卷二·第一章　引言

Let it be considered that thus far we have furnished in brief the most important details of the tabular exposition needful for the inquiry into particular prognostications. Let us now add in proper sequence the procedures for dealing in detail with those matters which lie within the limits of possibility of this kind of prognostication, holding everywhere to the natural method of exposition.

到此为止，可以认为我们已经扼要交代了表列式阐述中最重要的各项细节，这些是探究具体预言所必需的。现在让我们按适当的次序，补上逐项处理那些在这类预言可能范围之内的事情的步骤，处处坚持依自然之理的阐述方法。

Since, then, prognostication by astronomical means is divided into two great and principal parts, and since the first and more universal is that which relates to whole races, countries, and cities, which is called general, and the second and more specific is that which relates to individual men, which is called genethlialogical, we believe it fitting to treat first of the general division, because such matters are naturally swayed by greater and more powerful causes than are particular events. And since weaker natures always yield to the stronger, and the particular always falls under the general, it would by all means be necessary for those who purpose an inquiry about a single individual long before to have comprehended the more general considerations.

既然经由天文的预言分为两大主要部分：第一部分较为普遍，关乎整个种族、国家与城市，称为世俗占；第二部分较为具体，关乎个人，称为本命占；我们认为宜先论世俗这一部分，因为这类事情天然受到比个别事件更大、更有力的原因左右。又因为较弱的本性总是屈从于较强的，个别总是归属于一般，所以凡打算探究某一个人的人，无论如何都必须早早先理解那些较普遍的考量。

Of the general inquiry itself, a part, again, is found to concern whole countries, and a part to concern cities; and further, a part deals with the greater and more periodic conditions, such as wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, deluges, and the like; and another with the lesser and more occasional, as for example the changes in temperature in the seasons of the year, and the variations of the intensity of storms, heat, and winds, or of good and bad crops, and so on.

世俗的探究本身，又可见一部分关乎整个国家，一部分关乎城市；再者，一部分处理较大、较具周期性的情状，例如战争、饥荒、瘟疫、地震、洪水之类；另一部分处理较小、较偶然的，例如一年各季气温的变化，风暴、炎热与风的强弱变化，或收成的好坏，等等。

But in each of these cases, as is reasonable, procedure by entire countries and by more important conditions is preferred, for the same reason as before. 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 ecliptical 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.

不过在上述每一种情形里，按理都应优先以整个国家、以较重大的情状为序，理由同前。在考察这些问题时，尤其要考虑两件事：一是黄道星座以及诸星与各气候带的亲缘；二是天体在某一时刻于其本有区域中所示的征兆，这些征兆透过日月发生交食的会合，以及诸行星升起时与留时的经行而显现。因此我们先说明上述感应的自然原因，同时扼要综览一般可见属于各个整体民族的身体与性情特征，这些特征与跟他们相亲的诸星、诸星座的自然性质并非不相干。