Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 4: In Chronological Order, Grouped in Four PeriodsPlotinus
Philosophy
Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 4: In Chronological Order, Grouped in Four Periods
Plotinus
Plotinus
JUPITER, VENUS, AND MERCURY ALSO CONSIDERED ASTROLOGICALLY.
Besides, the bodies of the animated beings which move in the heaven may
be of different degrees of heat; none of them is cold, as is witnessed
to by their location. The planet named Jupiter is a suitable mixture of
fire; likewise with Venus. That is why they seem to move harmoniously.
As to the fiery planet Mars, it contributes its share to the mixture
(of the general action of the stars). As to Saturn, its case is
different, because of its distance. Mercury is indifferent, because it
assimilates itself easily to all.
THE UNIVERSE AS A SINGLE HARMONY.[207]
All these planets contribute to the Whole. Their mutual relation,
therefore, is one suitable to the universe, just as the organs of an
animal are shaped to take part in the organism they constitute.[208]
Take, for instance, a part of the body, such as the bile, which serves
both the whole animal that contains it, and its special organ, inasmuch
as it was necessary to arouse courage, and to oppose the injury of
both the whole body, and its special organ. There had to be something
similar (to bile) in the universe; that something sweet should soften
it, that there be parts that would play the role of eyes, and that all
things should possess mutual sympathy by their irrational life.[209]
Thus only is the universe one, and thus only is it constituted by a
single harmony. How then could it be denied that all these things might
be signs, resulting from the laws of analogy?
ABSURDITY OF VARIOUS ASTROLOGICAL THEORIES.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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