Vettius Valens - Anthology - Book 1 - Chapter 1

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On the nature of the planets

The all seeing Sun, fiery in appearance, and intelligent light of spiritual perception, in a royal birth signifies dominion, intellect, wisdom, shape, movement, height of fortune, financial blessings from the Gods, judgment, action, popularity, action, public support, father, ruler, friendship, notable people, the value of paintings, statues, crowns(wreaths), higher clergy of the fatherland, …places. Of the places in the body, he rules mainly, the sense organs, the right eye, the ribs, the heart, the autonomous nervous system and the nerves. It rules the essence of gold and the crops of wheat and barley. It is of diurnal sect, of the colour yellow and the taste is sharp or bitter.

The moon is visible from the reflection of the suns light and possessing false light she signifies in a human nativity the body, the mother, conception (confinement), outward appearance, the face, goddess, cohabitation of those legally married, nourishment, older siblings, domesticity, a queen, mistress, money, fortune, city, public gathering, gifts received, expenditure, dwelling, ships, foreign countries, a roamer, (it does not go straight through Cancer). Amongst the parts of the body it rules the left eye, stomach, breasts, the breath (or bladder), the spleen, the meninges, and the brain (for this reason includes dropsy). It’s essence is of silver and glass. She is of the nocturnal sect, the colour green and salty in taste.

Saturn makes those born under him pedantic, envious (or those using the evil eye to bewitch), beleaguered, self-deprecation, obstinate (or solitary), confused, those concealing treachery, austerity, downcast , hypocrisy, dryness, black clad, begging, gloominess, those unfortunate, navigators, trading at the waterside. He also causes depression, laziness, unemployment, obstacles to accomplishment, legal trials lasting many years, subversion of affairs, fugitives, distress, restraints, mourning, accusations, tears, orphanhood, captivity, exposures. He makes agriculturists and farmers for he is ruler of the earth. He causes men to be tenants of property, tax collectors, and also violent actions. He brings great glory, positions of eminence, guardianship of others’ property, exiled rulers and fathering of others’ children.

In materials he is of the essence of lead, wood and stone. Of the body parts, he rules the legs, the knees, the nerves (tendons), the lymph, phlegm, the bladder, the kidneys and the internal areas within the body. He signifies injuries and diseases that results from cold and dampness such as dropsy, neuralgia, gout, cough, dysentery, hernias, spasms, passionate rage (or demonic possession), homosexuality, filthiness. He signifies bachelorhood and widowhood, orphans and barrenness. The manners of death indicated are violent, in water, or by strangulation (hanging) or bondage, or from dysentery. It also indicates death by poisoning [πτώσεις ἐπὶ στόμα, Robert Schmidt translates this as “falls upon one’s face, but the phrase relates to death, and from the mouth, so I would conjecture that it is poisoning by ingestion]. He is the star of Nemesis and of diurnal sect. He is of the colour of castors (brown), and the taste is sour.

Jupiter signifies fertility, sperm (or seed), desire, love, commendations, knowledge, friendship with important men, prosperity, wages, large gifts, fruitful crops, justice, the authorities, the state, glory, justice, mediation of disputes, faith, inheritances, brotherhood, community, benevolence, assurance of that which is good, discharges malice, releases bonds, freedom, heritage, money, savings (economy). Of the parts of the body he rules the outer thighs, the legs (which brings about athleticism), internally it rules semen, the uterus, the liver, the right side (and the teeth, in Pingree). It rules the essence of tin. He is of the diurnal sect, of the colour grey and more surely white, and of sweet taste.

Mars signifies violence, wars, robbery/abduction, shouting, abuse, adultery, removal of belongings, loss and decline, exile, parental alienation, captivity, dishonour of maidens, abortion, sexual intercourse, marriages, loss of good things, untruthfulness, vain hopes, violent robberies, theft, plunder, termination of friendships, anger, battle, reproaches, enmity and to be judged against by the law. He also brings about violent murders, lacerations and bloodshed, fever, ulcers, rashes, arson, fetters, torments, virility, perjury, vagrancy, those who promote wrongdoing, working with fire or iron, those working with their hands and hard-workers. He signifies those in military authority and warfare and general officers, those who carry arms, chief command, hunting (or a chase), the prize in a hunt or chase, death caused by falling from heights or four footed beasts, poor vision, apoplexy. In the body he rules the head, the buttocks, the reproductive organs, internally it rules the blood, the seminal vessels, the gall bladder, bodily waste secretions, the posterior regions, backwardness and being rendered supine. It also has that which is rough and abrupt. It governs the essence of iron and ornaments and garments from Aries, and wine and legumes. It is of the nocturnal sect, the colour red and of bitter taste.

