Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos

by Ptolemy

TO THE
AUTHOR OF “WAVERLEY”
THIS TRANSLATION
OF A
WORK CONTAINING THE BEST ACCREDITED PRINCIPLES
OF
ASTROLOGY
IS DEDICATED
With the most profound admiration of his unrivalled Talents
WHICH COULD ALONE HAVE RESTORED
INTEREST TO THE SPECULATIONS
OF AN
ANTIQUATED SCIENCE

ADVERTISEMENT

The use recently made of Astrology in the poetical machinery of certain works of genius (which are of the highest popularity, and above all praise), seems to have excited in the world at large a desire to learn something of the mysteries of that science which has, in all former ages, if not in these days, more or less engaged reverence and usurped belief. The apparent existence of such a general desire has caused the completion of the following Translation, and its presentation to the public; although it was originally undertaken only in part, and merely to satisfy two or three individuals of the grounds on which the now neglected doctrines of Astrology had so long and so fully maintained credit.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

chap.		page
BOOK I
I.	Proem	[ 1]
II.	Knowledge may be acquired by Astronomy to a certain Extent	[ 2]
III.	That Prescience is useful	[ 8]
IV.	The Influences of the Planetary Orbs	[13]
V.	Benefics and Malefics	[14]
VI.	Masculine and Feminine	[14]
VII.	Diurnal and Nocturnal	[15]
VIII.	The Influence of Position with regard to the Sun	[16]
IX.	The Influence of the fixed Stars	[16]
X.	Constellations North of the Zodiac	[19]
XI.	Constellations South of the Zodiac	[20]
XII.	The Annual Seasons	[21]
XIII.	The Influence of the Four Angles	[21]
XIV.	Tropical, Equinoctial, Fixed, and Bicorporeal Signs	[23]
XV.	Masculine and Feminine Signs	[23]
XVI.	Mutual Configurations of the Signs	[24]
XVII.	Signs commanding and obeying	[26]
XVIII.	Signs beholding each other, and of equal Power	[26]
XIX.	Signs Inconjunct	[27]
XX.	Houses of the Planets	[28]
XXI.	The Triplicities	[29]
XXII.	Exaltations	[31]
XXIII.	The Disposition of the Terms	[32]
XXIV.	The Terms (according to Ptolemy)	[35]
XXV.	The Places and Degrees of every Planet	[36]
XXVI	Faces, Chariots, and other similar Attributes of the Planets	[37]
XXVII.	Application, Separation, and other Faculties	[38]
BOOK II
I.	General Division of the Subject	[40]
II.	Peculiarities observable throughout every entire Climate	[41]
III.	The Familiarity of the Regions of the Earth with the
	Triplicities and the Planets	[43]
IV.	The Familiarity of the Regions of the Earth with the
	Fixed Stars	[52]
V.	Mode of Particular Prediction in Eclipses	[52]
VI.	The Regions or Countries to be considered as liable to be
	comprehended in the Event	[53]
VII.	The Time and Period of the Event	[54]
VIII.	The Genus, Class, or Kind, liable to be affected	[55]
IX.	The Quality and Nature of the Effect	[58]
X.	Colours in Eclipses, Comets, and Similar Phenomena	[62]
XI.	The New Moon of the Year	[63]
XII.	The particular Natures of the Signs by which the
	different Constitutions of the Atmosphere are Produced	[64]
XIII.	Mode of Consideration for particular Constitutions
	of the Atmosphere	[66]
XIV.	The Signification of Meteors	[68]
BOOK III
I.	Proem	[71]
II.	The Conception, and the Parturition, or Birth
	by which latter Event the Animal quits the
	Womb, and assumes another State of Existence	[72]
III.	The Degree Ascending	[74]
IV.	Distribution of the Doctrine of Nativities	[75]
V.	The Parents	[77]
VI.	Brothers and Sisters	[81]
VII	Male or Female	[82]
VIII.	Twins	[83]
IX.	Monstrous or Defective Births	[85]
X.	Children not Reared	[86]
XI.	The Duration of Life	[88]
XII.	The Prorogatory Places	[88]
XIII.	The Number of Prorogators, and also the Part of Fortune	[89]
XIV.	Number of the Modes of Prorogation	[91]
XV.	Exemplification	[96]
XVI.	The Form and Temperament of the Body	[100]
XVII.	The Hurts, Injuries, and Diseases of the Body	[106]
XVIII.	The Quality of the Mind	[107]
XIX.	The Diseases of the Mind	[114]
BOOK IV
I.	Proem	[117]
II.	The Fortune of Wealth	[117]
III.	The Fortune of Rank	[118]
IV.	The Quality of Employment	[120]
V.	Marriage	[124]
VI.	Children	[128]
VII.	Friends and Enemies	[130]
VIII.	Travelling	[132]
IX.	The Kind of Death	[134]
X.	The Periodical Divisions of Time	[137]
APPENDIX
no.
I.	Almagest, Book viii, Chap. 4	[144]
II.	Extract from the Almagest, Book II, Chap. 9	[147]
	Table of Latitudes, from the Almagest	[151]
	Extract from the Table of Ascensions, in the Almagest	[152]
III.	Ptolemy’s Centiloquy	[153]
IV.	The Zodiacal Planisphere, and plate	[161]

