THE JOHNS HOPKINS STUDIES IN ROMANCE LITERATURES AND LANGUAGES Extra VoLuME XIV THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM AN ASTROLOGICAL TREATISE BY ABRAHAM IBN EZRA EDITED BY RAPHAEL LEVY AND FRANCISCO CANTERA OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS 1939 Tee Renaissance Astrology Facsimile Editions LONDON: HUMPHREY MILFORD -THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM A Lirerat TRANSLATION oF THE Hesrew TEXT The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord; that is the starting- point, for when a man refrains from following his eyes and his heart in their tendency to satiate his concupiscence, then knowledge comes to rest within him; furthermore, the fear of the Lord protects him from the decrees of the heavenly bodies and from their sway as long as he lives. | Now I shall begin to discuss the decrees of the celestial bodies with respect to the astrological judgments which the ancient generations have investigated one after the other. When this book is finished, I shall compile a treatise explaining the astrological reasons. And may the Lord help me, Amen. This book is divided into ten chapters. The first chapter deals with the form of the firmament and with its parts, its signs, and its figures, and with the seven wandering stars and their ascent, their celestial influ- ence, their rotation, and their power. The second chapter treats of the influence of the signs, their ascent, their action, the conjunction of the stars, and their forms. The third discusses the aspects of the degrees, and the influence of the quarters of the sphere, and the twelve houses. The fourth tells of the conjunction of the seven planets and their influ- ence and all that which they prognosticate for all creatures which exist on the earth. The fifth pertains to the matter of the planets, when their influence increases and when it wanes. The sixth describes the influence of the planets themselves according to their position in front or in back of the Sun. The seventh takes up the aspects of the planets, their con- junction, their attraction, their separation, and the regulation of the things in which is involved the influence over all that which they prog- nosticate. The eighth relates the decision of the planets with regard to the questions, the horoscopes, and the revolutions. The ninth refers to the parts of the planets, the parts of the houses, and the other parts mentioned by the astrologers. The tenth bears upon the radiation of the light of the seven planets, the path of their course, their movement through the degrees of the sphere, and everything pertaining to them. Any wise man who intends to investigate this science must take into account the rotation of the seven planets, which are hasty in their mo- tion because they whirl around the degrees of the great circle, their motion in their orbits, when they are opposite the superior planets which are in the zodiac of the signs, and all the rotations which take place around the center, or the earth, which is just like the central point of 152 TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 153 the periphery. Then he will fully realize that the action of the aforesaid movements will vary according to the regions, even though their move- ments be even and straight. This thing is determined by the number of the degrees of the sphere and its northern and southern forms, by the information about the seven planets, their common and individual natures, and all their effects. CHAPTER I The sphere is divided into 360 even parts, called degrees ; and on that point there is unanimity of agreement among all the ancients and their successors, because that number is divisible by all integers up to 10 with the exception of 7. It is also divided into 12 parts and they are called signs; and each sign has 30 normal degrees; and in each degree there are 60 minutes, and in each minute 60 seconds, and so on until the tenths. The names of the signs are: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius, Pisces. These are in the upper sphere, which is the eighth one, together with the northern and southern figures; and they form a total of 48 figures, and the number of their stars is 1022, according to the opinion of all the ancients including Ptolemy. Of them there are in the figures of the signs 346 stars. The first figure is Aries, which has 13 stars includ- ing the horns and the stomach. In the sign of Taurus there are 33 stars, and the Pleiades are on their back. In Gemini there are 18 stars; in Cancer there are 9; in Leo 27; in Libra 8; in Scorpio 22; in Sagittarius 31; in Capricornus 28; in Aquarius 42; in Pisces 34. The southern figures number 15 and they have 316 stars. The first one is the lion of the sea, which some people call bear, and it has 22 stars. The second . figure is the strong dog, and it has 38 stars. The third is the river, and . it has 34 stars. The fourth is the hare, and it has 13 stars. The fifth is the great dog, and it has 18 stars. The sixth is the little dog, and it has 2 stars, The seventh is the ship, and it has 45 stars, The eighth is the wild beast, and it has 25 stars. The ninth is the goblet, and it has _ 7 stars. The tenth is the raven, and it has 7 stars. The eleventh is the one which carries the lion; half its figure is that of a man and the other -half that of a horse, and it has 36 stars. The twelfth is the leopard, and it has 5 stars. The thirteenth is the censer, and it has 7 stars. The fourteenth is the crown, and it has 13 stars. The fifteenth is the southern fish, and it has 11 stars. The northern figures number 21, and they have 360 stars. The first is the little bear, and it has 7 stars, The second is the great bear, and it has 17 stars. The third is the dragon, and it has 31 stars. The fourth is the lady of the flame, and it has 11 stars. The154 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM fifth is the barking dog, and it has 22 stars, The sixth is the northern crown, and it has 8 stars. The seventh is the one which goes on its knees, and it has 28 stars. The eighth is the falling eagle, and it has 10 stars. The ninth is the chicken, and it has 17 stars. The tenth is the one which sits on the seat, and it has 13 stars. The eleventh is the one which carries the head of the devil, and it has 26 stars. The twelfth is the shepherd who has the bridle in his hand, and it has 14 stars. The thirteenth is the one which holds back the wild beast, and it has 24 stars. The fourteenth is the wild beast, and it has 18 stars. The fifteenth is the devil, and it has 5 stars. The sixteenth is the flying eagle, and it has 9 stars. The seventeenth is the sea-fish, and it has 10 stars. The eighteenth is the head of the horse, and it has 4 stars. The nineteenth is the winged horse, and it has 20 stars. The twentieth is the woman who had no husband, and it has 23 stars. The twenty-first is the triangle, and it has 4 stars. Now is finished the enumeration of the aforesaid stars, which total 1022. The ancients divided them into six degrees, because every star whose light is great they ascribed to the first magnitude, and those whose light is smaller they ascribed to the second magnitude; and thus they continue getting smaller and smaller until the sixth degree, which is the lowest of all. The stars of the first magnitude number 15, of the second 48, of the third 208, of the fourth 474, of the fifth 217, and of the sixth 49, plus three dark stars which resemble clouds. The seven planets are: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon. The most elevated of all them is Saturn since it is in the seventh sphere in opposition to the earth, and after it comes Jupiter, and so on until reaching the Moon in the first sphere which is close to the earth. The signs are divided into four parts in accordance with the four na- tures, with three signs to each nature. They are as follows: Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius are hot and dry as the nature of fire; Taurus, Virgo, and Capricornus are cold and dry as the nature of the earth; Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius are hot and moist as the nature of air; Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces are cold and moist as the nature of water. Saturn is cold and dry; Jupiter is hot and moist; Mars is hot and scorching dry; the Sun is hot and dry; Venus is cold and moist; Mercury is variable, for its nature corresponds to that of the satellite which accom- panies it; the Moon is cold and moist. Some of these seven are male and others are female; some of these stars are diurnal and others are nocturnal, and they are either beneficial or baneful. They are: two luminaries, two beneficial ones, two baneful ones, and a mixed one which varies with each nature. One of the luminaries is the Sun, which is male and whose force is diurnal. The other one is female, namely TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 155 the Moon, and its force is nocturnal. One of the beneficial ones is male, belonging to the diurnal stars, and it is Jupiter; and the other one is female, belonging to the nocturnal stars, and it is Venus. One of the baleful ones is male, belonging to the diurnal stars, and it is Saturn; the second one is female, belonging to the nocturnal stars, and it is Mars. Mercury is mixed since it tends to be male sometimes and female at other times, belonging sometimes to the diurnal stars and at other times to the nocturnal stars, sometimes beneficial and at other times baneful according to the nature of the star which goes together with it either in conjunction or in aspect, as I shall explain in the proper place. The nature of the five planets, together with the Moon, varies according to the distance from the Sun, as I shall also explain. Furthermore, they have another variation in ascending or in descending, since sometimes they are near the earth and at other times they are far from it, some- times they are to the left and at other times they are to the right. Now when the star is in the high degree of the eccentric orbit which is not in the center of the earth, then the star is in the point of its elevation from the earth, and conversely when it is in the point of its declination. Their dragon is in the place of the union of the star’s circle, which resembles the signs’ circle, together with its leaning circle, and the head of the dragon is the beginning of the north and the tail is the beginning of the south; and when the constellation is in the Moon together with the head or the tail, then it will be in the elliptical orbit of the signs of the zodiac, and in the other places it will have width either to the left or to the right according to its distance from the two points. The planets have power in the circle. There are the power of house, power of honor, power of triplicity, power of limit, and power of face; the power of the house is 5 forces, the power of the honor is 4, the power of the triplicity is 3, the power of the limit is 2, and the power of the face is 1. Now when the star is in a sign, which is its house, it has power over the whole sign, and likewise in a sign which is the house of its honor; but the star has greater force in the degrees of the honor than in the other degrees of the sign. I shall mention in this book all that in which there is agreement in the opinion of the ancient Babylonians and the wise men of Persia, India, and Greece, whose chief is Ptolemy, and I shall recall the groups of nine and of twelve signs, the bright and the dark degrees, those which are blank, the males and the females, the degrees Qf the stars’ censer, the degrees which increase grace and glory, and the abundant places of the stars which are in the orbit of the signs, together with their longitude and latitude and the conjunction of the largest ones, until my book will be complete and there will be no need for any other book besides it in the introduction to this science.156 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM CHAPTER It The second chapter speaks of the signs and their ascent and their operations and the conjunction of the superior planets which are in them. Know that of the 12 signs 6 are to the left of the vertical line, that is, from the beginning of Aries until the end of Virgo, and those to the right go from the beginning of Libra until the end of Pisces. Aries is a sign of fire, it is male, of the nature of the day, oriental, of the warm season, and it is variable because the season changes within it; at its beginning the day is equal to the night, and the day begins to grow longer and the night gets shorter; its hours are longer than the normal ; its ascents decrease, because it rises in all places less than when it rises over the earth’s equator; it is oblique; it announces absolutely the nature of warmth, which is to increase; in it is the movement of creatures; it is one of the good, agreeable signs, and it indicates thunder and lightning. Its beginning is rainy and windy, its middle is mixed, and its end is hot with whirlwinds. If it is north it produces heat to- gether with moisture, and if it is south it produces cold. It appears on a figure which has four feet with hoofs, and its organs are split because they go in oblique orbits. It shows two colors and two figures, and it has half a voice. Its heart is oriental and also its wind. Its part of the four elements is the fire and its heat; to it belongs blood; of the flavors to it belongs anything sweet; of the colors the reddish and every kind of saffron; of the animals the sheep and every animal which has hoofs; of the metals gold, silver, iron, and copper ; in its part are the third zone and the land of Babylonia, of Persia, of Ardekan, and of Palestine; of the places of the earth there are the fields, the pasture-ground of sheep, the places of fire, the dens of robbers, and every house constructed with beams. According to the opinion of Ptolemy in its part there are the houses of worship and the seats of justice. The ancients said that among the letters the alef and the nun correspond to it; its years number 15, its months 15, its days 3734, and its hours 4. In its first face there will ascend a figure of a woman, which is the radiant one, the tail of the sea-fish resembling a serpent, the head of the triangle, and the form of an ox. The men of India say that one finds there a head shaped like a dog, with a torch in its left hand and a key in its right hand. Kanka, who is their wise man, says that in the first face there ascends a Moor with black eyes and straight eye-brows; he is one of the giants; he is self-laudatory; he is wrapped in a full white cloak; on him there is a girdle made of rope; he is angry, and he remains standing. In the opinion of Ptolemy there ascends in it the back of the woman who is TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 157 seated on the chair and also her knees and her left hand, the half of the back of the spinster together with her uterus and the edges of her gar- ment, the second fish, and some of the threads of flax. With the second face there arise the fish, the middle of the triangle, half of the wild animal, a woman with a comb in her hair, a bronze hauberk, and the head of the devil. The men of India said that there then arises a figure of a woman draped in her garments and in a mantle; she has only one foot, and her figure is that of a mare. In the opinion of Ptolemy there ascends the woman who sits on the seat, the head of him who carries the devil and his right palm, the edges of the spinster’s garment and her feet, the triangle, the head of Aries and its horns, and the rest of the threads of flax. In the third face there will ascend a young man who is seated on a seat; over him there is a covering, and in his hand are statues of domestic idols; also a man with his head bowed low, who is crying to the Lord ; there also arise in it the stomach of the fish and its head, the end of the triangle, and the second half of the wild animal. The wise men of India say that there will ascend a russet man with red- dish hair; he is irascible and contradictory; in his hand are bracelets of wood and a stick; his clothing is red; he is a smith; he desires to do good, but he cannot. According to the doctrine of Ptolemy there ascends the bearer of Satan’s head and Aries’ body. He who is born in it will have an unusual body, a long face, and large eyes, and he will look towards the ground constantly ; his neck will be thick and his ears soft; he will have abundant hair, which will be curly on his head; his legs will be weak; his speech will be pleasant, but he will be garrulous; he will want to eat copiously ; he will be irascible, and fond of justice; his voice will not be strong. If the Moon is in this sign or if its fate should be with one of the male stars, that points to a severe attack of scabies, leprosy, deafness, tonsure, and alopecia frontalis. He who is born in the first face will be reddish with a narrow stomach and little flesh, and he will have a mark on his left foot and in the elbow of his left hand; he will have numerous friends, and he will abhor evil. He who is born in the second face will have a dark but beautiful complexion and a strange body ; he will be aroused to anger easily, and he will not control his ire; he will combine high principles with perfect comprehension and » breeding; his enemies will be numerous. He who is born in the third ’ face will be reddish and saffron, and isolated from mankind. The part corresponding to this sign embraces the head, the face, the pupil of the eye, and the ears; his ailments include the sickness which causes one to fall suddenly and unconsciously, ear-trouble, the pain in the nostrils, teeth, and eyes, and the maculae which resemble wounds. In the opinion of the wise men of Egypt, the sickness particular to Saturn is in the158 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM chest, to Jupiter in the heart, Mars in the head, the Sun in the genitalia, Venus in the feet, Mercury in the legs, and the Moon in the knees. The people corresponding to this sign are the kings who practise justice and generosity, the leaders in battles, fire, slaughter, and bloodshed, and those who walk on the roads. The house of Mars and the dignity of the Sun come in 19 degrees, and the shame of Saturn in 21 degrees, and the hatred of Venus and the nadir of Mercury in 25 degrees at the present time, namely, the year 4908. The rulers of the triplicity by day are the Sun followed by Jupiter and by night Jupiter followed by the Sun, and their satellite by day and by night is Saturn. The first face, according to the wise men of Egypt and to most of the wise men of the other nations, corresponds to Mars, the second to the Sun, and the third to Jupiter; in the opinion of the wise men of India, the first cor- responds to Mars, the second to the Sun, and the third to Venus. Here are the limits according to the conclusion of the wise men of Egypt and Babylonia: to Jupiter 6 degrees, to Venus 6, to Mercury 8, to Mars 5, to Saturn 5; in the opinion of Ptolemy they are as follows: at the begin- ning to Jupiter 6, the second to Venus 8, the third to Mercury 7, the fourth to Mars 5, the fifth to Saturn 4. Its first novena corresponds to Mars, the second to Venus, the third to Mercury, the fourth to the Moon, the fifth to the Sun, the sixth to Mercury, the seventh to Venus, the eighth to Mars, the ninth to Jupiter. Now the novena of the sign is 344 degrees, and the whole