– This is Part I of the Book II of Tetrabiblos. If you want to read Part II click here.

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Considerations

The Book II – is directed to the weather and how the geographical position of a country is affected by the ecliptic, the Earth’s division by 4 regions and an introduction to Mundane Astrology and Eclipses, therefore a part of astrology of lesser use regarding nativities. Nonetheless, nativities will be affected afterwards. There is, however, a part which does concern nativities and can be served as an Introduction to Lunations, which are the Eclipses, their duration in life and possible significations (the classes affected).

Ptolemy seems to think that one should first experience the mundane & general part of astrology before jumping into genethliacal radixes, and he seemed to really enjoy the order. This is where intellectual ‘history’ genuinely begins to enter the astrological field followed by experience and practice – the correlation between historical events and the transiting spheres and their conjunctions and cycles, as well as in how the practice reinforces theoretical astrology.

Note: I will do a discussion anyway, but not extracting the whole text (like I did with Book I), only parts of it. You can have Ptolemy’s book for free and paid on the internet and go along with me as you/me read Book II of Tetrabiblos.

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Introduction of Book II;

The 2 General Divisions of the Subject

Geographer of Alexandria Ptolemy explains that astrology has two greater applications: 

1. one is general/mundane 

2. and the other individual/genethliacal. 

Mudane more Compulsory than Genetlhiacal: The author also affirms “…general events are produced by causes greater and more compulsatory than the causes of particular events”.

Time is not static astrologically as we experience things moment by moment as reflection, and Book II is of universal prognostications, the conditions outside which we can’t avoid simple because we and the planets are in ‘forever’ state of motion, somehow affecting the environment and the ambient therein.

Mundane	The Ambient	Individual	Nativity
Geographical	Nations, Countries, Cities, Towns, Countryside, Districts, Oceans etc.	Genethliacal (Particulars)	Citizen Governors or; Person in Power Family Tree (?) etc.
More Often	Seasons, Storms, Heat, Winds, Coldness etc.
Cyclical/Periodic	Pandemics, Wars, Financial Crash, Tsunamis & Hurricanes followed by Destruction, Earthquakes etc.

Now, concerning Universal/Mundane astrology, Ptolemy says it is better to predict its geographical position and then to the country’s radix, for example, let the Eclipse New Moon be rising in country A, just then investigate  what sector is affecting in the chart/radix of the nation. It is then when the life of natives is affected in mass and even more personally. But bear in mind that genetlhiacal astrology is as important and valid as mundane, I think it is just that the mundane affects it all instead of something just singular, and in mundane we can really understand the real limits.

When the author says more or less occasional conditions, he not only referred to the annual revolution of tall rather than just particularshe Sun and the Seasons and how that directly affects plantation/food and farms, but also to little storms, the winds and general daily temperatures caused by the daily Sun’s revolution.

Order	Examination & Prognostication
1.	Familiarity of the Zodiac Signs
2.	Fixed Stars and Several Climes
3.	Planets Aspects
4.	New Moon + Solar Eclipse
5.	Transiting Planets at Rising
6.	Transiting Planets at Stationary Periods

Examinations: “…And since in the examination of these questions these two things particularly are taken into consideration, the familiarity of the Signs of the Zodiac and also of the stars with the several climes, and the significances of heavenly bodies in their own proper regions at a given time, manifested through the ecliptically conjunctions of the Sun and Moon and the transits of the planets at rising and at their stationary periods, we shall first explain the natural reason for the aforesaid sympathies, and at the same time briefly survey the bodily and ethical peculiarities generally observed to belong to whole nations, which are not alien to the natural character of the Stars and Signs that are familiar to them.”

 

II. Of the Characteristics of the Inhabitants of the General Climes

I was talking to a stranger at work one day, and he explained to me something quite interesting about geography and how the location of a country is affected by the clime and how the nations responds to it, which in return affects economy, jobs, technology, etc. he said something like, hot weather or tropical climes countries and regions are where things are slow to progress, because of the temperature people are more apt to procrastinate and are found of enjoyable activities instead, paradise seems much closer than the colder regions of the world, where people had to be quick in finding ways to protect themselves, and thus to progress faster. – That got me thinking for weeks (actually until now). 

All countries progress some way or another, mostly on their own terms, but some tend to go back to ignorance, no matter the clime I guess, and that goes deeper if you keep digging, entering the spheres of politics, economy, human resources [slavery, abuse or freedom] etc.

