If an ewe gives birth to three (lambs), the prosperity of the country will be annulled, but things will go well with the owner of the ewe, his stall will be enlarged.If an ewe gives birth to three fully developed (lambs), the dynasty will meet with opposition, approach of an usurper, the country will be destroyed.If an ewe gives birth to four, the land will encounter hostility, the produce of the land will be swept away, approach of an usurper, destruction in the land.If an ewe gives birth to four fully developed lambs, [locusts (?)] will come and [destroy] the country.If an ewe gives birth to four, approach of an usurper, the country will be destroyed.If an ewe gives birth to five, destruction will ravage the country, the owner of the house will die, his stall will be destroyed.If an ewe gives birth to five, one with the head of a bull[50], one with a lion-head, one with a jackal-head, one with a dog-head and one with the head of a lamb[51], devastation will take place in the country.If an ewe gives birth to six, confusion among the population.If an ewe gives birth to seven,—three male and four female—, the king will perish.If an ewe gives birth to eight, approach of an usurper, the tribute of the king will be withheld.If an ewe gives birth to nine, end of the dynasty.If an ewe gives birth to ten, a weakling will acquire universal sovereignty[52].
If an ewe gives birth to three (lambs), the prosperity of the country will be annulled, but things will go well with the owner of the ewe, his stall will be enlarged.
If an ewe gives birth to three fully developed (lambs), the dynasty will meet with opposition, approach of an usurper, the country will be destroyed.
If an ewe gives birth to four, the land will encounter hostility, the produce of the land will be swept away, approach of an usurper, destruction in the land.
If an ewe gives birth to four fully developed lambs, [locusts (?)] will come and [destroy] the country.
If an ewe gives birth to four, approach of an usurper, the country will be destroyed.
If an ewe gives birth to five, destruction will ravage the country, the owner of the house will die, his stall will be destroyed.
If an ewe gives birth to five, one with the head of a bull[50], one with a lion-head, one with a jackal-head, one with a dog-head and one with the head of a lamb[51], devastation will take place in the country.
If an ewe gives birth to six, confusion among the population.
If an ewe gives birth to seven,—three male and four female—, the king will perish.
If an ewe gives birth to eight, approach of an usurper, the tribute of the king will be withheld.
If an ewe gives birth to nine, end of the dynasty.
If an ewe gives birth to ten, a weakling will acquire universal sovereignty[52].
The general similarity of the interpretations may be taken as a further indication that thebârû-priests were simply giving their fancy free scope in making prognostications for conditions that could never arise; nor is it of serious moment that in the case of triplets the interpretation is favorable to the owner of the ewe, or that in the case of ten lambs, even the official interpretation is not distinctly unfavorable—in view of the purely ‘academic’ character of such entries.
An extract from a long text[53]furnishing omens derived from all kinds of peculiarities and abnormal phenomena noted on the ears of an animal—primarily again the sheep, though no doubt assumed to be applicable to other domesticated animals—will throw further light on the system of divination devised by thebârû-priests, and will also illustratethe extravagant fancy of the priests in their endeavor to make their collections provide for all possible and indeed for many impossible contingencies.
If a foetus[54]lacks the right ear, the rule of the king will come to an end, his palace will be destroyed, overthrow of the elders of the city, the king will be without counsellors, confusion in the land, diminution of the cattle in the land, the enemy will acquire control[55].If the foetus lacks a left ear, a god will harken to the prayer of the king, the king will take the land of his enemy, the palace of the enemy will be destroyed, the enemy will be without a counsellor, the cattle of the enemy’s country will be diminished, the enemy will lose control.If the right ear of the foetus is detached, the stall[56]will be destroyed.If the left ear of the foetus is detached, the enemy’s stall will be destroyed.If the right ear of the foetus is split, the herd will be destroyed or the leaders of the city will leave (it)[57].If the left ear of the foetus is split, the herd will be enlarged, the leaders of the enemy’s country will leave (it).If the right ear of the foetus is split and swollen with clay, the country [will have a rival].If the left ear of the foetus is split and swollen with clay, the enemy’s country will have a rival.If the right ear of the foetus is destroyed, the stall will be enlarged, the stall of the enemy will be diminished.If the outside of the right ear is destroyed, the land will yield to the enemy’s land.If the right ear of the foetus lies near the cheek[58], the enemy will prevail against the power of the king, the king will be without counsellors, a ruler will not inhabit the land, or the son of the king of universal sway[59]will be king.If the left ear of the foetus lies near the cheek, an enemy will be installed in the royal palace.If the right ear of the foetus lies near the jaw, birth of a demon[60]in my land, or in the house of the man[61].If the left ear of the foetus lies near the jaw, birth of a demon in the enemy’s land, or the land of the enemy will perish.
If a foetus[54]lacks the right ear, the rule of the king will come to an end, his palace will be destroyed, overthrow of the elders of the city, the king will be without counsellors, confusion in the land, diminution of the cattle in the land, the enemy will acquire control[55].
If the foetus lacks a left ear, a god will harken to the prayer of the king, the king will take the land of his enemy, the palace of the enemy will be destroyed, the enemy will be without a counsellor, the cattle of the enemy’s country will be diminished, the enemy will lose control.
If the right ear of the foetus is detached, the stall[56]will be destroyed.
