卷二·第六章　论预言事件的时间

The second and chronological heading, whereby we should learn the times of the events signified and the length of their duration, we shall consider as follows. Inasmuch as the eclipses which take place at the same time are not completed in the same number of ordinary hours in every locality, and since the same solar eclipses do not everywhere have the same degree of obscuration or the same time of duration, we shall first set down for the hour of the eclipse, in each of the related localities, and for the altitude of the pole, centres, as in a nativity; secondly, how many equinoctial hours the obscuration of the eclipse lasts in each.

第二个门类关乎时间，借以得知所预示之事应在何时、持续多久，我们这样考察。同时发生的交食，并非在每个地方都以同样多的寻常时辰完成；同一次日食，各地的遮蔽程度与持续时间也不相同。因此，第一，要在每个相关的地方，按交食的时刻和当地的天极高度，像本命盘那样定出四角；第二，要定出每地交食的遮蔽持续多少个分点时。

For when these data are examined, if it is a solar eclipse, we shall understand that the predicted event lasts as many years as the equinoctial hours which we discover, and if a lunar eclipse, as many months. 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.

这些数据查明之后，若是日食，我们就知道所预言之事持续的年数，等于所得的分点时数；若是月食，则持续同样多的月数。至于事件开端的情形与其中较重大的加剧，则要从交食之处相对于四角的位置来推断。

For if the place of the eclipse falls on the eastern horizon, 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; if on the mid‑heaven, in the second four months and the middle third; if upon the western horizon, in the third four months and the final third.

因为，交食之处若落在东方地平，就表示所预言之事始于交食后的头四个月，其重大的加剧在整个持续期的前三分之一；若在中天，则始于第二个四个月，加剧在中间三分之一；若在西方地平，则始于第三个四个月，加剧在最后三分之一。

The beginnings of the particular abatements and intensifications of the event we deduce from the conjunctions which take place in the meantime, if they occur in the significant regions or the regions in some aspect to them, and also from the other movements of the planets, if those that effect the predicted event are either rising or setting or stationary or at evening rising, and are at the same time in some aspect to the zodiacal signs that hold the cause; for planets when they are rising or stationary produce intensifications in the events, but when setting, and under the rays of the sun, or advancing at evening, they bring about an abatement.

事件中一次次局部的减退与加剧从何时开始，我们从其间发生的会合来推断——如果这些会合落在有预示作用的区域，或落在与之成某种相位的区域；也从行星的其他运行来推断——如果造成所预言之事的行星正在升起、沉没、留或昏升，同时又与握有起因的星座成某种相位。因为行星升起或留时，会使事件加剧；而沉没、在太阳光下、或在昏时前行时，则使之减退。