De cometis

Others said the comet is drawn from its star just as iron is from a magnet, to which the statements of the first part regarding the motion of comets disagree. And also, since the motion of a pull occurs through the shortest line, with no other impediment existing, the moving body continuously approaches the attractor. If the moving body were existing with the attractor, it would be held fixed as if bound, since there is the end of the motion of pulling. These things are evident to the seventh referring to the Seventh Book of Aristotle's Physics of the natural philosophers; rather, experience has most clearly taught that there would have been the contrary of these up to the eighth sphere of the moon, since it did not strive to approach any of the planets, but rather seemed to flee from them all, departing from the ecliptic. The diversity also of its aspect toward the stars near to it certified that it itself was distant from the concave of the sphere of the moon further than from the earth, by almost three times.

Some also called it black, ascribing its nature to Saturn, which can be argued from the first part and the following discourse. Some also, because of the one hundredth word of Ptolemy, spoke of a traitor, not considering the definitions of the signs of Ptolemy, saying, however, it is always moved from the west toward the east; and experience taught the contrary, since, as will be seen, the tail was never moved toward the east.

Some also in their conclusions added many things which, although they may agree with the statements of the authors and verbal agreement, perhaps cannot avert them; nevertheless, they must be moderated in this art, as also in physics and other arts which are concerned through practice with particulars and singulars. Because of the passage of time, and indeed the diversity of the constellations, they pronounced different comets raised under the same place, all of them horrible. Of these, for whom the root is Libra, one of those pronouncing them warned the Supreme Pontiff by advising him, considering the credulity of the authors in the superficiality of words.

Another, however, perhaps wishing to flatter in the manner of flatterers, cut off the the Latin "seinta" likely refers to "scientia" (knowledge/wisdom) or a truncated "sententia" (opinion) of his own science, excepting the Supreme Pontiff in his enthronement under Libra. For our Lord Jesus Christ did not wish to be excepted from the law of nature which the Father had inscribed in the celestial bodies; therefore, man is not to be excepted from the divine will, which one can conjecture from the stars of the astrologers.

And one wished it to be of the nature of Mercury, Saturn, and Venus, and called it by the name of Haston, which Alkidus likely referring to the astrologer Abu Ma'shar al-Balkhi calls the horn. He recited the opinions of the authors most beautifully, and enumerated eight evils, from the number of which the wind passes before the comet. If he wished to understand the changes of the kingdom from ceremonies and laws, that is his concern. But it is not necessary to wait for the rest by the nod of God. The outcome of all these things will indicate the path of truth.

ON THE CONSTELLATIONS IN WHICH THE SIGNIFICATIONS OF THE COMET ARE FOUND

1471

The sign of Libra is the sign of prophets and magnates, which in August of the year 1471 was fortunate through two greater fortunes, namely Venus, who is the mistress of the same and of the seventh from it, and Jupiter, who was the master of the third and sixth from the same. There was also a conjunction of these fortunes in the first face of Libra, which is of justice, truth, goods, judgments, and helping those in need, and extracting strong men from their malice, and it is fulfilled in its nature. At the same time, there was a conjunction of Saturn and Mars in the sign of Gemini, which is also a sign of prophets and magnates. In these two applications, the power and dominion were of Venus in the same sign.