Chapter I.—System of the Astrologers; Sidereal Influence; Configuration of the Stars.

But in each zodiacal sign they call limits of the stars those in which each of the stars, from any one quarter to another, can exert the greatest amount of influence; in regard of which there is among them, according to their writings, no mere casual divergency of opinion. But they say that the stars are attended as if by satellites when they are in the midst of other stars, in continuity with the signs of the Zodiac; as if, when any particular star may have occupied the first portions of the same sign of the Zodiac, and another the last, and another those portions in the middle, that which is in the middle is said to be guarded by those holding the portions at the extremities. And they are said to look upon one another, and to be in conjunction with one another, as if appearing in a triangular or quadrangular figure. They assume, therefore, the figure of a triangle, and look upon one another, which have an intervening distance128    Some hiatus at the beginning of this sentence is apparent.    Or, “interval.” extending for three zodiacal signs; and they assume the figure of a square those which have an interval extending for two signs. But as the underlying parts sympathize with the head, and the head with the underlying parts,129    An elaborate defence of this position forms the subject of Cudworth’s great work, The True Intellectual System of the Universe.    Hippolytus gives the substance of Sextus Empiricus’ remarks, omitting, however, a portion of the passage followed.  (See Sextus Empiricus’ Mathem., v. 44.) so also things terrestrial with superlunar objects.130    This statement has been urged against Origen’s authorship, in favour of Epiphanius, who wrote an extended treatise on the Heresies, with an abridgment.    Or, “celestial.” But there is of these a certain difference and want of sympathy, so that they do not involve one and the same point of juncture.

[ΤΟΥ ΚΑΤΑ ΠΑΣΩΝ ΑΙΡΕΣΕΩΝ ΕΛΕΓΧΟΥ Δ] [1] ** [ὅρια δὲ ἀστέρων προσαγορεύουσιν ἐν ἑκάστῳ ζῳδίῳ, ἐν οἷς ἕκαστος τῶν ἀστέρων ἀπὸ ποστῆς] (μ)οί(ρ)ας ἐπ(ὶ) π(οστὴν μοῖρ)αν π(λεῖστον) δύν(αται: περὶ ὧ)ν (οὐχ ἡ) τ(υχοῦσα) παρ' αὐτ(οῖς ἐ)στι [καὶ] κατὰ (τοὺς πίνακας) διαφ(ωνία. δο)ρυφ(ορεῖσθαι δ') ἀστέρας λέγουσιν, ὅτ(αν μέ)σο(ι) ὦσι(ν) ἄλ(λων) ἀ(στέρων ἐν συνεχείᾳ) ζῳδίων: οἷον [ἐ]ὰν [τι] τοῦ αὐτοῦ (ζῳ)δί(ου ὁ μέν τις ἀ)στὴρ τὰ(ς π)ρώτα(ς ἐ)πέ(χῃ μ)οίρας, ὁ δὲ [τὰς τελευταίας, ὁ δὲ] τὰς ἐν μέ(σῳ, δο)ρυφορεῖ(σθαι λέγεται ὁ ἐν) μέσῳ (ὑπὸ) τῶν τὰς ἐπ' ἄκροις ἐπεχό(ντω)ν μοίρας. (ἐπιβλέπειν δὲ) λέγοντ(α)ι ἀλλή(λους) καὶ συμφωνεῖν ἀλλήλοι(ς ὡς οἱ) [κατὰ τρίγωνον ἢ τετράγωνον] (φ)α(ινόμενοι.) [κατὰ τρίγωνον μὲν οὖν] συσχηματίζονται [καὶ] ἐπιθεωροῦσι[ν] [δὲ] ἀ(λλήλους) [ἀστέρες] (ἐ)πὶ τ(ριῶν) ζῳδίων ἔχοντες τὸ μεταξὺ διάλειμμα, (κατὰ τετράγωνον δὲ) δυεῖν. [οὐ μὴν δὲ ὃν τρόπον ἐν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῇ] κεφαλῇ τὰ ὑποκείμενα μέρη συμπά(σχ)ει καὶ τ(οῖς ὑποκει)μένοις ἡ κεφαλή, οὕτω καὶ τοῖς ὑπερσεληναίοις τὰ ἐπίγεια, ἀ(λ)λ(ά) τίς ἐστιν τούτων διαφορὰ καὶ [ἀ]συμπάθεια, ὡς ἂν μὴ μίαν καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν ἐχόντων ἕνωσιν.