Chapter III. The Fortune of Rank

CHAPTER III

THE FORTUNE OF RANK

THE disposition of the luminaries and the respective familiarities, exercised by the stars attending them, are to be considered as indicative of the degree of rank or dignity. ³

For example, should the two luminaries be found in masculine signs and in angles, or even if only one of them be in an angle, ⁴ they being at the same time specially attended by a doryphory ⁵ composed of all

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the five planets; the Sun by such as are oriental, but the Moon by occidental, the persons then about to be born will consequently become kings or princes. And, if the attendant stars themselves should also be in angles, or configurated with the angle above the earth, ¹ the said persons will become great, powerful, and mighty in the world: and even yet more abundantly so, provided the configurations, made by the attendant stars with the angles above the earth, be dexter,. But, when both luminaries may not be found in masculine signs as aforesaid, but the Sun only in a masculine and the Moon in a feminine sign, and only one of them posited in an angle, the other concomitant circumstances still existing in the mode above described, the persons about to be born will then become merely chieftains, invested with the sovereignty of life and death.

And if the attendant stars, while the luminaries may be situated in the manner last-mentioned, should be neither actually in angles, nor bear any testimony to the angles, the persons then born, although they will still enjoy eminence, will attain only some limited dignity or distinction; such as that of a delegated governor, or commander of an army, or dignitary of the priesthood; and they will not be invested with sovereignty.

If, however, neither of the luminaries be in an angle, and it happen that most of the attendant stars be either themselves in angles, or configurated with the angles, the persons then born will not attain to any very eminent rank; yet they will take a leading part in ordinary civil and municipal affairs: but, should the attendant stars have no configuration with the angles, they will then remain altogether undistinguished and without advancement; and provided, further, that neither of the luminaries be found situated in a masculine sign, nor in an angle, nor be attended by any benefics, they will be born to complete obscurity and adversity.

The general appearance of exaltation or debasement of rank is to be contemplated as before stated, but there are many gradations intermediate to those already specified, and requiring observation of the particular interchanges and variations, incidental to the luminaries themselves and their doryphory, and also to the dominion of the planets

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which compose their doryphory. For instance, should the benefits, or stars of the same condition, exercise the chief dominion, the dignities to be acquired will be not only important, but also more securely established; and, on the other hand, if the chief dominion be claimed by the malefics, or by stars of an adverse condition, the dignities will be more subordinate, and more dangerous and evanescent.

The species of dignity may be inferred by observing the peculiar qualities of the attendant stars. And, if Saturn have chief dominion of the doryphory, the power and authority derived therefrom will lead to wealth and profit: authority proceeding from Jupiter and Venus will be pleasurable, and attended by presents and honours: that proceeding from Mars will consist in commanding armies, in obtaining victories, and in overawing the vanquished: and that proceeding from Mercury will be intellectual, superintending education and study, and directing the management of business.

Footnotes

118:3 It seems that there have been different opinions on this point. Placidus makes the following remark on the subject: "I do not take the dignities from the horoscope, but from the Sun and Medium Cœli, according to Ptolemy and others." (Cooper's Translation, p. 121.)

118:4 The Perugio Latin, of 1646, says, "If either both luminaries, or only that one of the chief quality" (which Whalley defines to be the Sun by day, and the Moon by night) "be in an angle," &c.

118:5 Doryphory. Vide Chapter V of the 3rd Book. On the present passage, Placidus has the following words: "You are not to observe what is generally alleged by professors, respecting the satellites" (quasi doryphory) "of the luminaries, for dignities; viz. that the satellites are those planets which are found within 30°, on either side of the luminaries; but that a satellite is [also] p. 119 any kind of aspect of the stars to the luminaries of what kind soever: which, if it be made by application, its power extends inwardly over the whole orb of light of the aspecting planet, and the more so, as the proximity is greater; but, by separation, it is not so. This doctrine may be seen in several chapters of Ptolemy; for, an aspecting star influences the significator, and disposes him to produce effects co-natural to him, by a subsequent direction. But a star of no aspect does not predispose the significator, and produces very little or no effect of its nature, by a subsequent direction; this is the true doctrine of the stars." (Cooper's Translation, pp. 124, 125.)

119:1 The angle of the mid-heaven; see the first note to this Chapter.