* A prophetic dream is mentioned upon, one of the statues of Telloh. In the records of Assurbanipal we find mention of several "seers"--_shabru_--one of whom predicts the general triumph of the king over his enemies, and of whom another announces in the name of Ishtar the victory over the Elamites and encourages the Assyrian army to cross a torrent swollen by rains, while a third sees in a dream the defeat and death of the King of Elam. These "seers" are mentioned in the texts of Gudea with the prophetesses "who tell the message" of the gods.
** In a formula drawn up against evil spirits, for the purpose of making talismanic figures for the protection of houses, it is said of Merodach that he "inhabits the image" --_ashibu salam_--which has been made of him by the magician.
** This is what Gudea says, when, describing his own statue which he had placed in the temple of Telloh, he adds that "he gave the order to the statue: 'To the statue of my king, speak!'" The statue of the king, inspired by that of the god, would thenceforth speak when interrogated according to the formularies. Cf. what is said of the divine or royal statues dedicated in the temples of Egypt, vol. i. pp. 169, 170. A number of oracles regularly obtained in the time of Asarhaddon and Assurbanabal have been published by Knudtzon.
[Illustration: 152.jpg THE ADORATION OF THE MACE AND THE WHIP.]
Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from the Chaldæan intaglio reproduced in Heuzey-Sarzec, _Découvertes en Chaldée_, pl. 30bis, No. 13b.
More frequently a priest, accustomed from childhood to the office, possessed the privilege of asking the desired questions and of interpreting to the faithful the various signs by means of which the divine will was made known. The spirit of the god inspired, moreover, whatever seemed good to him, and frequently entered into objects where we should least have expected to find it. It animated stones, particularly such as fell from heaven; also trees, as, for example, the tree of Eridu which pronounced oracles; and, besides the battle-mace, with a granite head fixed on a wooden handle, the axe of Ramman, lances made on the model of Gilgames' fairy javelin, which came and went at its master's orders, without needing to be touched. Such objects, when it was once ascertained that they were imbued with the divine spirit, were placed upon the altar and worshipped with as much veneration as were the statues themselves.