Anthony Louis's Blog, page 20

Wisdom Teeth and Solar Returns

This week a colleague showed me the chart of a 27-year-old man who needed oral surgery to remove his wisdom teeth which had recently become a problem. Glancing at his birth chart and solar return, and using some standard predictive techniques, we did not see any clear-cut indications of the timing of his dental problems or oral surgery in October of 2021. This puzzled me because the surgery of 12 October 2021 seemed like a major event which was disrupting his life at the moment and therefore ought to show up prominently in the chart.

After some further study and research, I think that I now understand the astrology behind his dental difficulties, which I will attempt to explain in this post. To preserve this person’s confidentiality, I will not show the birth data. Here is his natal chart with Placidus Houses, Egyptian terms and true lunar nodes.

Birth chart of 27 year old man who had wisdom teeth removed on 12 Oct 2021.

Below is his birthplace solar return for the current year (2021). Note that Scorpio, the sign on the natal 8th house cusp, has become the rising sign of the Solar Return for this year. The signs Aries and Scorpio are in a quincunx relationship.

Solar Return for 2021. He needed had dental surgery to remove his wisdom teeth on 12 Oct 2021. Does the surgery or dental problem show up in this chart?

The young man was 27 years old at the time of the oral surgery. Age 27 corresponds to a 4th place (topos) profection year. In his birth chart the 4th sign from his Aries Ascendant is Cancer, which makes the Moon the Lady of the Year (from his birthday in 2021 until his birthday in 2022).

Thus, the Moon is a major chronocrator in 2021. Natally the Moon occupies the 6th house and conjoins the 6th cusp, suggesting themes of the year centered around illness, health concerns, service rendered or received, his daily grind, pets, co-workers, etc.

The Moon in this year’s solar return (SR) is prominent due to its angular placement in the 10th house of the return. The SR Moon has just opposed a stationary SR Mercury in the return chart. In the birth chart Mercury rules the 6th of illness and disposes the Moon, so again there is a strong emphasis on the potential for illness this year.

The fact the SR Mercury is stationary and angular in the 4th makes Mercury a prominent indicator for events of the year. Natally Mercury rules the 6th of illness, and in the return chart Mercury rules the 8th, which is associated with life and death situations and illnesses that can be potentially fatal. The 8th house is often prominent when individuals require surgery. William Lilly regarded houses 8, 6 and 12 as the most troublesome places in the chart.

In the solar return chart Mars rules the Ascendant (body, vitality) as well as the Aries 6th cusp (illness). SR Mars lies in the 6th house where it conjoins Uranus (sudden unexpected illness). In addition, Mars in the return chart is square to the Saturn-Jupiter-Sun conjunction on the angular 4th SR cusp. Saturn is a general signifier of teeth, and natal Jupiter tightly conjoins the natal 8th cusp (surgery).

A classical technique for evaluation annual revolution charts is to consider the role of the divisor and participant. The divisor is the planet which rules the term which has risen to the eastern horizon by primary direction. The participant is the planet which as most recently perfected a major aspect to the Ascendant degree by primary direction. Here is the list of divisors and participants for this gentleman:

At the time of the dental surgery the divisor was Mercury (ruler of the natal 6th of illness) and the participant was Mars, which is a general signifier of surgery and which had recently squared the directed Ascendant.

Morin de Villefranche taught that the Solar Return can only trigger events which are presaged in the natal promise of the birth chart or in its primary directions. Here are the primary directions of this man’s natal chart for the current year, calculated in Janus software (method of Placidus, Naibod key, without latitude):

Primary directions of Natal Chart from Oct 2020 through Jan 2022.

Note that his man entered the current solar return year just after the primary direction of Mercury to Mars in his natal chart. Mercury rules his natal 6th (illness) and Mars rules his natal Ascendant (body, health). In the 2021 return Mars rules the Asc and the 6th cusp and occupies the 6th, whereas Mercury rules the 8th (surgery).

The dental operation took place on 12 October 2021. The closest primary direction was the directed natal Ascendant opposing the natal Moon just inside the cusp of the 6th house of illness in the birth chart. This opposition is sandwiched between the primary directed square of Jupiter coming to the natal MC in early September of 2021 and primary directed Venus coming to the MC in early January of 2022. Natally Jupiter closely conjoins the 8th cusp (surgery) and tightly squares Venus.

I was puzzled by the prominence of Venus in these primary directions. In the birth chart Venus rules the 2nd and the 7th houses. After some reflection, I recalled that in Jyotisha the 2nd house rules the teeth and the 7th house (as the 6th from the 2nd) rules infirmities related to the teeth. Western astrology tends to assign all parts of the head to the 1st house, but Jyotisha divides the associations of the head between the 1st and 2nd houses, which to my mind makes a lot of sense. The following quote is from an article entitled “A treatise on medical astrology” at http://mediastrology.blogspot.com/2012/12/astrological-factors-for-teeth-disease.html (bold mine):

“The main planet responsible for teeth disease is Saturn and the house involved in the natal chart is second house signifying the facial portion of the body. The sixth house from second house is the seventh house of the natal chart which, therefore, signifies diseases relating to teeth. Therefore, affliction of the second house or its lord and the corresponding sign in the Zodiac i.e. Taurus and its lord Venus and/or the affliction of the seventh house and/or its lord and/or the seventh sign Libra of the Zodiac together with Saturn result in different types of teeth disease. Deposition or aspect of Rahu in the related houses or signs causes irregular shaped teeth. Affliction by Saturn causes acute pain of teeth.” 

As regards timing, one technique is to calculate the secondary progressions and primary directions for the current Solar Return. Here is a list of these factors between September of 2021 and January of 2022.

Progression and Directions of the 2021 Solar Return chart. Note how on 21 Oct 2021, within a week of the surgery, the primary directed Mercury squares the Return Asc in the solar return chart. Mercury rules the natal 6th and the return 8th houses.

Finally, yet another technique for timing is to consider the hard aspects of the angles by secondary progressions of the Solar Return chart at the Mean Quotidian Rate. (Solar Fire software describes ‘mean quotidian’ as follows: “The MC is progressed by the same method as the planets, thus moving about 361° per day, as opposed to the Sun’s movement of about 1° per day. This method is also known as ‘Daily Houses’.”). Here is the list for October of 2021:

The surgery took place on October 12, 2021. The secondary progressed MC (mean quotidian rate) on October 13 was square to SR Pluto, which occupies the 8th house of the birth chart. On the same day the progressed Asc squared SR Chiron, a symbol of a wounded part of the body. On October 14 the progressed MC square SR Venus, which rules the return 2nd and 7th houses, associated in Jyotisha with dental problems. Etc.

