~I*I*I8

~
*
~ PAULUS
* ALEXANDRINUS

lntroductory
Matters
TrOlulated
by Robert Schmidt
Edited
by Robert Hand

Project Hindsight
Greek Track
Vo lume I
 This booklet is a facsimile reprint of one volume from
PROJECT HINDSIGHT’S GREEK TRACK, Robert Schmidt’s
early provisional translations of various Hellenistic
astrological texts done from 1993 through 2000.
We say provisional because it was a cardinal principle of
PROJECT HINDSIGHT from its outset that no one in the world
– however learned in the Greek language – was in a position
to do a final translation of any single item from this large
body of work that had lain essentially unread for centuries.
Hence, this translation was not published as a final edition,
but only as provisional; this word was stressed and it was
hoped that the homemade character of the original book,
duplicated in this reprint, would serve to reinforce the idea
of the “temporary” character of the translation inside.
But now the situation is different. After spending the past
seventeen years studying the entire surviving corpus of
Hellenistic astrological writings, Robert Schmidt is now
ready to publish his final translations of all the selections
first presented in this and other GREEK TRACK volumes.
Accompanied by extensive notes and commentary, these
new translations are just beginning to be issued in attractive
hardcover format in a new series called THE ASTROLOGICAL
RECORD OF THE EARLY SAGES * (acronym TARES). It will
take several years to get all the material into print.
Meanwhile, at the request of numerous students we are
making these older provisional versions available. Some
may find it useful to compare the old versions with the new
You’ll have to visit our website to see how beautiful our
and see with hindsight how much was overlooked the first
TARES books actually are. We sharpened up the old frame
time around. It is gratifying to realize that we planned from
(originally created by a Victorian artist) and preserved the the very outset to make such later experiences possible.
same light blue color; the central white rectangle gives a
bright new look. The new page size is 6.14 x 9.21 inches, It will also be useful to keep this old version of the GREEK
and there are 400 pages in Definitions & Foundations. Find TRACK available in our archives for the permanent record,
out about the new TARES subscription plan at our website: since some seem to have forgotten who did what and when.

www.ProjectHindsight.com * See the final pages of this booklet for more information.
 REPRINTS* of the The Astrological Record of the Early Sages
Project Hindsight Greek Track
(aka “TARES”)
VOL. I. Paulus Alexandrinus: Introduction to Astrology.
We used this title once before for VOLUME X of our original
VOL. II A. Anonymous of 379: On the Bright Fixed Stars. GREEK TRACK, which contains fragments from many ancient
authors; now we have chosen it again for a much larger role as
VOL. II B. Antiochus of Athens: Fragments From His Thesaurus. as the overarching name for a projected 30-volume set that will
represent the work of ALL the Hellenistic astrologers of whom
VOL. III. Ptolemy: Phases of the Fixed Stars. any trace yet survives.
VOL.VI. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Book I. When complete, TARES will contain not only the entirety of
the original GREEK TRACK in Robert Schmidt’s revised trans-
VOL.V. Ptolemy: Tetrabiblos, Book I.
lations, but much more: virtually the entire surviving corpus of
VOL.VI. Hephaestio of Thebes: Compendium, Book I. Hellenistic astrological treatises and fragments, accompanied
by Schmidt’s extensive notes and commentary.
VOL.VII. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Book II.

VOL.VIII. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Book III.

VOL. IX. Teachings on Transits.

VOL. X. The Astrological Record of the Early Sages in Greek.

VOL. XI. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Book IV.

~TARES~
VOL. XII. Ptolemy: Tetrabiblos, Book III.

VOL. XIII. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Books V & VI.

VOL. XIV. Ptolemy: Tetrabiblos, Book IV.

VOL. XV. Hephaistio of Thebes: Compendium, Book II. Definitions and Foundations is the first translation in the new
series. As you can see from the picture of its front cover on the
VOL. XVI. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Book VII. final page of this book, the “provisional look” has vanished, but
there is still a family resemblance to these older editions which
PROJECT HINDSIGHT Companion to the Greek Track
were the beginning of the entire enterprise.

Visit our website WWW.PROJECTHINDSIGHT.COM for

*Available at WWW.PROJECTHINDSIGHT.COM the latest information about our new TARES series.
 PAULUS
ALEXANDRINUS

Introductory
Matters
Translated by
Robert Schmidt
Edited by
Robert Hand

Project Hindsight

Greek Track
Volume I

The Golden Hind PrfSS

 PROJECT HINDSIGHT is entirely funded
by the astrological co mmunity through
subscriptions and donations.

© Copyright 1993 by
Robe rt Schmidt

Second Ed ition, Revised

Published by The Golden Hind Press, P.O. Box 002,

Berkeley Springs. WV 254 11
Table of Contents

Introduction 10 Paulus Ale:<andrinus by Rober1 Hand iii

Translator's Preface by Robert Schmidt vii i

General Note .
UJidiOIl
Schema ""
Oikol" "
xii
Planet Names .... ... . • • .. .. . .. ... . ... . . xii
Moira .. ........ .. • • •.. ..•.. ........ . . xii
Apolelesmalic xii i
f/oroskopos .. xiii

Introduclo ry Mailer s by Paulus Alexandrinus ..... . . .

I. Preface ........ . ..... .. .
2. On the Twelve Z6idia .
3. Concerning the Boundaries Which the Five Wandering Stars
Have Been Allotted in the Twelve Zfjidia 6
4. Concerning the Faces Which the Seven Stars Occupy upon
the Decans in the Twelve widia ....... ... .
5. Concerning the w idion's Manomoiria. over Which the
Seven Stars Have Mastery ... .
"13
6. Concerning the Sect of the Two Lights. . . ..... . 15
7. Concerning Quadrants .... . .... . . . 16
8. Concerning the Zliidia that See One Another .. 18
9. Concerning Commanding and Obeyi ng ZOidia 21
10. Concerning Triangles. Hexagons. Squares. and Diameters
as Figures . . . . . . . . . . .... . . 2l
II . Concerning Ztlidia Unconnected to Each Other 25
12. Concern ing Those ZOidia in Aversion and in Sympathy to
Each Other . .......... . 25
13. Concerning the Like-engirding and Equally Rising Twelfth
Par1S which are f igured . . . ... . 27
14. Concerni ng the Phases Which the Five Stars Make in Rela-
tion to the Sun ...... . ..... . .. . ...... . 29
15. Concerning Stations ..... . 31
 16. Concerning the Figures that the Moon Makes with the
Sun .......... . . .............. ~
17. Concerning the Separation and Application Which the
Moon Makes in Relation to the Wandering Stars . 37
18. On the Prior Knowledge of Winds 39
19. On Knowing How Many Days of the Gods There Arc 40
20. On Knowing to Which of the Gods Each Day Belongs 41
2 1. Concerning the Star Going About and the One Executing 42
22. Concerning the Twelfth Pans. . . . . . . . . ...... . 44
23. Concerning the Seven Lots in the POlloretus ....... . 46
24 . On the Tabular Exposi tion of the Twelve Places .... . 50
25. On Chi ldren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....... . 61
26. Concerning What One Does . . .. 63
27. On the Decli nes ..... . 64
28. On the Mot ion of the Sun and on Learning in What
w idion and Roughly What Degree It Is In. ..... 66
29 . On How to Calculate the Horoslcopos . . . . . . . . . . . .. 67
30. On the Midheaven ....... . ... , . . .. 68
3 1. Concernin g Year and Month and Day . . . . . . . .. 69
32. Concerning the Monomoiria by Trigon . . . . . . . . . . .. 71
33. On the Degree of the Horoslwpos as it is Necessitated
Through Methods According to Nature .. 74
34 . Concerning Crises . . ...... .................. 76
35 . Concerning the Bond of the Moon ......•..... 79
36. On Rulership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • . . . . . . . .. 80
37. Genesis of the Cosmos .. ... ........ •• ........ 82

Appendix ..... . 84

"
 Introduction to Paulus Alexandrint:s
by
Raben Hand

The IlIfroduclOry M atters by Paulus Alexandrinus is the first book of

the series of translations by Project Hindsight from the ancient
languages into English. Therefore , I and the principal translators. Roben
Schmidt for the Greek track, and Robert Zoller for the Latin Track,
would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to Project Hindsight
and to thank you and the astrological community for your support.
We believe that this text by Paulus is a worthy place to start the
project. First of all, Schmidt's translation is the first translation of
Paulus' work into any modern language. let alone English. Second.
Paulus' work is in fact an introduclOry text. It provides an overview of
the tools used by late Classical astrology at the very end of the pre-
Christian era.
Paulus' astrology is a mature horoscopic astrology with most of the
featurcs of contcmporary Western astrology. signs, aspects, directions,
transits. rulerships, dignities etc . But it is also an astrology that is still
dcveloping. Almost every one of Paulus' techniques has a form that
ranges from somewhat different to very different indeed from their
modern counterparts. Some of the techniques used are closer to those
of Indian than Western astrology. For example. houses in Paulus are not
a twelvefold divi sion of the loca l sphere as they are most systems of
modem Western astrology. Houses for Paulus are not even a category
separate from the signs. Houses are simply the signs, themselves.
counted from the sign rising, or H6roskopos as the first "place" (topos
rather than oikos or house). The other signs follow as " places" in the
nonnal order. The first house extends from the first degree of the ri sing
sign to the last degree. the second house or "place" likewise and so
forth . although Paulus does also refer to the actual degree of the
ascendant as well . This system, often referred to as "whole sign houses"
or the "sign-as-house" system is used in India to this day . A horoscope
so constituted is called a Rasi Chakra to distinguish it from a chart
drawn with houses as we know them in the West. the Bhava Chaiilra.
Whole sign houses arc.: not peculiar to Paulus. The system is found in

III
Dorothcus of Sidon (probably First Century C.E. ]) and several Arabic
astrologers including Masha' Allah (c.740-c.835) and Abu Ali AI
Khayyat (c.770-c.835).
Aspects or '"figures" as they are referred to in this translation, are
also different from the modem Western system in that they are usually
taken from sign to sign, rather than degree to degree. There do not seem
to be any orbs as they are known in the modern West . Any point in
Aries is in trine to any point in Leo or Sagittarius, regardless of orb.
Thi s again is like the Indian system. the main difference being that in
Paulus all of the Ptolemaic major aspect relationships are used. In the
Indian system each of the planets has its own characteristic set of
aspects that it can form . But even in Paulus there are a number of
di fferences in the manner of using aspects that make them quite
different from modern astrological aspects in the West. Despite
misleading footnOles by modem commentators, Ptolemy also seems to
have used aspects from sign to sign . Also Paulus distinguishes between
aspects measured counter-cloc kwise from one planet to the other and
those measured clockwise. And this distinction is quite different from
the modem system of dexter and sinister aspects.
Paulus describes all of the essential dignities that are used in
Arabic, Medieval Western and Renaissance astrology , but he adds two
more, both of which affect individual degrees. These are the
monomoiria. the first of which assigns planetary rulers according 10 the

] The oldest chans in Dorotheus ha\c been dated from about 41 C.E. and
references in other authors date him to lhe First Century. The original tcxl was
written in Greek poeti c fonn, and was translated fro m Greek into Pahlavi (an
old fonn of Persian) and thence into Ambic. The Greek original has been lost
except for fragments. While the text uf the Arahic is clearly connected to
Oorotheus, there are clearly things in it thai have been added by later authors.
such as, for e xample. frequent refereoces 10 Allah. There are also references to
Ro man emperors who are much later than the First Century. The text as we
have it is a mixture of authentic Dorotheus and lale r additions.
Also throughout this texl we usc the abbreviations c.E. for "Common Era"
rat her than Ihe older convention A.D. for " Anno Domini." This has become the
standard for historians wishing to avoid the sectarian implications o f the leons
A.D. and H.C. For dates " H.C." the abbreviation B.C.E. is used which stands
for the phrase, ··Before the Common Era,'·

IV
Ch:.ldc:.n Order 1 to c:I(;h degree stani ng with the ruler of Ihe sig n. The
second does the same but according to the rulers of the triplicities. He
does not make it clear, unfortunately exactly what o ne is supposed to
do wi th the fi rst type beyond conferring d ignity upon a planet situated
in its own degree. However, the second type is involved in correcting
the risi ng degn.-e .
Perhaps the most imponant d iscovery awaiting those who have
studied either modern Western astrology or Indian astrology is that of
the two sects. This is a concepl that has all but disappeared from
modern astrology both East and West. We have a vague awareness that
some planets are "diurnal " and others are "nocturnaL" but we have no
idea what fu nction this is supposed to play in intcrprctalion. In Paulus
and also in Julius Firmicus Maternus, Dorotheus of Sidon. as well no
doubt as other astro logers of this period that we are not yet familiar
with. sect is a central mailer in judging a planet. Pto lemy ment ions sect
but does lillie with it. Paulus and olher authors actually show us how
t~Jth diurnal and nocturnal planets change the ir sign ificat ions according
to whether the chart is a day·binh or a night-birth.
Although Ptolemy me ntions the sects. he emphasizes instead the
princ iple of the orie ntal or occidental placemenl of a planet. It has
alway s bee n a subject of debate among astrologers exactly what
Ptotemy meant by oriental and occidental placements and there are clear
di ffere nces betwecn the ancient He lle nistic definitions of the terms and
the defi nition in use in Seventeenth Century Engli sh astrology . The
sections of Paulus on sett and solar phases, as well as passages in
Ptolemy. himself. strongly suggest that the oriental-occidental d ichotomy
is pan of the d iurnal-nocturnal sect dichotomy. One hopes that
subsequenl di scoveries among the ancit::nt authors will clarify this
mauer.
Another area thai will be of inlerest to studenls of coniemporary
astrology are the so-called "Arabic" pans or LoIS. I say "so-ealled"

I lne term. "Chaldean Order" docs not appear in Paulus. He uses the

phrase. "order of the scven-7.ornxl sphere." This is a reference to the o,der of

the spheres in the ancient Greek geocentric system in which there are seven
concentric spheres bearing planetary bodies staning with Saturn and coming
down to the Mnon. The order is Saturn. Jupiter. Mars. Sun, Venus. Mercury.
Moon . This is tht! order of increasing orbital motion with Saturn as the slowest
and the Moon as the fastest.

v
because they are fou nd in Paul us, as well as in Dorotheus of Sidon and
Ju lius Fimlicus Maternus. It is clear that lots or parts were a standard
part of the tool kit of the Hellenistic astrologer. All the Arabs did with
them was to extend their numbers until there were dozens of them'. In
Paulus and other classical authors, there are usually a less than a dozen.
However, somethi ng of special interest to be found in Paulus is
clear interpretations for both the 101 of fortu ne and Ihe lot of spirit
(called in this translation the lot of divi nity). The reader should also
nOle that Pau lus' defini tions of the lots of fortune and divinity follow
the normal classical practice of reversing the positions of the Sun and
Moon at nightl. The lots are very important for Pau lus and we shall see
an even greater importance given to the 101 of fort une in Vettius Valens,
later in thi s series.
We should not emphasize only Ihe technical issues here. It is also
clear that Paulus is much more than a technically competent astrologer.
He shows abundant awareness of his philosophical and mythological
matrix as wel l. He uses word play consistently to alert lhe reader to
implications in his wri ting that might otherw ise be obscure. An example
Ihat surfaces constantly in the text is the connection between the words
for 'fate' and 'degree' and Ihe use of weaving and spinning metaphors
in the language whenever he describes a calculation involving degree

I AI-bfn1ni, The Book of Ins/ruc/ion , translated by Ramsey Wright, § 476,

contains the following passage.

II is impossible to enumerate the loIS which have been invented for the
solution o f horary questions, and for answt!ring enquiries as to prosperous
outcome or auspicious time for action; they inc~asc in number every day,
oot the following 97 di fferent 100, 7 of which belong 10 the planets, 80 to
the houses and JO to neither are those most commonly in use.

And this was a conservative list! [RH]

Z As of thi s writing it appears that the only source for the modem practle!:

of computing the lot of fortune the same both day and night is Pto lemy's
'felrabibIOJ , especially texts ba.'ied on the Proclus paraphrase. In both the texts
used hy Robbins and in the definitive Teubner edition of Ptolemy. it is not :'11
all cleat thut this is a correct reading of Ptolemy. Not only is it the general
practice of the ancient authors to compute Ihe lots uirrcrenlly day and night, but
it is c lear from the logic of sects Ihatthey ought to be.

V\
posit ions I . Preserving as much as possible of this has been one of the
challenges in translating Paul us.
One final note: While we have tried to clarify Paulus' thinking
wherever possible either in the translation or in the notes, the reader
must know that at this point in Project Hindsight . i.e .. the beginn ing. we
do no t yet understand everything that there is to understand about the
doctrines and methods of Hellenistic and o ther ancient astrologies.
Therefore there will be pasSllges that are unclear with liule in thc notes
10 assist the reader. M<lny academic scholars encountering difficult
material in these texts have thrown up their hands in horror and given
up, attributing their inability to understand the texts 10 corrupt texts or
fuzzy thinking by the original authors. While this might sometimes be
true. your translators normally take the position that the fault lies in us
and not in our authors. You, the reader. are in just as good a posit ion
to find the correct imcrpretation of some of these passages as your
edi tors and translators.
It is also possible that there are passages that we think we
understand but thai we understand incorrectly. Other imerpretat io ns may
be beller than ours. This, we believe, should be pan of the excitement
of your bei ng involved in Projcct Hindsight. We invi te feedbac k and
suggestions as to how future editions of both this and the other works
in Project Hindsight may be improved and made more useful 10 you.

