THE TOWER OF BABEL.

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neath them. But the blue sky, and the sun, and the stars, seemed as far off as when they first began.

2. One day, while these foolish people were at their labor, a very wonderful thing took place. They were talking together as usual, but, all of a sudden, they found it impossible to understand what each other said.

3. If any of the workmen called for bricks, their companions at the bottom of the tower might mistake their meaning, and bring them pitch. If they asked for one sort of tool, another sort was given them. Their words appeared to be mere sounds without any sense, like the babble of a little child, before it has been taught to speak.

4. These strange events caused such confusion that they could not go on building the tower. They therefore gave up the idea of climbing to heaven, and resolved to wander to different parts of the earth.

5. It is likely that they formed themselves into several parties, each consisting of those who could talk intelligibly together. They set forth on their journey in various directions.

6. As each company departed, they probably threw a sad glance behind them at the Tower of Babel. The sun was perhaps shining on its lofty summit, as it seemed to rise into the very midst of the sky; and we may believe that it was long remembered by these exiles from their country.

7. The descendants of Shem are supposed to have distributed themselves over the country near to the Euphrates, and founded the nations there. The descendants of Ham took a westerly direction, and proceeded to Africa. They settled in Egypt, and laid the foundation of a great nation there. The descendants of Japheth proceeded to Greece, Rome, and other countries, and thus laid the foundation of several Eu-ro-pe'-an nations.

OBSERVATION.-The preceding story about the Tower of Babel is famous in history, and we often allude to it in our common speech. The strange confusion of language among the people is called "Confusion of tongues," and Babel is often used to mean confusion or jargon. This story also explains how mankind became first divided in different nations and tribes, and how they began to speak different languages.

Questions.-CHAP. IV.-1. What of the workmen upon the tower? 2. What strange thing happened while the people were building the Tower of Babel? 8. Describe the confusion among the workmen. 4. What was the effect of this confusion of tongues? 5. How did the multitude arrange themselves for their departure? 6. What did the people do, as they departed from the valley of Shinar? 7. What of the descendants of Shem? Of Ham? Of Japheth?

CHAPTER V.-ASIA-CONTINUED.

About the great Assyrian Empire, and the Reign of Queen Semiramis.

1. WHEN the rest of mankind were scattered into different parts of the earth, there were a number of people who remained near the Tower of Babel. They continued to inhabit the land of Shinar, which was a warm country, and very fertile. In the course of time they extended over a much larger tract of country, and built towns and cities there.

2. This region received the name of As-syr'-i-a. Here was the first of the great empires of the earth. Its boundaries varied at different times, but its place on the map at p. 17 may be seen near the two rivers Ti'-gris and Euphrates, to the north of the Persian Gulf.

3. Ash'-ur, the grandson of Noah, was the first ruler of Assyria. In the year 2221 B. C., that is, Before Christ, he built the city of Nineveh, and surrounded it with walls a hundred feet high. It was likewise defended by fifteen hundred towers, each two hundred feet

CHAP. V.-1. Did all the people leave the land of Shinar after the confusion of languages? Did the people of the land of Shinar increase? What did they do? 2. What name did the country around Shinar receive? What was the first empire or great nation of the earth? In which direction was Assyria from the Persian Gulf? 3. Who was the first ruler of Assyria? What city did he build? Describe the city of Nineveh.

in height. The city was so large, that a person would have traveled sixty miles merely in walking round it.

4. But the city of Babylon, two hundred and fifty miles south of Nineveh, and which was founded about the same time as that city, was superior to it, both in size and beauty. It was situated on the river Euphrates. The walls were so thick that six chariots drawn by horses could be driven abreast upon the top, without danger of falling off on either side. In this country, we do not surround our cities with walls; but in ancient times, walls were necessary to protect the people from their enemies.

5. In the city of Babylon there were magnificent gardens, belonging to the royal palace. They were constructed in such a manner that they appeared to be hanging in the air without resting on the earth. They contained large trees, and all kinds of fruits and flowers.

6. There was also a splendid temple dedicated to Be'-lus, or Ba'-al, ` who was the chief idol of the Babylonians. This temple was six hundred and sixty feet high, and it contained a golden image of Belus, forty feet in height.