Finally, when studying solar and lunar returns, it is important to consider eclipses which interact closely with the chart of the revolution. This man’s solar return for 2021 has 27 Scorpio rising, which happens to be the same degree as the partial lunar eclipse of 21 November 21, not long after his dental surgery in mid-October. Here is the partial lunar eclipse chart for his birthplace:

Partial lunar eclipse of 21 Nov 2021 at his birthplace

It is striking that the partial lunar eclipse of November 2021 falls exactly across the horizon axis of his 2021 solar return. In addition, transiting Saturn (a natural ruler of teeth) on the day of the eclipse exactly conjoins the meridian axis of his solar return for this year.

Furthermore, if we superimpose this lunar eclipse chart (green) on his natal chart (blue), we find the eclipse Sun in the natal 8th house, and eclipse Mars on the cusp of the natal 8th conjunct natal Jupiter:

Inner chart and cusps are the man’s birth chart (in blue).
Outer wheel is the partial lunar eclipse of 21 Nov 2021.

What does the sign Gemini have to do with wainscoting?

Recently I reviewed a horary chart about a missing piece of jewelry. The Moon in this chart happened to be in Gemini along with Jupiter, which ruled the 4th house cusp. The Moon is a general signifier of missing things and 4th house and its ruler, according to Lilly (CA 322) represent “the place where it is laid, put or done, or conveyed unto, and is at that instant of time” (when the horary question is posed to the astrologer).

The Constellation Gemini: twins eternally linked, like paneling or plaster to a wall.

Given that both the Moon (the missing object) and the ruler of the 4th (the location of the missing object) were in Gemini, I looked up what Lilly had to say about places signified by the mutable or dual, Air-sign Gemini (CA 94):

“Wainscot rooms, plastering and walls of houses, the halls, or where play is used, hills and mountains, barns, storehouses for corn, coffers, chests, high places.”

A wainscot panel against a wall.

I was struck by Lilly’s ordering of significations, which places wainscot rooms first. If the item were in the house, presumably Lilly would first search for the missing jewelry in a wainscotted room, or near the plastering or wall within the house, or within a hall or a place where people play within the house. He would also search in any coffers or chests. The emphasis on wainscot paneling and plaster suggests locations where things (like paneling or plaster) are attached to walls. In this case the item was eventually found. It had fallen behind a piece of furniture and landed on a bracket which held a radiator against a wall.

How did Lilly come to associate Gemini first and foremost with wainscoting?

According to https://www.etymonline.com/word/wainscot, the word ‘wainscot’ dates back to the mid-14th century and refers to “‘imported oak of superior quality‘ (well-grained and without knots), probably from Middle Dutch or Middle Flemish waghenscote ‘superior quality oak wood, board used for paneling’ (though neither of these is attested as early as the English word), related to Middle Low German wagenschot (late 14c.), from waghen + scote “partition, crossbar”. So called perhaps because the wood originally was used for wagon building and coachwork, but the sense evolution is not entirely clear. Meaning ‘panels lining the walls of rooms’ is recorded from 1540s. Wainscoting is from 1570s” (bold mine).

One connection to Gemini is that the wood used in ‘wainscot’ paneling is the same oak that was originally used to build wagons and coaches, both means of transportation which is ruled by Mercury, whose domicile is Gemini. In addition, the wainscot panel is often carved in a manner that strongly resembles the glyph for the sign Gemini:

Antique wainscot panels often resemble the glyph of Gemini, the sign of the Twins who are joined together for eternity.

In summary, wainscoting uses the same oak wood that was originally used to make coaches and wagons but is now repurposed to make wood paneling that is joined to a wall, much as the Gemini twins are joined together for eternity.

Morin delineates a solar return of Cardan

Astrologer Pedro Hernández recently posted a translation from Latin into Spanish of Morin’s delineation of Cardan’s solar return for his 34th year of life (ages 33-34). Pedro has kindly given permission to repost his article here, and I have translated his Spanish text into English, or else paraphrased the Latin and Spanish, abbreviated some of the text, and added some commentary. In the following, the Spanish text is by Pedro Hernádez and the English text is mine. Morin’s Latin can at times be difficult to understand; if the reader notices errors in translation, please let me know and I will make corrections.

Revolución Solar Nro.34 de Gerolamo Cardano por Morin . Publicado por Pedro Hernàndez el octubre 3, 2021 a las 4:30pm Gerolamo Cardano was an Italian polymath, whose interests and proficiencies ranged through those of mathematician, physician, biologist, physicist, chemist, astrologer, astronomer, philosopher, writer, and gambler. Wikipedia Cardan’s Natal Chart according to Morin with Regiomontanus cusps, which were preferred by Morin Cardan’s Natal Chart in square format
(Cardan used Alcabitius cusps)

Traduccion de cardano revolución solar (A Solar Revolution of Cardano)

Cardan juzga sus 2 de sus revoluciones solares correspondientes a sus edades de 33 y 34 años y toma en consideración todas los significados de todas sus casas comparándo la revolución con la carta de la natividad, sin tener en cuenta sus direcciones, ya que el consideraba que la comparación de la revolución con la natividad y sus direcciones no tendrían efectos al juzgar a la revolucion sola, esto es erróneo y se debería analizar la revolución combinada con la natividad que es por la determinación de los signos y planetas en la carta en estudio, considerando su ubicación corporal, regentes y aspectos. Y si se debe tomar en consideración las direcciones las cuales se derivan de la natividad.  En su revolución nro. 34 levantada de acuerdo al método racional utilizando el método de determinación de los planetas, tomando en cuenta la ubicación corporal de los planetas  y regentes fue mas concordante o convincente con los accidentes que el mismo cardan había dicho que le habían ocurrido en ese año 34 cuando juzgo la natividad y la revolución por su método.

Morin tells us that Cardan in his Book on the Judgment of Nativities (Chapter 7) delineates two of his own solar revolutions for his 34th and 35th years of life (ages 33 and 34). Morin criticizes Cardan for judging these two solar returns just as one would an independent natal chart, without taking into account his birth chart or its primary directions. According to Morin, Cardan’s approach is not reasonable because the revolution is dependent on the birth chart and its primary directions, and any force to produce an effect during the year of the revolution is rooted in the natal chart. In other words, it is erroneous to judge the revolution chart independent of the natal chart because a revolution is subordinate to and dependent upon the birth chart in its force, significations and effects. A revolution cannot signify an event contrary to the significations of the natal chart, and whatever it does signify can manifest only if it conforms to the birth chart and its primary directions. To illustrate this point, Morin plans to review in detail the judgement of Cardan’s solar revolution for his 34th year of life, using Morin’s method of determinations and Regiomontanus houses.

Tomaremos la revolución 34 de cardano a él  le dio ascendente a 7° Tauro, a Morin usando el método rationalis le dio 5 tauro en esa revolucion 34.

Morin notes that in the solar return for his 34th year Cardan’s tables give an Ascendant in the 7th degree of Taurus, which differs from the 5 degrees of Taurus ascending according to Morin’s tables.

