474 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



imparalled brilliancy of the Dog Star, astrologists assigned to it power- 

 ful influences, and because it rose just before the sun, at the season 

 when the Nile overflowed, it was supposed to be the mystic cause of the 

 inundation. They gave it the name of Sirius, from the river Nile, 

 which was called Siris in their hieroglyphics. They also called it the 

 Dog Star because, like a faithful watch-dog, it warned them of the 

 approaching overflow, and they waited for its appearance with deep 

 solicitude, for on the overflow of the river depended agricultural pros- 

 perity or blighting drought. They computed the length of the year 

 from the heliacal rising of the Dog Star and this is still known as the 

 Canicular year. The Eomans were equally solicitous and were ac- 

 customed to sacrifice a dog to Sirius, to render his influence beneficent 

 to agriculture. Virgil saj r s: 



Parched was the grass, and blighted was the corn: 

 Nor 'scaped the beasts; for Sirius from on high, 

 With pestilential heat infects the sky. 



The time of the year when the Dog Star rose with the sun and 

 appeared to combine its influence with the solar heat they gave the 

 name "dog days" {dies canicularis) which began August 4 and ended 

 September 14. Owing to the displacement of the constellations by pre- 

 cession, the time of the heliacal rising of the Dog Star is continually 

 accelerated, hence modern dog days have no connection with this star, 

 and furthermore, recent study of rabies proves that more dogs go mad 

 in winter or early spring than in summer time. 



A favorite prediction of astrologers was of cataclysms that would 

 destroy all mankind. Such a catastrophe was foretold to occur in 1186, 

 and a universal deluge was predicted for the year 1542. In the latter 

 year there was to be a conjunction of three planets in the watery sign 

 of the " Fishes." The prophecy was generally believed and the terror 

 was wide-spread. A Noah's ark was built at Toulouse, but the year was 

 distinguished for its drought. 



Eidicule is sometimes more efficacious than argument in over- 

 throwing false theories. A skit by Dean Swift discredited astrology, 

 in England, more than all the evidence of science. Swift published a 

 satirical pamphlet under the title of "Predictions for the Year 1708, 

 by Isaac Bickerstaff, Esq.," in which he predicted the death of a well- 

 known astrologer and almanac maker by the name of Partridge. He 

 claimed to have consulted the stars and calculated the exact hour of 

 the astrologer's demise. This was followed by a letter to a man of 

 rank, giving complete particulars of Partridge's death on the day and 

 almost at the very hour foretold. The angry astrologer denounced the 

 pamphleteer, employed a literary friend to write up proofs of his ex- 

 istence and published his almanac for the year 1709. Swift answered 

 all of the arguments, claiming that the denial of death was spurious, 

 and that the deceased was a gentleman who would never have used tbe 



