Modern intellectuals have such a (justified) disdain for astrology, it's hard for them to appreciate how respectable it once was. In Italy of the period, Astrol

Modern intellectuals have such a (justified) disdain for astrology, it's hard for them to appreciate how respectable it once was. In Italy of the period, Astrology was a popular 4-year university degree. Afterwards, you bought the equipment, rented office space, and you were in a stable profession, rather like becoming an optometrist today.