The following is a text I translated taken from the book “Hermes Trismegistus, Astrologia et divinatoria” (Corpus Christianorum, Continuatio Medievalis 144C, Brepols: Turnhout, 2001).  This section is the medieval text “On the Amity and Enmity of the Planets”, compiled and transcribed by Charles Burnett.

This translation describes a simple form of mundane astrology based on the planetary rulers of particular parts of the world and how their motions through the signs ruled by other planets impact or affect those areas of the world.

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Thus it is to be known that in the world there are four angles, which are east, west, north, and south, and these are divided into four qualities, which are that the east is hot, the west is cold, the north is dry, and the south is moist.

Likewise, the world is divided into seven regions or climates, according to the seven planets, which rules and governs their regions, whichever it may be.

The land of India is of Saturn, the land of Rome is of Jupiter, the land of the Turks and Tartars is of Mars, the land of Africa is of the Sun, the land of Arabia is of Venus, the land of Persia is of Mercury, [and] the land of Babylonia is of the Moon. For any one of these rules its region by going through the 12 signs, and one can help to bring about another if it is equal or similar in virtue, or instead destroy, if it is of dissimilar or contrary virtue.

For evidence of this it is to be known that when one planet enters the house of another [planet] or into their exaltation, this agitates its virtue in that [planet’s] region, and it changes the nature of the other [planet] into its own. For if one planet makes friendship with another, then the peoples of its regions have friendship among themselves. If another particular planet makes enmity with another, then the peoples of its regions have enmity among themselves, and it happens on account of this of the virtues and influences of the planets as spoken of below.

Saturn

Thus when Saturn enters into the house of Jupiter, it opposes him and he is inimical, and therefore it causes opposition and enmity between the peoples of the region of Jupiter.  And if he enters into [Jupiter’s] exaltation, it bears much loss to the people of the aforesaid region until he leaves that place.

If he enters into the house of Mars, it causes fights and wars between the peoples of those regions, so much that they destroy each other in turns. And if he enters into the degree of [Mars’] exaltation, it makes people discordant and desiring to set up a king against the other.

When he enters the house of the Sun, it does not create enmity there, but gives the people of that region drought and illness. And when he enters into [the Sun’s] exaltation, it makes fear and damage come to them from a part of their kingdom.

When he enters into the house of Venus, he helps her spirit and virtue, and gives strength to the people of her regions to conquer enemies, and on account of this there is amity between Saturn and Venus. And when he enters into [Venus’] exaltation, it creates damage for them.

When he enters into the house of Mercury, he brings no evil to the people of those regions, and he will deliver them from their enemies. And when he enters into [Mercury’s] exaltation, it creates damage for them.

And when he enters into the house of the Moon, the peoples of those regions have peace between themselves. And when he enters into [the Moon’s] exaltation, he will give the peoples illnesses, drought, and poverty.

Jupiter

When Jupiter enters into the house of Saturn, he makes storms and teaches people of that region wisdom and knowledge and aggravates their infortune, and gives them strength from his nature. And when he enters into [Saturn’s] exaltation, he makes in kings good will towards the people of those regions, and creates good for them and with those they will rejoice.

When he enters the house of Mars, he carries off from [the king] evil will that he had to the people of that region, and they will not kill him, and he will be in harmony with them and make them to be of good will. And when he enters [Mars’] exaltation, he will make the kings to be of good will to the people and they will rejoice with him.

When he enters the house of the Sun, the people of that region will thrive in great wisdom and knowledge, and there will be great and sharp understanding [people]. And when he enters into [the Sun’s] exaltation, he will make those [people] to understand knowledge that they work to understand and know and that they did not know before.

And when he enters the house of Venus, he will agree with the people of that region in the same will and goodness he makes and he will defend them from their enemies. And when he enters into [Venus’] exaltation, the people will rejoice with their kings, and there will be safety from plague and illness.

When he enters the house of Mercury, that region will have an abundance of all good things, and it will be fertile and the people will have a good year of bread and fruit, and they will be protected from plague. And when he enters [Mercury’s] exaltation, he will change for them a bad king to good, who will hold them in justice and order and make for them much good.

When he enters the house of the Moon, he will make in the people of that region great intellect and craftiness. And when he enters into [the Moon’s] exaltation, the king of that region will be well-fortuned and well-arrived, and all the people will rejoice with him.

Mars

When Mars enters into the house of Saturn, he will oppose to him, and therefore he will generate wars and opposition in the peoples of those regions [and] one will rise up against another, and they will kill each other. And when he enters into [Saturn’s] exaltation, the people will kill their king and disagree in laws.

When he enters into the house of Jupiter, he will deliver them and will make no evil in that region.

When he enters into the house of the Sun, he is unconquered and is unable to make evil.

When he enters into the house of Venus, he helps the people of those regions to conquer and kill their enemies.

When he enters into the house of Mercury, he destroys the wills of the people of those regions against their king, and takes power away from them. And when he enters into [Mercury’s] exaltation, they slay [the king], and in turn will kill each other afterward.

And when he enters into the house of the Moon, he will be unable to make evil in her region.

