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8. Now also had I repudiated the lying divinations and impious
absurdities of the astrologers. Let Thy mercies, out of the depth of
my soul, confess unto thee for this also, O my God. For Thou,
Thou altogether, for who else is it that calls us back from the
death of all errors, but that Life which knows not how to die, and
the Wisdom which, requiring no light, enlightens the minds that do,
whereby the universe is governed, even to the fluttering leaves of
trees? Thou providedst also for my obstinacy wherewith I struggled
with Vindicianus, an acute old man, and Nebridius, a young one of
remarkable talent; the former vehemently declaring, and the latter
frequently, though with a certain measure of doubt, saying, "That
no art existed by which to foresee future things, but that men's
surmises had oftentimes the help of luck, and that of many things which
they foretold some came to pass unawares to the predictors, who lighted
on it by their oft speaking." Thou, therefore, didst provide a
friend for me, who was no negligent consulter of the 'astrologers,
and yet not thoroughly skilled in those arts, but, as I said, a
curious consulter with them; and yet knowing somewhat, which he said
he had heard from his father, which, how far it would tend to
overthrow the estimation of that art, he knew not. This man, then,
by name Firminius, having received a liberal education, and being
well versed in rhetoric, consulted me, as one very dear to him, as to
what I thought on some affairs of his, wherein his worldly hopes had
risen, viewed with regard to his so-called constellations; and I,
who had now begun to lean in this particular towards Nebridius'
opinion, did not indeed decline to speculate about the matter, and to
tell him what came into my irresolute mind, but still added that I was
now almost persuaded that these were but empty and ridiculous follies.
Upon this he told me that his father had been very curious in such
books, and that he had a friend who was as interested in them as he was
himself, who, with combined study and consultation, fanned the flame
of their affection for these toys, insomuch that they would observe the
moment when the very dumb animals which bred in their houses brought
forth, and then observed the position of the heavens with regard to
them, so as to gather fresh proofs of this so-called art. He said,
moreover, that his father had told him, that at the time his mother
was about to give birth to him (Firminius), a female servant of that
friend of his father's was also great with child, which could not be
hidden from her master, who took care with most diligent exactness to
know of the birth of his very dogs. And so it came to pass that (the
one for his wife, and the other for his ser vant, with the most
careful observation, calculating the days and hours, and the smaller
divisions of the hours) both were delivered at the same moment, so
that both were compelled to allow the very selfsame constellations,
even to the minutest point, the one for his son, the other for his
young slave. For so soon as the women began to be in travail, they
each gave notice to the other of what was fallen out in their respective
houses, and had messengers ready to despatch to one another so soon as
they had information of the actual birth, of which they had easily
provided, each in his own province, to give instant intelligence.
Thus, then, he said, the messengers of the respective parties met
one another in such equal distances from either house, that neither of
them could discern any difference either in the position of the stars or
other most minute points. And yet Firminius, born in a high estate
in his parents' house, ran his course through the prosperous paths of
this world, was increased in wealth, and elevated to honours; whereas
that slave the yoke of his condition being unrelaxed continued to
serve his masters, as Firminius, who knew him, informed me.
9. Upon hearing and believing these things, related by so reliable a
person, all that resistance of mine melted away; and first I
endeavoured to reclaim Firminius himself from that curiosity, by
telling him, that upon inspecting his constellations, I ought, were
I to foretell truly, to have seen in them parents eminent among their
neighbours, a noble family in its own city, good birth, becoming
education, and liberal learning. But if that servant had consulted me
upon the same constellations, since they were his also, I ought again
to tell him, likewise truly, to see in them the meanness of his
origin, the abjectness of his condition, and everything else
altogether removed from and at variance with the former. Whence,
then, looking upon the same constellations, I should, if I spoke
the truth, speak diverse things, or if I spoke the same, speak
falsely; thence assuredly was it to be gathered, that whatever, upon
consideration of the constellations, was foretold truly,.was not by
art, but by chance; and whatever falsely, was not from the
unskillfulness of the art, but the error of chance.
10. An opening being thus made, I ruminated within myself on such
things, that no one of those dotards (who followed such occupations,
and whom I longed to assail, and with derision to confute) might urge
against me that Firminius had informed me falsely, or his father him:
I turned my thoughts to those that are born twins, who generally come
out of the womb so near one to another, that the small distance of time
between them how much force soever they may contend that it has in
the nature of things cannot be noted by human observation, or be
expressed in those figures which the astrologer is to examine that he
may pronounce the truth. Nor can they be true; for, looking into the
same figures, he must have foretold the same of Esau and Jacob,
whereas the same did not happen to them. He must therefore speak
falsely; or if truly, then, looking into the same figures, he must
not speak the same things. Not then by art, but by chance, would he
speak truly. For Thou, O Lord, most righteous Ruler of the
universe, the inquirers and inquired of knowing it not, workest by a
hidden inspiration that the consulter should hear what, according to
the hidden deservings of souls, he ought to hear, out of the depth of
Thy righteous judgment, to whom let not man say, "What is this?"
or "Why that?" Let him not say so, for he is man.
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