Ab Ma'sar, Libri mysteriorum The astrological metaphors. Italian translation by Giuseppe Bezza from Angelicus 29, fo. 62ss.

Laurentianus Plut. 28, "nglis# translation by $aria $u%zia&. , fo. !2 ss.

II, 167. On the opposition o the signs an! on the rien!ship o the stars. All the signs are opposite to other signs" Taurus an! #apricorn, or e$ample, are opposite to %irgo since these signs in&ure the stars that are in %irgo' an! Leo is opposite to Aries, as Leo truly eats the Aries ' an! (agittarius is opposite to Leo, since (agittarius means bo)* shooting. Moreo+er ,A,uarius is opposite to -emini, as )ell as to Libra " in act, -emini an! Libra, mean the )ritings an! the art o calculation an! airness an! &ustice )hile A,uarius means the in&ustices an! the impostures' inally, .isces are opposite to #ancer an! the #ancer is opposite to (corpio an! also the stars that are in these signs are opposite to each other. As ar as the rien!ship is concerne! it is base! on three con!itions, among )hich the most important is the con!ition )hich is pro!uce! by essence, )hich is that o the (un an! o Mars since both are hot an! !ry, or that o %enus an! o the Moon because both are !amp an! col! an! also since the e$altation o the Moon is the !omicile o %enus. The secon! con!ition o rien!ship is )hen a star partly shares the essence o another star, as it happens in the case o %enus an! /upiter or o Mercury an! Mars" %enus, in act, has the !ampness an! the inclination to !o goo! things in common )ith /upiter as )ell as )hat is beauti ul an! suitable, but it is at +ariance in heat an! in )is!om. As ar as Mercury is concerne!, it has the !ryness an! the 0eal in common )ith Mars an! it !isagrees in e!ucation an! in )is!om. The last con!ition o rien!ship is gi+en by the union o one star )ith another in a place in )hich it has some right o !ominion" (aturn, or e$ample, )hen it comes !o)n in latitu!e it becomes col! an! !amp an! there ore it becomes consonant )ith the Moon an! )ith %enus an! this is )hy it !oes not o en! an! !oes not harm them' an! the Moon, )hen its light increases an! it has an a!!iti+e number, becomes consonant )ith the (un an! )ith the brightest stars. There are also some signs )hich, e+en though they are con igure! in a s,uare aspect, they agree )ith each other, as it is in the case o Taurus an! o A,uarius or o Leo an! o (corpio since they rise in the same times' or also o Taurus an! o Leo, o (corpio an! o A,uarius )hich rise in the same points o the hori0on. Moreo+er, other signs, are in agreement although they are not con igure!" this is the case o -emini an! o #apricorn, o #ancer an! o (agittarius )hich are in agreement by the same times o ascension. Then , as ar as Taurus an! Libra, Aries an! (corpio are concerne!, they procee! along the same )ay 1or they ha+e only one Lor!2. II, 163. On the meanings o %enus )hen it &oins Mars or (aturn or /upiter or the (un an! on the meanings o /upiter )hen it is con&unct to them. 4hen %enus is )ith Mars it is similar to a )oman )ho searches or pleasure an! )ho &oins a man that is per+erse an! is a )hore*monger' she ears him, latters him an! she has a lo+ing attitu!e to)ar!s him an! sho)s a ection to him' an! ho)e+er these things are pretence, she !oes them or ear. 4hen %enus is )ith (aturn, it is similar to a young )oman )ith a goo! igure )ho 5eeps company )ith an ol! , impotent man. (he is !istresse! or this reason an! the )ay she lea!s her li e seems unbearable to her. 4hen it is )ith /upiter it is similar to a )oman )ho is in the prime o li e, an! )ho &oins up )ith an honest man an! there is a ection bet)een them. 4hen it is con&unct to the (un, it is similar to a grie+e! an! su ering )oman )ho is al)ays sub&ecte! to her husban!. 4hen the stars o /upiter ,o (aturn are together , they are similar to t)o mates )ho, ne+ertheless , are completely !i erent an! each o them aspires to harm the other an! bring him to a ruin. Then , i )e in! /upiter )ith Mars, it is similar to an honest man

