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"The 12 signs of the Zodiac, by the Astrologers elegantly depictured in the body of a man, I pass over with silence: for these are things ancient and commonly known, as being sung in the corners of our streets: we choose rather to meditate of more sublime and profound matters, and to bend the eye of our mind at a higher mark."

— Crooke, Helkiah (1576-1648)

Author

Crooke, Helkiah (1576-1648)

Work Title

ÎœÎ™ÎšÎ¡ÎŸÎšÎŸÎ£ÎœÎŸÎ“Î¡Î‘Î¦Î™Î‘: A Description of the Body of Man [Mikrokosmographia, Microcosmographia]

Place of Publication

London

Publisher

Printed by William Iaggard

Date

1615

Metaphor

"The 12 signs of the Zodiac, by the Astrologers elegantly depictured in the body of a man, I pass over with silence: for these are things ancient and commonly known, as being sung in the corners of our streets: we choose rather to meditate of more sublime and profound matters, and to bend the eye of our mind at a higher mark."

Metaphor in Context

Now further, who seeth not the sublunary part of the world expressed in the inferiour venter or lower belly? for in it are contained the parts that are ordained for nourishment & procreation; so as we neede not make any doubt to professe and affirme, that all things are found in the body of man, which this vniuersall world doth embrace & comprehend. Wilt thou see in this Microcosme or little world, the wandering Planets? The moyst and watrie power of the Moone, is resembled by the streaming marrow and pith of the back & braine. The power of Venus is proportioned in the generatiue parts: To Mercurie so variable, and withall so ingenuous, the instruments of eloquence and sweet deliuery are answereable. Of the Sun and the heart, the admirable proportion and agreement, we haue already declared. To the beneuolent and beneficiall Starre Iupiter, the Liuer of man, the well-spring of most sweete and gratefull humors is fitly compared. The fire and fury of Mars, the little bladder of the gaul gathers into it selfe. The cold and harmfull Starre Saturne, that loose and slaggy flesh of the Spleene, being the receptacle of melancholike humors, dooth liuely resemble. And thus in like numbers, and equall proportion, both Arithmeticall and Geometricall, do these Celestiall particles (as they are tearmed) of either worlde, the greater of heauen, and the lesser of man, answere one another. The xii. signes of the Zodiake, by the Astrologers elegantly depictured in the body of a man, I passe ouer with silence: for these are thinges ancient and commonly knowne, as being sung in the corners of our streets: wee choose rather to meditate of more sublime and profound matters, and to bend the eye of our minde at a higher marke. The Peripatetikes do diuide the world into bodies simple & mixt; simple, they make fiue, the heauen, and the foure Elements; of the mixt bodies, they will haue some to be imperfect, which they call Meteors, and those Fiery, Aiery, Watry, Earthy: other some perfect, as those things that haue life. All which, how and after what manner they be in man, because it is an excellent and beautifull speculation, I pray you marke and obserue with me diligently. Of this little world, the simple bodies are fiue, the spirits and the foure humors. The Spirit is the quintessence or sift essence, aethereal, in proportion (as sayth the Philosopher) answering to the element of the starres; the foure humors are called the foure sensible elements of the bodie. Choler in temper the most hot and raging, resembles fire. Blood hot and moyst, resembles the ayre. Flegme cold & moyst, resembles the water. Melancholy, cold and dry, is fitly compared vnto earth. Behold also, the wonderfull Analogie of the Meteors of this little world. The terrible Lightning and fiery flashes and impressions, are shewed in the ruddie suffusions of our eyes when we are in a heate and furie, as also by those [GREEK] or darting beames which we throw from the same. The rumbling of the guts, their croaking murmurs, their rapping escapes, and the hudled and redoubled belchings of the stomacke, do represent the fashion and manner of all kindes of thunders. The violent and gathering rage of blustering windes, tempestuous stormes and gustes, are not onely exhibited, but also foreshewed by exhaled crudities, and by the hissing, singing, and ringing noises of the eares. The humor and moistnesse that fals like a Current or streame into the empty spaces of the throate, the throtle and the chest, resembleth raine and showers. Thicke and concocted Flegme, that comes vp round and roundly when we Cough, carries the likenesse of Hailestones; teares do represent the Dew: shaking, shrinking, trembling, & throbbing motions, resemble the Earth-quakes. There are also found in our bodies, Mines and quarries, out of which, Mettals and stones are digged, not to builde, but to pull downe the house; so the stones of the Kidneyes and bladder do carry a resemblance of Mines and Mineralles.
(I.ii pp. 7-8) Book I, Chap. ii