Rhetorius of Egypt - The Twelve Places

Translation by Laura Michetti

The Results of the Tablet of the Twelve-place of Hermes Trismegistus Concerning the Names and Powers of the Twelve Places.

The Twelfth Place:

The twelfth place is called ‘Bad Spirit’ and ‘Pre-Ascension’ and ‘Between Worlds’. It signifies things concerning enemies, and slaves, and four footed creatures and everything that comes about before the hour that is favorable for giving birth and to the mother and to the child who will be born since this sign has risen before the separation of the infant. The place is called that of Saturn in so far as the fetus is being separated through the pouring out of the waters and because the birthing mother stands between life and death when she is being observed by Saturn and Mars according to the opposition.

And so when the malefics happen to be in this place they produce unhappiness and bodily misfortunes, and cuts and injuries around the feet, mouth, and fingers, the death of slaves and enemies. And if the Lot of Fortune is in this place and if the malefics are aspecting the lot they will inflict the greatest evil always causing harm in their own time. And even when the benefics are in the 12th house they do not distribute good things. For on the one hand, when the Sun is present in this place it speaks to the enslavement of the father, and his banishment, and the fatherless and the loss of the patrimony, and hurt or injury to the father. And on the other hand, the Moon exhibits the same to the mother. And Jupiter occupying this place produces the rising up of hated persons; And Venus- ill-starred marriages and (those of) slavish minds; and Mercury, mischief and ill-doings. And when the lords of meetings, or of the full moon, are found in this place, bad form is foretold; for it produces spitting out and violent death. The twelfth sign from the Sun or the Moon, when in this place they happen to be, it says (the native is) of no family, spit out from ancestors, or destroying the paternal heritage. And when Sun and Moon happen to be in this place with the malefics occupying an angle, not being seen by the benefics, it produces those born of dog-like people. And when Mars and Venus are found in this place, it produces murdering women.

And when the lord of the Lot of Fortune is found in this place being aspected by Saturn or Mars and aspecting the Lot of Fortune, it produces bad-luck. And when the lord of the third house is found in the twelfth, brothers and loved ones will have enemies. And the lord of the fourth place found here foretells of accomplishments in foreign lands. And when the lord of the twelfth place is found in the fifth, and the lord of the fifth in the twelfth it produces a stepfather such as one of the other children. And if the lord of the seventh happens to be in the twelfth, it results in ill-starred marriages and slavish minds…

Concerning the horoscope; The First Place

And the first place is called 'Concerning the Life'; On account of this it is called thus since this sign has risen after the ascension of the Bad Spirit and after the passage of the critical point concerning life the mother and child are examined and since both have come from danger and darkness into light and to life. It is called Helm and we call it the first place since the beginning of the inquiry is thence being made known to the astrologers. Furthermore it is indicative of spirit and of standing (step). And when the star of Mercury is present in this place he rejoices, since the breath of life comes into being through the word.

Concerning the Second Place:

The second house is called Livelihood, and the Gate of Hades, and the Idle Place; in this sign the benefics remain more fruitless. But if the Lot of Fortune is there, and the lord of it (the 2nd place), and the ruler of the Ascendant is there, namely if the malefics are aspecting the house, they produce guardians of the dead and those who live outside of the city. Just such people are those devoured by dogs, and sometimes even cast out by their parents.

The Third Place:

The third place is called the place of the Moon Goddess, shadowy, authoritative, between worlds. And it signifies matters concerning foreign women, and things concerning dreams and of worship and of brothers and of loved ones and of the queen. If the Moon is in the 3rd place, having mastery of the Ascendant or of the Lot of Fortune, especially when in her own face and of sect and full and increasing in numbers, the native is great, rich, is able to communicate with Gods, will have profitable properties of sacred places and will rule cities.

The Fourth Place:

The fourth place is called the pivot below the Earth and is of the elder stage of life. It signifies matters concerning family and concerning land and secret affairs and the house in which one was born and concerning foundations and after death. Upon the katarchic, it signifies the business of the astrologer in accordance with the observation of the stars; when Venus and Jupiter are present they supply gain and profit and Saturn and Mars give losses to the astrologer.

The Fifth Place:

The fifth house from the ascendant is called Good Fortune and Upon Journeys. It is the place of Venus for she rejoices there. In fact, whenever Jupiter or Venus is in that place, ruling the Lot of Fortune or the ascendant, the native will rule mankind. For such a person will rule land and will be charming and well figured and such a person will have honor toward the whole, unless it is observed by malefics. Also Jupiter makes good advisers in regards to the things said before. If the lord of the ascendant or of Fortune it makes one a lord of life and death.

Sixth Place:

The sixth place is called the simple cadent place and Setting and Before Sunset and Between Worlds and Bad Fortune. It signifies things concerning injuries and slaves and enemies and four-footed creatures, and sometimes even business on account of it’s being at the right triangle from the Midheaven, but namely the place is about feet and of accidents concerning the feet. Accordingly, when the malefics are here they produce accidents and injuries concerning the feet and loss of goods.

Seventh Place:

The seventh place is called the Setting Pivot, it signifies old age and weddings, but when clothed, it is namely about matters of inheritances and of injuries. It especially signifies matters concerning the fingers, bladder, feet. And it produces foreign merchants.

The Eighth Place:

The eighth place is called Idle and alongside the sinking place of the horoscope, and alongside the setting place, and becoming dark. This sign is turned away from the horoscope, and on account of this it signifies the matter concerning death and the turning away of life. Thus, if both the Lot of Fortune and it’s lord and the lord of the ascendant happen to be there and if these are malefics, the bad is worse, for it produces misfortune. And if under the beams, the person will be short lived. Mercury being lord of (the Lot of) Spirit while being present in the eighth (it causes people to be) ignorant, and illiterate, and dull. Mercury being lord of the eighth or the twelfth or the sixth, being present upon the eighth, under the beams with Saturn and Mars (the person is) deaf and dumb. The Moon here in a night chart, increasing in numbers and light, especially (with) Jupiter being in the eleventh, it will help, aid, be beneficial, for matters of death and inheritance.

The Ninth Place:

The ninth place is called God, it is the place of the Sun. It signifies all things concerning gods and kings and foreigners and dreams and religious worship. It is the sign of those skilled in astronomy and is between worlds. In this place the benefics actually produce good luck in foreign countries. And when concerning religious practice, it produces those who are pious and just, especially if the lord of this commendable place lies well and is in it’s own domicile or exaltation and not seen by the malefics.

The Tenth House

The tenth place is called pivot, Midheaven, and the fourth place from the ascendant. It signifies youth and business and weddings and children and supporting generations. In this place the sect leaders rejoice and they give good business and aid. When Saturn is there by day in its own domicile or exaltation it produces a wealthy man who receives public service and enjoys growing old except marriage and children are cowardly, but it makes a noble death.

The Eleventh House

The eleventh place is called Good Spirit and rising up to the Midheaven. When the benefic planets happen to be in this place, being in their own faces or domicile or exaltation or bounds it signifies great wealth and distinguished business. The eleventh place also indicates the third stage of life. It also signifies the matter concerning business and patrons and leadership in regards to the prime of youth. Every lot or every ruler of a lot or of a pivot or place or trigon when it happens to be there signifies everything good, unless observed by the malefics or happens to under the beams of the Sun or in it’s own depression or detriment or decreasing in numbers (speed) it damages the excellence of this place.