he stars. The motions of the stars were
studied very closely in early times, and in those Eastern countries,
by the shepherds, who had often to remain in the open air, through the
summer nights, to watch their flocks. These shepherds observed that
nearly all the stars were _fixed_ in relation to each other, that is,
although they rose successively in the east, and, passing over, set in
the west, they did not change in relation to each other. There were,
however, a few that wandered about among the rest in an irregular and
unaccountable manner. They called these stars the wanderers--that is,
in their language, _the planets_--and they watched their mysterious
movements with great interest and awe. They naturally imagined that
these changes had some connection with human affairs, and they
endeavored to prognosticate from them the events, whether prosperous
or adverse, which were to befall mankind. Whenever a comet or an
eclipse appeared, they thought it portended some terrible calamity.
The study of the motions and appearances of the stars, with a view to
foretell the course of human affairs, was the science of astrology.

The astrologers came, in a very solemn and imposing procession, to
meet Alexander on his march. They informed him that they had found
indubitable evidence in the stars that, if he came into Babylon, he
would hazard his life. They accordingly begged him not to approach any
nearer, but to choose some other city for his capital. Alexander was
very much perplexed by this announcement. His mind, weakened by
effeminacy and dissipation, was very susceptible to superstitious
fears. It was not merely by the debilitating influence of vicious
indulgence on the nervous constitution that this effect was produced.
It was, in part, the moral influence of conscious guilt. Guilt makes
men afraid. It not only increases the power of real dangers, but
predisposes the mind to all sorts of imaginary fears.

Alexander was very much troubled at this announcement of the
astrologers. He suspended his march, and began anxiously to consider
what to do. At length the Greek philosophers came to him and reasoned
with him on the subject, persuading him that the science of astrology
was not worthy of any belief. The Greeks had no faith in astrology.
They foretold future events by the flight of birds, or by the
appearances presented in the dissection of beasts offered in
sacrifice!

At length, however, Alexander's fears were so far al