novena is like the nature of the sign and the ruler of the sign. As for the force of the twelve signs, the first belongs to Mars, the second to Venus, the third to Mercury, the fourth to the Moon, the fifth to the Sun, the sixth to Mercury, the seventh to Venus, the eighth to Mars, the ninth to Jupiter, the tenth and the eleventh to Saturn, and the twelfth to Jupiter. Nevertheless Enoch and the ancients proportion the strength of the twelve signs in another way, for they maintain that the first degree is according to the nature of the sign itself, and the second degree is according to the nature of the sign which is second to%it, and the degrees 13 and 25 will retrograde accord- ing to the nature of the sign itself. The wise men of India affirm that from the beginning of the sign until 3 degrees they are medium, neither bright nor dark, then 5 dark degrees, then 8 medium degrees, then 4 bright ones, then 4 dark ones, then 5 bright ones and 1 dark degree. The first 7 degrees are male, then 2 are female degrees, then 6 male degrees, then 7 female degrees, and then 8 male degrees. The Aras of the stars are the degrees 6, 11, 17, 23. The degree which enhances grace and glory is 19, and in it there is, among the great stars of the first magnitude, the star which is called the end of the river; at the present moment it is in degree 16 in the sign of Aries, and its latitude is southern 13% degrees, and its nature is a fusion of Jupiter and Venus. TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 159 Taurus is one of the signs of the nature of the earth, female, be- longing to the signs of the night and to the period of heat; it is always stationary ; its hours increase in proportion to the direct ones; its ascen- sions decline; it is oblique, and it is one of the good, pleasant signs; it prognosticates fructification and growth. It is a complete mixture of hot and cold, and its moisture is greater than its aridity. Its beginning points to winds and darkness, its middle is cold and moist, and its end denotes tempest, fire, lightning, and firebrand. That which is towards the north of it is mixed and towards the south of it is burning. It appears in the figure of a quadruped with hoofs; its limbs are deformed and severed, and it has only half of a voice. In its range lie the right part of noon and the south wind. Its nature is cold, dry, and rather mild. To it belong melancholy somewhat attenuated, the most ordinary temperament, among the savors sweetness diluted with bitterness and astringency, among the shades of color the green and the white, and among the wild animals every one having four feet with cloven hoofs. Its section of the vegetable kingdom consists of the high trees, every tree which bears fruit, every tree which needs little water, every tree which grows on a mountain and bears useful fruit, and every planted tree whose scent and perfume are pleasant. Its area includes the fifth zone, Ethiopia, Mahun, Hamadan, El Herath, Africa from Haquiroen to Tarabulus, Kufa, Bosra, Assouan, and Egypt, and among the plains every cultivated land on which the plowing is done with cattle and elephants, the gardens, the orchards, the places where buds give forth a nice scent, and every place where plants grow in hot, mixed mire. Its letters are the dalet and samekh. Its years and likewise its months total 8, its days 20, and its hours 16. In the first face there ascends a warrior bearing a sword in his left hand, a stick in his right hand, and two torches on his shoulders. A large ship surmounted by a lion will also mount up, then a naked man seated, and under the ship half of the body of a dead woman ; there will also ascend the figure of a man. The men of India say that it is a hirsute woman, who has a son and who wears clothing partly burnt. In the opinion of Ptolemy there ascends the half of him who bears the head of the devil, the tail of Aries, and the pour- ing of the water which is at the end of the river. In the second face “there will arise a ship, in which there is a nude man carrying a key in “bis hand ; there will also ascend there the other half of the dead woman’s corpse. The sages of India declare that there will go up there a man, who resembles a ram in his face and in his body, and whose wife resem- bles an ox; his fingers are like goats’ hoofs. That man is very hot and gluttonous, and he does not have peace of mind; he cultivates the earth, and he drives the oxen in order to plow and to sow. There arises also160 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM a beautiful figure, with a stick in his right hand and with his left hand lifted up. In the opinion of Ptolemy there ascend the knees of the bearer of the devil’s head, his legs, his feet, the back of Taurus, his horns, his hands, his stomach, his right paw, the head of the river, and its middle. In the third face there will ascend the end of the body, which resembles a head of a dog, and a man standing erect with a wild animal in his hand; he has two carts on which is seated a young man; two horses pull the carts, and the young man has a sheep in his hand. The wise men of India affirm that there also arises a man whose feet are white and likewise his teeth, which are so long that they stick out beyond his lips; the color of his eyes as well as his hair is reddish, and his body looks like that of the elephant and the lion; but prudence does not reside in him, since all of his thoughts are bent on doing evil; he is seated on a cloth. There go up also a horse and a little dog. Accord- ing to Ptolemy there will ascend the right foot of him who bears the head of the devil and the shoulder of him who holds in his hand the bridle, and his head, his knees, his left hand, his horn, the end of Taurus, and the beginning of the river. He who will be born in it will have an erect posture, a long face, large eyes, a thick and short neck, a broad forehead, an aquiline nose, and a shock of curly hair; he will be inco- herent in his speech and also in his, knowledge; his hair will be black, and his limbs deformed; he will be very lustful and gluttonous, and will have the habit of contrariness. He who is born in one of the degrees of the Pleiades, that is, from degree 13 to degree 15, will have a pain in his eyes. He who is born in the first face will have a short stature, large eyes, thick lips, a mark on his neck and another on his pudenda ; he will be noble at heart; his friends will be numerous, and he will enjoy all kinds of delights. He who is born in the second face will have a round head, a broad stomach, beautiful eyes, and a generous soul; he will be intelligent, and will have hair on his shoulder and a mark on his loins; some of them will have a pain in their veins. He who is born in the third face will have a beautiful body and head; there will be a mark in his left eye; he will be a man suffering from overwork, and he will have no luck with women. He who is born at the end of this sign will be castrated at birth or hermaphrodite. In its anatomical part are the neck and throat, and all the ailments which occur there, as well as scrofula, torticollis, and goiter. In the judgment of the wise men of Egypt the sickness caused in this sign by Saturn is in the heart, by Jupiter in the stomach, by Mars in the neck, by the Sun in the knees, by Venus in the head, by Mercury in the feet, and by the Moon in the legs. It belongs to the signs of the ailments just like Aries. In its part of mankind there are the procurers, all those longing for coition, and TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 161 those who like to eat, drink, dance, and make merry. It is the house of Venus and the dignity of the Moon in its third degree; the head of the dragon of Mars, which corresponds to the house of hatred, is in the tenth degree. The lords of the triplicity by day are Venus and then the Moon, and by night the Moon and then Venus, and their satellite by day and by night is Mars. The first face, in the opinion of the wise men of Egypt and Persia, corresponds to Venus, the second to the Moon, and the third to Saturn; but, according to the wise men of India, the first face corresponds to Venus, the second to Mercury, and the third to Saturn. Here are the limjts in the judgment of the learned Egyptians and all astrologers: for Venus as many as 8 degrees, then for Mercury 6, then for Jupiter 8, then for Saturn 5, then for Mars 3; but according to Ptolemy they are: for Venus 8, for Mercury 7, for Jupiter 7, for Mars 2, and for Saturn 6. The beginning of the force of the novena and the second one pertain to Saturn, the third to Jupiter, the fourth to Mars, the fifth to Venus, the sixth to Mercury, the seventh to the Moon, the eighth to the Sun, and the ninth to Mercury. The beginning of the force of the twelve signs corresponds to Venus, the second to Mercury, the third to the Moon, the fourth to the Sun, the fifth to Mercury, the sixth to Venus, the seventh to Mars, the eighth to Jupiter, the ninth and the tenth to Saturn, the eleventh to Jupiter, and the twelfth to Mars. From the inception of the sign until the end there are 3 mixed degrees, then 2 clear degrees, then 2 which are blank, then 8 clear ones, then 5 which are blank, then 6 clear ones, and then 2 that are mixed. From the beginning of the sign until 7 degrees they are male, then come 8 female, and then 15 male. The Ara of the stars is composed of the degrees 5, 12, 18, 24, 25, 26, the degree which aug- ments grace and honor, which is the third, and the degrees 15, 27, and 30. In this sign of the superior planets there is the back of the leprous one in the fourteenth degree, and its latitude is north 22 degrees and 20 minutes, and it is of the second magnitude and in the conjunction of Venus ; the devil’s head is in the fifteenth degree, its northern latitude is 23 degrees and 3 minutes, and it is of the second magnitude in the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. A brilliant star, called the left eye of the ox, is in the twenty-eighth degree; its latitude is southern 5% degrees; it belongs to the first magnitude in the conjunction of Mars and Venus; it is one of the stars which result in death when the master of the power of life reaches it. Among the dark stars there is in it the star of the tenth degree, whose northern latitude is 20 degrees and 40 minutes. Then there is another dark star like it in the twelfth degree with a northern latitude of 7074 degrees, and it is deadly. Gemini is of the nature of air, male, one of the diurnal signs, occi- 12162 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM dental, of the period of warmth; it has two bodies; its hours are longer than the normal ones, and at its end the day is longer than all the days of the year. It denotes a straight nature, which creates and increases in number and completes all that which is useful to living beings and to things which grow. Its whole is mixed, its beginning being moist, its middle diluted, and its end variable. The part of it which faces north stirs up tempests and winds, and the part which faces south causes pestilence. It appears as a human being with perfect limbs; it is sterile; in its right part is found the occident together with the west wind, and its beginning is warm and damp; its humor is the blood, and its savor is very sweet; its shade of color stands for any color which is exceed- ingly variable. Among the living it takes in man, monkey, the birds which sing delightfully, and from the vegetable kingdom it has the lofty trees. In its totality it indicates any high thing, for example, the heavens, the air, and the winds. Its area covers the sixth zone, the country of Iran, Armenia, Great India, Gilan, Birjand, Barkah, Holwan, Barka, Palestine, Egypt, Ispahan, Kerman, and likewise every elevated and steep mountain, the places where one catches birds, where one shoots dice, and where one plays instrumental music. Its letters are gimel and ayin. Its years, as well as its months, number 20, its days 50, and its hours 4, In the first face there arises the tail of the figure whose head resembles a dog’s head, and a marr with a stick in his hand. Towards the south there will ascend two carts drawn by two horses on which is seated a driver, and the head of the horned animal will also mount up. The wise men of India say that there will then go up a beautiful woman, standing in the air, who is skillful in sewing. In the opinion of Ptolemy there will arise the head of him who holds in his hand the bridle, his left foot, the horn of the bull, the shoulder of the dog, its left foot, the head of the hare, and its paws. In the second face there will ascend a man who has a golden musical instrument on which he is playing ; then there will go up a wild beast standing on a tree and a wolf which has a mark on its paw. The wise men of India state that there will come up a Moor with his head bound in lead, with armor in his hand and an iron helmet on his head; over the helmet there is a crown of silk, and in his hand there are a bow and arrows; he indulges in ridicule and mockery; he walks in a garden full of flowers and trees; in one hand he carries scales, upon which he strikes and plays music with his other hand, and he picks flowers in the garden. According to Ptolemy there will ascend in it the palm of him who holds in his hand the bridle and the rear legs of the bull, and the hand of Orion together with its shoulder, head, stomach, girdle, knee, and foot, and the belly and tail of the hare. In the third face the bewildered countenance of a TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 163 man will rise up, with a turban on his head, and in his hand a musical instrument which has strings of gold; there will also ascend a barking dog, the fish called dolphin, something like a monkey, a tailor’s thread, the first half of the little bear, the tail of the wild beast belonging to the woman with a horn who is wrapped in the root of Virgo. The wise men of India declare that there will come up a man who desires arms, and who has a bow and a quiver; in his hand he has a bow and clothing and jewels of pure gold; he wants to play music and to amuse himself and to practice all kinds of mockery. In the opinion of Ptolemy there will ascend in it the shoulder of the last twin, its hand, its right foot, its pudenda, the tail of the hare, the mouth of the dog, its paw, its right foot, the first oar of the ship, and a part of the second oar. The man who will be born in it will be erect in stature, his stomach will be big, the form of his body and face will be handsome, he will have a strong voice, he will be magnanimous, his shoulders will be broad and his eyes beautiful, the hair on his head will be curly, and he will be crafty in his work and in all tasks. Among them there will be writers, mathematicians, astronomers, and famous sages. He will be a truthful man and moderate in his fear of God. He who is born in the first face will be handsome in his body, eyes, and hair; he will have a mark on his head or on his cheeks; his countenance will be pointed; he will not be irascible; he will suffer from overwork; he will be unlucky with women. He who is born in the second face will be short in stature and will be dark; underneath his elbow there will be a black mark; his speech will be pleasing; he will be well bred and well built; he will be noble, and will associate with kings. He who is born in the third face will have a small countenance and small eyes; he will be a man longing for sexual intercourse; he will pronounce words which will not be Proper, and he will prevaricate. He who will be born at the end of this sign will not have perfect eyes; to his anatomical part correspond the neck, the arms, the hands, and his shoulders. His ailments include every sickness due to the blood and every disease which occurs in the afore- mentioned limbs. In the opinion of the learned men of Egypt the sick- ness of Saturn is in the stomach, that of Jupiter in the kidneys, of Mars in the shoulder, of the Sun in the legs, of Venus in the neck, of Mercury in the head, and of the Moon in the feet. To its part of man- kind correspond the kings, the magnates, the heroes, the magicians, the sorcerers, the chiefs of household deities together with the images, the engravings, all objects of mockery and song, handiwork, and every deli- cate craft. The house of Mercury and the dignity of the dragon’s head are in the third degree; the house of the hatred of Jupiter and the place of the aphelion of the Sun and of Venus dre in degree 27 at the present164 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM moment; the place of the nadir of Saturn is in degree 12. The rulers of the triplicity by day are Saturn and then Mercury, and by night Mercury followed by Saturn; their satellite by day and by night is Jupiter. The first face, as determined by the Egyptians and the Baby- lonians, belongs to Jupiter, the second to Mars, and the third to the Sun; but in the opinion of the teachers of India the first corresponds to Mercury, the second to Venus, and the third to Saturn. The limits, following the statement of the Egyptians and of the astronomers, are as follows: for Mercury 6 degrees, for Jupiter 6, for Venus 5, for Mars 7, for Saturn 6; but Ptolemy taught that for Mercury it is 7 degrees, for Jupiter 6, for Venus 7, for Mars 6, for Saturn 4. The beginning of the force of the novena befalls Venus, the second part Mars, the third Jupiter, the fourth and fifth Saturn, the sixth Jupiter, the seventh Mars, the eighth Venus, and the ninth Mercury. The begin- ning of the force of the twelve signs corresponds to Mercury, the second part to the Moon, the third to the Sun, the fourth to Mercury, the fifth to Venus, the sixth to Mars, the seventh to Jupiter, the eighth and ninth to Saturn, the tenth to Jupiter, the eleventh to Mars, and the twelfth to Venus. From the beginning of the sign until the end there are 7 bril- liant degrees, then 3 neutral, then 7 blank, then 6 brilliant, and then 6 neutral. Likewise from the beginning of the sign until the end there are 6 female degrees, then 12 male degrees, then 6 female degrees, then 4 male degrees, and then 3 female degrees. The degrees of the Ara are 2, 12, 17, 26, and 30. The degree which enhances grace and honor is 11. In it there is a star on the left foot of Gemini at 15 degrees ; its latitude is 31 degrees and 40 minutes south; it belongs to the first mag- nitude of the conjunction of Mars and Venus. There is also a star on its northern side at 5 degrees; its latitude is 1734 degrees south; it belongs to the second magnitude of the conjunction of Mars and Mer- cury. There is found also the star of him who holds in his hand the bridle; it is in the tenth degree; its latitude is 16 degrees north; it be- longs to the first magnitude of the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter. In addition there is the great star called Alhaioc in degree 11; its lati- tude is 24 degrees and 45 minutes north; it belongs to the first magni- tude of the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. There occurs also the center of the orbit which is in degree 15; its latitude is 24 degrees and 45 minutes south; it belongs to the second magnitude of the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. Then there comes the right shoulder of the Twin in degree 16; its latitude is 17 degrees south; it belongs to the first magnitude in the conjunction of Mars and Mercury, Then there is the right foot of the Twin in