Now you may be wondering why I said the things I wrote. In this Chapter [II] of Book II, Ptolemy described nativities according to countries, but actually not at all, but the inhabitants of a certain region of the planet Earth, their “energy” status & possible physicality once they are born in these regions specifically, and accordingly to where the path of the Sun is [ecliptic] and the tropicals, a person is born this or that way. 

For example, he says people that were born or live between the coordinates from the equator to the tropic of Cancer have more a darker skin and a woolly hair, exceeding in sanguine in temperament and “savage” in behavior because of the continuous heat striking their homes etc. Of course, with the mixing of human races in the recent centuries, such indicatives are quite harder to grasp, in our DNA we carry many ancestors lineage, but when you go to the nativity of a region, you begin to undesrtand better such theory. 

Read it by yourself:

“[…] the people who live under the more southern parallels, that is, those from the equator to the summer tropic, since they have the Sun over their heads and are burned by it, have black skins and thick, woolly hair, are contracted in form and shrunken in stature, are sanguine of nature, and in habits are for the most part savage because their homes are continually oppressed by heat; we call them by the general name Ethiopians. Not only do we see them in this condition, but we likewise observe that their climate and the animals and plants of their region plainly give evidence of this baking by the sun.”

A mad man could easily turn this practice into doctrinarian of races such as Hitler did and many secret societies, inverting the symbolism to propagate hate and prejudice. Many people wouldn’t enjoy hearing they have a “savage” habitat, even when the study is not about that. Because since birth we are exposed facing up to the stars, and because of our genetics, we’re ought to be born with different features. Those are powerful statements that can easily be mistaken to “labeling races”, but it is not, it is astrology in flesh and bones, or, to the limits of possibilities as Ptolemy would point out. Here the antagonist goes into genetics and shows that even we do carry our ancestors lineage, we are still conditioned to the ambient outside, molding our preferences, tastes, intentions, culture, etc. Astrology then can influence even the color of skin? A collective factor once regions of the world are the primordial factor as already said. For example, if you are born in this … place, you have more chances of being born white-brown skin than others colors, but if you are to be born in … place, you have more probability of being born dark-brown skin etc. Not because the Sun was transiting Cancer in the day you were born you will have a (color of) skin, but because the geographical position of where you were born, people are more likely to be born under these features etc. and Ptolemy explained that under astrological lenses, but even more astronomical than the first if you think better, because he relates it all to the altitude and/of geographical position relative to the Sun’s ecliptic, parallels and angles.

 

III. The Familiarity of the Regions of the Earth with the Triplicities & the Planets

Ptolemy then divided planet Earth into 4 quarters but not within the basic wheel division but that of Triangles [click here to go to Chapter 18, Book I], the number of Zodiac Triangles (Fire, Earth, Air, Water) are four, and from there he relates to the dominion of planets and directions. 

However, in this part of the treatise, Ptolemy seems to forget he actually wrote different dominions of the triangles in the following text. For example, in Book I he wrote that the Fire Triplicity is ruled by Jupiter and the Sun, and not Mars because he belongs to the Nocturnal Sect (of the Moon), but now he says that the regions of Earth ruled by Fire triplicity has Jupiter and Mars as lords, because Mars agrees with the Western direction. 

Trinity	Zodiac Signs	Direction	Dominion Of
Fire	Aries, Leo, Sagittarius	North-West	Jupiter / Mars
Earth	Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn	South–East	Venus / Saturn
Air	Gemini, Libra, Aquarius	North-East	Saturn / Jupiter
Water	Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces	South-West	Mars / Venus

He gives directions for the whole world they knew from that period, for example, Europe [Celtic Gaul] is supposed to belong to the first quarter, which then is ruled by the fire trinity, and thus dominated by Jupiter (North) and secondary by Mars (West). 

Such detail made me believe that he applies a different method of Triplicities’ Lords concerning geographical positions of countries, districts, etc. he rather prefers to apply the direction of the wind than from their Sect etc. Under this reationale, then Britain, Germany, Spain etc are ruled by the Fire Triplicity yet by Lords Jupiter & vespertine Mars, and not the Sun as he pointed out in Book I. 

The geographer then divides the Earth in accord to the fours triplicities, drawing imaginary lines which divides latitudinally and longitudinal. In his time, it was believed at least about 180 degrees of the planet Earth was populated, they reached out a limit number for the inhabitable world, not to mention the political division of the world map had others names, and also, equivocatedly in their calculations the Earth was bigger than is nowdays known to be. 

