BOOK ONE

eighth heaven In the Ptolemaic system used during the Renaissance, the "eighth heaven" or sphere was the region of the fixed stars, situated far beyond the spheres of the planets., and that the Sun is only in the fourth, how can the Sun enter into a sign, seeing as there is such a great distance from them to the
Second Doubt.

Sun? Second Doubt. The second is: if each sign is composed of stars, why do we say that one sign is called Aries, which signifies a ram? And the other is called Taurus, which is to say a bull? And likewise for the others, since there is no beast in the sky.

First Explanation. First, it should be known that, although it is true that the signs are in the eighth heaven and the Sun in the fourth, one must consider that the movement the Sun makes throughout the year is conducted and turns beneath the stars of the signs: and thus when we say, "the Sun is in such a sign," it must be understood that it carries itself beneath the stars of said sign: just as each of us can be beneath some sign, or beneath the Sun, and yet the distance between one and the other does not prevent this.

Why the signs have the names of animals.

Second Explanation. To the second: it is true that there are no animals in the sky, but they are so named for the reason that the effects the Sun produces while in each of the signs correspond to or imitate one of these animals, by property or resemblance: and thus the sign is compared to the figure of such an animal to demonstrate its effect, or to another thing by which it is represented: as shall be declared in the next chapter, that the Sun, entering into each sign, causes various effects. Then it is to be noted that of these twelve signs,
Of the twelve signs, four are movable, four fixed, and the other four are common.

four are movable Known today as Cardinal signs., four are fixed, and four are common Known today as Mutable signs.: and the four movable signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricornus. These signs are called movable because it is said that the disposition of the air changes when the Sun enters into them, and does not persevere in one state: so much so that the Sun entering into Aries changes from Winter to Spring; and being in Cancer, changes from Spring to Summer; and entering into Libra, changes from Summer to Autumn; and entering into Capricorn, changes from Autumn to Winter.
Which are the fixed signs.

The fixed signs are Taurus, Leo, Scorpius, and Aquarius: they are called fixed because when the Sun enters them, the weather and the disposition of the air persevere in their same state.
Which are the common signs.

The common signs are Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces: one calls a sign "common" when it participates in both the movable and the fixed, so that it is partly movable, or changeable, and partly fixed, or stable.

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