The Ancient Sky presents:

The Elements and the Seasons

by Guido Bonatti
(written circa 1282 CE; translation, Robert Zoller)

The *Moveable* signs are so-called, not because they are moved, except insofar as all signs are, but they are called moveable because at the time when the Sun enters them the disposition of the air is changed, and it does not remain in the same condition as it was.	The Fixed signs are so-called, because when the Sun enters them the disposition of the air is fixed and it lasts and remains in the same state of fixity and firmness, although sometimes, perhaps it is changed by chance, but not by nature. (footnote: the essense of summer is to be hot, but a cold would be an spell in summertime.

"Know therefore that of the aforesaid twelve signs, four are moveable, namely Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. Four are fixed, namely Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. The remaining four, namely Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces are common.

The Moveable signs are so-called, not because they are moved, except insofar as all signs are, but they are called moveable because at the time when the Sun enters them the disposition of the air is changed, and it does not remain in the same condition as it was.

The common signs are so-called because when the Sun enters any of these signs, it makes the time common, neither truly fixe nor truly moveable, but it partakes of both, fixed and moveable. Whence part of that time it is of one [nature] and part of the other. For when the Sun enters Aries, which is a moveable sign, then the season is changed, to with, the disposition of the air, because it is then the winter is turned into spring. And when the Sun leaves Aries and enters into Taurus, then the season is fixed because it persists in the state of spring. And when the Sun leaves Taurus and enters Gemini, then the season of spring is changed, and is made partly spring and partly summer. And when it leaves Gemini and enters Cancer, then the season is changed, and is made summer. When the Sun leaves Cancer and enters into Leo, the summer season is fixed, and persists in that state. And when it leaves Leo and enters Virgo, then the season is changed, and is made partly summer and partly autumnal. And when it leaves Virgo and enters Libra, then the season is changed, and is made autumnal. When the Sun leaves Libra and enters Scorpio, then the autumnal season is fixed and remains in that state. When it leave Scorpio and enters Sagittarius, then the season becomes common, because partly it holds according to autumn and partly to winter. When the Sun leaves Sagittarius and enters Capricorn, then the season is changed, and autumn changes into winter. And when the Sun leaves Capricorn and enters Aquarius, the winter season is fixed, and stays in that state. When the Sun enters into Pisces, then the season is made common, partly winter, and partly spring."

---Guido Bonatti in 1491, Liber Astronomiae Part II, translated by Robert Zoller, edited by Rob Hand, Project Hindsight, Latin Track, Volume VIII

In 1491, Guido Bonatti published the largest collection of essays and instructions on Astrology in the antique manuscript collector's shelf. Robert Zoller is one of his most accomplished translators, and I would heartily recommend Zoller's work to any serious student of astrology. Rob Hand has included this massive project in the booklets from Project Hindsight which is undoubtedly the greatest prize of our era insofar as astrologers are fully cognizant of their history owing to these manuscripts now translated for us from the Greek and Latin.

The seasonal weather patterns are brought out in a few paragraphs in a section titled "On the Signs: Moveable, Fixed and Common. Chapter XII. (Guido Bonatti, Liber Astronomiae Part II, translated by Robert Zoller, edited by Rob Hand, Project Hindsight, Latin Track, Volume VIII.)