“The four triplicities being thus established, the whole inhabited Earth is accordingly divided into four parts, agreeing with the number of the triplicities. It is divided latitudinally by the line of the Mediterranean Sea, from the Straits of Hercules to the Issican Gulph, continued onwards through the mountainous ridge extending towards the east; and by this latitudinal division its southern and northern parts are defined. Its longitudinal division is made by the line of the Arabian Gulph, the Ægean Sea, Pontus, and the lake Maeotis; and by this line are separated its eastern and western parts.“

Many countries have natural sympathy with one another, but on the other hand, many are the countries of opposite inclination as they are positioned centralized in the division, and thus of different dominion, resulting in different responses and behaviors even when aligned so close to each. 

This is the longest chapter of the whole treatise, and I suspect it was the favorite subject of the geographer. Ptolemy then continues attributing Zodiac Signs to countries of the world accordingly to the division. It quite a long chapter; he then finishes by writing:

The Familiarity of the Regions of the Earth with the fixed Stars: “Now that the subject at hand has been set forth, it is reasonable to attach to this section this further consideration – that each of the fixed stars has familiarity with the countries with which the parts of the zodiac, which have the same inclinations as the fixed stars upon the circle drawn through its poles, appear to exert sympathy; furthermore, that, in the case of metropolitan cities, those regions of the zodiac are most sympathetic through which the Sun and Moon, and of the centres especially the horoscope [Asc], were passing at the first founding of the city, as in a nativity, But in cases in which the exact times of the foundations are not discovered, the regions are sympathetic in which falls the midheaven of the nativities of those who held office or were kings at the time.”

The antagonist had already matched regions to Zodiac Signs, and astrologers foward in time did the same adding more cities, towns and new countries, and the same will be necessary in the future when the political division of the world will no longer correspond to todays’. 

Now, the author also just added a bit of “Electional” Astrology concerning metropolitan cities, writting about the transits of the Sun & Moon at the day a city is founded at angles and how important the Ascendant is to the city while representing the very nation. The chart of the foundation date, or events that symbolized greater changes in the nation, are also sympathized with such region. That is, whatever happens to the city, such radix will show.

Ptolemy presents a solution if the birth of the city has not been acertained, to simple take the president’s or governors natal Mc to help predict the countries’ future.

IV. Method of Making Particular Predictions (in Eclipses)

After giving Zodiac signs to regions of the world, Ptolemy now in this chapter wants to remind the astrologer of 4 general considerations before predictions(ing) regarding nations worldwide & events. 

The 4 Major Considerations	Prediction Format
1.      Regional	Cities,/countries/world; (See Chapter 5 ahead)
2.      Chronological	Time &Duration (See Chapter 6 ahead)
3.      Generic	For the Collective (See Chapter 7 ahead)
4.      Specific	Quality of Events; Good/Bad/both (See Chapter 8 ahead)

The author suggested that the ecliptical Conjunctions of the Sun-Moon are the most powerful and principal phenomenon along with the planetary dance configured as it is formed exact. This method/mode is basically the whole base/fundament of Ptolemy’s Mundane Astrology.

In Ptolemy’s Way, every prognostic through the Mundane Astrology should then beign with prognastication with (every) New Moon Eclipses, especially those which are total.

Order	Examine:
1.	New Moon Eclipses of the Year (Total or Partial?)
2.	What Countries are on the Path of the Solar Eclipses?
3.	What are the Aspects to others Planets?
4.	Is the New Moon conjunct any planet of the Country’s Radix?
5.	Is/Are there transiting planet(s) Stationing?
6.	Then… Is/are the transiting Planet(s) going (or is) Direct or Retrograde?

“(…) The method of the inquiry will be as follows: The first and most potent cause of such events lies in the conjunctions of the Sun and Moon at eclipse [happening nearest as possible or exact at the lunar nodes] and the movements of the stars at the time. Of the prediction itself, one portion is regional; therein we must foresee for what countries or cities there is significance in the various eclipses or in the occasional regular stations of the planet, that is, [the superiors] of Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars, whenever they halt [stand still], for then they are significant [observe that he does not mention Mercury, probably because he is just pointing an acuted “Superior” planet which would need something more in order to begin marking territory, as opposed to the Inferior planets which are constant and daily ‘marking’ such as the Moon]. Another division of the prediction is chronological therein the need will be to foretell the time of the portents and their duration. A part, too, is generic; through this we ought to understand with what classes the event will be concerned. And finally there is the specific aspect, by which we shall discern the quality of the event itself.”