)ho &oins another man )ho is )ic5e! an! !issolute. I )e in! /upiter )ith the (un, instea! , it is similar to a man o lo)ly origin an! li+ing stan!ar! )ho can not !o anything. I )e in! /upiter )ith %enus, it is similar to a strong, rich an! generous man. 6inally, i /upiter is )ith Mercury, it is similar to a man )ho sho)s a lot o care in carrying out his !uty success ully. II, 177. On the operation o the stars. The t)o male ic stars mean enmities an! a+ersions' moreo+er, many times they harm each other an! than5s to an o ence o this 5in! the man becomes ree, as it happens to the man )ho, !uring his &ourney, runs into t)o high)aymen that ight one against the other in or!er to steal him his goo!s an! o)ing to this ight, the tra+eller is ree' the t)o male ic stars pro!uce ury , oolishness , !eceptions an! impu!ence an! other similar things' the bene ic ones pro!uce care ree an! serene con!ition, things that last , rien!ships an! a!ulation. 4hen a bene ic star tra+els )ith a male ic one, the +irtue o the male ic star &oins the +irtue o the bene ic star, in a )ay similar to a )ise person )ho tra+els )ith a ool" the )ise person consi!ers care ully )hat he or she has to say, the ool a!!s his or her i!le tal5s to it )ithout consi!ering the result. The star o Mars is similar to a lion an! to a sna5e an! it is necessary to a+oi! it. The star o (aturn is similar to a oolish an! co)ar!ly thie . Moreo+er, )hen )e in! a male ic star )hich is male icate!, it causes an immense !amage )hich no one, e$cept -o!, can a+oi!' in!ee! it is similar to a rabi!, loose !og that bites the unluc5y people or to a !esperate thie arme! )ith a s)or! )ho 5ills all the people he meets. II, 171. On the )ay in )hich the male ic stars cause o ence. It is necessary to 5no) as )ell that )hen the male ic stars are in their o)n place in or in a place in )hich they ha+e the right o !ominion their )ic5e!ness ails. That's )hy it is sai! that Mars !uring the night, un!er the hori0on, !oes not cause o ence, neither !oes (aturn !uring the !ay. In!ee!, the male ic stars in their o)n places are similar to a trust ul lion ' ho)e+er , the male ic stars cause o ence )hen they are lor!s o the )ic5e! places such as the si$th, the eighth , the ourth an! the se+enth. II, 177. On the great +irtue o the stars. The stars, )hen they become morning an! go out o the sunlight, they sho) clearly their operation an! they ha+e great orce. Then, )hen Mars gets ree o the (un, it is similar to a sharp an! in allible bla!e an! the )oun! cause! by it is incurable' an! )hen (aturn goes out o the sunbeams it is li5e a lion )hich thro)s itsel out o its !en an! 5ills )hoe+er it meets' but )hen /upiter gets ree o the rays o the sunlight it is li5e a man )ho lo+es &ustice, )ho is honest an! )ho got ree rom any bon!, reason or )hich he or she becomes mil! an! )ell*!ispose! to)ar!s e+erything, 5in! an! merci ul' )hen %enus is ree rom the sunbeams, it is li5e a )oman )ho being alrea!y sub&ecte! to nee!s an! to torments an! to !iseases, reco+ers health' an! )hen Mercury goes out o the rays, i in that moment it puts itsel near a bene+olent star or is con igure! to it, it means a goo! thing, but i it is con&unct to a male+olent star, it means a +ery serious o ence. II, 178. On the +irtue o the stars that are in the heart. (ome people say that )hen a star is in the heart o the (un, it becomes stronger' ne+ertheless, I say that in that moment the star is similar to a man )ho puri ies himsel an! )ho there ore !oes not ha+e strength in the puri ication, but he regains his health a ter)ar!s. 4hen (aturn is burne! it is similar to an ol! shabby man that is not able to bear pains, sorro)s an! punishments' an! )hen /upiter is burne! it is similar to a man

