Book Ii. Biographia Antiqua. Babylonians
Babylonians.
Under this article of "Babylonians" we shall just give the reader a general sketch of the antiquity of occult learning among the Chaldeans of "Babylon", so famous for their speculations in astrology. "Diodorus Siculus" informs us, that the inhabitants of Babylon assert, that their city was very ancient; for they counted four hundred and seventy-three thousand years, from the first observations of their astrologers to the coming of "Alexander". Others say, that the "Babylonians" boasted of having preserved in their archives the observations which their astrologers had made on nativities for the space of four hundred and seventy thousand years; from hence we ought to correct a passage of "Pliny", which some authors make use of improperly, either to confute the antiquity of Babylon, or for other purposes. Aristotle knew without doubt that the "Babylonians" boasted of having a series of astronomical observations comprehending a prodigious number of centuries. He was desirous to inform himself of the truth of this by means of "Calisthenes", who was in Alexander's retinue, but found a great mistake in the account; for it is pretended that "Calisthenes" assured him that the astronomical observations he had
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seen in "Babylon", comprehended no more than 1903 years. "Simplicius" reports this, and borrows it from "Porphyry". If "Calisthenes" has computed right, it must be agreed, that after the deluge men made very great haste to become astrologers; for according to the Hebrew Bible there is but two thousand years 1 to be found from the flood to the death of "Alexander". There is reason to question what "Simplicius" reports, and it is remarkable that all the ancient authors, who have ascribed the building of "Babylon" to "Semiramis", have no authority than that of "Ctesias", whose histories abounded in fables. And, therefore, we see that "Berosius" blames the "Greek" writers for affirming, that "Semiramis" built "Babylon", and adorned it with the most beautiful structures. The supplement to "Moreri" quotes "Quintus Curtinus", in relation to the immodesty of the "Babylonian" women 2, who prostituted their bodies to strangers for money, under the idea of performing their devotions required by Venus. Observe, that these sums were afterwards applied to religious uses.
Footnotes
169:1 \"Epigenus" tells us, that amongst the Babylonians there were celestial observations for four hundred and seventy thousand years, inscribed on pillars or tables of bricks. "Berosius" and "Critodemus", who make the least of it, say four hundred and ninety years.
169:2 This lascivious ceremony was very ancient. "Jeremiah's" letter inserted in the book of "Baruch" touches something on it, but in an obscure manner, and wants a commentary taken out of "Herodotus". Jeremiah's text runs thus:--"The women also with cords about them sat in the ways--but if any of them, drawn by some that passeth by, lie with him, she reproacheth her fellow, that she was not thought as worthy as herself, nor her cord broken." Herodotus informs us, that there was a law in "Babylon" which obliged all the women of the country to seat themselves near the temple of "Venus", and there to wait an opportunity of copulating with a stranger, &c. &c.
Under this article of "Babylonians" we shall just give the reader a general sketch of the antiquity of occult learning among the Chaldeans of "Babylon", so famous for their speculations in astrology. "Diodorus Siculus" informs us, that the inhabitants of Babylon assert, that their city was very ancient; for they counted four hundred and seventy-three thousand years, from the first observations of their astrologers to the coming of "Alexander". Others say, that the "Babylonians" boasted of having preserved in their archives the observations which their astrologers had made on nativities for the space of four hundred and seventy thousand years; from hence we ought to correct a passage of "Pliny", which some authors make use of improperly, either to confute the antiquity of Babylon, or for other purposes. Aristotle knew without doubt that the "Babylonians" boasted of having a series of astronomical observations comprehending a prodigious number of centuries. He was desirous to inform himself of the truth of this by means of "Calisthenes", who was in Alexander's retinue, but found a great mistake in the account; for it is pretended that "Calisthenes" assured him that the astronomical observations he had
p. 169
seen in "Babylon", comprehended no more than 1903 years. "Simplicius" reports this, and borrows it from "Porphyry". If "Calisthenes" has computed right, it must be agreed, that after the deluge men made very great haste to become astrologers; for according to the Hebrew Bible there is but two thousand years 1 to be found from the flood to the death of "Alexander". There is reason to question what "Simplicius" reports, and it is remarkable that all the ancient authors, who have ascribed the building of "Babylon" to "Semiramis", have no authority than that of "Ctesias", whose histories abounded in fables. And, therefore, we see that "Berosius" blames the "Greek" writers for affirming, that "Semiramis" built "Babylon", and adorned it with the most beautiful structures. The supplement to "Moreri" quotes "Quintus Curtinus", in relation to the immodesty of the "Babylonian" women 2, who prostituted their bodies to strangers for money, under the idea of performing their devotions required by Venus. Observe, that these sums were afterwards applied to religious uses.
Footnotes
169:1 \"Epigenus" tells us, that amongst the Babylonians there were celestial observations for four hundred and seventy thousand years, inscribed on pillars or tables of bricks. "Berosius" and "Critodemus", who make the least of it, say four hundred and ninety years.
169:2 This lascivious ceremony was very ancient. "Jeremiah's" letter inserted in the book of "Baruch" touches something on it, but in an obscure manner, and wants a commentary taken out of "Herodotus". Jeremiah's text runs thus:--"The women also with cords about them sat in the ways--but if any of them, drawn by some that passeth by, lie with him, she reproacheth her fellow, that she was not thought as worthy as herself, nor her cord broken." Herodotus informs us, that there was a law in "Babylon" which obliged all the women of the country to seat themselves near the temple of "Venus", and there to wait an opportunity of copulating with a stranger, &c. &c.
