Three books of occult philosophy written by Henry Cornelius Agrippa of Nettesheim ... ; translated out of the Latin into the English tongue by J.F.

CHAP. LXVIII. How our mind can change, and bind inferiour things to that which it desires.

THere is also a certain vertue in the minds of men, of chang∣ing, attracting, hindring, and binding to that which they desire, and all things obey them, when they are carried into a great excess of any Passion or vertu, so as to exceed those things which they bind. For the superior binds that which is inferior, and converts it to it self, and the inferior is by the same reason converted to the superior, or is otherwise affected, and wrought upon. By this reason things that receive a superior degree of any Star, bind, or attract, or hinder things which have an inferior, according as they agree, or disagree amongst themselves. Whence a Lion is afraid of a Cock, because the

presence of the Solary vertue is more agreeable to a Cock then to a Lion: So a Loadstone draws Iron, because in order it hath a superior degree of the Celestiall Bear.

So the Diamond hinders the Loadstone, because in the order of Mars it is superior then it. In like manner any man when he is opportunely exposed to the Celestiall influencies, as by the affections of his mind, so by the due applications of naturall things, if he become stronger in a Solary vertue, binds and draws the inferior into admiration, and obedience, in order of the Moon to servitude or infirmities, in a Saturnall order to qui∣etness or sadness; in order of Jupiter to worship, in order of Mars to fear, and discord, in order of Venus to love, and joy, in 3. Mercuriall order to perswasion, and obsequiousness, and the like. Now the ground of such a kind of binding is the very vehement, and boundless affection of the souls, with the con∣course of the Celestiall order. But the dissolutions, or hinderan∣ces of such a like binding, are made by a contrary effect, and that more excellent or strong, for as the greater excess of the mind binds, so also it looseth, and hindreth. And lastly, when the fearest Venus, oppose Saturn. When Saturn or Mars, op∣pose Venus or Jupiter: for Arstologers say, that these are most at enmity, and contrary the one to the other (e. i.) causing con∣trary effects in these inferior bodies; For in the heaven, where there is nothing wanting, where all things are governed with love, there can in no wise be hatred, or enmity.