The astronomer was talking about the New Moon again, or that a Solar Eclipse is potent enough to disturb/corrupt greater causes, along with the position of all the others bodies and stars related to the Eclipse, which are then secondary in order to judge about, yet holding great operation accordingly. 

The countries most hosting Eclipses or/as well as having the superiors Saturn, Jupiter or Mars motions’ changed during the eclipse, or simple just having significance in transit to charts of the specific country/region; for example, let transiting Mars be retrograde in Aries and conjunct back and forth the nation’s natal Sun in Aries (where at the country’s foundation day the Sun was transiting such political sign), then it will have a much more potent cause for events of magnitude portended by the Sign and the planets involved at the periods of stations & New Moons eclipses [Sun Eclipses].

V. 0f the Examination of the Countries Affected

(The Regions or Countries to be considered as liable to be comprehended in the Event)

Now, we are ought to understand in Ptolemy’s language, the Regional (and first) consideration out of the 4 just cited in the previous chapter. 

Ptolemy reminds us to know before hand, not only one should know the countries where the Eclipse will be witnessed in real time, but the countries/climes/regions which accord with the Zodiac Sign(s) in question. 

Also, the countries and nativities which have in the radix’ foundation day the configuration resembleing, or, the signs themselves, despite the eclipse being “underground” (nocturnal halve) or above Earth (diurnal semi-circle). 

Nonetheless, the places where such phenomenon is visiable (Eclipses’ Path) are said to be or, to have an acentuated effect:

Order	Prediction
Path & Transit of the Eclipse	Real Time Conditions    –   What happens Outside – Transit Itself;     –   What are the Countries on the Path? (that what can be observed by who has sight)    –   Is it Solar or Lunar Eclipse?    –   Give preference power to Full/Total Solar Eclipses
Clime &  Zodiac Sign	The Countries under Clime equal to the Eclipse Ex. The Solar Eclipse happens in Cancer, then list the countries belonging to Cancer
The Radix	What happens in the Radix/Chart – how that is affected    –   Is the Eclipse falling in the same Sign of natal Asc, Sun or Moon? etc.

“[…] In the eclipses of Sun and Moon as they occur, particularly those more easily observed [the regions on Earth where, for example, the eclipse of the Sun can be fully seen and experienced the drop in temperature, also when day becomes night for a few moment], we shall examine the region of the zodiac in which they take place [the sign or signs (axis) if Lunar Eclipse], and the countries in familiarity with its triangles [for example, let the New Moon be seen in Italy and in the sign of Leo, one of the Zodiac sign of the fiery triangle of the European Quarter, also causing great effect in Rome, Apulia, (Cisalpine) Gaul, Sicily etc.], and in similar fashion ascertain which of the cities, either from their horoscope [Asc] at the time of their founding and the position of the luminaries at the time, or from the mid-heaven of the nativity [perhaps the person responsible of the country and natives in general?] of their then rulers, are sympathetic to the zodiacal sign of the eclipse [not only the country will be affected by the transiting Eclipses, but the individuals with the Asc, Sun and/or Moon in a sign that resembles the Triangle’s domain of the Quarter]. And in whatsoever countries or cities we discover a familiarity of this kind, we must suppose that same event will occur which applies, generally speaking, to all of them, particularly to those which bear a relation to the actual Zodiacal Sign of the Eclipse and to those of them in which the eclipse, since it look place above the earth, was visible.”

VI. Of the Time of the Predicted Events

Because of the Annual Eclipses that ancient astronomers began to conclude the Earth’ shape was/is round – Ptolemy in this chapter describes the need of timing with an Eclipse (once the system is predictable) but with a bit of basic and simple math.

The mathematician extends here a discussion which began in Chapter 9th of his Almagest, on the difference between Equatorial hours (24 hours) from Temporal or Solar Hours (duodecimal part of the Solar Arcs; both Nocturnal and Diurnal). At any season, Eclipses won’t happen at the same Temporal hour. Then, to mark the time which the obscuration grows to its fullest is necessary to count it as Equatorial hours (see the table below), and by doing it, the astrologer is able to identify how many months (Solar) or days (Lunar) the effect of the Eclipse will take place in life.

Note: By this point Ptolemy talked about the “Pole” of the country, which I must search what it means because it is certain geographical.

Visiable or Subterrain: Will it be Visiable in your country or Subterrain? Although Ptolemy seemed to agree that Eclipses may be stronger in the places it was/is visiable, he affirms that if a nativity or a country have in their radix the angles related, there will be/occur major operation(s) nonetheless. However, there are indeed points of greater interest, such as the Intensification or the Reduction (read below), regarding power, prevalence and authority of planets.

