Nebuchadrezzar "took the hands of Bel" as soon as he
regained possession of the statue. The copy we possess of
the Royal Canon. Nebuchadrezzar I.'s place in the series
has, therefore, been the subject of much controversy.
Several Assyriologists were from the first inclined to place
him in the first or second rank, some being in favour of the
first, others preferring the second; Dolitzsch put him into
the fifth place, and Winckler, without pronouncing
definitely on the position to be assigned him, thought he
must come in about half-way down the dynasty. Hilprecht, on
taking up the questions, adduced reasons for supposing him
to have been the founder of the dynasty, and his conclusions
have been adopted by Oppert; they have been disputed by
Tiele, who wishes to put the king back to fourth or fifth in
order, and by Winckler, who places him fourth or fifth. It
is difficult, however, to accept Hilprecht's hypothesis,
plausible though it is, so long as Assyriologists who have
seen the original tablet agree in declaring that the name of
the first king began with the sign of _Merodach_ and not
with that of _Nebo_, as it ought to do, were this prince
really our Nebuchadrezzar.

Nebuchadrezzar arose "in Babylon,--roaring like a lion, even as Bamman
roareth,--and his chosen nobles, roared like lions with him.--To
Merodach, lord of Babylon, rose his prayer:--'How long, for me, shall
there be sighing and groaning?--How long, for my land, weeping and
mourning?--How long, for my countries, cries of grief and tears? Till
what time, O lord of Babylon, wilt thou remain in hostile regions?--Let
thy heart be softened, and make Babylon joyful,--and let thy face be
turned toward Eshaggil which thou lovest!'" Merodach gave ear to the
plaint of his servant: he answered him graciously and promised his
aid. Namar, united as it had been with Chaldaea for centuries, did not
readily become accustomed to its new masters. The greater part of the
land belonged to a Semitic and Cossaean feudality, the heads of which,
while admitting their suzerain's right to exact military service from
them, refused to acknowledge any further duty towards him. The kings of
Susa declined to recognise their privileges: they subjected them to a
poll-tax, levied the usual imposts on their estates, and forced them
to maintain at their own expense the troops quartered on