hardly survive that age, unless God, who alone has power over human destiny, specially prolongs his life; and if the prince gets over the critical period, he will have a happy old age. Passing to the question as to what planets are the ruling ones, it appears that Venus is ruler of the nativity (dominus genituræ), being close to the tenth house or summum cœli; but Mars is in conjunction with Venus, and in the sign belonging to Mercury (Gemini), so that these two also have great influence. Venus will make him pleasant, comely, and voluptuous, fond of music and the fine arts; Mars makes him brave and warlike, while Mercury adds cleverness and acuteness to his other faculties. He will be of a sanguine temperament, because nearly all the planets which indicate the temperament are in sanguine signs, but at the same time he will not be without some saturnine gravity. Venus, as the ruler, determines his character, and as Mars is joined to her, the prince will indulge too much in sensual enjoyment, but Mars in the sign of Mercury will make him generous and ambitious. He will be healthy and not subject to illness, but in various years (which are enumerated) he must be careful, as the ascendant will be influenced by the malevolent rays of Saturn. His mental abilities will be very good, because Mercury is favourably situated; and as this planet is in a good aspect with Venus and Mars, the prince will be fond of warlike occupations and field sports, and take an interest in surgery and other sciences. He will have good luck in his undertakings, as Saturn is in the fourth house and in his own sign of Capricorn, while Mercury and Mars occupy each other's signs; but as Jupiter is badly placed, the prince will be less successful in ecclesiastical matters.[1] As regards honours and
- ↑ Probably because Jupiter had an oracle at Dodona, and therefore was of a clerical turn of mind. Here he was in the twelfth house and in the sign of Mercury (Virgo), both circumstances bad.
