Note 4 — III.—DAYS AND SEASONS.

One of the cardinal principles of astrology was this: That every hour and every day is ruled by its proper planet. Now, in the ancient Egyptian astronomy there were seven planets; two, the sun and moon, circling round the earth, the rest circling round the sun. The period of circulation was apparently taken as the measure of each planet’s dignity, probably because it was judged that the distance corresponded to the period. We know that some harmonious relations between the distances and periods was supposed to exist. When Kepler discovered the actual law, he conceived that he had in reality found out the mystery of Egyptian astronomy, or, as he expressed it, that he had “stolen the golden vases of the Egyptians.” Whether they had ideas as to the nature of this relation or not, it is certain that they arranged the planets in order (beginning with the plants of longest period), as follows.

1—Saturn.

2—Jupiter.

3—Mars.

4—The Sun.

5—Venus.

6—Mercury.

7—The Moon.

The hours were devoted in continuous succession to these bodies; and as there were twenty-four hours in each Chaldean or Egyptian day, it follows that with whatever planet the day began, the cycle of seven planets (beginning with that one) was repeated three times, making twenty-one hours, and then the first three planets of the cycle completed the twenty-four hours, so that the fourth planet of the cycle (so begun) ruled the first hour of the next day. Suppose, for instance, the first hour of any day was ruled by the Sun—the cycle for the next day would therefore be the Sun, Venus, Mercury, the Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars, which, repeated three times, would give twenty-one hours; the twenty-second, twenty-third, and twenty-fourth hours would be ruled respectively by the Sun, Venus, and Mercury, and the first hour of the next day would be ruled by the Moon. Proceeding in the same way through this second day, we find that the first hour of the third day would be ruled by Mars. The first hour of the fourth day would be ruled by Mercury; the first hour of the fifth day by Jupiter; of the sixth by Venus, and of the seventh by Saturn. The seven days in order, being assigned to the planet ruling their first hour, would therefore be—

1. The Sun’s day (Sunday.)

2. The Moon’s day (Monday, Lundi.)

3. Mars’ day (Tuesday, Mardi.)

4. Mercury’s day (Wednesday, Mercredi.)

5. Jupiter’s day (Thursday, Jeudi.)

6. Venus’ day (Friday, Veneris dies, Vendredi.)

7. Saturn’s day (Saturday, Ital. il Sabbato.)

—Contemporary Review. ↑