THEIR MYSTICISM. 313 



off this delusion. Seneca appears to take the 

 influence of the planets for granted; and even 

 Tacitus 17 seems to hesitate. "For my own part," 

 says he, " I doubt ; but certainly the majority of 

 mankind cannot be weaned from the opinion, that, 

 at the birth of each man, his future destiny is 

 fixed ; though some things may fall out differently 

 from the predictions, by the ignorance of those 

 who profess the art ; and that thus the art is un- 

 justly blamed, confirmed as it is by noted examples 

 in all ages." The occasion which gives rise to 

 these reflections of the historian is the mention of 

 Thrasyllus, the favourite astrologer of the Emperor 

 Tiberius, whose skill is exemplified in the follow- 

 ing narrative. Those who were brought to Tiberius 

 on any important matter, were admitted to an 

 interview in an apartment situated on a lofty cliff 

 in the island of Capreae. They reached this place 

 by a narrow path, accompanied by a single freed- 

 man of great bodily strength ; and on their return, 

 if the emperor had conceived any doubts of their 

 trustworthiness, a single blow buried the secret 

 and its victim in the ocean below. After Thra- 

 syllus had, in this retreat, stated the results of his 

 art as they concerned the emperor, Tiberius asked 

 him whether he had calculated how long he him- 

 self had to live. The astrologer examined the 

 aspect of the stars, and while he did this, as the 

 narrative states, showed hesitation, alarm, increas- 

 17 Ann. vi. 22. 



