and the Law in Babylonia and Assyria.
л 03
deathbed she could give it to any son she had been borrowed from the treasure-house chose; unless other sons could substantiate of the god; the contract provided that in case some claim upon it for service. If a widow of disagreement, the capital and the profits married a second time, her new husband's should be divided equally between the three property was exempt from seizure for her partners. Hammurabi was particular about debts; and her estate was not liable to his these priestesses; he enacted that if a virgin of the temple sold liquor or entered a bar for creditors. If the two jointly contracted a the purposes of a drink, she should be burnt debt after their marriage, they were jointly up. One who uttered an unproved slander liable therefor. If she had children by her ancnt such a virgin was to be marked upon second husband, they shared her dowry with the children of her first husband upon her the brow. Women were the equals of men in matters death. A widow to whom her husband had given of religion. There were priestesses as well no gifts received her dowry and in addition a as priests. The oracle of Istar at Arbela share of his estate equal to the portions of was presided over by inspired prophetesses; all her children; she also was entitled to re and of them even kings inquired the will of main in his house; if she wished to leave, she heaven. By the way, Istar could be pretty could bestow upon her sons the gifts he had lively at times; in the celebrated library of given her, retain her dowry and marry again. Assurbanipal, at Nineveh, there were tablets Among the Babylonians there were pub- ' containing an account of her descent into lie prostitutes, who were under the protec Hades to bring back to life her lately de tion of the law and formed a class apart, and parted husband. We are told that when she had nothing to do with the respectable reached the ramparts of Hell she knocked, women of the community. But the records and on the appearance of the doorkeeper she that have come down to us do not bear out addressed that worthy in some such words as the story of wholesale public prostitution told these: "Guardian of the waters of life, open by Herodotus; the Father of History must thy doors; open thy doors, that I may enter. have been imposed upon. Even if he was If you do not I will sound the knocker. I right, this prostitution must have been a will break the lock. I will strike the threshold kind of religious worship, as it was in Cy and break through the portals. I will raise press, in Armenia, in India in the temples of the dead and devour the living." (Needless Juggernaut. to say, the imperative lady got in.) Istar, the Sun-goddess, was served by Hammurabi required- every man and women whose lives would not now be called woman to do his or her duty. For instance, respectable; they were never lawfully mar if any one left a child with a wet nurse and ried; they, however, formed a corporation the child died in the nurse's charge and she like the priests. Besides these women there then suckles to maturity another child with were priestesses of Istar,. who were forbidden out the knowledge of the father or mother to marry; they lived in the temples, could of the first infant, that nurse should be ar hold property of their own and carry on rested because she so nursed the other babe, business with it, paying a portion of their and upon conviction of the offence, her profits into the treasury of the temple. breast was to be amputated. Women of high birth aspired to these posi P. S.—Should the learned readers of the tions. The records show that one Amatforegoing find fault with the diversity of Samas entered into partnership with two spelling, I would remind them of a passage in men to trade with a manch of silver, which
