Again, general events are subdivided according to their operation upon entire countries, and upon certain cities or districts: one sub-division being regarded as affecting entire countries, and the other certain cities or districts only. They are also separately considered according to the causes by which they are produced; war, pestilence, famine, earthquakes, inundations, and other similar visitations being dependent on such greater and more important causes, as arise only after considerable periods; while slighter causes, arising more frequently, have reference only to the revolution of the seasons; their greater or less variation in cold and heat; the severity or mildness of the weather; the occasional abundance or scarcity of provisions; and other like occurrences. Hence the consideration of those events which concern whole countries, and are dependent on the greater causes (since it has a more extended scope than the other, which attaches only to certain cities, or districts, and is subject to slighter causes) takes precedence. And, for its due investigation, two essential points are to be attended to: the first is, the appropriate familiarity of the zodiacal signs and the fixed stars with the several regions which may be concerned; and the second comprises the indications occasionally arising in those parts of the heavens where such familiarity is found: for instance, the eclipses of the Sun and Moon, and such transits as may be made by the planets, when matutine, and in their respective stations. The nature of the sympathy between these things must, however, be explained first; and a brief description will therefore be given of the chief peculiarities observable in whole nations; in regard to their manners and customs, as well as to their bodily formation and temperament; considered agreeably to their familiarity with those stars and signs whence the natural cause of their peculiarities duly proceeds. CHAPTER II PECULIARITIES OBSERVABLE THROUGHOUT EVERY ENTIRE CLIMATE The peculiarities of all nations are distinguished according to entire parallels and entire angles, and by their situation with regard to the Sun and the Ecliptic. The climate which we inhabit is situated in one of the Northern Quadrants: but other nations, which lie under more southern parallels, that is to say, in the space between the equinoctial line and the summer tropic, have the Sun in their zenith, and are continually scorched by it. They are consequently black in complexion, and have thick and curled hair. They are, moreover, ugly in person, of contracted stature, hot in disposition, and fierce in manners, in consequence of the incessant heats to which they are exposed; and they are called by the common name of Æthiopians. But the human race does not alone afford evidence of the violent heat in these regions; it is shown also by all other animals and by the state of the surrounding atmosphere.