Excerpts from ‘The Six Enneads’ by Plotinus (vegetarian) – The Light Within, Part 2 of 2

“[…] Then there is the notion that the Moon, in conjunction with a certain star, is softened at her full but is malignant in the same conjunction when her light has waned; yet, if anything of this order could be admitted, the very opposite would be the case. For when she is full to us she must be dark on the further hemisphere, that is to that star which stands above her; and when dark to us she is full to that other star, upon which only then, on the contrary, does she look with her light.

To the Moon itself, in fact, it can make no difference in what aspect she stands, for she is always lit on the upper or on the under half: to the other star, the warmth from the Moon, of which they speak, might make a difference; but that warmth would reach it precisely when the Moon is without light to us; at its darkest to us it is full to that other, and therefore beneficent. The darkness of the Moon to us is of moment to the Earth, but brings no trouble to the planet above. That planet, it is alleged, can give no help on account of its remoteness and therefore seems less well disposed; but the Moon at its full suffices to the lower realm so that the distance of the other is of no importance.

When the Moon, though dark to us, is in aspect with the Fiery Star she is held to be favorable: the reason alleged is that the force of Mars is all-sufficient since it contains more fire than it needs. The truth is that while the material emanations from the living beings of the Heavenly system are of various degrees of warmth— planet differing from planet in this respect— no cold comes from them: the nature of the space in which they have their being is voucher for that. The star known as Jupiter includes a due measure of fire [and warmth], in this resembling the Morning-star and therefore seeming to be in alliance with it. In aspect with what is known as the Fiery Star, Jupiter is beneficent by virtue of the mixing of influences: in aspect with Saturn unfriendly by dint of distance. Mercury, it would seem, is indifferent whatever stars it be in aspect with; for it adopts any and every character.

But all the stars are serviceable to the Universe, and therefore can stand to each other only as the service of the Universe demands, in a harmony like that observed in the members of any one animal form. They exist essentially for the purpose of the Universe, just as the gall exists for the purposes of the body as a whole not less than for its own immediate function: it is to be the inciter of the animal spirits but without allowing the entire organism and its own especial region to run riot. […]”