Cardan’s Solar Revolution at age 33 (1534), his 34th year of life. Morin’s original text in Latin

REVOLUCION SOLAR NRO 34 PARA GEROLAMO CARDANO:
The Solar Revolution of the 34th year of life of Gerolamo Cardano:

Traducción del latín al español realizada por el astrólogo Pedro Hernández:
Translation from Latin to Spanish by astrologer Pedro Hernández:

Dice entonces que para el año el tendría perfecto estado de salud, pero de alguna manera con temor, la razón es porque Júpiter en su radical estaba en el ascendente con su latitud, y ambos tanto la revolucion como el radical tienen el mismo ascendente (signo = tauro), el cual la Luna ocupa en la revolución (es decir, se ubica en el ascendente de la revolución) y la Luna se hace afortunada por recibir un trígono de Venus, y esta domina o rige a la luna. Y la libera de maléficos o de perjuicios. Tendría por consiguiente Cardano un año en que estaría sano o saludable. Aunque la Luna está en la casa 12 radical donde era significadora de enfermedades. Porque verdaderamente está bajo el dominio o regencia de Júpiter. De su lugar radical ella vendría al ascendente de la revolución trígono a Venus, pero el temor de Cardano seria por la cuadratura de Saturno en RS a la Luna que está en el ascendente de RS .  quien también en el radical heria a la Luna con cuadratura.

Cardan tells us that in his 34th year he had perfect health but with some fear. The reason for his excellent health was that natal Jupiter was by its mundane position in the Ascendant (1st house) owing to its southern latitude, and both the natal and the annual chart have the same Ascendant sign Taurus, which is occupied by the annual Moon, which Venus of the revolution disposes and trines and which is free from the malefics. [The 1st house and planets therein signify the body and the vital force of the individual.]

In Morin’s version of Cardan’s birth chart, the natal Moon lies just inside the 12th cusp. In the modern chart calculated by computer, the natal Moon is a bit earlier in Pisces and lies at the end of the 11th house but is closely conjunct the 12th Regiomontanus cusp.

Morin attributed the fear experienced by Cardan to the fact that annual Saturn at 7 Leo was in square to the annual Moon at 7 Taurus at the Ascendant of the revolution chart. Saturn square the Moon in the revolution repeats the radical Saturn square Moon aspect.

Cardan: natal chart inside (blue) with 1534 solar revolution for age 33 (green) superimposed outside.

Segundo sufrió dispersión de riquezas ´por perdida de la razón a causa de dignidades. Sin embargo, obtuvo extraordinario lucro por la astrología y la medicina. La razón principal es que en el ascendente radical tenia a Júpiter y Marte en la segunda significador de distorsiona o despilfarro de riquezas. En la revolución en verdad Júpiter está en la casa 10 en caída y Marte en exilio en la 6ta cuadratura a Júpiter y conjunción a Mercurio regente o señor de la segunda, por consiguiente, ya que Júpiter está en la primera radical. Y en revolución se traslada a la décima, predecirá que en el año ira a ocurrir honores y dignidades ambiciosas, porque está en caída y en cuadratura a Marte en exilio que está en la cúspide 2 radical y en conjunción a Mercurio regente de la 2 en la sexta de revolución, empresas o proyectos sin éxitos., disipación o despilfarro causara las dignidades predichas, la segunda razón es que Marte en el radical y revolución se exalta en el medio cielo y Júpiter conjunto al medio cielo de revolución. Mercurio domina o rige la casa2 y está en conjunción aplicativa a Marte y en aspecto de cuadratura a Júpiter y en trígono a la casa 2da radical y la de la revolución, esto fue poderoso para ganancias en el arte.

Second, Cardan suffered a squandering of assets in his pursuit of honors and dignities during that year; however, he also profited greatly through astrology and medicine. The main reason for this was radical Jupiter on the Ascendant and radical Mars on the cusp of the natal 2nd house, signifying the dissipation of his wealth, while in the revolution annual Jupiter lies in its fall in Capricorn in the 10th and annual Mars lies in its exile (detriment) in Libra in the 6th, with annual Mars square to annual Jupiter and conjunct annual Mercury, ruler of the 2nd of assets. Jupiter natally in the 1st of the birth chart moves to the 10th house in the revolution, presaging ambition for dignities and honors, but annual Jupiter is in its fall and is square to Mars in exile in the revolution, indicating that he will not achieve his ambition but will squander his assets as a result.

Regarding Cardan’s sizable profits through astrology and medicine, Morin believed that annual Mars, as the exalted ruler of the Midheaven in both charts and dispositor of annual Jupiter in the revolution, being conjunct 2nd ruler Mercury in Libra, square to annual Jupiter and trine to the Gemini 2nd house, were indicators of gain from professional activities.

 Algunos de sus consanguíneos o familiares de Cardano influenciaron en que el alcanzara las dignidades la razón es porque la Luna rige la 3ra radical y la 3ra de revolución, y en revolución se colocó en el lugar de Júpiter radical y en su exaltación (Tauro) y en trígono a Venus y Júpiter que se exalta en la 3ra radica se ubica en la 10 de revolución, de allí que, por ese motivo señalado en su natividad, los consanguíneos o sus familiares obran o influyen en que alcance dignidades.

Third, one of Cardan’s relatives intervened on his behalf in his pursuit of dignities, which was indicated by the annual Moon, ruling the 3rd of kin in both charts, being conjunct natal Jupiter in Taurus, the sign of exaltation of the Moon, and trine to annual Venus. In addition, Jupiter is the exalted ruler of the 3rd and 4th houses and occupies the 10th of the revolution, signifying efforts by kin or family members in the pursuit of Cardan’s honors and dignities.

4to dificultades o problemas de bienes inmobiliario se presentaron, poco y algo se vendió a pesar de estar ausente y de los obstáculos, la razón o explicación es porque la Luna rige por dos veces la 4ta en las cartas de natividad y revolución. Herida en revolución por la cuadratura de Saturno exiliado en leo el cual en el radical se ubica en la segunda, pero en cambio la madre estuvo a salvo por causa de que la Luna rige la 4ta de revolución, se exalta en el ascendente (tauro) y este trígono a Venus que la domina o rige.

Fourth, there were problems with real estate or immovable goods, and there was too little for even a part of them to be sold. This occurred because the Moon rules the 4th house of immovable property in both charts, and the annual Moon is afflicted by a square from annual Saturn in exile in Leo, while natal Saturn occupies the 2nd house of finances. On the other hand, his mother — ruled by the 4th with Cancer on its cusp — was safe and sound because her signifier, the Moon, was exalted in Taurus in the revolution and in trine to annual Venus, which rules Taurus.

Quinto, la esposa concebiría una niña, quien tenía el útero débil y contraído o estrecho, el motivo es porque en el radical Venus domina o rige el ascendente y está conjunta al sol quien a su vez rige la quinta y se ubica en la 6ta. Verdaderamente en revolución ella misma (Venus) rige el ascendente y a la Luna y se ubica en la quinta 5 en trígono al ascendente de la revolución. Y libera a la Luna también de los maléficos, lo que le permitió a Cardano significativamente lograr su descendencia. Y Mercurio rige a Venus y se ubica en la sexta en conjunción aplicativa con Marte que este exiliado, anunciando aquella profecía o sentencia que tendría una hija débil o enferma.

