O Lady, Queen of the land of the four rivers of Erech! may thy heart rest.
O Lady, Queen of Babylon! may thy liver be magnified!
O Lady, Queen of the Temple of the Resting-place of the World! may thy heart rest.”—A. H. Sayce.
The Babylonians believed in omens. They gathered auguries from dreams, inspection of the hand, the time of birth, and various phenomena, establishing a national system of divination not without its amusing features. For instance, we have the following
OMENS CONNECTED WITH DOGS.
“If a blue dog enters into a palace, that palace is burned.
If a yellow dog enters into the palace, exit from that palace will be baleful.
If a spotted dog enters into the palace, that palace its peace to the enemy gives.
If a dog to the palace goes and on a bed lies down, that palace none with his hand takes.
If a dog to the palace goes and on the royal parasol lies down, that palace its peace to the enemy gives.