If the left ear of the foetus is detached, the enemy’s stall will be destroyed.
If the right ear of the foetus is split, the herd will be destroyed or the leaders of the city will leave (it)[57].
If the left ear of the foetus is split, the herd will be enlarged, the leaders of the enemy’s country will leave (it).
If the right ear of the foetus is split and swollen with clay, the country [will have a rival].
If the left ear of the foetus is split and swollen with clay, the enemy’s country will have a rival.
If the right ear of the foetus is destroyed, the stall will be enlarged, the stall of the enemy will be diminished.
If the outside of the right ear is destroyed, the land will yield to the enemy’s land.
If the right ear of the foetus lies near the cheek[58], the enemy will prevail against the power of the king, the king will be without counsellors, a ruler will not inhabit the land, or the son of the king of universal sway[59]will be king.
If the left ear of the foetus lies near the cheek, an enemy will be installed in the royal palace.
If the right ear of the foetus lies near the jaw, birth of a demon[60]in my land, or in the house of the man[61].
If the left ear of the foetus lies near the jaw, birth of a demon in the enemy’s land, or the land of the enemy will perish.
The guiding principle of the interpretation in these instances is the natural association of the right as your side and the left with the enemy’s side. A defect on the right side is unfavorable to you, i. e., to the king or to the country or to the individual in whose household the birth occurs, while the same defect on the left side is unfavorable to the enemy and, therefore, favorable to you. The principle is quite consistently carried out even to the point that if the sign itself is favorable, it is only when it is found on the right side that it is favorable to you, while its occurrence on the left side is favorable to the enemy.
Defects of any kind appear to be unfavorable, whereas an excess of organs and parts are in many instances favorable, though with a considerable measure of arbitrariness.
If the foetus has two ears on the right side and none on the left, the boundary city of the enemy will become subject to you.If the foetus has two ears on the left side and none on the right, your boundary city will become subject to the enemy.If the foetus has two ears on the right side and one on the left, the land will remain under the control of the ruler.If the foetus has two ears on the left side and one on the right, the land will revolt.If within the right ear of the foetus a second ear[62]appears, the ruler will have counsellors.If within the left ear of the foetus there is a second ear, the counsellors of the ruler will advise evilly.If behind the right ear of the foetus there is a second ear, the ruler will have counsellors.If behind the left ear of the foetus there is a second ear, confusion in the land, the land will be destroyed[63].***If a foetus has [four] ears, a king of universal sway will be in the land.[If a foetus has four ears], two lying in front (and) two in back, the ruler will acquire possessions in a strange country[64].***If behind the right ear, there are two ears, visible on the outside[65], the inhabitants of the boundary city will become subject to the enemy.If behind the left ear there are two ears visible on the outside, the inhabitants of the boundary city of the enemy will become subject to you.If a foetus has three ears, one on the left side and two on the right side, the angry gods will return to the country.If a foetus has three ears, one on the left side and two on the right, the gods will kill within the country.If within the right ear of a foetus there are three ears with the inner sides well formed, the opponent will conclude peace with the king whom he fears, the army of the ruler will dwell in peace with him.If within the left ear of a foetus there are three ears with the inner sides well formed, thy ally will become hostile.If behind each of the two ears there are three ears visible on the outside, confusion in the land, the counsel of the land will be discarded, one land after the other will revolt.If within each of two ears there are three ears visible on the inner side, things will go well with the ruler’s army.If within each of the two ears there are three ears, visible on the outside and the inside, the army of the ruler will forsake him and his land will revolt.If within each of the two ears there are three ears, visible on the outside and the inside, the army of the ruler will forsake him and his land will revolt.If the ears of a foetus are choked up[66], in place of a large king a small king will be in the land.
If the foetus has two ears on the right side and none on the left, the boundary city of the enemy will become subject to you.
If the foetus has two ears on the left side and none on the right, your boundary city will become subject to the enemy.
If the foetus has two ears on the right side and one on the left, the land will remain under the control of the ruler.
If the foetus has two ears on the left side and one on the right, the land will revolt.
If within the right ear of the foetus a second ear[62]appears, the ruler will have counsellors.
If within the left ear of the foetus there is a second ear, the counsellors of the ruler will advise evilly.
If behind the right ear of the foetus there is a second ear, the ruler will have counsellors.
If behind the left ear of the foetus there is a second ear, confusion in the land, the land will be destroyed[63].
***
If a foetus has [four] ears, a king of universal sway will be in the land.
[If a foetus has four ears], two lying in front (and) two in back, the ruler will acquire possessions in a strange country[64].
***
If behind the right ear, there are two ears, visible on the outside[65], the inhabitants of the boundary city will become subject to the enemy.
If behind the left ear there are two ears visible on the outside, the inhabitants of the boundary city of the enemy will become subject to you.
If a foetus has three ears, one on the left side and two on the right side, the angry gods will return to the country.
If a foetus has three ears, one on the left side and two on the right, the gods will kill within the country.
If within the right ear of a foetus there are three ears with the inner sides well formed, the opponent will conclude peace with the king whom he fears, the army of the ruler will dwell in peace with him.
If within the left ear of a foetus there are three ears with the inner sides well formed, thy ally will become hostile.
