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This is what Berosus relates concerning the forementioned king,
as he relates many other things about him also in the third book of his
Chaldean History; wherein he complains of the Grecian writers for supposing,
without any foundation, that
Babylon was built by Semiramis,
1
queen of Assyria, and for her false pretense to those wonderful edifices
thereto buildings at
Babylon, do no way contradict those ancient and relating,
as if they were her own workmanship; as indeed in these affairs the Chaldean
History cannot but be the most credible. Moreover, we meet with a confirmation
of what Berosus says in the archives of the Phoenicians, concerning this
king Nabuchodonosor, that he conquered all
Syria and
Phoenicia; in which
case Philostratus agrees with the others in that history which he composed,
where he mentions the siege of
Tyre; as does Megasthenes also, in the fourth
book of his Indian History, wherein he pretends to prove that the forementioned
king of the Babylonians was superior to Hercules in strength and the greatness
of his exploits; for he says that he conquered a great part of
Libya, and
conquered
Iberia also. Now as to what I have said before about the temple
at
Jerusalem, that it was fought against by the Babylonians, and burnt
by them, but was opened again when Cyrus had taken the kingdom of
Asia,
shall now be demonstrated from what Berosus adds further upon that head;
for thus he says in his third book: "Nabuchodonosor, after he had
begun to build the forementioned wall, fell sick, and departed this life,
when he had reigned forty-three years; whereupon his son Evilmerodach obtained
the kingdom. He governed public affairs after an illegal and impure manner,
and had a plot laid against him by Neriglissoor, his sister's husband,
and was slain by him when he had reigned but two years. After he was slain,
Neriglissoor, the person who plotted against him, succeeded him in the
kingdom, and reigned four years; his son Laborosoarchod obtained the kingdom,
though he was but a child, and kept it nine mouths; but by reason of the
very ill temper and ill practices he exhibited to the world, a plot was
laid against him also by his friends, and he was tormented to death. After
his death, the conspirators got together, and by common consent put the
crown upon the head of Nabonnedus, a man of
Babylon, and one who belonged
to that insurrection. In his reign it was that the walls of the city of
Babylon were curiously built with burnt brick and bitumen; but when he
was come to the seventeenth year of his reign, Cyrus came out of
Persia
with a great army; and having already conquered all the rest of
Asia, he
came hastily to
Babylonia. When Nabonnedus perceived he was coming to attack
him, he met him with his forces, and joining battle with him was beaten,
and fled away with a few of his troops with him, and was shut up within
the city Borsippus. Hereupon Cyrus took
Babylon, and gave order that the
outer walls of the city should be demolished, because the city had proved
very troublesome to him, and cost him a great deal of pains to take it.
He then marched away to Borsippus, to besiege Nabonnedus; but as Nabonnedus
did not sustain the siege, but delivered himself into his hands, he was
at first kindly used by Cyrus, who gave him Carmania, as a place for him
to inhabit in, but sent him out of
Babylonia. Accordingly Nabonnedus spent
the rest of his time in that country, and there died."