Note - All of the foot notes in this book are by the translator. Roben
Schm idt. unless initialed RH in square brackets. \ RH J indicates a notc
emered by your editor.

I See the section on the word 'moira' in the tnmsl:nor's preface.

VII
 Tra nslator's Preface
by
Robert Schmidt

Absolutely nothing is known about the life of Paulus of Alexandria

beyond what can be inferred from his book. The Int roductory Matters
is the only writing of his that we possess. For a while it was thought
that he was the original author of certain astro no mical writings surviv-
ing o nly in Sanskrit translation. but this was evidently a mistake. From
internal evidence, the composition of the IntroduclOl)' Mailers may be
dated to 378 C.E.
l1le pres!!nt translation has been done from the critical edition of
Boer (Teubner, Leibl.ig, 1958). In its surviving fo nn, the text seems a
bit chopped up, with certai n obvious omissions and occasional d isplaced
sente nces or paragraphs. It is possible: that the tex t we now have
represents a mixture of its first and second editions in Paulus' own ti me.
Neugebauer, while acknowledging that Paulus was more competent
at astronomy than most astrologers of his time. called him a "wretched
writer" (a long with Vettius Valens). It is true that this is not
sty le-conscious writi ng in the aesthetic sense (as Ptolemy's Greek quite
certainly is). Paulus' style is not at all mannered, but consists of
relatively simple sentences that often become note-li ke. It .~ee ms to be
more conversational than literary, as if it were intended to be read and
used by a small and fa mil iar audience rather than the public at large.
At the same time Paulus' writing exhibits a strange sensitivity to the
subtleties. overtones, and equivocations of G reek astrological tenninolo-
gy . He seems constantly to be "working" his words. At first. you may
thi nk thi s is a kind of hanuless punning, del iberate mystification , o r
questio nable analogical reasoning. Gradually you real ize that it is
no thing of the kind, but an essential- perhaps the essential- part of the
commun ication.
And occasionally you come across one of those shimmeri ng phrases
or sentences, which, had it been attributed to o ne of the pre-Socratic
ph ilosophers instead of an astrologer. would be held up as one of the
most precious and convinci ng testimonies of the true level of en l ightcn~
ment attai ned by early Western thought.
This brings up the problem of how to read the work . II is offered
as an introduction. and it certainly does present Instruction in most of
the basics of Hellenistic astrology . But it is also clear that the reflective

VIII
reader is supposed to be caught by certai n words or phrases, At this
lime, it is not certain whether lhese are doorways to an esoteric level of
Ihe teaching, from which the unprepared, un worthy, or uninitiated are
10 be excluded, or whether they constitute a deliberate pedagogical
device designed to help the student cultivate and arrive at an astrologi-
cal world-view, Or is it that the material cannot practically be presented
in any other manner, being intrinsically too subtle for an y simple
disc ursive treatment?
In this translation we have made no effort to "improve" Paulus'
style, In view of the above, thi~ would not only be presumptuous, but
ultimately self-defeating, Instead, we have made it as literal as we
pos~ibly could within the bounds of readability. trying to clarify mailers
even further in the annotations. The importance of Hellenistic astro logy
may not lie simply in what it said, but also in how it said it.

General Note

There are several translation decisions which must be addressed from

the outset. Thcsc arc not specific to this work of Paulus, but affect the
entire G reek astrological corpus. Some of the words in question are so
basic that they seem 10 sum up the Greek astrological experience all by
themselves. Th is being the case, it would be pretentious of us to o ffer
defi nitive translatio ns of them at this ti me. [n fact. the translations in
question should probably be the very last mailers to be decided upon,
since they will serve to fix and preserve the understanding of Hellenistic
astrology we hope to deri ve from the translation project itself. Accord-
ingly, these words wi ll inslead be the subject of constant reflect ion and
rev ision throughout this track.

l.oidion ' ~ What could be more fundamental to astrology Ihan the

I The English word 'zodiac' comes from tJle Greek 'loidio/! ' Vill Latin. The

original Greek word is ~ pel1cd with an omcga (long '0' in English) subscripted
with an iota (the Ictter 'I' in English). The iota was lost whcn the word camr
ovcr into Latin from Grcek . Ho.....ever, it was pronounced in Greek such Ihallhe
sound of the word 'zijidiOtl ' was a bil like "zoy dee on." 'The plural is loidw
and is similarl y pronounced. It is Ihr con\'ention to retain iOia subscripts when
tr'oinslilerating Greek il1lo Roman charactcrs, Therefore . we have chosen 10 retain

,x
signs of the zodiac? Yet 'sig ll ' is an impossible translation fo r the
Greek word 'lVidion. ' This Greek word is the diminuti ve fonn of loion,
whic h has two basic meanings: a living thing. and a picture or image
(though not necessarily the picture of an animal).
'Signum' in Latin also has two basic meanings: a sign or an image.
The second sense was an acceptable translation of the figural conno ta-
tion in 'loidian,' although it entirely left behind any connotation of
living thing. The first mean ing (sign) picked up the sense of another
Greek word commonly associatl!d with the stars: simn, a sign or
indicator. This lenn (or its derivatives) was commonly employed when
the stars were being used for weather prediction, but never to refer to
the zodiacal "signs" themseh'es.
Unfortunately, the English word 'sign' heavily fa vors the first sense
of 'signum, ' that of significat ion, which may be a good tra nslation of
'sinUl, ' but preserves none of the original sense o f 'loidion' at all. not
even thaI of an image. fo r an image does not of itself signify. Thus, all
connection with the original semantic field of the Greek word has been
lost through the Latin intermediary.
This is a critical problem because the Greeks seemed ac utely
conscious of the equivocal quality in the loio" , and often reflected on
it. An animal and a picture comprise the classical Aristotelian example
of a pair of things named similarly. Thai is, lvion is nOI a homonym in
whic h two entirely different things accidentally came to be called by the
same sound. Nor is a picture called an animal in the derived sense that
it is a picture of an animal, because the Greeks called pictures 'loidia'
even if they were not pictures of li ving thi ngs. Instead, a li vi ng thing
and a picture were both called 'lDidiu ' out of some analogy the Greeks
saw in them.
Plato seems to hint at this analogy in the Epinomis, where, after
defining a loion as an alliance of soul and body that gi\'es birth to a
shape, he says that the stars are either gods themselves (and thus a kind
of li ving creature composed primarily of the fire ele ment), o r else
images that the gods have created of themselves. As the soul i nfonn ~
the body. so does the sculptor shape his material.
So what do we do? 'Animate' (as a nou n) might serve as a

the iota in our spelling. The Engli ~h word 'zodiac', however, has never had an
"i' In it, so we have retained the oonvcntional spelling. [RIi J
translat ion for the Greek word ·zoidiofl.' Though it may sound strange
at first, it comes close to preserving the highly equi vocal character of
the Greek word 'zi);oll. ' It refers to soul 's quickening of mailer. (In the
Epitlomis. the stars exhibited their intelligence or soul through their
motions.) We also customari ly use the verb 'animate' analogously of
someone who inspires a group. As a windfall, it also has thc cartoon
sense of sim ulating life by motion. Unfortunately , we do yet not see
how this tr:,mslation could pick up another important astrological over-
tone- that is, how a zoidion can also be a dwelling place for a planet.
Thus. for now. we have thought it wiser to merely transliterate the word
as zoidion (z6idio in plural). particularly si nce the tenn zodiac is well
accepted in English.

SeMn1i1 - The technical astrological term 'aspect' is equally trouble-

some. It comes from the Latin 'ospeetare' which simply means to look
at or regard. There are two separate problems here.
First of all, the most common Greek term for the geometrical
relationship between two planets is 'sehenlli,' an all·purpose word for
figure or shape in the broadest sense. The Greeks do freque ntl y use a
variety of vi sual terms for such relationships. but usually when they are
trying to be morc spec ific about thc relationship---to indicate whether
Ihe planet is looking ahead of it or behi nd it in the order of the signs,
for instance. (Such terminology seems to be heavily dependent on the
Greek understanding of vision, which is radically different from our
own.)
Secondly, as an ontological problem, the Greeks for the most pan
did not think of the relation obtaining between two bodies as existing
separately from the two bodies themselves (as we do today), but rather
as re.~id in g in one or the other of the bodies. Thus 'double' is a
detennination of one body in relation to another, but it is a delennina·
tion of that body itself: it is a way in which that b<xly exists. The visual
terminology employed for thc relationships between planels ex presses
that relationship from the point of view of one of the bodies. It is the
altit ude or regard of the one body in relation to Ihe other, but it belongs
to that body.
The word 'sehirnn' seems to be an attempt to express the relatiofl -
ship in a way that does nOl favor one body over the other. by reconcep-
tualizing il as a shape or form of which each of lhe twO planets is a
constituent part. much like the three sides of a triangle thai constitute

XI
the triangle. Bear in mind that this is not an abstraction in the modem
sense, but a reconceplualiz31ion of one type of concrete being (a
relationship) as another type of concrete being (a qualitative form).
Thus, the word 'aspect' no longer contains any of the specialized
optical senses, but yet comes from too specialized a semantic field to
serve as the general term. We have translated 'schema' as 'figure: the
various visual terms by their exact English equivalents, and discarded
'aspect' altogether.

OikQS - The Greeks reserved the word ' house' (oikos) for that one of
the zoidia in which each planet takes a special del ight (,rules' in
modern jargon). As far as the divisions of the zodiac which are relative
to the horizon and midheaven are concerned. the Greeks simply call
them ' places' (IOpo;). There is no reason 10 think that the Greeks were
confused about these malters (as some scholars have suggested). BUI it
is not yet clear when and if the Greek astrologers detached their concept
of 'place' from the zjjidia themselves, to have it refer to certain abstract,
e mpty, spatial regions, or whether it was simply another way of talking
about the zoidia themselves. In the midst of this uncertainty, we have
no choice but to adhere to the Greek usage as rigorously as wc can.

Planet Names - The Greek astrologers do not seem to have identified

the astronomical bodies we call planets with the gods themselves, They
almost always say "the star of (belonging to) Hermes," "the star of
Aphrodite:' etc. We have retained this usage, not yet knowing exactly
how Greek astrology and Hellenistic theology were connected.
We have also kept the Greek names for the gods, thinking that it
may later help keep distinct the Greek planetary meanings from those
of later traditions.
There is another usage connected with the planets which we have
translated literally, though it sounds strange to the modem ear, The
Greeks almost never say that a certain planet is "in" a zjjidion, although
they ofte n say it is "in" a place. They regularly say that it is "upon" this
z(J;dion. This Stems to be an important clue as to how the Greeks
actually looked at the sky.

Moira - There is one word that we have not yet attempt~ to

retran s lat ~,
nor could we simply transliterate ;t into Engl ish. h is the
Greek word 'moira, ' whic h means that part of the zodiac which we call

XII
a ' degr~~: but it more commonly means that portion or allollnenl which
is one's fate .
'M oira ' is the standard teml for that division of the zodiac in the
writings of Greek astronomers. And from the frequency with which it
occurs in the astronomical sections of Greek astrological writings, one
might argue that 'moira' had come to simply mean a division of the
zodiac, and could be safely translated as 'degree.'
However, Paulus ' work. is too full of word play on this tenn , (Ind
the related vocabulary of allotmelll, apportionment, etc., to think that he
was not constantly reflecting on its astrological mean ing .
All this is totally apart from the problem that the word 'degree' has
an e ntirely different semantic range than the word 'portion.' The Greek.
term seems to have none of the overtones of 'step' or ' intensity' that
sound in the word 'degree.'
We actually tried ' portion ' in the fi rst draft of this translation, but
it seemed to cause confusion in the astronomical sections. Funhennore ,
it is by no means clear who or what is the recipient of this apportioni ng.
Is it the chi ld's portion? The planet' s?
So we somewhat reluctantl y decided to retain the translation
'degree' for now, contcnting oursel ves with drawing attention to the
problem .

ApoteleJ11/lJtic - The Alwtelesmotics is a very common title for Greek

astrological writings. The basic verb from which it derives occurs
everywhere in astrological writing as an all-purpose causal lenn more
or less inten;:hangeable with words like 'make' and 'produce:
It is often translated as if it contained an explicit reference to
astrology . However, the root meaning of the verb from which this noun
derives is simply 'to complete or make or effect somethi ng,' especially
with regard to material objects. In the Epi"omis of Plato. it even
describes the activity ofthc soul in shaping the body . The restriction of
thi s word 10 astrological prognostication comes about when the stars and
planets are understood as the agents bringing about change in the
material or sublunary sphere.
Incidentally, the word ' talisman' may be derived from it.

H6roslw pos - This is the Greek term for the Ascendant. although it is
not its semantic equivalent . One often hears that it means ""je w of the
hour." Wt: do not know lhe origin of this statement. but it is clearly a

XIII
misconstruction, The word 'skopos' docs mean 'view,' but just as often
it means a 'target ' or ' marker' at which one ai ms, That is doubtless its
meaning here, The H6roJ'wpoS is the 'hour marker. ' This can be either
the degree that marks the birth hour, or else the person who does this
marking (which is why the H oroskopos can also refer to the astrologer,
himselfl ), There is also a verb hiiros/.:opeo which means to mark the
(birth) hour.
Since we did not want to introduce too many new technical tenns
all at once in the present translation, we decided merely to transliterate
the noun H or o.tkopos, particularly since thi s has already been done in
other English translations of Greek astrological writing , and would not
be totally unfamiliar to the reader, However, we are also uyi ng the
above new translation whercver the verb fonn occurs. So, when you
encounter the expression ' to mark thc birth hour: it translates the verb
hiJroskope6,

I This usage docs not occur in P,IUtUS, bill docs occur in other wri ters. IRII I

XIV
 Introductory Matters
by Paulus Alexandrinus

I. Prerace

Ha vi ng quite thoroughly found out my dear child Cronamon. the things

that were falsely stated in the edition of the InIroduclOr), Matters prior
to thi s one. you have exhoned us 10 compose another. which is lacking
in none of the theorems that are conduci ve to the end it has in sight;
and, along with forcing the ascensions back into place ' accord ing to
Pto lem y, [ 0 set out the calculations in addition to the astrological
e ffects. This was because we have perceived these ascensions to be
more serviceable, considering that Ptolemy himself established how to
treat them in his '·On Length o f Life," and Apollonarius advises using
them in his ··On Releaser and Master and Destroyer:' and Apollonius
of Laodicea calumniates the Egyptians for havi ng been much deceived
in the ascensions of the zaidia .

2. On the Twelve Zoidin

The zodiacal circle is moved obliquely, being divided into twelve

sections, which are called zaidia. A zoidion has three decans and 30
degrees, a degree having 60 minutes.
The beginning of the zodiacal circle is Aries: masculine, equinoc-
tial. tropical , spri ng, house of Ares, exaltation of the Sun around the
19th degree, depression of Saturn around the 20th degree, trigon o f the
Sun by day, of Zeus by nighl . It lies in the latitude of Persia, assigned
to the East Wind. It has authority over head and face as a whole. For
the Egyptians, in the latitude through Alexandria, which is the third, thi s
z,oidion rises from the invisible pan of the cosmos to the visible cosmos

I The verb kalQlI(Jnko;;.6 used here commonly means to set a broken bone.

The ascensional times used by Paul us in the first edition of his book ..... ere
evidently from the Babylonian system. whieh was in fact incorrect. Paulus
seems 10 be making a wry and self-deprecating joke about how fractured the
1.Odiac is according 10 that system.

: IJur (rphPlv ll 1m, oikodesp OlO1I lw; atwirewlI

in 2 1;40' times with I :26:40 equinoctial hours. In this widion is the
culminating pivol point 1 of the original disposition of the cosmos 3 .
The second l.aidion is Taurus : feminine , solid, spring, house of
Aphrodite. exaltation of the Moon around the 3rd degree. depression of
nothing. trigon of Aphrodite by day, of the Moon by night. It lies in the
latitude of Babylon , assigned to the South Wind. It has authority over
neck and tendon. For the proposed latitude, this l.oidion climbs up from
the invisible to the visible part of the cosmos in 25 times with 1:40:00
hours.
The third l.aidioll is Gem ini : Masculine. bicorporeal, spring, human
in shape, house of Hemlcs, exaltation of none, hollow~ of none, trigon
of Kronos by day, of Hermes by night. It lies in the latitude of
Cappadocia. assigned to the West Wind. It has authority over shoulders
and hands and fingers . For the proposed latitude. this z6idion climbs up
from the invisible to the visible pan of the cosmos in 28;20 times with
1:53:20 equinoctial hours.
In This rrj.z6idion interval. which is called ai~, the change of the

, The word "(imes" here is a standard Gree k usage denoting degrees on the
equator passing over the meridian cirele or what wc would call today, degrees
of right ascension of the Midheaven. The rising time of signs was nonnally
measured by the number of degrees of R.A.M.C. passing over the meridian as
the sign rose. It i ~ functionally. if not completely conceptually. equivalent to our
use of oblique ascension. Ptolemy has the same usage. [RH]

l The phrase " pivot poim"' is throughout this text to refer to what is called
in modem astrology an angle. i.e. Ascendenl, Midheaven, Descendent or /mum
C~fi. in Grttk /c~lIIron . See Appendix. IRH ]

J This refers to the lhema mundi, the dispoSition of the stars at the genesis
of the cosmos. See chapter 37 .