Fifth, Cardan’s wife conceived a female child, who contracted an infirmity in the womb, as presaged natally by Venus ruling the Ascendant and conjoining the 5th ruler Sun in the 6th house of illness. However, in the revolution annual Venus, which rules the Ascendant and disposes the Moon, occupies the 5th of offspring and trines with Ascendant, and the Moon is free from the malefics, signifying that Cardan might have a child that year. According to Morin, the daughter’s illness is shown by annual Mercury, the dispositor of annual Venus, being in the 6th of illness and conjunct malefic Mars in exile in Libra.

En relación a sirvientes y animales sufrió impedimentos e intercambios, la razón o motivo es porque Mercurio rige la segunda y sexta radical, está en 6ta radical en signo cardinal (libra) y aspecta a Saturno que se ubica en la segunda casa, pero en revolución Mercurio de nuevo rige la segunda y la sexta, se ubica en la 6ta en un signo cardinal y hace un aspecto de conjunción aplicativa a Marte quien a su vez es regente de la casa 12 de revolución.

Sixth, Cardan suffered impediments and exchanges in regard to servants and animals this year because natal Mercury rules the 2nd and 6th radical houses and occupies the cardinal (movable) sign Libra and trines natal Saturn located in the radical 2nd house. In the revolution, however, Mercury also rules the 2nd and 6th houses but is located in the 6th house in the cardinal sign Libra where Mercury conjoins Mars, which is one of the rulers of the 12th house of the revolution. [Because Aries in contained within the 12th Regiomontanus house, Morin regarded Mars as a co-ruler of that house, together with Jupiter which rules the Pisces 12th cusp.]

El acontecimiento dañino o perjudicial que le ocurrirá a la esposa está explicado porque Marte y Júpiter rigen la 7ma en radical y revolución son maléficos en la revolución. Sin embargo, la Luna hace oposición a la séptima significadora de la esposa, dañada por la cuadratura de Saturno la cual esta maléfica y malamente la afecta (a la 7ma o esposa) además del temor de la aparición de enemigos abiertos sobre todo príncipes, se sintió deprimido por dificultades con hombres de justicia que no lo dañarían o perjudicarían. La razón o motivo es porque Marte domina o rige la cúspide 7ma y está en exilio en la sexta y en cuadratura a Júpiter que se encuentra ubicado en la décima donde es significador de o representa a príncipes y magistrados.

Seventh, the noxious event that befell his wife is explained by the fact that annual Mars and Jupiter, which are rulers of the 7th house in both charts [Mars rules the cusp of the 7th and Sagittarius is partially contained within the 7th], are afflicted, as is the annual Moon [a signifier of the wife because it lies opposite the 7th house — Morin believed that each house shared its significations with the house opposite], which suffers a square from annual Saturn.

In addition, open enemies were subdued by fear of the Prince and hindered from doing harm to righteous men [Praeterea hostes aperti timore Principis depressi sunt ac impediti viris justis ne nocerent]. This occurred because Mars rules the 7th cusp (open enemies) and lies in exile in the cadent 6th house, is squared by Jupiter located in the angular 10th, in which Jupiter by its house position signifies Princes and magistrates [who are holding open enemies signified by Mars in check].

Además, la Luna está en el ascendente y trígono a Venus y ellas pueden salvar o proteger al nativo o nacido. pero se observa que el medio cielo luego llega por dirección al trígono derecho a Saturno R que es su señor o regente cuya ascensión recta es de 31 grado 24 min y termina la corrección: nada produciría la dirección en cuanto a dignidades. La Luna ptolemaicamente significa la sustancia corporal, la vida, la moral, la esposa, la madre, sirvientas, hermanas, sobre a quién toda la Luna representa en la figura en la que se ha pronunciado.

Moreover, the annual Moon is in the Ascendant and in trine to annual Venus, and they are able to save or protect the native, but it should be noted that the MC by primary direction had arrived at the dexter trine of Saturn (the ruler of the MC), whose Right Ascension is 31 degrees 24 minutes, without which there would be have been no primary direction indicating dignities. [The dexter trine of Saturn at 19 Aquarius 19′ arrived at the MC by primary direction around the time of Cardan’s birthday in 1534. Saturn ruling the MC and being in trine to the MC by primary direction at age 33 is an indicator of professional honors and dignities. Saturn in exile in Leo in the revolution and in square to the annual and natal Ascendant suggests difficulties in obtaining the dignities sought after.]

Morin goes on to criticize Cardan for using the Moon as a general or universal signifier because the Moon, according to Ptolemy, signifies the bodily substance, life, morals, wife, mother, servants, sisters; and any delineation of the Moon would thus necessarily apply to all these significations.

Fin de la traducción del texto de latín de Morin.

———

Anexo: Pedro Hernández

Siguiendo la metodología de interpretación de revoluciones de acuerdo a Junctino de Florencia y Albumasar.

Pedro Hernández goes on to add his own comments about the methods of Junctino and Abu Ma’shar regarding this solar return. These include the use of the Lord of the Year (ruler of the profected Ascendant), and the divisor and the participant (the term ruler of the primary directed Ascendant, and the planet that most recently perfected an aspect to the directed Ascendant.)

At age 33 (1534) the divisor is Mars and the participant is also Mars.
At age 34 (1535) the divisor is Mars and the participant is Saturn because Saturn rises to the horizon by primary direction on January 7, 1535.

El señor del año para la revolución 34 (edad 33) de Cardano fue Saturno: quien domina las casas 9, 10 y 11 de la natividad y de la revolución. Saturno radical está en la casa 2 de la navidad, y Saturno anual está en la casa 4 de la revolución.

At age 33, the Lord of the Year is the planet that rules the 10th sign from the Ascendant. In Cardan’s chart, Aquarius is 10th from the Taurus Ascendant, so that Saturn becomes the Lord of the Year. Thus, major themes of the year will related to the houses ruled or occupied by Saturn and the aspects formed by Saturn in the natal or return chart. These include houses 9, 10 and 11 and also houses 2 and 4. In addition, Saturn closely conjoins the cusp of the 5th house of children.

Divisor el 7 de enero de 1535, Marte era el divisor, y Saturno el participante.

Cardan’s divisor and participant at age 33 was Mars. The following year, at age 34, Mars was still the divisor, but the participant became Saturn which had conjoined the Ascendant by primary direction on January 7, 1535.

El maléfico menor conjunto a la 2 de la natividad y señor de la 7ma de la natividad y de revolución indicaba despilfarro o perdidas de dinero (2) y la activación de enemigos abiertos (7) poderosos ya que Marte hiere a júpiter en la décima, casa que indica a los personajes poderosos o del gobierno como fue el caso del citado príncipe que lo adverso ese año.

The lesser malefic Mars conjunct the 2nd cusp in the nativity and lord of the 7th in both charts indicated waste or loss of money (2nd house) and the activation of open enemies (7th house).

