Commentary on the First and Second Chapters of the Thirtieth Book of the Natural History of Gaius Plinius Secundus

dressed in saffron-colored garments: using an eagle in place of a horse: holding a bolt or a thunderbolt in the right hand, as if about to cast it upon the head of the eagle. He was also accustomed to be depicted naked, distinguished by a crown, and with hands joined. By this image, they thought wealth and offspring were increased. The image of Mars, in his own hour, himself in the second face of Aries, they fashioned in a diamond stone as a crowned man: using a lion in place of a horse: holding a drawn sword in the right hand, and in the left the head of a man. They claimed this image was powerful for boldness and victory. The image of Venus, however, was fashioned in the hour of Mars, while she was ascending in Pisces: this was useful for obtaining grace and benevolence: she was depicted as a naked girl, with hair unbound, holding a mirror in her hand, wearing a chain on her neck: a youth was present, holding a small rod in his left hand, and adjusting her hair with his right. To produce skill and knowledge, the image of Mercury was fashioned, while he was ascending in Gemini: he was depicted as a bearded youth, carrying a caduceus, with a serpent clinging to the caduceus: carrying an arrow in his right hand, and depicted with winged feet. Thus they fashioned images from the other planets, and images having the powers of the stars. There was also another way of fabricating images. For when they were about to bring hatred, they fashioned double images of wax or lead, tormenting each other, and in a certain way clashing with each other: placing upon their foreheads certain things which I have chosen not to write down. But when the action was for the sake of conciliating love, they fashioned images embracing each other, placing upon their foreheads certain things which I have decided to pass over. Furthermore, to execute what we have begun, the greater portion of miraculous things is believed to consist more in the power of numbers. For it is not surprising if (if I may say so) there are so many and such great gifts and wonderful effects in material things, if those things which are not material, but much more formal and simple, have more hidden energy. For numbers are said to be in a certain way inherent in and intermixed with separated substances disembodied entities or intelligences, having a great and very simple mixture with the Ideas in the divine mind (as they themselves say), from which a wonderful property arises. For the Mages assert that all things which exist and come to be consist of certain