Believing that foretelling is forestalling, Babylonian poured large amounts
of wealth into temple sacrifices, divination by priests and the like, for the priests, the worshippers felt, could read the future in winds, storms, drops of oil on water, sheep's livers,
and the stars. Priests also did made a large sum in trade in the sale of charms and magical formulae for driving off evil spirits that
caused disease.
