卷二·第八章　论预言事件的性质

The fourth heading concerns the quality of the predicted event, that is, whether it is productive of good or the opposite, and of what sort is its effect in either direction, in accordance with the peculiar character of the species. This is apprehended from the nature of the activity of the planets which rule the dominant places and from their combination both with one another and with the places in which they happen to be.

第四个门类关乎所预言之事的性质，也就是说，它带来的是好事还是相反，以及按其种别的特性，它在这一方向或那一方向上的作用是什么样子。这要从主宰那些主导位置的行星的作用本性来把握，也要从它们彼此之间、以及与它们所在位置之间的组合来把握。

For the sun and the moon are the marshals and, as it were, leaders of the others; for they are themselves responsible for the entirety of the power, and are the causes of the rulership of the planets, and, moreover, the causes of the strength or weakness of the ruling planets. The comprehensive observation of the ruling stars shows the quality of the predicted events.

因为太阳与月亮是统帅，可以说是其余诸星的领袖：它们本身对全部的力负责，是行星得以主宰的原因，而且是主宰之星强或弱的原因。对主宰之星作全面的观察，就显出所预言之事的性质。

We shall begin with the characteristic active powers of the planets, one by one, first, however, making this general observation, as a summary reminder, that in general whenever we speak of any temperament of the five planets one must understand that whatever produces the like nature is also meant, whether it be the planet itself in its own proper condition, or one of the fixed stars, or one of the signs of the zodiac, considered with reference to the temperament proper to it, just as though the characterizations were applied to the natures or the qualities themselves and not to the planets; and let us remember that in the combinations, again, we must consider not only the mixture of the planets one with another, but also their combination with the others that share in the same nature, whether they be fixed stars or signs of the zodiac, by virtue of their affinities with the planets, already set forth.

我们将从诸星各自特有的作用力讲起，逐一论述；不过先作一个总的说明，作为扼要的提醒：大体说来，凡是我们说到五星中任何一颗的气质，都要理解为也指一切产生同类本性的东西——无论是处在本来状态的那颗行星本身，还是某颗恒星，或是黄道上的某个星座，都就其固有的气质而言——就好像这些描述是加在那些本性或性质本身之上，而不是加在行星之上；还要记住，在组合之中，我们同样不仅要考虑行星彼此的混合，还要考虑它们与其他同具这一本性者的组合，无论那是恒星还是黄道星座，这是凭借前面已经讲过的、它们与行星的亲和。

Saturn, when he gains sole dominance, is in general the cause of destruction by cold, and in particular, when the event concerns men, causes long illnesses, consumptions, withering, disturbances caused by fluids, rheumatisms, and quartan fevers, exile, poverty, imprisonment, mourning, fears, and deaths, especially among those advanced in age. He is usually significant with regard to those dumb animals 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.

土星独掌主宰时，大体上是因寒冷而毁坏的原因；具体说来，事件若关乎人，他会造成久病、痨瘵、枯萎、体液引起的失调、风湿与四日热，以及流放、贫穷、囚禁、哀悼、恐惧与死亡，尤其多见于年长的人。对人有用的那些不能言语的动物，他通常也有所预示：使它们稀少，使现有的因疾病而身体毁坏，以致使用它们的人也同样受害而死亡。

With regard to weather, he causes fearful cold, freezing, 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. 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.

至于天气，他造成可怕的寒冷——冰冻的、多雾的、带瘟疫的；空气的败坏、阴云与昏暗；还有大量的暴风雪，不是有益而是有害的，从中生出伤人的爬虫。至于江河与海洋，大体上他造成风暴、船队的覆没、灾难性的航行，以及鱼的稀少与死亡；具体说来，造成海上的大潮与退潮，以及河流的过度泛滥与河水的污浊。

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-burst or hail or the like, so that famine and the destruction of men thereby result.

至于地上的作物，他造成匮乏、稀少与损失，尤其是为必需之用而种的那些，或因虫害，或因蝗虫，或因洪水、暴雨、冰雹之类，以致由此引起饥荒与人的死亡。

When Jupiter 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, furthermore, benefits and gifts from rulers, and the increase, greatness, and magnanimity of these latter; and in general he is the cause of happiness. With reference to dumb animals he causes a multitude and abundance of those that are useful to men and the diminution and destruction of the opposite kind.

木星单独主宰时，大体上带来增长；具体说来，预言若关乎人，他带来名声与兴旺、富足、安宁的生活、生活必需品的增加、身体与心灵的健康，此外还有来自统治者的恩惠与赏赐，以及统治者本身的增益、伟大与宽宏；总之，他是幸福的原因。就不能言语的动物而言，他使对人有用的那些众多而丰盛，使相反的那一类减少、消灭。

He makes the condition of the air temperate and healthful, windy, moist, and favourable to the growth of what the earth bears; he brings about the fortunate sailing of fleets, the moderate rise of rivers, abundance of crops, and everything similar.

他使空气的状况温和而有益健康，多风、湿润，有利于大地所产之物的生长；他带来船队的顺利航行、河水的适度上涨、作物的丰盛，以及一切类似的事。

Mars, 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; moreover, fevers, tertian agues, raising of blood, swift and violent deaths, especially in the prime of life; similarly, violence, assaults, lawlessness, arson and murder, robbery and piracy. 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.