The Birth Chart of Nostradamus

Recently I heard Deborah Houlding discuss a horary by Nostradamus, and I wondered about his birth chart. Unfortunately, we do not have a reliable birth chart for the great physician and seer. According to Patrice Guinard, “the archives of Saint-Rémy are silent, and the two main biographers of Nostre Dame, Edgar Leroy (1941) and Eugène Lhez (1968), apparently found nothing about Michel. Likewise, we do not know of any family “Bible”, “Book of Reason” or register of his father Jaume, a trader who became a notary in 1501.”

Nonetheless, there do exist two references to possible birth dates for Nostradamus. The source most often cited is Jean-Aimé de Chavigny (1524?-1604), an astrologer and alchemist who was also a disciple and perhaps secretary of the great seer. According to Chavigny, Nostradamus was born around noon on Thursday 14 December 1503 (julian?) in St. Rémy de Provence, France (43n47, 004e50), but Patrice Guinard of the CURA Foundation has called this data into question. Here is the excerpt from Chavigny’s 1594 text Iani Gallici facies prior (published in January 1594, a full 28 years after the death of Nostradamus; note that France adopted the Gregorian calendar when Pope Gregory XIII introduced it in October of 1582 and used the Julian calendar prior to that date) in which he gives the birth data:

This is Chavigny’s comment (1594) in which he states the Nostradamus was born on Thursday 14 December 1503 (julian?) around 12 Noon (environ les 12 heures de midi).

On page 4 of his book (1594), Chavigny tells us that Nostradramus died on the second of July 1566 (julian?) a little before sunrise. (Astro.com says the death occurred at 3 AM, about one and a half hours before the 4:32 AM sunrise, but I cannot find a source for the 3 AM time of death.) In addition, I do not know for sure whether Chavigny is quoting dates in the Julian calendar for Nostradamus’ birth and death (which occurred before the Gregorian calendar was introduced in 1582), or whether he has converted the original Julian dates to Gregorian in his text, which was published in 1594, twelve years after the Gregorian calendar was introduced. However, AstroDataBank (which uses the wrong coordinates for Nostradamus’ place of birth) claims that his birth data is in the Julian calendar: “14 December 1503 Jul.Cal. (24 Dec 1503 greg.) at 12:00.” If so, then Chavigny appears to be referring to dates in the life of Nostradamus in the Julian calendar.

Chavigny dates the death of Nostradamus to the 2nd of July 1566 (julian?) a little before sunrise.

As Patrice Guinard points out, Chavigny’s account of the seer’s birth does not accord with an epitaph of Nostradamus in the church of the Friars Minor in Salon, attested to by several 17th and 18th century travelers and historians and by his own son César in 1614, which states that Nostradamus lived for 62 years, 6 months and 10 days.

If we assume that 6 months refers to half a year, which is 182.62 days, then the 6 months and 10 days is equivalent to 192.62 days. Counting back 192.62 days from 2 July 1566 (julian) gives us a 62nd birthday of 21 December 1565 (julian). If the epitaph is correct, then Nostradamus was born on Thursday 21 December 1503 (julian), a week later than the date reported in Chavigny’s text. (I am assuming here that the hours just before sunrise are counted as part of July 2nd rather than July 1st, but I don’t know at what time of day the civil date changed in 16th century France. If it were July 1st, then the birthday in 1565 would have occurred on 20 December, which would also have been the date of his solar return in that year.

Regaridng the epitaph, Guinard quotes historian Honoré Bouche who wrote that it was “engraved on a marble table about eight feet long, tied against the wall in the Church of the Friars Minor in Salon” (1664, vol 2, p.650). Here is an image of the text of the engraving, stating that Nostradamus lived for 62 years, 6 months and 10 days, and that he died at Salon in 1566:

Epitaph stating that Nostradamus lived for 62 years, 6 months, 10 days (Annos LXII, Menses VI. Dies X.)

Apparently during the revolutionary period in France, the epitaph was desecrated. According to Guinard, it was reconstructed in 1813 based on the writings of Chavigny rather than historical records describing the original, which resulted in a change of the original “10 days” on the engraving to “17 days” to match the birth date in Chavigny’s text. The wikipedia entry on Nostradamus cites references which maintain that Chavigny was known to have posthumously edited passages of the seer to better fit events, which casts doubt on the reliability of Chavigny’s own writings.

Furthermore, Guinard tells us that in 1614 César, the son of Nostradamus, “indique les 10 jours de l’inscription initiale (p.804), et note que son père “Michel de Nostredame nasquit à la ville de Sainct Remy presques sur les abbois de l’an” (César ‘refers to the 10 days on the original engraving and notes that his father, Michel de Nostredame, was born in the town of St. Remy almost on the cusp of the year’ — my translation). The fact that César places his father’s birthday at almost (presques) the ‘abbois‘ (cusp, bark, outer covering, end, boundary, final limit, death throes) of the year is consistent with a date in very late December rather than December 14 (julian) which is mid-December. If Nostradamus had been born a week later, his birth date would have been 21 December (julian) or 31 December (gregorian), which is the final day (‘abbois‘) of the Gregorian year. On the other hand, 14 December (julian) would change to 24 December (greg.), which is only a week from the end of the year.

Thus, we have at least two possible dates for the birth of Nostradamus: 14 December and 21 December of 1503 (julian), perhaps close to 12 Noon as reported by Chavigny (1594), who was known to modify facts to suit his aims. Guinard, who has apparently done much scholarly research, concludes that the 21 December (julian) date is more likely to be accurate, on the basis of a well-documented epitaph which states that Nostradamus had a life span of 62 years, 6 months and 10 days, and apparently attested to by his wife and his son.

Here are the two potential birth charts for Nostradamus, cast for his birthplace at midday (Sun on the MC), using his Julian date of birth. The December 14 chart is based on the writings of Chavigny and the December 21 chart is based on historical records describing the epitaph at the time of his death.

Two possible birth charts for Nostradamus with a midday Sun birth time.

The charts are quite similar. The main differences are the Moon (which moved from Scorpio on Dec 14 to Aquarius on Dec 21), and Mercury (which moved Rx from Capricorn on Dec 14 to Sagittarius on Dec 21). The cusps are almost identical. Aries rising is consistent with his life as a prominent physician and healer whose enlightened and pioneering medical procedures saved many people during the plague. Jupiter is angular, rules the 9th, squares the ASC and opposes the Sun in both charts, consistent with his strong interest in divination and mysticism. Sun ruling the 6th and conjunct the MC may reflect his lifelong interest in medicine and healing. The Mars/Saturn conjunction in Cancer in the 4th is consistent with the death of his wife and children from the plague. The Dec 21 chart has a very prominent Neptune in the 10th, which could be an indicator of his fame for his prophetic abilities.

A time of birth close to midday (Sun on the MC) seems reasonable because in both charts, by primary direction, such a birth time would bring the primary directed Sun opposite the Asc, and primary directed 8th-ruler Mars opposite the 8th Placidus cusp, around the year 1566 when he died.