Venus is desire and love; she signifies the mother and nutrition. She rules religious ceremony, principals of a college or high school, adornment of gold jewellery, wearing of crowns, those who are delightful, friendship, acquisition of possessions, the purchase of ornaments, commerce relating to goods, marriages, neat handicraft, euphony (a clear agreeable voice), music composition, that which is melodic, beauty, painting, shades and diversity of colours, dyeing cloth in the celebrated purple colour and perfumery, and the forefathers or masters of these things, craftworks or commercial workmanship with emeralds and precious stones (esp. marble) and ivory crafts. It rules golden ear adornments, those who are gold adorners, clean shaven (or hair cutting), cleanliness, and love of sport and amusement. It is these that are encompassed within the zodiac’s bounds(terms) and fate. She also gives market supervisors, measurements, stations, business, workshops, giving of gifts, receiving of gifts, laughter, exhilaration, ornaments and fishing. It also signifies women of royalty or else beneficial relatives and it gives abundance of glory and fame, when working with such persons. In the body it rules the neck, the face, the lips, the sense of smell, and the front region of the body from the feet up to the head, the sexual organs and the internal lungs. It is also different kinds of food which are appreciated and enjoyable. The substances she rules are precious stones, a variety of ornaments and olives. She is of the nocturnal sect and the colour white and the taste is greasy.

Mercury signifies education, letters, auditing, words and speech, brotherhood, interpretation, declarations, numbers, calculation, geometry, commerce, youth, play (sports or leisure), theft, community, messages, service (duty), profit, inventions, in attendance, athletic exercise, wrestling, shouting, sealing/stamping, sending a letter, to stand firm or erect, to hang, experience, hearing and diversification. It is the giver of intellect and wisdom, lord of siblings and younger children and gives market and banking skills. Mainly, it creates those who make religious crafts or structures, modellers and chisellers of sculpture, doctors, secretaries (scribes), lawyers, orators, philosophers, architects, musicians, diviners, sacrificial priest (or attendant on the altar), bird-watchers, dream interpreters, hair braiders and fabric weavers. It rules those who are methodical, and those who are chief of polemic and strategic works and those who use paradoxes and method to garner votes or deceptive discourse, confidence tricksters or mime artists, obtaining things by a show of force. It is also deceivers, and vagrancy and instability and those in the celestial sciences who become researchers and who with pleasure and cheerfulness perform the famous admirable works in order to profit. Thus this star has many abilities within the changing zodiac and engages in many changing forms and actions within the stars. Indeed it brings information; it brings sales, and duty, commerce and teaching; it brings farming, or sextons, or publicity of rulers and use of authority, or to hire to lease, or contract work, well orchestrated displays, or notable undertaking or guardianship, the linen garments of the gods, or conceited rulers showing off their honours. It makes for inconsistent fortunes and makes one too distracted to complete objectives. Furthermore it makes the fate of those who have this planet in malefic signs or degrees makes events take a turn for the worst. In the body it rules the hands, shoulders, fingers, the joints, the stomach, hearing, arteries, intestines, and the tongue. It rules the essence of copper and all coins, giving and receiving. This is a common god.

When the benefics are well located and posited, they bring the same results as their own nature as well as the nature of the zodiac sign in which they are placed, added with each planets testimony and co-presence. Even obstacles appear to fall away. It is similar when the malefics occupy and operate in the same places and in the right sect; they give good, and increase dignity and progress. When they are not well placed (in a bad state) or unfruitful it weakens and brings reproach.

The above are in this manner covered by this discussion and concern the nature of the twelve signs.

Each planet has rulership over specific things in the world by sympathy or antipathy and reciprocal rulership with one another when they apply and separate from each other each other and by their emanations and superiority (or surpassing), or besiegement (containment) and of planetary accompaniment (doryphory) and casting of rays (dexter aspects) and the offerings of the rulers as follows: to the Moon wisdom, to the Sun the light of dawn, ignorance and need with Saturn, glory and crownings and eagerness with Jupiter who is a steady ruler, action and toil with Mars, love and desire and beauty from Venus; the law, customs and faith with Mercury. These are the specific effects of the planets.

2. ON THE NATURE OF THE TWELVE SIGNS

Aries is the house of Mars, a masculine sign, a tropical sign, terrestrial (earth), leadership, fiery, freedom, ascending, half-voiced, good, moveable (cardinal), commanding, public, political, unfruitful (barren), a servant, the world’s Midheaven and responsible for glory, of two colours because the Sun and the Moon create lepers. It is also disconnected and ecliptic (or relating to eclipses). Those born under this house rulership are brilliant, officials, commanders, fair, detesting of wickedness, those who are free, leaders, forthright, arrogant, magnanimous, inconstant, irregular, proud, those wavering in mind, threatening, rapidly changing and well off. If the ruler of falls in a good place and is under the influence of a benefic, the natives become royals, powerful rulers, having outspokenness with life and death.

The nature of Aries is watery, thundering (loud), hail-like, by placements its first parts until the equinoctical place (or vernal point according to Robert Schmidt, who points out that 0˚ Aries was not the vernal point in Valens’ astrology) are rainy, hail like, windy, damaging. The middle parts up until the 15th degree are temperate (and very fertile, or abounding in grain, the rest of the degrees are scorching and pestilential) for four footed beasts.

This zodiac sign has bright stars 19. Within the belt it has 13 bright stars, and 24 are also bright, and 27 are shady, and 28 of little light and there are 48 which are dim.

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