The Russellville Democrat., 1884-04-17
Star Beliefs.

teors have, therefore. always played a larger part in popular than ir what may not unfairly be called scientific astrol- ogy. As to the fixed stars and planets, these have from the earliest times been invested with what may be termed hu- man attributes, whether as being worlds in themselves or as having direct in fuence upon the fortunes and conditions and actions of men; and the notion of plurality of worlds was entertained by the anc ents. and eagerly discussed by philosophers Thales held that every Star is world, and had it's own com plement of sun, planets. atmosphere and inhabitants. Pythagoras was imbued with the same idea. although he was so far in advance of his age as to doubt whether the conditions of life could be similar to our own; and it was this no- ton of his that caused Alexander to weep because, although he was master of his own world, there were yet others out of reach to be conquered.
 The Chaldeans and Arabians. as we know very well, made an exact and minute study of the stars, and no ex- traordinary movement even in domestic life could be made without a previous consultation with the astrolabe; hence the visit to Bethlehem of the three Wise Men, attracted by the appearance of star of unusual magnitude and brilliancy. Registers of astronomical observations were kept by them as long ago as 2,0o0 years before Christ, and the Arabian influence upon our astro- nomical nomenclature is as marked as In our chemistry and in cur system of numeration. So by the Hindoos, the American Indians. the saveges of Bor- neo and the South Sea Islands, the Chi nese and Japanese, besides the Greeks. Romans aad Scandinavians, separate systems of what we call clier mythol- ogy were created. and some of the most beautiful pagan stories are derived from these sources. The milky way, espe- cially, was fruitful field for conjecture and invention. Pythagoras sad that it was the suns path-an idea which Pope reproduces in his expression "the solar walk'--but Demociitus was tho first to point out its real nature. The Japanese call it the River of Heaven, and have a fanciful belief that its two brightest stars are two lovers, who were condemned to be separated, but were permitted to ex- change positions once q year-rem nd- ing us somewhat of the Greek fable of Ceres and Proserpine. The Chinese call it the Garden of Heaven, or the Flowery Bath, from which to the tradition of our south-country rustics that 1t is the Man in the Moons tobacco smoke is some what of descent from the sublime to the ridiculous.
 Sirius. the brightest star in the north- ern heavens, being the nearest fixed star to the earth, is associated in our com mon belief with the dog-days. and the old English, saying was that when he rises the sea boils, wine turns sour, dogs go mad. all other animals become lam guid, and the human race is subject to mysteries. fever. and frenzy. The asso- citation of Sirius with dogs is of remote antiquity. The ancient Egyptians thought that as soon as Sirius appeared the Nile began to overflow it's banks; hence it was called Sihor. meaning the Nile, and it was typi6ed in the hiero- glyphics by dog. The Romans called it Canicula. had their ''dies canicularcs' as we have our dog-days, and annually sacrificed brown dog to appease the
 wrath of the genius of the star. Spencer l speaks of ..the scorching flame of fierce Orion's hounds,n the mention of Orion bringing us to the Pleiades-watch-
 stars alike of the mariner and the shep- herd. The Greek legend tells that the | Pleiades were the companions of Diana,
 and that, surprised by the hunter Orion, l they prayed to the gods for relief, were
 metamorphosed into doves, and took their places among the stars; hence theil
 influence on men was gentle, as we read l in the Book of Job: ..Canst thou bind
 the sweet influences of the Pleiades, ol
 loose the bands of Orionp' Maia, the brightest of them, originated our month
 of May; and Merope, who stopped to
 love mortal, is called the Lost Pleiad, on account of her invisib lity.
 The connection between astrology
 and physic was always intimate, even
 down to our own Middle Ages. Chaucel writes of the Doctor of Physic in the Canterbury Tales:
 sIn all this world there was none like him I To speak of phy sic ana or surgery.
 For he was grounded in astronomy.
 He kept his patient wopderly well x In hours by his magic natural"
 Haly, Serapion. Avicen, and pamas- cenus, alluded to afterward, were fa.
 nous Arabian physicians as well as as .rologers.
 The most popular phase of modern
 astrological belief is that every man has
 his good or evil star. The star above the horizon at mans birth. if in tht
 ascendant, is held to be his good star and vice versa; and there are never wanted in our village, even in
 this nineteenth century, wise womeI
 or philosophers who can give inforna
 ton on the subject. Castor and Pollua
 are beneiicent stars, especially for mar
 iners, and always have been. Mars i' ban evil star. and in tho Compost O Ptolemusn we read that '.under Mars i borne theves and robbers, that kepe hy, ways. and do hurt to tree men, anC nyght walkers, and quarrel pykers posters, mockers and scoisers.
 He is TO and angry, with black heer ant
 lytell eyne; he shall be great walker and maker of swords and knyves, ant
 . sheder of mans blood" Saturn
 brought about strife; Lucifer pride
 those who gathered dew at sunrise or
 May Day were sure to be fortunate 1T
 love, for sunrise at that time of the yea
 is the hour of Venus The Greeks haJ
 beautiful custom of burying the young
 la IL n.