Book V - Snyder Bible

The Preaching of Simeon Kefa 305
things is as you say, my son. Then I answered: Since, then,
you wish to learn of these things, see how many things there
are which no one doubts to be evils. Do you think that a fever,
a fire, sedition, the fall of a house, murder, prisons, racks,
pains, mournings, and such like, are evils? Then said my father:
It is true, my son, that these things are evil, and very
evil; or, at all events, whoever denies that they are evil, let him
suffer them!
Chapter IX: Existence of Evil on Astrological Principles
Then I answered: Since, therefore, I have to deal with one
who is skilled in astrological science, I shall treat the matter
with you according to that science, that, taking my method
from those things with which you are familiar, you may the
more readily acquiesce. Listen now, therefore: you confess
that those things which we have mentioned are evils, such as
fevers, conflagrations, and such like. Now these, according to
you, are said to be produced by malignant stars, such as the
humid Saturn and the hot Mars; but things contrary to these
are produced by benignant stars, such as the temperate Jupiter
and the humid Venus. Is it not so? My father answered: It
is so, my son; and it cannot be otherwise. Then said I: Since
you say, therefore, that good things are produced by good
starsby Jupiter and Venus, for examplelet us see what is
the product where any one of the evil stars is mixed with the
good, and let us understand that that is evil. For you lay it
down that Venus makes marriages, and if she have Jupiter in
her configuration she makes the marriages chaste; but if Jupiter
be not regarding, and Mars be present, then you pronounce
that the marriages are corrupted by adultery. Then
said my father: It is even so. Then I answered: Therefore
adultery is an evil, seeing that it is committed through the admixture
of evil stars; and, to state it in a word all things that
you say that the good stars suffer from the mixture of evil
stars are undoubtedly to be pronounced to be evil. Those
stars, therefore, by whose admixture we have said that fevers,
configurations, and other such like evils are produced, those,