Claudius Ptolemy (100 - 170) King of Astrologers and his famous work “Tetrábiblos” (Four Books) also known as Apotelematika (~ On the effects). The main key-question of Ptolemy can be summarized in one question: To what extent do changes in the world correspond to the positions of the stars?
Over ten centuries this work influenced the astrology of the occident. In critical processing Ptolemy is reconditioning Ancient Egyptian, Babylonian and Greek astrology by collecting the astrological knowledge and by "cleansing" the systems of (religious) mythology. It was discussed for centuries, if Ptolemy is the original writer, as it was common to publish under famous pseudonyms. Today we have evidences to locate the time of origin between 139 - 161. Ptolemy is particularly critical against all indefinite claims, where he shows the spririt of the real scientist, by emphasizing, that all astrological knowledge is based on hypthothesis, as it will stay impossible to conisider and know of all the influences, effecting on the galaxy, the planets and the region, the human-being lives in. The Bible of Astrology by the so said Pharao and Priest Nechepso and Petosiris, can be considered as a negative example: Boundless interpreting of fixed stars, predictions used for sensation, motivated by lucrative and therefore false means. Ptolemy also rejected the Doctrine of Decane as 'tangled rhapsody'. Astrology is not an evidence-based science, but similiar to laws of nature, the researcher can built principles by observing and translating the phenomenon into a formula.
The main works of Ptolemy Megale Syntaxis and Constructio mathematica are known under the Arabic title Almagest. Camerius was the first book binder, who published the first flawless translation of the Tetrabiblos syntaxis in 1533. Melanchthon writes 1300 years after the publicition to Erasmus Ebner about the Tetrábiblos and is praising the scientific significance behind the astrological work of Ptolemy and with regard to Plato, underlining that we can (re-)find God in the most multifarious and mellifluous ways and that God has given the human-beings science and retained it also in the creation, so it can still shine through the manifold circulation of being.
This wonderful velvet edition is the rare version of Camerius, provided by Melanchthon. It is huge luck in historico-cultural way, that Ptolemy could have saved those testimonies from the fires in Alexendria, as he has, similiar to Euclid, the special merit to have collected and preserved knowledge, that would have got lost. The book is, as the title assumes, divided into four parts. The first book deals with the basics of astrology, describing the system of general predicitions, conditions of the stars and the movements of planetary orbits. In the second book Ptolemy is presenting the geographical astrology and the meteorology, here we learn the different constellations and their influence on earth. Similiar to the calculation of the nativity, it is necessary to set the region of preditional purpose into relation to deduce the astrological devination into forecast. It is exciting how geometry is used to calculate under which planet and stars the region is reigned. The Method of Angular House (in German Eckhäuser, in Greek Kentra) is also used in the system of Cabbala. In all likelihood, those methods came from Egypt, through Alexander the Great and the expansive work and travelling of the Priest of Marduk and Belus named Berossos (~ 280 BC), who is not only the most significant beholder of Babylonian history, but also an astrologist, who gave birth to the Hellenistic Astrology. It is likely, that due to the long period of astrological research in Babylon and India, that the knowledge wandered slowly into the European continent/culture under the mass migration. Small reference to King Sulgi (* 2092 BC), it is written that after "death" and the Ascension [!], he has become the Star of Sulgi: "Shepherd I am, may they praise me in prayer like a star." In astrological history it is generally said, that the Ancient Egyptians are the Masters of Trigones (relativeness between planets and the sign of zodiac, equal distances between right angles to the tropic point = Equinox) and the Chaldean (who where also living in the Mesopotamian region, but seem to have "dissapeared") are considered as the Masters of Angular Houses. This whole calculation could take books of explanation, it will not be possible to establish a holistic examination of this huge theme. But this system of calculation is the basis for white and black magic aswell. The hylegialic points of the Angular house give signs about the descendent spirit, later Paracelsus is defining the punctum ascemdens as the rising point of the ecliptic. Those methods are obligatory for the next book, because in the books three and four the astrology of birth is the main topic. Ptolemy underdraws the two sides of being: There are effects of necessity, which can not be changed (Laws of Nature) and there are effects of convertibility (diseases by unhealthy lifestyle). Ptolemy is comparing the aim behind predicitions in the prohibition of bad events, he takes the Egyptians as an example for connecting astrology with medicine. Actually the system of astrology is prioritising the moment of cenception for a 'valid' prediction of future, as we have the tendency to rather not know the circumstances of our procreation, the interpretation of our fate is scheduled in our natal hour. It is believed that all crafts in heaven have an impact on earth (just think of the moon and its effects on earth, the sun as life-giver) and that the constellation in the galaxy is also forming the seed and therefore the skills and handicaps. All regions are under the influence of different planets, each planet has different characteristics and therefore effects on our earth, ultimately on the single individual. By interpreting the sublunary basic elements and putting them into the context of natural origin in the cosmos, it is possible to set up a thesis for henceforth forecasting.
Just as a reminder: There is no solid knowledge, errors can not be prohibited. Until this time, parts of astrological prediction are used in weather forecasts, but we all made the empirical experience, that the weather can break rapidly, when the winds, who are also the impulses of reigning planets, are changing. Empirical it is also indisputable, that the region, we are born in, has a massive impact on our personality, on our physical development, on our chances for mobility and education. The relevance of the first moments and years, after our birth, are getting more and more attention due to neuro-physiological findings. As there is much for which our power is limited, there is enough to upheave ourselves, to find new forms of break-throughs, when we are chained, to nurture the hope to carry on and bring sense into our life. And if it is just a little twinkling star far faaar away from our stretched out arm, as we live in this symphony of creation, we should strive to bring all those different wonderful tones into accordance, after every single one was able to find harmony within himself.