The Book of Nativities and the Centiloquy of Hermes

if it was in a human sign: the native will be of a weak heart and fearful. ¶ If Saturn is in the midheaven original: "i medio celi" in a nocturnal nativity: the native will be very timorous and of a most wretched heart. ¶ If the "Part of Strife" or of wars is under the rays of the Sun and falling from the angles, and its lord is with Saturn: the native will be fearful, of a weak heart, and in war or slaughter, base and lazy.

On the speed of the native toward wars and thefts. Chapter 17.

Mars being in the ascendant renders the native sharp toward discord and strife, a killer, and strong in madness. ¶ If Mercury is in the 4th house and appearing from the rays of the Sun, and also in aspect to Mars and Saturn: the native will be sharp and of swift change, always insane and meddlesome. ¶ For Mars, being in the 8th house and in its own sign in either a diurnal or nocturnal nativity, signifies that the native will be insane, and a lasting madman, and a foolish killer. ¶ If Mercury is in its own house: the native will be timorous and insane. ¶ If the Moon, increased in light, is in the house of Mars: the native will be sharp, wrathful, of a large liver In medieval medicine, a "large liver" was associated with heat and intense passion or anger., seeking wars, and openly bringing reproaches against men. ¶ If the Moon in a nocturnal nativity applies to Mars and is increased in light: the native will be of great movement toward anger, seeking strife and discord without cause. ¶ If the Part of Fortune or its lord, or the lord of the house of life, is in the house of Mars, the native will be furious, always sad, of great madness, and slow to return to reason.

On the humility of the native. Chapter 18.

When Mercury is under the rays of the sun and in a watery sign—because they lack a voice—and Mars looks upon it, the native will be humble and quiet, and grave in his actions. ¶ If Saturn and Mars look upon the Moon and the Sun (or either of them) from the midheaven, or the ascendant, or from the 7th or 4th house, the native will be humble and self-aware, provided they look upon the Sun in a diurnal nativity and the Moon in a nocturnal nativity, and the Sun or Moon is in the term of Fortune. ¶ If one of the Beibenian stars term: Beibenijs (from Arabic 'al-biya-banni'). These are specific fixed stars considered to have significant astrological influence. of the nature of Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, being without great magnitude, is in the ascendant or midheaven, the native will be humble, of subtle wit, and of good change.

On the shamelessness of the native. Chapter 19.

Know that when Mars looks upon Mercury from an opposite aspect, the native will be without shame. ¶ But if the Moon looks upon Mars from an opposite aspect, it will diminish his shamelessness and change his litigiousness. ¶ And if the Moon, diminished in light and being in a bad place, is with Mars, the native will be without shame. ¶ If Venus and Mercury are in the ascendant and in opposite aspect to Mars, the native will have little shame.

On the modesty of the native. Chapter 20.

Jupiter being in the ascendant of any nativity without the aspect of Mars signifies that the native will be modest. ¶ If the Moon is in the ascendant and in the term of Saturn and in his face, while Mars is in the west and Jupiter looks upon the Moon, the native will be modest.

On the beauty of the native's character. Chapter 21.

When the Moon, being in the midheaven, looks upon Saturn with a 4th aspect A square aspect (90 degrees). while Saturn is in the 2nd house, it is a sign that the native will be of beautiful character. ¶ The Sun being in the house of Saturn signifies that the native will be of a good soul. ¶ If Fortune looks upon the Sun, the native will have good [fortune] and good manners and joy. ¶ If Mercury is in the house of the Sun in a diurnal nativity, the native will be of good character, especially if he is safe from the aspect of misfortune. ¶ If Mercury is in the house of the Moon, fortunate and without the aspect of misfortune, the native will be of good character and a beautiful face. ¶ If the Sun and Moon are in the exaltation of Venus without the aspect of misfortune, the native will be of beautiful character, subtle wit, and a cheerful face, and also beloved by men.

On the lying of the native. Chapter 22.

When Mars is with Mercury in his house, the native will be a liar and will utter lying words without reason or root, and will adorn his will with a lying tongue. ¶ If Mars, the lord of the angle of the earth The 4th house (Imum Coeli)., is in the 6th house, the native will be a liar. ¶ If the Sun and Venus are in the 7th house, the native will be full of lies. ¶ If Mars is in the 9th house, the native will bring forth lies and affirm them by swearing. ¶ If any of the Beibenian stars of the nature of Mercury and Venus are in the ascendant or midheaven: the native will be a liar and will confirm his lies by swearing, and will write false letters, and will compose things that men did not say or do; he will then be a boaster. ¶ If the Moon, separated from Mars, applies to Mercury and both are oriental: the native will be a liar as well as a master of fraud and testing. ¶ If Mars and Mercury, being in the same degree in any of the angles without the aspect of anyone, the native will be a liar and a toucher Likely meaning a meddler or one who handles things dishonestly. of those things he did not do, and will insert deceptive words into his speech.