If behind each of the two ears there are three ears visible on the outside, confusion in the land, the counsel of the land will be discarded, one land after the other will revolt.
If within each of two ears there are three ears visible on the inner side, things will go well with the ruler’s army.
If within each of the two ears there are three ears, visible on the outside and the inside, the army of the ruler will forsake him and his land will revolt.
If within each of the two ears there are three ears, visible on the outside and the inside, the army of the ruler will forsake him and his land will revolt.
If the ears of a foetus are choked up[66], in place of a large king a small king will be in the land.
In general, therefore, an excess number of ears points to enlargement, increased power, stability of the governmentand the like; and this is probably due in part to the association of wisdom and understanding with the ear in Babylonian[67], for as a general thing an excess of organs or of parts of the body is an unfavorable sign, because a deviation from the normal.
In the same way as in the case of the ears, we have birth-omen texts dealing with the head, lips, mouth, eyes, feet, joints, tail, genital organs, hair, horns and other parts of the body[68]. In many of these texts dealing with all kinds of peculiar formations and abnormalities in the case of one organ or one part of the body or the other, a comparison is instituted between the features or parts of one animal with those of another and the interpretation is guided by the association of ideas with the animal compared. A moment’s reflection will show the importance of this feature in extending the field of observation almostad infinitum. A lamb born with a large head might suggest a lion, a small long head that of a dog, or a very broad face might suggest the features of a bull. From comparisons of this kind, the step would be a small one to calling a lamb with lion-like features, a lion, or a lamb with features recalling those of a dog, a dog and so on through the list, the interpretations being chosen through the ideas associated with the animal in question. A text of this kind[69], of which we have many, reads in part as follows.
If an ewe gives birth to a lion, the abandoned weapons will make an attack (again), the king will be without a rival.If an ewe gives birth to a lion, but with a head of a ‘rain bow’ bird[70], the son will seize the throne of his father.If an ewe gives birth to a lion, but (some of) the features are (also) human, the power of the king will conquer a powerful country.If an ewe gives birth to a lion, but (some of) the features are those of a lamb, the young cattle will not prosper.If an ewe gives birth to a lion, but (some of) the features are those of an ass, severe famine will occur in the country.If an ewe gives birth to a lion, but (some of) the features are those of a dog, Nergal[71]will cause destruction.If an ewe gives birth to a lion but (some of) the features are those of akhupipi[72], the ruler will be without a rival and will destroy the land of his enemy.If an ewe gives birth to a lion, but with the mouth of a wild cow, the rule of the king will not prosper.If an ewe gives birth to a lion but with the mouth of a bull, famine will ensue.If an ewe gives birth to a lion with the horny exuberance of an ibex on its face, prices will be lowered[73].If an ewe gives birth to a lion with the horny exuberance of an ibex on its face and if the eyes are open[74], prices will be high.If an ewe gives birth to a lion with fatty flesh on the nose, the land will be well nourished.If an ewe gives birth to a lion, and the right temple is covered with fatty flesh, the land will be richly blessed.If an ewe gives birth to a lion, and the left temple is covered with fatty flesh,—rivalry.If an ewe gives birth to a lion, and it is covered all over with fatty flesh, the king will be without a rival.If an ewe gives birth to a lion but without a head[75], death of the ruler.If an ewe gives birth to a lion with the gorge torn off[76], destruction of the land, the mistress[77]will die.If an ewe gives birth to a lion with the gorge torn off and a mutilated tail[78], the land [will be destroyed (?)]
If an ewe gives birth to a lion, the abandoned weapons will make an attack (again), the king will be without a rival.
If an ewe gives birth to a lion, but with a head of a ‘rain bow’ bird[70], the son will seize the throne of his father.
If an ewe gives birth to a lion, but (some of) the features are (also) human, the power of the king will conquer a powerful country.
If an ewe gives birth to a lion, but (some of) the features are those of a lamb, the young cattle will not prosper.
If an ewe gives birth to a lion, but (some of) the features are those of an ass, severe famine will occur in the country.
If an ewe gives birth to a lion, but (some of) the features are those of a dog, Nergal[71]will cause destruction.
If an ewe gives birth to a lion but (some of) the features are those of akhupipi[72], the ruler will be without a rival and will destroy the land of his enemy.
If an ewe gives birth to a lion, but with the mouth of a wild cow, the rule of the king will not prosper.
If an ewe gives birth to a lion but with the mouth of a bull, famine will ensue.
If an ewe gives birth to a lion with the horny exuberance of an ibex on its face, prices will be lowered[73].
If an ewe gives birth to a lion with the horny exuberance of an ibex on its face and if the eyes are open[74], prices will be high.
If an ewe gives birth to a lion with fatty flesh on the nose, the land will be well nourished.
If an ewe gives birth to a lion, and the right temple is covered with fatty flesh, the land will be richly blessed.
If an ewe gives birth to a lion, and the left temple is covered with fatty flesh,—rivalry.
If an ewe gives birth to a lion, and it is covered all over with fatty flesh, the king will be without a rival.
If an ewe gives birth to a lion but without a head[75], death of the ruler.
If an ewe gives birth to a lion with the gorge torn off[76], destruction of the land, the mistress[77]will die.
If an ewe gives birth to a lion with the gorge torn off and a mutilated tail[78], the land [will be destroyed (?)]
