The passions, liable to operate in males, are to be considered by observation of Mars: for should he be separated from Venus and Saturn, but yet, at the same time, be supported by the testimony of Jupiter, he will make men pure and decorous in sexual intercourse, and incline them to natural usages only: and, if he attach himself to Saturn only, he will render them cold in blood and dull in appetite; if, however, when Saturn and Mars may be thus connected together, Venus and Jupiter should also be configurated with them, men will then become easily excited and eager in desire, although they will still be continent, and restrain themselves in order to avoid reproach. But should Saturn be absent, and Mars be with Venus alone, or even although Jupiter also be with her, men will become highly licentious, and attempt to gratify their desires in every mode.[245] And further, if Venus be found more occidental, men will connect themselves with low women, female servants, and aliens or vagabonds; but, should Mars be found occidental, with women of rank, and gentlewomen; or with women living with their husbands, or under the protection of men. Thus far with regard to males.
In the case of females, Venus requires attention: for, if she be configurated with Jupiter, or with Mercury, she will cause women to be temperate and pure in sexual intercourse; still, however, when she may be thus connected with Mercury, if Saturn be not present also, she will cause them to be easily excited to desire; although they will control their desires, and avoid reproach. But, should Venus be conjoined or configurated with Mars alone, she will render women licentious and lustful; and if, to both these planets, when thus conjoined or configurated, Jupiter also present himself, Mars being at the same time under the rays of the Sun, women will then mingle in intercourse with servants, and persons meaner than themselves, or with aliens, or vagabonds: but, should it happen that Venus may be under the rays of the Sun, they will then connect themselves with their superiors or masters. And, further, should the planets be in feminine places, or configurated femininely, they will be content with their passive faculties only.[246]
Saturn, in being conciliated with such positions as those now described, tends to produce greater obscenity; Jupiter, greater decency; and Mercury, greater publicity, and greater fickleness, or instability.
CHAPTER VI
CHILDREN
The next point to be investigated is that concerning children: and, to accomplish this, observation must be made of the planets posited in, or configurated with the place on the zenith,[247] or its succedent house, which latter is called the place of the good dæmon. And should it happen that not any planets may be present in the said places, nor configurated with them, it will then be necessary to take into consideration such as may be in opposition thereto.
Now the Moon, Jupiter, and Venus are esteemed as givers of offspring; but the Sun, Mars, and Saturn are considered as denying children altogether, or as allowing but few: while Mercury, being in quality common to both parties, lends co-operation to that with which he may be configurated, and gives offspring, when oriental, but withholds, when occidental.
To speak briefly, if the planets, which grant progeny, be so posited as described,[248] and placed singly, the gift of progeny will be single only[249]; but should they be in bicorporeal or in feminine signs, they will grant double offsprings[250]: so likewise if they should be in prolific or seminal signs, such as Pisces, Cancer, and Scorpio, they will grant twins, or even more. And provided they should also be masculinely constituted, as well by configuration with the Sun, as by being in masculine signs, they will grant male children; but otherwise, if femininely constituted, female.
But, although the said planets, even if beneath the malefics in elevation, or, even if found in barren places, or in signs such as those of Leo and Virgo, will still grant children; yet such children, thus indicated, will neither be healthy, nor continue in life. Should it happen, however, that the Sun and the malefics may be in entire possession of the places above mentioned, viz. that on the zenith, or the succedent house allotted to the good dæmon; and provided they be, at the same time, in masculine or barren signs, and the benefics be not in elevation above them, a total privation of offspring is thereby indicated; but, should they be in feminine or prolific signs, or supported by the testimony of the benefics, children will then be granted; yet they will be liable to disease, and short-lived.
If, however, planets of each condition should be configurated with, and have prerogative in prolific signs, there will then ensue a loss of either all the children, or only few, or else the major part of them; in the same proportion as that in which the planets, bearing testimony to either condition, may preponderate on one side rather than the other; by excelling in number, or in influence, in consequence of being posited more orientally, more genuinely in angles, higher in elevation, or successively ascending.
When the lords of the aforesaid signs[251] may be such as are givers of offspring, and be either oriental, or in places proper to themselves, the children thus granted will become eminent and illustrious: but, if occidental, or in places not proper to themselves, the children will then become undistinguished and abject. Should the said lords also be in concord with the part of fortune, and with the ascendant, they will render the children amiable, and cause them to be beloved by their parents, and to inherit their parents’ substance: but, if found inconjunct, and not in concord with the said parts, the children will then become odious and mischievous to their parents, and will forfeit the inheritance of their substance.