CONTENTS

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     PREFACE

vii

     ANNOUNCEMENT

ix

     INTRODUCTION

xiii

     LECTURE I. THE CHALDEANS

3

The "Pan-Babylonists," 3--Fundamental error of their theories, 4--Astral religion implies scientific ideas developed at the end and not at the beginning of Babylonian civilisation, 4--Sketch of the history of Chaldean astronomy, 6--Its discoveries in the second century B.C., 9--Its influence upon the religion, 10--Development of astral theology, 13--The Chaldean creed in the Alexandrine period, 17.

     LECTURE II. BABYLON AND GREECE

22

Sidereal religion originally foreign to the Greeks, 22--Anthropomorphism opposed to the cult of celestial bodies, 23--Greek philosophers as defenders of star-worship, 23--Practical motives and theoretical reasons, 24--Influence of Oriental religions proved, 24--The Platonic Epinomis, 28--Greeks at first rejected astrology, 30--Change sets in after the days of Alexander the Great, 32--Interpenetration of Greek and Chaldean science, 32--Berosus, 33--Kidenas intermediary between Hipparchus and Chaldeans, 36--Seleucus of Seleucia and scientific rationalism, 39--Stoicism as the conciliator of star-worship and philosophy, 39--End of the Babylonian schools, 41.

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     LECTURE III. THE DISSEMINATION IN THE WEST

42

Power of astrology, 42--Babylonia and Egypt, 42--Astrology unknown in Egypt before the sixth century B.C., 43--Petosiris and Nechepso (circa 150 B.C.) 43--Hermetic books, 44--Syria, 44--Israel and astrology, 45--Transformation of Semitic paganism, 45--Chaldaism and Hellenism in the empire of the Seleucids, 46--Oriental Stoicism and Posidonius of Apamea, 47--His influence on Roman thought, 48--Manilius' Astronomica, 48 Neo-Pythagoreans, 49 Literary and popular propagandism, 50--The Oriental mysteries, 50--The devotion of the emperors to the Sun-cult, 54--The house of the Severi, 54--Official cult of Sol Invictus founded by Aurelian (A. D. 274), 55--The solar dynasty of the fourth century, 55--Conclusion, 56.

     LECTURE IV. THEOLOGY

57

The contemplation of the heavens, 57--Divinity of the heavenly bodies, 57--Qualities of the astral gods: (a) Eternity, 58--Worship of Time and its subdivisions, 60--Sacred numbers, 62--(b) Universality and omnipotence, 63--Worship of Heaven and constellations, 64--Worship of plants and elements, 66--The leading power of the cosmic organism, 68--The Sun as the highest god, 69--Development of solar theology, 70--Transformation of paganism, 75.

     LECTURE V. ASTRAL MYSTICISM. ETHICS AND CULT

77

Mystic element in astral religion, 77--Impression of heaven on the ancients and moderns: Cosmic emotion, 78--Communion of man's soul with the heavenly bodies, 79--Mysticism as the access to the knowledge of the celestial gods, 80--Contrast to the Dionysiac ecstasy, 81--Ethical consequences of mysticism, 82--Opposition between heaven and earth, and between soul and body, 83--Intensity of intellectual joys, 83--Asceticism, 84--Fatalism as destructive of morality and the cult, 84--Astrology remains religious: Submission to

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fate as source of morality, 85--Necessity of positive worship justified, 87--Sun-worship, 89--Natalis Invicti, 89--Worship of planets, 90--The Week, 90--Influence of astrology on language, 91.

     LECTURE VI. ESCHATOLOGY

92

Astral mysticism as a preparation for the future life, 92--Principal doctrines, 92--Astral eschatology in Greece, 95--Development in the Roman world, 98--(a) Who obtains immortality? Kings and statesmen, 99--Soldiers and priests, 99--All pious and pure men, 100--(b) How did souls rise to the stars? Ancient means, 101--Magic processes, 102--Theory of solar attraction, 103--The nature of the soul, 103--Ascension through the elements, 104--Mythological beliefs, 106--A god as a leader of pious souls, 106--(c) Where is the abode of the blest? Vagueness of popular views, 107--Solar immortality, 108--Ascension through the planetary spheres, 108--Opposition to a subterranean hell, 108--(d) Which is the bliss reserved for the elect? The celestial banquet, 109--Contemplation of the stars, 109--Souls acquire full knowledge of God and the world, 110.

     INDEX

111