From texts like these it would appear that the phrase of ‘an ewe giving birth to a lion’ had acquired a purely conventional force to describe a lamb whose head or general features suggested those of a lion. It may have come to be used indeed for a newly born lamb of unusually large proportions. Hence one could combine with the description of a lion-lamb such further specifications as that it also suggested human features, or looked like an ass or a dog, or that while it came under the category of a lion-lamb, it yet had some of the features of a normal lamb. At all events we must not credit the Babylonians or Assyrians with so absurd a belief as that an ewe could actually produce a lion. Such a supposition is at once disposed of when we come to other texts where we find entries of an ewe producing a whole series of animals—a jackal, dog, fox, panther, hyena,gazelle, etc. and where we must perforce assume resemblances between a young lamb and the animals in question and not any extravagant views of possible cross-breeding[79]. To clinch the matter, we have quite a number of passages in which the preposition ‘like’ is introduced[80]instead of the direct equation, showing that when the texts speak of an ewe giving birth to a lion, a jackal, a dog, etc., the priests had in mind merely a resemblance as the basis of such statements.
The general idea associated with the lion in divination texts is that of power, success, increase and the like. The sign, therefore, of an ewe producing a lion is a favorable one; it is only through attendant circumstances that the character of the sign is transformed into an unfavorable or partly unfavorable omen. So in case the lion-lamb has a head suggestive of the variegated colors of the rainbow bird, the sign still points to power, but to a power exercised by the crown prince against the father. If some of the features suggest those of an ass or of a dog or of a pig, the ideas associated with these animals convert what would otherwise have been a favorable sign into an unfavorable one. The mouth of a wild cow or of a bull, thus interfering with the complete identification of the young lamb as a lion-lamb, similarly, brings about an unfavorable interpretation. Fatty flesh by a natural association points to increased prosperity, while mutilations of the head, tail or of any other part naturally carry with them unfavorable prognostications.
It is interesting to see from a long list of comparisons of a new-born lamb with all kinds of animals[81]the extent to which the association of ideas connected with the animals in question is carried.
If an ewe gives birth to a dog ... the king’s land will revolt.If an ewe gives birth to a beaver[82](?), the king’s land will experience misery.If an ewe gives birth to a fox, Enlil[83]will maintain the rule of the legitimate king for many years, or[84]the king will strengthen his power.If an ewe gives birth to a Mukh-Dul[85], the enemy will carry away the inhabitants of the land, the land will despite its strength go to ruin, the dynasty will be opposed, confusion in the land.If an ewe gives birth to a panther, the kingdom of the ruler will secure universal sway.If an ewe gives birth to a hyena (?), approach of Elam.If an ewe gives birth to a gazelle, the days of the ruler through the grace of the gods will be long, or the ruler will have warriors.If an ewe gives birth to a hind, the son of the king will seize his father’s throne, or the approach of Subartu will overthrow the land.If an ewe gives birth to a roebuck, the son of the king will seize his father’s throne, or destruction of cattle[86].If an ewe gives birth to a wild cow, revolt will prevail in the land.If an ewe gives birth to an ox, the weapons of the ruler will prevail over the weapons of the enemy.If an ewe gives birth to an ox that hasganni[87], the ruler will weaken the land of his enemy.If an ewe gives birth to an ox with two tails, omen of Ishbi-Ura[88], who was without a rival.If an ewe gives birth to a cow, the king will die, another king will draw nigh and divide the country.
If an ewe gives birth to a dog ... the king’s land will revolt.
If an ewe gives birth to a beaver[82](?), the king’s land will experience misery.
If an ewe gives birth to a fox, Enlil[83]will maintain the rule of the legitimate king for many years, or[84]the king will strengthen his power.
If an ewe gives birth to a Mukh-Dul[85], the enemy will carry away the inhabitants of the land, the land will despite its strength go to ruin, the dynasty will be opposed, confusion in the land.
If an ewe gives birth to a panther, the kingdom of the ruler will secure universal sway.
If an ewe gives birth to a hyena (?), approach of Elam.
If an ewe gives birth to a gazelle, the days of the ruler through the grace of the gods will be long, or the ruler will have warriors.
If an ewe gives birth to a hind, the son of the king will seize his father’s throne, or the approach of Subartu will overthrow the land.
If an ewe gives birth to a roebuck, the son of the king will seize his father’s throne, or destruction of cattle[86].
If an ewe gives birth to a wild cow, revolt will prevail in the land.
If an ewe gives birth to an ox, the weapons of the ruler will prevail over the weapons of the enemy.
If an ewe gives birth to an ox that hasganni[87], the ruler will weaken the land of his enemy.
If an ewe gives birth to an ox with two tails, omen of Ishbi-Ura[88], who was without a rival.
If an ewe gives birth to a cow, the king will die, another king will draw nigh and divide the country.
One might have supposed that such omens represent a purely imaginative theoretical factor, but the introduction of the historical reference proves conclusively that the Babylonians and Assyrians attached an importance to the fancied resemblance of an animal to an other, and that in the case of such strange statements as that an ewe gives birth to one of a series of all kinds of animals, it is this fancied resemblance that forms the basis and the point of departure for the interpretation.