7. The city of Babylon, which I have been describing, was first built by Nim'-rod, that mighty hunter, of whom the Bible tells us. But the person who made the beautiful gardens and palaces, and who set up the golden image of Belus, was a woman, named Se-mir'-a-mis.

8. She had been the wife of Ni'-nus, king of Assyria; but when King Ninus died, Queen Semiramis became sole ruler of the empire, which had conquered Babylon and the country round about. She was an ambitious woman, and could not content herself to live quietly in Babylon, although she had taken so much pains to make it a beautiful city.

9. She was tormented with a desire to conquer all the nations of the earth. So she collected an immense army, and marched against the rich and powerful King of the Indies, who lived in what we now call Hin-do-stan', a country lying to the southeast of Assyria.

Questions.-4. Where was the city of Babylon? Describe this wonderful city. Why did the ancients surround their cities with walls? 5. What of the hanging gardens? 6. The temple of Belus? 7. Who built Babylon? Who made the hanging gardens, the image of Belus, &c.? 8. What of Semiramis? Was she contented with Babylon? 9. What foolish and wicked desire had she? What did she do? Where did the King of the Indies live? In which direction was India from Assyria?

QUESTIONS ON the Map at pAGE 17.—This map shows the portions of the earth known to the ancients-that is, the nations which existed two or three thousand years ago. The names of countries are mostly different now from what they were then. The countries occupied by ancient Assyria and Babylon now belong to Turkey; the former is sometimes called Koordistan, and the latter Mesopotamia. Which way was Assyria from the Mediterranean Sea? Which way from Persia? From Arabia? From Syria? From Armenia? &c. &c.

The teacher can refer the pupil to the map at page 17 from time to time, as may be necessary.

QUEEN SEMIRAMIS.

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CHAPTER VI.-ASIA-CONTINUED.

Queen Semiramis sets forth to conquer the world, but is defeated by the King of the Indies.

1. WHEN the King of the Indies, who, as I have said, was very rich and powerful, heard that Queen Semiramis was coming to invade his dominions, he mustered a vast number of men to defend them. Besides his soldiers, he had a great many elephants.

2. Each of these enormous beasts was worth a whole regiment of soldiers. They were taught to rush into the battle, and toss the enemy about with their trunks and tusks, and trample them down with their huge feet.

3. Now Queen Semiramis had no elephants, and therefore she was afraid that the King of the Indies would overcome her. She endeavored to prevent this misfortune by a very curious contrivance. In the first place, she ordered three thousand brown oxen to be killed.

4. The hides of the dead oxen were stripped off, and sewed together in the shape of elephants. These were placed upon camels, and when the camels were drawn up in battle array, they looked pretty much like a troop of great brown elephants. Doubtless, the King of the Indies wondered where Queen Semiramis had caught them, as there were no elephants in Assyria.

5. When the battle was beginning, the King of the Indies, with his real elephants, marched forward on one side, and Queen Semiramis, with her camels and ox-hides, came boldly against him on the other.

6. But when the Assyrian army had marched close to the host of the Indians, the latter perceived that there was no such thing as an elephant among them. They therefore laid aside all fear, and rushed furiously upon Queen Semiramis and her soldiers.

7. The real elephants put the camels to flight; and then, in a great rage, they ran about, tossing the Assyrians into the air, and trampling them down by hundreds. Thus the Assyrian army was routed, and the King of the Indies gained a complete victory.

8. Queen Semiramis was sorely wounded; but she got into a chariot, and drove away at full speed from the battle-field. She finally escaped to her own kingdom, but in a very sad condition.

9. She then took up her residence in the palace at Babylon. But

CHAP. VI.-1. What did the King of the Indies do when he heard that Semiramis was going to make war upon his kingdom? What sort of an army had he? 2. What of the elephants? 3-4. By what contrivance did Semiramis endeavor to match the elephants of the King of India? 5-6. Describe the battle. 7. What was the result of the battle? 8. What of Semiramis? 9. What was the fate of Queen Semiramis ?