• KoiMmo is a very COIll.'ete word used here as a synonym for depression.

It literally means a hollow or cavity, and should perhaps caution us against
laking exaltationldcpreu ion too metaphorically.

! The reade r should note here and in what follows that it is the seasons and

the three signs that make up each of them that correspond to the four elements
in Paulus' syStem. He docs not follow the practice of other writers in assigning
the elements to the trigons. IR H]

2
spri ng season is completed .
The founh z6idion is Cancer: femin ine. tropical. summer. nouse of
the Moon. exaltation of Zeus around the 15th degree, depression of
Ares around the 28th degree. trigon of Aphrodite by day, of Ares by
ni ght. It lies in the latitude of Armen ia. assigned to the North Wind. It
nas autnori ty over breast and stomach. Fo r the mentioned latitude, this
looidion cl imbs up from the invisible to the visible part of the cosmos
in 3 1:40 times with 2:6:40 equinoctial hours. In this looidion is the
Ho roskopos of the cosmos.
The fifth zo idiorl is Leo: masculine, solid, summer, house of thl!:
Sun, exaltation of none, hollow of none, trigon of the Sun by day . of
Zeus by night. It lies in the latitude of Asia. assigned to the East Wind.
It has authority over ribs. For the me ntioned latilUde, this zaidiof! climbs
up from the in visible to the vi sibil!: part of the cosmos in 35 limes with
2:20:00 equi noctial hours.
The sixth zoidion is Virgo: femi nine. bi-corporeal , summer. house
and exaltation of Hennes around the 15th degree. depress ion of
Aphrodite around the 27th dl!:gree, tri gon of Aphrodite by day, of the
Moon by night. It lies in the latitude of the Hellas and Ionia, assigned
to the South Wind. It has authority over flank s and upper belly and the
whole innards. This zvidion climbs up from Ihe invisible to the visible
part of the cosmos in 38:20 times with 2:33:20 equinoctial hours.
In this tri-zoidion interval, which is called fire, the change of the
summer season is completed.
The seventh zijidion is Libra : masculine. equinoctial . tropical. fa ll.
house of Aphrodite, exaltation of Kro nos around the 20th degree.
depression of the Sun around Ihe 19th degree. trigon of Kronos by day.
of Hermes by night. It lies in the latitude of Libya and Cyrene, assigned
to the West Wind. It has authority over hip and buttocks. This zuit/ion
climbs up from the invisible 10 the visible part of the cosmos in 38;20
times with 2:33 :20 equinoctial hours. In this looidion is the subterraneous
pivot poi nt of Ihe cosmos.
The eighth zoidion is Scorpio: femin ine, solid , fall . house of Ares.
exaltation of none, hollow of the Moon around the 3rd degree. trigon
of Aphrodite by day, of Arcs by night. It lies in the climate of Italy.
assigned to the North Wind . It has authority over genitals. bladder. and
groin . This l.oidiofl cli mbs up from the invisible to the visi ble part of
the t'osmos in 35 times with 2:20:00 equinoctial houn..
The ninth zoidioll is Sagin3rius: masculine. bicorporeal, fall . house

3
of Zeus, exal tation of none, hollow of none, trigon of the Sun by day,
of Zeus by ni ght. It lies in the latilUde of Cilicia and Crete, assigned 10
the East Wind. It has authority over thighs. For the latitude mentioned ,
this z6idioll climbs up from the invisible to the visible part of the
cosmos in 3 1;40 times wi lh 2:6:40 equinoctial hours.
In this tri -ZiJidion interval, which is called earth, the change of the
fall season is completed.
The tenth l6idioll is Capricorn : feminine , uopical. winter, house of
Kronos, exaltation of Ares around the 28th degree, depression of Zeus
around the 15th degree, trigon of Aphrodite by day , of the Moon by
night . It lies in the Ilititude of Syria, assigned to the South Wind . It has
authority ovcr knees. This zaidion climbs from the invisible to the
visible part of the cosmos in 28 ;20 times with I :53:20 equinoctial hours.
II is the setting pi vot point of the cosmos.
The eleventh l6idioll is Aquarius: masculine , solid, winter, house
of Kronos, exaltation of none, hollow of none. trigon of Kronos by day,
Hennes by night. It lies in the lati tude of Egypt. assigned to the West
Wind . It has authority over legs !knee to ankleJ. Thi s ziJidion cli mbs up
from the invisible to the visible pan of the cosmos in 25 times with
I :40:00 equi noctial hours.
The twelfth laidioll is Pisces: fem inine, bicorporeal, winter, house
of Zeus, exaltation of Aphrodite around the 27th degree, depression of
Hennes around the 15th degree, trigon of Aphrodite by day, Ares by
night. It lies in the latitude of the Red Sea and the region of Indi a,
assigned to the North Wind . It has authority over the sole of the foot
and foot. It climbs up from the invisible to the visible part of the
cosmos in 21;40 times with 1: 26:40 equinoctial hours,
In thi s rri-,/jidioll interval, which is called water, the change of the
winter season is completed.
Let the twelve ,oidia be described in some such way [as aboveJ for
the exposition of them one at a time, but let them be set out as follows
for concei ving them in groups.
Masculine z6idia are these: Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittari us,
Ayuarius. The remainder are fe minine: Taurus, Cancer. Virgo, Scorpio,
Capricorn, Pisces. And generally speaking, as many zoidia as receive an
odd numbt:r starting from Aries as the fi r""t, let these be conceived of
as mascul ine; as many as receive an even number. let them be
conceived as feminine.
Tropical zaidi" are Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn, with Aries and

4
Libra being equinoctial. The solid signs are equal in number to these,
being Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius. And the bicorporeals al so happen
to be equal in number to these. being Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces.
And to speak of them as groups, as many zoidia as stand apart by fours ,
these receive the same nature of zoidia.
Dwelling places: Aries and Scorpio. of Ares; Taurus and Libra, of
Aphrodite ; Gemini and Virgo. of Hennes; Cancer of the Moon ; Leo of
Ihe Sun : Sagittarius and Pisces of Zeus; Capricorn and Aquarius, of
Kron o~.
Exaltation~: Aries of the Sun, Taurus of the Moon, Cancer of Zeus,
Virgo of Hermes, Libra of Kro nos, Capricorn of Ares. Pisces of
Aphrod ite. ZOidia which stand apart from these by seven zoidia happen
to be the depressions of these same.
Trigons: Aries. leo, and Sagittarius, of the Sun by day, of Zeus by
night ; Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. of Aphrodite by day. of the Moon
by nighl : Gemin i, Libra and Aquari us. of Kronos by day, of Hennes by
night; Cancer, Scorpio. and Pisces, of Aphrodite by day, of Ares by
night.
The first trigon was associated l with the Easl Wind, the second
wi th the South, the third with the West, and the fourth with the North.
The ziJidi(1 have a special feeling for these regions: Aries for Persia,
Taurus for Babylonia. Gemini for Cappadocia, Cancer for Amlenia, Leo
for Asia. Virgo for Hellas. Libra for Libya •.Scorpio for Italy. Sagittarius
for Crete, with Capricorn apportioned to Syria, Aquarius allotted Egypt.
and Pisces associated with the region of India.
Of the human pans Aries appropriates the head; Taurus has
authority over the neck: Gemini is like the shoulders: with Cancer
having been a1iolted the breast; Leo has gotten the stomach and the ri bs;
Virgo the lower bowels: Libra is master of the bUllocks; Scorpio has
gotten the genitals: Sagittarius the thighs; Capricorn the knees: Aquarius
the legs; Pisces the feet. 2

, prQ.fOik,.j6.

) The preceding two paragraphs introduce a whole medley of temLS for

ex pressing the idea of allO(mcnt. These will be used often in the rest of the
treatise The terms are: lanchano (obtain by 101); uponemo (apportion):
flrQsoikeioo (a~soc iate with); oi~ioO (appropriate): kli mo (aIlOl). Apomeri<.6
(assign) was used earl ier in the assignment of 1he winds.

5
 Each of these zciidia ascends for Egypt in the third latitude, which
is through Alexandria: Aries and Pisces in 1:26:40 hours and 2 1;40
times: Taurus and Aquarius in 1:40:00 nours and 25 times; Gemini and
Capricorn in 1:53 :20 hours and 28;20 times; Cancer and Sagi ttarius in
2: 6:40 hours and 31;40 times; Leo and Scorpio in 2:20:00 hours and 35
times; Vi rgo and Libra in 2:33:20 hours and 38;20 times. 1

3. Concerning the Boundaries Which the Five Wandering Stars

Han Been Allotted in the Twelve ZiJidia

Of the 30 degrees of the z6idia, the lengths which are di stributed to the
five planets arc called boundaries2. Boundaries are not dealt out to the
Sun and Moon. Instead, they divide up even their own houses among
the fi ve planets. For just as a star takes delight inJ the z6idion of its

We should not be too quick to think that they arc merely synonyms to
relieve tedium. It is possible that each term was chosen because of the nature
of the zoidion. itself.

I In the original. Paulus cxpresses these asecnsional times and numbers in

a'n carlicr. non.sexagcsimal systcm. in which I :26:40 is expressed as 1.3'9".

meaning I hour. a 3rd pan of an hour (20'), a 9th pan of an hou r (00:06:40).

2 horia. The singular horion is the diminu tive of homs, an imponant Greek

word meani ng boundary. and as ~I special case. definition. The traditional

English translation is ·terms·. from 'termini, 'which was a good trnnslation into
Latin. Bul because of nominalist tcndencies. our word 'term' regularly refers
to the word itself and not to thc thing defined. Therefore. we think the wurd
boundaries is a better translation .
It is clear from what follow s Ihat the plural Iwria docs not here mcan the
two boundarics that separate one set of dcgrees from the adjacent oncs, but
ra ther Ihc collection of individual degre<!s making up the length. each degree
being conside red as a singit'. horion.

J cluiirO. TIle Gree k here docs not say that the planet takes delight when il
is within its boundaries (or housc. etc), but takes dc.light ill its boundaries.
(There is no prepoSition accompanying dwiro.) Elsewhere in the book. this
formulation is altered slightly (with the addition of the preposition '£11, ') and
eonsequcntl y becomes ambiguous.

6
lrigon, or in its house and ils exallalion, so al so docs il lake del ight in
ils proper boundaries in each l.oidiotl , And they have Ihe order thai is
recorded next in the canonical exposition,

7
 Exposition of Boundaries
for the ZiJidia and Stars

Aries Taurus Gemini Cancer Leo Virgo

~
"
~
6 6 9 8 8

612 ~
6 6 d' 7 7
"
6 12 9 6 13 9 5\1 9 10 17
6 6 ~ 7 7

~ 820 ,
6 14

822
"
~ 5 17 ~ 6 19 ~ 7 18 , 4 21
.,
d' 525
., 530 d' 330
527 d' 724
., 630
"., 726 9 624 d' 728

430 d' 630 ., 230

I

.,Libra
6 6
Scorpio
d' 7
Sagit.
7 , 12 12 9 7 7
Capri. Aquarius
~ 7 7 9 12 12
Pisces

~ 8 14 9 4 II 9 5 17 , 7 14 9 6 13 , 4 16
, 7 21 ~ 8 19 9 4 21 9 822 , 720 9 3 19

~ 7 28 , 524 ., 5 26 ., 426 d' 525 d' 928

d' 230 ., 630 d' 4 30 d' 430 ~ 530 ., 230

., 57 , 79 d' 66 9 82 ~ 76 360

For, by means of these boundaries, the Egyptian wise men formed a

judgment about the detennination ' concl!ming rulership, from which the

I lbi s is an imponant and highly charged sentence. It contains three

separate word~ that contain the idea of boundary or limitation. all interacting in
some type of argument or inference. We have already d iscussed horion itself
in nore 2 above. TeknUJiromai means to fi x by a boundary or marker, as weB
as to judge by marks or signs. In addit ion to this, the word 'logos' it..elf has the
meani ng of definition in the sense of delimitation (el Plato 's Sophist, 262d.)

8
delenllinalion concerning the years of life is established l . For, in
proportion to the filling up of the 360 degrees of the zoidiofl-bearing1
circle, Ihe number of boundaries) is made 10 exactly suil the quanlity

Forming a judgment by means of signs is an act of inference. Bul exactly

how is this inference thought of? The primitive meaning of lekmlliromai is to
fix by a boundary or marker. A bound3ry so fixed is eallo:d a lelemar, and is a
sign ur marker to other people. The diminutive tekm irioll often has the sense
of a sure sign or proof of something. In forming a judgment from signs, it
appc3TS as if the signs retain the primitive sense of boundary m3rkers, and these
signs (so understood) in some way confine or delimit some other mailer: they
put their mark upon it. so to speak.
To connect this exegesis wi th Pau lus' own statement. we need only note
that the word 'horion ' is a synonym for both a lekmar and a tekmirion. while
the logos concerning length of li fe is the matter thaI is detennined by means of
these Jwri(L
Conceptualizing judgment and inference as an act of bounding. delimita-
tion. or detemlination may sound strange to the modem reader, but it is intrinsic
10 classical Greek thoughl. Not only is a logos a peras (anuther Greek term
meaning limit or extremity). but a syllogism (sul/ngi.mIQS) draws a conclusion
(.tumpeNlSmos) from certain premises, which are themselves logoi, ami may
even be definitions (horoi!).
As a mailer of fact, AristOlle himsel f connects the word '/eluntl r ' with
l1errJS. and considers a fekmirion to be 3 special casc of a ~ign (simeion ). which
he regards as a kind of rhetorical syllogism. (Cf Rheloric, 1357b 10)
Might thi~ sentence of Paulus be the trace of a more ancient inferelllial
trJdition from which the rhetoricaLllogical tradition was later developed? And
might it not have left its mark upon the deepest understanding of logic and
inference in the West?

1 l/Jiophor05 is an occ'lsional alternative for zodiacal. and it compounds the

equivocality in the word ·..Cion .· We do not know whether to take -phoro.l·
(-bearing) in the sense of carrying, or in the sense of giving birch. It must be
Significant that Paulus changes to this word JUSt as he ;s about 10 begin a
discussion of length of life.

} According to the sense of this pamgraph. we should expect the number of

\',arl' here instead of the number of bnundariu.
Pe rh~ps tl>c word wa~ originall y /riiri}n (from Mrw. which o,;all mean year)
of the boundaries. of which each of the stars is allotted its number by
uJidiorl. giving the final years of life: for eMmple, for Kronos 57 years;
for Zeus, 79 years; for Ares, 66 years; for Aphrodite. 82 years; for
~I e nn es, 76 years. We also made a canon of the quanti ty of boundaries
that the stars have in the whole zodiacal circle.
Someone will ask the reason why the Sun and the Moon became
alienated from the mastership of the boundaries. To which one must
respond thus: that they are the rulers of one's all , and, since they are
actually kings of wholes, they have taken the authority over the whole
[length of lifel for thei r rulership. For if at bir1h the Sun obtains as its
lot the argument concerni ng the years of life, and being well posit ioned,
is found to have dealings in tenns of rulership, it g ives 120 as the final
years of life . And if the Moon. having dealings in the fashio n set out.
is found for the argument concerning years of life. it gives 108 as the
fina l years of life!,

instead of hQriiin.

! Since the Sun and Moon ha ve jurisdiction over wholts (see ehaptcr 6).

they give the maximum number of years for day and nighl binhs respectively.
Acco rding 10 Pliny, this wa~ often associated with the longest rising time that
a quadrant of the ecliptic could have for a given latitude. convening the degrees
of right ascension \0 years. Since the planets only have jurisdictions over
subregions or pans of Ihe ecliptic quadrant, Ihey e vidently make for fewer
years.

10
4. Concerning the Faces Which the Seven Stars Occupy upon the
Oceans in the Twelve Ziiidia'

As for the faces 2 of the seven stars from the zoidioll 's decanic l
shapi ng4, in which they delight just as they do at their own dwellings,
it will be necessary to treat them in the order of the seven-zoned
spheres, by means of which the star going about and executing6 is
apprehended. We must stan from Aries and for each zoidion count by
10 degrees at a time up to the star in question-I mean, we must always
give the first decan to Ares, the second to the Sun according to the
order of going about and executing, the third to Aphrodite. Then , one
must next give the first decan upon Taurus to the star of Hermes, then
to the Moon, then to Kronos, Upon Gemini, the first decan to Zeus, the
second to Ares, the third to the Sun, and so forth for the remainder, in
accordance with the number of the seven-zoned sphere. For the purpose
of quickly finding the face of the star in question, we also made the
canonical exposition of them recorded I:Jelow.

I This title might also be translated as: Concerning The Paces Which The
Seven Stars Present In The Twelve ZUidia Down Upon The Oceans, in which
case it would be giving us a clue as to the hierarchical relationships among
l.oidiofl. planet. and decan.

