卷七·序言；第一章　按主星、上升时间与上升点论时期

THE ANTHOLOGIES OF VETTIUS VALENS OF ANTIOCH, BOOK VII

安条克的维蒂乌斯·瓦伦斯《选集》第七卷

PREFACE.

序言。

Before all else, concerning this book too, I must set an oath before those who engage with it, so that they may keep what is said guarded and secret; for I have set out the aforesaid procedures in varied ways and in sequence, having great power for exhortation and for a method fit for lovers of the beautiful, so that they may extend their desire from the least things to the greater, and not, by leaving off, bring blame against us. It is better, then, to come to these after having first trained oneself in the books composed by us; for from the general and the particular comparisons the division will be judged unerring and venerable. And just as someone who has climbed with much toil to some mountain summit by steps and winding places, and has found the construction of a temple and costly statues "of gold and silver and ivory" and certain purple stuffs, considers the ascent not to be regretted and free of toil, and worships with pleasure, imagining that he is conversing with the heavenly gods, so too are those who are persuaded by our instructions. These I adjure by the sacred circle of the Sun, the irregular courses of the Moon, the powers of the other planets, and the circle of the twelve signs, to keep these things hidden and not to impart them to the uneducated or the uninitiated, and to render honour and remembrance to the one who introduced them. To those who keep the oath, may it be well, and may the aforesaid gods be gracious; to those who break it, the opposite.

首先，关于这一卷，我也必须向从事它的人立下誓言，好让他们把所说的守护起来、保守秘密；因为我已把上述诸程序多样而依次地列出，它们对劝勉、对适合爱好美的人的方法有很大的力量，好让他们把渴望从最小的事伸展到更大的事，而不至于半途而废，把指责加在我们身上。所以，最好先在我们写成的诸卷中操练自己，再来到这些；因为从总体的与个别的比较中，划分会被判为无误而可敬。正如一个人以许多辛劳，沿着台阶与曲折之处爬上某座山顶，找到一座神庙的建筑与昂贵的雕像，「金、银与象牙的」，还有某些紫色的织物，就认为这番攀登不足懊悔、毫不辛劳，带着愉悦敬拜，想象自己正与天上的众神交谈；那些信服我们教导的人也是这样。我凭太阳神圣的圆、月亮不规则的行程、其余诸星的力量与十二星座的圆，嘱咐他们把这些事隐藏起来，不传给未受教育或未入门的人，并给引介这些的人以尊敬与纪念。守誓的人，愿他们安好，愿上述众神仁慈；违誓的人，则相反。

I. A Method concerning Active and Inactive Periods and the Periods of Life, with respect to the Ruler, the Rising Times, and the Ascendant.

第一章　关于有作为与无作为的时期及寿数的一种方法，按主星、上升时间与上升点。

Since in what precedes we have shown concerning the rising times that they have power in the procedures of the periods, it is necessary now too to make this clear in addition. In every nativity, the planets having been set out precisely, one must examine the ruler, how it is configured, or by which planets it receives testimony, and whether it is oriental or occidental, and whether it has a configuration familiar to the sect or alien to it, and survey its partner, the Lot of Fortune, and its lord, and likewise also the magnitude of the nativity.

既然在前面我们已说明上升时间在时期的程序中有力量，现在也必须进一步讲清楚。在每个本命中，诸星精确地列出之后，必须审视主星，看它怎样构成格局，或从哪些行星得到见证，是东出还是西入，有与本方亲和的格局还是异己的格局；还要察看它的伙伴、福点及其主，同样也要察看本命的大小。

For if the ruler is found angular or productive, it will rule the periods, and then those after it in order. And if they are in the same sign, one must reckon by the degrees, since at any rate the more oriental are the more powerful. Above all, one must survey the horoscopic angle and its ruler, how it is configured; for if it happens to be present there, or familiarly placed in another sign, it is good for the periods of life and for the activities of the soul; but if it happens to be under the setting, or in opposition, or configured in an unfamiliar way, it is harsh. For having completed either the rising time of the sign in the Ascendant, or that of the sign in which it is present, or the period of the planet whose sign it is, it brings the periods to an end; and when so placed it also makes the natives short-lived, or grants months instead of years, or days instead of months. If the lord of the Ascendant is not present with it but another planet is, that one will rule the periods; and if others too are present with it, they too will share in the allotment, the more oriental one first, however, or the one made familiar to the sign. Like effects will be grasped from the nature both of the planet and of the sign. But if they are not found in the angle, but have risen before it, they will rule the periods for a short time, or else they will subtract from their own numbers and rising times as much of the sign as they have traversed by degree.

