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BY ABU-SHAKER. 389<br />

"Know that to every country in the world there<br />

"belongeth a section of the stars which ruleth and<br />

"ordereth it. Now of the starry hosts which belong<br />

"to Persia is Mercury,' and its regent is Venus,<br />

"and its guardian is the planet Jupiter, and its ad-<br />

"versary is the planet Saturn, and the planet which<br />

"hath dominion over it and which worketh therein<br />

"misery is Mars, and the Sun keepeth it in peace<br />

"and safety, and the Moon giveth it strength and<br />

"power; each of these seven planets hath power<br />

"over its destiny and over its days. Do thou,<br />

"now, act under the influence of the planets Saturn<br />

"and Mars, so that thou mayest overcome thy<br />

"enemies."<br />

And Aristotle said unto <strong>Alexander</strong>, "Know, O king, Aristotle's<br />

"that I have made for thee talismans, that is to say, '^''^""^<br />

"figures, one of which will preserve thee and thine<br />

"army when thou journeyest and when thou art<br />

"encamping from the wiles and cunning devices<br />

"of thine enemies; and with it thou shalt make<br />

"their counsel of none effect, and it shall strip<br />

"off the coverings of their pretexts to thee. The<br />

"second talisman [is to be used by thee] for making<br />

"an entrance into cities, and fortified places, and<br />

"towers, which are [situated] on the top of moun-<br />

"tains; whensoever thou art before [p. 229] a fort<br />

"which is difficult for thee, hold up this talisman<br />

"towards the eastern side of that city, or against<br />

"that fortress, and it shall cause its gates to open<br />

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