1 prosopos. A common Greek word for face . visage, countenance. etc, but

also meaning person,

J A dekanos. of course, is one of the 36 divinities associ~ted with a th ird

of each ziJidioll. BUI the word also meant an Egyptian police officer.

• Diatn orphoJis means 10 give shape 10 something, as the soul does 10 the
body. or the sculptor his stone. Thi s term. applied as il is here to a subdi vision
of the zooiacal circle, again pic ks up the theme of lifclimage, although
presumably lor some deities subordinate 10 those associated with the ziiidlo
themsd\·e~.

~ Sec chnptcr 21 .

~ Sec chapter 21 fOI the details on the star going about and execut ing.
Might this nOI refer to the patrol of a police officer')

II
 Faces of the ZOidia

T t5 II €9 Q 111
Arie.'1 Taurus Gemini c.n"", Leo Virgo

Foe< Dg. F", Dg. F'e< Dg. Foce Dg. F,e< Dg. F"" Dg.
d' 10 I 10 \ 10 Q 10 ~ 10 0 10
0 20 ) 20 d' 20 I 20 \ 20 Q 20

2 30 ~ 30 0 30 ) 30 d' 30 I 30

-
~

Libra I
ill
Scorpio
;<'
Saginariu.s Capricorn
1"> --
Aquarius p;"",
H

F.e< Dg. F"" Dg. F", Dg. F", Dg. Foe< Dg. F"" Dg.
) 10 d' 10 I 10 \ 10 2 10 ~ 10
~ 20 0 20 ) 20 d' 20 I 20 \ 20
\ 30 9 30 ~ 30 0 30 ) 30 d' 30

12
 5. Conn' rning the Zii idion 's M Ofwmoiria , over Which the Seven
Stars Ilave Mastery

As for the mOflomoiria l of the stars. one must treat it as fo llowing the
order of the seven-zoned sphere. the first degree being reckoned 10 the
account of that slar whose z,6idiofl it is. the second degree to the star
after it in the order of the se,'en-zoned sphere. and so forth in succes-
sion. unt il you come down to the degree which the star occupies
(i ncludi ng the minutes all together as one degree).
We have also arranged a canonical diagram of these.

t Morromoirio is a complex word and re flects the ambigui ty inhe rent in

moira at yet a higher level. Where moira comcs from meiromai and means a
pan or degree (see general nOle). moirao was a verb fonned from moira ilself
after il had evidently begun 10 lose ils absiraci ve rbal force (still in our word
'ponion'); it meant to ponion OUI o r apP(1nion . Moiri(l is an abstract noun
fonned from the lauer. and means apponionmenl. MorwmQirio., then , could
mean either what was alrc3dy apponioned or di slrihulcd to th<', individual
degrees, or the act of apponionir.g or distributing 10 individual degrees.
Thus. from the present context <llonl.'. it is not clear is whethcr the stars
ha\'c mas tery o \'er the act of appon ioning itsclf, or over what has tx.-en already
apponioned to Ihe Indi vidual degrees lAddilional by RHJ Subsequent
astro logical practice suggestS Ih:lI it is probably the laller

13
 vi

"I 6
, , 0 O(
",
(
P 61:
", ""
(
0
P
(

"" , 91:
6
6
0
P
81:
6 ,{
"" 0
6 I 0
, .1:
P Ll:

0
, " P (

"" "", ",

6 { P
P 0 ( 6 tl:
P 6 { 0 fl:
"" " 0 (
,, 01: 6 P
(
, ", P
0"" 01:6111:
6 0

, ""
( P
6
0
,
0
P " P
, 81 (

"" "", ",

{
P 0 ( 6 Ll
91
"" " 0
P 6 {

{
, ",
0 (
, .1
vi
6
0
P

(
""
P
6 0""
6
P (I
6
0
,,
0
" P
,, ( l:l

"" "", ",

6 { P 11
P 0 01 (
6
"" " P 0
(

(
, ",
0
P
(
,, 6
"" 9
8 6
0
P
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6 0
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6 ( P j>
P 0 { (
1:
"" " P 0
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0 ( 1 6 P

cy HJ' (J 0 MIl "R 1IlJ. '80(]

V!.1.I OWQIJOW JO UOUU::>

 6, Conccrning lhe Sect of the Two Lights

Since one' s alii is administered throughout 2 from the Sun and Moon,
and no bei ng in the COS IllOS is born apart from the mastership of these
stars, it is necessary to teach what the solar as well as the lunar secll
has been allotted, and that all things unite through these. The Sun, then.
was allotted the day and the morning rising and the masculine z.oidia,
and il has Ihe stars of Kronos and Zeus as spear-bearers'. The Moon
was aHolled the night and evening rising and the feminine z6idia, lind

I To hola. one'S all. pic ks up the the me from chapter 3 that Ihe Sun and the

Moon ha ve to do wilh wholes: day and nighl. ma!;Culine and feminine.

l dioik~o. Yet another verb formed from the word for house , which properly

means to manage household affairs.

J /wiresis. which means acquisiti un. c hoice. sect. 'Sect' has been the
traditional translation. The related Greek. word 'diairesis ' means a taking apart
or cleaving in twain. This clearl y seems 10 be the context of the present
discussion. Ilowcver, unlike the English word 'division: the Greek word
'dioiresis' refers primHily to the division itself, and not to the resulting par1.~ .
f{lliresis here ma y have been chosen to refer to the parts resulting from such a
·division.' But the English word divi sion niccly picks this up.
To see that there was still some consciousness of its root meanings, see the
plays on this word at end of chapter 34, in what appears to be a direct quote
from Hermes Tresmegistes.

' The phrase 'spear bearer' is a literal translation of the Greek dorUfJlw roJ.
Some translators, most notably, Ashmand in his translation of Ptolemy, have
si mpl y Anglicized it ·doryphory." Others have translated it into the Latin
'SOld/ilium . . The meaning of the Latin is close to doruphoros but it is not
really a translation into English. It is our opinion that the translation into the
phrase 'spear bearer" is much more useful because it contai ns the vivid image
of a king (the Sun) or a Queen (the Moon) being attended to by guards. Also
the King' s guards in a procession can always be seen before the kin g himself.
1bc reader should note that the spear bearers of the Sun are oonceived of as
coming before the kin g. i.e. in the degrees preceding, while those of the Moon
fo l/ow il. Also the spear bearers of Ihe Sun can precede the Sun by much more
than those of the Moon can follow it.
A similar teaching ean be found in Ptolcmy·s TetrabibIQ.f. Book 111 .
ch:lpter 5. IRI·n

IS
has the stars of Ares and Aphrodite as spear-bearers. Hermes. true to its
common nature, rejoices both with the Sun at morning rising. and with
the Moon at evening rising. For this star, having been alloued a
common nature. seems to be good with the benefic stars and mean I
with the destructive ones. Benefic stars are the stars of Zeus and
Aphrodite. Malefic ones are the stars of Kronos and Ares. the star of
Kronos having an excessively cold nature , that o f Ares being much too
fiery . Hermes actually has a common nature. The Sun, Kronos, and
Zeus rejoice at daytime binhs, if they have dealings in the masculine
zOidia in good places. especially when Kronos and Zeus are undergoing
morning risings. The Moon, Ares, and Aphrodite rejoice at nocturnal
bin hs if they rise in the even ing and if they occupy femini ne z6idia, the
other two stars being assigned as spear-bearers of the Moon.

,_ Concerning Quadrants

The first quadranl1 , that from the degree marking the birth-hour to the
culminating degrce, is masculine. This same quadrant is also rising, and
is called easterly. It signifies Ihe first agel_ I mean youlh . The second

, We would expect the word 'bad ' (kaku.!") here in oppostion to 'good'
(aga/he.!"). It is significant that Paul us shifts to phaulo.!". which means 'common '
in the sense of 'vulgar' or ' base.' This makes us consider the word 'good' ali
over again. In the Platonic tradition. the One ilself. which is the principle or
sameness and commonality. is identified with the idea of the Good. Thus. lhe
common naNrc of Hermes may manifest in IwO ways. depending upon whether
it is confIgured with benefics or malefics. With benefics it is common in the
good sense of unity: with malcfics it is common in thc debased or promiscuous
sense of common to all.
'I1ms for Paulus al least, Hermcs does mcrely lake on the benefic or
malefic c haracter of the other planets, as scems to be the case in modem
astrology. It is not just neutral. Its common character is nOl in relation to the
other planets. hut lies in its very nalure. Compare Ihe Latin words 'commwril"
from which comes our 'common' as orposed to 'vulgaris' from which comes
our ''''uIRur.'

1 le,rwnonon. Literally, a fourth -part.

J .!"imoini). It could also mean 'gives signs for.'

16
quadrant . from the culminating degree to the setting degree. has dealings
with the feminine . It is southerly and noon-tide. It signifies the age after
youth. which is middle-age. The third quadrant. from the setting degree
to the subterraneous degree. happens to be masculi ne. is thought of in
tenns of selling. and called westerly. It signifies old-age. The fourth
quadrant. from the subterrancous degree to the degree marking the
birth-hour, is fem inine and northerly. and it signifi es elderly age until
the end at death.
For knowing what has been said by foll owing the sequence of the
four pivot points. the quadrants are as follows : From the degree marking
the birth-hour up to the subterraneous degree is the quadrant toward the
North . From the subterraneous degree up tu the selling degree is the
quadrant toward the West. From the setting degree up 10 the cuhninat-
ing degree is the quadrant toward the noon-place. which means the
regions toward the South. And from the culminating degree to the
degree marking the birth-hour is the quadrant toward the East. which
means the reg ions toward the orient.

17
 8. Concerning the ZoiJiD. that See One Another '

The zoidia thai seel one anOlher are as follows: Gemini looks at l Leo,
and Leo perceives4 Gemini . Taurus looks at Vi rgo, Aries looks al Libra
(by induction'): Scorpio looks at Pisces, being looked 316 by them,

I The relalionship of signs Ihal see one another is close to thc later idea of

antiscia and perhaps the logic of it is the same. Ptolemy in Book I. chap!. )(vii
(Ashmand trans. Proclus paraphrase) says the following:

Any IWO signs. equally distant from either tropical sign, are equal to each
other in power; because the Sun. when present in one, makes day and
nighl , and the divisions of time. respectively equal in du ration 10 Ihose
which he produces when present in the other. Such signs are also said 10
behold each other. as well for the foregoing reasons, as because each of
them rises from one and the same pan of the horilon. and sets in one and
the same pan.

However. if Ihis is a relationship of antiscia, then Ihe matching of signs the way
it is done in Paulus, and in Ptolemy as well, requires that the solslice points be
in the middle of the signs of Cancer and Capricorn. not atlhe beginning. If they
were al 0", then Cancer would be equal in power wilh Gemini. elc. Is thi s
perhaps a relic of the lime when the vernal equinocti al poin\ was dcfined as IS"
of Aries rather than 0". [RH J

! b/epo. To see in the general sense of having Ihe power of sight. As is

evident from what follows, this basic power includes both lhe ability 10 look al
something (blepO in a restricted sense). and Ihe abililY 10 perceive something
(hQrao in ils basic sense). Compare the ne)(( chapter in which the signs Ihal hellr
one another arc aniculated into tho~ thaI commllnd, and those that obey.

) blepO in Ihe restricted sense of looking at. Notice that this verb is used
when the seeing is directed forward in the order of the z6idia.

• hom o. To see in the sense of perceiving or being awarc of. Notice that
this verb is used when the seeing is directed backward in the order of lhe
zoidia, except for the pair Scorpio. Pisces (see ne)(t page. note 6 below).

S Si nce Aries and Libra are 180 degrees apan, it would seem to be an

arbitrary matter which is taken 10 be ahead and which behind in Iheorder of the
W idia. Th us, the pallem must he filled in hy induction.

18
Aquarius perceives Sagittarius. and Sagiuarius looks at Aquarius. The
zoidia that see one another contribute toward sy mpathy, friendship, and
good will of man toward woman and woman toward man, of fat her
toward children and of children toward father, of brothers toward
brothers, of friend s toward neighbors and companions, and of slaves
toward masters. And it also makes for harmony among similar members
in every association. I

• This verb is not Iwrao as would initially be expected from the pattern, bul
is the passive voice of btep". It may be thai the passive meaning of bleplj
begins to blend with the meaning of horoo.

I Compare horoo and blepO to epirheoreiJ and aktilloballo, whose usage

similarly depends on the order of the t6idia. These distinctions may be due to
Greek optical theory, in which there is a visual ray proceeding from the eye, but
there are also rays coming from the body being viewed. They are both involved
in the power of suing-bltp6 in its most basic sense.

19
 ZOidia that See One Another

II

ill

ill

20
 9. Com'erning Commanding and Obeying Ziiidia l

The commanding 2 t6idia have this order. Taurus commands Pi sces.

while Pisces obeysJ it; Gemini commands Aquarius, Cancer Capricorn .
Leo Sagittari us, Virgo Scorpio. The zoidia which hear" each other
dispose well for night of fugitives and for going abroad, for accusations
and tidings at the same lime. when the Moon is brought by counter-

I This doc trine also appears in Ptolemy. Book I. ch'lpt. xvii (Ashmand

trans .. Proclus paraphrJ.se).

Any two signs configu rated with each other at an equal diSlance from the
same. or from eilher equinoctial point. arc termed commanding and
obeying. I'oc::cause Ihe ascensional and desccnsional times of the one ,Ire
equal 10 those of the other. and both describe equal parallels.
The signs in the summer semicircle afe commanding; those in Ihe
winter semicircle. obeying: for . when the Sun is present in the former. he
makes Ihe day longcr than the night: and. when in the laller. he produces
the contrary effect.

Notice here. however. that unlike the previous section. Ptolemy makes the
ve rnal poi1ll the axis. while Paulus makes the whole zoidion of Aries the axis.
Again Paulus seems to be following an older conve ntion. [RH]

1 pro5w.u O. Although the basic root of this verb does not immediately ha\'e
anything 10 do with sound. but rather with the idea of ordering or arrangi ng. it
is cenainly true Ihm one commands by gwing spoken orders.

) hUIWlJkl4o. This word comes from the root which means 10 h~al (akuO } by
lhe addition o r a prepositional prefix meaning under. Notice that it is the 7.(Jidja
in the lo wcr hemi ~ phe rc of the zodiac that obey .

• a kl4 i}. It would seem that commanding and obeying zoidia aro! known
togelher as signs lha\ hear one another. just a~ the looking and perceiving :tJidia
tirc collectively known as the zijidia Ihal sec one another (sec the precedi ng
cll<lpter). In eaeh case !here is an :Ict;ve alld ;1 passive wmponenl.

21
passage l into relation with Hennes or the benefic stars, whether at a
binh, or at such and such a commencemene of the things that are
examined in relation to this pan .

ZiJidia that Command and Obey

IT

ll1

1 parodos. This word generally means to pass by or transit. Here it

evidently means to pass by in opposite directions while in opposite hemi-
spheres; thus. to be in commanding and obeying 1.oidia.

I knwrellc

22
 10. Concerning Triangles, Hexagons, Squares, and Diameters as
Figures

Since the zodiacal c ircle is in fact an assembly of 360 degrees, the side
o f a triangle is fonned o n the one hand from 5 zaidia, on the o ther hand
from 120 degrees l ; for whcn the 120 degrees are tripled they exactly
total the 360 degrees of the circle of Zciidia. The side of a hexagon is
fonned on the one hand from 3 zaidill, on the other from 60 degrees:
for here 100, when the 60 degrees are sextupled they exactly total the
360 degrces of the zodiacal circle . The side of a square is formed on thc
one hand from 4 zoidia, on thc olher from 90 degrees: for when the 90
degrees are quadrupled, they exactly total the 360 degrees of the
zodiacal ci rcle. The side of the diameter is formed on the one hand
fro m 7 ,oidia. o n the other from 180 degrees, which, being doubled.
exactly total the 360 degrees of the zodiacal circle.
The side o f a triangle is harmonious and without harm. That of a
square becomes disharmonious and irregular in relation 10 the fulfill -
ment of the effecls1. That of the hexagon. if it should be found in those
zoidia which hear or see one another. has the power of the triangle, the
hexagonal th ree-zaidia being half of the z6illia of the triangle. The side
Isic.11 of the diameter makes for a contrary. opposed, and irregular
resu lt . Of those stars which arc configured with regard to one and the
same place of the very same ,oidion, let their presence together be
concei ved as harmonious and producti ve in relation to each o f the
effects l • and let it be conceived as like in power 10 Ihe side o f the
triangle.
But those zlJidia which are separated by intervals olher than these

I The IWO ways of describing eaeh figure are coordinated hy the Grer!:

particles men, de. which indicates thal lhesc nrc alternati ve ways ofuoderstand
ir.g the figu re.~ , not equivalent ways. In faCI. lhe fir~1 probably refers to the
older, zodiacal or "plal ~c" definition of lhese figures ill which the IOl(lia
themselycs are said 10 ha" e a figural relationship. while Ihe second refers to the
gCi-JIl'IClrical definition in lenns of an exact number of degrees. Nocice thaI the
counling of ,(i,din is fr{lm the first :oidw,J.

l ('jlo / P/f' ,f nUlIa. ThaI is. the astrological effects. Sec the transialor's general
nOle (II beginnlllg of lrealit'C.

