Chapter 31

How provinces and kingdoms are divided up among the planets.
Qualiter provinciae et regna planetis distribuuntur.
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Latin — 1533, repaired

Sic etiam totus terrarum orbis per sua regna et provincias, planetis atque signis distributus est: nam Saturno cum Capricorno subiiciuntur Macedonia, Thracia, Illyria, India, Ariana, Gordiana: quarum regionum multae sunt in Asia minori. Cum Aquario autem subsunt illi Sauromatica regio, Oxiana, Sogdiana, Arabia, Phazania, Media, Aethiopia, et hae regiones pro maiori parte ad Asiam interiorem pertinent.

Iovi autem subiiciuntur cum Sagittario, Tuscia, Celtica, Hispania, et foelix Arabia. Cum Piscibus, Lycia, Lydia, Cilicia, Pamphylia, Paphlagonia, Nasamonia, et Garamantica. Mars regit cum Ariete, Britanniam, Galliam, Germaniam, Bastarniam, concava Syriae, Idumaeam et Iudaeam. Cum Scorpio autem, Syriam, Comagenem, Cappadociam, Metagonitidem, Mauritaniam et Getuliam. Soli cum suo Leone subiectae sunt Italia, Apulia, Sicilia, Phoenices, Chaldaei, Orfitii sive Orchenii. Venus cum suo Tauro habet Cyclades, maritima parvae Asiae, Cyprum, Parthiam, Mediam et Persidem. Cum Libra autem imperat, Bactrianis, Caspiis, Sericae, Thebaidi, Oasidi et Trogloditis. Mercurius cum Geminis tenet Hyrcaniam, Armeniam, Mantianam, Cyrenaicam, Marmaricam et inferiorem Aegyptum. Cum Virgine vero, Graeciam, Achaiam, Cretam, Babylonem, Mesopotamiam, Assyriam, et Elam, unde Elamitae in scriptura dicti sunt. Lunam cum Cancro sequuntur Bithynia, Phrygia, Colchica, Numidia, Africa, Carthago, et tota Carchedonia.

Haec ita ex Ptolemaei sententia collegimus: quibus iuxta aliorum astrologorum scripta alia multa addi possent. Verum qui has provinciarum partitiones supra syderalem hanc distributionem cum regentium intelligentiarum ministeriis, ac Israeliticorum tribuum benedictionibus, apostolorum sortionibus, ac sacrarum literarum typicis signaculis conferre noverit, grandia, quin et prophetica super unamquamque regionem eliciet, futurorum oracula.

Close translation

Thus too the whole circle of the earth, through its kingdoms and provinces, is distributed among the planets and the signs: for to Saturn together with Capricorn are subject Macedonia, Thrace, Illyria, India, Ariana, Gordiana — of which regions many are in Asia Minor. And with Aquarius there are subject to him the Sauromatic region, Oxiana, Sogdiana, Arabia, Phazania, Media, Ethiopia; and these regions for the most part belong to inner Asia.

To Jupiter, with Sagittarius, are subject Tuscany, Celtic lands, Spain, and Arabia Felix. With Pisces: Lycia, Lydia, Cilicia, Pamphylia, Paphlagonia, Nasamonia, and Garamantica. Mars rules, with Aries, Britain, Gaul, Germany, Bastarnia, the hollows of Syria, Idumea, and Judea. With Scorpio, however: Syria, Commagene, Cappadocia, Metagonitis, Mauritania, and Gaetulia. To the Sun, with his own Leo, are subject Italy, Apulia, Sicily, the Phoenicians, the Chaldeans, the Orfitii or Orchenii. Venus, with her own Taurus, holds the Cyclades, the coastlands of Asia Minor, Cyprus, Parthia, Media, and Persis. With Libra, however, she governs the Bactrians, the Caspians, Serica, the Thebaid, the Oasis, and the Troglodytes. Mercury, with Gemini, holds Hyrcania, Armenia, Mantiana, Cyrenaica, Marmarica, and Lower Egypt. With Virgo, however: Greece, Achaia, Crete, Babylon, Mesopotamia, Assyria, and Elam, whence the Elamites are named in scripture. The Moon, with Cancer, is followed by Bithynia, Phrygia, Colchis, Numidia, Africa, Carthage, and all Carchedonia.

These things we have gathered thus from the opinion of Ptolemy: to which, following the writings of other astrologers, many other things could be added. But whoever knows how to compare these divisions of the provinces — beyond this stellar distribution — with the ministries of the ruling intelligences, with the blessings of the tribes of Israel, with the lots of the apostles, and with the typical signs of the sacred letters, will be able to draw out great and even prophetic oracles of things to come concerning each and every region.

Modern rendering

In the same way, the whole circle of the earth is divided by kingdom and province among the planets and zodiac signs. Saturn, through Capricorn, governs Macedonia, Thrace, Illyria, India, Ariana, and Gordiana — many of these regions being in Asia Minor. Through Aquarius, he also governs the Sauromatian region, Oxiana, Sogdiana, Arabia, Phazania, Media, and Ethiopia — regions that mostly belong to inner Asia.

Jupiter, through Sagittarius, governs Tuscany, the Celtic lands, Spain, and Arabia Felix; through Pisces, Lycia, Lydia, Cilicia, Pamphylia, Paphlagonia, Nasamonia, and Garamantica. Mars, through Aries, rules Britain, Gaul, Germany, Bastarnia, the lowlands of Syria, Idumea, and Judea; through Scorpio, Syria, Commagene, Cappadocia, Metagonitis, Mauritania, and Gaetulia. The Sun, through his own sign Leo, rules Italy, Apulia, Sicily, Phoenicia, the Chaldeans, and the Orfitii or Orchenii. Venus, through her own sign Taurus, rules the Cyclades, the coast of Asia Minor, Cyprus, Parthia, Media, and Persis; through Libra, the Bactrians, the Caspians, Serica, the Thebaid, the Oasis region, and the Troglodytes. Mercury, through Gemini, rules Hyrcania, Armenia, Mantiana, Cyrenaica, Marmarica, and Lower Egypt; through Virgo, Greece, Achaia, Crete, Babylon, Mesopotamia, Assyria, and Elam (the source of the name 'Elamites' in scripture). The Moon, through Cancer, governs Bithynia, Phrygia, Colchis, Numidia, Africa, Carthage, and the whole Carthaginian territory.

I've drawn this from Ptolemy's account; other astrologers' writings could add plenty more. But anyone who knows how to line up these territorial divisions — beyond this basic astrological scheme — against the ministries of the ruling intelligences, the blessings given to the tribes of Israel, the lots assigned to the apostles, and the symbolic patterns of scripture, will be able to draw out grand, even prophetic pronouncements about the future for any given region.

Editorial flags — draft status

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