If a white dog enters a temple, the foundation of that temple will be firm.
If a black dog enters a temple, the foundation of that temple will not be firm.
If a brown[663] dog enters a temple, that temple will witness justice.
If a yellow dog enters a temple, that temple will[664] witness justice.
If a speckled dog enters a temple, the gods will show favor to that temple.
If dogs gather together and enter a temple, the city's peace will be disturbed.
The juxtaposition of palace and temple is an indication that a large measure of sanctity was attached to the former as the dwelling-place of one who stood near to the gods. The omens, accordingly, in the case of both palace and temple are again concerned with public affairs. But from the same tablet we learn that an equal degree of significance was attached to the actions of dogs when they entered private dwellings. Precautions must have been taken against the presence of dogs in that part of the house which was reserved for a man's family, for we are told:[665]
A dog entering a man's house was an omen that the ultimate fate of that house would be destruction by fire.
Care had to be taken lest dogs defiled a person or any part of the house. The omens varied again according to the color of the dog.
If a white dog defiles[666] a man, destruction will seize him.