[119] Δορυφορια· This word has been heretofore rendered “satellitium” and “satellites,” but, as these terms do not seem sufficiently precise in their meaning, and are already in use to signify the minor orbs which revolve round a principal planet, I have ventured to anglicize the Greek word; the usual signification of which is a “bodyguard.”
[120] Or, in other words, “should the stars, which attend the Sun, be such as rise before him; and those, which attend the Moon, such as rise after her.”
[121] As described in Chap. XXVI, Book I.
[122] Saturn being applicable to the father, and Venus to the mother.
[123] The Perugio Latin translation, of 1646, inserts here, “and provided Saturn and the Sun are not impeded by being posited in unfortunate or unsuitable places.”
[124] “Elevated.” Moxon’s Mathematical Dictionary gives the following definition of this astrological term. “Elevated. A certain pre-eminence of one planet above another; or, a concurrence of two to a certain act, wherein one being stronger, is carried above the weaker, and does alter and depress its nature and influence: But wherein this being elevated consists, there are several opinions; some say when a planet is nearest the zenith, or meridian; others will have it only that planet is highest; or nearest to the Apogæon of his eccentric or epicycle. And Argol admits of all these, and several other advantages, and thence advises to collect the several testimonies, and that that planet, who has most, shall be said to be elevated above the other.” According to Whalley, Cardan’s opinion was that “that planet is most elevated which is more occidental and ponderous.” For myself, I conceive this opinion to be inaccurate, because, if Ptolemy meant to signify only the greater occidentality of the planet, he would (as in other instances) have used the word “preceding” instead of “elevated above”; and I incline to think, that greater proximity to the zenith is the truer, as well as more simple, meaning of the term “elevated.”
[125] By the quartile or opposition, as before mentioned.
[126] On this passage, Whalley remarks that “Ptolemy teacheth, from the child’s nativity, to erect schemes for the father and mother, and thence to give judgment, as if it were their proper nativities; the rule is this: If the nativity be diurnal, for the father, observe the degree the Sun is in, in the child’s nativity; and make that the degree ascending for the father; and conformable to that, order the cusps of all the other houses. If for the mother, use Venus. But if the nativity be nocturnal, for the father, take the place of Saturn; and for the mother, that of the Moon.” Whalley adds, that what in this chapter hath relation to the parents, is what shall happen to them after the nativity, and not before.
[127] Or, at the actual time of nativity.
[128] In spite of this declaration of the author, it seems, by Whalley’s note on this chapter, that Cardan maintained that the particular circumstances, liable to affect the brothers and sisters, might be inferred by adopting, as an ascendant, the degree of the planet holding chief dominion over the place of brethren, and erecting a scheme thereby; in a mode similar to that allowed by Ptolemy in the case of the parents.