The Mystery & Romance of Astrology

327 Pages·1929·14.558 MB·English

by  C J S Thompson

This compilation © Phoenix E-Books UK
THE MYSTERY AND ROMANCE
OF ASTROLOGY
BY THE SAME AUTHOR
MYSTERY AND ROMANCE OF ALCHEMY
AND PHARMACY
POISON MYSTERIES IN HISTORY, ROMANCE
AND CRIME
MYSTERY AND LURE OF PERFUME
MYSTERIES OF HISTORY
MYSTERIES AND SECRETS OF MAGIC
QUACKS OF OLD LONDON
MYSTERY AND ART OF THE APOTHECARY
ZORASTRO, a Romance
I'HE ZODIAC,, THE j . , FIIRE. AI.R, WATER AND EARTI
From an illut>i1°i(m<i'in!fildtifre iSasttatlnf^'Osseniazi
frontispiece
THE MYSTERY
AND ROMANCE OF
ASTROLOGY
By
C. J. S. THOMPSON
BRENTANO'S LTD.
LONDON
NEW YORK PARIS
First published, 1939
Printed in Great Britain
FOREWORD
Astrology, the oldest of the sciences, has exercised
a fascination over mankind from the earliest period of
which we have record, and the romance associated with
the stars has inspired poets in all ages. Modern research
tends to show, that it had its origin in stellar worship,
for in ancient times the stars were believed to be the
abode of the gods.
From the remote age when the Akkadians and Sumer-
ians began to observe the heavenly bodies and attempted
to trace their courses, till the time when the Babylonians
and Egyptians began to attribute to them certain powers
over human beings and their destinies, astrology wielded
an important influence over kings and empires. In the
following historical survey, which is intended for the
general reader, an endeavour has been made to trace
the origin and development of the science from the period
of these early civilisations to the Middle Ages, and thence
to the time of its decadence in the eighteenth century.
As will be seen, astrology and astronomy developed
side by side but, as in the case of other ancient arts which
possessed the germ of truth, the latter has gradually
freed itself from the mass of superstition which clustered
,
round t and has emerged as the true science of the
i
heavens.
CONTENTS
------
PAGE
CHAPTER I
—
THE MYSTERY OF ASTROLOGY THE ROMANCE OF
THE STARS
17
II
CHAPTER
- - - -
THE MYSTERY OF THE ZODIAC ZJ
III
CHAPTER----.
THE ASTROLOGERS OF CHALDEA OR WISE MEN OF
— —
THE EAST STAR-WORSHIP BABYLONIAN AND
ASSYRIAN ASTROLOGY
CHAPTER IV
THE ASTROLOGERS OF NINEVEH AND BABYLON AND
- -
THEIR PREDICTIONS YEARS AGO
5OOO 51
CHAPTER V
-
ASTROLOGY IN ANCIENT EGYPT AND GREECE
57
CHAPTER VI
- -
THE ASTROLOGERS OF ANCIENT ROME
65
CHAPTER VII
THE PLANETS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE POWERS
AND PROPERTIES ATTRIBUTED TO THEM SYM
BOLS OF THE PLANETS ~ ~ ~ ~
73
vii
viu CO-NTEN-TS ---
CHAPTER VIII
THE TWELVE HOUSES OF THE HEAVENS HOW THE
HOROSCOPE WAS CAST 86
CHAPTER IX
—
PORTENTS IN THE HEAVENS FIERY CROSSES
—
FLAMING SWORDS BLAZING DRAGONS BLOODY
CROSSES HAIRY COMETS ~ ~ ~ ~ 95
-------
CHAPTER X
—
ASTROLOGY AND MEDICINE THE INFLUENCE OF
THE STARS ON THE BODY OF MAN, PLANTS AND
HERBS
103
CHAPTER XI
PTOLEMY AND HIS DISCOVERIES ARAB ASTRO
-
—
LOGERS ASTROLOGY IN INDIA AND CHINA 122
CHAPTER XII
-
MICHAEL NOSTRADAMUS AND HIS PROPHECIES
132
CHAPTER XIII
ASTROLOGY IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY SIGNI
—
FICATION OF THE PLANETARY HOUR THE TEM
-
—
PERAMENTS THE FAMOUS DR. ARCANDUM
142
CHAPTER XIV
SOME GREAT ASTROLOGERS OF THE SIXTEENTH
—
CENTURY COPERNICUS TYCHO BRAKE
- - - - -
-152
PARACELSUS