midnight
Farewell , till we meet again , fair Balbilla , '' and the praetor hurried off . Outside the Caesareum he got into his chariot and set out for Lochias . The charioteer held the reins , while he himself gazed at the roll in his hand which contained the result of the calculations of the astrologer , Rabbi Simeon Ben Jochai ; and this was certainly likely enough to disturb the cheerfulness of the most reckless of men . When , during the night which preceded the praetor 's birthday , the Emperor should study the heavens with special reference to the position of the stars at his birth , he would find that , as far as till the end of the second hour after midnight all the favorable planets promised Verus a happy lot , success and distinction . But , with the commencement of the third hour -- so said Ben Jochai -- misfortune and death would take possession of his house of destiny ; in the fourth hour his star would vanish , and anything further that might declare itself in the sky during that night would have nothing more to do with him , or his destiny . The Emperor 's star would triumph over his . Verus could make out but little of the signs and calculations in the tables annexed by the Jew , but that little confirmed what was told in the written statement .