When two, or all three, of the said places may be situated in bicorporeal signs, births of this kind will occur, in consequence of the combination which then arises; especially, provided all the planets, which control those places, should also be similarly circumstanced: or although only some of them be posited in bicorporeal signs, while the rest may be placed by two or more together. Because even more than twins will be born, in a case wherein all the ruling places may be in bicorporeal signs, most of the planets being, at the same time, posited in the same way, and configurated with them. The number of children, however, to be produced at the birth, is to be inferred from the planet which exercises the right of determining the number[132]: and the sex or sexes are to be predicted by means of the planets in configuration with the Sun, Moon, and ascendant. [132] The planet here alluded to, seems to be that which may be connected with most of the ruling places. And, should the position of the heavens be arranged so that the angle of the mid-heaven, and not that of the ascendant, may be connected with the luminaries, there will, in that case, be produced, almost always, twins; and sometimes even more. To speak, however, more particularly, three males will be born, as in the nativity of the Anactores,[133] when Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars may be configurated with the places before appointed, in bicorporeal signs; and three females, as in the nativity of the Graces, when Venus and the Moon, with Mercury femininely constituted, may be configurated in like manner. When Saturn, Jupiter, and Venus may be configurated, two males and one female will be born; as in the nativity of the Dioscuri[134]; and, when Venus, the Moon, and Mars may be so configurated, two females and one male; as in the nativity of Ceres, Core, and Liber.[135] In cases of this kind, however, it most usually happens that the conception has not been complete, and that the children are born with some remarkable imperfections or deformities. And, in some instances, owing to a certain concurrence of events, these numerous productions are quite extraordinary and amazing. [133] I have looked in many other books for this word “_Anactores_” (plural of ανακτωρ), as designating three particular individuals born at the same birth; for which signification it is here used by Ptolemy; but my search has been in vain. Cicero has, however, written a passage, in which a word, very nearly resembling it, occurs, and which would seem to relate to the very persons alluded to by Ptolemy: viz. “The godship of the Dioscuri was established in various modes among the Greeks, and applied to various persons. One set consisted of three persons, who were styled at Athens the _Anactes_, and were the sons of Jupiter, the most ancient king, and Proserpine; their several names were Tritopatreus, Eubuleus and Dionysius.” _De Nat. Deor._, lib. 3, cap. 21.