Solar eclipses occur every 18 months somewhere on Earth, and different from Lunar eclipses, they last only a few minutes, neverthless Solar Eclipses are said to cause greater effect upon and supposedly stronger, may extending the period for years in practical reality. People/regions of the world standing in the umbra will see a Total Eclipse, whereas  standing in the penumbra will observe a partial one. According to Nasa, scientists observe Solar Eclipses as an opportunity to study the Sun’s corona (the Sun’s top layer – it’s crown/garland).

Now, Total Lunar Eclipses are more rare, whereas at least two Partial Lunar Eclipses happen every (year) Sun’s revolution. 

Eclipse	Predict/Timing
Total Solar Eclipse	1 Minute = 1 year
Total Lunar Eclipse	1 Hour = 1 month

“[…]. The nature of the beginnings and of the more important intensifications of the events, however, are deduced from the position of the place of the eclipse relative to the centres [when is fully covered/umbra?]. For if the place of the eclipse falls on the eastern horizon [imagine this eclipse is rising from your place of view], this signifies that the beginning of the predicted event is in the first period of four months from the time of the eclipse and that its important intensifications lie in the first third of the entire period of its duration [suppose the Solar Eclipse has 1 hour of duration, the events will manifest more intensely in the 4th Month; if Lunar Eclipse, then around the 10th day from the eclipse day]; if on the mid-heaven [imagine this eclipse is overhead from your place of view], in the second four months and the middle third; if upon the western horizon [imagine this eclipse is setting from your place of view], in the third four months and the final third.”

Solar Eclipse	Predict/Timing
Rising	1 Minute = strongest in the 4th month
Culminating	1 Minute = strongest in the 8th month
Setting	1 Minute = strongest in the [12th] last month

Lunar Eclipse in Country X	Predict/Timing
Rising	1 Hour = around the 10th Day
Culminating	1 Hour = around the 20th Day
Setting	1 Hour = around the 30th Day

There are peculiarities regarding the observable Eclipse in Country X taking place, of course, at Solar Arc of a region. These are the Intensification and Loosening of Eclipses that should not be taken for granted, specially if indeed, the configuration happens rising in the country & planets are stationary:

Partial intensities, or relaxations of the effect: “…are, however, to be inferred from any combinations which may happen during the intermediate period, either in the actual places where the primary cause was presented, or in other places configured therewith. They are also to be conjectured by the various courses, or transits, of such planets as co-operate in producing the effect, by being configured with the sign in which the primary cause was situated; and, with this view, the matutine, vespertine, or stationary position, or midnight culmination of those planets must be observed; for the effect will be strengthened and augmented by their matutine or stationary position; but weakened and diminished by their being vespertine (evening star), or situated under the sunbeams, or by their midnight culmination.”

VII. Of the Class of those Affected

Geographer Ptolemy in this chapter writes about generic classifications, the 3rd method of inquiry concerning the population in general, animals, phenomenons and things. What are those things & people which may be affected most? First we should consider which Zodiac Sign(s) the Eclipse fall(s) in, all its(theirs) (pre)determined nature and form etc.

Condition	Effect & Who
Countries on the Path of the Eclipse	Count from the Moment the Sun’s Disk Begins to be Covered to the End (even if Partial)
Planets Setting as the Sun goes down	The Minority of the Population or Land
Planets Opposite Solar Eclipses	The Half of the Population or Land
Planets Rising before the Solar Eclipse	The Majority of the Population or Land

Order	Investigate
1.	What Zodiac Sign(s) the Eclipse falls in? –          modality –          element –          what the constellation [fixed stars overall] represents & resembles –          is the sign [Eclipse] rising, culminating or setting
2.	What is/are the ruler of the Eclipse & What is Doing? –          temperament overall
3.	What Zodiac Sign the Ruler(s) of the Eclipse is in? –          modality –          element –          what the constellation [fixed stars overall] represents –          is the sign rising, culminating or setting
4.	Are there any Fixed Stars Conjunct the Eclipse?