因为若主星被发现居角或得力，它就会掌管时期，然后是依次在它之后的诸星。若它们在同一星座，就必须按度数推算，因为无论如何，较东出的更有力。最要紧的是，必须察看上升之角及其主星，看它怎样构成格局；因为若它恰好在那里，或亲和地在另一个星座里，它对寿数与灵魂的作为是好的；但若它恰好在下降之下，或在对冲，或以不亲和的方式构成格局，就是严酷的。因为它走完上升星座的上升时间、或它所在星座的上升时间、或它所在星座之主那颗行星的周期之后，就使时期终止；这样放置时，它也使本命者短命，或给出月来代替年，或日来代替月。若上升点之主不与它同在，而另一颗行星在，那颗就会掌管时期；若还有别的也与它同在，它们也会分享分配，不过较东出的那颗、或与这个星座亲和的那颗在先。相应的效验将从行星与星座两者的本性来把握。但若它们不是在角上被找到，而是在它之前已经升起，它们就会短时间地掌管时期，否则就要从自己的数目与上升时间中减去它们按度数走过的那部分星座。

After the horoscopic angle one must observe the Midheaven likewise and compare its lord, and next the setting place, after which the IC. If the planets are not found on the angles, one must examine the leadership in the succedent places; and if even so the planets do not happen to be present there, one must survey those in the cadent places; for even if they do not have so much power for actions and for complete periods, they will nevertheless be effective. It is necessary also to observe the application or testimony of the Moon and the lord of her sign; for if it is found angular, having a configuration of its sect, it will rule the first periods, and after it those that are more angular or that have made a phase; but the more oriental will differ from the boundless ones [text uncertain].

上升之角之后，必须同样观察中天，比较它的主星，接着是下降之位，之后是天底。若在诸角上找不到行星，就必须审视续宫中的领导；若即使这样行星也恰好不在那里，就必须察看果宫中的那些；因为即使它们对作为与完整的时期没有那么大的力量，它们仍会起作用。也必须同时观察月亮的入相或见证，以及她所在星座之主；因为若它被发现居角，有它那一方的格局，它就会掌管最初的时期，在它之后是更居角的或已作出相态的诸星；不过较东出的会与那些无界的不同〔原文疑有讹误〕。

These things having been determined precisely by examination in this way, it is necessary next to know beforehand the general substance of the nativity, and to what magnitude or deficiency it arrives, and the planets that harm and that benefit, and which has been allotted the authority over which place or kind, for example action, reputation, wife, children, father, mother, brothers, and the other things pertaining to the body, the soul, and livelihood, the effects of which become evident in the sub-allotments.

这些这样经审视精确地确定之后，接下来就必须预先知道本命总的根基，它达到怎样的大小或欠缺，以及加害与施益的诸星，哪颗分得了对哪个位置或哪类事的权柄，例如作为、名声、妻子、子女、父亲、母亲、兄弟，以及其余属于身体、灵魂与生计的事，它们的效验在次分配中变得显明。

But we have shown these things in what precedes. Often the same planets are master of many affairs, which they will bring about in their own periods; and if they happen to coincide in the same period, they will reveal the affairs in advance; the periods must be known from the rising time of the signs and from the period of each planet. If, then, they happen to be angular or succedent, they allot the rising times and the complete periods of each planet; and if the period is found to be greater than the rising time of the sign, the planet that has the periods will allot the period; but if the rising time is greater than the period, we shall allot the rising time; and sometimes they will allot their complete years. When many are present together, if the periods taken from all exceed the magnitude of the rising time, they allot the periods; but if the periods are found to be less than the rising time, they will allot the rising time. Not all, however, will allot their greatest periods, but only those that have a relation to the sign that has allotted; for those that have no relation allot the least amounts, as if from the cadent places. If a planet happens to be in its own face or in some other familiar sign, it will allot only the rising time of the sign. The effects come about when the rising times or the periods are brought to completion. If they are found in the cadent places, they allot neither their own rising times nor their complete periods.

