Tetrabiblos (The Quadripartite Book)

looked at the figures of the moon. He wishes to say that which the wise, laborers, and shepherds do, you will know with certainty from the books of agriculture. And regarding the clouds, that which he says, the property of the complexion of things by adding to the heat or cold, he wishes to say concerning the mixture which is made on account of the conjunction of the virtues of the stars, which always increase the power of the sun or diminish from it. And that which he said, "likewise we will be able to add to the heat," for this same reason he wishes to say that just as we can diminish from the heat by those things which we will do, so we can add to it by those things which we will have done in the cold, that same thing.

Except that the occasion of this deception is the difficult prognostication of individual things, and because very few have it in use.

The cause, however, of this error is the difficulty of knowing particulars when they exist, because men use this very little.

He says that the reason for which some particulars are unknown before they exist and a man cannot know is on account of the difficulty of knowing the prognostications of particulars, and because men do not use these as much as they use the universal ones.

So that it is almost the occasion that other things are not created in any way. For things having the powers of contrariety, without the things for whose powers we prognosticate, if they are found lightly, are therefore in the greater part not found perfectly.

So that on account of this error, men believe nothing about particulars, because that which has in itself powers of contrariety cannot be found for the most part, thus the prognostications of anyone are known. Whence this is a thing which cannot be found completely.

He teaches us through this saying that the reason for the difficulty of the prognostications of particulars is that the mixture which is made from contrary things cannot be understood easily because of the difficulty which is in it. And because of this, it is hard that a man should know them completely.

Wherefore when the first natures were without things prohibiting, being the victors, they thought that they themselves would do whatever is unavoidably, and in such a way that it could not be prohibited.

And because the first natures are higher, and do not receive disturbance of their movement, they believed that all things happen in the manner of things which cannot be changed, nor can a man protect himself from them.

And because the stars are much higher, and the whole world and its virtues are so strong that they overcome all other virtues and have no disturbance of their movement, many believed that their works likewise could not be converted or changed, nor can a man protect himself from them in a way that they are necessary of their movement. This belief, however, would be vain if a man receiving a work did not receive works from many other things. But by receiving from many things, by right he would not receive the works of the stars if there were in them some contrary thing which might be equal to the works of the stars.

And as it seems to me, they thought the same in that very prognostication. But although it might happen that in the greater part the prognostication would fail, it would still be fitting that we should investigate it subtly, for the reason that there is something of truth in it, just as in a science which demonstrates how to preserve health, although it may not be the occasion of the health of all men; since it is, however, [that of] some, although it may be small, it is yet to be desired and cherished, and we ought to consider that there is great benefit in it.

I see also what they believed concerning prognostications; for although for the most part one might err in them, that [which is] yet a small [part], what is found true in them, by right ought to be cherished and sought after. Because we find a thing for preserving health, and if for this that we do, all men deny that they are protected, and there is no protection for the whole people, it is still the protection of the health of some of them; and since it is small, it is fitting that we desire and seek to procure it, and strive to know [it], and hold it as a thing very good and noble.

He says likewise I hold it fitting that although these [people] considering the things of the prognostications of astronomy might err much, it is yet fitting that we cherish the small amount of certainty that is in them and seek after it, in the manner in which we will do in preserving health. And although in that which we do, protection may not lie hidden for the whole people, because, however, from that small [part] some are protected, it is fitting that we hold it as a thing very noble and good. If it be well a little, for this reason, in fact, the saying teaches us, Ptolemy, that it is fitting for us that we follow this art much. Because it has little certainty, not for that, because he proved and demonstrated to us that if we apply our mind well to it, whatever we find there will be truthful and certain, unless perhaps at some time [it is] delayed for a delay on account of some error.

It is plain also that the Egyptians demonstrated the powers of this work, because in all books of medicine they conjoined the prognostications of the stars, because they knew that these things were perhaps of this nature, and they would not proceed in that same hour in the same [way] that they might do incantations and medicines to eliminate the opposing impediments, whether future or present, general or particular, for the accidents surrounding their bodies, unless because they were of the opinion that the same would come to pass, nor do they change, nor do they avert.

He assimilates, in fact, those wise men of Egypt, who taught the power of this art, [in that they] placed physics with the prognostications of astronomy in all their books, because they knew that these things were perhaps in this manner. And they would not add the arts of virtue to this medication of physics for freeing from plagues coming from the celestial body, whether present or future, whether universal or particular, unless because it was seen that on account of that deed they would not be damaged by things, nor would they receive the plagues themselves.

He already taught us that the works of the stars, universal or particular, can be changed by proper reason, and in affirming this, a man accepts testimony from those ancients who taught this art, and these are the ancient wise men of Egypt. For these, as we hear, taught men all sciences, and harvests, and B affirms thus for Ptolemy, and teaches us the same, Ptolemy, on account of what he was doing, namely, placing physics with the prognostications of astronomy, because they knew that these things were perhaps of this manner. He wishes to say because they knew that the works of the stars could be changed, they placed the works of physics with the works of astronomy so that through physics it would remove the damage which was coming through the stars.

And that which he said, "unless because they held that through that deed things would not be damaged," he wishes to say that those wise men could free earthly things from celestial works through mixtures and incantations, and things having virtues, which they placed at the necks and in things.

Wherefore that which has the power of contradicting this nature and those which follow it in the second order, they placed in virtue and power.

And for this they placed things having the power contrary to this nature in the second grade of the virtue of the judgment of the [intercission].

He wishes to say that the wise men of Egypt placed the works of the stars in the [first] grade of virtue, and those with which we are protected they placed in the second grade.

And they joined the powers of the utility of that work with the powers of the prognostication in the books which are called the revealers of medicine, namely, so that they might detect the qualities of the complexions existing through the stars, and also the accidents