What	Dominant/Victorious/Almudebit of the Radix
Dominant Planet of  any Eclipse Radix	Conjunct the Eclipse? Aspects the Preceding Angle? (Asc-Dsc or the Mc-Ic?) Conjunct the Preceding Angle? (Asc-Dsc or the Mc-Ic?) Does it Rule the Preceding Angle?  (Asc-Dsc or the Mc-Ic?) Applying or Separating? (the closest) Aspect(s) others planets?
Others confirmations	Does it Rule important House in the Radix? What Triangle does it Rule or Participate? Is it Exalted? Is it in Term/Bound with Itself? (except the Sun/Moon)
Preferment of the  Chief Dominion Planet	Is it the Lord of the Eclipse (of the Sun/Moon or both)? –          If Yes, the Dominant Planet has been Found
1. If Not 2. A Tie 3. More than One? 4. Sect	1.    If Not, take either the Sun or the Moon which has the greatest number of relation to the Eclipse itself 2.     If they tie up, choose the one closer to an angle (Asc-Dsc or the Mc-Ic?), oriental, matutine, direct   3.       If there is more than one Dominant Planet, choose the one closer to an angle (Asc-Dsc or the Mc-Ic?)  4.      Prefer the one in sect

What	How to Find
Dominant Fixed Star	1. Prefer the one most brilliant (Almagest Book 8, Chapter 4th) 2. Prefer the one with partile classic aspect to the preceding angle 3. Prefer the one Conjunct the Asc or Mc

Constellation(s)	Conformation
Gemini, Virgo, First 15° of Sagittarius, Aquarius	Human Race –          culture –          human nature –          human resources etc.
Taurus and Capricorn	“Four-footed dumb animals”
Animals Sign Overall	Wild animals, crawling things like serpents etc.  (poisonous & harmful in direct sense)
Mute Signs: Cancer and Pisces	Animals for domestic care (Pets) Farm Animals (help gain prosperity; production)
Winged: Virgo, Sagittarius, Cygnus, Aquila, and the like	Animals that Fly  “particularly those which are used for human food”
Of the sea: Cancer, Capricorn, and the Dolphin	“creatures of the sea and the sailing of fleets”
Of rivers: Aquarius, Argo & Pisces	“creatures of rivers and springs, and in Argo they affect both classes alike”
Cancer & Capricorn	“conditions of the air and the seasons related to each of these signs, and in particular they concern the spring and things which grow from the earth.”
Aries-Gemini-Taurus	“affect the new shoots of the arboreal crops, such as grapes and figs, and whatever matures with them”
Cancer-Leo-Virgo	“the gathering and storing of the crops, and in Egypt, peculiarly, the rising of the Nile”
Libra-Scorpio-Sagittarius	“the sowing, the hay crops, and such”
Capricorn-Aquarius-Pisces	“the vegetables and the kinds of birds and fish most common at this season”
Libra-Aries	“sacred rites and the worship of the gods”
Cancer-Capricorn	“changes in the air and in political customs”
Gemini-Virgo-Sagittarius-Pisces	People & “kings”

Planets Near/at the Asc  at the Eclipse Chart	“signify what is to be concerning the crops, youth, and foundations”
Planets Near/at the Mc  at the Eclipse Chart	“sacred rites, kings, and middle age”
Planets Near/at the Dc  at the Eclipse Chart	“change of customs, old age, and those who have passed away”

Aries	Sheep  etc.
Taurus	Oxen
Taurus	Earthquakes
Cancer	Crustaceous (Crab)
Leo	Lions, Lioness, Jaguars, etc.
Scorpio	Scorpions etc.
Last 15° Degrees of Sagittarius	Horses, Giraffes(?),
Capricorn	Goats etc.
Capricorn	Unexpected Rains
Pisces & figures of Swimming things	Water Animals Overall (Fishes, Whales, Sharks etc.)

Level of Effect	Planet (X)
Diminished	Vespertine to Solar Matutine to Lunar
Moderate	Opposition to Eclipses
Augmented	Vespertine to Lunar Matutine to Solar

VIII. Of the Quality of the Predicted Event

The 4th and last condition, that of concerning the quality of the predicted events, will that be beneficial/positive or contrary, how far will it go in either cases accordingly to the “peculiar character of the species”. Will it be “Good” ? “Evil” ? Moderated?

Ptolemy begins the chapter writing/saying that the luminaries are in fact the “marshals” of the planets, once they are the causes of the rulership table, planetary strength and weakness and so forth – and thus, for a certain degree the Sun and Moon command the Zodiac, telling them what to do next, where to go, etc.. A great grasp or comprehension of the luminaries at Eclipses is essential, for they will show the overall quality of the events. Nevertheless, the result we witness is from the whole configuration, with all the planets that are involved in some manner, but highlight the one in Dominion over the Eclipse’s Radix.