degree 24; its latitude is 11% degrees south ; it belongs to the first magnitude in the conjunction of Mars and TRANSLATION OF REBREW TEXT 165 Venus. There is also the dog, called Alsaeri Alhabud. Finally among the dark stars there is the prognosticating star, which is on the head of the warrior at 12 degrees; its latitude is 13 degrees and 50 minutes south, and it is one of the baleful stars. Cancer is one of the water signs, female, north, forming part of the signs of summer; it is variable, since the weather changes in it; at its inception the day begins to shorten and the night to grow longer; its hours are longer than the normal ones; it is straight in its ascents, which tend to increase. In its entirety it denotes coldness and humidity, which are mild, producing fructification and growth, and in it there are warm and moist degrees. Its beginning is dry and destructive, its mid- dle coincides with its conjunction, and its end is wet. When it is in the north it heats and burns, and when it is in the south it is wet. It appears in the form of aquatic animals; in its part falls the vertex of the left angle and the north wind; its nature is cold and wet; it denotes the phlegm, which exists in human beings, and every cold and wet mixture with a bit of equalization. Its flavor is bitter and salty; the shade of its colors is white and the color of dust like the smoky colors and similar ones; to its portion of the living correspond all the aquatic animals, the reptiles, the small fish, the wild animals on dry land, the scorpions, and the animals that crawl on the ground. Taken as a whole it prognosti- cates waters flowing constantly, all the vegetation near water, the rain waters, and all calm bodies of water. Its zones include the seventh one, small Armenia, the land beyond Samarkhand, Adrianople, the eastern section of Kourassa, China, a part of Africa, and Balkh. In its part occur also the ponds, every sea shore, every river bank, and the trees of average height. Its letters are dalet and pe. Its years are 25 and like- wise its months; its days as well as its hours are 5. In its first face there will arise the posterior half of Ursa Major and a whole figure wrapped in garments close to the singing figure. There ascend also an iron pig with a head of copper and a young virgin. Furthermore the wise men of India claim that there goes up a good-looking young man wearing garments with an ornament of gold or silver; he has a slight curvature in his face and in his back; his body resembles that of a horse or of an elephant; his feet are white; to his body are attached ‘delicate ornaments in the form of trees; he sits in a garden in which grow aromatic stalks. In the opinion of Ptolemy there arise the face of Ursa Major, the head of the anterior and posterior Gemini, the rump and hands of the anterior twin, the little dog, the remainder of the great dog, and the hold of the ship. In the second face there will ascend a young girl who resembles a cloud; there will also arise the half of the dog and the half of the ears of the northern ass. The teachers of India166 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM posit that there will go up a girl who is very pleasing in her conversa- tion; on her head there is a crown of myrtle, and in her hand a wooden wand; she longs for wine and song. In the judgment of Ptolemy there will ascend in it the head of Ursa Major, the posterior side of Cancer, and the hold of the ship. In the third face there will arise a young vir- gin sometimes facing east and sometimes facing west. There will also go up the posterior dog, the other half of the ear of the northern ass, and likewise the second southern ass. The wise men of India maintain that there will then ascend a man whose foot looks like that of a wild beast and on whose body there is a wild beast; his desire is to enter a ship in order to go to sea to bring in gold and silver with which to make rings for his wives. Following the opinion of Ptolemy there will arise the neck and the right hand of Ursa Major, the horns of Cancer, the head of the valiant warrior, and the end of the ship. He who is born under this sign will have thick limbs, a wide forehead, and teeth far apart; he will be deaf and dumb, a lover of mankind, and highly respected. For women the horoscope augurs ill for difficult undertak- ings. He who is born in the first face will be attractive physically ; his hair and his eyelids will be stuck together; his nostrils will be long and his shoulders broad; he will have a mark under his elbow or in his right arm; he will have a good soul and many friends; he will be an expert in fraud. He who is born in the second face will be reddish, short in stature, and beardless; he will have a black mark in his eyes, and he will be beloved by all creatures. He who is born in the third face will be fat, short in stature, with hairy eyelids, a broad stomach, and a large abdomen. He will be strong; sometimes he will be seized with a heart attack, and he will suffer a great deal by himself. He who is born at the end of the sign will not have good luck. His anatomical portion comprises the breast, the mammilla, the cardiac region, the ribs, the spleen, and the lung. To his share of ailments correspond all those which occur in those parts of the anatomy and also heaviness in the eyes. In degree 22 of the cloudy star it denotes soreness of the eyes with the resulting defect. In general this sign points to pruritus, itch, leprosy, pock-marks, baldness, and scarcity of beard. To its part of mankind correspond every repulsive individual, the plebeians, and the wanderers. In the opinion of Enoch it is the sign of the universe. The teachers of Egypt declare that the disease attributable to Saturn falls between the loins, that of Jupiter in the genitalia, that of Mars in the cardiac region, that of the Sun in the feet, that of Venus in the hands, that of Mercury in the neck, and that of the Moon in the head. The house of the Moon and the dignity of Jupiter are in degree 15; the shame of Mars is in degree 28; the house of the hatred of Saturn and TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 167 the dragon’s head of Jupiter are in degree 9; the dragon’s head of Saturn is in degree 19. The rulers of the triplicity by day are Venus and Mars and by night Mars and then Venus, and their satellite by day and by night is the Moon. According to the Egyptians and the Baby- lonians the first face corresponds to Venus, the second to Mercury, and the third to the Moon; but the opinion of the wise men of India is that the first corresponds to the Moon, the second to Mars, and the third to Jupiter. The Egyptians and the astrologers teach that the limits are as follows: to Mars 7 degrees, to Venus 6, to Mercury 6, to Jupiter 7, to Saturn 4; but in the opinion of. Ptolemy they are: to Mars 6, to Jupiter 6, to Mercury 7, and to Saturn 4. The beginning of the novena belongs to the Moon, the second part to the Sun, the third to Mercury, the fourth to Venus, the fifth to Mars, the sixth to Jupiter, the seventh and eighth to Saturn, and the ninth to Jupiter. The beginning of the force of the twelve signs corresponds to the Moon, the second one to the Sun, the third to Mercury, the fourth to Venus, the fifth to Mars, the sixth to Jupiter, the seventh and the eighth to Saturn, the ninth to Jupiter, the tenth to Mars, the eleventh to Venus, and the twelfth to Mercury. From the beginning of the sign until the end there are 7 neutral degrees, then 5 brilliant, then 2 neutral, then 4 brilliant, then 2 dark, then 8 brilliant, and finally 2 dark. From the beginning of the sign until the end there are 2 male degrees, then 2 female, then 11 male, then 4 female, and finally 3 male. The pit of the stars is found in de- grees 12, 17, 23, 26, and 30. The degrees which enhance grace and honor are 1, 2, 3, 14, and 15. Among the superior planets there is the dog called Alsaeri Alhabor, which is found in the first degree at the present time ; its latitude is 29 degrees and 10 minutes south; it belongs to the first magnitude of the conjunction of Jupiter and Mars. There one finds also the head of the anterior twin which, at this moment, is in the eighth degree; its latitude is 9 degrees and 40 minutes north; it belongs to the second magnitude of the conjunction of Jupiter and Mer- cury. There is likewise the head of the posterior twin, in the twelfth degree at this time; its latitude is 6 degrees and 15 minutes north; it belongs to the second magnitude of the nature of Mars alone. There is found the dog called Alsaeri Alguemitsa, in the fifteenth degree at Present; its latitude is 16 degrees and 10 minutes south; it forms a part of the first magnitude of the conjunction of Mars and Mercury. Among the dark stars there are also 4 which are near Ursa Major: the first one is now in the twelfth degree, in latitude 22 degrees and 50 minutes north; the second is in the sixteenth degree at present, in latitude 22 degrees and 2 minutes north; the third is in the twenty-seventh degree at this moment, in latitude 22 degrees and 45 minutes north; the fourth168 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM is at the end of the sign in latitude 20 degrees north. There is also one star over its stomach in the twenty-sixth degree; its latitude is 6 minutes north. Leo is one of the signs of fire, male, diurnal, east of the signs of summer, remaining in one place because time is stationary in it; its hours are longer than the normal ones; it is direct in its ascents, which are long; its nature is scorching hot and destructive; its beginning is rather warm, its center is very destructive causing sickness, and its end stirs up winds. When it is north it is scorching hot, and if it is south it is moist. It appears on a figure which is quadruped and has hoofs, and is moving; its limbs are cleft and it has half a voice; at the left part of it is the orient together with the east wind; its nature is warm and dry; its humor is the blood; its flavor is the bitter and the sharp; its colors comprise saffron and russet; its share of the wild animals includes the lions, tigers, hyenas, bears, and wolves; its metals embrace gold, silver, precious stones, the stone which pierces precious stones called diamond and the stone which attracts straw called magnet, and all work of fire. To its area correspond the fourth region, Bagdad, Persia, Turkey as far as the end of the inhabitable land, Naisabur, Tarsus, every place difficult to scale, every oppressed land, the royal palaces, the strong fortresses, every mountain high and rugged, and every place exposed to the wind. Its letters are he and of. Its years and likewise its months are 19, its days number 4714, and its hours 23. In the first face there will ascend a bear and a dog with a bow and half a ship on its back. There are also its sailors, the head of a black beast, the head of a horse, and the head of an ass. The wise men of India say that there will then arise a large tree on whose branches are found a dog and a bird called vulture, and a man wearing clothing, which is valuable although dirty, and wishing to beat his own father. There will also go up the master of the horse which looks to the left. In the opinion of Ptolemy there will then ascend the neck of Ursa Major and its left hand, theshead of the lion, the neck of the warrior, and a half of the ship. In the second face there will arise a figure with his hands lifted up; he utters loud cries, he plays music, and he dances. Then there will come up two vessels of wine, a glass goblet, musical instru- ments made of deer’s horns, the other half of the ship, the eye of the wild beast, half of the horse, and half of the ass. The wise men of India affirm that there will then arise an individual with a fine nose who wears on his head something like a crown of white myrtle and in whose hand there is a bow; he is angry and, in his anger, he resembles a lion; he is wrapped in a cloak the color of a lion. In the judgment of Ptolemy there will go up the shoulder of Ursa Major and his right foot, the TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 169 neck of the lion, the middle of the warrior, and the bow of the ship. In the third face there will ascend the figure of a young man whose duty it is to lead animals; in his hand he carries a stick; he guides a cart in which there is seated a man together with a small child; in his left hand he carries a garment. Then there will go up the raven, half of the black beast, the last part of the horse, and the last part of the ass. The wise men of India teach that there will then ascend an ugly, laborious, intelligent Moor; his mouth is full of dainty things, and he holds meat in his hand. According to Ptolemy there will arise in it the figure of Ursa Major, the middle part of the lion, and a part of the strong warrior. He who is born under this sign will have a fine body; * he will be reddish; his eyes will be like those of a cat; he will be valiant and irascible; he will have a keen appearance ; his legs will be thin; he will be an educated and clever man, having sensuous lust; he will be generous, impotent, peremptory in his word, very melancholy, relying upon himself in case of danger, and tending towards contrariness. His nature is that of wolves, very gluttonous and fond of all food. The horoscope of women prognosticates modesty. He who is born in the first face will have a beautiful body and countenance; his complexion will be reddish; he will be blear-eyed; his chest and also his legs will be erect; he will be sick in the upper part of the stomach; he will be well known among men and modest while associating with kings. He who is born in the second face will have a prepossessing body, wide chest, small testicles and legs; he will be bald, and will be sick in his diaphragm; he will be honored by his people, and he will be magnani- mous. He who is born in the third face will be rather short in stature; he will have whiteness and vermilion ; his voice will be powerful ; he will be fond of women; he will have many friends and enemies, and abun- dant ailments. He who is born at the end of the sign will be repulsive and full of defects. To its anatomical part correspond the chest, the heart, the cardiac part of the stomach, the diaphragm, the back, the loins, the ribs, and the nape. In the opinion of the wise men of Egypt the sickness characteristic of Saturn is that of the genitalia, of Jupiter that of the testicles, of Mars that of the heart, of the Sun that of the head, of Venus that of the chest, of Mercury that of the arms, of the ‘Moon that of the neck. It also denotes the eyesight and the pylorus. Its diseases are those which occur in the aforementioned parts of the anatomy. To its part of mankind correspond the kings, princes, nobles, those who carve gold and silver and precious stones, and those who exercise any useful trade. It comprises the house of the Sun.and the house of the hatred of Saturn. In it no planet has honor or dishonor. There the place of the aphelion of Mars is in the twelfth degf€e at the170 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM present time. The ruler of the triplicity by day is the Sun followed by Jupiter and by night it is Jupiter followed by the Sun, and their satel- lite by day and by night is Saturn. In the opinion of the Egyptians and Babylonians the first face befalls Saturn, the second Jupiter, and the third Mars; but, according to the doctrine of the wise men of India, the first face corresponds to the Sun, the second to Jupiter, and the third to Mars. In the judgment of the Egyptians and astrologers the limits are a: follows: to Jupiter 6 degrees, to Venus 6, to Mercury 6, to Saturn 7, to Mars 6; but according to Ptolemy they are: to Saturn 6, to Mer- cury 7, to Venus 6, to Mars 6, to Jupiter 5. The beginning of the nover a corresponds to Mars, the second to Venus, the third to Mer- cury, the fourth to the Moon, the fifth to the Sun, the sixth to Mercury, the seventh to Venus, the eighth to Mars, the ninth to Jupiter. The begining of the power of the twelve signs belongs to the Sun, the secon! to Mercury, the third to Venus, the fourth to Mars, the fifth to Jupiter, the sixth and the seventh to Saturn, the eighth to Jupiter, the ninth to Mars, the tenth to Venus, the eleventh to Mercury, and the twelfth to the Moon. From the beginning of the sign until the end there are 7 bright degrees, then 3 neutral, then 6 dark, then 5 which are blank, then 9 bright. From the beginning of the sign until the end there are 5 male degrees, then 2 female, then 6 male, then 10 female, and then 7 male. The Ara of the stars comprises the degrees 7, 13, 15, 22, 23, and 28. The degrees which enhance grace and honor are 2, 5, 7, and 17, Among the upper stars there is found the neck of the warrior, which is in the sixteenth degree at this moment; its latitude is 20 degrees south; it belongs to the second magnitude of the conjunction of Saturn and Venus. There appears the heart of the lion, which is in the twenty- eighth degree at the present time; its latitude is 10 minutes north; it belongs to the second magnitude of the conjunction of Mars and Jupiter ; it is one of the ominous stars. There is also a star called the back of the lion, which is at the end of the sign at present; its latitude is 13 degrees and 40 minutes north, and it is in the second magnitude of the conjunction of Saturn and Venus. Virgo is one of the signs of the earth, female, belonging to the night, south of the signs of summer; it has two bodies; its hours are longer than the normal ones; at its end the day and the night become equal in all zones; it is erect in its ascents, which are long. Its nature forecasts destruction through its excessive aridity; nevertheless at its inception there is moisture, and it stirs up a tempest; its central part is variable, and its end is dry. When it is north it gives rise to wind, and when it is south it is changeable. It appears as a figure of a man and as a figure of a bird, and it has a powerful voice. To the right of it is the south TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT W71 with the south wind; its nature is cold and dry; it provokes melancholy ; its particular odors are those of bitterness and astringency ; its shade of colors includes white, purple, and dust-color. Its group in the animal kingdom embraces man and birds, and in the vegetable kingdom every small crop which is not irrigated, for example, wheat, barley, beans, and all kinds of grains. It covers the second zone, the land of Aljeremica, the Euphrates river, Bosporus, and Greece, and among the places every seeded land, the harems, and the orchards. Its letters are vav and zayin. Its years and its months are 20, its days 7, and its hours 4. In the first face a beautiful damsel will rise up with long hair and with ears of corn in her hand; she sits on a chair, and she feeds a small child by nursing and by weaning. A man seated on the same chair will also mount up. Then there will ascend the star, called the ear of corn behind the wild animal, the raven’s head, and the lion’s head. The wise men of India say that there then arises a girl wrapped in a cloak and wear- ing old clothes, with a cruet in her hand and myrtle about her, and she wants to go to her father’s home. According to Ptolemy there will then come up a part of the dragon’s tail, the rear and the paws and the tail of the bear, the goblet near the warrior’s head, and a part of his body. In the