Horary on the fly

Recently I was visiting my in-laws because of an illness in the family. On Saturday, 25 Sep 2021, my sister-in-law was about to prepare some food from a recipe but she couldn’t find her reading glasses. She recalled having used the glasses earlier that day to do some work at her computer. The glasses seemed to have disappeared and she wondered if she had inadvertently dropped them in the garbage bin. Knowing that I had often done horary charts for my wife to find missing objects, she asked if I could help to locate her missing reading glasses. The question was asked on a Saturn day during a Sun hour. Fortunately, I had an astrology app on my smart phone. Here is the chart.

Where are my reading glasses?

Aquarius rises, so the querent is signified by Saturn Rx in Aquarius in the 12th house. Saturn has dignity by domicile and triplicity. Jupiter rules Pisces, which is entirely contained in the Regiomontanus 1st house. Neptune in the 1st house suggests that the eyeglasses had been misplaced due to inattention or distraction. Her husband has been quite ill recently and she has been generally distracted and preoccupied due to his illness.

Aries on the 2nd cusp makes Mars the signifier of the missing eyeglasses. Mars in Libra in the 7th is in detriment and peregrine, and also combust the Sun. An angular Mars (the missing object) suggests that it is nearby the querent or in a place she often frequents. Mars combust the Sun suggests that the eyeglasses are hidden or hard to see. Mars and Saturn mutually applying to a trine aspect indicate that she will soon find the reading glasses.

Mars in the 7th made me wonder if the glasses were somehow among her husband’s things or otherwise related to her spouse. Mars in Libra (in mutual reception with Venus in Scorpio) suggested a location related to Libran things.

The 4th house has to do with the location of the missing object. With mutable Gemini on the cusp, it could be contained within something else. Mercury rules Gemini and is found in Libra (ruled by Venus ) in the 8th house, conjunct the Part of Fortune (a symbol of material goods). Since the 8th, like the 2nd, is related to where someone keeps their money & possessions, I wondered if the missing glasses could be in her pocketbook. She had last used her glasses at the computer some hours earlier. She then went to the supermarket to get some food items, and she was now seeking to read a recipe to prepare dinner for the evening. The fact that Venus ruled the 3rd (short trips) and disposed the Sun, Mars, Mercury and the Part of Fortune, as well as the 8th house, prompted an image in my mind of the eyeglasses in a case (Gemini 4th cusp) in her pocketbook (where she stores money and personal items) which she took with her to go shopping.

I suggested that she look in her pocketbook, and there she found her missing reading glasses in a case where she usually keeps her distance eyeglasses.

The Death of Henri II of France

Recently I was corresponding with Spanish astrologer Pedro Hernández about the chart of King Henri II of France because Pedro was preparing a blog post about the legendary death of the king in a jousting match, which was supposedly predicted by his wife’s astrologer as well as by Nostradamus. I had briefly discussed the king’s chart in a previous post because the original chart used by Gaurico of Italy differs substantially from the later rectified chart discussed by Gadbury and others. It appears that the rectified chart was based on the single incident of the king’s death, a method which violates the basic principles of rectification which should take into account many substantial events in the native’s life and not simply his death.

According to Catherine de’ Medici’s sources, King Henri II was born on 31 March 1519 in St Germain en Laye, France, at 5:02:34 AM LMT. Her astrologer Luca Guarico used the coordinates 48n18, 002e05 for the birthplace. (Modern sources give the coordinates of St Germain en Laye as 48n54, 002e06, which is only slightly different from those used by Gaurio.) Gaurico used Regiomontanus houses which were in vogue at the time. Here is a modern reconstruction of King Henri II’s birth chart based on the data used by Gaurico:

Modern calculation of Henri II of France’s birth chart based on the birth data given to Luca Gaurico by Catherine de’ Medici and the available tables of coordinates of cities and Regiomontanus houses.

Here are Gauricio’s original charts for the king and his wife Catherine:

Birth charts of Henri II of France and his wife Catherine de’ Medici from Gaurico’s text.

I won’t post the rectified chart which is based on the king’s dramatic death due to an accident in a jousting competition. There is a good discussion of the rectified chart by Deborah Houlding on her site.

Wikipedia gives the following account of the king’s jousting injury on 30 June 1559 and subsequent death on 10 July 1559:

“On 30 June 1559, a tournament was held near Place des Vosges to celebrate the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis with his longtime enemies, the Habsburgs of Austria, and to celebrate the marriage of his daughter Elisabeth of Valois to King Philip II of Spain.

During a jousting match, King Henry, wearing the colors of his mistress Diane de Poitiers, was wounded in the eye by a fragment of the splintered lance of Gabriel Montgomery, captain of the King’s Scottish Guard.

Despite the efforts of royal surgeon Ambroise Paré, the king’s eye and brain damage, untreated, led to his death by sepsis on 10 July 1559.“

Gaurico obviously did not use the ‘modern’ planets Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Eyeballing the chart, would Gaurico have seen the natal promise of a violent death? Probably so.

Mars (violent penetrating injuries) rules the 1st (the body and life force) and the 8th (death) Regiomontanus houses. Mars, as ruler of the 8th is posited in the 4th (conditions at the end of life). In addition, there is a prominent T-square formation with an angular 8th-ruler Mars opposite 12th-ruler Saturn, and both malefics square the stellium in the 1st, which includes both Luminaries (signifiers of the eyes — he was pierced in the eye by splinters from the lance) and Venus. Mars in Cancer is in the sign of his fall. Since this is a nocturnal birth, Saturn is the ‘out-of-sect’ malefic and it forms a dominant square to the stellium in the 1st house. The Sun, which is the recipient of Saturn’s dominant square, rules the Regiomontanus 6th house of bodily afflictions.

Would the ancient method of annual profections have indicated a period when this ominous T-square formation might manifiest in the life of the king? In a recent discussion in the Traditional Astrologers forum on Facebook, the question was raised about the whole sign method of profection versus the continuous profections as used in the Renaissance by astrologers such as William Lilly.

The king died at age 40, so his annual profected Ascendant sign would have been Leo. (He has Aries rising, and Leo is the 5th sign starting the count from Aries.) In the year of Henri’s death, the Sun was therefore Lord of the Year, and as such the Sun activated the natal T-square formation through its square to both malefics which were in opposition at birth. The Sun’s square to Mars, ruler of the 8th of death and occupant of the 4th of the end of life, is a clear warning of the danger of death at age 40, probably involving some type of violence action (Mars). With Leo as the profected Ascendant of the year at age 40, the Regiomontanus 6th house (bodily affliction) and the 5th whole-sign topos (sporting events) are both activated; thus is it not unreasonable to consider a sports-related injury during this period.

