ng age. But it is not likely that
this form of mysticism had become really popular before the period of
the Empire, and in any case it can hardly be called a part of Roman
religious experience. I only mention it here as helping to illustrate
the way in which men's minds were now beginning to turn with interest to
speculations altogether beyond the range of that practical ethical
philosophy which was natural and congenial to the Roman, altogether
beyond the horizon of man's daily prospect in this world. The growing
interest in Fortuna, both as natural force and deity, which became
intense under the Empire, is another indication of the same
tendency.[863]

As soon as Rome had come into close contact with Greece, which had long
before been overrun by the eastern astrology--by the Chaldaeans or
_mathematici_, as they are so often called--these experts began to
appear also in Italy. We first hear of them from old Cato, who advises
that the steward of an estate should be strictly forbidden to consult
_Chaldaei_, _harioli_, _haruspices_, and such gentry.[864] In 139
B.C.--a year in which there happened to be in Rome an embassy from Simon
Maccabaeus--Chaldaeans were ordered to leave Rome and Italy within ten
days; but I think there is some evidence that these were really Jews who
were trying to propagate their own religion.[865] For some time we hear
nothing more of these intruders; but they probably gained ground again
in the course of the Mithridatic wars, which were responsible for the
introduction of much Oriental religion into Italy. They are mentioned in
87, together with [Greek: thytai] and Sibyllistae, as persuading the
ill-fated Octavius to remain in Rome to meet his death, as it turned
out, at the hands of the Marians.[866] But no Roman seems to have taken
up astrology as a quasi-scientific study till that Nigidius, of whom I
have already said a word, was persuaded thus to waste his time and
brains. He is said to have foretold the greatness of Augustus at his
birth in 63 B.C.;[867] and from this time forward the taking of
horoscopes or _genethliaca_ became a favourite pursuit at
Rome--unfortunately for the people of Europe, who caught the infection
and kept it endemic for at least fifteen centuries.

Astrology is in no sense religion, and I must leave it with these few
remarks. It represents the individual and his personal interests, not
even the advantage of the community, and it was for this reason that the
Chalda