given to the Gods,—the שמים smim of Genesis. From observations taken during the precession through several degrees, the Hindoos were first induced to suppose that the precession took place after the rate of 60 years in a degree, or 1800 in a zodiacal sign, and of 21,600 in a revolution of the whole circle. And Sir W. Jones informs us, from an examination of their periods, that this was the rate at which they reckoned. But they afterwards discovered, as they thought, that this was not true, and that the precession was at the rate of a degree in 60 years and a fraction of a year; and that thus the precession for a sign was in 1824 years, and for the circle in 21,888 years. During the time this was going on, they discovered, as they thought, the Soli-Lunar period of 608 years, and they endeavoured to make the two cycles go together. For this purpose they took the periods in a zodiacal circle, viz. 12 × 1824 = 21,888, and they found the two cycles of 608 and 21,888 would agree and form a new one, at the end of which both cycles would terminate, and begin anew. Hence came to be formed the sacred 608. But both of them were erroneous.
Among the ancient Romans we find a story of 12 vultures and 12 ages, the meaning of which was certainly unknown; for the 12 ages of 120 years each will by no means account for all the particulars of the history. But we find among them also the sacred period of 608 years. This arose from the following cause: they came from the East before the supposition that the precession took place a degree in about 60 years, and 1824 years in a sign had been discovered to be erroneous; and as they supposed the Neros made a correct cycle in 608 years, and believed the precessional cycle to be completed in 21,888 years, they of course made their ages into 12. As both numbers were erroneous, they would not long answer their intended purpose, and their meaning was soon lost, though the sacred periods of twelve ages and of 608 remained.
The equinoxes were believed by Hipparchus and Ptolemy to have preceded after the rate of a degree in 100 years, and of the circle in 36,000 years, thus: 1 deg. : 100 yrs. :: 360 deg. : 36000 yrs., and that then the Αποκαταςασις or restitution or regeneration of all things would take place. This, I think, was nothing but a remnant of, probably, the most ancient of the Indian mythoses, when the precessional years in each sign of the Zodiac were supposed to be 3000 in number, and consequently 36,000 in the circle, and 36 seconds in a year.[1] This doctrine of the Greeks is evidently nothing but a theory, and not the result of observation; for it cannot be believed that erroneous observations should have brought out these peculiar round numbers.
Some time after the arrival of the Sun in Aries, at the Vernal equinox, the Indians probably discovered their mistake, in giving about 60 years to a degree; that they ought to give 50″ to a year, about 72 years to a degree, and about 2160 years to a sign; and, that the Luni-Solar cycle, called the Neros, did not require 608 years, but 600 years only, to complete its period. Hence arose the more perfect Neros.
After some time the erroneous Neros of 608 would be lost sight of altogether in the country of its birth, and would be superseded by the more perfect, of 600 years. Hence the old one is only found, as it were, in scraps and detached parts, as in the calculations on chronology, which the reader has seen, and in certain verses of Martianus Capella’s, which I shall presently give. But it continued in use among the ignorant devotees in Latium and in Greece, who knew nothing of its meaning, or of the profound astronomy from which it had its origin. As I have just said, I suppose the great Neros of 608 years came to the West before the less and more correct one of 600 was discovered, and, in consequence of the communication between these distant countries being intercepted, the greater one remained, as a sacred number, uncorrected.
Perhaps after some time the Indians found that the equinox did not precede correctly 50″ in a year, or a degree in 72 years; but 50″ and a fraction, i. e. 50″ 9‴ ¾ in a year, or a degree in 71
- ↑ Costard, Ast. p. 131.