If, now, we turn to birth-omens in the case of infants, we find in the omen texts the same two classes, those in which all kinds of abnormalities and malformations are registered, and such in which the fancied resemblance of the new-born infant to some animal, or of some features of an infant to those of an animal is introduced as a factor. The principles underlying the interpretation, so far as they can be recognized, are naturally the same as in the case of birth-omens for the young of domesticated animals. A few illustrations will make this clear.
A text[89]dealing with twins, and passing on to multiple births up to eight, reads in part as follows:
If a woman gives birth to two boys, famine will prevail in the land, the interior of the country will witness misfortune, and misfortune will enter the house of their father[90].If a woman gives birth to two boys with one body—no union between man and wife, [that house will be reduced][91].If a woman gives birth to two boys of normal appearance, that house[92]...If a woman gives birth to a boy and a girl, ill luck will enter the land, the land will be diminished.If a woman gives birth to twins united at the spine, with the faces [back to back ?], the gods will forsake the country, the king and his son will abandon the city.If a woman gives birth to twins without noses and feet, the land [will be diminished][93].If a woman gives birth to twins in an abnormal condition, the land will perish, the house of the man will be destroyed.If a woman gives birth to twins united at the sides[94], the land ruled by one will be controlled by two.If a woman gives birth to twins united at the sides, (and) the right hand of the one lying to the right is missing, the weapon of the enemy will kill me, the land will be diminished, weakness will bring about defeat and my army will be destroyed.If a woman gives birth to twins united at the sides, and the left hand of the one lying to the left is missing[95]...If a woman gives birth to twins united at the sides and the right hands are missing—attack, the enemy will destroy the produce of the land.If a woman gives birth to twins united at the sides, and the left hands are missing, [the produce of the enemy’s land will be destroyed][96].If a woman gives birth to twins, united at the sides, and the right foot of the one lying to the right is missing, the enemy will abandon the rest of my land, the land will be captured.If a woman gives birth to twins united at the sides, and the left foot of the one lying to the left, is missing, I will [abandon] the rest of the enemy’s land, [and the land of the enemy will be captured[97]].If a woman gives birth to twins united at the sides, and the right feet are missing, the seat of the country[98]will be overthrown and captured.If a woman gives birth to twins united at the sides and the left feet are missing, the seat of the enemy’s land [will be overthrown and captured].If a woman gives birth to two girls, the house will be destroyed.If a woman gives birth to two girls and they die[99]...If a woman gives birth to three well developed girls, the land of the ruler will be enlarged.If a woman gives birth to two girls with one body, [no union] between man [and wife, the land will be diminished][100].If a woman gives birth to two girls of normal appearance ...[101].If a woman gives birth to three boys, distress will seize the land ...If a woman gives birth to [four (?)] boys, [destruction in the land][102].
If a woman gives birth to two boys, famine will prevail in the land, the interior of the country will witness misfortune, and misfortune will enter the house of their father[90].
If a woman gives birth to two boys with one body—no union between man and wife, [that house will be reduced][91].
If a woman gives birth to two boys of normal appearance, that house[92]...
If a woman gives birth to a boy and a girl, ill luck will enter the land, the land will be diminished.
If a woman gives birth to twins united at the spine, with the faces [back to back ?], the gods will forsake the country, the king and his son will abandon the city.
If a woman gives birth to twins without noses and feet, the land [will be diminished][93].
If a woman gives birth to twins in an abnormal condition, the land will perish, the house of the man will be destroyed.
If a woman gives birth to twins united at the sides[94], the land ruled by one will be controlled by two.
If a woman gives birth to twins united at the sides, (and) the right hand of the one lying to the right is missing, the weapon of the enemy will kill me, the land will be diminished, weakness will bring about defeat and my army will be destroyed.
If a woman gives birth to twins united at the sides, and the left hand of the one lying to the left is missing[95]...
If a woman gives birth to twins united at the sides and the right hands are missing—attack, the enemy will destroy the produce of the land.
If a woman gives birth to twins united at the sides, and the left hands are missing, [the produce of the enemy’s land will be destroyed][96].
If a woman gives birth to twins, united at the sides, and the right foot of the one lying to the right is missing, the enemy will abandon the rest of my land, the land will be captured.
If a woman gives birth to twins united at the sides, and the left foot of the one lying to the left, is missing, I will [abandon] the rest of the enemy’s land, [and the land of the enemy will be captured[97]].
If a woman gives birth to twins united at the sides, and the right feet are missing, the seat of the country[98]will be overthrown and captured.
If a woman gives birth to twins united at the sides and the left feet are missing, the seat of the enemy’s land [will be overthrown and captured].
If a woman gives birth to two girls, the house will be destroyed.
If a woman gives birth to two girls and they die[99]...
If a woman gives birth to three well developed girls, the land of the ruler will be enlarged.
If a woman gives birth to two girls with one body, [no union] between man [and wife, the land will be diminished][100].
If a woman gives birth to two girls of normal appearance ...[101].
If a woman gives birth to three boys, distress will seize the land ...
If a woman gives birth to [four (?)] boys, [destruction in the land][102].