On the truthfulness of the native. Chapter 23.

When the Moon and Venus are in the midheaven, the native will be truthful and a fulfiller of promises. ¶ If the native is born with Sagittarius in the ascendant and the Moon in it, and in the 3rd or 6th aspect of Jupiter, it is a sign that the native will be truthful and fulfilling those things he promises. ¶ When Jupiter is in the ascendant and Mercury is in the 7th house under the rays, the native will be truthful. ¶ Mercury being in the ascendant or midheaven with Venus signifies that the native will be a truthful orator, fulfilling promises, and uttering the truth both for himself and against himself.

On the religion of the native. Chapter 24.

Jupiter being in the 9th house The 9th house traditionally governs religion, philosophy, and long journeys. and in a diurnal nativity signifies that the native will be a worshiper of God, trusting in God, and contemplative, so that on account of the beautiful adornment he has in his law, he will be honored by kings and powers. ¶ If Saturn is in his triplicity, the native will be God-fearing and praying, [using] holy words, and sometimes angelic ones, and will frequently receive penance for his promises, weeping for his sins; and this will be stronger if Jupiter looks upon Saturn with reception in a good aspect. ¶ If the Moon is in the ascendant and in her exaltation, and also in the 3rd or 9th aspect of Jupiter, the native will be a contemplative orator and a lord of churches or a distributor to the poor. ¶ If the Sun is in the 3rd house or in a masculine sign, and also in a good aspect of Jupiter, it is a sign that the native will be an orator obedient to God, leaving all worldly things for the fear and love of God. ¶ If Venus is in the 3rd house and in her exaltation in a nocturnal nativity, it is a sign that the native will be established and firm in the love of God and His obedience. ¶ If Mercury, the Sun, and Venus are joined in the 9th house without the aspect of misfortune, the native will always have God before his eyes and will show Him to those to whom he wishes to do good. ¶ If Venus is in the 9th house and in her own house or her exaltation, the native will be a famous hermit, and this more strongly if Jupiter looks upon her with a good aspect. ¶ If Mercury is in the 9th house, fortunate without the aspect of misfortune and oriental, the native will be good and fortunate in his law. ¶ If the Moon is in the 9th house and in a feminine sign, and also in a good aspect of Jupiter in a nocturnal nativity, the native will be an orator and a hermit.

On the hypocrisy of the native. Chapter 25.

When Jupiter is in a nocturnal nativity in the 3rd house with Mars and in a masculine sign, the native will be a hypocrite. ¶ If Venus, being a pilgrim term: peregrina. A planet is "peregrine" when it has no essential dignity (house, exaltation, triplicity, term, or face) in its current position, often weakening its influence., is in the 9th house and a feminine sign, the native will want it said of him that he is good, but he will be a hypocrite seeking razors A metaphor for sharp, cutting deceit. to perform trickery. ¶ If the Part of Absence is in any of the angles and its lord looks upon a fortune without reception and is safe from misfortunes, the native wants men to speak well of him and will pretend to do good while doing evil. ¶ But if the said Part and its lord are strong and fortunate, free from misfortunes, the native will be of good words and secret will. ¶ And if the said Part is unfortunate and its lord free from misfortunes, the native will be better on the inside than the outside. ¶ And if both are in angles and free from misfortunes, the native will be firm in his appearance and little of a hypocrite. ¶ If, therefore, the lord of the said Part is received and looks upon its place, the native will be established, good, and fortunate. ¶ But if he is retrograde, the native will doubt in his faith and become of another faith. ¶ And if the lord of the said Part of Absence is in the 9th house, it signifies goodness of faith in the native, especially if he is received. ¶ For if they do not have reception in a conquered place, it portends contrariety on account of faith and the division of the world. ¶ If with this he is unfortunate, it signifies doubt in faith and loss because of this. ¶ And judge in the same way if he is in the 3rd house. ¶ But if he is thus in the 11th house, it signifies constancy in faith, and he will withdraw from secular things, and the more he serves, the more he will flee worldly things. ¶ The lord of the Part of Absence, free from misfortunes and looking upon its place, will prohibit the native from hypocrisy.