That again seemed to the learned Melanchthon very dubious.
So if Melanchthon began to talk about the signs of the zodiac and
aspects, and explained Luther's success by his having been born under
the sign of the Sun, then Luther would exclaim, "I don't think much of
your Sol. I am a peasant's son. My father, grandfather, and
great-grandfather were thorough peasants." "Yes," replied Melanchthon,
"even in a hamlet, you would have become a leader, a magistrate, or a
foreman over other laborers." "But," cried Luther, victoriously, "I
have become a bachelor of arts, a master, a monk. That was not
foretold by the stars. And after that I got the Pope by the hair and
he in turn got me. I have taken a nun to wife and got some children by
her. Who saw that in the stars?" Melanchthon, continuing his
astrological prophecies and turning to the fate of the Emperor
Charles, declared that this prince was destined to die in 1584. Then
Luther broke out vehemently--"The world will not last as long as that,
for when we drive out the Turks the prophecy of Daniel will be
fulfilled and completed; then the Day of Judgment is certainly at our
doors."
How lovable he was as father in his family! When his children stood
before the table and looked hard at the fruit and the peaches, he
said, "If anybody wants to see the image of one who rejoiceth in hope,
he has here the real model. Oh, that we might look forward so
cheerfully to the Judgment Day! Adam and Eve must have had much better
fruit! Ours are nothing but crab-apples in contrast.
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