Should the benefics, however, be occidental, and the malefics be found in eastern parts and in angles, the disorders will then become not only incurable, but most conspicuous: the epileptic persons will then be subjected to constant fits, and to danger of death; the insane will become outrageous and unmanageable, breaking away from their families, raving and wandering in nakedness: the demoniacs and those afflicted with moisture of the brain will become furious, uttering mysterious sayings, and wounding themselves.
The several places of position in the scheme also afford co-operation: for instance, those of the Sun and Mars contribute to insanity; those of Jupiter and Mercury, to epilepsy; those of Venus, to the fury of enthusiasm; and those of Saturn and the Moon, to demoniac affections and moisture of the brain.
It is by such configurations, as those just described, that any morbid deviation, occurring in the active or reasoning faculties of the mind, is produced; but a deviation of the passive, or merely sensitive faculties, is discernible chiefly in the excess and deficiency (as the case may be) of the masculine and feminine genders; that is to say, in the superabundance, or deficiency, of the power of either gender, to produce a conformation agreeable to its own proper nature: and a knowledge of this latter deviation is to be acquired by means of the following rules.
When the Sun, instead of Mercury, may be with the Moon, and if Mars, together with Venus, be then in familiarity with them, in that case, provided the luminaries only be found in masculine signs, men will excel in their nature, or, in other words, will possess in full plenitude the properties becoming their sex; while the properties of women, who are thus constituted more masculinely and more actively, will deviate from the usual limits of nature. But, if both Mars and Venus, or if only one of them, be likewise masculinely situated, men will be freely and promptly inclined to natural intercourse and connexion; and women will be, in like manner, licentious and intemperate in intercourse beyond nature. Their desires will be practised in privacy, and not openly, should only Venus be situated masculinely; but shamelessly and publicly, if Mars also masculinely placed, together with Venus.
But, if the luminaries only be in feminine signs, women will then possess their natural functions in greater plenitude, and men will deviate from the limits of nature towards effeminacy and wantonness. And, if Venus be femininely posited, women will be lustful and licentious, and men wanton and soft; seeking connexion contrary to nature; yet in privacy and not openly: but, if Mars be posited femininely, they will then put their desires in practice shamelessly and publicly.
The oriental and diurnal positions of Mars and Venus also contribute to more masculine and more reputable qualities; and their occidental and vespertine[212] positions to qualities more feminine, and more sordid.
Lastly, if Saturn be in familiarity with them, he will likewise co-operate, by tending to produce greater impurity and obscenity, and greater evil altogether; but Jupiter, if in familiarity, tends to greater decency and modesty, and altogether to better conduct; and Mercury to greater mobility, diversity, activity, and notoriety of the passions.
End of the Third Book