
Beltis。
This goddess was properly only the spouse of the older Bel； but as /Bêltu/； her Babylonian name； simply meant 〃lady〃 in general （just as /Bêl/ or /bêlu/ meant 〃lord〃）； it became a title which could be given to any goddess； and was in fact borne by Zer…pan？tum； I？tar； Nanaa； and others。 It was therefore often needful to add the name of the city over which the special /Bêltu/ presided； in order to make clear which of them was meant。 Besides being the title of the spouse of the older Bel； having her earthly seat with him in Niffur and other less important shrines； the Assyrians sometimes name Bêltu the spouse of A？？ur； their national god； suggesting an identification； in the minds of the priests； with that deity。
ênu…rê？tu or Nirig。＇*＇
Whether /ênu…rê？tu/ be a translation of /Nirig/ or not； is uncertain； but not improbable； the meaning being 〃primeval lord；〃 or something similar； and 〃lord〃 that of the first element； /ni/； in the Sumerian form。 In support of this reading and rendering may be quoted the fact； that one of the descriptions of this divinity is /a？sarid ？lani ahê…？u/； 〃the eldest of the gods his brothers。〃 It is noteworthy that this deity was a special favourite among the Assyrians； many of whose kings； to say nothing of private persons； bore his name as a component part of theirs。 In the bilingual poem entitled /Ana…kime gimma/ （〃Formed like Anu〃）； he is described as being the son of Bel （hence his appearance after Bel in the list printed above）； and in the likeness of Anu； for which reason； perhaps； his divinity is called 〃Anuship。〃 Beginning with words praising him； it seems to refer to his attitude towards the gods of hostile lands； against whom； apparently； he rode in a chariot of the sacred lapis…lazuli。 Anu having endowed him with terrible glory； the gods of the earth feared to attack him； and his onrush was as that of a storm…flood。 By the command of Bel； his course was directed towards ê…kur； the temple of Bel at Niffur。 Here he was met by Nusku； the supreme messenger of Bel； who； with words of respect and of praise； asks him not to disturb the god Bel； his father； in his seat； nor make the gods of the earth tremble in Up？ukennaku （the heavenly festival…hall of the gods）； and offers him a gift。＇？＇ It will thus be seen that ênu…rê？tu was a rival to the older Bel； whose temple was the great tower in stages called ê…kura； in which； in all probability； ê…？u…me…du； the shrine of ênu…rê？tu； was likewise situated。 The inscriptions call him 〃god of war；〃 though； unlike Nergal； he was not at the same time god of disease and pestilence。 To all appearance he was the god of the various kinds of stones； of which another legend states that he 〃determined their fate。〃 He was 〃the hero； whose net overthrows the enemy； who summons his army to plunder the hostile land； the royal son who caused his father to bow down to him from afar。〃 〃The son who sat not with the nurse； and eschewed（？） the strength of milk；〃 〃the offspring who did not know his father。〃 〃He rode over the mountains and scattered seedunanimously the plants proclaimed his name to their dominion； among them like a great wild bull he raises his horns。〃
＇*＇ /ênu…rê？tu/ is the reading which I have adopted as the Semitic Babylonian equivalent of the name of this divinity； in consequence of the Aramaic transcription given by certain contract…tablets discovered by the American expedition to Niffer； and published by Prof。 Clay of Philadelphia。
＇？＇ The result of this request is not known； in consequence of the defective state of the tablets。
Many other interesting descriptions of the deity Nirig （generally read Nin…ip） occur； and show； with those quoted here； that his story was one of more than ordinary interest。
Nusku。
This deity was especially invoked by the Assyrian kings； but was in no wise exclusively Assyrian； as is shown by the fact that his name occurs in many Babylonian inscriptions。 He was the great messenger of the gods； and is variously given as 〃the offspring of the abyss； the creation of êa；〃 and 〃the likeness of his father； the first…born of Bel。〃 As Gibil； the fire…god； has likewise the same diverse parentage； it is regarded as likely that these two gods were identical。 Nusku was the god whose command is supreme； the counsellor of the great gods； the protector of the Igigi （the gods of the heavens）； the great and powerful one； the glorious day； the burning one； the founder of cities； the renewer of sanctuaries； the provider of feasts for all the Igigi； without whom no feast took place in ê…kura。 Like Nebo； he bore the glorious spectre； and it was said of him that he attacked mightily in battle。 Without him the sun…god； the judge； could not give judgment。
All this points to the probability； that Nusku may not have been the fire…god； but the brother of the fire…god； i。e。 either flame； or the light of fire。 The sun…god； without light； could not see； and therefore could not give judgment： no feast could be prepared without fire and its flame。 As the evidence of the presence of the shining orbs in the heavensthe light of their fireshe was the messenger of the gods； and was honoured accordingly。 From this idea； too； he became their messenger in general； especially of Bel…Merodach； the younger Bel； whose requests he carried to the god êa in the Deep。 In one inscription he is identified with Nirig or ênu…rê？tu； who is described above。
Merodach。
Concerning this god； and how he arose to the position of king of all the gods of heaven； has been fully shown in chapter III。 Though there is but little in his attributes to indicate any connection with ？ama？； there is hardly any doubt that he was originally a sun…god； as is shown by the etymology of his name。 The form； as it has been handed down to us； is somewhat shortened； the original pronunciation having been /Amar…uduk/； 〃the young steer of day；〃 a name which suggests that he was the morning sun。 Of the four names given at the end of chapter III。； two〃lord of Babylon；〃 and 〃lord god of heaven and earth；〃may be regarded as expressing his more well…known attributes。 /En…ab…？ar… u/； however； is a provisional； though not impossible； reading and rendering； and if correct； the 〃36；000 wild bulls〃 would be a metaphorical way of speaking of 〃the 36；000 heroes；〃 probably meaning the gods of heaven in all their grades。 The signification of /En… bilulu/ is unknown。 Like most of the other gods of the Babylonian pantheon； however； Merodach had many other names； among which may be mentioned /Asari/； which has been compared with the Egyptian Osiris； /Asari…lu…duga/； 〃/Asari/ who is good；〃 compared