23
are called averted I and unco nnected 1.

The Arrangement of the

Figures
A

E F

B
AB = Diameter AEBF = Square
ACD = Triangle AGCBDH = Hexagon

I apOJl roplti. Literally, turned away.

l asufldelOl·. lllcollj llnct is thc usuallranslation for this word, but in Eoglish

it sounds as if it is onl y negating the conjunction relationship. whereas the

meaning here is Without any of the described figural relationships.

24
 II. Concerning ZoidiD Unconnected to Each Other

The position o f ziJidia which are unconnected to each other is at a

numerical interval of two, six, eight, and twelve . And those ziJidia taken
in relation to some such numerical interval are also said to be averted
from one another. The stars being fo und in these ziJidia, then, become
dishannonious. And somet imes they bring about enmities and factiona-
lisms, other times separations and exiles when such a stance is aoopted
by all, whether by parents toward children, by brothers, by man and
wife. by an association, by slaves and masters, and by all such li ke.!

12. Concerning Those liJidia in Aversion and in Sympathy to

Each Other

The twelfth pans in aversion and unsympathetic 10 one another become

sympathetic through like-engitding l and through ascending in the same
times. Like-engi rding is whenever the ziJidia happe n to be of the same
star. Equal ascens ion is whenever the ziJidia ascend in equal hours fro m

\ Whereas unconnected ziiidia have no connection at all, zoidia in aversion

would seem to he avoiding one another, which is a kind of negative connection.
We might combine these two ideas into the notion of 'disjunction: This helps
10 di stinguish the special character of these relations hips from Ihat of
opposi tions. According 10 the previous chaptcr. the opposition or diametrical
figure has 10 do with contraries and conOicls. But according to main li ne of
Greek thought. contraries generally belong to the same genus and can internct
with one another, as hot and cold, wet and dry. We might say that they must
be tumt:d toward one anotht:r in ordcr to be in strife. and may even be attracted
to one another. However, the ziiidia in aversiun, though unconnected in any
ki nd of generic relationship. afe turned away from one another in a kind of
repulsion.

l Here we see exceptions to the disjunct relationship. Although we have no

clearly worked out examples, Ihus far, it would appear that aspects between
planets in these relationships might be possible. [R H]

) homozania. The pl.mets are here thought of as being cngirdlcd hy cenain

zones of the 'rodiac, Ihal is, certain zaidia. Cenain other deities were called
aziJnos, meaning Ihat Ihey were not confined to any local region.

25
the invisible to the visible. The intervals of the like-engirding zoidia, in
accordance with the count of the uncon nected zoidia, are as follows:
Aries 10 Scorpio, Scorpio to Aries; Taurus to Libra and Libra to Taurus;
Capricorn to Aquarius and Aquarius to Capricorn . Of the equally
ascending z6idia, Ihe arrangements are these: Aries 10 Pisces, Gemini
to Capricorn, Cancer to Sagittarius, Virgo 10 Libra: for they are present
al 2, 6, 8. and 12 zoidia from one another. Those zlJidia which are
neighbors to each other also have a sympathy for each other that is
exactl y like those whic h are arranged in accordance with the same
house-mastery '.
Those zoidia which arc apan by 6 or 8, or 12 have a power exactl y
like those that stand upo n a d iameter. However. there is more power
upon the zoidia which arc like-engirding and those that are equally
ascending, since in this manner the actualizations come about tactfull y
[lil. in accordance with tacI 2[. For example, for those z.oidia which arc
like-engirding landl in aversion, Taurus wi ll exen more power in
relation 10 Libra and Aries in relation to Scorpio. In the same fashion ,
for Ihe equally ascending zoidia also, Cancer will be judged 10 exert
more power in relation to Sagittarius. and Capricorn in relation 10
Gemini. The equally ascending l.oidia which neighbor on o ne another
will likewise exen a power exactl y equal to what was said-even as
those ordered according to a certain co-li ke-engirding or configuration).

I SWloikouna. Cancer and Leo are the heighboring ..oidia. which do nol
ha\·e the same house- master, but the y have the same sympathy for each o:her
as those that do.

1 epidexiO!is. Literally, handiness or dex terity: metaphorically, cleverness

or tact. The lexicon also gives 'positioll on the right' as a meaning (the root
being dex;os). and cites this passage in l'aulus. If there is some reference 10
right-side in this passage. it is subordinate to the idea that sympathctic tJjidia
arc morc likcly to exhibit a certain tact in their dealings IOward one another.
increasing the chances that a certain effect will actually be brought about.

l This last phrase looks forward to the flext chapter.

26
 13, Concerning (he L ike-cngirding a nd E qua lly Rising Twelflh
Parts w hich a .-e Figu.-ed

llle remaining pairs of the like-engirding ,oidia, which are actually in

square to each other, have a regard! that is do uble the power of the
like,e ngirding ,oidia ordered by aversion to each other. Sagittarius is to
Pisces and Gemini to Virgo e ~act l y as those ,oidia which are them-
selves ordered by tact 2 and by superiorityJ. As for those ,oidia which
are equally ascending but also fi gured, Leo will have more power in
relation 10 Scorpio, and Aquarius in relat ion to Taurus. for, the , iJidia
wh ich are neighbors in accordance with likc-engirding will have a
power exactly equal to those ,oidia that have made a config uration.

I IheOrj(J. {Additional by RBI [n Hindu astrology, aspect relationships

between signs arc said to havc a full glance, Of a half glance, or three-quarters
glance. Although 'glance' might not be the most appropriate Engli sh word to
use here, it is clear that the word 'thelMa', and the original Sanskril lenn arc
concepluaJly related. ' A ~pect : itself is a word of vision in Latin. See page xi
in the introductory section.

I that is. sympathetic l.aidia . See note 2 on page 26 for a discussion of the
WOld "att.·

J kmhupcnuisis. This .... ord. likc tpjdt.fiQtbi which has i ! cOIlnotation of

being in [he nghl , has the connolatioo of being in a position above. The exact
sense is nO! clear.

27
 Like-engirdling

IT

ill
TIl

28
 Equally Rising

T H

II

m.
ll1

14. Concerning the Phases Which the Fh'e Stars Make in Rela-
tion to the Sun

The wandering stars make phases in relation to the Sun, sometimes

morning risi ngs and even ing settings, other times eveni ng risings and
morning settings, as they are bom along in their course 10 fi rst and
second stalion. For this reason. they someti mes become subtractive in
numbers l and acronycal, and other limes they are laken to be additi ve

1 Retrograde motion.

29
in num bers l . And when the stars happen to be at morn ing rising. let
the m be concei"ed to be active and effective fro m youth in relation to
their specific effocts2• And at evening rising and for advancing times)
they arc effecti ve in their specific effects. When mak.ing morn ing or
evening senings. or when retracing (heir path, or when decli ning. the ir
productions are ineffectual . unavai ling. and insignificant .
The stars become morning risers whenever they are separated from
the Sun by IS degrees in the preced ing degrees. or even in the
preced ing ..oidia: this lasts until. in the course of their motion. they are
found to move into a right hand triangle wi th il. They are evening risers
whenever they are separated from the Su n by the said 15 degrees in lhe
succeedi ng degrees, o r eve n in the succeeding ..oidia. up until they
should be found in a left hand triangle with it. When they have had an
interval in relation to the Sun within the said 15 degrees, being present
in thc degrees pre-ascend ing the Sun. they make a morning setting; in
the degrees post-ascending it. an evening one 4 . They become conj unct.
whenever they happen to be in the same degree of the same zoidiotr as
the Sun, nOI being 59 minutes apan fro m it. more or less. The stars
become more ineffectual and unavailing in relation to their specific
effects. whenever one of them is within a di stance of 9 degrees from the
S un ~. whether it should occur at morning or evening selling.
We will make use of an illustraliun in order to conceive the
aforesaid more easily. Let it be the case that Ihe Sun is in the 17th
degree of Pisces, whi le the star of Zeus is in the 2nd degree of the same
.." idion. and Kronos is upon the 26th degree of Pisces. We say that the
Slar of Zeus is morning rising. because it already had dealings with the

I Direct motion.

l (lpofe/eSmllf(l.

J i.e. direct. [RH]

• In th is passage, risi ng and sctting evidently refer to the planets' appear·

ance from the glare of the Sun and ils disappearance within that glare. In
Ptolemy and others. evening ris ing and setting have to do with the planets'
literally ri ~ing in the cast as the Sun sets in the west and vice \·ersa.

' i.e. comoost. although the value is a bit different. fR 11j

30
Sun in the preceding [5 degn,<:s. . while Kronos is evening setting.
because il did not Sland apart from the Sun Ihe said 15 degrees in the
succeeding degrees.
In order 10 make what we have said quite clear, the degrees and
zaidia precedi ng the Sun up until the side of the triangle in the degrees
pre-ascending the Sun and on the right-hand side of it have dealings in
the morning. The degrees and zlHdia succeeding the Sun up until the
side of Ihe triangle in the degrees post-ascending the Sun and on the
left-hand side of it maintain their regard ' in the evening.
And those of the stars which become spear-bearers for the Sun are
in the degrees and zo idia preceding the Sun, up until the side of the
triangle. The spear-bearers for the Moon have prepared the degrees
succeeding it. up until the next z.{}idion.
Then , those of the stars which become spear-bearers for the Sun arc
actually more active and stronger. whenever they are found as morning
risers in the same zaidion as the Sun. having dealings in advantageous
places of the birth, being of the sect of the Sun or actually being ils
house-stewards . Let those for the Moon be conceived as more effective
and more active in the same fashion.

15. Concerning Stations

The stations of the stars are different and they do not arise the same.
The stars of Kronos, of Zeus. and of Ares make their first station when
they are distant from the Sun by more or less than 120 degrees and
appear in a right hand triangle l . and as Ihey are moving more slowly
they pivot around at about that same degree until they become
subtractive in numbers by retrograding. (thei r first station changing to
the subtraction of numbers . the second to addition). And generally. the
aforesaid three planets become subtractive in numbers, whenever Ihey
are 6 or 7 or 8 zaidia distant from the Sun. And when they appear
opposite it, within 180 degrees. which is 7 l.iJidia, they have the
acronycal phase from the solar ray. and as they continue to go back

I ischousin len Iheiil"ftUl_

: The reader should refer back 10 the previous chapter to set' how the sanK'
figure relalCS the tennination of the morning rising phllse. 1RIIi

31
they are subtracting in numbers evcn mo re, and they appear to be
greater in thci r circumference by taking the transparent light from the
ray of the Sun.
The second stalion of the aforesaid stars comes about whenever
they are distant from the ray of the Sun by more or lcss than 120
degrees in the succeeding pan of the zodiac making a Icfl hand triangle
wilh the Sun. and as they begi n go forward, becomi ng addili\'e in
numbers. Ihey move even faster at this figure.
Whence they have properly been called statio ns. The first, then ,
from the slars' having come to a stand and retrac ing thcir Sleps by
subtracting in numbers was called the subtractive station . The second,
from Ihe stars' havi ng come 10 a stand and addi ng in numbers for a
faster Illotion. was called the additive station. The Stars are called
acro nycal when they happen 10 be al the diameter of the Sun, rising
with its sett ing.
Only the star of Ares moves anomalously when it is about to
station . It makes its first anomaly, when , being morning risi ng, it stands
apart frolll the Sun by 82 degrees as it is being carried 10 its first
station . The second, whenevcr it appears as evening rising, standing
apart from the Sun by the same 82 dcgrees as it is being carried fro m
its second station and has become additive in numbers l .

I Neugebauer has thc following passage in his /liSlO ry of Ancien! Malhemal·

ical A.stronomy. p. 792.

Mainly in astrological conte.lts one can find references 10 a special

"phasc" of Mars called the '"90-day anomaly" 0 1 simi lar. variously related
to the stations of the planet or its elongation with respecl to the Sun. What
all this means becomes intelligible thanks to a passage in Pliny in which
he says that Mars is sensitive to the mys of Ihe sun al 90" elongation.
called "primus el.teCWldus tlon.agenurius," and that the planet remains six
months in the same sign when "stationary" (slOlion.(Jlis).
The laller remark contains the key to all the passages considered here.
If e represems the exact opposition of the planet then there cxist two
neighboring points. e' and e~ . of equallongitudc ... The lime interval
between e' and 9 " is \'ery nearly six months and for this interval the
longitude of Ihc planet remains well within ±15°, i.c. within "the same
sign." Since lhe elongation of the planet from thc sun al 9 is per
dcfinitionem 180° the elongation near e ' and 9 ". 90 days earlier and lalel.
is ±900 since thc sun moves 90° in 90 days. Hcnce the "stationary"

32
 Thcy arc called anoll1:llies. because the star moves anomalously
whe n it comes illlo these figures. Every time this star makes either its
first or its second a nomaly. whenever it should scrutinize ' the S un. it
lays waste Ihe p3lernal s urplus and brings ruin to the falher hi mself. In
addition to these. it becomes a cause of injury a nd suffering, especially
concerning Ihe eyes. o r madness. The sufferings are concerned with the
father, or else the binh itself. For if the Sun is s uccored by
benefics-for example. Zeus o r the Moon- by bei ng fi gured wi th them.
o r if it is upon a pivot point, o r in benefic places. the fat he r is
unharmed. and one will turn his atte ntion to the binh itself for the harm.
and consider the cyes and the inteliect 1, for the Sun is the ru ler of
these. If the Sun is afflic ted while the Horoskopos is succored . the
father is dest royed. for the Sun is the analogue of the fathe r. the

interval of Mars is limited by the quadratures. a situation of obvious appeal

to astrological speculation .
In later sources !paulus is spccifically cited--RHI we find Pliny's
quadratures replaced oy elongations of 82°. In effect this means introdue·
ing as boundaries of the "stationary" intervals points beforc e"and after
e". hence to shorten somewhat the section of linear motion. The origin of
the parameter gO::90-82° is probably to be related to the elongation
required for the first and last visibility of Mllrs.

We would like to offer an addi tional cxplanation for the change from 90° to
82°. It may ~ that Paulus and others arc not really concerned with e. e' and
e" as is Neugebauer, but with the entry of Mars inlo Ihe arc range of Ihe
retrograde motion, kn<Jwn as "retrograde arc" in modem astrology. In other
words we arc concerned not with Marl; transit over the longitude of the
upcoming opposition. Ncugebauer's e.
but with Mars' direct transit over the
degree of the upcoming direcl station and the later transit of Mars dircct in
longitude over Ihe place of the previous retrograde station . Actual investigation
shows Ihslthe elongation of Mars from the Sun at these times is highly variable
but comes at limes very dose to Paulus' figure of 82° and is qui te often less
than 90". Paulus' 8r could well represent the minimum elongation of Mars
required for much slower mo,'cment of Mars near- stations thaI causes il to
remalll within less than a 30° span. [Ril l

I See glossary.

: higt'''If'nlkofl. Ttml IS. Ihe rulin~ facul ty.

33
Horoskopos of the child. And the Moon. when it is suffering, makes for
the same things concerning the mother!.
The star of Aphrodite and the star of Hermes have a different
change over in the motion of the stations, fo r, the fi rst station for the
stars of these two comes about in different degrees. The one stations.
whenever it should be distant from the Sun by 48 degrees in the
succeeding part of the zod iac. For then, after making the motion slower,
it begi ns to retrace its steps and subtract in numbers, until , after
becoming conjunct with the Sun, it will arrive at its morning rising. And
il will make its second stalion when il is distant from the Sun by the
same 48 degrees.
The star of Hermes makes its first station whenever it should be
distant from the Sun by 22 degrees in the succeeding 1.6idiOtl. Then,
after making its mOl ion slower, it will similarly begin to retrace its
sleps, until. after becoming conjunct with the Sun. it will arrive at ils
morning ri sing. and makes its second station the same 22 degrees
distant from the Sun. The slar of Aphrodite is not apart from the Sun
by more than two z6idia, while the slar of HcmlCS is up to one sign
apart. The Handy Tables of Claudius Ptolemy wi lJ set out the precise
val ues of these.

16. Concerning the Figul"es that the Moon Makes with the Sun

The fi gures of the Moon, which are called phases, arc ten: Conjunction,
Coming Forth, Rising, Crescent, Half, Doubly Convel(l, Whole Moon ,
Doubly Con vel( again, Second Half, and Second Crescent. Some say
that there is an 11th phase, calling it With Full Light or FuJI Moon.
The Conjunction is whenever the Moon happens to be at the same
degree of the same ztjidioll as the Sun. Coming Forth, whenever it
passes by the Moon one degree. Rising, whenever it should go past by

I All of this comes down to the idea that Mars is especially dangerous in
a nativity when it is ncar or in stationary arc. The first anomaly seems to be the
period from the fi rst slowing down through the retrograde station until the
opposition. The second anomaly seems 10 be the period from the opposition
through the direct station until the planet is moving briskly again direct. (R HI

I Gibbous.

