Latin — 1533, repaired
Est etiam hominum animis uirtus quaedam immutandi, attrahendi, impediendi et ligandi res et homines ad id quod desiderat, et omnes res obediunt illi, quando fertur in magnum excessum alicuius passionis uel uirtutis in tantum ut superet eos quos ligat. Superius enim ligat quod inferius est, et ad se conuertit, et inferius eadem ratione ad superius conuertitur. Vel aliter afficitur aut agitatur. Hac ratione res quae superiorem alicuius stellae obtinet gradum, ligant uel attrahunt, uel impediunt res, quae tenent inferiorem, prout inter se conueniunt uel disconueniunt. Hinc timetur gallus a leone, quoniam praesentia solaris uirtutis conuenit gallo magis quam leoni: sic magnes trahit ferrum, quia in ordine caelestis Iouis superiorem obtinet gradum: sic adamas impedit magnetem, quia in ordine Martio sibi est superior. Simili modo homo aliquis, cum per suas animi affectiones, tum etiam per rerum naturalium his adhibitiones caelestibus dotibus opportune expositus, si in uirtute solari fortior euaserit, ligat et trahit inferiorem in admirationem et obedientiam: in ordine lunari ad seruitutem uel infirmitatem: in Saturnali ad quietem uel tristitiam: in Iouio ad uenerationem exhibendam: in Martio ad timorem uel discordiam: in Venereo ad amorem uel laetitiam: in Mercuriali ad persuasionem et obtestationem quae sequuntur et similia. Radix uero eiusmodi ligationis ipsa est affectio animae uehemens et exterminata, cum concursu ordinis caelestis. Dissolutiones autem uel impeditiones huiusmodi ligationis fiunt per contrarium affectum, et illum excellentiorem et fortiorem: nam sicut maior animi excessus ligat, ita etiam soluit et impedit. Denique ubi times Venerem, oppone Saturnum: ubi Saturnum times, aut Martem oppone Venerem uel Iouem, hos enim inimicos et maxime contrarios inuicem ferunt esse astrologi. Hoc intellige, affectus diuersos et contrarios in istis inferioribus causantes; nam in caelo quidem ubi nihil deficit, ubi amore cuncta reguntur, odium seu inimicitia esse minime potest.
Close translation
There is also in the souls of men a certain power of changing, attracting, impeding, and binding things and men to what it desires, and all things obey it, when it is carried into a great excess of some passion or power, so far that it overcomes those whom it binds. For what is higher binds what is lower, and turns it to itself, and by the same reasoning the lower is turned toward the higher. Or else it is affected or moved otherwise. By this reasoning, things that hold the higher degree of some star bind, or attract, or impede things that hold the lower, according as they agree or disagree among themselves. Hence the cock is feared by the lion, since the presence of solar power agrees more with the cock than with the lion: thus the magnet draws iron, because in the order of heavenly Jupiter it holds the higher degree: thus the diamond impedes the magnet, because in the Martial order it is superior to it. In like manner some man, when through his soul's affections, and also through the fitting application of natural things, he is opportunely exposed to celestial gifts, if he should come out stronger in solar power, binds and draws the lower into admiration and obedience: in the lunar order, to servitude or weakness: in the Saturnal order, to quiet or sadness: in the Jovial, to the rendering of veneration: in the Martial, to fear or discord: in the Venereal, to love or gladness: in the Mercurial, to persuasion and entreaty, and the like things that follow. The root of such a binding is the very affection of the soul, when vehement and unbounded, together with the concurrence of the celestial order. Now dissolutions or impediments of such a binding come about through a contrary affection, and one more excellent and stronger: for just as a greater excess of soul binds, so too it loosens and impedes. In short: where you fear Venus, oppose Saturn; where you fear Saturn, oppose Mars or Venus or Jupiter — for astrologers hold these to be enemies and most contrary to one another in turn. Understand this as causing the diverse and contrary affections in these lower things; for in heaven indeed, where nothing is lacking, where all is ruled by love, hatred or enmity can in no way exist.
Modern rendering
The human soul also has a certain power to change, attract, block, and bind things and people to what it wants — and everything obeys it once it is carried into some great excess of passion or power strong enough to overpower whatever it binds. What is higher binds what is lower and turns it to itself, and by the same logic the lower is turned toward the higher — or otherwise affected and moved by it. On this principle, things that hold a higher rank under some star bind, attract, or block things holding a lower rank, depending on whether they are compatible or not. That is why the lion fears the cock: the presence of solar power suits the cock better than the lion. The same reason a magnet draws iron — it holds a higher rank in Jupiter's order — and a diamond blocks a magnet, because in Mars's order the diamond outranks it. In the same way, a person who is favorably exposed to celestial gifts — partly through his own soul's dispositions, partly through the right use of natural things — will, if he comes out stronger in solar power, bind and draw the lesser person into admiration and obedience. Under the Moon's rule, into servitude or weakness. Under Saturn's, into stillness or sadness. Under Jupiter's, into open reverence. Under Mars's, into fear or conflict. Under Venus's, into love or joy. Under Mercury's, into persuasion, pleading, and the like. The root of any such binding is simply the soul's own affection, when it is intense and unrestrained, combined with a matching celestial alignment. Such a binding is undone or blocked by an opposite affection, one stronger and more powerful still — because just as a greater excess of soul binds, an equally great excess unbinds and blocks. So: where you fear Venus, set Saturn against her; where you fear Saturn, set Mars, Venus, or Jupiter against him — astrologers hold these to be each other's enemies, most opposed to one another. Understand that this is what causes the varied and opposing feelings we see down here. In heaven itself, where nothing is lacking and love governs everything, hatred or enmity simply cannot exist.
Editorial flags — draft status
- uncertain: The oppositional-planet sentence ('Denique ubi times Venerem...') is garbled enough in the OCR that the exact pairing of which planet opposes which is a best-effort reconstruction from astrological convention (Venus/Saturn, Saturn/Mars or Jupiter) rather than a certain transcription; recommend checking against a clean printed edition.
- list: The planet-by-planet effect list (solar/lunar/Saturnine/Jovial/Martial/Venereal/Mercurial) is legible but should be checked word-for-word against page images given its correspondence-list nature.