火星单独取得主宰时，大体上是因干燥而毁坏的原因；具体说来，事件若关乎人，他带来战争、内乱、俘掠、奴役、暴动、首领的震怒，以及由这些原因引起的猝死；还有热病、间日热、咯血、迅速而暴烈的死亡，尤其多见于盛年之人；同样还有暴行、袭击、无法无天、纵火与杀人、抢劫与海盗。至于空气的状况，他造成炎热的天气，温热的、带瘟疫的、使万物枯萎的风，雷电的迸发与飓风，以及干旱。

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. 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.

还有，在海上，他因多变的风、雷电之类，使船队突然遇难；他使河水枯竭、泉源干涸、饮用之水受污。至于大地为人所用而出产的必需之物，他造成不能言语的动物和地里所生之物的稀少与损失，并使作物因炎热而干枯，或因蝗虫，或因狂风吹打，或在储藏之处焚毁而受损。

Venus, when she becomes sole ruler of the event, in general brings about results similar to those of Jupiter, but with the addition of a certain agreeable quality; in particular, where men are concerned, she causes fame, honour, happiness, abundance, happy marriage, many children, satisfaction in every mutual relationship, the increase of property, a neat and well conducted manner of life, paying honour to those things which are to be revered; further, she is the cause of bodily health, alliances with the leaders, and elegance of rulers; 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; 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 preëminent cause of abundance, good yields, and profit.

金星成为事件唯一的主宰时，大体上带来与木星相似的结果，只是另添一种可爱的意味；具体说来，关乎人时，她带来名声、荣誉、幸福、富足、美满的婚姻、多子、一切相互关系中的满意、财产的增加、整洁而有条理的生活方式，以及对应当尊崇之事的敬重；此外，她是身体健康、与首领结盟、统治者风雅的原因；至于空气中的风，她使湿润而极富滋养的风温和、安定，带来良好的空气、晴朗的天气，以及丰沛的、使土地肥沃的雨水；她带来船队的顺利航行、成功、利润，以及河水的充分上涨；对有用的动物和大地的果实，她是丰盛、好收成与收益的首要原因。

Mercury, if he gains the rulership, is, 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; but he causes robbery, theft, piracy, and assault, and 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.

水星若取得主宰，大体说来，其本性与同他相伴的任何一颗其他行星相似。具体说来，他首先是激发性的；在关乎人的预言中，他敏锐而极为务实，在任何处境中都有巧思；但他也造成抢劫、偷窃、海盗与袭击，而且在与凶星成相位时带来不顺的航行，并引起干燥之病、每日热、咳嗽、咯吐与痨病。

He is the cause of events taking place which concern the priestly code, the worship of the gods, the royal revenues, and of changes in customs and laws, from time to time, in consistency with his association with the other planets on each occasion.

他是关乎祭司律法、敬拜诸神、王室税收之事发生的原因，也是习俗与法律不时改变的原因，这要合于他每一次与其他行星相伴的情形。

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; sometimes by these means he causes the destruction of useful animals and plants. At setting he diminishes waters and rivers, at rising fills them.

至于空气，由于他靠近太阳，又运转迅速，所以非常干燥而迅疾，特别容易激起不规则的、猛烈而多变的风，以及——如可料想的——雷鸣、飓风、地裂、地震与闪电；有时他借这些毁坏有用的动物与植物。他沉没时使水与河流减少，升起时使之充满。

Such are the effects produced by the several planets, each by itself and in command of its own nature. Associated, however, now with one and now with another, in the different aspects, by the exchange of signs, and by their phases with reference to the sun, and experiencing a corresponding tempering of their powers, each produces a character, in its effect, which is the result of the mixture of the natures that have participated, and is complicated.

以上是诸星各自单独、按自身本性作主时所产生的作用。然而，它们时而与这一颗、时而与那一颗相伴——凭着不同的相位、星座的互换，以及它们对太阳的相——它们的力也相应地得到调和，于是每一颗在作用上产生的性格，都是参与其中的诸本性混合的结果，而且是复杂的。

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.

当然，要说出每一种组合的确切结果，把一切种类的格局全都列举出来，是无望而不可能的事，因为我们能设想的组合是如此多样。因此这类问题理应留给数学家的进取心与巧思，由他去作具体的分辨。

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. For if the ruling planets are beneficent, 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; even as, when they bear no familiarity, or are overcome by their opposites, they are less helpful.

必须观察主宰预言的行星与事件所预示的国家或城市之间存在何种亲和。因为主宰的行星若是吉星，又与受影响者有亲缘，且不被昼夜之分相反的行星压制，就更有力地带来它们本性中的好处；同样，若它们没有亲缘，或被相反者压制，助益就较少。

But when they are of the injurious temperament and govern the prediction, if they have familiarity with the subjects affected or are overcome by the opposite sect, they do less harm; 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.

但若主宰预言的行星气质有害，那么它们若与受影响者有亲缘，或被昼夜之分相反的一派压制，造成的伤害就较小；若它们既不是这些国家的主星，又不被与这些国家有亲缘的行星压制，就会更猛烈地施展其气质的破坏力。

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 or of the angles, the same as those that furnish the cause of the general misfortunes, that is, the places of the eclipses or the places directly opposite. Of these the positions most dangerous and hardest to avoid are those in which either of the luminaries is in possession of the very degree of the place of the eclipse, or the degree opposite.

不过，受较普遍的灾祸影响的，通常是这样一些人：他们本命中最要紧的位置——我指的是两光或四角的位置——恰与造成普遍灾祸的位置相同，也就是交食的位置，或与之正相对的位置。其中最危险、最难躲避的情形，是两光中的任一个恰好占据交食之处的那一度，或与之相对的那一度。