34
 15 degrees. The lirst Crescent appears whenever the Moon should
become distant from the Sun by 60 degrees in the following part of the
zodi ac. bei ng actually the side of a hexagon. The First Half is whenever
the Moon is 90 degrees distanl fro m the Sun in the followi ng pan,
being actually upon the side of a square. The First Doubly Convex is
whenever the Moon is 120 degrees distant from the Sun in the
follow ing pan, standing upon the side of a triangle. The Full Moon is
whenever it should happen to be away from the Sun by 6 zoidia, or 150
degrees!, in the following z6idia, but not yet making a diameter with
il. The Whole Moon is whenever the Moon is 180 degrees distant from
the Su n in the fo llowing zoidia, taking up a posi tion upon the diameter,
which is called the Bond of the Whole Moon. Waning is whenever the
Moon should go by the position at the diameter of the Sun by one
degree, and is called dimi nishing Unli! 30 degrees. The Second Doubly
Convex is whenever it should be 120 degrees distant from the Sun in
the part left behind, standing upon side of a triangle. The Second Half
is again whenever the Moon is 90 degrees distant fro m the Sun in the
same pan, being actually upon the side of a square. The Second
Crescent is whenever it should be 60 degrees distanl frolll the Sun in
the pan left behind, upon the hexagon figure .
Whence, the names of the Moon have been appropriately coined 2
according to the changing of the figures . For, Conjunction is named
from the coming together] of the Moon with the Sun and running along

! The reader should note that the Greek phrase which translates literally as

·Full Moon' is not the same as our full moon. Paulus' 'full moon· would be
called by us 'very gibbous!' However, to the naked eye looking quickly. any
Moon more than 1500 away from the Sun would appear (0 be fu ll in our sense.
'm e actual OPPOSition of the Moon to the Sun is called by Paulus the ' Whole
Moon: [R H)

: Qnom(JIOlwiia. Used in the Greek like the English transliteration

onomatopeia to distinguish a word that sounds like what it means. It does nOl
seem to mean thaI here. Instead, the names of the lunar figures afe derived from
the appearances (phases) of the Moon itself.

I s unl!iml

35
 Who!eMoon

Second First
Doubly Doubly
Convex Convex

Second First
Half Half

Second First
Crescent Crescent

)10
Conjunction

the same pat h with il. Coming forth from the Moon's coming out l of
the Sun, since when the Moon passes by it by one degree it begins to
appear with respect to the COSIllOS, but not with respect to us. Rising is
whenever, goi ng past it by 15 degrees, it appears to take on light which
is in shape of a slender linc. Crescent! is so named because it appears
to assume the ideal fom) which is li ke il. For the Moon itself is
"month" ) since it also makes a monthly rising. Hal f is so called,
because with half of its complete light, it appears to become cut in half.
Doubly Con vex is so named, because the sight of thc light itself appcars
to be convex in fonn on both sides. Full Moon is SO called by its
appearing from 6 zlJidia, but Whole Moon . because it has been fi lled
with light from the rays of the Sun. appeari ng to be positioned at its

I e.xeim i.

l mblOeidl.l. Litcmlly, M oon.form. See next note.

) meni . A nother word for the Moon.

36
diameter, having every torch filled with light. Whence it appears to be
circular in fonn like the Sun when it becomes a Whole Moon. Waning
is so called, because, in goi ng past the rays at the diameter, it has from
that moment on an extinguishing and diminishment of its lights.

17. Concerning the Separation and Application Which the Moon

Makes in Relation to the Wandering Stars1

Si nce the determination concerning application 1 and separdtion1 is

made in manifold ways, it is necessary to present the teaching concern-
ing il. II holds thusly: If the Moon should happen to have more degrees
than a star in the same l.oidion. il has made ils separation from it. just
as also if Ihe one of Ihe Slars that is actually upon Ihe same l,i)idion as
the Moon should have dealings while having more degrees than il. this
star admits of application by the Moon. And in the same fash ion, if the
stars should be found in the l,oidiotl following or preceding the Moon,
being within an arc of thirty degrees, they maintain the relation· of
separation and application .
For an example', with Ihe Moon in the 20th degree of Sagittarius,
the star of Ares in the 20th degree of Scorpio, and the star of Aphrodite
in the 20th degree of Capricorn, we say that the separation of the Moon
from the star of Ares is done, its application to the star of Aphrodite has
begun.
As regards the separations or the applications that arise through the

1 In this chaptcr we ha ve for the Moon something very like orbs in the

modem sense. i.e. the figures are not merely taken from zijiJion to ziiidiOll but
the actual dcgrus are also taken into.consideration as affecting the natu re of the
interaction between the Moon and other planets. [RH )

I s1UIaphi. Literally. a connection or union of IWO things.

l af/paraia. Literally, a flowing off from. It also means effluence .

• lagos.

! The word here is eikiJn, actuall y meaning image. This is an extremely

unusual expression for °an example.'

37
presence of the stars in the same ,oidioll as the Moon, one must treat
them th usly : Say that the Moon is in the 10th degree of Taurus, the star
of Hermes in the 9th degree, that of Zeus in the 11th degree. We say
here that the Moon has begun its separation from Hennes and is
applying to the star of Zeus.
The determination concerning separation and application, when
being treated of from the first degree up to an arc of three degrees, is
always the most active in relation to the fonn of the effects being
brought aboul. Second of the aforesaid description of degrees is that
having a number from the first degree up to an arc of seven degrees.
The third in activity is that frum the first degree up to the 15th. The
fourth for the determination concerning separation and application is
treated of from the first degree up to the 30th. The separations or the
applications that are taken from these latter intervals have their acti vity
late in one' s years and not from youth (I mean from middle age, or
even for old age), bringing to completion the activity of those good or
base ones L which are to come.
We will make use of yet another paradigm to fu lly understand the
detennination concerning separation and application . Say that the Moon
is in the 13th degree of Libra. the star of Ares in the 6th degree, the
star of Zeus being in the 20th degree of the same ~oid;on . The Moon
has fini shed separating from the star of Ares and has begun to apply to
the star of Zeus within the delimitation of the arc o f seven deg rees~ .
The fonn of separation and application is treated in accordance with
figures and in accordance with wind 3. It is taken in retation 10 the stars
partly according to a triangle, partly according 10 a hexagon. panJy
according to a square and d iameter. Thc application according to a
triangular side has dealings within 120 to 117 degrees, that accordi ng
to a hexagonal within 60 to 57 degrees, that according to a square
within 90 and 87 degrees, that according to a diameter within 180 and

\ It is not clear whether this refers to things. or applications and separations.

1 take the two aori st verhs in this sentence as the resultallve and
We
respectively. This whole ch3p1er is a stud), ill some of the intricants
ingres~ i ve
of Greek verb lenses. Sec Smyth '~ Grflllrmar for" discussion of these aorist
forms .

) See next chapter.

38
177 degrees, either according to a right hand or a left hand figure of the
stars in relation 10 the Moon .
For the purpose of illustrating the application upon the side of a
triangle, Jet il be given that the Moon is at the 15th degree of Aries.
Zeus at the 181h to the 15th degree of Sagittarius. We say that the
application of the Moon to Zeus has taken place accordi ng to a right
hand triangle. One must conceive of the Moon being similarly figured
by degrees for the remaining sides.
As for the kind of separation or application of the Moon in relation
to the stars l that comes about in accordance with the motion of the
wind. it has ils own spec ial tre3tmenl, wilh the Moon sometimes rising
up and coming back together with the passage of the wandering stars
in the same wind; other times in a different wind.
Without there being a determination that concerns separatio n and
application, there is established at binh no longness or shonness of life,
no suffering, no injury, no wealth , no ill-fonu ne. no good or bad
reputation, no manhood, no weakness 2.

18. On the Prior Knowledge of Winds

From the triang ular separations and applications of the Moon it is

possible to know the winds that are about to blow . For if the Moon has
a triangular application or separation to some star in the fi rst tri gon of
Aries, Leo and Saginarius, the wind will be from the eastern quaner. In
the second trigon of Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn, il will be from the
South Wind. In the third trigon of Gem ini, Libra and Aquarius, the
wi nd will be fro m the westi n Ihe fourth trigon of Cancer, Scorpio and
Pisces, it will be the Nonh Wind. From the nature of the star you wi ll
know whether il is turbulent or calm .

I It is nOI clear whether these arc iixed stars, planets or both. (R H\

l While Paulw. does not gh-c us the act ual means of clctcrmining lhese
mattcrs from the <lpplicalion and scpalation of the Moon , this lasl paragraph
gives us some idea of how important the Moon was in his sy~[em . I I(H J

39
 19. On Knowing How Many Oays of the Gods There Are

Adding a fo unh of the years from Dioc1etian l to the year you are
seeking, along with two uni ve rsal ! years, a nd di viding the resulting
number by 7, call the days left over the days of the gods.)
For the purpose of illustration , I seek how many days of the gods
result for the time of the 94th year o f Diocle tian , t hus ly . Find ing 23 as
the foun h of the m, whe n the uni versal two a nd the 94 years are
collected lo~el her with the m, 119 resull. I divide by 7, seven times 10
is 70. 7 times 6 is 42. 7 is the rema inder~ . We call these the days o f
the gods. If the number is fo und 10 be full a nd nothing is left as a
remainder. we call this a hexamerorJ.

I The Era of Diocletian was instituted by that emperor so as to institutional-

ize his reforms of the Roman state into ca lendar calculations. Years were to be
computed from this era using the alread y r,xisting Alexandrian calendar. Usi ng
Ihe Julian calendar. Thoth I Era of Dioc1elian corresponds to 29 Aug. 284 C.E.
IRHI

I [t is interesting that when Paulus adds these two years to thc years from

the Diocletian era. he calls them "universal." Thi s rcnccts the highly concretc
character of Greek arit hmetic, which does I1Qt count "abstract" units. but apples
and o ranges. It would be a conceptual faux pas not 10 dcsignate the~e two
additional years as neulral or all-purpose.

l The Alcxandrian calendar had 365 days. cllcept that it had 366 days every
fourth year, liKe our leap year. This calculation evidentl y determines just where
we are in the ..... eek afte r a certain number of full years has elapsed. This pie<:c
of information is required for finding OUt what day of the week it is somewhere
in the course of lhe year, which is calculated in the nell t chapter.
The year of the Alexandrian was exactly the same length as the Julian
year, but was di vided diffen:ntly. There were twelve mont hs of exactly 30 days
in length starting wilh I TIloth which was Aug. 29 Julian in normal years and
Aug. 30 in leap yeaf1;. The five elltm days, six in leap yean., were added 10 the
end of the year.

• This method of di\'islon may seem a bit strange 10 the reader. bul 10 fact
Paulus is doing on paper exactly what ..... e do in our heads when ..... e are
beginni ng to do a di\'ision problem. [Ril l

40
 20. On Knowing to Which of the Gods Each Day Belongs l

Double the months from the month of Thoth up to the month in

question. add to the number that results from this doubling the days of
the gods found for that time, and further add to the conjoined number
the day of the month, and divide the resulting number by 7. Pass the
remainder through' from the day of the Sun in the order of the seven
days of the week, giving one day to eaeh of the stars, and you wil l find .
from the star that it is, the day which you are seek.ing.
For the purpose of illustration . we are seeking to which god the day
belongs for today, which is the 20th of M echeir. 94 years from
Diocletian. Then since 6 months elapse from Thoth to Mecheir. we
double these and 12 result. There are 7 days of the gods for this year.
If we add these 10 the doubled number of the months, 19 result. If we
funher add to these 19the twenty from the month in question, 39 res ult.
We divide these by 7. Since five times 7 is 35. 4 remain. We depart
with the 4 from the day of the Sun, and we measure by following in the
order of the seven days of the week, counLing the firs t as the Sun,
giving the second to the Moon . assigning the third 10 Ares. the fourth
to Hennes. Therefore. the day arrived at in the aforesaid fashion is the
day of Hennesl .

I This and the previous chapter give us methods for computing the days of

the week. which are vital for compUling planetary hours. tR Hl

2 See notes to chapler 22 for Ihis terminology.

J Feb. 14. 371 C.E. tRill

41
 21. Concerning the Star Going About and the One Executing l

For each birth and for every day, it will be necessary to consider the
stat going about l and the one executing), by means of the position of
the stars in the sphere, in accordance with the elementary discussion of
the seven-7.oned sphere. For, it is through these that the incidents that
arise generally for contract, promise, fa ilor, and gift are comprehended.~
Thi s inquiry itsel f is useful for the success of all iances with the
ruling or prevailing persons. s It is also useful for lawsuits, blackmai l,
bonds, and confi nements: complaints, slanders, complications, destruc-
tions. thefts, and testaments that come up. And on 1I0yages, commercial
trips. and journeys. we will be able to detect baules. entanglements.
decu mbitures. and the like. And for physicians il contributes to inqu iry
both in the diagnosis of those who are sick and in the appl ication of
surgical arts or medical treatme nts. And it helps make an unerring
commencement6 in the aforesaid matters.
The seven-wnw sphere has the following order: The star of Kronos
had alloued to it the first and uppennost zone. which is very cold and
lies in the outer mass. The star of Zeus had allotted to it the second
zone. which is aClUally temperate and growth-promoting and generative.
The star of Ares had allotted to it the third and extremely hot zone,
which works destructively. The Sun has obtained by lot the fourth and

I This is a chapter abou t planetary hours. [RH[

po/em;. Commonly applied to going about in a city. Peri(lo/eo is

commonl y used to designate the stars that wander. or the planets. See the title
of c hapter 17 ahove.

1 djefJo. TIlis means to conducl or manage business. and is especially

applicable to 3 deputy or subordinate .

• Cf c hapler 4 where we suggest a connection between policing and the star

goi ng about and the one executing.

l pros6pos. This tenn may suggest a connection with face as an astrological

tenn. Cf chapler 4.

, kalarchl.

42
middlemost zone of the ether, which is extremely hot and generati ve.
Aphrodite, having the fifth and calm zone allotted 10 it. has become the
cause of generation and offspring. The star of Hennes had alloted to it
the sixth zone common to many, which is wet. The most powerful
Moon, having obtained as its lot the seventh zone, which is likewise
wet. and most proximale to the earth, and which admits the effluences
of the stars that occupy more lofty zones than it, causes increase and
diminution of the whole, showing by means of its own image that the
life of man is in a state of irregularity.
The mcthod of the planet going about and the one executing,
whether for each day or for a birth. is like this. Let the day be give n as
that of Kronos. The star itself becomes the lord of the day and goes
aboul the entire day. The fi rst hour it is goi ng about and executing as
well . The second hour it bestows upon Zeus l , and we call the second
hour the time when Kronos is going about. Zeus executing. Then il
bestows the third hour on Ares, and we call it the hour whcn Kronos is
going about. Ares executing. The fourth on the Sun. when Kronos is
going about . the Sun executing. The fifth on Aphrodite. when Kronos
is going about , Aphrodite executing. The sixth on Hermes. when Kronos
is goi ng about, Hermes executing. And the sevenlh upon the Moon,
when Kronos is going about, the Moon executing.
At the eighth hour, Kronos itself is again going about and execut·
ing. At the ni nth hour, Kronos is goi ng about, Zeus executing. At the
tenth. Kronos is going about. Ares executing. At the eleventh, Kronos
is going about, the Sun executi ng . At the twelfth. Kronos is going
about . Aphrodite executing. And at the firs t nocturnal hour of the
nocturnal sect. Kronos is going about while Hermes. following in order.
executes . At the second hour Kronos goes around whi le the Moon is
executing.
For the third hour. Kronos himsel f is again going about and
executing. and so on. until after the night has fu lfilled itself. the day of
the Sun is born. For then again the Sun is going about and executing
the entire day and the fo llowing night as well , and more particularly, at
the first hour he is going about and executi ng. The second is when the
Sun is going about and Aphrodite is said to execute; the third Hermes;
the fourth . the Moon : the fifth . Kronos: the sixth. Zeus; the seventh,

I This seems to indicate that it is the planet going about that delegates

authority 10 the other planets at the different hours.

43
Ares. Whereupon for the eighth, the Sun itself is ag"in the one going
about and executing. And so forth, as the sccluence dictates.

22. Concerning Ibe Twelftb Parts

One must treat of the twelfth part 1 of the stars and of whatever kind of
pivot point or lot as follows: For lhe twelfth part of the star or pivot
point or lot in question, mU ltiply the degrees which it has by 13. and
pass 2 the conjoined} number through, counting off 30 degrees from it
for each loidiol!. and at the place where the deJimitcd 4 number should

1 dQdd:Lllimorion. The ancient counterpan of the modem thineent h

harmonic. This is obvioosly the ordinal usage of 'twelfth: the twelfth in the
order of the count. but somewhat uncharacteristically (for the Greeks) beginning
the count from the next =jjidiOll in the order as 'one,' A =jjidion can also be
called a twelfth pan, in the sense of one I"'elflh of Ihe zodiac. The root of this
word is another word for part or piece (marion ) which has fewer ovenones of
tot or o ne's ponion than moira docs.
In addition to the method of computing the dodekalemorion given by
Paulus there are 1110'0 other types. One is a dOdeiwlemorion of Ihe Moon
described in Manilius, which does not concern us here. The other is computed
in thl: same m3nner 3S the method described here, except that the longitude is
multiplied by 12 mther than 13 so that each widion is divided into exactly 12
subdivisions beginning wi th one that is the same as the ~oidion. This is the
source of the Hindu DwadlUlUllSa.

