How the Signs Act when they rise
A sign rising at your birth gives a different temper from the same sign anywhere else.
[p. 24] This known, the Work is not compleatly done,The Labours still increase as you go on;The Time makes difference, as they Rise, new forceThey gain, and after lose it in their Course.
Aries
Thus when the Ram ascends, and proudly turnsHis bending backward Neck before his HornsTo Mortal Eyes, the wretched Births are CurstWith Ravenous Tempers, and inflam'd with Lust:All Modesty shall be to Gold betray'd,Nor Parents Care secure the easie Maid:These Tempers are his own; as Fancy leadsHe roves, and wantons o're the flowry Meads:Forward to push, and as the Grass renewsHis wasted Strength, he Courts the willing Ews.To Travel he inclines through Lands unknown,He Ploughs new Seas, and makes the World his own:This he prefigur'd when his Back convey'dYoung Phryxus safe, and lost the falling Maid.
[p. 25] Taurus
The Bulls bright part that first appears, creates[…] to the other Fates.The Cause, if it be fit to search for oneWhen Nature works, may easily be shewn;His Back-part first appears, in that he bearsThe narrow Cloudy Train of Female Stars:And thus the Posture, and the Sex combineTo shew the Influence of the rising Sign:He bends to Plow, and o're the Fruitful PlainsThe Labouring Ox grows Fat upon his Pains.
We left a few demeaning words out here. They are on page 25 of the printed book.
Gemini
But when their Feet the rising Twins do shew,And half appear above, half lye below,The Births are happy, all their Parts refind,And Arts enrich the Treasures of their Mind;Ready their Wit, persuasive is their Tongue,In Musick skill'd, and excellent in Song:These are the Powers their rising Rays dispense,They Wit bestow, and fix that Wit with Sense.
Cancer
When rouling Cancer riseth vaild in Clouds,I'th' Skies as deeply hid as in the Floods,The Moon resembling when depriv'd of Light;The Births are Blind, and wish in vain for sight:By Fates a Verse […],[…]:
We left a few demeaning words out here. They are on page 25 of the printed book.
[p. 26] Leo
But when the Lion shews his ravenous JawsPrepar'd for Rapine, and unsheaths his Paws,A Spendthrift's born, who minds himself alone,He wrongs his Father, and he cheats his Son;His Race in vain with expectation wait,For in himself he buries his EstateSo vast his Gluttony, his Lust so wild.That he devours himself, yet is not fill'd:And whilst his Appetite proceeds to craveHe eats his Funeral, and he spends his Grave.
Virgo
When Virgo rises, (who whilst Right prevail'dRul'd here below, retreating when it fail'd)To awful Honors all the Births must riseProfoundly skill'd in Sacred Mysteries:Good, Pious, Just, Devout, unus'd to RageAnd great Examples to the looser Age:
Libra
But when Autumnal Scales do first appearHappy the Birth, he shall be known from far,The Glory of the Bench, and of the Bar;He justest Laws shall make, and Life and DeathDepend upon the Issues of his Breath;Him Towns shall fear, the Earth observe his Nod,And after Earth the Heaven enjoy a God.
Scorpio
Thus Act these Signs, but Scorpio's Tayl displaysA double Influence from his Forked Rays;For when that first appears, the Peaceful ChildShall Cities raise, and be inclin'd to build;The World shall see him with his ²⁸Plow surroundThe place design'd, and mark the fatal Bound;Or he shall wast what others Pains did raise,Where Populous Cities stood, there Beasts shall graze,Or Harvests grow; He leads to these Extreams,And Power agreeing waits upon his Beams.
[p. 27] Sagittarius
Bold Sagittarius, when he first appears,Heats the gay Birth, and makes him fam'd for Wars;In Triumphs great, the Wonder of the Crowd,By Captives carry'd, he almost a GodShall climb the Capitol, bright Fame pursue,Old Cities raze, or grace the Earth with New:But ill success, (his Forehead's wreath'd with Frowns)Shall wast his Fame, and blast his gather'd Crowns.Thus Conquering Hannibal, by this Sign betray'dBefore his flight perceiv'd his Wreaths to fade,He paid for Trebia's and for Cannae's fame,And recompenc'd our Losses by his shame.
Capricornus
But when the narrow Goat erects his TailHe drives to Sea, and much inclines to Sail,Ignoble Trade then Ploughs the dangerous Main,And precious Life is meanly stak'd for Gain;
Aquarius
The Good, the Pious, and the Just are bornWhen first Aquarius pours out his Urn.
Pisces
But could I rule, could I the Fates design,The rising Fishes ne're should govern mine;They give a Hateful, Pratling, Railing Tongue,Still full of Venom, always in the wrong;That blows up Jealousies, and heightens Fears,By mutterring Poys'nous Whispers in Mens Ears.Faithless the Births, and full of wild desire;Their Faith is Treachery, and their Love is Fire.For when the Skies grew weak, when Giants strove,And snaky Typhon shook the Throne of Jove;Fair Venus fled, and in a Fish's shape(This Syria knows) secur'd her mean escape;Then did she through the Scaly Kind inspireNew Heats, and with the Ocean mixt her Fire.No single Births, for when this Sign begins,Twins shall be Born, or those that shall have Twins.
The notes
²⁸ Alluding to the Custom of the Romans, who, when they design'd to build a City, took a Plow, and made Furrows where the Walls were to stand. (Creech’s note, 1697)
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The text is Thomas Creech's 1697 verse translation, checked word by word between three scans of the same type (the 1697 printing, the 1700 printing and a third copy). The long s is printed as s; every other spelling is Creech's. Pages are cited as the 1697 printing numbers them. The portrait is William Marshall’s engraving of Lilly from the front of the 1659 printing (Wellcome Library, public domain).