托勒密對天體有著透徹的理解，並且親自觀察過綜合考察這些天體所能推導出的各種塵世結果，因此，他致力於清楚闡述某些曾被古人掩蓋、隱晦不明的概念。在撰寫這部著作時，我認為有必要先清楚說明托勒密著作中所提出的基本概念。此外，在本書的某些部分，我也提供了超出托勒密原有論述的進一步解釋，以釐清某些概念，並闡明從他的著作中源源不斷湧現的各種思想。因為我認為，最好能以實際可運用的方式來傳達這些思想。
雖然托勒密熟知本書所闡述的許多基本概念，包括見證（testimony）、守護（keeping guard）、優越（superiority），以及命盤的最終主宰者（ultimate ruler of the chart），但他並未提供這些概念的確切實例。這可能使人對這些早在我們的時代之前便已建立的古老方法產生疑慮。因此，我們著手將古人傳承給我們的這些教導，以簡潔而有條理的方式分成不同章節加以闡述，使尚未接觸過這些學問的初學者也能輕易理解其中的概念。
Ptolemy, having had a thorough understanding of the heavenly bodies, and having himself observed the possible earthly outcomes that could be derived from a synthesized viewing of such bodies, took it upon himself to articulate clearly certain concepts that had been covered up and obscured by the ancients. In creating this specific text, I have thought it necessary to be very clear by first describing the basic concepts laid out in Ptolemy’s works. I have also, in certain parts of this text, provided further explanation beyond that which has been laid out by Ptolemy, in order to clarify certain concepts and to elucidate all of the ideas that have gushed forth through his writing. For it seems best to convey these ideas in an applicable manner.
While Ptolemy was aware of many of the basic concepts laid out in this book, including testimony, keeping guard, superiority, and the ultimate ruler ofthe chart, he did not disclose exact examples of these concepts, which might raise doubts in regard to these ancient methods that were initiated well before our time. And so we have set out to convey these teachings, bound to us by the ancients, in a manner that is both concise yet well-arranged into separate sections, so that the concepts can be easily absorbed by the student who has yet to be initiated into these subjects.