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to think that in Egypt itself the week was regarded as Egyptian in origin. Some 'cursing' tablets also have been found in Rome, in which 'Mars' day' is recognized as unlucky[1]. But in none of these cases does there appear to be any adequate[2] reason for thinking that they belong to a date previous to the complete establishment of the week, and therefore all they shew, as in the case of Mithraism, is that when the planetary days or hours lay ready to hand, magic made use of them. Possibly better evidence may be or may already have been discovered and therefore, as I said, I speak with caution. But until such evidence is produced, the above is the best opinion we can form.
To the fact, then, that the planetary week established itself without official recognition, we have to add the probability that it established itself with little reference to any astrological body of doctrine, or to any existing religion, except indirectly to Judaism. The plain man who learnt to reckon time in these planetary terms did not, so far as we can tell, acknowledge any definite law of what to do or what not to do on each day of the week. And we have again to ask the question, what was the driving-force which