PREFACE

Of all sciences, whether true or false, which have at any time engaged the attention of the world, there is not one of which the real or assumed principles are less generally known, in the present age, than those of Astrology. The whole doctrine of this science is commonly understood to have been completely overturned; and, of late, people seem to have satisfied themselves with merely knowing the import of its name. Such contented ignorance, in persons, too, sufficiently informed in other respects, is the more extraordinary, since Astrology has sustained a most conspicuous part throughout the history of the world, even until days comparatively recent. In the East, where it first arose, at a period of very remote antiquity,[1] and whence it came to subjugate the intellect of Europe, it still even now holds sway. In Europe, and in every part of the world where learning had “impress’d the human soil,” Astrology reigned supreme until the middle of the 17th century. It entered into the councils of princes, it guided the policy of nations, and ruled the daily actions of individuals. All this is attested by the records of every nation which has a history, and by none more fully than by those of England. Yet, with these striking facts before their eyes, the present generation seem never, until now, to have inquired on what basis this belief of their forefathers was established, nor by what authority the delusion (if it was one) could have been for so many ages supported. Among a thousand persons who now treat the mention of Astrology with supercilious ridicule, there is scarcely one who knows distinctly what it is he laughs at, or on what plea his ancestors should stand excused for having, in their day, contemplated with respect the unfortunate object of modern derision.

The general want of information on these points, and the indifference with which such want has been hitherto regarded, cannot surely be attributed solely to the modern disrepute of the science; for mankind have usually, in every successive age, exercised great industry in tracing all previous customs, however trifling or obsolete, and in examining all sorts of creeds, however unimportant or erroneous, whenever there has appeared any striking connection between such matters and historical facts; and, since astrology is most unquestionably blended intimately with history, it therefore becomes necessary to seek for some further hypothesis, by which this ignorance and indifference may be accounted for.

Perhaps astrology has been conceived to have borne the same relation to astronomy as alchymy did to chymistry. If such has been the notion, it has certainly been adopted in error, for a modern chymist is still almost an alchymist: it is true that he no longer delays his work in deference to the planets, nor does he now try to make gold, nor to distil elixir of earthly immortality; but nevertheless he still avails himself, to a certain degree, of the same rules and the same means as those of the old alchymist: he is still intent upon the subtle processes of Nature, and still imitates her as far as he can. He reduces the diamond to charcoal by an operation analogous to that by which the alchymist sought to transmute lead into gold; and he mainly differs from the alchymist only in having assured himself that there is a point beyond which Nature forbids facsimiles. Not so slightly, however, does the astronomer differ from the astrologer, but toto cœlo: the astrologer considered the heavenly bodies and their motions merely as the mechanism wherewith he was to weave the tissue of his predictions; and astronomy is no more an integral part of astrology, than the loom is of the web which has been woven by it. To have an idea of what alchymy was, it is sufficient to have an idea of chymistry; but astronomy, in itself, will never give a notion of astrology, which requires additional and distinct consideration.

It may be urged, that in the present day a general idea of this bygone and disused science is quite sufficient for everybody not professedly antiquarian. Such an assertion would doubtless never be controverted, provided the proposed general idea might comprehend the truth. But the present actual general idea of astrology is by no means so comprehensive; indeed, nothing can well be more inaccurate, or even more false: it seems to have been adopted not from the elements of the science itself, but from trite observations made by writers against the science; and consequently the world now wonders at the lamentable defect of understanding that could ever have permitted belief in it—forgetting that astrology has been consigned to neglect, not in consequence of any primâ facie palpability in its imputed fallacies, nor indeed of any special skill or acuteness on the part of its professed adversaries, but rather in consequence of the sudden and astonishing growth of other undoubted sciences, with which it has been presumed to be incompatible, and which during the thousands of years of the reign of astrology were either unborn, or still slumbering in continued infancy.[2]