second face a figure will rise up, striking its palms and singing. Likewise there will go up a man who has only half a figure, with a head similar to that of an ox, and holding half of a nude man in his hand. Then there will also ascend the half of a beam at the head of which there is a harrow; with it he plows the land. There then arises the tail of the black beast and the central part of the lion. The wise men of India say that a Moor, who is completely hirsute, then mounts up; on him are three garments, of which one is made of leather, the second of silk, and the other is a red mantle; in one hand he holds what he needs for writing, and in the other hand he has tablets for counting. In the opinion of Ptolemy there will then arise a part of the tail of the dragon, the tail of the big bear, the head and shoulder of the virgin, and the head of the raven with its beak and wings. In the third face there will ascend the remaining half of the semi-figure, the second half of the nude man, the second half of the beam, the tail of the lion, two oxen, and the half of a herdsman. The sages of India posit that there will . arise a white woman, who is self-laudatory ; she wears a d: 7 ‘ y 3 lyed mantle, has leprous hands, and prays to God. In Ptolemy's opinion there will then go up a part of the dragon’s tail, the end of i s tail shoulder of the southern monkey with a part of jeter wnat i of the raven, and the foot of the wild beast. The human being who will be born then will be attractive in his Posture; he will have a ree and good-looking body; he will be learned and intelligent; his hair will not172 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM be curly; he will be an advocate of justice; he will have a powerful voice; he will be impotent; he will have a kind soul; his face will be pleasing ; he will be a writer, and will be an expert in mathematics. He who is born in the second face will have a winséme appearance; his eyes will be small; his nostrils will be pretty; he will be a well-bred, candid man endowed with magnanimity and fond of receiving compli- ments. He who is born in the third face will have a beautiful appear- ance; he will be educated, truly intelligent, humble, and wise. Its ana- tomical parts include the stomach, the intestines, and the diaphragm. The ailments allotted to it are all those which occur in the aforemen- tioned parts and any disease due to melancholy. In the opinion of the wise men of Egypt the sickness attributable to Saturn is that of the testicles, to Jupiter that of the knees, to Mars that of the stomach, to the Sun that of the neck, to Venus that of the heart, to Mercury that of the chest, to the Moon that of the arms. Its group of mankind em- braces the intermediaries, the writers, the sages, the mathematicians, the geometers, the women, the eunuchs, and the most capable exponents of mockery. The house of Mercury and likewise its dignity are in degree 15, the dishonor of Venus and the house of the hatred of Jupiter are in degree 27, and the house of its zenith at the present time is in degree 23. The rulers of the triplicity by day are Venus and then the Moon and by night the Moon and then Venus, and their satellite by day and by night is Mars. According to the Egyptians and the Babylonians the first face corresponds to the Sun, the second to Venus, the third to Mercury; but in the judgment of the men of India the first befalls Mercury, the second Saturn, and the third Venus. In the doctrine of the Egyptians and the astrologers the limits are as follows: to Mercury 7 degrees, to Venus 10, to Jupiter 4, to Mars 7, to Saturn 2; but in the opinion of Ptolemy they are: to Mercury 7 and to Venus 6. The begin- ning of the novena and the second one belong to Saturn, the third to. Jupiter, the fourth to Mars, the fifth to Venus, the sixth to Mercury, the seventh to the Moon, the eighth to the Sun, and the ninth to Mer- cury. The beginning of the power of the twelve signs corresponds to Mercury, the second to Venus, the third to Mars, the fourth to Jupiter, the fifth and the sixth to Saturn, the seventh to Jupiter, the eighth to Mars, the ninth to Venus, the tenth to Mercury, the eleventh to the Moon, and the twelfth to the Sun. From the inception of the sign until its decline there are five neutral degrees, then 4 bright, then 2 that are blank, then 7 bright, and then 10 neutral; from the beginning of the sign until its decline there are 7 female degrees, then 5 male, then 8 female and 10 male. The Ara of the stars is constituted by the degrees 2, 13, 16, 21, and 25. The degrees which enhance grace and honor are TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 173 2, 5, 17, and 20. Among the superior planets the lion’s neck occurs in the tenth degree at present; its latitude is 11 degrees north, and it be- longs to the first magnitude of the conjunction of Saturn and Venus. There is also a star in the degree mentioned, but its latitude is 25 degrees north and it is in the second magnitude of the conjunction of Saturn and Venus. There are also two dark stars between the bear and the lion; one is now in the eleventh degree in latitude 20 degrees and 40 minutes, and the other is in the same degree but its latitude is 2544 degrees. , Libra is one of the signs of the air, male, diurnal, occidental, one of the signs of winter, and variable. At its beginning the day and night are equal, but the night starts to grow longer and the day to grow shorter; its hours are shorter than the normal ones, and it is straight in its long ascents. Its nature is warm and moist, but it is not diluted well. It forecasts every dense air and mixture of winds and rising cloud which destroys the living beings. In general it varies, but its beginning and center are better than its end. When it is north it causes winds, and when it is south it produces moisture. It appears as the figure of a man alone. In its part are the western heart and the southern wind. Its nature is warm and moist, and to it belongs blood. Its savor is sweet, and its colors are the green and the color of dust. Among the living it has man and every bird with a big head, and in the vegetable kingdom it has the high trees. Its area includes the fifth zone, the land of Edom from Rome until Africa, a part of Ethiopia, the sea of Barka, Sistan, Cabul, Tiberias, Balkh, and Hamadan. In its sphere also fall all that which is planted on mountain peaks, every weak land, every lofty place, and every site for markets and commerce. Its letters are the het and the sin. Its years and likewise its days are 20, and its hours 16. In the first face there will ascend the countenance of an irascible man, with a balance in his left hand and the book of Hagiographa in his right hand. Behind him a man will mount up riding on a horse and singing. There will also arise the dragon’s head and the beginning of - the golden sea, which the wise men of Persia call Ursa Major. Then there will go up a part of the ship. In the opinion of the sages of India there will then go up a man who is in a shop in a market; in -his hand he holds scales, and he wishes to buy and sell. Ptolemy declared that there will then ascend the middle of the tail of the great bear, and half . .of the body of the virgin, its left palm in which there is an ear of corn, the tail of the raven, a part of the tail of the warrior, a part of the tail of the horse, and its rear. In the second face there will arise a person who drives a cart, in which there is a man holding a stick in his hand; with him there is another individual who wears silk clothing and is174 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM seated on a bed. Likewise there will go up a small boy, half of the ship, half of the dragon, half of the great bear, and also a fountain, The wise men of India maintain that there then arises a man with a face of an eagle, nude, thirsty, and eager to fly through the ais. According to Ptolemy there will then ascend the tail of the dragon, a part of the tail of the great bear, and the fringes of the dress of the virgin. There will arise in the third face the end of the ship, the end of the sea of gold, and the head of the nude man with his hand over his head. There is also a crown over the head of two individuals, and in the head of each one are two horns. In the opinion of the wise men of India there arises also a man whose face resembles that of a horse, and he has in his hand a bow and arrows. According to Ptolemy there arises also a part of the dragon’s tail, its hands, its arms, its right knee, a part of the fringes of the virgin’s dress, and her feet. The general horoscope for him who is born under this sign is that his limbs will be straight, his speech will be pleasant, he will be a sensible and well-bred person, his hands will be capable of plying any trade, he will be a musician and he will know how to compose songs, he will be fond of women, he will enjoy hunting, he will be reliable and noble, and his body will be cleaner than his face. Some of them will be negroes. He who is born in the first face will have a beautiful countenance, he will have a wound in his head, he will feel a smarting pain either in his hand or in his foot, he will suffer from overwork, and he will be humble and refined. He who is born in the second face will have an attractive body, countenance, and stature, his eyes and sides will be deformed, and he will be liberal and affable. He who is born in the third face will also have a good-looking body, a win- some countenance, and defective vision; he will be well-known and respected by his people. He who is born at the end of the sign will be hermaphrodite or androgynous. To its anatomical section corresponds all that which is below the stomach near the genitalia. Its particular ailments include astringency of the urine, hemorrhage, and amblyopia. Its portion of hnman beings embraces the business men, judges, mathe- maticians, singers, merchants, and those who deal in food and beverages. The house of Venus and the dignity of Saturn are in degree 21,.the shame of the Sun is in degree 19, and the house of the hatred of Mars and its aphelion are in degree 24 at the present time. In the opinion of the Egyptian sages the sickness characteristic of Saturn is that of the knees, of Jupiter that of the legs, of Mars that of the lower part of the stomach, of the Sun that of the hands, of Venus that of the loins, of Mercury that of the heart, of the Moon that of the chest. The mas- ters of the triplicity by day are Saturn and then Mercury and by night Mercury and then Saturn, while their satellite by day and by night is | TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 175 * Jupiter. The notion of the Egyptians and Babylonians is that the first face corresponds to the Moon, the second to Saturn, and the third to Jupiter; but the sages of India declare that the first corresponds to Venus, the second to Saturn, and the third to Mercury. According to the Egyptians and the astrologers the limits are as follows: to Saturn 6 degrees, to Mercury 8, to Jupiter 7, to Venus 7, and to Mars 2; but in the judgment of Ptolemy they are: to Saturn 6, to Venus 5, to Jupiter 8, to Mercury 5, and to Mars 6. The beginning of the novena belongs to Venus, the second to Mars, the third to Jupiter, the fourth and the fifth to Saturn, the sixth to Jupiter, the seventh to Mars, the eighth to Venus, and the ninth to Mercury. The beginning of the force of the twelve signs corresponds to Venus, the second to Mars, the third to Jupiter, the fourth and fifth to Saturn, the sixth to Jupiter, the seventh to Mars, the eighth to Venus, the ninth to Mercury, the tenth to the Moon, the eleventh to the Sun, and the twelfth to Mercury. From the beginning of the sign until the end there are 5 bright degrees, then 5 neutral, then 8 bright, then 3 neutral, then 7 bright, and then 2 that are blank. From the inception of the sign until the declination there are 5 male degrees, then 5 female, then 11 male, then 7 female, and finally 2 male. The Ara of the stars comprises the degrees 1, 7, 20, and 30. The . degrees which augment grace and honor are 3, 5, and 21. Among the superior stars there is found the unarmed support, known as Samach Alazel; it is in the twelfth degree now; its latitude is 2 degrees south; it belongs to the first magnitude of the conjunction of Venus and Mer- cury. There is also the lance, which is called Samach Alremach; it is in the thirteenth degree at present; its latitude is 3114 degrees north; it belongs to the first magnitude of the conjunction of Jupiter and Mars. Finally there is a brilliant star at the end of the sign; its latitude is 444 degrees north; it is in the first magnitude of the conjunction of Venus and Mercury. ‘ Scorpio is one of the aquatic signs, female, nocturnal, north among the winter signs ; it always follows the same course; its hours are shorter than the normal ones; it is direct in its ascensions, which are long. It forecasts humidity, which is not definite; there is in it a variation in quality, which is of slight use to the living. In a general way it causes thunder and lightning. Its beginning is moist and variable; its central part is diluted ; its end stirs up tempests. When it is north, it is humid; when it is south, it is cold. It appears as a scorpion. In its domain occur the left part of the north, the north wind, and the humor which controls man. Its special flavor is rather salty and insipid. Its characteristic colors are red, green, and the color of dust. Among the living beings it has the scorpions, the wild animals, the reptiles, and the aquatic ani-176 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM mals; and all flowing waters, the seas, and every aquatic plant such as coral; and among the things that grow, the trees of average height. Its area covers the third zone, Sheba, Arabia, Sanah, and Cyprus. It shares in the vineyards and orchards, with the exception of any place giving forth a stench and every deserted spot. Its characteristic letters are tet and sin. Its years and months total 15, its days 37, and its hours 4. In the first face there will arise the hind part of a horse, the posteriors of an ox, and a negro with a stick in his hand. The wise men of India say that a form of a beautiful woman will rise up, who has a reddish body and who is eating. According to Ptolemy there will ascend the hand of Ursa Major, the head and right paw of the dog, and half of Libra. In the second face there will arise a naked man, half of a horse, and half of the ox. The sages of India maintain that a woman mounts up who was nude when she left her home; she has nothing on, and she plunges into the sea. In the opinion of Ptolemy there will ascend the hand of Ursa Minor, a part of the dragon’s tail, the boreal crown, the testicles and feet of Libra, and the crown of Scorpio. In the third face there will go up the beginning of the horse, the bearer of the hare, and the head of Taurus. The learned men of India say that there will then arise a dog, two pigs, a big leopard with a white mane, and a kind of venison. In Ptolemy’s judgment there will come up the form of Ursa Minor, the foot and shoulder and right arm of him who walks on his knees, the stomach of Scorpio, and the head of the censer. The man who is born in it will be rather dark, hirsute, and sometimes rubicund according to the power of the aspect of the stars at the moment his horoscope is cast; his eyes will be normal, but they will be small; his legs will be long, and his feet will be big; he will be fast and agile in his gait; his face will be large, his forehead narrow, and his shoulder wide; he will be homely ; he will have neither a voice nor an enunciation pleasant; he will have many children; he will be destructive, deceit- ful, irascible, a prevaricator, a calumniator, melancholy, generous, re- fined, unreliable, and astute. He who is born in the first face will be rather attractive; he will have a mark on his head; his eyes will be like those of a cat, and he will have a wide chest. Sometimes he will have a mark on his left foot or on his right hand. He will be an educated, sensible man, glib in his speech. He who is born in the second face will have a large head and a rather pretty shape; he will have a mark on his pudenda or on his back; he will be well bred and loquacious. He who is born in the third face will be short in stature; his eyes will look askance ; he will be fond of gluttony and of women, and he will be very dejected. He who is born at the end of the sign will be a bastard or a hermaphrodite. To its share of the indecent places correspond the TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT W7 secret place and the sexual organs of males and females. It is one of the signs of deformities since it denotes defective vision, scurvy, the sickness called cancer, scabies, leprosy, pock-marks, and baldness. For women its horoscope is baleful. From degree 21 to degree 24 it points to a defect in the eyesight. Its human group embraces every perverted, despicable man. The house of Mars and the shame of the Moon are in the third degree, and likewise the house of the hatred of Venus. The tulers of the triplicity by day are Venus and then Mars and by night Mars and then Venus, and their satellite by day and by night is the Moon. According to the teachers of Egypt, the disease peculiar to Saturn is in the legs, to Jupiter in the feet, to Mars in the genitalia, to the Sun in the heart, to Venus in the intestines, to Mercury in the stomach, to the Moon in the upper part of the stomach. In the opinion of the wise men of Egypt and of Babylonia the first face belongs to Mars, the second to the Sun, and the third to Venus; but the wise men of India declare that the first belongs to Mars, the second to Jupiter, and the third to the Moon. The limits, following the Egyptians and the astrologers, are: to Mars 7 degrees, to Venus 4, to Mercury 8, to Jupiter 5, to Saturn 6; but according to Ptolemy they are: to Mars 6, to Mercury 6, to Jupiter 7, to Venus 7, to Saturn 5. The beginning of the novena corresponds to the Moon, the second to the Sun, the third . to Mercury, the fourth to Venus, the fifth to Mars, the sixth to Jupiter, the seventh and eighth to Saturn, and the ninth to Jupiter. The begin- ning of the power of the twelve signs belongs to Mars, the second to Jupiter, the third and the fourth to Saturn, the fifth to Jupiter, the sixth to Mars, the seventh to Venus, the eighth to Mercury, the ninth to the Moon, the tenth to the Sun, the eleventh to Mercury, and the twelfth to Venus. From the beginning of the sign until the end there are 3 neutral degrees, then 5 bright, then 6 blank, then 6 bright, then 2 dark, then 5 bright, and then 3 neutral. From the beginning of the sign until the fourth degree they are male, then come 6 female, then 4 male, then 5 female, then 8 male, and then 3 female. The Ara of the stars is constituted by degrees 9, 10, 17, 22, 23, and 27. The degrees which augment grace and honor are 7, 12, and 20. Among the elevated stars the horn of Scorpio is in the seventh degree at present; its latitude is 84 degrees north; it belongs to the second magnitude of the conjunc- tion of Jupiter and Venus. There is also a star called the foot of Hydra; it is now in the sixteenth degree; its latitude is 41 degrees and 10 min- utes south; it is in the first magnitude of the conjunction of Mars and Jupiter. Finally there is the heart of Scorpio in the twenty-eighth degree at this time; its latitude is