Magia Naturalis, oder Hauß-, Kunst- und Wunder-Buch (1680) - Page 25

and would become full of little hills. And finally, coming to the moisture, it increases and spoils the same. Each of the mentioned qualities, however, mostly performs two things at once; namely, the one as if by primary intent, and alongside it another arises incidentally. Just as, for example, from the ripening, contraction, expulsion, and similar changes of certain things, there come forth milk, urine, menses, and sweat. And these the mentioned medical teachers call properties or qualities of the third kind, which are to serve those of the second kind in the same way as these serve those of the first. And these sometimes have their particular effects in certain members alone, as when they strengthen the head, provide relief to the kidneys, and the like: which are called by some qualities of the fourth kind. These they hold to be the primary causes of all mixed things, and of all wonderful effects; from these everything that comes into their hands through experience is said to consist; and from this they wish to be able to assign certain causes for all occurrences.

7. Empedocles of Agrigentum, on the other hand, sets above the elements (which in this regard are not yet sufficient for him) Concord and Strife: so that from the former all is generated, and from the latter all is destroyed, in the following verses:
Quatuor in primis cunctarum semina

rerum:

Jupiter Ætherius; Pluto Inferus; al-

maque Juno;

Et Nestis, lacrymis hominum quæ lu-

mina complet,

Nonnunquam connectit amor; simul

omnia rursus

Nonnunquam sejuncta jubet conten-

tio ferri.

That is:

Four seeds may be placed with all

things:

Jupiter from heaven, and Pluto

from hell.

Then Juno, who stills all that lives with

her breasts;

And Nestis, who also fills us with

wet tears.

Love is often wont to bind these

four into one:

But often one will find them

severed by strife.

Here he understands by Jupiter the fire, or the heavenly matter; by the nourishing Juno, the air; by the Pluto dwelling below, the earth; and by Nestis, in whom he considers human moisture, all wetness and the water. But Concord and Strife are found in the elements in such a way that they, through their qualities, partly harmonize with one another, and partly stand opposed to one another.

8. And something of this kind is even found in heaven itself, just as Jupiter and Venus love all planets, except for Mars and Saturn; although Venus is also the friend of Mars, whom the others