attached amulets, now the tunic which covers her bosom, now her enamelled girdle, her bracelets, and the rings on her ankles:  and at length, at the seventh gate, takes from her her last covering.  When she at length arrives in the presence of Allat, she throws herself upon her in order to wrest from her in a terrible struggle the life of Dumuzi; but Allat sends for Namtar, her messenger of misfortune, to punish, the rebellious Ishtar.  “Strike her eyes with the affliction of the eyes—­strike her loins with the affliction of the loins—­strike her feet with the affliction of the feet—­strike her heart with the affliction of the heart—­strike her head with the affliction of the head—­strike violently at her, at her whole body!” While Ishtar was suffering the torments of the infernal regions, the world of the living was wearing mourning on account of her death.  In the absence of the goddess of love, the rites of love could no longer be performed.  The passions of animals and men were suspended.  If she did not return quickly to the daylight, the races of men and animals would become extinct, the earth would become a desert, and the gods would have neither votaries nor offerings.

[Illustration:  226.jpg ISHTAR DESPOILED OF HER GARMENTS IN HADES]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a Chaldaean intaglio in the Hague Museum.  Salomon Reinach has demonstrated that the naked figure is not the goddess herself, but a statue of the goddess which was adored in one of the temples.

“Papsukal, the servant of the great gods, tore his face before Shamash—­clothed in mourning, filled with sorrow.  Shamash went—­he wept in the presence of Sin, his father,—­and his tears flowed in the presence of Ea, the king:—­’Ishtar has gone down into the earth, and she has not come up again!—­And ever since Ishtar has descended into the land without return... [the passions of men and beasts have been suspended]... the master goes to sleep while giving his command, the servant goes to sleep on his duty.’” The resurrection of the goddess is the only remedy for such ills, but this is dependent upon the resurrection of Damuzi:  Ishtar will never consent to reappear in the world, if she cannot bring back her husband with her.  Ea, the supreme god, the infallible executor of the divine will—­he who alone can modify the laws imposed upon creation—­at length decides to accord to her what she desires.  “Ea, in the wisdom of his heart, formed a male being,—­formed Uddushunamir, the servant of the gods:—­’Go then, Uddushunamir, turn thy face towards the gate of the land without return; —­the seven gates of the land without return—­may they become open at thy presence—­may Allat behold thee, and rejoice in thy presence!  When her heart shall be calm, and her wrath appeased, charm her in the name of the great gods—­turn thy thoughts to the spring’—­’May the spring, my lady, give me of its waters that I may drink of them.’” Allat broke out into a terrible