De cometis

they become accustomed, and a silent consensus is made, since their object, because of the impulse of sensuality, seems good, howsoever it may be. And thence law arises, the Civil Law saying: "But those things which are approved by long custom and observed for many years, as by the silent agreement of the citizens, are observed no less than those laws which are written." Indeed, this law has great authority, which is intended so that it might not be necessary to comprehend written ones; by this second way, a portion of law arises from consensus. By these two portions, all law can be integrated. The Civil Law, intending this, says: "Therefore, all law either consensus made, or necessity established or confirmed." For in all laws, the consensus of the people is necessary; the people, however, are moved by sensuality, which is impelled by the celestial bodies. Therefore, it behooves the legislator to have aid in the celestial bodies so that the people may consent to his judgment. Otherwise, the legislator would be doing a useless work to him who tamed wolves. He made the cock the guardian in the pastures of the fish. And this is confirmed in the law "Of those things," Civil Law, where it is said: "Inveterate custom is not undeservedly guarded by law." And this is the law which is said to be established by manners. For since laws themselves bind us for no other cause than that they are received by the judgment of the people, deservedly, those things which the people approved without any writing will hold for all. For what does it matter whether the people declare their will by suffrage or by the things themselves and by deeds? Wherefore, it is also most rightly received that laws are abrogated not only by the suffrage of the legislator but also by the tacit consensus of all by disuse. It is clear, therefore, to one diligently observing, because laws are adapted to the manners of men, that laws are mutable. There will not, however, be mutation or institution unless an impulse or consensus exists in the people. Laws, therefore, cannot be borne and continued or abrogated unless according to such applications of the stars causing such impulses, as is premised. Wherefore the arrival of comets is an evident sign. It will not be, by consequence, superstitious nor rash to believe the configurations of the stars and comets to be significations and efficient causes of laws, sects, and other things needing to be subject to the free will of the book. The whole preceding discourse intended the persuasion of this. For no one of sane mind will doubt that there are causes of natural effects above celestial bodies and that comets signify those things.

How sects and the cultures of foreign things arise

When, therefore, a wise man, an orator, having the prudence of the businesses of the world and the power of discretion in the inclinations of men, pondering the celestial impulses, desiring to make promotions in the people, he exhorts and persuades the people and strengthens their minds with various deeds and confirms inclinations and impulses, pronouncing their utilities and losses. Whence they strengthen themselves among themselves, and they enter into confederations and pacts, by which in their affairs they conduct themselves according to the quality of the influx. For Aristotle says in the second book On Generation: "In things having a symbol, passage is easier." Therefore, an impulse existing in the people, the persuasion of the wise man to the same is most efficacious, and the motion is most strong. Whence the mind of the people is stirred and ignited and rages in its affection. For coals, when breath is blown upon them, are ignited by a single spark already existing. Wherefore, such an orator must stir up friendships or seditions, dances or wars, and other things to which the influx of the stars impels the people. This orator also, if he has knowledge of the stars or conjectural knowledge of future things or the science of images, will [lead] the people with his orations, presages, and...