Book 2, Chapter 47

97 “From this we can see that a country’s position has more influence on birth than the moon’s touch. As for the claim that the Babylonians spent 470,000 years observing and testing every child that was born, it is false. Had such a practice existed, it would not have been abandoned; yet we have no authority who either says it is still done or knows that it ever was. Do you see that I am not repeating Carneades’s arguments, but those of Panaetius, a leader of the Stoics? I have these further questions. Were all who fell at the battle of Cannae born under one star? Their end, certainly, was one and the same. And were men of singular genius and spirit also born under one star? What moment passes without countless births? Yet surely no one resembles Homer.

98 “And if the condition of the sky and arrangement of the stars at the birth of any living creature matter, their influence must extend not only to human beings but to animals too. What could be more absurd? Indeed, our friend Lucius Tarutius of Firmum, a man exceptionally learned in Chaldean methods, even traced our city’s birthday back to the festival of the Parilia at which, according to tradition, Romulus founded it. He said Rome was born with the moon in Libra, and did not hesitate to prophesy its destiny.

99 “What extraordinary power delusion has! Did even a city’s birthday fall under the influence of the stars and moon? Grant that for a child the condition of the heavens at his first breath matters: could it have any effect on the bricks or rubble from which a city is built? But why say more? Every day disproves these men. How many predictions I remember the Chaldeans making to Pompey, how many to Crassus, how many to Caesar himself: none of them would die except in old age, at home, and in glory! I find it astonishing that anyone still believes people whose predictions he sees refuted every day by facts and events.”

97 “This shows that geographical location matters more at birth than the moon's touch. It is false to claim that for 470,000 years the Babylonians monitored and tested all children as they were born. If this had been a regular practice, it would not have stopped. Yet we have no witness who says it is being done or knows it was done. Do you see that I am not repeating Carneades' arguments, but those of Panaetius, a leading Stoic? I also ask this: were all those killed in the battle of Cannae born under one star? Their end was certainly one and the same. And were people with exceptional talents and minds also born under a single star? At what time are countless people not being born? Yet certainly no one else is like Homer.

98 “If the condition of the sky and the arrangement of the stars at a creature's birth matter, this must apply not just to humans but to animals too. What could be more absurd? Our friend Lucius Tarutius of Firmum, who is especially learned in Chaldean calculations, even worked back to our city's birthday. He began with the festival of the Parilia on which, we are told, Romulus founded it. He said Rome was born when the moon was in the Balance, and he did not hesitate to predict its fate.

99 “What enormous power error has! Were the stars and the moon powerful even over the date a city was founded? Suppose it matters under what condition of the sky a child first takes a breath. Could that matter to the bricks or rubble from which the city was built? But why say more? They are disproved every day. I remember so many things the Chaldeans told Pompey, so many they told Crassus, and so many they told this very Caesar. They said all three would live to old age and die at home in glory! How can anyone still trust them when he sees actual events disprove their forecasts day after day?