The Sun

When the Sun enters the house of Saturn, that region will be victorious and fertile and have an abundance of all good things, and the people will have concord with their king. And when he enters into [Saturn’s] exaltation, he will give the king good will towards his people, and they will likewise rejoice, and [the Sun] will make great good.

When he enters into the house of Jupiter, and in [Jupiter’s] exaltation, he will make the people of that region thrive in great knowledge and intellect.

When he enters the house of Mars, he will care for the people of that region that the may accept no evil nor make any for each other. And when he enters into [Mars’] exaltation, he will bring the kings and the people to agreement in good will.

When he enters into the house of Venus, he will protect the people of that region in all that is good, and he will make them good, truthful and faithful, and set peace among them. And when he enters into [Venus’] exaltation, her land will be fertile and abundant in bread and fruit.

When he enters the house of Mercury, he will set grace in the people of that region, and also make a market for grain. And when he enters into [Mercury’s] exaltation, his land will be fertile and abundant in bread and fruit.

When he enters the house of the Moon, great good will thrive in that people, and great knowledge and wisdom, and he will give them to be great.

Venus

When Venus enters into the house of Saturn, she will create promiscuous people among the populace, and men [will not] esteem women.  And when she enters into [Saturn’s] exaltation, she will give evil desires to the king against the people, and he will bring injustice down and kill them.

When she enters into the house of Jupiter, the will of husbands will agree with those of wives, and the land will have an abundance of all good things. And when she enters into [Jupiter’s] exaltation, she will care for the people from damage and illness and make them to be of good morals and manners of life.

When she enters into the house of Mars, she will make in his region many women perverse and hating each other. And when she enters into [Mars’] exaltation she will send to the people discordance, wars, plague, draught, and poverty.

When she enters the house of the Sun, [or] in [the Sun’s] exaltation she will secure him, and make no evil for him. When she enters into the house of Mercury, that people will be subdued by enemies, and by wives, and there will be much fornication.

And when she enters into [Mercury’s] exaltation, there will be death and pestilence in grain and trees. When she enters into the house of the Moon, she will make no evil in the region of [the Moon].

Mercury

When Mercury enters into the house of Saturn, there will be peace between the peoples of those regions, and when he enters into his exaltation, he will deceive them.

When he enters into the house of Jupiter, he opposes him and there will be discord between the peoples. And when he enters into [Jupiter’s] exaltation, there will be discord between the king and the people.

When he enters into the house of Mars, he will cause damage for the people of that region, and there will be ill desires among them, and he will place between them fear and terror and poverty and evil. And when he enters into [Mars’] exaltation, he will set war in the people, and they will kill each other in turn without reason.

When he enters into the house of Venus, he will send death to the people and they wil be conquered by enemies. And when he enters into [Venus’] exaltation he will set evil desires between them and their kings.

When he enters into the house of the Sun, that region will have an abundance of all good things and they will be victorious. When he enters into the house of the Moon, he will save the people and make no evil for them.

The Moon

When the Moon enters into the house of Saturn, the virtue and spirit of the Moon will do well in that house.

When she enters into the house of Jupiter, it gives delight to the people, and her knowledge and good morals thrive in them.

When she enters into the house of Mars, she soothes him.

When she enters into the house of the Sun, she generates between them love and delight, and her knowledge and good morals thrive in them.

When she enters into the house of Venus, she will care for that region from all evil, and from evil deaths.

When she enters into the house of Mercury, knowledge and intellect in all good things to be accomplished will thrive in the people.

For these are the spirits and virtues of the planets, which they obtain from the twelve signs of the Zodiac, that they send forth to all created things according to the astrologers.

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Notes on the foregoing translation:

The land of India is of Saturn, the land of Rome is of Jupiter, the land of the Turks and Tartars is of Mars, the land of Africa is of the Sun, the land of Arabia is of Venus, the land of Persia is of Mercury, [and] the land of Babylonia is of the Moon. For any one of these rules its region by going through the 12 signs, and one can help to bring about another if it is equal or similar in virtue, or instead destroy, if it is of dissimilar or contrary virtue.

The traditional locations may be understood and expanded as follows:

• Saturn: “India” refers indeed to the Indian subcontinent, but also to eastern and southeastern Asia generally.
• Jupiter: “Rome” refers to the Italian peninsula, as well as to western and northern Europe generally.
• Mars: “the land of the Turks and Tatars” refers to the places east and north of Anatolia, including modern Turkey, eastern Europe, and western Asia.
• Sun: “Africa” here is tentative from Iurgei, but is most likely referring to Africa as a whole, but especially northern Africa.  However, it might also refer to the traditional land of Judaea or modern Israel, as well, which is just to its northeast past Egypt.
• Venus: “Arabia” refers to the Arabian peninsula.
• Mercury: “Persia” refers to all the areas between modern-day Iraq and Pakistan, encompassing the classical Persia and modern Iran.
• Moon: “Babylonia” refers to Iraq as well as the area generally in the Fertile Crescent and Mesopotamia

Other notes:

• “When Venus enters into the house of Saturn, she will create promiscuous people among the populace, and men [will not] esteem women.”  The latter note can refer to men emotionally or physically abusing women, but it more likely refers to a preponderance of homosexuality or pederasty.