three degrees south; it falls in the second magnitude of the conjunction of Mars and Jupiter.178 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM Sagittarius is one of the signs of fire, male, diurnal, west of the signs of winter, it has two bodies, and its hours are shorter than the normal ones ; at its beginning the time of the hours of the day tends to lengthen, and the time of the hours of the night tends to decrease in al regions; it is direct in its ascensions, which are long. Its nature is warm and dry, destroying the living beings and the plants. In general it is windy; its beginning is damp, cold, and cloudy; its middle is mild; its end is as hot as fire. When it is north it is dry, and when it is south it is moist. It has two forms: one half has the form of a man and the other half has the form of a horse. In its right part is the orient with the east wind. Its savors are bitter and acrid; it stirs up blood; its characteristic colors are yellow, reddish, and dust-color. Its group of living beings includes man, the horse, the bird, the wild animals, and the reptiles. In the metal kingdom it takes in lead and, among the stones, the one called emerald. It covers the second zone, the land of Rages, Ispahan, and all mountains, and it has a share in the orchards, in every place for irrigation, in the places for horses and oxen, and every smooth stone. Its letters are yod and tav. Its years and months are 12, its days 30, and its hours 12. In the first face there will ascend the form of a nude man who has turned around and who has a raven on his head. There will also ascend there the body of the bitch and the head of a goat. The wise men of India say that there will then go up a nude man, who has a human form from his head to his navel and who resembles a horse from his navel down; in his hand he has a bow and arrow, and he shouts. In the words of Ptolemy there will arise the neck of the little bear, a part of the dragon’s tail, the rump, nape, and head of the one that walks on his knees, the end of Scorpio, and the knots in the tail and body of Ara. In the second face a figure will mount up, which holds in its right hand the horns of Capricornus, followed by the wolf’s head, half of the hare, half of the ship, the first half of the fish known as the dolphin, and half of the lizard. The sages of India declare that there will then arise the figure of a beautiful woman, covered with hair, wear- ing garments and ear-rings, and having in front of her an open chest in which there are golden jewels. In the opinion of Ptolemy there will then arise the stomach of the little bear, a part of the dragon’s body, a part of his head, the knee, foot, and left arm of the one that walks on . his knees, a part of the body of the wild animal, the arrow and its quiver, and a part of the austral crown. In the third face there will ascend the form of a dog, the end of the wolf’s body, the body of the hare, the rest of the lion’s body, the second half of the ship, the rest of the fish called dolphin, the lizard’s tail, and half of the great bear. The wise men of India affirm that a man will then mount up who has-a golden appear- TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 179 ance; in his hand he holds a kind of wooden ear-ring, and he is covered. with a cloak made of the bark of trees. According to Ptolemy there will then arise the middle of the body of the little bear, a part of the dragon’s body together with its occiput, a part of the body of the fall- ing eagle, the head, shoulder, and foot of Sagittarius, and the austral crown. The man who is born in it will have an erect stature; he will be ruddy; he will have long testicles and fat legs; he will be jovial, strong, and generous ; his forehead will be sharp, and likewise his beard; he will have little hair and a large stomach; he will be agile in jumping ; he will be fond of horses, and will be a geometer; he will be sly and inconsistent; he will have a weak voice and few children. He who is born in the first face will be beautiful and will have nice features; his posture will be erect ; he will uphold what is good, and he will associate with kings and magnates. He who is born in the second face will have an elegant body, although his countenance will have the color of saffron and his eyelids will be stuck together, and he will have a mark on his chest. He who is born in the third face will be tall; he will have a charming countenance; his eyes will resemble those of a cat; his chest will be broad; he will be strong; he will have a mark over his left foot; he will be modest, helpful, and well-bred. He who is born at the end of the sign will be a libertine. In general this sign prognosticates a just man. To its anatomical part correspond the testicles, the larynx, and any superfluous member such as an extra finger. Its sicknesses include blindness, fever, falling from a high place, and the diseases which are caused by the venom of serpents and vipers or by cutting a limb; from degree 15 until degree 18 it denotes defective vision. Its human group embraces the judges, servants of God, philanthropists, people imbued with mercy, interpreters of dreams, archers, and merchants. The house of Jupiter and the dignity of the dragon’s tail are in degree 3; the house of the hatred of Mercury and the place of the aphelion of Saturn are now in degree 12; the place of the nadir of the Sun and of Venus is in degree 27 at present. According to the wise men of Egypt the sickness peculiar to Saturn is in the feet, that of Jupiter is in the head, that of Mars is in the testicles, that of the Sun is in the heart, that of Venus is in the genitalia, that of Mercury is in the intestines, and that of the Moon is in the stomach. The rulers of the triplicity by day are the Sun and then Jupiter and by night Jupiter and then the Sun, their satellite by day and by night being Saturn. In the opinion of the Egyptians and the Babylonians the first face corresponds to Mercury, the second to the Moon, and the third to Saturn; but the wise men of India affirm that the first corresponds to Jupiter, the second to Mars, and the third to the Sun. The limits according to the Egyptians and astrologers are as180 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM follows: to Jupiter 12 degrees, to Venus 5, to Mercury 4, to Saturn 5, and to Mars 4; but in the judgment of Ptolemy they are: to Jupiter 8, to Venus 6, to Mercury 5, to Saturn 6, and to Mars 5. The beginning of the novena belongs to Mars, the second to Venus, the third to Mer- cury, the fourth to the Moon, the fifth to the Sun, the sixth to Mercury, the seventh to Venus, the eighth to Mars, and the ninth to Jupiter. The beginning of the power of the twelve signs corresponds to Jupiter, the second and the third to Saturn, the fourth to Jupiter, the fifth to Mars, the sixth to Venus, the seventh to Mercury, the eighth to the Moon, the ninth to the Sun, the tenth to Mercury, the eleventh to Venus, and the twelfth to Mars. From the start of the sign until the end there are 9 bright degrees, then 3 neutral, then 7 bright, then 4 dark, and then 7 blank. Likewise from the inception of the sign until its declination there are 2 male degrees, then 3 female, then 7 male, then 12 female, and then 6 male. The Ara of the stars is composed of degrees 7, 12, 15, 24, 27, and 30. The degrees which enhance grace and honor are 13 and 20. Among the dark stars the star which follows the tail of Scorpio is now in degree 16, and its latitude is 13 degrees and 15 minutes south; the star which is called arrow is in degree 18 at present, and its latitude is 6 degrees and 20 minutes south; then there is the star known as the marksman’s eye, which is at the end of the sign at the present time, and its latitude is 45 minutes north. Capricornus is one of the signs of the earth, female, nocturnal, south of the signs. of the cold days, and variable. In it the hours of the day begin to grow longer and the hours of the night grow shorter, and its hours are shorter than the normal ones, Its nature is cold, dry, and destructive ; its beginning seems to be warm and damp, its middle mild, its end rainy, no matter whether it be north or south. It is oblique; its ascensions are short; it is incomplete in its operations; it has two figures and two natures; its first half has the form of a land animal which has hoofs, and its other half has the form of an aquatic animal. Its humor is melancholy} its savor is bitter and sour; its shade of color is black and dust-color. Its group in the animal kingdom includes every quad- ruped having hoofs, some of the aquatic animals in addition to the worms, fleas, and flies; in the vegetable kingdom it has the olive-trees, walnut-trees, carob-trees, gall-nuts, every tree bearing many thorns, and that which grows near lagoons, such as bamboos and reeds. Its area covers the first zone, Ethiopia, Mabcan, Amman, Sind, India, Indies, and the end of the border of the land of Idumea. Its places are the gardens, every irrigated land, the fountains, rivers, reservoirs, the places for keeping dogs and foxes, prisons, servants’ quarters, the place where the fire is kindled after it has been extinguished, the pasture-ground of TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 181 the sheep, and every place of mire in which nothing grows. Its letters are kaf and het. Its years, as well as its months, amount to 27, its days 30734, and its hours 14. In the first face there will ascend the second half of the great bear, the figure of a woman who is playing, the head of a large fish, a fountain of impure water, the body and head of a monkey, and the head of a dog. The wise men of India say that an - irascible Moor will then mount up whose body resembles that of a fat pig; he is hirsute; his teeth are sharp and as long as beams; he carries the goad for the cattle, and he is fishing. In the opinion of Ptolemy there will ascend in it the middle part and the neck of Ursa Minor and the last part of the body of the falling eagle. In the second face a woman will rise up, who is sitting on a bed and who has with her a vine- . stock and half of a cart. The wise men of India posit that a black woman will then mount up covered with a mantle and holding a horse. According to Ptolemy there will ascend the end of Ursa Minor, a part of the dragon’s body, the right wing and the neck and head of Cygnus, the body of the flying eagle, the horns and head of Capricornus, and the edges of Sagittarius. In the third face there will go up the tail of a fish, the end of the impure fountain, the end of the monkey, the second half of the cart, and a half of the decapitated figure which holds its head in its hand. The sages of India maintain that a woman then rises up who is beautiful although black, capable of performing any handiwork or work in-silk. According to Ptolemy there will also arise a part of the dragon, the last part of the body and the right foot and the left wing of Cygnus, the fish which is called dolphin, the central part of the body of Capricornus, and the tail of the fish. The man who is born in it will have an attractive body and an erect stature, but he will be austere, and he will have a small head and thick cheeks ; he will have a pointed beard, but he will not have any hair on his chest; his voice will be weak; he will be irascible and destructive; he is endowed with education, deceit, and great sorrow; he is addicted to sexual intercourse and fornication; he will have a large offspring, including twins ; his actions are futile, and he lacks energy ; he will acquire wealth through kings; a serious mishap will befall him because of women. He who is born in the first face will have a pleasing body, a wide chest, and a black mark beneath his elbow; he will be intelligent, modest, refined, and magnanimous. He who is born in the second face will be prepossessing, with large nostrils and, pretty eyes; his intention ig evil ; he will be irascible but ingratiating. He who is born in the third face will also have a beautiful body, but his counte- nance will have a saffron color; he will have a mark on his left arm or on his pudenda; he will be easily aroused to anger; he will abhor evil and long for women; he will be refined and sociable. He who is born182 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM at the end of the sign will be a bastard. In general this sign is por- tentous for the horoscope of women. Its anatomical part is the pudenda, with all the diseases arising there. Its characteristic ailments are scabies, pruritus, leprosy, muteness, deafness, fever, amblyopia, and hgmorrhage, and from degree 22 to 25 it denotes a cataract in the eye. Its human beings comprise those who till the soil, the sailors, the intermediaries, and the shepherds. The house of Saturn and the dignity of Mars are in degree 28; the disgrace of Jupiter and the house of the hatred of the Moon are in degree 15; the head of the dragon of Mercury is in degree 26. The ruler of the triplicity by day is Venus and then the Moon and by night the Moon and then Venus, and their satellite by day and by night is Mars. According to the Egyptians the sickness pertinent to Jupiter is in the neck, to Mars in the knees, to the Sun in the stomach, to Venus in the testicles, to Mercury in the genitalia, and to the Moon in the intestines. According to the doctrine of the Egyptians and the Babylonians the first face belongs to Jupiter, the second to Mars, and the third to the Sun; but in the opinion of the wise men of India the first corresponds to Saturn, the second to Venus, and the third to Mercury. Here are the limits according to the Egyptians and the astrologers: to Mercury 7 degrees, to Jupiter 7, to Venus 8, to Saturn 4, to Mercury 4; but in the judgment of Ptolemy they are: to Venus 6, to Mercury 6, to Jupiter 7, to Saturn 6, to Mars 5. The beginning and the second of the novena belong to Saturn, the third to Jupiter, the fourth to Mars, the fifth to Venus, the sixth to Mercury, the seventh to the Moon, the eighth to the Sun, and the ninth to Mercury. The first and second of the power of the twelve signs correspond to Saturn, the third to Jupiter, the fourth to Mars, the fifth to Venus, the sixth to Mercury, the seventh to the Moon, the eighth to the Sun, the ninth to Mercury, the tenth to Venus, the eleventh to Mars, and the twelfth to Jupiter. From the beginning of the sign until its declination there are 7 neutral degrees, then 3 bright, then 5 dark, then 4 clear, then 2 neutral, then 4 blarik, and then S clear. From the inception of the sign until the end there are 11 male degrees, then 8 female, and then 11 male. The Ara of the stars is formed by the degrees 2, 17, 22, 24, and 28. The degrees which increase grace and honor are 13, 14, and 20. Among the superior planets the falling eagle comes in the third degree at present; its latitude is 62 degrees north; it belongs to the first magnitude of the conjunction of Venus and Mercury. The flying eagle is in the nineteenth degree now; its latitude is 29 degrees and 10 minutes north; it is in the second magnitude of the nature of Jupiter. There are also cloudy stars between the degrees 7 and 13. Aquarius is one of the signs of the air, male among the diurnal signs, TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 183 occidental among the signs of winter, stationary in its position; its hours are shorter than the normal ones; it is oblique in its ascensions, which are brief. Its nature is warm, moist, and destructive; it denotes every air annihilating the living and any devastating, exterminating wind. Its beginning is very damp; its middle is mild; its end stirs up winds; when. it is north, it produces snow, and when it is south, it produces clouds. It appears as a man all alone; at its left is the occident, and the sea-wind corresponds to it. Of the four humors it has the blood; its flavor is sweet; its shade of color is green, saffron, and dust-color. Its group embraces man, princes, and every homely person. Its area covers the second zone, Ethiopia, Kufa, Alhaviza, and Egypt. Its places are the Tunning waters, the seas, the refuse-dumps, the wine-shops, the hilly lands, the irrigated fields, and the brothels. To it corresponds also every vessel in which one fetches water. Its typical letters are lamed and dalet. Its years as well as its months amount to 30, its days 75, and its hours 6. In the first face there will ascend the head of him who drives the horse with his hand, and a bird with a black crest which catches fish. The wise men of India affirm that a Moor, who is a coppersmith, will then mount up. According to Ptolemy there will also ascend the end of the tail of Ursa Minor, the paw of Cygnus, the head of the first horse, and the rump and tail of Capricornus. In the second face there will arise the body of the horse and the wing of the bird which catches fish. The teachers of India say that a very dark Moor will then rise up who has a long beard and who holds in his hand a bow, arrows, and bags con- taining precious stones and gold. In the opinion of Ptolemy there will then ascend the tail of Ursa Minor, the body and head of the second horse, the beginning of Aquarius, and half of the belly of the austral fish. In the third face there will come up Cygnus, the rear of him who holds the horse with his hand, and the end of the bird which catches fish. The sages of India say that an angry, deceitful Moor will then rise up, who has hair in his ear and over whom there is a crown made of tree- leaves, and who moves from place to place. According to Ptolemy there will then ascend the tail of Ursa Minor, the body of the horse, the end of Aquarius, and the head of the austral fish. The man who will be born in it will be short of stature; he will have a large head, and one foot will be bigger than the other; he will be magnanimous, attractive, and self- laudatory ; his sole ambition is to increase his wealth; he will either be impotent or will have few children. He who is born in the first face will have a beautiful body and countenance; he will have a mark on his chest or on his left foot; he is a refined, gregarious person. He, who is born in the second face will be tall and ruddy ; he will have a mark on his back and below his elbow; he will be grieved all his life. He who is184 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM born in the third face will have a short stature, an attractive body, a ruddy complexion, and a mark under his elbow, and he will be fond of women. He who is born at the end of the sign will be inconsistent in his appearance and in all his actions. With regard to the human body it includes the legs and all their ailments, depression, black jaundice, hernia of. the organs, and, between degrees 20 and 25, defective vision. Its human group embraces every downcast and afflicted individual, sailors, and tanners. It is the house of Saturn and the house of the hatred of the Sun; in it no planet has honor or disgrace; the place of the nadir of Mars is in the twelfth degree right now. According to the doctrine of the Egyptians the sickness attributable to Saturn falls in the neck, to Jupiter in the hands, to Mars in the legs, to the Sun in the intes- tines, to Venus in the knees, to Mercury in the testicles, and to the Moon in the genitalia. The rulers of the triplicity by day are Saturn and then Mercury and the reverse by night, and their satellite by day and by night is Jupiter. In the opinion of the Egyptians and Babylonians the first