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. The Eight Books are: 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 James H. Holden, who translated the text from the Latin, is Research Director of the American Federation of Astrologers. A well respected astrological scholar, he 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.