On the Consideration of the Quintessence

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He fashioned it without a chisel, just as God governs the world, namely He himself [governs] also the influence of the stars so that it may flow into things just as and how He wills. And for this reason, hold in your mind that among the stars there is one which is first among the others in their part, and the matter of yours, upon which it singularly exerts its influence, is that of the Mover of Love, as exia? says, to rule the heaven which presses upon the sensible, for having prepared [it] in a pact and, by reading, I have revealed to you the influence of the star and the bond of love between the celestial bodies and things, so that you may consider the great correspondence. And see how those navigating the sea [have] affection for God, and it is clear that the adamant and the born [needle] act against the pole star, whence we have this: that one thing is called a star that always departs from the end and does not return to the other place. Without a doubt, this is because both iron and adamant, by the command and order of God, are moved by the influence of that star in a wondrous way, and hence ansc?, for it is the influence and property of the star. And I say, moreover, in summary, that as a bird [is] turned upon that [star]—whence also look at how the moon, whenever it rises, without fail moves the flow of the sea to ascend, and when it arrives at the middle of the sky, it begins to descend, and when the moon arrives at the occident, it begins again to ascend.