The history of the Chaldaick philosophy by Thomas Stanley.

CHAP. VII.

Of the Other Stars.

NOr were the Planets only but the Signs and all the rest of the Stars esteemed Gods by the Chaldaeans: for they burnt In∣cense to the Mazaloth and to all the rest of the Host of Heaven.* 1.1 Mazal is a Star: they called the Signs the twelve Mazaloth: the Zodiack the Circle Mazaloth; and sometimes changing 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 into 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mazaroth; the Septuagint renders it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which Suidas in∣terprets, the Constellations called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Signs. This agrees with what Diodorus reports of the Chaldaeans, that they held the principal Gods to be twelve,* 1.2 to each of which they attributed a Moneth, and one of the Signs of the Zodiack.

That they worshipped the rest of the fixed Stars as Gods also, is implied by the Sacred Text last cited, which adds, and to all the Host of Heaven; and is more expr••sly asserted (amongst others) by Diodorus,* 1.3 who in his account of their Doctrine affirms, that as they called the Planets Interpre••ers, so of the other Stars, they called some the Iudges of all things, others consiliary Gods; as we shall shew more particularly, when we come to speak of their Astro∣logy:

Neither is it to be doubted, but that as they owned some of the fix'd Stars by these common titles of dignity Iudges and Consel∣lers, so to the principal of them they att••ibuted particular names and Idols, as well as to the Planets; And since the Chaldaick polytheism was not (like that of the Greeks) founded upon an Imaginary Mythology, (though later Writers treat of it after the same manner) but had reference to the Celestial Bodies, which they Worshipped under several Names and Idols; It is no less probable than consonant to the Chaldaick Doctrine, that those other Assyrian Idols, (Ashim, Nibhaz, Tartak, Adrammelek, Anammelek, Nisroch,) mention'd in the Scripture, were of the same kind with the rest, and belonged to several others of the Stars; But this conjecture is not easily evinc'd, in regard that there is little extant of those Idols more than the bare mention of their Names.

Notes

• * 1.1

  2 Kings.
• * 1.2

  lib. 1.
• * 1.3

  lib. 1.