The Christian myth of the birth and death of the saviour-god, although now considerably amplified and converted into a long history, was originally, no doubt, of a much simpler form, and, probably, of the following nature:—Jesus, the sun-god, was born at midnight, between December 24th and December 25th, his mother, _Virgo_, having been three days and three nights in the agony of childbirth; the virgin, not being allowed to enter the house of the goat, being on the opposite side of the zodiac, was obliged to seek refuge in the stable of Augias (_Cancer_), and place her baby in the manger of Jao, at which moment the lamb of god, _Aries_, hurled into the abyss the great monster of evil, or _Cetus_; the three kings in the belt of _Orion_, perceiving, on January 6th, the great star _Vindemiatrix_ rise in the east, which was their guiding star, made obeisance to the new-born god and disappeared below the horizon, going down by the west, instead of returning by the east, or way they had come. Growing from this moment, the young sun-god commenced his journey towards the city of god, the summer solstice, at the top of the hill, or height of annual ascension, meeting at the outset _Aquarius_, the man with the pitcher of water, or John the Baptist, with whom he remained for a time; after which he entered upon the season of fasting, or the sign _Pisces_, the fishes, and prepared by austerities for the coming feast of the Passover, or coming together (covenant) of the ecliptic and equator, when he would be crucified—that is, be placed cross-wise on the two lines (ecliptic and equator). After this he entered into the sign, _Aries_, the lamb, having been shown the way by the man with the pitcher of water, _Aquarius_, and partook of the feast in the upper room or first decan, immediately after which he was crucified as the lamb of god—that is, passed the crossing of the equator and ecliptic in the sign of the lamb. For three days and three nights he struggled in the tomb, or suspense, and then ascended into heaven, accompanied by the lamb, passing the signs _Taurus_ and _Gemini_, saying to the twins that he could stay with them but a little while, and where he was going they could not go (John xii.), and finally reaching the city of heaven, Jerusalem, or _Cancer_, passing over the two asses (_Aselli_) at the entrance to it. Here, on the top of the mount, or at the height of his annual ascension, he had another three days and three nights of tribulation, struggling with the devil, the heavenly serpent, who had led or preceded him up the mount, but who left him as soon as he arrived at the top; for _Serpens_, at this point, returns while the sun commences his descent towards the autumnal crucifixion. Passing into _Leo_, he was transfigured on the mount—that is, became more resplendent than ever, after which he entered _Virgo_, where the seductions of the lady sorely tempted him, for being offered the juice