Through another fragment[103], the list of multiple births is carried up to eight—a perfectly safe procedure on the part of thebârû-priests, since it is unlikely that the case of more than four births at one time ever occurred in the whole scope of Babylonian-Assyrian history. The interpretations in the case of more than triplets appear to have been consistently unfavorable. Even twins, as is apparent from the above entries, were generally regarded as unfavorable, because of the deviation from the normal involved; and this was certainly the case when monstrous factors were connected with the double birth—the two united at the backs or at the sides—or when the twins lacked a part of the body such as noses, hands or feet. The fundamental distinction between the right side as representing your side and the left as the enemy’s side intervenes to differentiate between the application of the omen to the king or to the country on the one hand, and to the enemy or his country on the other.
Corresponding to the text above discussed[104], in which interpretations are offered for all kinds of malformations or peculiarities, in connection with the ears of newly-bornanimals, we have a text[105]furnishing omens in the same way in the case of human births.
If a woman gives birth, (and the child has) a lion’s ear, a powerful king will rule in the land.If a woman gives birth, and the right ear[106]is missing, the life of the ruler will come to an end.If a woman gives birth, and the left ear is missing, the life of the king will be long.If a woman gives birth, and both ears are missing, famine will prevail in the country, and the land will be diminished.If a woman gives birth, and the right ear is small, the house of the man will be destroyed.If a woman gives birth, and the left ear is small, the house of the man will be enlarged.If a woman gives birth, and both ears are small, the house of the man will be overthrown.If a woman gives birth, and the right ear is detached[107], the house of the man will be destroyed.If a woman gives birth, and the left ear is detached, the house of the opponent will be destroyed, the house of the man[108]will be enlarged.If a woman gives birth, and both ears are detached, the house of the man will encounter misfortune.If a woman gives birth, and the right ear reaches to the cheek, a weakling will be born in the man’s house.If a woman gives birth, and the left ear reaches to the cheek, a strong one will be born in the man’s house[109].If a woman gives birth, and both ears reach to the cheek, that land will be destroyed, protection will be withdrawn.If a woman gives birth, and the right ear is deformed, a weakling will be born in the man’s house.If a woman gives birth, and the left ear is deformed, a strong one will be born in the man’s house[110].If a woman gives birth, and the right ear of the child lies at the lower jaw[111], the son of the man will destroy the man’s house.If a woman gives birth, and the left ear lies at the lower jaw, the son of the man will encircle the man’s house[112].If a woman gives birth, and there are two ears on the right side and the left ear is missing, the angry gods will return to the land and the land will have peace.If a woman gives birth, and there are two ears on the left side and the right ear is missing, the counsel of the land will be disturbed.***If a woman gives birth, and both ears are flattened,—revolt.
If a woman gives birth, (and the child has) a lion’s ear, a powerful king will rule in the land.
If a woman gives birth, and the right ear[106]is missing, the life of the ruler will come to an end.
If a woman gives birth, and the left ear is missing, the life of the king will be long.
If a woman gives birth, and both ears are missing, famine will prevail in the country, and the land will be diminished.
If a woman gives birth, and the right ear is small, the house of the man will be destroyed.
If a woman gives birth, and the left ear is small, the house of the man will be enlarged.
If a woman gives birth, and both ears are small, the house of the man will be overthrown.
If a woman gives birth, and the right ear is detached[107], the house of the man will be destroyed.
If a woman gives birth, and the left ear is detached, the house of the opponent will be destroyed, the house of the man[108]will be enlarged.
If a woman gives birth, and both ears are detached, the house of the man will encounter misfortune.
If a woman gives birth, and the right ear reaches to the cheek, a weakling will be born in the man’s house.
If a woman gives birth, and the left ear reaches to the cheek, a strong one will be born in the man’s house[109].
If a woman gives birth, and both ears reach to the cheek, that land will be destroyed, protection will be withdrawn.
If a woman gives birth, and the right ear is deformed, a weakling will be born in the man’s house.
If a woman gives birth, and the left ear is deformed, a strong one will be born in the man’s house[110].
If a woman gives birth, and the right ear of the child lies at the lower jaw[111], the son of the man will destroy the man’s house.
If a woman gives birth, and the left ear lies at the lower jaw, the son of the man will encircle the man’s house[112].
If a woman gives birth, and there are two ears on the right side and the left ear is missing, the angry gods will return to the land and the land will have peace.
If a woman gives birth, and there are two ears on the left side and the right ear is missing, the counsel of the land will be disturbed.
***
If a woman gives birth, and both ears are flattened,—revolt.
The principle consistently applied throughout these omens is that a defect or deformity on the right side is an unfavorable sign, and that the same phenomenon on the left side is unfavorable to the enemy, or favorable to you. A large ear—suggesting that of a lion—points by association to enlargement and increased strength.
The text then passes on to other peculiarities.
