If a man be lucky, there is no foretelling the possible extent of his good fortune.

Pitch him into the Euphrates, and like his not, he will swim out with a pearl in his hand.

Babylonian proverb.

The desire to be lucky is universal.

It was just as strong in the breasts of men four thousand years ago in ancient Babylon

as it is in the hearts of men today.

We all hope to be favored by the whimsical goddess of good luck.

Is there some way we can meet her and attract, not only her favorable attention, but her

generous favors?

Is there a way to attract good luck?

That is just what the men of ancient Babylon wished to know.

It is exactly what they decided to find out.

They were shrewd men and keen thinkers.

What explains why their city became the richest and most powerful city of their time?

In that distant past, they had no schools or colleges.

Nevertheless, they had a center of learning and a very practical one it was.

Among the towered buildings in Babylon was one that ranked an importance with the palace

of the king, the hanging gardens, and the temples of the gods.

You will find scant mention of it in the history books, more likely no mention at all, yet

it exerted a powerful influence upon the thought of that time.

This building was the temple of learning, where the wisdom of the past was expounded by

voluntary teachers, and where subjects of popular interest were discussed in open forums.

...