If we use the continuous annual profection method, as promulgated by William Lilly in Book 3 of Christian Astrology, the profected chart for the date of his injury (30 June 1559) superimposed onto his natal chart would look like this:

Using continuous annual profections, the profected Asc on the date of his jousting injury conjoins the Regiomontanus 6th cusp of bodily affliction. His profected natal first house planets have migrated to the 6th of the birth chart. Profected Mars, natal ruler of the 8th of death, is approaching, the natal 8th house cusp. (If we had used Placidus houses, profected Mars would be conjunct the 8th house cusp at the time of the jousting tournament.)

By continuous annual profection, at the time of the king’s jousting injury the profected Ascendant was activating his natal 6th house cusp. If we were to swap the charts, placing the natal chart around the profected chart of 30 June 1559, the natal Ascendant would fall in the 8th house of death of the profected chart and conjunct the 8th cusp within 3 degrees of orb. In addition, natal Uranus (which Gaurico did not use) would conjoin the profected MC at 10 Taurus 10′ within 1 degree of orb.

Here is the same chart cast with Placidus houses. In this case profected Mars, ruler of the natal Ascendant and of the natal 8th of death, conjoins the natal 8th cusp by continuous profection on the date of his life-threatening injury.

Natal chart with Placidus houses inside; continuous annual profection chart for the date of his jousting accident is superimposed. Note how profected Mars, ruler of the Ascendant and of the 8th of death, conjoins the 8th Placidus cusp.

The Birth Chart of Charles E.O. Carter

Recently I was reading a book by Charles Carter (31 Jan 1887 — 4 Oct 1968) and wondered what his birth chart looked like. A quick internet search revealed that there are several charts, all within a few minutes and birth locations of each other, which all purport to be his natal figure. The variety of such charts prompted me to try to discover the “true” birth chart of this noted astrologer. The earliest reference I could find was a photocopy of the opening pages of the 1929 (first) publication of his book Symbolic Directions in Modern Astrology:

Carter included a copy of the birth chart he was using for himself in the 1929 first edition of this book. His chart has 16 Libra 51 rising with a Midheaven of 22 Cancer 00, cast for a birthplace of PARKSTONE, in Dorsetshire, UK, 31 January 1887.

Some sites online use “Poole, UK” as Carter’s birthplace, but the site https://www.charlescarter.co.uk/note-on-chart/ claims that Carter said his birth location was Parkstone, which is nearby: “Charles Carter gave his birth data quite distinctly as 31st January 1887, 10.55pm. Parkstone, Dorsetshire, England. 50N43 02W00.” In this quote it is not clear whether Carter means GMT or LMT. In addition, he has rounded the coordinates of his birthplace to the nearest minute of arc. Curious about the more precise coordinates of Parkstone, I checked google maps:

Google maps locates Parkstone at 50.73247 N and -1.95219 W, that is,
50n 43′ 57″, 1w 57′ 8″ (which is very close to Carter’s rounded values of 50n43′, 02w 00′), so we can eliminate the charts which use Poole as his birthplace.

Another source (https://latitude.to/map/gb/united-kingdom/cities/parkstone) gives the coordinates of Parkstone as Latitude: 50° 43′ 47.78″ N, Longitude: -1° 56′ 41.71″ W.

The program Solar Fire gives the coordinates of Parkstone as Latitude 50° N 43′ 05″, Longitude 01° W 57′ 26″. Since I don’t know the exact street address of Carter’s birth in Parkstone, UK, I will use the Solar Fire coordinates in the rest of this post.

Using Solar fire, I was able to generate a birth chart very close to the one which Carter published for himself in 1929 by using a birth time of 10:59:32 PM GMT (which corresponds to 10:51:42 PM LMT). Carter apparently said he was born at 10:55 PM (whether he used GMT or LMT is not clear). However, since England began using GMT in 1884, three years before Carter’s birth, it is likely that his recorded birth time was 10:55 PM GMT and that other charts which he used were rectifications of the recorded birth time.

Interestingly, in the 2nd edition (1946) of Symbolic Directions in Modern Astrology, Carter’s birth chart has been modified to give an Ascendant of 17 Libra 15 with a Midheaven of 22 Cancer 27, which would correspond to a birth time of 11:01:29 PM UT.

The widely used site astro.com gives Carter’s birth data as: 31 January 1887 at 23:01 GMT (11:01 PM GMT) in Parkstone, England, 50n47, 2w20, apparently citing Carter himself. There is an additional comment that Fowler gives a birth time 10:55 PM, from Carter, who rectified his own chart to an MC of 21 Cancer 53, corresponding to a rectified birth time of 10:59:02 PM GMT.

On what basis might Carter have rectified his recorded birth time of 10:55 PM GMT to a time of 10:59:02 PM GMT? In his books on symbolic directions (1929) and the astrology of accidents (1932), as well as in his lectures, Carter was quite taken with the accident of his own daughter on 16 August 1926 when she fell through a skylight and landed 13 feet below onto stone steps, rendering her unconscious. Fortunately, she was not seriously injured, but finding his daughter unconscious in a heap of glass on stone steps must have been a traumatic event for the astrologer. My hunch is that Carter used his daughter’s accident to rectify his chart for the 1929 publication of his book, which discussed the incident.

Using his daughter’s accident and primary directions without latitude, Placidus semi-arc method, with the Naibod rate, I rectified his chart to the following:

Carter’s chart rectified using the date of his daughter’s accident in August of 1926. This chart is very close to the one published by Carter in his 1929 text on symbolic directions, which had an Asc of 16 Libra 51′ instead of 16 Libra 44′ as in this chart.

To rectify the chart, I assumed that Mars in the 5th of Carter’s natal chart could signify a dangerous period and possibly a serious accident befalling his daughter. By primary direction at the Naibod rate, Mars arrives at the IC (meridian axis) on 16 August 1926, the day his daughter crashed through the glass skylight. At about the same time Venus on the cusp of the 5th house, by primary direction, met the opposition of 5th ruler Saturn, an natural signifier of falls and gravity-related accidents.

The fact that Carter slightly modified his birth chart in the 2nd edition of Symbolic Directions in Modern Astrology several years later may simply mean that he continued to rectify his chart with new events that occurred after the serious fall of his daughter.

The geocentric wheel and planets as seen from Earth

This morning (9 Sep 2021) I was experimenting with different ways of viewing our solar system. The following images show the geocentric perspective from Earth as well as that of an observer outside our solar system at the same moment in time (about 6 AM at my location in Connecticut).

Inner figure: heliocentric view with Sun at center (not to scale) .
Outer wheel: geocentric horoscope wheel with Earth at center with the heliocentric positions projected from Earth as a central point onto the tropical zodiac.

In the above figure, one can see that as viewed from Earth, the Sun will soon rise in the east, followed by Mars, Mercury, the Earth’s Moon, and Venus, in that order. Here is an enlarged image of the heliocentric view, which is obviously not to scale:

If we were to recast this heliocentric image as a geocentric horoscope wheel, the Earth would be in the center and the planets, Sun and Moon would be projected onto the zodiac signs encircling the figure.

