Philosophumena; or, The refutation of all heresies, Volume I
David Hume · en
[Footnote 2: Bouché-Leclercq, _op. cit._, p. 206, rightly defines
these terms as fractions of signs separated by internal boundaries
and distributed in each sign among the five planets. Cf. J. Firmicus
Maternus, _Matheseos_, II, 6, and Cicero, _De Divinatione_, 40. Wilson,
_op. cit_., s.h.v., says they are certain degrees in a sign, supposed
to possess the power of altering the nature of a planet to that of the
planet in the term of which it is posited. All the authors quoted say
that the astrologers could not agree upon the extent or position of
the various “terms,” and that in particular the “Chaldæans” and the
“Egyptians” were hopelessly at variance upon the point.]
[Footnote 3: In the translation I have distinguished Miller’s additions
to the text from Sextus Empiricus’ by enclosing them in square
brackets, reserving the round brackets for my own additions from the
same source, which I have purposely made as few as possible. So with
other alterations.]
[Footnote 4: δορυφορεῖσθαι, _lit._, “have spear-bearers.” “Stars” in
Sextus Empiricus nearly always means planets.]
[Footnote 5: This is the famous “trine” figure or aspect of modern
astrologers. Its influence is supposed to be good; that of the square
next described, the reverse.]
[Footnote 6: Hippolytus here omits a long disquisition by Sextus on the
position of the planets and the Chaldæan system. Where the text resumes
the quotation it is in such a way as to alter the sense completely;
wherefore I have restored the sentence preceding from Sextus.]
[Footnote 7: συμπάσχει, “suffer with.”]
[Footnote 8: τὸ περίεχον. The term used by astrologers to denote
the whole æther surrounding the stars or, in other words, the whole
disposition of the heavens. “Ambient” is its equivalent in modern
astrology.]
[Footnote 9: This is an anticipation of the Peratic heresy to which a
chapter in Book V (pp. 146 ff. _infra_) is devoted. Ἀκεμβὴς is there
spelt Κελβὴς, but Ἀκεμβὴς is restored in Book X and is copied by
Theodoret. “Peratic” is thought by Salmon (_D.C.B._, s.h.v.) to mean
“Mede.”]
[Footnote 10: “Toparch” means simply “ruler of a place.” Proastius
(προάστιος) generally the dweller in a suburb. Here it probably means
the powers in some part of the heavens which is near to a place or
constellation without actually forming part of it.]
[Footnote 11: νενομισμένα. Cf. νενομισμένως, “in the established
manner,” Callistratus, _Ecphr._, 897.]
[Footnote 12: τῶς πρακτικῶν λόγων, or, perhaps, “of the systems used.”]
[Footnote 13: ἀσύστατον, _lit._, “not holding together,” punningly used
as epithet for both the art and the heresy.]
[Footnote 14: What follows to the concluding paragraph of Chap. 7 is
taken nearly _verbatim_ from Sextus Empiricus.]
[Footnote 15: For these terms see n. on p. 67 _supra_.]
[Footnote 16: ὡροσκόπιον seems here put for ὡροσκοπεῖον = _horologium_,
or clock.]