If a woman gives birth, and (the child has) the mouth of a bird, that land will be destroyed.If a woman gives birth, and the mouth is missing, the mistress of the house will die.If a woman gives birth, and the right nostril is missing,—injury.If a woman gives birth, and both nostrils are missing, the land will experience distress, the house of the man will be destroyed.If a woman gives birth, and the jaws are missing[113], the days of the ruler will come to an end, the house will be destroyed.If a woman gives birth, and the lower jaw is missing, the enemy will take the boundary strip of my land.If a woman gives birth, and the arms (?) are missing, the house of the man will be destroyed.If a woman gives birth, and the arms (?) are short, he will attain favor.***If a woman gives birth, and the upper lip rides over the lower one[114], he will attain favor.If a woman gives birth, and the lips are missing, the land will encounter distress, the house of the man will be destroyed.If a woman gives birth, and one arm is short, that man will be preferred[115].If a woman gives birth, and the right hand is missing, that land will suffer destruction.If a woman gives birth, and both hands are missing, the enemy will conquer the city of the new-born[116].If a woman gives birth, and the fingers of the right hand are missing, the ruler will be hemmed in by his enemy.If a woman gives birth, and there are six fingers on the right hand, misfortune will seize the house.If a woman gives birth, and there are six toes on the right and on the left foot, the children[117]will encounter misfortune.If a woman gives birth, and there are six toes on the right foot, there will be injury[118].***If a woman gives birth, and the genital member is missing, the master of the house will be weakened, drying up of the field.If a woman gives birth, and the genital member and the testicles are missing, the land will encounter misfortune, the woman[119]will suffer pain, the house[120]will control the palace[121].If a woman gives birth, and the anus is closed[122], the land will suffer famine.If a woman gives birth, and the anus [is missing ?], the king will be restrained in his palace.If a woman gives birth, and the right thigh is missing, the land of the ruler will go to ruin.If a woman gives birth, and the left thigh is missing, the enemy’s land will go to ruin.***If a woman gives birth, and both feet are missing, the course of the land will be checked, that house will be destroyed.If a woman gives birth, and the right foot [of the child] is like that of a turtle[123], the enemy will destroy the property of the land.If a woman gives birth, and hands and feet are like those of a turtle, the ruler will destroy the product of his land.If a woman gives birth, and the feet are attached to the belly (?)[124], the possession of the house will be destroyed.If a woman gives birth, and the child has only one foot, which is attached to the belly (?) and does not [touch] the ground[125]the land will suffer misfortune, the house will be destroyed.If a woman gives birth, and it has three feet of which two are entwined in one another[126]with the body, destruction will prevail in the land.If a woman gives birth, and it has four feet and genital member and pudenda are there, the land will suffer misfortune, a strange ruler will appear on the scene.If a woman gives birth, and the right leg is missing, the land of the ruler will go to ruin.If a woman gives birth, and the left leg is missing, the enemy’s land will go to ruin.
If a woman gives birth, and (the child has) the mouth of a bird, that land will be destroyed.
If a woman gives birth, and the mouth is missing, the mistress of the house will die.
If a woman gives birth, and the right nostril is missing,—injury.
If a woman gives birth, and both nostrils are missing, the land will experience distress, the house of the man will be destroyed.
If a woman gives birth, and the jaws are missing[113], the days of the ruler will come to an end, the house will be destroyed.
If a woman gives birth, and the lower jaw is missing, the enemy will take the boundary strip of my land.
If a woman gives birth, and the arms (?) are missing, the house of the man will be destroyed.
If a woman gives birth, and the arms (?) are short, he will attain favor.
***
If a woman gives birth, and the upper lip rides over the lower one[114], he will attain favor.
If a woman gives birth, and the lips are missing, the land will encounter distress, the house of the man will be destroyed.
If a woman gives birth, and one arm is short, that man will be preferred[115].
If a woman gives birth, and the right hand is missing, that land will suffer destruction.
If a woman gives birth, and both hands are missing, the enemy will conquer the city of the new-born[116].
If a woman gives birth, and the fingers of the right hand are missing, the ruler will be hemmed in by his enemy.
If a woman gives birth, and there are six fingers on the right hand, misfortune will seize the house.
If a woman gives birth, and there are six toes on the right and on the left foot, the children[117]will encounter misfortune.
If a woman gives birth, and there are six toes on the right foot, there will be injury[118].
***
If a woman gives birth, and the genital member is missing, the master of the house will be weakened, drying up of the field.
If a woman gives birth, and the genital member and the testicles are missing, the land will encounter misfortune, the woman[119]will suffer pain, the house[120]will control the palace[121].
If a woman gives birth, and the anus is closed[122], the land will suffer famine.
If a woman gives birth, and the anus [is missing ?], the king will be restrained in his palace.
If a woman gives birth, and the right thigh is missing, the land of the ruler will go to ruin.
If a woman gives birth, and the left thigh is missing, the enemy’s land will go to ruin.
***
If a woman gives birth, and both feet are missing, the course of the land will be checked, that house will be destroyed.
If a woman gives birth, and the right foot [of the child] is like that of a turtle[123], the enemy will destroy the property of the land.
If a woman gives birth, and hands and feet are like those of a turtle, the ruler will destroy the product of his land.
If a woman gives birth, and the feet are attached to the belly (?)[124], the possession of the house will be destroyed.
If a woman gives birth, and the child has only one foot, which is attached to the belly (?) and does not [touch] the ground[125]the land will suffer misfortune, the house will be destroyed.
If a woman gives birth, and it has three feet of which two are entwined in one another[126]with the body, destruction will prevail in the land.
If a woman gives birth, and it has four feet and genital member and pudenda are there, the land will suffer misfortune, a strange ruler will appear on the scene.
If a woman gives birth, and the right leg is missing, the land of the ruler will go to ruin.
If a woman gives birth, and the left leg is missing, the enemy’s land will go to ruin.