但这些我们在前面已说明过。同样的行星常常是许多事务之主，它们会在自己的时期里造成这些事；若它们恰好在同一个时期里会合，就会预先显示这些事务；时期必须从诸星座的上升时间与每颗行星的周期来知道。所以，若它们恰好居角或在续宫，它们就分配上升时间与每颗行星的完整周期；若发现周期大于星座的上升时间，掌有时期的行星就分配周期；但若上升时间大于周期，我们就分配上升时间；有时它们会分配它们完整的年数。许多颗同在时，若从全部取得的周期超过上升时间的大小，它们就分配周期；但若发现周期小于上升时间，它们就分配上升时间。但并非所有行星都分配最大周期，而只是那些与已作分配的星座有关系的；因为没有关系的，就像从果宫一样分配最少的数。若一颗行星恰好在它的本面里，或在另一个亲和的星座里，它就只分配星座的上升时间。当上升时间或周期走完时，效验就发生。若它们在果宫被找到，它们既不分配自己的上升时间，也不分配完整的周期。

One must also know this beforehand, that the malefics are not always harmful, but are also beneficial and contributing causes of life and of rank, and likewise the benefics are bringers of dangers and harm; and this is known beforehand from their familiar configuration or their opposition. From experience, then, I have found the malefics to be truly malefic in middling and lowly nativities; for they overturn them with successive evils, and even if the benefics seem to help for a little while, they take away what has been acquired and make the natives inactive and unfortunate; except that they make some vigorous in body, eager for writings, indifferent and cheerful in their activities, and toiling with pleasure. In the nativities of greater persons, however, they make them active, glorious, and acquisitive; but nevertheless even so they do not fall short of their own nature; for they will have what is daring, fearful, tyrannical, grasping, and murderous, the desire for what belongs to others, and the staining of themselves with lawless and violent affairs, and also what overthrows reputation and the changeableness of fortune. Hence they do not conduct their offices, governorships, or life evenly, but fall into tumults and plots, wars, risings of the crowds, and outrages. It also often happens that in the case of some, plagues, conflagrations, failures of crops, floods, and earthquakes come about, according to the configuration of each malefic. Hence they also suffer what others showed against them and live in distress, and, falling into violent or unexpected deaths, they have paid the penalty; and the fortune of such men becomes legendary and their end much talked of.

也必须预先知道这一点：凶星并不总是有害，也是有益的，是生命与品级的协助原因；同样，吉星也是危险与伤害的带来者；这从它们亲和的格局或它们的对冲中预先知道。所以按经验，我发现凶星在中等与低微的本命中真正是凶的；因为它们以接连的恶事倾覆这些人，即使吉星似乎帮助一小会儿，它们也夺走所获得的，使本命者无所作为而不幸；只是它们使一些人身体强健、热衷于文字、在作为上淡然而愉快、带着愉悦辛劳。然而在较大人物的本命中，它们使他们有作为、有荣耀、善于获取；但即使这样，它们也不失其本性；因为他们会有大胆、可怕、专横、贪取与杀戮的东西，对属于他人之物的欲望，以不法与暴力的事务玷污自己，还有倾覆名声的东西与幸运的反复无常。所以他们执掌官职、总督之任或生活都不平稳，而是落入骚乱与阴谋、战争、民众的起事与暴行。也常常发生的是，在某些人的情形中，按每颗凶星的格局，出现瘟疫、大火、歉收、洪水与地震。所以他们也遭受他们曾向别人施加的事，在苦恼中度日，落入横死或意外之死，偿还了罪罚；这样的人的命运成为传说，他们的结局众口相传。

To make the demonstration briefly: whatever configuration, good or bad according to the substance of the foundation, the planets are found to make toward one another at the nativity, that they will bring about when they are master of the periods. Those that overcome or oppose, however, are more powerful, and those that are in their own and in important signs, and those that are master of the periods, are stronger and more secure for the effect. The opposition of Saturn and Jupiter, however, let it be understood as active and beneficial, especially in their own signs, provided it is not undone by another injurious power; likewise also the configuration of Jupiter and Mars, if it happens to be in their own signs, is good; and one planet present in the sign of another and having a relation to it is active and beneficial in the periods that fall to it. Each planet will also be productive when its own greatest period is completed.

简要地作个证明：不论诸星在本命时被发现彼此作出何种格局，按根基的实质是好是坏，它们在作时期之主时就会造成那种格局的事。不过，压制或对冲的星更有力，在自己的、在重要的星座里的星，以及作时期之主的星，对效验更强、更稳固。然而土星与木星的对冲，应理解为有作为而有益，尤其在它们自己的星座里，只要不被另一个有害的力量解除；同样，木星与火星的格局，若恰好在它们自己的星座里，也是好的；一颗行星在另一颗的星座里而与它有关系，在落到它身上的时期里是有作为而有益的。每颗行星在它自己的最大周期走完时，也会是得力的。