day with pouring rain.

This last phrase, which is somewhat obscure, seems to be a request made
in the contingency of an unfavorable omen being received. The sun-god is
asked, at all events, not to hide his countenance under clouds and rain
on the decisive day of battle. Coming after these preliminary requests
to the sacrifice, the priest continues:

Prevent anything unclean from defiling the place of inspection,[505]
Prevent the lamb of thy divinity, which is to be inspected, from being
imperfect and unfit.
Guard him who takes hold of the body of the lamb, who is clothed in
the proper sacrificial dress, from having eaten, drunk, or handled
anything unclean.

The priest thereupon repeats his question to the sun-god:

I ask thee, O Shamash! great lord! whether from the 3d day of
this month of Iyar, up to the 11th day of the month of Ab of
this year, Kashtariti, with his soldiers, whether the
Gimirrites, the Manneans, the Medes, or whether any enemy
whatsoever will take the said city, Kishassu, enter that said
city, Kishassu, seize said city, Kishassu, with their hands,
obtain it in their power.

The various terms used in describing the taking of a city are once more
specified, so as to fulfill all the demands of definiteness in the
question.

The priest is now ready to proceed with an examination of the animal
before him. A varying list of omens are introduced into the prayers
under consideration. That they are so introduced is a proof of the
official character of these texts. The omens were not, of course,
intended to be recited. They are enumerated as a guide to the priests.
The various signs that may be looked for are noted, and according to
what the priest finds he renders his decision. Knudtzon has made the
observation[507] that in the prayers published by him, the signs found
on the animal are noted but not interpreted. This rather curious
omission is again naturally accounted for on the assumption that these
prayers in their present form are part of a ritual compiled solely for
the benefit of priests attached to a Shamash sanctuary. Full directions
were not required. All that the priest needed was to know what to look
for. For the rest, he depended upon tradition or his own knowledge or
judgment. The omens themselves, or rather the signs, refer to the
condition in which certain parts of the animal are found or to
peculiarities in the composition of the animal.