face corresponds to Venus, the second to Mercury, and the third to the Moon; but according to the wise men of India the first belongs to Saturn, the second to Mercury, and the third to Venus. In the doctrine of the Egyptians and astrologers the limits are as follows: to Mercury 7 degrees, to Venus 6, to Jupiter 7, to Mars 5, and to Saturn 5; but Ptolemy claims they are: to Saturn 6, to Mercury 6, to Venus 8, to Jupiter 5, and to Mars 5. The beginning of the novena corresponds to Venus, the second to Mars, the third to Jupiter, the fourth and the fifth to Saturn, the sixth to Jupiter, the seventh to Mars, the eighth to Venus, and the ninth to Mercury. The beginning of the influence of the twelve signs corresponds to Saturn, the second to Jupiter, the third to Mars, the fourth to Venus, the fifth to Mercury, the sixth to the Moon, the seventh to the Sun, the eighth to Mercury, the ninth to Venus, the tenth to Mars, the eleventh to Jupiter, and the twelfth to Saturn. From the beginning until the end of the sign there are 4 dark degrees, then 5 bright, then 4 neutral, then 8 bright, then 4 blank, and then 5 bright. Likewise from the inception of the sign until its declination there are 5 male degrees, then 7 female, then 6 male, then 7 female, and then 5 male. The Ara of the stars is formed by degrees 1, 12, 17, 22, and 29. The degrees which increase grace and honor are 7, 16, 17, and 20. Among the elevated stars the mouth of the austral fish is in the twenty- third degree at the present time; its latitude is 23 degrees and 20 minutes south; it is in the first magnitude of the conjunction of Venus and Mercury. There is also another star called Alradaf, which is in the tail of Cygnus and in the twenty-fifth degree at present; its latitude is sixty degrees north; it belongs to the second magnitude of the conjunction of TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 185 Venus and Mercury. Finally there are 4 dark stars in the horse’s head lying between degrees 12 and 14. Pisces is one of the aquatic signs, female, nocturnal, north of the cold signs. It has two bodies. When it declines the day equals the night; its hours are shorter than the normal ones; it is oblique in its ascensions, which are short. Its limbs are severed. It gives rise to cold and dampness, annihilating the living beings and the plants. It points to every fetid body of water. In general it stirs up winds. Its beginning is mild; its center is cold; its end is rather warm. When it is north it generates winds, and when it is south it generates water. It appears asa fish. In it are the right part of the north and the north wind which is between the north and the west. Its nature is cold and moist. It puts bad phlegm into the human body. Its savor is salty and insipid. Its special shade of color is green, white, and changeable. Among the living it has the aquatic animals, all plants which grow in the water, bdellium, corals, and onyx stones. Its area covers the second zone, the country of Sheba, Tiberias, and the northern territory in the land of Gira, besides having a share in Idumea and Alexandria. Its places comprise the syna- gogues, the banks of all rivers, and the ponds. Its characteristic letters are mem and tsade. Both its years and months amount to 12, its days 30, and its hours 12. It is speechless, and has a large progeny. In the first face there will arise a half of a horse which has two wings, the beginning of the river, and the tail of the fish called crocodile. The wise men of India say that in the first face there will ascend a man dressed in desirable clothing, who holds an iron vessel in his hand and who is going home. In the opinion of Ptolemy a part of the tail of Ursa Minor, the intestines of the second horse, and the beginning of the first fish will mount up. In the second face there will go up a half of the river and the second half of him who moves on his knees. The learned men of India say that a winsome white woman will then rise up, who is seated on a ship at sea and who wishes to land. According to Ptolemy there will then ascend the tail of Ursa Minor, the hand of the woman who sits on the chair, the shoulder of the woman who never had a hus- band, the head of the woman who is joined to the horse, and the tip of the fish. In the third face there will arise the end of the river, the end of the fish called crocodile, and the remainder of him who moves on his Imees. The wise men of India say that a nude man will then mount up; he has put his foot on his stomach, he holds a lance in his hand, and he shouts through fear of robbers and of fire. In the opinion of Ptolemy there will then arise the end of the tail of Ursa Minor, the middle of the back of the woman seated on the chair, the breast of the woman who has never known a man sexually, a part of the threads of flax, and186 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM the rear of the serpent. The human being who is born in it will have an erect and medium-sized body, a white complexion, a broad chest, an attractive beard, a serene forehead, and eyes that are black rather than white. Some of the persons will have a limb amputated. He will in- dulge freely in sleeping, gluttony, and inebriety. He will not be peremp- tory, but he will be irascible, polite, deceitful, and will have a weak voice. He who is born in the first face will have a beautiful shape and countenance, a narrow chest, and a mark under his elbow or under his foot. He who is born in the second face will have a short stature, a prepossessing appearance, and a black beard; he will be hirsute; a mark will be below his elbow; he will be hostile to all men. He who is born in the third face will be auburn, and will have beautiful eyes; he will be ill often. He who is born at the end of the sign will commit suicide. Its anatomical part comprises the feet and toes with all their ailments; it results in the sickness of hemiplegy, itch, leprosy, and generally speak- ing it is a sign of disease. Its group of human beings embraces the outcasts and the fishermen. The Egyptians say that in it the sickness imputable to Saturn lies in the hands, to Jupiter in the cardiac region, to Mars in the feet, to the Sun in the genitalia, to Venus in the legs, to Mercury in the knees, and to the Moon in the testicles. It forms the house of Jupiter and the dignity of Venus in degree 27 and the dishonor of Mercury in degree 15, which is the house of its odium. The nadir of Jupiter is now in degree 23, and the dragon’s head of Venus is now in degree 26. The rulers of the triplicity by day are Venus and then Mars and vice-versa by night, and their satellite by day and by night is the Moon. According to the Egyptians and the Babylonians the first face corresponds to Saturn, the second to Jupiter, and the third to Mars; but, in the opinion of the wise men of India, the first belongs to Saturn, the second to the Moon, and the third to Mars. The limits given by the Egyptians and the astrologers are as follows: to Venus 12 degrees, to, Jupiter 4, to Mercury 3, to Mars 9, and to Saturn 2; but in the Ptole- maic system they are: to Venus 8, to Jupiter 6, to Mercury 6, to Mars 5, and to Saturn 5. The beginning of the novena corresponds to the Moon, the second to the Sun, the third to Mercury, the fourth to Venus, the fifth to Mars, the sixth to Jupiter, the seventh and the eighth to Saturn, and the ninth to Jupiter. The beginning of the influence of the twelve signs belongs to Jupiter, the second to Mars, the third to Venus, the fourth to Mercury, the fifth to the Moon, the sixth to the Sun, the seventh to Mercury, the eighth to Venus, the ninth to Mars, the tenth to Jupiter, the eleventh and the twelfth to Saturn. From the beginning of the sign until the end there are 6 bright degrees, then 6 neutral, then 4 bright, then 3 blank, then 3 bright, and then 2 neutral. From the rise TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 187 of the sign until its declination there are 10 male degrees, then 10 female, then 3 male, then 3 female, and then 2 male. The Ara of the stars comes in degrees 4, 9, 24, 27, and 28. The degrees which increase grace and honor are 18 and 20. Among the superior planets there is the croup of the horse, at present in the eighteenth degree; its latitude is thirty-one degrees north; it is in the first magnitude of the conjunction of Mars and Mercury. In case the superior constellations, which I have just enumerated, should appear at the moment when the horoscope is cast in the ascend- ing degree, or in the degree which is in the center of the heavens, that is, the inception of the tenth house, or in a degree having the Sun by day or the Moon by night, or in the degree of the Moon’s fate called the favorable fate, then the new-born will have a degree of a magnitude such as his forbears never possessed nor anyone can imagine; but all the ancients are in unanimous agreement in auguring that the individual will meet with a terrible end, and all the more so if the omen happens to be one of the stars in the conjunction of the baleful stars, .Now I shall proceed to a discussion of the character of the stars which are in the elliptical orbit of the celestial sphere and in the northern and southern figures. The ancients claimed that the stars which are on the mouth of Aries are of a nature similar to that of Mercury and somewhat to that of Saturn; the star which is on its paw partakes of the nature of Mars; the one which is on its rump is of the nature of Venus. The stars which are on the severed place of Taurus have the nature of Venus and partake somewhat of the nature of Jupiter; the Pleiades belong to the conjunction of Mars and the Moon; the stars which are on the head of Taurus are of a nature analogous to that of Saturn and somewhat to that of Mercury. In their cluster the large star is the eye of Taurus, called Aldebaran, which by itself corresponds to the nature of Mars, as do the stars on the horns of Taurus. Those which are on the foot of Gemini belong to the nature of Mercury and, to a certain extent, to the nature of Venus; those which are on the testicle of Gemini are of the nature of Saturn. As to the two luminaries which are in the head, the one in front partakes of the nature of Mer- cury and the other partakes of the nature of Mars. The nature of the stars on the feet of Cancer resembles that of Mercury and somewhat that of Mars; those which are in its tail are of the conjunction of Saturn and Mercury. Those which are near its belly are considered nebulous, and their nature is similar to that of Mars and the Sun. Those which are on the head of Leo are by their nature comparable to Saturn and, to a certain extent, to Mars, The stars on its neck belong to the nature of Saturn and somewhat to that of Mercury. The bright star, called188 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM Leo’s heart, is of the conjunction of Mars and Saturn; the one in its loins is of a nature like that of Venus; the stars in its testicles partake of the nature of Venus and somewhat of that of Mercury. Those which are above Virgo’s head at the tip of its right wing correspond to the nature of Mercury and, to a small extent, to that of Mars. The nature of those which are on the loins is equivalent to that of Venus. Those which are on the left wing fall in the conjunction of Saturn and Mer- cury. The star called Simac Alezal is of the nature of Venus and somewhat of the nature of Mercury. The stars on its feet partake of the nature of Mercury and, to a limited extent, of that of Mars. The two stars on the palm of Libra lie in the conjunction of Jupiter and Mercury. The asterism which is on the horns of Scorpio is of the nature of Saturn and corresponds roughly to Mercury and Mars. The luminous stars on the back of Scorpio have a nature equivalent to that of Mars and somewhat to that of Saturn. The nature of its heart is analogous to Mars and less so to Jupiter. Those which are on its tail are, in their nature, similar to Saturn and somewhat to Venus. The nebulous stars which are found there belong to the conjunction of Mars and the Moon; those in Sagittarius fall in the conjunction of Mercury and the Moon; those which are on the back of the marksman are of the nature of Jupiter and, in a way, that of Mercury. The hoofs of the horse belong to the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, and the stars on its tail correspond to the nature of Venus and somewhat to that of Saturn, Those which are on the mouth of Capricornus have a nature like that of Mars and a bit like that of Venus; those which are on its belly come into the conjunction of Mars and Mercury; those on its tail belong to the conjunction of Saturn and Mercury. Those which are on the shoulder and the left hand of him who draws water with a bucket lie in the conjunction of Saturn and Mercury, while those on its nos- trils are of the nature of Mercury and somewhat that of Saturn. Those which are on the spurt of water are akin, in their nature, to that of Saturn and a bit to that of Jupiter. The stars which are on the head of the fish partake of the nature of Mercury and somewhat that of Saturn ; those which are on its belly belong to the conjunction of Jupiter and Mercury; the nature of those on its tail is like that of Saturn and, to a certain extent, that of Mercury; those which are on its stomach towards the left have the nature of Jupiter and somewhat that of Venus; those which are found at the end of Pisces are of a nature similar to that of Mars and somewhat to that of Mercury. These are the stars which are on the northern side of the elliptical sphere. The luminaries in Ursa Minor belong to the conjunction of Saturn and, to a small extent, of Venus. Those in Ursa Major, or TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 189 Ayish, and its offspring, adhere to the conjunction of the Moon and Venus. The luminaries in the dragon are in the conjunction of Saturn and Mars, The stars of Cepheus lie in the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. Those in the bed of the armed one fall in the conjunction of Saturn and Mercury. The luminary in the boreal crown belongs to the conjunction of Venus and Mercury. The one which moves on its knees is of a nature similar to that of Mercury. The luminary, which is the falling eagle, adheres to the conjunction of Venus and Mercury. The luminous star called Cygnus, and those which are together with the woman who sits on the seat, lie in the conjunction of Venus and Saturn. Those which are with the rider, who carries the devil’s head, belong to the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter. Those which are on its sword are in the conjunction of Mars and Mercury. The luminary called Ayoc comes into the conjunction of Mars and Mercury. Those which accom- pany the bearer of the serpent are of a nature similar to that of Saturn and somewhat to that of Venus. Those which are on its shoulder belong to the conjunction of Saturn and Mars. The flying eagle is in the con- junction of Jupiter and Mars. The stars of the fish called dolphin are in the conjunction of Saturn and Mars. The luminaries in Sagittarius lie in the conjunction of Mars and Mercury. The stars which go with the woman who has never had a husband have the nature of Venus, and those with the triangle have the nature of Mercury. These are the austral stars of the ecliptic of the zodiac. The luminary in the mouth of the southern fish is in the conjunction of Venus and Mercury. The one which accompanies the Sun has the nature of Saturn. The one which is on the warrior’s shoulder lies in the conjunc- tion of Mars and Mercury. The other luminaries belong to the con- junction of Saturn and Jupiter. The stars of the river come in the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter, The stars of the hare fall in the conjunction of Saturn and Mars. The stars which move around the loitering dog are in the conjunction of Venus and Mercury. Those which are on the dog’s mouth, that is, Alsaeri Alymania, are of the nature of Jupiter and somewhat of Mars. The stars of the warrior have the nature of Saturn and Venus. Those in the ship have the nature of Saturn and Mars. The luminary called Kesil is of the nature of Jupiter and Saturn. The two dark stars are in the conjunction of Venus and Mercury. Those which are on the horse’s form are in the conjunc- tion of Venus and Jupiter. The luminaries on the throat are of the nature of Venus and somewhat of Mars. The nature of those in the austral crown is that of Mercury. The stars of the wolf lie in the con- junction of Saturn and Mercury. The stars of the censer have the nature of Jupiter and, to a certain extent, that of Mercury. Those are the stars which the ancient scientists investigated.190 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM CHAPTER IIL The third chapter deals with the aspects of the degrees of the celestial sphere, their amity, their animosity, all matters concerning the quarters of the orbit, its twelve divisions, and what they prognosticate at any moment. The aspect can be in four ways, namely, sextile, quadrature, trine, and opposition. The degrees of the aspect are seven, to wit, the third, fourth, fifth, seventh, ninth, tenth, and eleventh. The aspect in the third: and eleventh is the sextile aspect. The aspect in the fourth and tenth is the quadrature aspect. The aspect in the fifth and ninth is the trine aspect. The aspect in the seventh is the opposition. The aspect in the third, fourth, and fifth is septentrional; the aspect in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh is meridional. The sextile aspect is the sixth part of the sphere, that is, 60 degrees; the quadrature aspect is the fourth part of the sphere, or 90 degrees; the trine aspect is the third part of the sphere, or 120 degrees; the opposition is half of the sphere, or 180 degrees. By way of example, let us suppose that the sign of the ascen- dant is the beginning of Aries; then its northern sextile aspect will be in the beginning of Gemini, and its southern sextile aspect will be in the beginning of Aquarius; its southern quadrate aspect in the begin- ning of Scorpio and its northern quadrate aspect in the beginning of Capricornus; its northern trine aspect in the beginning of Aries, and its southern trine aspect in the beginning of Sagittarius; its opposition aspect in the beginning of Libra. The most influential of all the aspects is that of opposition, next in influence is the quadrature aspect, which in turn is followed by the trine aspect, and the weakest of all is the sextile aspect. The opposition aspect is complete enmity, the quadrature aspect is semi-enmity, the trine aspect is perfect amity, and the sextile aspect is semi-amity. The signs among which there is neither aspect nor conjunction are four, namely, the second, sixth, eighth, and twelfth. Of these the weakest are the sixth and twelfth. There are some signs which are detrimental with regard to the aspect, but which are helpful in another way by virtue of lying within the same radius in ascensions, in prevalence, or in the elliptical orbit: those whose ascensions are con- stant, such as Aries, Pisces, Virgo, Libra, Taurus, Aquarius, Leo, Scorpio, Gemini, Capricornus, Cancer, and Sagittarius; those which have an equal influence, that is, every sign whose odd hours are the same, such as Scorpio with Gemini, Taurus with Leo, Aries with Virgo, Pisces with Libra, Aquarius with Cancer, Capricornus with Sagittarius. The star which is in one of