But truly in this question, the Phisitians coniecture standeth vpon more proba∣bilitie, because their parents temperature might bee easily transfused into them both alike at their conception: and their first growth might participate equally of their mothers disposition of body, & then being nourished both in one house, with one nourishment, in one ayre, countrie, and other things correspondent, this now might haue much power in the proportionating of both their natures alike, as Physicke will testifie. Besides, vse of one exercise equally in both, might forme their bodies into a similitude, which might very well admit all alterations of health alike, and equally in both. But to drawe the figure of heauen, and the starres vnto this purity of passions (it being likely that a great companie of the greatest diuersitie of affects that could bee might haue originall in diuerse parts of the world, at one and the same time) were a presumption vnpardonable. For (d) we haue knowne two twinnes, that haue had both diuerse fortunes, and dif∣ferent sicknesses, both in time, and nature: whereof (mee thinkes) Hipocrates gi∣ueth a very good reason, from the (e) diuersitie of nourishment, and exercise, which might bee cause of different health in them: yet that diuersitie was effec∣ted by their wills and elections at first, and not by their temperature of body. But neither Posidonius, nor any patron of this fate in the starres, can tell what to say in this case, and doe not illude the single and ignorant with a discourse of that they know not, for that they talke of the space of time, between that point which they call the (f) Horoscope, in both the twinnes natiuities: it is either not so significant as the diuersitie of will, acte, manners, and fortune of the twinnes borne doth require, or else it is more significant, then their difference of honors, state, nobilitie, or meannesse will permit: both which diuersities they place onely in the figure of the natiuitie. But if they should be both borne ere the Horoscope were fully varied, then would I require an vnitie in each particular of their for∣tunes, which (g) cannot be found in any two twinnes that euer yet were borne. But if the Horoscope be changed ere both bee borne, then for this diuersitie I will require a (h) difference of parents, which twins cannot possibly haue.
L. VIVES.
CIcero (a) saith] I cannot remember where: I beleeue in his booke De fato: which is wonderfully mutilate, and defectiue as we haue it now, and so shall any one finde that will obserue it. (b) Whom Posidonius] A Rhodian, and a teacher of Rhodes. Hee was also at Rome a follower of Panaetius. Cicero (c) conceiued both] for the conception is of as much moment as the natiuitie. (d) We haue knowne] Such were Procles and Cyresteus, Kings of Lacedaemon, Cic. de diuinat. lib. 2. (e) Diuersitie of] This is one of the cau•…•…es why an Astrologian cannot iudge perfectly of natiuities, Ptol. Apoteleusmaton. lib. 1. (f) Horoscope] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is the look∣ing vpon an houre: and is that part of the Zodiake, which ascendeth our Hemisphere, at any euent. For the reuolution of this Zodiake is perpetuall, and still one part of it ariseth in our Horison, and the part directly opposite, setteth: all the other are diuided amongst the other houses of heauen. (g) Cannot be found] Nature neuer bound any one thing to another in such proprietie, but she set some differencs betweene them: what skilleth it whether those two had originall from one feede? Euery man is framed and borne to his owne fortune, and be they two or three brethren borne at once, their destinies promise no fraternitie, but each one must vndergoe his particular fate. Quintil. In Geminis Languentibus. (h) Difference of parents] why should not the riuers be like that flow both from one head?