The traditional language of primary directions

Reading old texts, such as those of William Lilly and other Renaissance astrologers, can be a bit taxing because of their archaic vocabulary and modes of expression. For example, it is puzzling why traditional authors speak of the Significator of a primary direction being directed to the Promissor, when it is the Significator that is imagined to stay still while the Promissor is carried toward it by the primary motion of the sky. Morin also found this standard way of describing primary directions to be odd, and he argued that strictly speaking it is the moving Promissor that is directed to the fixed Significator. Let’s look at the example of the merchant from Book 3 of Lilly’s Christian Astrology.

Here is the same chart calculated by modern computer in Solar Fire:

Interestingly, Lilly states (CA 651) that the Art of Direction is only “to find out in what space of time the Significator shall meet with his Promittor.” In primary directions the “space of time” is measured by converting the arc in equatorial degrees to a time measure such as Ptolemy’s one equatorial degree equals one year of life. Thus, when traditional authors write that the Significator is directed to its Promittor, they mean that the arc between the Signficator and the Promittor in the natal chart, along which primary motion will carry the natal position of the Promittor to that of the Significator, is converted to a measure of time.

For example, in the merchant’s birth chart, Jupiter at 21 Sagittarius in the Regiomontanus 12th house casts it opposition to 21 Gemini in the 6th house. As the Earth rotates on its axis after birth, the primary motion of the sky will carry 21 Gemini in the 6th to the Moon’s position at 1 Gemini in the 5th house. Here the Moon is the Significator, which signifies “the Complexion of the Body, and its Intentions, the Native’s Journeys, Peregrinations, his Matrimony, the state of his Wife, Women and Kinsfolkes.” (CA 653) These are significations of the Moon itself. In addition, the Moon has accidental significations of the 5th house, which Luna occupies, and the 7th house, which Luna rules.

The Promissor Jupiter in itself has significations of “Glory, Renowne, Riches, Children, Religion, Sobriety, etc.” (CA 654). In addition, Jupiter has accidental significations of the 12th house, which it occupies and rules, the 11th which he rules, and the 2nd house because Pisces is intercepted there.

Lilly’s calculations are fairly inaccurate in Book 3. He states the the opposition of Jupiter reaches the Moon by primary motion when the merchant is 27 years old. Calculating the Regiomontanus primary directions with modern software, we find that the direction perfects in January of 1641 when the native is 24 years old. Lilly is off by 3 years in his calculations.

In any case, Lilly writes that “Moon ad opposition of Jupiter Gemini” (Moon directed to Jupiter’s opposition in Gemini) occurs in March of 1644 and interprets it as follows:

This direction “is in the sixth and twelfth house, Jupiter being Promittor, denotes the quality of the accident to happen, and he was Lord of the 11th, 12th and had dominion in the 2nd in the Radix, the event must either be from such things as are signified by Jupiter in radice, as Lord of those houses, or as he hath a general signification naturally. Being essentially strong, we take the former and leave the latter judgment; yet it will doe be well to thinke of both.”

“The Direction falling in the 6th, threatens a slight jovial disease by drinking for surfet, or distempering the body; the reason is, the Moon was in the 5th, viz, house of good fellowship; now Moon being significatrix in an aery sign and Jupiter in a fiery, may well denote the blood heated; for Gemini is hot and moist, and Sagittarius hot and dry; ergo, tow significations of blood heated ….” (CA 781 – 782)