the direct signs is called the master, and the one which is opposite its degree in one of the oblique signs is the serf. The signs which are precisely in the elliptical orbit are always TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 191 double signs which are houses of a star: for instance, Aries and Scorpio are of Mars, Taurus and Libra of Venus, Gemini and Virgo of Mer- cury, Sagittarius and Pisces of Jupiter, Capricornus and Aquarius of Saturn. Even though the Moon has a single house and the Sun has only one, nevertheless both exert an influence, and their houses are sup- posed to belong to the same influence. Even though Aries, Libra, Capri- cornus, Scorpio, Virgo, Pisces, et cetera, are of a nature which functions with consistency, yet there is enmity seizing them because of the diametric aspect. The sphere is divided at every minute of the hour into four parts, because the quarter of the sphere which extends from the meridian of the heavens as far as the ascendant degree is oriental, male, and direct; that which corresponds to it among the four elements is the air, in the human body it is the blood, of the seasons of the year it is the spring- time, of the four parts of the day and night it is the first one, of the age of man it is childhood, of the shades of color it is white. The quar- ter which extends from the meridian of the planets to the declining degree is southern, weak as though it were female, and its motions are retrograde; what resembles it most closely among the four elements is the fire, of the seasons of the year it is winter, of the four parts of the day and night it is the second one, in the human body it is the blood, of the ages it is adolescence, and of the colors it is the red. The quarter which extends from the declining degree until the degree of the abyss is occidental, with the power of male, and it is direct; its equivalent among the elements is the earth, of the seasons of the year it is autumn, of the four parts of the day and night it is the third, within the human body. it is melancholy, of the ages it is about fifty years, and of the colors it is the black. The quarter which extends from the line of the - abyss to the ascending degree is septentrional, like female, and retro- grade; among the elements what befalls it is the water, among the sea- sons of the year it is the winter, of the four parts of the day and night it is the last one, in the human body it is cold mixed with dampness, of the ages it is the days of old age and senility, and of the colors it is the green. The term southing denotes the meridian passage above the earth, extending from the zenith down to the horizon; the term northing refers to that which lies beneath the earth. Likewise the two quarters which are male are called meridional, and those which are like female are sep- . tentrional. The half of the ascending orbit includes the two quarters from the meridian of the celestial bodies to the ascending degree and from the ascending degree to the line of the abyss. The half of the declining sphere means the other half extending from the line of the abyss to the declining degree and from the declining degree to the center of the celestial bodies.192 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM Every minute the sphere is divided into twelve parts, in accordance with the number of the signs of the zodiac, and they are called houses; each group of four receives the same name. Houses 1, 4, 7, and 10 are known as poles, because they look like points. Houses 2, 5, 8, and 11 all bear the same name, supports for the poles. Houses 3, 6, 9, and 12 have the common name of wanes. The poles are more powerful than the supports, and supports are more powerful than the wanes. The most powerful poles are 1 and 10, the most powerful supports are 5 and 11, the most powerful wanes are 6 and 9. At every minute the houses of the orbit correspond to the four elements, and I shall give an example with reference to the poles. When the rising sign is in Aries, whose nature is like fire, in the meridian of the celestial bodies there will be Capricornus, which has the nature of earth, and the declining sign will be Libra, which is of the nature of air, and the line of the abyss will be Scorpio with the nature of water. The same holds true in the case of the supported houses and the wanes. These twelve houses are fundamental in casting the horoscope of man, in the consultations of the stars, in the selections, and also in the astrological judgments of the universe in general. The first house is the one which rises at the beginning of the western line, It denotes life, body, speech, knowledge, growth, the start of any undertaking, and any thing which pertains to the human mind, and of the span of life it points to the inception. The ruler of the first triplicity prognosticates the life and character of the new-born and of the asker, his requests, and all that which may befall him early in life whether beneficial or baleful. The ruler of the second triplicity exerts an influ- ence over the body, over strength, and middle-age. The ruler of the third triplicity shares, jointly with his companions, in all that they dominate, and, in addition, he controls the end of the span of life. ’ The second house forecasts wealth, the acquisition of property, the gift, food and those who prepare it, those who obey the command, wit- nesses, keys, and treasures. The ruler of the first triplicity points to wealth early in life. The ruler of the second triplicity denotes middle- age. The third refers to the end. The third house rules over the brothers, sisters, relatives, sons-in-law, wisdom, knowledge of the Holy Writ, jurisprudence, dreams, modesty, advice, fidelity, epistles, notices, and approximate direction. The ruler of the first triplicity denotes the older brothers, the second those in between, and the third the young ones. 7 The fourth house serves as an augury over the father, floors, homes, fields, regions, cultivated lands, hidden treasures, and any concealed object. The ruler of the first triplicity points to the father, the second to the floors, and the third to the end of anything. TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 193 ‘The fifth house marks the sons, destiny, food, drink, raiment, pleasure, presents, emissaries, crops, and the father’s treasures. The first trip- licity governs children and parents, the second pleasure, and the third emissaries. The sixth house points to any disease which is chronic, likewise to chance, servants, maids, small cattle, prison, fraud, and calumny. The tuler of the first triplicity determines sicknesses and defects, the second the servants, and the third whether they will be useful or harmful. The seventh house prognosticates women, coition, dispute, war, liti- gation, thieves, social intercourse, and business. The ruler of the first triplicity indicates women, the second wars, and the third social intercourse. The eighth house predicts death, inheritance, deposit, separation, fear, grief, and ruin. The ruler of the first triplicity decides upon death, the second upon anything ancient, and the third upon inheritance. The ninth house determines circulation, distant roads, all that which turns freely, secular knowledge, religion, the service dedicated to God, messengers, news, dreams, oaths, prodigies, marvels, judgments, and law-suits. The ruler of the first triplicity decides upon circulation, the second upon religion, and the third upon knowledge. The tenth house refers to the mother, the government, reputation, and all professions. The ruler of the first triplicity points to the mother, the second to reputation, and the third to professions. The eleventh house denotes honor, grace, good reputation, hope, friends, companions, royal princes, exchequers, and wardrobe-stewards. The ruler of the first triplicity points to the hope in one’s mind, the second to the companions, and the third whether they are favorable or detrimental. The twelfth house is an omen of grief, indigence, envy, animosity, fear, tricks, vigilance, prisons, captivity, disgrace, beatings, and the animals which serve as a mount for man. The ruler of the first triplicity denotes sorrow, the second prison, and the third enemies. CHAPTER IV The foyrth chapter deals with the conjunction of the seven planets, their influence, and all that which they Prognosticate. Now I shall be- gin by treating of Saturn, since it is the most elevated of all by virtue of its being in the seventh sphere viewed from the earth. Saturn is cold and dry; its nature is very pernicious; it denotes destruction, ruin, death, affliction, weeping, grief, complaint, and ancient things. In the human activity it has control of the mind, and its area covers the first 14194 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM zone, which is India. Its group of peoples embraces the Moors, the Jews, the natives of Barbary, the assembly of all the elders, the hus- bandmen, the cultivators, the tanners, the cleaners of lavatories, the servants, the outcasts, the thieves, the diggers of wells and ditches, and the undertakers who get the mortuary shrouds. Its metals of the earth include dark lead, iron-ore, black stones, all black marble, the magnet, and every heavy and dark stone. Its sections of land comprise the grottos, the wells, the prisons, every dim and uninhabitable place, and the cemetery-grounds. Among its wild animals there are the elephants, the camels, any big and ugly animal such as hogs, bears, monkeys, black dogs, and black cats. As its part of the birds it has every bird with a long neck such as the ostrich, the eagle, the vulture, every bird with a terrible voice, the raven, the owl, and every bird that looks black. Of the things that crawl on the ground it takes in the fleas, the lice, the flies, the mice, and any creeping thing within the earth which is destruc- tive and mephitic. As for trees it has any tree with gall, the carob-tree, tragacanth known _as balot, the medlar-tree, any tree which has thorns that hurt but which bears no fruit, lentils, and panic. Its medicinal spe- cies are the cactus, which is called aloe, myrobalan, albalileg, and almaleg, which are like prunes imported from India, in addition to any plant producing a deadly poison, any bitter thing such as absinth, and in general any black plant. Its nature is cold and dry; its savor is acrid, drawing together the tongue, and that which does not have an agreeable taste; its odor is fetid. Of the kinds of spices there are alcasat or cin- namon, cassia fistula or barks of the tree, aromatic laurel, and almaha or gum. Its raiments are the cloak, the woolen clothing, the covers, and any heavy garment. To its part of the nature of man corresponds the mental faculty, paucity of words, astuteness, isolation from human beings, the power to dominate over them, to conquer, pillage, wrath, to be peremptory in one’s word, concatenation of ideas, knowledge of © secrets, worship of the Lord, the betrayal of fellow-men, contrariness, to be afraid,~to tremble, in general to deceive consistently with little benefit and great harm, to plow and build up the land, to extract metals, to seek hidden treasures and to excavate, to meditate upon subjects of death and any thing which has lasted for years. Its occupation is any one which requires much work and which yields little reward, all menial tasks such as chopping stones, cleaning cisterns, and any sordid job. It denotes fathers, grandfathers, the deceased, tears, separation, wander- ing, poverty, indigence, humiliation, distant and bad roads in which lurks danger, and it does not meet with success in any undertaking. Now if it is in the horoscope of a man dominating over it, it will endow his character with all the good which will be there provided that it is TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 195 in an auspicious position with respect to the Sun, to the parts of the orbit, and to the parts of the time, as I intend to explain; but, if it is the opposite, then it will yield every undesirable thing. If, when it is in an elevated degree, a favorable star should be in its conjunction, then it will produce all its effects beneficially, provided that the favorable star is in its greatest exaltation; but if it should be in its nadir, then the benefit will be slight. If the baleful star is in its conjunction and both are in their power, it will denote victory and incalculable pillage; if the ominous star is not in its power, then it will bring him every undesirable and vulgar thing with shame and opprobrium. I shall explain all that in the Book of Nativities. If Saturn is alone on the figure of man, then his stature will be erect, his face will have a complexion between white and black, he will be meek, beloved, strong, his hair will be black and curly, he will have hair on his chest, his eyes will be plain and very sensitive to cold and damp- ness. All this will occur provided that Saturn is east of the Sun, as I shall explain later; but if it is west, he will be thin, his hair will not be curly, and his nature will be cold and dry. In general it indicates that the new-born will have a very homely shape and face, abundant hair on his body, thick nostrils, lips, and teeth, and halitosis. Its anatomical parts include the bones, the spleen, the right ear, the place of the urine, and the blood. Its particular ailments are insanity, imbecility, tremor, hemiplegy, the diseases which result in a loss of speech, leprosy, the sicknesses of the feet, any disease which lasts many days, and any cold and dry illness due to cold weather and aridity. Of the ages of man it takes in old age and the end. Of the cardinal points it has the east; its shades of color are black and dusty; of the days it has Saturday, and of the nights Wednesday ; its hours are the first and eighth; its letters are sin, ayin, and pe, while some add to them nun; its figures are these two. As for its years the maximum are 256, the long ones 56, the “ average are 4334, the small ones 30, and the years of the part called alphardar are 11. The force of its body is 9 degrees both direct and retrograde. Jupiter is below Saturn, for it is in the sixth sphere viewed from the me It cane dean moist, and straight in its conjunction. It is the most propitious of the planets. It prognosticates life, any increase in * well-being, productivity, development, talk of justice and righteousness, It shares in the growing soul. Its area covers the second zone, which is the land of Yemen or Sheba, the territory of Alchazizu, which is Assyria and Mesia; among the nations the Persians and the Babylonians ; among groups of people the judges, the scholars, those who serve God, the meek, the noble, and the just. In the mineral kingdom it shares in tin196 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM called tutya, the stone called hyacinth, the white and the saffron, the sapphire, the onyx, the crystal, and any shining white stone which is useful. To it belong the synagogues, the places for divine worship, and the clean sites. In the animal kingdom it denotes all those which have a cleft hoof, such as sheep and deer, and every fine animal which has a beautiful appearance and which does little harm, and among the fowl the peacocks, chickens, doves, and in general any granivorous bird which is useful to man. Within the earth it stands for anything which is use- ful and not harmful, such as the silk-worm. Among the trees it has the walnut-trees, the almond-trees, the fruit called pistachio, bendac, also tsenobar or bean, and in general anything whose shell one must remove in order to eat what it contains ; likewise wheat, barley, vetch, and millet; among the flowers the one called albahar, jasmine, sweet marjoram, and that which is similar. Of the kinds of medicinal herbs, any one which makes an agreeable concoction and which has a good odor and taste, such as musc, camphor, sugar, fennel, aloe, amber, and similar species. It has pretty raiment, such as cotton clothing and any delicate mantle. With regard to man’s nature it denotes affection, justice, peace, faith, humility, good reputation, nobility of heart, freedom of mind in telling the truth, reliability in keeping covenants. The person will have a smil- ing face, loving good and abhorring evil. Ordinarily he will be opposed to any act not in conformity with law and justice; he will enjoy talking excessively, and he will seek the praise of his fellow-men; his every thought will be directed towards seeking and hoarding wealth, and towards attempting to succeed in every endeavor provided that it be in a legitimate way; he desires to learn law, jurisprudence, and the inter- pretations of dreams, and to serve in synagogues. Then it also prog- nosticates children and grandchildren. Usually it forecasts good luck, grace, and honor, and, if it is isolated at the casting of the horoscope, it will bring to him every honorable thing, and contrariwise if it does not exert its influence. The planets wax or wane when they unite with it in conjunction or in aspect; if the stars are malignant, they will diminish its benefit, but if they are favorable, they will increase its benefit. As for the shape of the individual, if it is east, it prognosticates an attractive stature, a body of a white, reddish appearance, little hair, and beautiful eyes; he will be a splendid person in all his activities, and by its nature it will be warm and moist. If it is west, his body will be erect, but his white complexion will not be perfect, and the hair on his head will be just the opposite of curly for he will be bald, and perspira- tion will develop in him. Generally it results in an individual of noble mind, splendid ambition, excellent vision, attractive beard, and light hair. Its anatomical region includes the livér, the left ear, the ribs, as well as TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 197 the blood. Its special diseases are all mild ailments which pass quickly. Of the span of life it is the period between adolescence and old age; of the colors it is the white, green, saffron, the suitable one, and every pretty bright color; of the cardinal points the north; of the days Thurs- day; of the nights the night preceding Monday; of the hours the first and the eighth; of the letters het, samekh, and bet, and here is its figure. Its major years are 427, its long years are 79, its average ones are 4534, and the small ones are 12. The years of alphardar are 12, and the force of its body is 12 degrees both direct and retrograde. Mars is hot, scorching dry, harmful, and destructive ; it prognosticates devastation, dearth, flames of fire, rebellion, blood, massacre, war, dis- putes, blows, separation, and, in general, anything which is not in its usual condition and form. Of the temperaments of man, it rules over anger. Its area covers the third zone, for example, Egypt and Alexan- dria. Its peoples are the English, or the natives of England, and those who worship fire. In the classifications of men, it denotes all the sol- diers, their commanders, the thieves, the artisans of iron, the black- smiths, the manufacturers of lances and swords, those who shed blood, the herdsmen, and those who are like them. In the mineral kingdom its part includes iron, red copper, sulphur, naphtha, vessels of crystal, in- struments of war, and any red stone. To it correspond the fortifications, the towers, and the ovens. Among the wild animals it has the hyenas, the dogs, and the