1diekball6 . The word literally means to pass through and out, as in sewing
with a needle 3l1d thread. It is also used of a river nowing within its banks
(horilJ!)

) $unachtMi.1, This word literally means having drawn together. The number
obtained by multiplying the degrees by 13 is a multitude and not a unity- that
is. the pans are loose from one another. The dirferent pans must be thought of
as united together before this '"nur.lber'· can be pulled through aOO around the
zodiacal circle .

• $umperai6. Literally. co-delimit. E"idently this refers to the cxtremities

created by "culling out"' or deleting the ptlrtS aSSigned 10 the whole w ilfio, or
internal delimitations of the number. Yet the 1110'0 pieces arc sli ll regarded ;1$

44
leave off, say thaI that is the twelflh pan l .
For the purpose of illustration, let the slar of Hermes, say, be at the
11th degree o f Aries, Multiply the II degrees by 13, and the result wi ll
be 143. With these, depart from the zo idion in which the star is, giving
30 degrees to each zlJidiml ; 23 are left over. We say the twelfth part of
Hermes to be the 23rd degree of Leo.
The twe lfth part of benefics contributes much whenever one of
them should fall within the zoidion in which the Sun, Moon , or slar of
Hennes is found , or upon o ne of the four pivot points, or upon the Lot
of Fortune, Divin ity or even of Necessity, or upon the prenatal
conj unctio n o r whole moon. For through this theory it will be necessary
to indicate men who are fortun ate, long-lived and blest.
Likewise, if the twelflh part of one of the malefic stars sho uld fall
within the zoiditJt/ in which the Sun, Moon, or star of Hennes is found
or upon one of the four pivot points or upon the Lot of Fo rtune,
Divinity o r Necessity, or upon the prenatal conj unction or whole moon ,
it will show men who are poor, unable to acquire property, and
accursed; and sometimes it ordains short life, violent death, suffering,
or injury.

Another from Paul us-

Extend the degrees of the zOidion which the star has, multiplied by 13,
from the zoidioll in which the star is found , giving 30 degrees to each

composing one number, a number with a gap. as it were. In later calculations

in this treatise Paulus will actually refer 10 the number as ·elided.'

I Why docs Paul us go through all of this rigmarole? He will use the same

phraseology several more times in other calculations in this treatise. Why

doesn' t he: si mply perform his multiplication and find the correct degree, as we
would today? For now, lei us only recall thai the degrees here arc ' portions.'
Wc seem to be deali ng with a special arithmetit: of ' portions.' Greek mathemat-
ical thinking is "cry concrete, and never deals with ·'abstract" units in the
modem sense. (Plato tal ks of "apple numbers" and "bowl nllmbers:·) TIle
arithmetical operations mllst likewise be thought of in relation to the 'units'
being calculated, These operations seem to be conceptualized in tc rm~ of a spin-
ning/sewing motif. Might this not be bccau.<;e this was whalthe three Fates-the
Moirai--did with man' s fate, his por1ion (moira)?

45
zoidion. and at the place where the number leaves off. .::all that the
twelfth part of the star. For example. for the said paradigm. let the
Moon be in the 13th degree of Aries. I multiply the 13 degrees by 13.
The result is 169. I give 150 of these to Aries. Taurus, Gemini , Cancer.
and Leo, at 30 degrees apiece. The remainder is 19. And the twelfth
pan of the Moon is in Virgo as in the prior method. Thi s latter method
is better than the fonner one. because through it the twelfth part of the
star can be found in the same zoidioll , even whe n. with a circle, it is in
the same ZDidion that irs cessation is found l .

23. Concerning the Seven Lots in the Panaretus 1

First is the Lot of Fortune. For this, it will be necessary to count fro m
the solar degree up to Ihe lunar degree for those born in the day; and
then il is necessary to extend Ihe conjoined number from the degree-
count of the Hiiroskopos, giving 30 degrees to each zoidion, and at
whatever place the total number should leave off. call that the Lot of
Fonune3 . For those born at night. it is the reverse. That is, from the
lunar degree to the solar degree. And similarly, it is necessary to extend
thc remainder from the degree of the Horoskopos.
Second is the Lot of Di vini ty. For this, you will count from the
degree of the Moon to the degree of the Sun for d iurnal births. and it
is necessary to extend the conjoined number from the degree of the

I This seems to be the very same calculation as above. except for the
sub ~titution of a few words ('extend' for 'pa% through', 'assigning' for
'cou nti ng off and 110 deSCription of the number as delimited). These substitu-
tions might amount to 3 rcconceptualilation of some kind, necessary in order
to accommodate the case in which the twelfth part falls in the same z6idiOll.

1 This bcxlk is a'\Cribcd to Hermes Tresmcgistes. This title literally mealls

"all virtuous." This may be sigllificant because there were sevell e1assical
virtues. each of which was unders tood to be a mean of sorts (compare
Pto lemy's lfamlOn i~ ). while the seven lots di seussed ill this chapter call also
he formulated as means (i n the mathematical sense).

J The language here is the same as in the sccolld method presented in the

preceding chapter,

46
H oroskopos, again distributing up to 30 degrees to each 1.6idion. And
at whatever place the number should leave off, that will be the Lot of
the Divinity. Thus for the day, bUI the reverse for the night.
Third is the Lot of Eros. For this, you will count from the Lot of
Divi nity to the degree of Aphrodite for those born in the day, and an
equal amount from the H 6roskopos. But for those born al night, the
reverse .
Fourth is the Lot of Necessity . For this. you will calculate it too
from the degree of Hennes to Lot of the Fortune for those born in the
day. and an eq ual amount from the H6roskopos. But for those born al
night, the reverse.
Fifth is the Lot of Courage. For thi s, you wi ll deal from the degree
of Ares to the Lot of Fortune for those born in the day, and an equal
amount fro m the Homskopos. But for those born at night. the reversc.
Sixth is the Lot of Victory. For this, you will count from the Lot
of Divinity to the degree of Zeus for those born in the day, and an
equal amount from the H 6roskopos. But for those born at night. the
reverse.
Seventh is the Lot of Nemesis'. For this, you will count from
Kronos to the Lot of Fortune for diurnal births, and an equal amount
from the H6roskopos. But for night births, the reverse.
It is seemly thaI the Lots have this as their genesis, since by nature
the Moon comes to be Fortune!; the Sun, Divinity; Aphrodite, Eros ; the
star of Hennes. Necessity: that of Ares. Courage; that of Zeus, VictOf)';
that of Saturn. Nemesis. The H6r oskopos acts as a mediating judge of

, Nemesjs is [he actual Greek used. 1llc word could be tr.ansl:nc<.l as

'judgement' . 'retribution' or righteous anger aro used by injustice. We have
retained the Greek word because of the myt hical connotations whic h are
cerlainly part of the conception. [RH J

I What is the relationshi p between the planct and the lot1 Paulas docs not
say that the Moon is fortune but he uses the perfect tense of kalhjsli!mi, a
common word which means (among other things) 'to settle down .' 'to stand
quiet: or 'come to be' in a certain state. We might speculate that the way in
which thc Moon comes ro be forlune i~ geometrically represented as the
determination of a fourth arithmetical proportional : Sun is 10 Moon as
I UJroslcopos ( Hasis) is the Lot of Fortune. That is. when Inc Moon properly rests
on its basis. it is fortune .

47
these. becoming the basis of the entire cosmos.
And Fortune signifies everything that concerns the body. and what
one does through the course of life. It becomes indicat ive of posses-
sions, reputation and pri vilege.
Divinity happens to be lord of soul . temper, mindfulness. and every
JXlwer; and sometimes it also cooperates in the detenni nalion concerning
what one does.
Eros signifies the appetites and the voluntative desires. It becomes
a contributing cause of friend ship and mutual favo r.
Necessity signifies constrai nts. submissions, struggles, and wars.
and makes enmities, hatreds, condemnations, all the other restrictive
things befalling men as a result of their birth .
Courage becomes a contributing cause of boldness, treachery,
might, and every villainy.
Victory becomes a contributing cause of trust. good expectation.
contest, and every association; but sometimes it contributes to penalties
and rewards,
Nemesis becomes a contri buting cause of subterranean fate s and of
everything which is ice-cold, of demonstration. impotence, exile.
destruction , grief. and quality of death.
The Ba.fi s. which is the H6roskopos. is a contributing cause of life
and breath, s ince together with being born every child tears away the
breath of life from the li ving airl in the turn ing pointl of the
water·clock's hour. which is set according to the birth. This is indicati ve
of one's all.
Illustration : For the Lot of Fortune. it will be necessary- just as
was said before- to count from the degree of the Sun up to the degree
of the Moon for diurnal births. collecting together all the degrees of the
intennediate ztJidia, and the degrees of the H oroskopos as well , and to
pass the conjoined number through from the H tJroskopos. giving 30
degree to each z6idiotl. And at the place where the whole number leaves
off, that it will be necessary to declare as the Lot of FOl1une. For

1 10 zorikofl pneUl1UJ ek t(>u pneonros aero.f. Behind th i ~ word play is the

ancient insight that to livc is to breathe.

1 hropa. The moment when a balance arm incllnCS. This concrcte metaphOl

may be the justification for calling th~ IIr)roskopos a pivot point (~nl"'m ). Also
see chapter 33. page 75 note 5

48
example. let there be given a diurnal birth with the Sun at the 29th
degree of Pisces, the Moon at the 29th degree of Aquarius, and the
I Mroskopos at the I IIh degree of Leo. We will calculate from the Su n
to the Moon : the result is 330 degrees. We will also add the II degrees
of the H or oskopos; together all the degrees are 341 . We will depan
from Leo; it left off at the I lIh degree of Cancer. This is the Lot of
Fortune.
Simi larly also for the Lot of Divinity. from the degree of the Moon
to the degree of the Sun, which are 30. We will also add the II degrees
of the H oroskopos; all the degrees arc 41. We wi ll depart fro m Leo; it
left off at II degrees of Virgo. This is the Lot of Divinity.
Similarly also for the Lot of Eros. from the Lot of Divini ty 10 the
degree of Aphrodite. The Lot of Divi nity is the 11th degree of Vi rgo.
while Aphrodite is the 15th degree of Aquarius. We wi ll calculate from
Virgo to Aphrodite; the result is 154 degrees. When the II degrees of
the H iJroslcopos are added to these. we will depart from the HiJro.~kol)QS
itself. and the Lot of Eros is found at the 15th degree of Capricorn.
Thus. for day births. the reverse for night ones. For example. we
took the Lot of Fortune for a diurnal birth from the Sun to the Moon,
but for a nocturnal birth we deal from the Moon to the Sun. And
si milarly with the others.
For the Lot of the Father in a diurnal binh, it will be necessary to
treat by degrees from the Sun (0 Kronos, and 10 pass the conjoined
number together with the degrees of the Horoskopos through fro m the
HiJ roskopos itself, and to consider that where it should leave off. there
wi ll be the Lot of the Father. For a night birth. the reverse. And if the
star of Kronos should be found under the rays, work from Ares to Zeus,
and take the equal amount from the H6roskopos both for those born at
night and those born in the day.
For the Lot of the Mother by day, count from Aphrodi te to the
Moon and pass an equal amount through from the fliJro.rkopos. By
night, the reverse,
For the Lot of Brothers in both diurnal and nocturnal births. cou",
from Kronos to Zeus and pass an equal amount through from the
I lOroskopos.
For the Lot of Children for both those born in the day and at night.
count from Zeus to Kronos and pass an equal amount through from the
Hij roskopos.
For the Lot of Marriage in male binhs, both diurnal and nocturnal ,

49
count from Kronos to Aphrodite and pass an equal amount through
from the H oroskopos. In female binhs. both diurnal and nocturnal.
count from Aphrodite to Kronos and pass an equal amount through
from the H orosJwpos.

24. On the Tabular Exposition of the Tweh'e I'laces

Of the twelve places which are taken in relation to every drawing up of

effects ' . the origin and foundation is the Ifiiroskopos, through which
every thing bearing upon man is apprehended. For, the H oroskopos is the
giver of life and breath, whence it is called the "helm ." It signifies1 the
season of youth, which is the first. And it shows the aClUalization of
either basel or good th ings in this season. Only the star of Hermes,
among all the stars. rejoices in this place. If one of the benefic stars. or
one of the lights. or the star of Hennes should have dealings upon the
HlJroskopos. while standing apan from the figures described by the
ma1efics', the child will be likely to survive and be reared and will
continue through life in good fortune . But if one of the malefic stars
should mark the birth-hour, and should scrutinize the Sun or the Moon.

I Apole/t'nnalographja. Literally, th e effect-description. It seems to mean

drawing up or t3bu lation of the effects of the different planets from house to
housc. IAdditiona! note RHJ ACl:Owing to Scott and Liddell the word is used
by Ve ttius Valens in such a way as to denoce the entire birthehart. The use here
in Paulus is not inconsistent with this usage. In fact this passage from Paulus
is also cited by Scott and Liddell.

1 There is a somewhat subtle problem here which runs throughout the

treatmelll of places. Does the place itself ha\'e Ihis as its meaning. or docs it
give sign .~ (th e planets) that are pertinent to the season of youth? Either of these
could be meant by the word signify ()·;'lUIim:i). Compare Ihe very next
scntence.

, Note the use of the word buse Iphtmlos } instead of Iht> more usual b.'\d
(knIcQs). again in connel-tinn with the star of Hem"leS. Sec page 16 nOte 1.
chapter 6 .

• Schimalugraphia. Litcrnl1 y. ttM:: figure-<iescripllOn of the malelies. Thai is.

nol being ligured by any of them.

50
the children will be un rearcd or shon -lived, or conti nue their lives in
injury, or suffe ring, or as orphans.
The second z.6idion from the H 6roskopos is called Life l , Gate of
Hades, and post-asce nsion of the H 6rm·kopos. There are times whcn it
gives signs2 for the detenninatio n that concerns work3 since it is
hannonious with the culminating z.6idion due to a left triangle. In this
z.6 idion, the benefic stars bring about good fonune if they are present
upon it in progressi ng times·. And sometimes they indicate heirs of
others; for, this place is the giver of good expectalions. But when the
malefics are actually upon this place, they indicate the falling off of
one's liveli hood} and losses of goods, and the total lack of success at
acqu iri ng prope rty; sometimes they make wanderers.
The third z6idion from the H iJroskopos is productive of possessions.
It also g ives signs for Ihe dctenninatiOIl that concerns brotheN. It is
called Goddess. place of the Moon, and Good Decl ine. It has been
allotted the detenn ination concerning frie ndship and patro nage; and
someti mes it is a contri buting cause of living abroad, because it makes
a diameter with thc zoidion concerning gods, which give signs for the
detenn ination concerned with living abroad . In this z6idinn only the
Moon, among all the stars, rejoices. And if benefic stars which are of
the sect have dealings there. thcy inc rease the acq uisition of one' s
livel ihood and property. and they show the detennination that concerns
brothers and friends to be useful and very sympathetic. Thcy also make
men who have many friends, are well-known. with many brothers, and
they supply fa vors or gifts from friends and brothers. When the malefic

, bios. Not lift: in the sense of animal life, but one's living or mode of
living.

l Referring back to note 2 of the preceding page . it seems apparent from

context that here the place does not so much mf!un work. as give signs (through
the presence of planets in it) that hclp in the determination of thc matter of
.....ork .

I praxis

• Oirect motion

'dplusjs biou. Perhaps it should be the abandonment of one's lifc. Instead.

51
slars happen 10 be upon this place. they bring aOOm the opposites of
these.
The fourth z6idion from the Homskopos. which is actually the
nonhe rn pivot poi nt, is called Subterraneous and Anti -culmination. II
signifies the season of old age, the end of life, the laying out of the
body . and all the things after death . It is the place that concerns grounds
and fo undations. and is indicative of everythi ng concerni ng parents,
fat herland . home, pennanence, and household goods. Sometimes it
promotes the acquisitio n of ships and watery places.
When Kronos is truly of its sect in this place, it indicates those who
become rich and possessors of property from middle age: and some-
times it becomes the bestowcr of windfalls. But whenever Kronos is out
of its sect'. it bestows all bad things. At nighl. it diminishes one's
patrimo ny and estranges from the father, o r it makes for orphanhood.
indicates that youth will be sickly, and contributes to ill-repute.
When the star of Ares happens to be upon th is place in the day. it
produces those who are sickly and have the falling sickness. At night,
it will make for less sluggishness. and sometimes it will even bring the
native into mili tary service ; except it afflicts the detenninatio n concern-
ing nuptials and children , and makes those who are more often wronged
and treated altogether ungratefully by women .
The fifth z6idion from the Horoskopos is called Good Fortune, the
place proper to Aphrodite. Indeed, when the star of Aphrodite has come
to be in it, it rejoices in this place beyond all the stars. It is the
post-ascension of the subterraneous pi vot poi nt. and it gives signs for
the detcmlination that conce rns children Be nefics in thi s zoidioll rejoice
and give a goodly number of children ; malcfics in it become destructive
of the m.
The sixth z.6idioll from the H6roskopos is called Evil Fortune,
Retribution. Pre-Setti ng, and S ase Decline. the place deali ng with Ares.
It gives signs for the determination thaI concerns injury . The star of
Ares rejoices in this place beyond all the stars. When the remai ning
stars happen to be upon this place, they are sho wn to be ineffec tual and

, l}(1ra ha.i'f~jTl . Although Ihi~ is the Icchmcallcnn for bemg out of sect, Ihe
verb parairoo i L~c1f means 10 take aw~) Thus the nl':)(1Sl::mencc.