put to the test an! )ho is ho)e+er able to bear pains an! sorro)s since he hopes to ta5e an a!+antage o it. Then, )hen %enus is burne! it becomes absolutely )ea5 an! )ithout strength an! it can not really bear combustion' but )hen Mercury ,)hich bears combustion, becomes burne!, it is similar to a man accustome! to !i iculties an! to miseries an! po+erty an! )ho bears such things since they are amiliar to him' then, it is sai! that )hen Mars becomes burne! it is similar to a +ery )ic5e! man )hose )ic5e!ness an! o ence increase. II, 173. The reason )hy people )ho say that a star )hich becomes burne! in its o)n !omicile or ele+ation !oes not o en!, are mista5en. (ome people say that )hen a star becomes burne! in its o)n !omicile or in its o)n ele+ation it !oes not cause o ence. 9o)e+er ,)hen (aturn, )hich is col! an! !ry becomes burne!, it is similar to stone )hich being burne! by the ire, !ecays an! brea5s .4hen /upiter becomes burne! it is similar to gol! that melts an! )hen it mo+es in the rays o sunlight its pure substance ta5es on a re! hue. Then, )hen %enus an! the Moon become burne! they are similar to the ,uic5sil+er that i )e thro) it into the ire, the ire escapes rom it li5e rom something !i erent rom its nature an! is not able to tolerate it. II, 187. On the stars that ha+e !irect motion an! on the stars that ha+e retrogra!e motion. :ou ha+e to 5no) that these i+e stars ha+e t)o !i erent arrangements in their motion" they stop in or!er to retrogra!e a ter an! then they stop again in or!er to procee! by !irect motion a ter)ar!s' an! each o these arrangements has its o)n meaning. In truth, the star that reaches the irst station, by )hich I mean the station rom )hich it )ill start to rece!e a ter)ar!s, is similar to an ill man )hose strength is ailing, his +igour an! energy )ea5ene! by the illness. 4hen the star gets to its secon! station it is similar to a man )ho has alrea!y starte! to reco+er his health an! inally, )hen it mo+es by !irect motion, it is li5e a man reco+ere! rom an illness. %enus in particular is o en!e! by rece!ing" in!ee!, )hen it retrogra!es, it gets burne!, that's )hy )e ha+e a 5in! o !ouble !istress" one is gi+en by rece!ing, the other by burning. Mercury is also !istresse! )hen it rece!es since it gets burne! as )ell, but it is not o en!e! by its rece!ing an! by the act that it is burne! as much as %enus. Also as ar as the superior stars are concerne! )e can say that the o ence o their rece!ing is slighter than the o ence o the rece!ing o the in erior stars , especially )hen they rece!e rom a non* amiliar place to)ar!s a place in )hich they ha+e some right o !ominion or also i )hile they rece!e they mo+e rom a male ic to)ar!s a bene ic star. Then, they are similar to a man )ho tra+els an! )ho )ants to pass through the airs an! )ho a ter being stoppe! by someone )ho he meets !uring his )al5, goes bac5 an! is sa e. 9o)e+er, the superior stars are !i erent in their rece!ing an! in their stations as )ell as in their burning an! in other !istresses" in act ,)hen /upiter rece!es it is similar to a rich man sub&ecte! to a lot o bon!age an! there ore !istresse! or to a )ise , sensible an! care ul man )ho submits to the me!iocre an$ieties o the rational part o his min!' as or (aturn it !ebases itsel completely in its rece!ing an! it is similar to a sla+e )ho escapes an! )ho is caught by his master again an! put in chains' inally Mars ,)hen it rece!es it is similar to a son o a ugiti+e that escapes rom his ather an! then returns relying on his ather's a ection. The stars cause o ence particularly i in their rece!ing they are in a oreign place or in their a!+ersities or in their humiliations an! especially i they are a licte! )ith a male+olent star in their rece!ing" then, they are similar to an ill man )hose strength is ailing an! )ho is sei0e! by another ba! thing at once. In!ee!, the stars )hich rece!e alter their nature an! there ore they complete their operations in a )ea5 )ay.

