The swine and the dog are illustrations of this double nature of sanctity among the Semites. The former was sacred to some of the inhabitants of "Syria."[660] The Babylonians, as we have seen, abstained from eating it on certain days of the year, while the Hebrews and Arabs regarded it as an absolute 'taboo.'
The dog to this day is in the Orient an "unclean" animal, and yet it is forbidden to do dogs any injury. If, then, we find the Babylonians attaching significance to the movements of this animal, it is obvious that by them, too, the dog was regarded as, in some way, sacred. It was an 'animal of omen,' sometimes good, at other times bad. A tablet informs us[661] that:
If a yellow dog enters a palace, it is a sign of a distressful fate for the palace.
If a speckled dog enters a palace, the palace[662] will give peace to the enemy.
If a dog enters a palace and some one kills him, the peace of the palace will be disturbed.
If a dog enters a palace and crouches on the couch, no one will enjoy that palace in peace.
If a dog enters a palace and crouches on the throne, that palace will suffer a distressful fate.
If a dog enters a palace and lies on a large bowl, the palace will secure peace from the enemy.
There follow omens in case dogs enter a sacred edifice:
If a dog enters a temple, the gods will not enlarge the land.