the mother of Belshazzar (whose father was Evil Merodach and his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar), was a woman of extraordinary abilities; she took the burden of all public affairs upon herself; and, while her son followed his pleasures, did all that could be done by human prudence to sustain the tottering empire. She perfected the works which Nebuchadnezzar had begun for the defence of Babylon; raised strong fortifications on the side of the river, and caused a wonderful vault to be made under it, leading from the old palace to the new, 12 feet high and 15 wide. She likewise built a bridge across the Euphrates, and accomplished several other works, which were afterwards ascribed to Nebuchadnezzar. Philostrates, in describing this bridge, tells us, that it was built by a queen, who was a native of Media; whence we may conclude this illustrious queen to have been by birth a Mede. Nitocris is said to have placed her tomb over one of the most remarkable gates of the city, with an inscription to the following effect:

If any king of Babylon after me shall be in distress for money, he may open this sepulchre, and take out as much as may serve him; but if he be in no real necessity, let him forbear, or he shall have cause to repent of his presumption.

This monument and inscription are said to have remained untouched till the reign of Darius, who, considering the gate was useless, no man caring to pass under a dead body, and being invited by the hopes of an immense treasure, broke it open; but, instead of what he sought, is said to have found nothing but a corpse; and another inscription, to the following effect:

Hadst thou not been most insatiably avaricious and greedy of the most forded gain, thou wouldst never have violated the abode of the dead.