Lilly’s Tradesman: Will I be rich, or subsist of myself without marriage? (CA 177)

To illustrate certain horary principles William Lilly presented a chart (CA 177) of a question by a tradesman who asked about several matters, including whether he would eventually be rich. Here is the chart recalculated by modern computer, but very close to the one used by Lilly:

If he should be rich, or subsist of himself without marriage? (CA 177)

Data for chart:

Te determine whether the tradesman would become rich or not, Lilly considered the following factors (CA 181):

The 2nd house symbolizes the wealth of the native. With Scorpio on the cusp of the 2nd, Mars rules his potential to get rich. Mars also disposes the Part of Fortune, another symbol of material well-being. Mars is quite strong in the 1st house and conjunct both the Ascendant of the horary chart and the benevolent fixed start Spica.

Jupiter, a general signifier of wealth, is exalted in Cancer and is quite prominent and strong conjunct the MC of the horary chart. Jupiter is also connected to the Ascendant degree and to 2nd-ruler Mars by a square aspect, but in signs of long ascension which makes it act more like a trine aspect.

There is also a translation of light connecting the ruler of his wealth (Mars) with the ruler of the Ascendant (Venus). The Moon is separating from a very recent sextile to Mars (followed quickly by a conjunction to Mercury) and will soon conjoin Venus, “transferring thereby both the virtue and influence of Mercury and Mars to the proper significator of the Querent.” Lilly does not explain the role of Mercury in this configuration, even though the Moon conjoins Mercury AFTER perfecting a sextile to Mars and BEFORE conjoining Venus. On might wonder whether Mercury could be problematic as ruler of the unfortunate 12th house.

The Moon is also disposed by the Sun, which is quite strong and dignified in Leo in the angular 10th house, and thus the Moon shares in the good and powerful condition of its dispositor. This is quite fortunate for the question because the Moon “hath a general signification in every Question, so being no ways unfortunate she promised the Querent much good.” (CA 182)

Finally, Lilly studied the Part of Fortune, another general signifier of wealth: “I considered that the Part of Fortune was in a fixed sign and in Mars his own terms [that is, in the terms of Mars]; from all of which testimonies aforesaid, I judged that the Demandant would acquire an Estate and have a competent fortune in this world, but attain it with labor and care because it is signified my an Infortune [namely, Mars]; so to the day hereof he hath; but because Mars, lord of the 7th house (which is the house of Women and Wives), hath the most material signification of the thing demanded, viz., Wealth and Riches, I advised to marry, and acquainted him, that without Marriage he should nothing so well subsist.” (CA 182)

Here the Part of Fortune in a fixed sign suggests enduring wealth. In addition, the Part of Fortune is disposed by Mars and occupies the terms (and face) of Mars, making it more dignified and effective. Interestingly, Lilly ignores the fact that Mars is peregrine and in detriment in Libra, and in his own scoring system Mars ranks as the worst planet in the chart with a score of -10 points.

Dignities and Debilities of the Tradesman horary (Ptolemy’s terms)

The Neglected Nonagesimal

In most types of astrology the Midheaven (MC, or Medium Coeli) is considered to be of extreme importance. Most quadrant house systems use the MC as the cusp of the 10th house. Some astrologers incorrectly refer to the MC as the ‘zenith’ or as the ‘highest point in the chart’. In fact, at the moment for which the chart is cast the MC is rarely the highest point above the horizon in the chart. A bit of reflection will help us to understand why this is so.

The two principal axes in the horoscope wheel are the horizon and the meridian. These circles divide the astrological chart into four quadrants, which are further subdivided into three astrological houses in the quadrant house system. The horizon is the imaginary circle surround the observer at which the earth’s surface and the sky appear to meet. The meridian is the imaginary circle of constant longitude passing through the observer’s location on the earth’s surface and the terrestrial North and South poles. The MC or Midheaven is the point where the meridian circle of the observer intersects the ecliptic circle (the path of the Sun in the geocentric model) above the observer’s horizon.

Image from ExeterAstrologyGroup.uk.org

Distinct from the MC (Midheaven) is a point called the ‘Nonagesimal’, which is in fact the highest point of the ecliptic above the horizon at the moment for which the chart is drawn. The site lexico.com notes that the word ‘nonagesimal’ derives from the classical Latin nōnāgēsimus ninetieth (from nōnāgintā ninety (from novem nine + -gintā, suffix forming cardinal numerals from thirty to ninety, related to decem ten: see decem-) + -ēsimus, extended form (after vīcēsimus) of -simus, suffix used to form ordinal numerals) + -al, and defines ‘nonagesimal’ as:
“The point of the ecliptic which is highest above the horizon at any given time, being 90 degrees round the ecliptic from the point at which it intersects the horizon.”

In other words, the Nonagesimal is the point on the ecliptic above the horizon that is exactly 90 degrees from the Ascendant degree, that is, it is the midpoint above the horizon of the Ascendant and Descendant degrees of the chart. In the equal house system from the Ascendant, the Nonagesimal is the cusp of the 10th house. In Hellenistic astrology a planet on the Nonagesimal forms a dominant square with respect to the Ascendant and has a powerful effect on the vitality, motivations and life course of the native. Applying this Hellenistic principle to horary astrology, a planet on the Nonagesimal (the highest point above the horizon) would have a major and overarching impact on the Ascendant, which signifies the querent as well as the horary question itself.

Why is the elevation of a planet so important? My hunch is that the idea of the importance of elevation dates back to the Persian influence on Hellenistic astrology. When Alexander the Great conquered Persia in 334 BCE, he became enthralled with the idea that no one’s head should be held higher than that of the king. The following passage from the book Shanameh: The Persian Book of Kings illustrates this idea (italics mine):

“When Zal saw Kavus sitting in state on the throne, he bent his arms submissively across his chest and lowered his head. He said, ‘Lord of the world, whose head is lifted higher than those of all other noblemen and chieftains, no one has seen a king like you occupying the throne …”

Alexander brought back not only astrology but also parts of Persian culture to the city of Alexandria where Hellenistic astrology developed.

Recently I was looking at a horary chart in which Mars was almost exactly conjunct the MC, thus making Mars a highly significant planet in interpreting the chart. About 11 degrees west of Mars was Mercury, cadent in the 9th house. Cadent planets are supposedly less influential, but in this case Mercury was more elevated than Mars and would plan a major role in the interpretation of the horary figure. Specifically, Mars had an altitude above the horizon of 30n34, and Mercury had an altitude of 35n25′, almost 5 degrees of altitude higher than Mars. The following figure from Stellarium illustrates this fact.

In this figure Mars closely conjoins the MC but Mercury has a higher elevation above the horizon. The Nonagesimal, the highest point of the ecliptic above the horizon, lies at about 15 degree Virgo, midway between the Asc and Dsc of this chart.

The practical implication of the Nonagesimal as the highest point in the chart is that we should pay close attention to planets conjunct the Nonagesimal, much as with do with planets conjunct the Midheaven.