In general, malformations are looked upon as unfavorable, as are also excess organs or parts e. g. six fingers or six toes; and it is only occasionally that a peculiarity such as shortened arms or a protruding upper lip, receives a favorable interpretation. The variations in the interpretations themselves are not numerous, and for the most part are probably selected in an entirely arbitrary fashion, though here, too, as has been pointed out several times, association of ideas enters as a factor, as, e. g., where large ears are made to point to increased power. At the same time, it is also clear that the great majority of the malformations andabnormalities in the text that we have just discussed are such asactuallydo occur and with the help of medical works on human malformations[127], many of the omens described in this and in other texts can be identified. There can, therefore, be no doubt that the collections of thebârû-priests dealing with birth-omens observed in infants, likewise, rest upon actual observations, though the field was extended by passing on from actual to purely fanciful and impossible abnormalities. The extent to which this attempt to provide for all kinds of contingencies was carried in the collections is illustrated by a portion of the first tablet of a series[128]dealing with human birth-omens. This section treating in part of the birth of shapeless abortions reads as follows:
If a woman gives birth topudenda[129], the royal dynasty will be changed.If a woman gives birth to a head[130], the land will encounter distress.If a woman gives birth to a form of some kind[131], king against king,—his rival, will prevail.If a woman gives birth to a foetus[132], the land will encounter distress.If a woman gives birth to a foetus in which there is a second, the rule of the king and of his sons will come to an end ... the power of the land [will dwindle].If a woman gives birth to a mass of clay[133], the king’s land will oppose him and cause terror.If a woman is pregnant with a mass of clay and gives birth to a mass of clay, misfortune will come, themother will close off her gate against the daughter, there will be no protection, the man[134]will go to ruin, the produce of the field will not prosper.If a woman gives birth to a male still-birth, Nergal[135]will destroy, the man[136]will die before his time.If a woman gives birth to a weak boy, distress, destruction of the house[137].If a woman gives birth to a weak girl, that house will be destroyed by fire.If a woman gives birth to a lame boy, distress, that house [will be destroyed].If a woman gives birth to a lame girl,ditto.If a woman gives birth to a cripple, that house will be plundered.If a woman gives birth to a crippled girl, that house [will be destroyed ?].***If a woman gives birth to something that has no face[138], the land will experience sorrow, that house will not prosper.If a woman gives birth to a weakling, that city[139][will experience misfortune ?].If a woman gives birth to a crippled being, the land will experience sorrow, that house [will not prosper].If a woman gives birth to a deaf mute, the house will be shut in.***If a woman gives birth to a dwarf[140]of a half-shape, that city will be opposed.If a woman gives birth to a half-shaped being with bearded lips[141], talking[142], and that moves about, and has teeth[143]—hostility of Nergal, the crushing force of a powerful attack on the land, a god[144]will destroy, streets will be attacked, houses will be seized.
If a woman gives birth topudenda[129], the royal dynasty will be changed.
If a woman gives birth to a head[130], the land will encounter distress.
If a woman gives birth to a form of some kind[131], king against king,—his rival, will prevail.
If a woman gives birth to a foetus[132], the land will encounter distress.
If a woman gives birth to a foetus in which there is a second, the rule of the king and of his sons will come to an end ... the power of the land [will dwindle].
If a woman gives birth to a mass of clay[133], the king’s land will oppose him and cause terror.
If a woman is pregnant with a mass of clay and gives birth to a mass of clay, misfortune will come, themother will close off her gate against the daughter, there will be no protection, the man[134]will go to ruin, the produce of the field will not prosper.
If a woman gives birth to a male still-birth, Nergal[135]will destroy, the man[136]will die before his time.
If a woman gives birth to a weak boy, distress, destruction of the house[137].
If a woman gives birth to a weak girl, that house will be destroyed by fire.
If a woman gives birth to a lame boy, distress, that house [will be destroyed].
If a woman gives birth to a lame girl,ditto.
If a woman gives birth to a cripple, that house will be plundered.
If a woman gives birth to a crippled girl, that house [will be destroyed ?].
***
If a woman gives birth to something that has no face[138], the land will experience sorrow, that house will not prosper.
If a woman gives birth to a weakling, that city[139][will experience misfortune ?].
If a woman gives birth to a crippled being, the land will experience sorrow, that house [will not prosper].
If a woman gives birth to a deaf mute, the house will be shut in.
***
If a woman gives birth to a dwarf[140]of a half-shape, that city will be opposed.
If a woman gives birth to a half-shaped being with bearded lips[141], talking[142], and that moves about, and has teeth[143]—hostility of Nergal, the crushing force of a powerful attack on the land, a god[144]will destroy, streets will be attacked, houses will be seized.
One may question whether all of such monstrosities actually occurred, though they are all possible, if we add the factor of fancy to account for some of the descriptions. The conventional character of the interpretations and the constant repetition of the same prognostications likewise indicate the desire on the part of thebârû-priests to exhaust their medical knowledge of monstrosities and malformations that could occur, in order to swell the collections to the largest possible proportions. The first tablet of the series[145]of which an extract has just been given, begins with an enumeration of various animals to which a newly born infant bears a resemblance and which is expressed, similarly to what we found in the animal birth-omens, by the phrase that the woman gives birth to the animal in question. The series begins as follows: