Chapter XII: Section III: ――upon the Virtues of the Stars, According to Reason,

MANIFESTATION, REVELATION, AND TRADITION.

_Aghátho démón_,[88] or _Shís_, and _Hermes al hermes_, or _Idris_,[89] and the philosophers said, that the Almighty Author created the celestial bodies and the stars in such a manner that, from their movements, effects may be manifested in the nether world, that is to say, the events below are subject to their motions, and every constellation, and every degree of altitude has its particular nature; which being known by experience, and information having been collected about the qualities of the degrees, the celestial signs, and their influences, it is in this manner evident that they are near the all-just; and that the house of prayer, the Kâbah of truth, and the Kiblah of conviction is heaven. The wise men believe, that every master of fame worshipped one of the stars: thus Moses worshipped Saturn, as Saturday is holy to the Jews, and Moses vanquished the magicians and enchanters who are subservient to Saturn; Jesus worshipped the sun, on which account Sunday was sanctified by him, and finally his soul united with the sun; Muhammed worshipped Venus, wherefore he fixed upon Friday as a sacred day: as he would not reveal this meaning to the common people, he kept it secret; but it is evident from the prophet’s customs that he held Venus in great veneration; one of these was his passion for perfumes and the like.[90] We find in the histories of the Persians, that Ferhósh was a king in the time of Abád, and had poets without number about him; out of them all he chose seven; each of them, on one day of the week, recited his verses to the king. On Sunday, which was consecrated to the great luminary, the monarch used to go to the _Kermábah_[91], and on his return from thence, having approached the august image of the great fire, and there performed his worship, he betook himself to his palace. The chief of the speech-adoring bards, called Shedósh, came then into the royal presence. As the King professed the religion of the Yezdáníán, who never hurt an harmless animal, they brought, on this day sacred to the sun, _Sirdín_, that is “rice,” and _Perdín_, called in Hindostan _pahatí_, before the King, and peas in the shell, which were then stript of their integuments. The King asked Shedósh: “For whom is this food?” The poet answered: “For the friend who, for the sake of retirement, is naked from head to foot.” The monarch, being pleased with this answer, filled the poet’s mouth with precious pearls of the purest water. The Queen, named Shuker, averting her heart from the King her husband, attached it passionately to the sweet composer of melodious speeches. When night came on, Shuker, believing that the King slept, went out by stealth. The King too followed her steps. When Shuker arrived at the house of Shedósh, many words occurred between them. Then the poet said to her: “A woman fears nobody; on that account she ought to be feared. Thou hast left Ferhosh, the King, and wilt devote thy affections to one like me!” Upon these words, the woman returned home without hope, and Shedosh turned his face to the image of the sun. But his looks fell upon one of the maids who were adorers of the sun, and desired her to converse with him; the maid, indignant at such a proposal, having approached the image of the sun, said: “I am thy worshipper; and this is not the time for associating with men: this poet of the King addressed to me an improper speech.” When Shidósh came to the image of the sun, he found himself afflicted with a malady, and returned ashamed. Afterwards he went to the King, who, having seen him the night before in company with Shuker, said: “Shidósh, if thou speakest not the truth, thou shalt be put to death: what didst thou mean by saying that a woman fears nobody?” Shidosh replied:

“A woman is a king; her strength is that of an ocean;
It opens its passage, and has fear of nobody.”

The King was pleased with this speech, and bestowed Shuker on him as a gift; whatever excuses Shidosh offered, the sovereign did not listen to them; wherefore the poet brought the king’s wife to his house. But, from disease, his flesh began to diminish, and he was so far reduced as to be unable to leave his house. Thus it was, until the son of the king came to visit his father, and requested to see the royal poets. The King, having convoked six of them, ordered that Shidosh should recite his verses sitting behind a curtian. Shidosh, having heard this order, demanded at the very moment that a fire should be kindled, and in the midst an iron chain adjusted to suspend a seat above the flames. He resolved to himself from thence to address his praises to the majesty of the great fire, the sun; if he received them with favor, so much the better; if not, to throw himself into the fire, and so to obtain his due. He then got upon the seat, and began to chaunt the verses which he had composed in honor of the sun: at this very time his leprosy disappeared. But, before he had ended his poem, his followers thought the great luminary would not grant his wish; and the poet, from fear of his life, would not throw himself into the fire; therefore, pulling the chair by means of the chain, they precipitated it into the flames. But after falling, he felt the fire had no effect upon him, and although dejected, remaining in his seat, he terminated his praise; then coming forth, he approached the King, and recited the verses which he had composed for the occasion; he subjoined: “O King, I have not been guilty of any vile deed on this occasion; but on the same day, at the time when the women approach the image of the sun, I also went there, and the guards did not know me. But the rebellious spirit had his play with me, so that, supposing a virtuous woman I beheld to be unmarried, I spoke improper words to her; on that account I was punished; but at the same time I held Shuker as a mother.”

Hóshang, the King, in the work _Bahín ferah_, “the highest dignity,” which is written to inculcate the duties towards the sanctity of the stars, states great miracles of every luminary. We read likewise, in the Mahábharat, that the Rája Jedeshter (Yudhishthira)[92] attained the fulfilment of his wishes by worshipping the sun. As the Mahábharat is all symbolic, we also find there that the sun, having appeared to him in the form of a man, announced to him: “I am pleased with thee; I will provide thee with food during twelve years, then for the space of thirteen years thou wilt obtain a wonderful empire.” And the sun gave him a kettle, saying: “The property of this kettle is, that every day all sort of food in such quantity as thou wishest, comes forth from it, under the condition that thou first distributest it among Brahmans and Fakirs, and then among thy valiant brothers, the Kshatriyas.” Herodetes, the author of the history of the Yúnán (Greeks), stated that in a town of Rúmí there was in a temple an idol in the shape of Iskalápíús, which was known under the image of _Apú_, that is “the sun,” and that, whatever question they addressed was answered by him.[93] The raiser of this figure was Iskalápíús. In the opinion of the Magians of Rúmi, it rendered oracles, because, having been made in strict dependency on the observation of the motions of the seven planets at the most suitable moments, it was constituted in such a manner that one of the spirits of the stars descended into it; and therefore answered any question asked from him. The name of this figure was _Saklapes_.[94]

The _Sabeans_ believe that in some of their idols a white hand appears. Further, the wise men of Persia, Greece, India, and the Sabeans, all acknowledge the stars as the Kiblah, and the blessed Emperor (Akbar) also received divine commands with regard to them.

In the histories of the Turks is to be found that _Jangiskhan_[95] worshipped the stars, and several things of wonderful meaning were connected with his person. In the first line was that which they call the state of _washt_. Some of the spirits of the stars were his assistants. During several days he was in a swoon, and in this state of senselessness all that the world-conquering Khan could articulate was _Hu_, _hu_! It is said that on the first manifestation of this malady, he obtained union with spirits, victories, and revelations of mysteries. The very same coat and garment which he first put on were deposited in a wardrobe, there sealed up, and kept by themselves. Every time that the illustrious Khan fell into this state, his people dressed him in that coat, and every event, victory, purpose, discovery of enemies, defeat, conquest of countries, which he desired, came upon his tongue; a person wrote down every thing, and put it into a bag which he sealed. When the world-seizing Khan recovered his senses, every thing was read to him and he acted accordingly, and every thing he had said took place. He possessed perfectly the science of divination by means of combs, and having burnt them, gave his decisions in a manner different from that of other diviners who paid attention to combs. It is said that, when this conqueror of the world fell into the hands of his enemies, he recovered his liberty by the assistance of Amír Shír Khán, who, having given him a mare of Kirang, enabled him to join his men, who had already despaired of his life. Tulí Khán, who was then in his infancy, said one day: “My father, sitting upon a mare of Kirang, is coming near.” On this very day, the Khan returned in that manner to his camp. When the Turks saw the wonders of his acts, they opened freely the road of their affection to him. Such was his justice and equity, that in his army nobody was bold enough to take up a whip thrown on the road, except the proprietor of it; lying and thieving were unknown in his camp. Every woman among the Khorásánián, who had a husband living, had no attempt upon her person to fear. Thus we read in the _Tabkat Náśeri_, “the degrees of Naśer,”[96] that when _Malik Táj-ed din_, surnamed the King of Ghór, returned with the permission of Jangis Khan, from the country of Tálkán to Ghór, he related the following anecdote: When I had left the presence of Jangis Khan, and sat down in the royal tent, _Aghlán herbí_, with whom I came, and some other friends, were with me, a Moghul brought two other Moghuls, who the day before had fallen asleep when on the watch, saying: “I struck their horses with the whip, rebuking them for their guilt in sleeping, yet left them; but to-day I have brought them here.” Aghlan faced these two Moghuls, asking them: “Have you fallen asleep?” Both avowed it. He then ordered one of them to be put to death; and that his head should be tied to the hair lock of the other the latter then to be conducted through the camp, and afterwards executed. Thus it was done. I remained astonished, and said to Aglan: “There was no witness to prove the guilt of the Moghuls; as these two men knew that death awaits them, why have they confessed? If they had denied, they would have saved themselves.” Aghlan Herbí replied: “Why art thou astonished? You, Tají Khan, you act in this way, and tell lies; but, should a thousand lives be at stake, Moghuls would not utter a lie.”

Jangis Khan raised _Oktáyí Khan_ to the rank of a _Khalif_, “successor.”[97] _Châtayi Khan_, who was his elder brother, in a drunken fit dashed his horse against Oktáyi Khan, and then hurried away. When he became sober, he reflected upon the danger which would ensue from his act, and that the foundation of the monarchy might be destroyed in consequence of it; therefore, presenting himself as a criminal, he said to his brother: “How could a man like me presume to measure himself with the King, and dash his horse against him! Therefore I am guilty, and confess my crime. Put me to death, or use the whip against me: you are the judge.” Oktáyi replied: “A miserable like myself, what place should he take? You are the master: what am I?――that is, you are the elder, I the younger, brother.” Finally, Chengháyi, presenting him nine horses, said: “I offer this as a grateful acknowledgment that the King did not exercise his justice towards me, and that he forgives my crime.”

When _Oktáyí Khan_ dispatched _Jermághún_, a commander of a district furnishing ten thousand men, with an army of thirty thousand warriors, to reduce the sultan _Jelal eddin_,[98] king of Khárazim, at the time of the breaking up of the army, he said to one of the Omrás, who was subordinate to Jermaghún: “The great affair of Jelal eddin in thy hand will sufficiently occupy thee.” Finally, this Amir, having fallen upon the Sultan Jelal-eddin in Kurdistan, destroyed him completely. The liberality and generosity of Oktáyikán was as conspicuous as the sun. When _Tayir Baháder_, in the year of the Hejira 625 (A. D. 1227) moved the army of the Moghuls from _Abt´al_ to the country of _Sístán_, they besieged the fort _Arak_; at that time the plague manifested itself among the Moghuls, so that, at first, a pain was felt in the mouth, then the teeth moved, and on the third day death ensued. _Malik Sálakín_, the governor of the fort, fixed upon the stratagem that seven hundred young men should lie in ambush: who, when they should hear the sound of the war-drum from the eastern gate, opposite which they were placed, were to break out from the ambush, and fall on the back of the enemies. Conformably with this plan, in the morning the eastern gate was opened, and the Muselmans were engaged in the assault; but when the drum was beaten, nobody came forth from the ambush: after three watches, a man was sent to bring intelligence from that quarter, but he found them all dead.

The world-conquering Jangiz Khan, at the time of his wasting away, said to his sons: “Never deviate from your faith, nor lend your powerful support to other religions; because, as long as you remain firmly rooted in your faith, your people and companions will acknowledge you as the chiefs of their faith, and count you as the leaders of worship; but he who changes his religion for that of others, being a chief of the faith, may be still considered as a chief by the people of the new religion; but in the eyes of his own people will lose that dignity: because he who passes over with you to another faith will esteem as chiefs those of the new faith; besides, he who remains attached to my faith will also be displeased with you for not having continued in the religion of his fathers.” To sum up all, as long as they conformed themselves to the last will of the Khan, they were powerful; but when they deviated from his counsel, they sunk into distress and abjection. The stars were favorable to them in every thing.[99]

It is related: Kík Khan, who was of the family of Chaghaty Khan, was one day walking with noblemen of his suit in the plain, travelling about in the desert. At once, his looks fell upon bones; at the same moment he became thoughtful, and then asked: “Do you know what this handful of bones says to me?” They replied: “The King knows best.” He resumed: “They demand justice from me as being oppressed.” He demanded information about the history of these bones from Amír Hazárah, who held this country under his dependence. This governor inquired of Amir Sadah, who administered this district under him; and after reiterated investigations, it became clear that, nine years before, a caravan had been attacked at this place by a band of highwaymen, and plundered of their property, a part of which remained still in the hands of the guilty. At last it was recovered from the murderers, and restored to the heirs of the slain who were in Khorásán.

It is said that, when an army of the Moghuls was occupied with the siege of the fort of _Imbál_, in which were the mother and several women of the king of Khárarem, nobody had ever given information that the garrison was distressed for want of water. Although a quantity of rain-water was collected in the reservoirs, so that during years they had no need of spring-water, yet at the time when the Moghuls were encamped before the place to reduce it, no rain had fallen, and one day not a drop of water remained in the reservoirs; the next day the women of the Turks and Naśer eddin, with thirsty lips, compelled by necessity came down to surrender; but at the very moment that they arrived at the foot of the fort, and the army of the Moghuls entered it, a heavy rain began to pour down, so that the water ran out from the ditches of the fort. When this intelligence was brought to the Sultan Muhammed, sovereign of Khárazem, he become insensible, and when he recovered his senses, he died without being able to utter a word.

Upon the whole: as long as the Sultans of the Moghuls preserved the worship of the stars, they conquered the inhabitants of the world; but, as soon as they abandoned it, they lost many countries, and those which they kept were without value and strength.[100]

[88] According to Sheristání, there is a sect called
_Hernânites_, or _Herranites_, disciples of a certain
_Hernán_, a branch of the Sabeans, of whom hereafter; these
sectaries designate, as authors of their scientific
treatises, four prophets, among whom are Agatho démon and
Hermes.

_Agatho démon_, that is to say, “the good genius,” was an
Egyptian god. According to general belief, this denomination
is the approximative translation of _Knef_, or “the good
principle,” and in that acceptation it was applied to other
deities, as for instance, to the Nile, and typified as the
emblem of wisdom, prudence, life, health, youth, eternity,
and infinitude, in the _inoffensive serpent_; now and then
this form is combined with that of other animals. According
to some authors, Agatho demon was the Egyptian _Chetnuph_;
and to him are attributed a number of works, a list of which
is given by Fabricius in his “Bibliotheca græca.”

[89] The first Hermes of the Orientals lived one thousand
years after Adam, in the beginning of their second solar
millenium, and was no other but Idris, or Enoch; the second
in the third solar millenium, was the _Trismegist_ of the
Greeks. According to Abu ’l farage, the second was the
third; and between these two intervened a Chaldean or
Babylonian Hermes, who lived a few centuries after the
deluge, and to whom the principal notions of astronomy are
referred. A disciple of the first Hermes, or of Idris, was
Esculapius, of whom hereafter.

[90] Muhammed used to say: “I like of your world but women
and perfumes, and God has placed the refreshment of my eyes
in prayers.”――(Baron Hammer.)

[91] This word, not in the Dictionary, means perhaps
“assembly of the nobles.”

[92] Yudisht’hira, according to the Vichnu-purena (Wilson’s
transl., pp. 437-459), was the son of _Kuntí_, also called
_Prithá_, and of the deities Dharma, Vayu, and Indra. He was
the half-brother of Karna, whom his mother conceived by
_Aditya_, “the sun.”

[93] In the History of Herodotus, if this be meant above,
the name of Esculapius does not occur. The denomination of
_Rumí_ may be applied to Asia Minor, Turkey, the whole
ancient and modern empire of the Greeks and Romans; in so
vast a space there was certainly more than one town with a
temple and an oracular statue of Esculapius. One
circumstance is singularly true in the above account of
_Apu_, to wit: that Esculapius was formerly called _Apius_,
Αρωγὸν αὐδήσουσιν Ἠπίου γόνον: adjutorem invocabunt
Æsculapii filium――(see _Lycophron_, v. 1054); and that he
was often confounded with the sun, as son of Apollo, who
also was the sun, and of the nymph Coronnis, who was the
daughter of _Phlegyas_, that is, “the heat of the sun.”