In sequence, the Egyptian anthologist from the 2nd century CE, describes the general quality of all the planets one by one beginning from Saturn, while also observing their temperaments and how that can correspond to things & events on Earth when in its own condition, fixed stars conjunct the Eclipses or what resembles them, the constellation(s) itself, domiciles, the characterization of the Zodiac Signs alone, aspects of the planets with each and conjunctions (partile or assembly), and planetary virtues. 

I think it was clever and intersting that Ptolemy, before commiting in writitting the general remakrs on each planet, wrote that he would point to them as if they hadn’t been named yet but their “effective quality and nature”.

Planet(s)	Effect – Quality (General Remarks)
Sun & Moon	Leaders –  “responsible for the entirety of the power”
Saturn   1.      Overall & Health 2.      Dumb Animals 3.      Weather 4.      Rivers & Seas 5.      Crops of Earth	1. “…when he gains sole dominance, is in general the cause of destruction by cold, and in particular, when the event concerns men [humans], causes lung illnesses [COVID19 for example], consumptions, withering, disturbances caused by fluidal [?], rheumatisms, and quartan fevers [malaria?], exile, poverty, imprisonment, mourning, fears, and deaths, especially among those advanced in age. – 2. He is usually significant with regard to those dumb animals [ruled by Taurus & Capricorn] that are of use to man, and brings about scarcity of them, and the bodily destruction by disease of such as exist, so that the men who use them are similarly affected and perish. – 3. With regard to weather, he causes fearful cold, freezing [& frosty], misty, and pestilential; corruption of the air, clouds, and gloom; furthermore, multitudes of snowstorms, not beneficial but destructive, from which are produced the reptiles harmful to man. – 4. As for the rivers and seas, in general he causes storms, the wreck of fleets, disastrous voyages, and the scarcity and death of fish, and in particular the high and ebb tides of the seas and in rivers excessive floods and pollution of their waters. – 5. As for the crops of the earth, he brings about want, scarcity, and loss, especially of those grown for necessary uses, either through worms or locusts or floods or cloud-hurst or hail or the like, so that famine and the destruction of men thereby result.”
Jupiter   1.      Overall 2.      Health & Virtue 3.      Dumb Animal 4.      Weather 5.      Rivers & Crops	1. “…rules alone he produces increase in general, and, in particular, when the prediction is concerned with men, he makes fame and prosperity, abundance, peaceful existence, the increase of the necessities of life, bodily and spiritual health, and… – 2. Furthermore, benefits and gifts from rulers, and the increase, greatness, and magnanimity [generous?] of these latter; and in general he is the cause of happiness. – 3. With reference to dumb animals [ruled by Taurus & Capricorn] he causes a multitude and abundance of those that are useful to men and the diminution and destruction of the opposite kind. – 4. He makes the condition of the air temperate and healthful, windy, moist, and favorable to the growth of what the earth bears; – 5. He brings about the fortunate sailing of fleets, the moderate rise of rivers, abundance of crops, and everything similar.”
Mars   1.      Overall 2.      Health; Death; Evil 3.      Weather 4.       Fleets 5.      Dumb Animals & Crops	1. “…when he assumes the rulership alone, is in general the cause of destruction through dryness and in particular, when the event concerns men, brings about wars, civil faction, capture, enslavement, uprisings, the wrath of leaders, and sudden deaths arising from such causes; – 2. moreover, revers [hyperthermia?], tertian agues [Denoting a form of malaria causing a fever that recurs every second day?], raising of blood [hypertension / also by dehydration perhaps?], swift and violent deaths, especially in the prime of life; similarly, violence, assaults, lawlessness, arson and murder, robbery and piracy. – 3. With regard to the condition of the air he causes hot weather, warm, pestilential, and withering winds, the loosing of lightning and hurricanes, and drought. – 4. Again, at sea he causes sudden shipwreck of fleets through changeable winds or lightning or the like; the failure of the water of rivers, the drying up of springs, and the tainting of potable waters. –  5. With reference to the necessities produced upon the earth for human use, he causes a scarcity and loss of dumb animals and of things which grow from the earth, and the loss of crops by drying as the result of hot weather, or by locusts, or by the beating of the winds, or by burning in places of storage.”
Venus   1.      Overall 2.      Virtue 3.      Health & Politic 4.       Weather 5.      Rivers & Animals + Profit	1. “…sole ruler of the event, in general brings about results similar to those of Jupiter, but with the addition of a certain agreeable quality; – 2.  in particular, where men are concerned, she causes fame, honor, happiness, abundance, happy marriage, many children, satisfaction in every mutual relationship, the increase of property, a neat and well conducted manner of life, paying honor to those things which are to be revered; – 3. Further, she is the cause of bodily health, alliances with the leaders, and elegance of rulers;   4. as to the winds of the air, of temperateness and settled conditions of moist and very nourishing winds, of good air, clear weather, and generous showers of fertilizing waters; – 5. she brings about the fortunate sailing of fleets, successes, profits, and the full rising of rivers; of useful animals and the fruits of the earth she is the pre-eminent cause of abundance, good yields, and profit.”
Mercury   1.      Overall 2.      Negative Motion 3.      Voyages & Health 4.       Associations 5.      Animals & Plants 6.      Rivers	1. “…generally speaking, in nature like whatever of the other planets may be associated with him. In particular, he is above all stimulating, and in predictions concerning men is keen and very practical, ingenious in any situation; – 2. but he causes robbery, theft, piracy, and assault, and –  3. furthermore, brings about unsuccessful voyaging when he is in aspect with the maleficent planets, and occasions diseases of dryness, quotidian agues, coughs, raising, and consumption. – 4. He is the cause of events taking place which concern the priestly code, the worship of the gods, the royal revenues, and of change in customs and laws, from time to time, in consistency with his association with the other planets on each occasion. – 4. With reference to the air, since he is very dry and swift on account of his nearness to the sun, and the speed of his revolution, he is particularly apt to arouse irregular, fierce, and changeable winds, and, as might be expected, thunder, hurricanes, chasms in the earth, earthquakes, and lightning; – 5. sometimes by these means he causes the destruction of useful animals and plants. – 6. At setting he diminishes waters and rivers, at rising fills them.”

