Special relations were believed to exist between particular celestial bodies and their varied motions,configurations with each other,and the processes of generation and decay apparent in the world of fire,air,water,and earth. These relations were sometimes regarded as so complex that no human mind could completely grasp them;thus,the astrologer might be readily excused for any errors. A similar set of special relations was also assumed by those whose physics was more akin to that of the Greek philosopher Plato. For the Platonic astrologers, the element of fire was believed to extend throughout the celestial spheres,and they were more likely than the Aristotelians to believe in the possibility of divine intervention in the natural processes through celestial influences upon the Earth,since they believed in the deity’s creation of the celestial bodies themselves. The role of the divine in astrological theory varies considerably. In its most rigorous aspect,astrology postul