The Magical-Astrological-Diviner Posed and Puzzled, Treatise · Chapter 27 · Section 21
21. Of Magicians, Aſtrologers, Diviners, envying, oppoſing, differing, contradicting, confuting both themſelves, and one another.
CAlchas, and Mopſus, two great Augurs, or Aſtrological diviners, meeting together at an Oracle of Apollo Clarius fell to conteſt about their skill in the conjecturing art. The queſtion was, how many Figs there were upon ſuch a tree; or how many Pigs there were in ſuch a ſowes belly? Which Mopſus gueſt at, and miſt not a hair: but Calchas, becauſe he could not do ſomuch; pining with grief, or envy, took pet and dyed.
Eudoxus, the chief Aſtrologer of his time, affirmed, that the Chaldeans are not to be credited in their natalitial prognoſtications, or predictions. Panaetius a Stoical Philoſopher, and yet rejected the predictions of the Aſtrologers. Anchialus, and Caſſander, excelling in all parts of Aſtrology; yet uſed it not, or rather abuſed it not to predictions. Scylax Halicarnaſſaeus, although eminent in Aſtrology, nevertheleſſe abandoned the whole Chaldaical way of it.
Servius Tullius ſleeping, his head ſeemed to ſhine, or burn: ſome of the Diviners ſaid, that ſignifyed, he ſhould periſh by lightning; others, that it was a token he ſhould obtain Regal dignity.
Darius dreamed that the Camp of the Macedons was on fire, and that he ſaw Alexander coming to him, in clothes of the ſame faſhion, as his own were, and that he was carryed on horſeback through Babylon, and ſo vaniſht out of ſight. At this, the dream-ſpellers were divided in their divinations; ſome interpreting it a fortune, ſome an infortune; ſome to the one ſide, ſome to the other.
Betwixt the Tyrians and the Macedonians, was a ſemblable prodigie (blood on the one part ſeen in iron; and on the other part in bread.) They of either party interpret it as a token of good ſucceſſe to themſelves. But Ariſtander (the moſt skilful of the Diviners) expounded it thus on the Macedonian behalf; if the blood had appeared outwardly, it had ſignifyed ill fortune to the Macedons, that were without: but for as much as it was within, it portended the like to them that were within the City, which they now beſieged. Again, a huge ſea-monſter appeared in the ſight of both parties; and they both made themſelves merry, in prognoſticating (according to their Magaſtromantick teachers) good luck to themſelves; but were both of them deceived in the truth, if not both in the event.
Alexander having left off to conſult with his diviners; (becauſe he found them ſo various and uncertain) had yet again an itch to the ſuperſtition; and called his Aruſpicks, to inſpect the entrayls; commanding that the ſignification ſhould be be ſhewed to none but himſelf. Ariſtander is the man of art, and credit; but he notwithſtanding communicates the matter unto Erigius; who takes advantage thereby to diſſwade Alexanders reſolution. Upon which he calls for the artiſt, rebukes the betraying of his privy counſels and commands. The skilful man is now more amazed then at a prodigie: yet gathering his wits together to make ſome Apology for himſelf, he confeſſed ſome difficulty and danger from the inſpected entrails; but deeply profeſſed his love to, and care of his King notwithſtanding. The King perceiving the flexibleneſſe both of the mans nature, and of his art; wiſhes him to have a confidence of fortunate ſucceſſe, as well in this, as in former things. Whereupon the Aruſpick pores again, and comes in with his ſecond prognoſticks; and profeſſes to have found ſigns quite contrary to the firſt.
Philip of Macedon dreamed that he did ſeale up his wives belly, and that the ſeal left behinde the print of a Lion upon it; Certain wiſe men, or wizzards told him, that this gave him warning to look ſtraightly to his wife, and keep her cloſe. At▪ which the King was troubled; but Ariſtander (to make all good) told him his wife was with child, and had in her belly a treaſure worth the ſealing up.
The ſame day that Alexander was born, the Temple of Diana at Epheſus was burnt. This made the diſtracted Prieſts and vaticinators prognoſticate, that ſome great misfortune was that day born to all Aſia. But ſoon after news was brought to Philip of three great victories, which made him rejoyce exceedingly; now theſe predictors (to make up the triumph) praeſaged that his ſon, which was born with three great victories, ſhould be an invincible Emperour.
Dion being about to free his Country from the tyranny of Dionyſius; there happened an eclipſe of the Moon, which terrified the ſouldiers not a little. Thereupon ſtood up one Miltas a ſoothſayer, and bad his fellow ſouldiers be of good chear; for the ſigne imported the impairing of dignity, meaning the tyranny of Dionyſius. But as touching the ſwarm of Bees, that lighted on the Poop of Dions ſhip; he told him, and his friends ſecretly, that he was afraid his acts would flouriſh onelyonly for a while, and ſoon fade away. Again, Dion getting upon Dionyſius his Clock, or Diall; and thence making an Oration to the Syracuſans, to promote their own liberty; the ſoothſaying prognoſticators liked it wel, and ſaid it was a good ſigne; for that he did now tread the ſumptuous edifice and artifice (and yet an Aſtrological artifice) of the Tyrant under feet. But becauſe the hand of the Dyal ſheweth the courſe of the Sun, which never leaveth moving, they were afraid that Dions affairs ſhould have a ſuddain change of fortune.