leopard, and among the birds albuziah or goshawk. Of the creeping things it takes in any harmful one such as the serpent, the scorpion, and all those which possess a deadly venom. Its plants are the thorn, the briers, the one called albacam, which is a kind of wood used for dyeing, in addition to bastard-saffron, madder, any prickly plant, pepper, mustard, cumin, radish, leek, garlic, and alsedab or rue. The medicinal herbs which correspond to it are spike lavender, turpeth, spinach, orange-flower water, euphorbia, scammony, euphrasia, plantain, any herb which causes immediate pain, and any one whose flavor is caustic and tart and not pleasant. Its aromatic spices are bergamot mint and zaefaran or saffron. In raiment it!is skins of hares and sable and the garments which are dyed in kermes. Its share in human character refers to haste, strength, victory, power, disputes, combat, pillage, wrath, insults, anathema, prevarication, calumny, debauchery, effrontery, failure to keep one’s promise, libel, assault on all that which is prohibited by law, larceny, any wicked deed, cruelty, and great pain; furthermore, to wander from one spot to another, to run risks, to afflict people, to strike, to incarcerate, to lead into captivity, to plunder wealth, to dig in walls, to open gates, and to reveal any thing hidden. Generally speaking, every thing in it is harmful and there is no good in it. It points to brothers,198 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM brewers of quarrels, cutting the umbilical cord from the mother’s pla- centa, making a woman miscarry, any evil event which happens suddenly, any destruction and ruin. If it has no satellite when the horoscope is cast, it will bring all the good it can, provided that its influence is in force and that it is in aspect with favorable stars; just the opposite happens when its influence does not count and baleful stars rotate near it. If it is east of the Sun, the new-born will be tall, his appearance will be white but tending towards reddish, and he will have abundant hair over his body; but if it is west, he will be short in stature, he will have a reddish appearance, his face will be round, his eyes small, his hair red but not curly, and the nature of his body dry. Ordinarily it indicates a person with a ruddy appearance, with eyes like those of a cat, and an ugly complexion; he has spots and pock-marks on his face; his acts are done with haste, crossness, and frenzy. His anatomical section takes in the bile, the right nostril, the nerves, the kidneys, and the pudenda, in addition to the red humor and the burning blood; its diseases are ague, hot fever, the red pustules which break out on the body, tremor, in- sanity, contusion, and smarting pain. Of the years of the span of life it denotes youth. Its characteristic shade of color is dark red. Its car- dinal point is west, its particular day is Tuesday, its special night is the one preceding Saturday,-and its typical hours are the first and eighth. Of the letters of the alphabet it takes tsade, qof, and yod. Its figure is this one, although some maintain it is another one. Its major years are 284, the long ones are 66, the intermediate 4014, and the minimum 15. The years of the part called alphardar number 7. The force of its body is 8 degrees ‘both direct and retrograde. The Sun is equally warm and dry; it is both useful and injurious, doing good and harm; to it belong clearness and the sensitive soul. Its area covers the fourth zone as well as the land of Babylonia, Iraq, and Palestine, and among the nations Idumea, Trachonitis, and Dilam. The parts which correspond to it are as follows: of groups of people, the kings, prinees, and counselors; of the minerals of the earth, gold, pre- cious stones such as the diamond, red salt, marcasite whose red’ color tends towards gold, hematite, and any sparkling stone; of the places on land, mansions and royal palaces; of the living beings, man, horses, lions, big sheep, lambs; of the birds, aleukevan or lammergeier, and sparrow-hawk; of the reptiles, the large, deadly ones; of the trees, the date-trees, the vines, the olive-trees, the apple-trees, the mulberry-trees, havalmeloc or cherry-trees, quince-trees, and fig-trees, in addition to the rose, kidney-bean, and silk; of the kinds of spices, spikenard, kermes, lac, any spice of the warm variety with a tart taste, and any favorite concoction; of human qualities, knowledge, intelligence, majesty, beauty, TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 199 vigor, the ambition to reach high positions, the attachment to wealth, garrulity, power of repartee, and excessive desires; of the craftsmen, the beaters of gold and silver, and the manufacturers of crowns. In addition to all these, it denotes laws, precepts, the union of society, fathers, and half-brothers. Participation in its nature will be in pro- portion to its influence; if it is alone in the figure, the new-born will be fat with a white complexion, ordinary eyes, thin hair, and a beautiful face. Its anatomical part extends over the heart, the right eye by day and the left eye by night, the brain, the ducts, and the right half of the body. It also refers to blood and to all the diseases which originate in the mouth. It shares, among the ages, in the period of adolescence. Its shade of color is pure red and saffron. Its special flavor is the acrid. Its cardinal point is east. Its letters of the alphabet are alef, dalet, and lamed. Here is its figure. Its day is Sunday; its night is the one fol- lowed by Thursday; its hours are the first and the eighth; its major years number 1461, its great years 120, the average 3934, the short 19, and the years of alphardar amount to 10. The force of its body is 15 degrees both direct and retrograde. Venus is cold and damp, mixed, favorable, and direct; it is a good and well-regulated planet. To it correspond the lustful mind, fructifi- cation, and growth. Its area covers the fifth zone, which is Spain and a part of the land of Idumea. Its peoples are the Arabs and all those who believe in the Mohammedan religion. Its groups of human beings are the young, the eunuchs, the women, the leaders in play, the musi- cians, and the composers of liturgical poetry. Its part in all that there is in the bosom of the earth takes in the saffron copper, lapis lazuli, magnesia, litharge, sal ammoniac, mercury or vitriol, orpiment, and all ornaments, jewels, and rings for women. Its domain on the land in- cludes the orchards, the gardens, the places where myrtle grows, the buds, the places reserved for women, the dramshops, and the beds. Its animals are the deer, the hinds, and any beautiful animal; its birds are alchayagil or partridge, turtle-doves, and sparrows, while its insects are the spider and the ants. In addition it denotes frogs and, among the trees, the apple-trees, pomegranate-trees, and any fruit which has a nice scent and an agreeable taste. Within its domain lie balsam, anything that has a sweet perfume, and anything that is succulent and oleaginous. Its raiment comprises any embroidered work and all pretty clothing. Among human qualities it rules over cleanliness, love, mockery, laughter, joy, dancing, pleasant conversation, lust, carnal intercourse, gambling with dice, philanthropy, excessive desire for everything, false testimony, inclination towards inebriety, incessant longing for coition both legiti- mate and illegitimate, love of children, fondness for markets, and ordi-200 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM narily a devotion to justice and to the temples of divine service. Among the trades it denotes anything connected with dyeing and sewing. It also indicates eating and drinking, the mother, the daughters, and the younger sister. Its characteristics will apply in proportion to its influ- ence at the moment of casting the horoscope. If it is isolated at the casting of the horoscope and is east, then the new-born will be fat, his complexion white, his shape charming, his eyes black, and he will be tall; but if it is west, he will be short in stature, the white complexion of his face will not be pure, his hair will not be curly, and in fact he will be bald. In general it forecasts that every person will have an attractive shape, with a round face and black eyes, and will be a gam- bler. Its anatomical part extends over the flesh, the marrow, the liver, and man’s semen. Humidity corresponds to it. Its diseases include all those which arise in the loins and in the genitalia. In the span of life it controls youth, and, in general, any time after the age of thirteen. Its special color is white with a slight tinge of green. Its characteristic flavor is sweet and insipid. Its cardinal point is the east. Its particular letters of the alphabet are tet and dalet, and here is its figure. Of the days it governs Friday, of the nights the one which is followed by Tuesday, and of the hours the first and the eighth. Its major years number 1151, the long years 82, the average 45, and the short 8, while the years of the part known as alphardar amount to 8. The force of its body is 7 degrees both direct and retrograde. Mercury is mixed and variable, since it changes in conformity with the nature of the other planets and also with the nature of the signs. Its nature tends somewhat towards coldness and aridity. To its prog- nostic correspond the following influences: the soul of man and the power of comprehension; the sixth of the seven zones; of the nations Gog and Magog and the natives of India; among men the philosophers, the learned, the doctors, the scribes, the mathematicians, the geometri- cians, the merchants, and the artisans of any profession related to etch- ing and painting; in the metal kingdom mercury, all coins, and stones used as seals; of the places the markets, the educational institutions, all workshops, fountains, rivers, and abodes for the exiled; in the animal kingdom man, foxes, wild donkeys, and any animal light in jumping; among the birds the starling, the bees, and any bird agile in flying; of the things that creep on the ground the worms; in the vegetable king- dom the citrus with a share in the pomegranates, walnuts, reeds, cotton, flax, in addition to every variety of gum, ginger, gandabadastar, which is called the testicles of the animal having a tail like a fish and which is found in England, pyrethrum, malobathrum, asarum, schoinuanthos, zedoary, schitarach, gentian, and anything that tastes bitter; for raiment TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 201 all clothing of flax and all those which have embroidery; of human characteristics speech, thought, education, wisdom, astrology, sorcery, any kind of magic, precise enunciation, accuracy in expression, rapidity in conversation, ability in homiletics, talent for composing poetry, knowledge of concealed secrets, prophecy, pity, affection, avoidance of evil, to know how to play musical instruments, to be fond of any small * thing, to lend, to donate, to argue verbally without resorting to blows, any kind of astuteness, trickery, and forging of false documents. His hand is trained to perform any trade, and he will be very eager to do any work, to acquire wealth and to squander it. The nature of the new-born will vary in the case of each individual. It also denotes the small brothers and small children. Its nature will manifest itself accord- ing to its influence. If it is isolated in the figure of the individual and is east, the person will be short of stature with a small head and beau- tiful eyes; if it is west, his complexion will be half-way between black and white, he will be delicate, he will have small eyes, and dryness will predominate in him. Ordinarily it forecasts a person with a very promi- nent forehead and large nostrils, lean of flesh, lacking a beard, having long fingers, and endowed with refinement and education. Its anatomical part extends over the tongue, mouth, nerves, and participates in the blood. Its ailments include psychic disorders, such as a plethora of worries, grief, and all kinds of suspicion. Of the span of life its age is childhood. Its special color is bluish purple and any color of different shades. Its characteristic flavor is bitter. Its cardinal point is the North. Its letters of the alphabet are the waw, taf, resh, mem, and the letters of the prolongation. Here is its figure. Its particular day is Wednesday, its night is the one followed by Sunday, and of their hours the first and the eighth. Its major years are 480, its great years 76, the inter- mediate 48, and the short 20, and the years of the part called alphardar are 13. The force of its body is seven degrees both direct and retrograde. The Moon is cold and damp, but there is a little heat in it. It makes all bodies putrid and mouldy. When it is in opposition to the Sun, it tipens all fruits. In its section resides the force of nature. Its area covers the seventh zone, which is the very limit of the inhabitable world, and the nation of Tsabuma. Its categories of men embrace the oarsmen, ° /.,the vagabonds, the messengers, and the servants. In the mineral king- © “dom it includes silver, crystal, onyx, and lime, in addition to the seas, - . Fivers, and ponds. In the animal kingdom it comprises mules, donkeys, cattle, hares, and fish; of the birds every white bird; of the reptiles any one which is white. In the vegetable kingdom it refers to willows near torrents, peach-trees, all varieties of leek, gourds, water-melons, and cucumbers, in addition to alcarpa or cinnamon, long peppers, laurel, and202 THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM any thing of a cold, moist species which tastes salty and which has a white color mixed with a bit of green. Its variety of aromatic spices is the galangal. Its kind of raiment takes in clothing and cloaks. Its human traits are excessive introspection, meditation in a mind lacking knowledge, amnesia, phobia, indifference, revelation of secrets, love of pleasure, victory, skill in magic, knowledge of stories, prevarication, calumny, and plenty of food. In general it varies according to the na- ture of each individual. It points to the years of suckling, to the mother, to her sisters, the older sisters, the women, and every pregnant woman. Its nature will manifest itself according to the influence it exerts at the moment of casting the horoscope. If it is isolated at the casting of the horoscope, the subject will have an erect posture, a white complexion with a tint of yellow, a round face, and eyelids which seem to come together ; he will be hasty in his motion and in his gait. From the begin- ning of the month until the middle it denotes whiteness, and then from the middle until the end it indicates a bit of blackness. Its anatomical part is the left eye by day and the other eye by night, the lung, the throat, the cardiat region, the chest, and the left side of the entire body. Its characteristic ailments are all those which are due to excessive phlegm. In the span of life its age is infancy during the period of suckling. Its special color is dust-color and green, and its taste is salty. Its direction is South-West. Its letters of the alphabet are zayin and ayin, and here is its figure. The day which corresponds to it is Mon- day, its night is the one followed by Friday, and of their hours the first and the eighth. Its major years number 520, its long years 108, the intermediate 3934, and the short 25. The years of the part called alphardar amount to 9. The force of its body is 12 degrees both direct and retrograde. CHAPTER V The fifth chapter treats of the beneficial and baleful influence of the planets, their strength and weakness. If one of the planets is in con- junction with a favorable star or on its sextile, quadrate, or trine aspect, and the harmful stars are neither in aspect with it nor together with it, or else if a planet should separate from a beneficial star and enter into conjunction with another beneficial star, or else if a planet should be midway between two beneficial stars or in conjunction with the syzygy or with the Sun or with its trine or sextile aspect or with the aspect of the Moon while the Moon is with favorable stars, or if the planet should be hasty in its action or if its brilliancy and number should increase, or finally if it be in one of the places of its influence such as in its own house, in the house of its dignity, in the house of its triplicity, or in its TRANSLATION OF HEBREW TEXT 203 limit, its face, in the place of its zenith, or else in a bright degree, whether it be received or whether it stay in its own figure. When the two luminaries are in the place where favorable stars are in power, then they must be considered as though they themselves were in power. The same is true of the lucky stars when they are in the point of power of other lucky stars. When one of the planets is in the positions which I - have enumerated, then its nature will be in power and it will denote only good in conformity therewith. If the opposite of what I have mentioned takes place, then its nature will exert a weak influence. Fur- thermore if two, three, or more circumstances adhere to the good, then the good which it prognosticates will be greater and more intense. The favorable influence of the planets is of three kinds: one is double, another is complete, and the third is intermediary. The double influence occurs when two or three favorable circumstances join the planet in the same sign of the zodiac; by way of example, if Mercury should be in the sign of Virgo, then there would be two favorable influences, one because it is in its house, the other because it is in the house of its dig- nity; and if it is in its limit, then there will be three lucky influences. The complete lucky influence is when the planet is in its house wherein its nature is adjusted, as for instance Saturn in Aquarius, Jupiter in Sagittarius, Mars in Scorpio, Venus in Taurus, Mercury in Virgo, and the two luminaries in their houses. The intermediary influence is exerted when the planet is in its house wherein its nature is not adjusted, as for example Saturn in Capricornus, Jupiter in Pisces, Mars in Aries, Venus in Libra, or Mercury in Gemini. The force of the planet is when it rises towards the north or when it rises in the epicycle of its zenith and its nadir, whose eccentricity causes it to deviate from the center of the earth; or when it is in its second station, which is the place wherein it Starts to adjust itself; or when it comes forth from beneath the rays of the Sun; or when it is in one of their poles or supports; or when the three superior planets, namely, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars, are east of the Sun, and if they rotate with it over the sextile aspect, then it will be in their favor; or when they are in one of the male quarters and in the male signs, and likewise the Sun when it is thus unless it is in the sign of Libra. The force of the three inferior planets, namely, Venus, | Mercury, and the Moon, is when they are west of the Sun or in the female quarters. The weakness of the planet sets in when it is retarded in its course or when it is in the first station or when it is retrograde; this retrogression is more detrimental to the inferior planets, and all the more so if they come within the hot rays of the Sun. It also sets in when the planet rotates beneath the solar rays, or in the dark degrees, or in the part opposite its figure, or in the house of its dishonor; or