|
But even in the very conception of twins, which certainly occurs at
the same moment in the case of both, it often happens that the one is
conceived a male, and the other a female. I know two of different
sexes who are twins. Both of them are alive, and in the flower of
their age; and though they resemble each other in body, as far as
difference of sex will permit, still they are Very different in the
whole scope and purpose of their lives (consideration being had of
those differences which necessarily exist between the lives of males and
females), the one holding the office of a count, and being almost
constantly away from home with the army in foreign service, the other
never leaving her country's soil, or her native district. Still
more, and this is more incredible, if the destinies of the stars are
to be believed in, though it is not wonderful if we consider the wills
of men, and the free gifts of God, he is married; she is a sacred
virgin: he has begotten a numerous offspring; she has never even
married. But is not the virtue of the horoscope very great? I think
I have said enough to show the absurdity of that. But, say those
astrologers, whatever be the virtue of the horoscope in other
respects, it is certainly of significance with respect to birth. But
why not also with respect to conception, which takes place undoubtedly
with one act of copulation? And, indeed, so great is the force of
nature, that after a woman has once conceived, she ceases to be liable
to conception. Or were they, perhaps, changed at birth, either he
into a male, or she into a female, because of the difference in their
horoscopes? But, whilst it is not altogether absurd to say that
certain sidereal influences have some power to cause differences in
bodies alone, as, for instance, we see that the seasons of the year
come round by the approaching and receding of the sun, and that certain
kinds of things are increased in size or diminished by the waxings and
wanings of the moon, such as sea-urchins, oysters, and the wonderful
tides of the ocean,, it does not follow that the wills of men are to
be made subject to the position of the stars. The astrologers,
however, when they wish to bind our actions also to the
constellations, only set us on investigating whether, even in these
bodies, the changes may not be attributable to some other than a
sidereal cause. For what is there which more intimately concerns a
body than its sex? And yet, under the same position of the stars,
twins of different sexes may be conceived. Wherefore, what greater
absurdity can be affirmed or believed than that the position of the
stars, which was the same for both of them at the time of conception,
could not cause that the one child should not have been of a different
sex from her brother, with whom she had a common constellation, whilst
the position of the stars which existed at the hour of their birth could
cause that she should be separated from him by the great distance
between marriage and holy virginity?
|
|