83:4.4 Childlessness was greatly dreaded, and since barrenness was [[attributed]] to [[spirit]] [[machinations]], [[efforts]] to insure [[fecundity]] also led to the [[association]] of [[marriage]] with certain [[magical]] or [[religious]] [[ceremonials]]. And in this [[effort]] to insure a [[happy]] and [[fertile]] marriage, many [[charms]] were employed; even the [[astrologers]] were consulted to ascertain the [[birth]] stars of the contracting parties. At one time the [[human]] [[sacrifice]] was a regular feature of all [[weddings]] among [[Wealth|well-to-do]] people. | 83:4.4 Childlessness was greatly dreaded, and since barrenness was [[attributed]] to [[spirit]] [[machinations]], [[efforts]] to insure [[fecundity]] also led to the [[association]] of [[marriage]] with certain [[magical]] or [[religious]] [[ceremonials]]. And in this [[effort]] to insure a [[happy]] and [[fertile]] marriage, many [[charms]] were employed; even the [[astrologers]] were consulted to ascertain the [[birth]] stars of the contracting parties. At one time the [[human]] [[sacrifice]] was a regular feature of all [[weddings]] among [[Wealth|well-to-do]] people. |