There is a time, Ptolemy says, where it begins to become rather impossible to decipher all the combinations all together, they will/may vary so much to the point of becoming quite an abstract picture, leaving the undertaking for the mathematicians, which I think he actually talks about prediction through techniques. Like, there is a limit – a reminder to not go overboard.

The Impossible Task: “…It is of course a hopeless and impossible task to mention the proper outcome of every combination and to enumerate absolutely all the aspects of whatever kind, since we can conceive of such a variety of them. Consequently questions of this kind would reasonably be left to the enterprise and ingenuity of the mathematician, in order to make the particular distinctions.”

What is Natural of the Combinations: “… It is needful to observe what affinity exists between the planets which govern the prediction and the countries or the cities for which the event is signified [I think he says that let it be it from the geographic position relative to the ecliptic or also the radix of foundation date].”

Greast Time Ahead: “For if the ruling planets are beneficent [let it be the Sun/Mercury to Venus or Jupiter, or Mars & Saturn (in aspect) looking good to ruler Venus/Jupiter (?)], and have familiarity with the subjects affected, and are not overcome by planets of the opposite sect, they more powerfully produce the benefits natural to them; 

Good Times: even as, when they bear no familiarity, or are overcome by their opposites, they are less helpful [still effective and positive, but not as if they were in natural/geographical or radixes’ affinities].

Bad Trip: “But when they are of the injurious temperament [let it be the Mars/Saturn or perhaps even the Sun/Mercury but in square, opposition/conjunct malefics] and govern the prediction, if they have familiarity with the subjects affected or are overcome by the opposite sect [let Venus or Jupiter dominate the Eclipse], they do less harm [yet still of negative conotation];

Destructive: “… but if they are neither lords of the countries nor are overcome by the planets that have familiarity with those countries, they exert all the more intensely the destructiveness of their temperament [ex. let the ruler of the Eclipse be Mars visible in a region ruled by Venus, which in turn, in the Eclipse chart Venus is weak]. Usually, however, those men are affected by the more universal ills who in their own genitures happen to have the most essential places, by which I mean those of the luminaries [the Zodiac Signs of Sun/Moon] or of the angles [Asc-Dsc & Mc-Ic], the same as those that furnish the cause of the general misfortunes, that is, the places of the eclipses or the places directly opposite. 

Most Dangerous Times Ahead:Of these the positions most dangerous and hardest to avoid are those in which either of their luminaries is in possession of the very degree of the place of the eclipse [ex. let the Eclipse happen in Aries, and the region is Aries prominent], or the degree opposite [ex. let the Eclipse happen in Aries, but the region be Libra prominent].”

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More on the Benefic and Malefic Planets go to Book I, Chapter V

More on the Fixed Stars go to Book I, Chapter IX

More on the Triangles go to Book I, Chapter XVIII