A certain Noble man of Sileſia was very inquiſitive with three ſeveral Aſtrologers, to know the manner of his own death. The firſt anſwered, he ſhould die of a feaver, the ſecond ſaid, of a fall; the third anſwered, in the waters. And to make all good, thus (they ſay) it fell out. Firſt the Feaver (forſooth) ſeized on him: then the frenzy thereof made him caſt himſelf out of a window, and that window was over a Moate; and ſo he fell into the water, and there periſhed. The like tale do the Country people tell of our Merlin; the the King talking with Merlin about mens fates, cauſed a Faulconer of his to paſſe by diſguiſed, and demanded, what kind of death ſhould that man dye? Merlin anſwered, he ſhould be hanged. The ſame man comming by the ſecond time, in another diſguiſe, and the like demand made, he anſwered, he ſhould be ſtabd; and the third time it was reſolved he ſhould be drowned. And thus (they ſay) it happened: The King being on hawking, the Hawke took pearch on a tree hard by a River ſide: the Faulconer climing up to fetch down his Hawke, a grayne of a branch got hold of his neck, and there he hung; that breaking he fell upon a ſplinter, and it ſtabd him; that not holding, he fell into the River, and ſo was drowned. That the Magaſtromancers may thus contradict themſelves, and one another, is eaſily to be believed: but that their various praedictions were thus compleated, let the faith thereof be with the Authors.
Iohannes Albertus, Archbiſhop of Magdeburgh had the Moon in Aries, in the ſixth houſe; which ſignified health, but the Moon was invironed by Mars, and he in Aries; and by Saturne, and he in Taurus; and the Sunne and Mercury oppoſite; and thoſe more manifeſt ſignes of daily, and cruell diſeaſes.
Tareſtius or Tarchetius, a great Mathematician, who being given to the calculation of Aſtronomy, for the delight of ſpeculation onelyonly, was entreated by Marcus Ʋarro to ſearch out what houre▪ and day the nativity of Romulus was, who having throughly conſidered the adventures, acts, and geſts of Romulus, how long he lived, and how he died: all theſe being conferred, he did boldly judge, that Romulus was conceived in his mothers womb, in the firſt yeere of the ſecond Olympiad, the 23 day of the monethmonth, which the Aegyptians call C…aeas; and now is called December, about three of the clock in the morning; in which houre there was a totall ecclipſe of the Sunne: and that he was born into the world the 21 of the monethmonth of Thoth, which is the monethmonth of September, about the riſing of the Sunne. Now is not this old way of calculating a Nativity, quite contrary to the new? But of the twaine, which is the moſt certain? that a priori, or a poſteriori? ſc. from the acts and accidents of life, to the birth: or from the birth to the acts and accidents of life? The Hiſtorian notes the one for falſe and vaine; what then is to be thought of the other?
In the time of Kenneth King of Scots, appeared two dreadfull Comets; one before the Sun-riſing, the other after the ſetting; alſo armies were ſeen in the ayre, and noyſes of armes, and horſes heard. Alſo a Biſhops Croſier ſtaffe was burned, as he held it in his hand, in time of ſervice, and could not be quenched. But the prodigies were not ſo various, as were the prognoſticators interpretations; whereof ſome were delivered for good, ſome for bad, but none for true.
When the Image of Apollo Cumanus wept, ſome of the Aruſpects were for the caſting of it into the ſea, becauſe of the terrible portent: but other more skilful heruſpicks, were for the interceſſion, becauſe the Images weeping portended proſperous things.
Proteus is a proverb of verſatile mutability. And of him that part of ſtory which is leaſt fabulous, is this. Proteus was an Aſtrologicall magician; and is ſaid therefore to transforme himſelfe into ſo many ſhapes, becauſe of his various and contrarious opinions, vaticinations, predictions, and preſtigious prankes. A fit emblem of all ſuch, that are ſeldome like themſelves.
Colophonius Xenophanes, one who confeſſed there to be Gods, denied all divination. All the reſt beſides Epicurus, babling about the nature of the Gods, approved of divination; although not after one way. Dicaearc…us the Peripatetick took away all other kind of divination; and onelyonly left thoſe of Dreams and Fury. And beſides thoſe, Cratippus rejected all the reſt. Panaetius indeed durſt not deny the power of divining altogether; yet he ſaid, he doubted of it. Xenophon took all kinds of divination quite away. The chiefe articles that were objected againſt Socrates, were contempt and rejection of Oracles. Eudoxus G…idius was wont to ſay, that the Chaldaeans were by no means to be credited in their obſervations or predictions upon the lives and fortunes of men, from the day and houre of their nativity.
Two men, before their conteſt at the Olympick games dreamed the like dream, viz. that they were drawn by four ſwift courſers in a Chariot: they both conſulted one Prophet, and he prophecied to the one, that he ſhould winne; and to the other, that he ſhould loſe the prize.
One told Ʋitellius, that the circles which appeared in the waters like crownes, were abodes of Empire; another of them boded thereupon, that either they ſignified no ſuch thing, or elſe but the inſtability thereof.
The fame is, that Iulian on a certaine time inſpecting the entrayles, there appeared in them the ſigne of the Croſſe invironed with a crown. Some that partooke of the divination, were caſt into a feare hereat, that the Chriſtian Religion ſhould gather ſtrength, and that the doctrine of Chriſt ſhould be perpetuall; taking it for a ſigne both of victory, and eternity. But the chiefe divining Artiſt among them, bad the Emperour be of good cheere; for the victimes portended proſperous things according to his own deſire: becauſe the marke of the Chriſtian religion was circumſcribed and coarcted; as a token that it ſhould have no large ſpreading in the world.
Iulian again meditating warre againſt the Perſians ſent to the Oracles at Delphos, Delos, and Dodona; and they all conſented to incourage him, promiſing him undoubted ſucceſſe. But there was an old prophecy of former diviners, that utterly thwarted them all: for it foretold, that it ſhould be exitiall to the Emperour and people of Rome, whenſoever he paſſed with his army beyond the River Euphrates, and the City Cteſip…on. And thereabouts was Iulian ſlain, and his army overthrown.