II, 181. The reason )hy some stars in their humiliations o en! a lot an! other o en! little.

There are !i erences in the humiliations o the stars as ar as the !amage is concerne!" Mars o en!s +ery much in its humiliation or in #ancer since it is a col! an! moist sign )hile Mars is hot an! !ry as the nature o the ire is an! there ore )hen it humiliates itsel its a liction is !ouble" both because it is in its o)n humiliation an! because it is in a sign !i erent rom its o)n nature . The (un !istresses itsel in its o)n humiliation )hich is Libra ,on the one han! it approaches the hypogeum, on the other han! Libra is a moist sign )hile the (un is !ry. /upiter grie+es in its humiliation that is in #apricorn, the !omicile o (aturn )hich is opposite to /upiter's nature since (aturn is male ic )hile /upiter is bene ic an! is oppose! to (aturn as ar as the essence is concerne!. (aturn !istresses itsel in its o)n humiliation )hich is Aries since it is hot an! !ry )hile (aturn is col! an! !ry, but since (aturn has the !ryness in common )ith Aries it is not harme! much. The Moon an! %enus are not harme! +ery much in their humiliations " in act ,the Moon humiliates itsel in (corpio an! (corpio is its triangle an! it shares the nature o the Moon an! has a trigon )ith #ancer )hich is the Moon's !omicile. As or %enus, it humiliates itsel in %irgo, but it agrees )ith this sign o)ing to the eminine nature an! besi!es almost e+erybo!y 5no)s that %irgo means !ancing, singing harmonies, lyres an! other musical instruments an! the search or marriage, all the things )hich are typical o %enus. Moreo+er, %enus has its humiliation in the ;;%II !egree o %irgo )hich is not ar rom Libra, its !omicile' )e can there ore say that it is similar to a )orrie! an! !istresse! man )ho brie ly goes rom !istress to cheer ulness an! &oy. I a star )hich is in its o)n humiliation is moreo+er )atche! by the bene ic stars it is similar to a man )ho is a +ictim o mis ortune, but is ne+ertheless ai!e! by rien!s an! relations an! his heart is ma!e stronger by their ai!. 9o)e+er i a star )hich is in its o)n humiliation is obser+e! by male ic stars it is similar to an unluc5y man )ho has many enemies an! contra!ictors in his mis ortune )ho !o all they can to ma5e him lose. II, 18<. 4hat the stars )hich ha+e !irect motion an! the stars )hich go bac5 mean. The star that rece!es means alsities an! !eceptions, the star that has a !irect motion means the truth an! all that is upright, but i it is burne! ma is li5e a !ull, ill man )ho !oes not ha+e con i!ence in an! is not sure o anything e$cept his o)n )ea5ness. II, 186. The reason )hy the stars that rece!e or are in slo) signs bring the results slo)ly an! the stars )hich are !irect in motion are ast in bringing the results. 4hen the stars ha+e subtracti+e motion they lea! to slo) results as )ell as )hen they are in slo) signs. The signs )hich ha+e the nature o (aturn an! /upiter such as #apricorn an! A,uarius, (agittarius an! .isces are slo)' but )hen the stars ha+e a !irect motion )hat they mean arri+es ,uic5ly an! especially i they are in a tropical sign. II, =71. 4hat the morning an! occi!ental stars mean. It has to be 5no)n that )hen a star is a morning one it is similar to a boy )ho is in the bloom o youth an! is at height o his incenti+es )hile the +espertine star is li5e an ol! oppresse! man )hose +igour is lac5ing.

II, =7=. On the con iguration o the Moon )ith the stars. :ou ha+e to 5no) that the Moon is li5e the messenger o the stars" in act , it transmits their +irtues rom one star to another.