24 SCIENCE AND THE HUMAN MIND 



of the underlying science. Starting, doubtless, from 

 some observed coincidences, belief in the power of 

 predicting and even of influencing future events by ob- 

 serving the stars as interpreting the minds of the gods 

 became general, and gave the Babylonian priests a 

 power both over public and over private affairs. Each 

 temple put together a library of astrological literature 

 from which the methods of divination might be learnt. 

 One such library, consisting of some seventy clay 

 tablets, was of special repute in the seventh century 

 before Christ, and is considered to date originally 

 from some time about 3800 B.C. " Astronomy, as 

 thus understood, was not merely the queen of sciences, 

 it was the mistress of the world." 



Astrology reached its zenith in Babylon about 540 

 B.C., and two centuries later it spread to Greece and 

 over the known world, although in its original home 

 it was showing signs of passing into a more rational 

 astronomy. But Chaldean astrologers continued to 

 be in request, while their ignorance of the elements 

 of medicine did not prevent an almost equal faith 

 in Chaldean sorcerers and exorcists. 



These theories of magic naturally followed from the 

 conception of the powers of nature as animate. And 

 the special form the theories took in Chaldea arose 

 partly from the fact that on the whole the Babylonian 

 gods were inimical to man. Carved in the shapes of 

 monstrous beasts, their presentments terrified the eye, 

 while by magic alone could they be induced to delay 

 the decrees of destiny or modify the inexorable fate 

 which even they could not wholly avert. Dominated 

 by such a gloomy religion, no speculative science or 

 rational philosophy could arise. 