[94] _Saklapes_ probably stands for _Serapis_. It is known
that Serapis and Bacchus were the sun of autumn and the sun
of spring. Serapis bore sometimes the character of the
Egyptian Chmún, surnamed Esculapius. To predict and to
resuscitate were powers attributed to _Apollo-Esculapius_.
As the latter, so had Serapis a serpent. He was also
_Osiris_. _Helios-Serapis_ and _Jupiter-Serapis_ are read
upon bronzes. Temples of Serapis were numerous in Asia,
Thracia, Greece, and Italy. I shall only mention that of
Antium, and that at Rome, on an island of the Tiber, beyond
the pons Palatinus.

[95] Jangís khan, originally called Tamujin, was, according
to Chinese and Moghul authorities (see _Geschichte der
Ost-mongolen von Isaak Jacob Schmidt_, _Seite_ 376), born in
the year of the Hejira 558 (A. D. 1162), in _Dilun Jalún_.
It was in the year 1206 of our era that he received, in a
general assembly of submissive Tartars, the name of
_Jangis-khan_, “Great Khan:” his own tribe, which was that
of _Moghuls_, before him called _Bida_, he raised to
pre-eminence over all the Tartars.

[96] This is a work of _Naśer eddin Túsi_ (about whom, see
vol. II. p. 417, note 2, and p. 449). He was the favorite
minister of Hulagu Khan, whose arms he had successfully
directed against Baghdad and the Khalif. The Khan, after his
conquests, took up his residence at _Maragha_, in
_Aderbigan_; there he assembled philosophers and astronomers
to cultivate science, under the direction of Nâśer eddin. In
our days the place is still shown where the observatory of
this astronomer was situated, and where he compiled the
astronomic tables, known under the name of _Jal-khanní_.

[97] Jangis Khan had four sons, whose rank of seniority is
differently stated by different authors, and among whom he
divided his vast empire. _Octáyi_ was to rule all the
countries of the Moghuls, Kathayans, and others extending
towards the East. He died in the year of the Hejira 639
(A.D. 1241). _Châtayí_ was to possess Mawer ul nahir,
Turkistan, Balkh, and Badakhshan. He died in the year of the
Hejira 638 (A.D. 1240). _Jují_ was to reign over Desht,
Kapchak, Kharizm, Khizer, Bulgaria, Lokmin, Alan, As,
Russia, and the northern countries. He died in Hejira 624
(A.D. 1226), during his father’s life. _Tuli Khan_ received
for his share Khorassan, India, and Persia; he died soon
after his father; but his sons, Manjuka, Koblai, and Hulagú
became celebrated in history.

[98] Jangis Khan, during his terrific career, in the
fourteenth year of slaughter, devastation, and conquest,
fell upon the empire of Kharism and Ghazni. Muhammed of the
Seljuks was driven from all his possessions, and died a
fugitive. He had before divided his empire between his four
sons, to one of whom _Jelál eddin_, he had assigned
Kharizm, Khorassan, Mazinderan, Ghazni, Bamian, Ghor, Bost
Takanad, Zamigdand, and all the Indian provinces. This
prince, retiring before superior forces towards Ghazni,
gained two battles over the Moghuls, but was at last obliged
to fly to the banks of the Indus. There, closely pressed by
the enemies, who murdered his captive son seven years old
before his eyes, he threw his mother, wife, and the rest of
his family, at their own desire, into the water, and then
swam, with a few followers, across the river, before his
admiring pursuers, who followed him no further.

[99] Jangis Khan died in the year of the Hejira 626 (A. D.
1228), in his sixty-sixth year. He left an empire which
extended from the Indus to the Black sea; from the banks of
the Wolga to the remote plains of China; and from the arid
shores of the Persian gulf to the cold deserts of Siberia.
Having, in his early age, been driven by his subjects from
his home, he passed several years under the protection of a
Christian prince, _Awenk Khan_, or _Ungh Khan_, known to
Europeans under the name of _Prester John_; and was
therefore supposed by some to have adopted the Christian
religion: thus much is true――he and his successors protected
the Christians and persecuted the Muhammedans, until
_Nikudár Oglan_ professed the Muhammedan faith, in A. D.
1281, and drove the Christians out of his empire.

[100] The duration of Jangis Khan’s dynasty reckoned from
the year of the Hejira 599 (A. D. 1202) extended by fourteen
princes to 736 (A. D. 1335), comprising 137 lunar, 133
solar, years. It does not appear that change of religion, by
itself, had any influence upon the decline and fall of this
dynasty.