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Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos : $b or Quadripartite, being four books of the influence of the stars ... with a preface, explanatory notes, and an appendix containing extracts from the Almagest of Ptolemy and the whole of his Centiloquy, together with a short notice of Mr. Ranger's zodiacal planisphere and an explanatory platePtolemy

Religion

Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos : $b or Quadripartite, being four books of the influence of the stars ... with a preface, explanatory notes, and an appendix containing extracts from the Almagest of Ptolemy and the whole of his Centiloquy, together with a short notice of Mr. Ranger's zodiacal planisphere and an explanatory plate

Name: Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos : $b or Quadripartite, being four books of the influence of the stars ... with a preface, explanatory notes, and an appendix containing extracts from the Almagest of Ptolemy and the whole of his Centiloquy, together with a short notice of Mr. Ranger's zodiacal planisphere and an explanatory plate
Author: Ptolemy

Ptolemy

Astrology -- Early works to 1800

If malefics should cast their rays to parts preceding the luminaries,
and benefics to parts following them, the child will be abandoned at
its birth; but will afterwards meet with adoption, and will live. Yet,
if the malefics should be in elevation above those benefics which
are thus configurated, the child, so adopted, will lead a life of
misery and servitude: if, on the contrary, the benefics should be in
elevation, then whoever may adopt the deserted child will supply the
place of its parents. And, provided a benefic planet should either
ascend with, or near in succession to the Moon, or be applying to her,
and one of the malefics be occidental, the child’s own parents will, in
that case, take it again under their protection.

Rules similar to the foregoing are to be observed, when more than
one child is born; for, if any one of those planets, which may be
configurated towards the production of two, or even more children,
should be under the west, the children will be born half dead, or
deformed, and imperfect in body. And, if the planet so situated should
also be beneath the malefics, the children will not be susceptible of
nurture, or their life will be of the shortest span.




CHAPTER XI

THE DURATION OF LIFE


Of all events whatsoever, which take place after birth, the most
essential is the continuance of life: and as it is, of course, useless
to consider, in cases wherein the life of a child does not extend to
the period of one year, what other events contingent on its birth might
otherwise have subsequently happened, the inquiry into the duration of
life consequently takes precedence of all other questions, as to the
events subsequent to the birth.

The discussion of this inquiry is by no means simple, nor easy of
execution; it is conducted in a diversified process, by means of the
governance of the ruling places. And the method now about to be laid
down seems, of all others, the most consonant with reason, and with
nature: because the influence of the prorogatory places, as well as
of the rulers of those places, and the disposal of the anæretic[143]
places or stars, perform the whole operation of regulating the duration
of life. Each of these influences is to be distinguished in the mode
pointed out in the chapters immediately ensuing.

[143] The epithet _anæretic_ is a term of art, adopted from the Greek,
signifying fatal, or destructive.




CHAPTER XII

THE PROROGATORY PLACES

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