This book contains a translation of the Eight Books of the Mathesis by the 4th century astrologer Julius Firmicus Maternus along with some useful Indexes of Occupations, the Causes of Death, and Personal Characteristics. -Book I: An essay on what astrology is -Book II: The twelve signs -Book III: Aspects and house placement of planets -Book IV: Chart Interpretation -Book V: The angles and the terms -Book VI: The aspects -Book VII: Life and death -Book VIII: The degrees of the signs The translator, James H. Holden, is a well respected astrological scholar who has translated more than twenty astrology books that were written between the 2nd and 17th centuries. He is also the author of A History of Horoscopic Astrology.