History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c82.302

v6.c82.302

In support of Astrology Ptolemy (in Tetrabiblos, 1.2) puts forward certain arguments. The Sun not only affects everything on the earth by the change of season, but by its daily revolutions furnishes heat, moisture, dryness and cold in regular order. The Moon, the nearest heavenly body to the earth, causes the seas to change their tides with its own rising and setting times, and plants and animals wholly or partly wax and wane with the moon. The planets often signify hot, windy and snowy conditions of the air and affect mundane things. The changes of seasons and winds are understood even by very ignorant men and by some dumb animals. Sailors know the special signs of storms and winds that arise periodically by reason of the aspects of the sun, moon and planets. But because sometimes sailors err, no one says that there is no science of navigation. Therefore, a sufficiently observant man wise enough to know accurately the movements of the sun, moon and planets can predict whether the weather will be warmer or wetter. Why can he not, with respect to an individual, perceive the general quality of his temperament from the surroundings at the time of his birth, as for example that he would be such and such in body and mind? Ptolemy then condemns impostors who do not study the science but deceive common and trusting people and fill their pockets. He further points out that the nativity alone is not the sole basis of judging a person's future, that the country of birth, the⁸²⁵ race to which he belongs, the customs of the people among whom he is born, the way in which he is reared, the age in which he lives have also to be considered, all which will contribute materially to the proper prediction, other things being equal. In IV. 10 he points out that if one looks only at the horoscope without paying attention to nationality, manners and customs and the like he may call an Ethiopian fair825a of complexion and having straight hair and a German a dark-skinned person and endowed with woolly hair or not knowing the peculiar customs say that an Italian whose horoscope is being examined may marry his sister (as ancient Egyptians did) or that the man may marry his mother (as only Persians did) Vide Tetrabiblos IV. 10 p. 439 (Loeb. cl Library). In I. 3 Ptolemy argues that astrology is not only possible but is beneficial, because fore-warned is fore-armed. It is a very far cry to argue from the undoubted influence of the Sun and the Moon on mundane matters, such as heat and cold, rains, storms and droughts that the particular positions and aspects of the Sun, Moon and planets at the time of birth or conception (as some hold) are throughout an individual's life (it may be for a day or a hundred years) the dominating factor (if not the sole factor as many astrologers say) governing his conduct, character, family affairs and destiny. The reasoning of Ptolemy, though very cleverly put and though with a slight scientific appearance, is rather vague and not at all cogent or convincing He distinguishes between universal or general astrology (treated of in Books I–II) which relates to whole countries, races, cities and large bodies of men and particular or genethlialogical astrology treated of in books III–IV.