52
inactive fo r the aClUaliZ3tion of their own effects ' . as long as none of
the bene fi cs should have deali ngs upon the peak pivot point 2 or in the
post-asce nsion of the Ho roskopos. The star that furnishes one's work
becomes activated in this place, as long as it brings it rays to bear on
the degree of the culminating place, because the place is harmonious to
the culminating pivot poinl in accordance with a right hand triangular
position. And this place signifies the kinds of fema le faces l bent upon
service . (I mean slaves and female beasts). II also introduces the
enmities, plots, and rebellions resulting from the feminin e face J .
The Sun in this place shows one who was begotten by a poor.
obscure, low-born. or banished father ; and who is sometimes even
fatherless. When the Moon happeros to be upon this place. it will make
une born of a slave. beggar. needy, or obscure mother who is the lowest
of all ; and sometimes it will cause him to be motherless. When Arcs is
in this place (which is the sixth from the H lJ rosk.opos) at a nocturnal
birth. he rejoices, and summons to war or martial honor. if indeed the
Moon should be found in a fem in ine l.oidion and should be triangular
to the Sun or 10 the star of Zeus. or should happen to be with the star
of Aphrod ite, or even trine it.
The seventh z,oidion from the !foroJ'kopos signifies wedding
preparations, long terms abroad. and the quality of the death ; it is called
the Anti-Hiiroskopos. It is the setting pivot point, exhibiting the elderly
age. When the star of Kronos happens to be in this place during the
day. it rejoices, if indeed it should be found in its own z.oidion. trigon
or exaltation . For it will make those who are long-lived. successful after
a time. long-lasting, and wealthy. though it does not produce those who
are free from suffering in the secret places. Rather. it will sometimes
cause suffering in the fund ament. sometimes show blood while at stool,
and sometimes overwhelm with dysentery or intestinal crises. And it
increases the aforesaid surplus of sufferings even more when it has

I IW IOn idi6n apole/eSm(JIQn energeja. 111is phrase clearly shows that the

planets arc regarded as haying a cel1ain productive potentiality which can be

octuali7.cd under the proper circumstanccs.

l The Midhcavcn.

) Pros6pa is the word both times. It does oot seem to have the technical
sense connected with dccans.

53
dealings in alien signs.
When the star of Ares happens to be upon this place. it become... a
contributing cause of many afflictions. now causing upset with injuries.
now with sufferings; and it will make those who absolutely fail to
acquire property. or those who continue on foreign ground, or wander-
ers, or those who live abroad. And sometimes it shows those who are
short-lived and die violent deaths, whenever it scrutinizes the Sun or the
Moon, or is brought to the attention of the Moon by application, if
indeed it should be found outside the ray of the benefics.
When the star of Zeus has deali ngs in this place in accordance with
progressing limes l , it will make those who are successful at acquiring
property. For this pivot point is one thin happens after quite a delal.
whence n: is freely gives prosperity' after some time·. It will also make
for a happy marriage. except that it will produce those who have few
children and those who grieve for wife and children.
When Aphrodite occupies the setti ng pivot point. it wi ll make those
who are innovative. shows a trouble-free old age, and will make for an
easy death.
TIle star of Hennes will make men who are prudent and experi-
enced at letters. except for those who are upset with mental suffering' .
When the Sun happens to be in the setting place. it shows those
who li ve in splendor and wealth, and who are sprung from eminent
fathers. if indeed it should happen to be in a masculine ZOU/ion and
sho uld be found outside the ray of the malefics. when the birth is duri ng
the day .

1 DiRet motion

1 opsiluchon. Presumably rcfening [0 the distance of this place from the

H6ros/(opos.

) proh>pl. Prosperity is the figurath'e meaning. 1be word literally me:ms

progress or advance, reflecting the direct or advancing motion.

• The word opsituchon itself (in note 2 above) figuratively means success
after SOme time.

5 Literally. passions of the soul. but the word f'CJtMs ha~ regularly (and
somewhat surprisingly) meant suffering so far in this text.

54
 When the Moon obtains the seventh zoidion from the HorosJropos
as its lot. it will make for a life abroad. And if it should be found in the
damp signs. when the birth is du ring the day, it will make shipowners.
pilots. sailors. ones who spend their lives as merchant-seaman, seafarers :
and it will make their fortun es go up and down '.
The eighth ziiidion from the Horoskopos is called idle. because it
is in aversion and disjunct to the zoidion that marks the birth hour. It is
also the post-descension of the sctting zaidion. It signifies the comple-
tion of life. This place is established as dysfunctional. and when
benefics happen to be upon this place. they make for profits from
deaths: for they give inheritances, and they show those who profit from
deadly motives. But it is not only the benefics that indicate this in the
middle place. but when malefics happen to be upon this place. they also
make fo r profit fTOm deaths. This is even true of the Moon when it has
added to the numbers1 and waxing. if indeed it is seen to be passing
out of conjunction in this place of the visible cosmos: whence it too
indicates profits from deaths and supplies inheritances. especially when
it is cli mbi ng up from the north.
When the Sun happens to be upon this place. it shows the
abandonment of the father . injury. suffering. or premature death. and it
will be more idle in other mailers. When the Moon happens to be
waning in this place and outside the ray of the benefics. it will make
men who are poor and struggling, who fail to acquire property. and are
highly emotional. When the malefics happen 10 be out of their sect
there, they bring the falling off of one's livelihood. the destruction of
things. losses, and affairs that do not turn out well ; and sometimes they
contribute to a bad death.
When Aphrodite happens 10 be in this place. it wi ll make the

I ~pseiO/(lpt!iniJma. This word is an intc~sting compound made up of the

two Greek words that mean euhalion and depression respectively.

l Phrases using "additivc·· in Ihis ..... ay usually mean direct as opposed to

rdrogradc motion. Of coursc, the Moon is al ..... ays direct in motion so il is not
clear why the phrase should be applied to the Moon here. It may mean that it
is increasing its from the Sun. Ho ...... cvcr. whalever the reason for thc phmsc
there may be. thc reader is cautioocd 1101 10 interpret this as being a Greek.
equivalcnt for tnc latcr astrological phrase in English... s...... ift in motion." That
...... ould be stated qu itc differentl y in Gree k.. IR II I

55
matters of the marriage more idle: and at times it will point to
pederasts. at times to those who are passionate and licentious.
When the star of Hermes happens to be in this place, it makes men
who are peaceful. quiet . homebodies, sometimes also thieves or forgers.
And it wi ll make dullards and si mpletons or idlers, if indeed it should
occur under the solar beams. or should be regarded by Kronos through
co- presence or through a triangular or diametrical position, while having
more degrees than il.
The ninth l(iidioll fro m the H oroskopos gives signs fur the
detenni nation thaI concerns gods, dreams, and living abroad. It also
penains to Astronomy, and is called Pre-Culmination (if one walks from
setting to ri sing), and the place of the Sun . Only the Sun rejoices in this
place. And it is called Good Decline. If the Sun, Kronos, Zeus, or
Hermes concl ude their dealings in thi s place, they freely give favors,
gifts, or benefits from gods and kings. And they make philosophers,
mystics, and good business men . Sometimes they furni sh a role in the
sacred rites, or they produce the ones who take the privileged position
in them. For indeed they give kingly gifts. un less they indicate those
who live abroad.
When the Sun has dealt with the star of Hermes there, they will
make manti cs, dream-interpreters, astrologers, augurs, and altogether
those who participate in the mysteries. And when the Moon is present
there. making an application to one of the malefics or to the star of
Hernles. it makes for those who live abroad.
The tenth z.oidioll from the H6roskopos, which is really the southern
pivot point. is called the Midheaven and bifurcation of the upper pan ,
and it points out the actualizations from middle age.
II gives signs for the determination that concerns work, reputation.
worth. alliance, pri vilege. fa therland, and permanence; and it becomes
the indicator of marriage find male children . When the Sun happens 10
be in this place, it shows men who are royal. esteemed, and eminent. if
indeed it should be found to be a stranger to the ray of the malefi cs.
And it makes those who are sprung from a notable father. When the
Moon occupies this place at a nocturnal binh, it will make men who are
distinguished and wealthy. tax-collectors of k.ings. treasurers of cities.
if indeed it should not be regarded by Kronos or Ares, either by
co-prescnce or accordi ng to a square or diametrical position. You will
fi nd the mothers of such to be highborn .
When Kronos occupies this place for diurnal binhs and is present

56
at l.ii idia in which it rejoices. it will make for employment at waterside
jobs. and shows those who become wealthy, fond of husbandry. and
prOieclive of Ihe country, as well as those who become owners of land
and of foundations. When it occupies this place for nocturnal births. it
brings about work al the waterside. And it will produce those who
become dysfunctional. unsuccessful at acquiring property. unable 10 get
ahead. slothfu l, ill-wedded. with few children. and poor; some times it
will make those who live abroad for a lo ng lime or those who live
oUlside of their own city. and those who wander for a long time.
When the star of Zeus happens to be present there by day, as long
as it shou ld be increasing in numbers and should be found outside the
ray of Ares, it shows those who become illuslrious. magnificent .
splendid. emi nent, those who are truSled with the affairs of kings or the
great, notable and famous . well-loved and effective. but it will not make
those who are also happy in such things, nor those who are listened to.
nor yet those who have good success in their work throughout.
When the star of Ares occupies the pivot point at the peakl (1
mean the culminating place) for diurnal births, for some it will cause
the separation of the parents, for others it will tum them away from
each other. And it shows those who go through the entire span of their
life in poverty and narrow straits. with no living and unmarried at
youth. Sometimes it will make for violent deaths. if indeed it should be
found outside the ray of the benefics. If the star of Zeus and the star of
Aphrodite should configure with it . they will have a fine old age. and
they will escape the danger of vio lent death. But if this star should have
dealings on the culminating place on masculine l.oidia, whether by day
or by night. it will make for hardl y any chi ldren for the male parent.
When the star of Aphrodite culminates with an evening rising.
without the malefics looking ahead at 2 il. it will make those whose

I The word 'peak' clearly indicates that the Midheaven was regordcd as the

highest point of ascension, and the beginning of deM:cnsion. The word 'k.enlfon·
(the point of something, or the point around which something turns. such as a
compass point) in this context might indicate that the Midheaven was also
regarded as a torning point. Compare the way in which the Horoskopos is also
regarded as a ken/rOIl (chapler 33. page 15).

1 I!pilnt!orto. This means for one planet to look al anQ(hcr ahead of it in the
order of signs,

57
li\'es are splendid. who are high-priests, fortunate , custodians of the
temple. councillors. princes. crown-bearers. di stinguished; and it
becomes the cause of good marriage and fruitfulness . Further, it shows
those who arc applauded by the masses. popular. and f:uned far and
abroad. But when it ha... dealings at a morning rising. it alters the order
of the aforesaid and changes into its opposite. And sometimes in Ihe
first case it shows those who arc fond of art, but in the second case
those who have a pitiable life. except that they are refined for the most
pari and experienced in proper behavior. And sometimes it produces
musicians and lhose who make their living through sound .
When the star of Hennes occupies the place at peak. i{ will produce
those who make thei r living from arguments. science. writings. or by
delivering speeches. And sometimes it shows inspectors. secretaries,
clerks, nOlaries. pleaders lat law]. public advocates l , lawyers, interpret-
ers, or bankers. When it is conligured with the star of Ares, either by
eo-presence 2, square or diameter. it shows those who are liars, atheists.
impious, sacrilegiousl , or those who diminish the divine; in addition to
these, it shows poisoners 4 or their accomplices, and forgers, counterfeit-
ers. robbers, slayers. or accomplices to these ; and those who will have
an evil name, and be altogether infamous on account of these things.
But sometimes it will make public executioners, jailers, mine overseers,
or tax collectors. For, the mixtures of Ares wi th the Slar of Hennes,
without the succor of the benefics. is always the supplier of evil deeds
and makes for an evi l pathS.
The e leventh t.6idion from the Horoslcopos is called Good Divinity.
the place proper to Zeus. For. when Zeus happens to be present in this
place. it rejoices beyond all the stars. It gives signs for the detennina-
tion that concerns alliance and patronage; and in addition, it is indicative
of &000 expectations.

I We do not know whal the distinction is bclwecn the IWO preceding.

~ i.e. in the same :Jjidion .

l literally templc-robbers, figurati vely sacrilegious.

• This word also means sorcerer.

J litcrally axis.

58
 When the Sun happens to be in this place. it shows onc who has
sprung from an esteemed and wealthy fa ther. and as time goes by it will
make him blessed and able to acquire property quite easi ly.
When the Moon happens to be at this place, and especially when
the birth is at night, it will make one who is born of an esteemed,
wealthy , and well-off mother; and it shows him to be well -off and
well-shaped when it makes an application to one of the benefic Slars.
When Kronos is of its sect upon this place, it produces those who
altain thcif ends as time goes on, but it will make them more idle in
their work and enterprises. When Kro nos occupies this place for a
nocturnal birth , it causes lhe diminution of what was forme rl y pos-
sessed , and it wi!1 make those who are slothful, uns uccessful, and
unable to acquire property l.
When Zeus occup ies the eleventh place either by night or by day,
it magnifies life and sets it in eminence and in acquirement, and makes
those who are esteemed and more triumphant over enemies; and for the
most part it kee ps the natives free from hann and suffering .
When Ares occupies the eleventh place from the HiJro.dwpo.f for a
diurnal birth. it shows reduction of life. loss of things, changes of place
and accidents; and it afl1icts the determination concerning children . But
for nocturnal births. it brings into existence many good thi ngs. and will
make those who are deemed worthy of honor by the masses and those
who are known because they rise above.
When the star of Aphrodite has dealings there. it will make for
those who are happily married. decoro us, orderly. wanting nothi ng. and
with good fortune as lime goes on, especially if it is not scrutin ized by
the ray of the malefics.
When the star of Hermes happens to be upo n this place at either a
morning or evening rising, it wi ll make those who have their living
from wri ting. and it will keep the work plentiful, and will show those
who increase their living as lime goes by; sometimes it wi ll be a cause
of virtue, and will produce those who participate in knowledge .
The twel fth l..oidion from the Ho roskopos, which is the true place

I In the tcxlthis sentence occurs at the end of the neXl paT3grnph.

S9
of Kronos, is called Evil Divinity and pre-ascen sion I of Ihe H6m skop -
os. When the star of Kronos occupies a mascu line ..Oidion for a diurnal
birth, it alone rejoices in this place. And it wi ll always make those who
prevail over thcir enemies and oppress them. and those who are proudly
confident in their own work. For, it shows regional governors, magis-
trates, those who perfonn great deeds, and those who dictate manners.
This place gives signs for the delenninalion that concerns sufferings.
childbirth, enemies, male slaves. and quadrupeds .
When the Sun happens to be present in this place. it indicates that
the fa the r lives abroad , or el se orphanhood. And it arnicts the father
with suffering. injury, or banishment. or plainly shows the father
himself to be subject to poverty. ill .repute. or low-birth. while showing
those who spring from them to be themselves obscure. laborers. and
needy .
The Moon in this place indicates those born of a slave mother.
base. of ill-repute. or abject . And if it should be regarded by one of the
malefi c stars or should make an application to one of the malefics, it
shows Ihe mother 10 be susceptible to disease, to have sustained an
injury . or to be short-lived, while making those who are born from them
to be those who will themselves be placed on the roll of the poor,
strugg ling. and ever-mi sfortunate.
When the slar of Zeus should occupy this same place. it will make
rebellion s of enemies. litigations with those of least account, and
diminution of one' s patrimony. except that in the determination
concerning slaves and quadrupeds it is good and helpful. since it is
suitable for this part.
When the Slar of Ares happens to be upon this place, it afflicts the
detennination concerning slaves and quadrupeds. and supplies treacher-
ies from servile persons and furni shes the occas ions.
When the star of Aphrodite happens to be upon thi ~ place. it will
make Ihose who are tomlented by femi nine excuses, and those who roll
about in mental suffering-namely those who are amorous. And they
have intercourse wi th slaves. old women, or courtesans. and for this
reason Ihey go through their lives wilhoul children . If thc star wcJcom ·

I proanaphora. B ~ l ng the o ppo~i te of t'panopho m. it would seem to confi rm

that efXJllophom should be the post-ascension. Also. that it is refcmng \(l the
z6idion. and nOI 10 Ihe place.

60
ing l the star of Aphrodite into its house shou ld figurate it whi le upon
a pi vot point, il will make those who conson with slaves and Ihose who
marry illegally; sometimes also those who are panders 10 Iheir own
wives.
When the star of Hennes occupies thi s place, it wi ll produce
thieves, evil -speakers, evildoers, exploiters, deceivers, and hypocrites.
But sometimes it will make secretaries, schoolmasters, interpreters l or
advocates.

25. On Children

II will be necessary to look at the fifth and the eleventh place from the
H aroskopos, and the place at the peak, and the one lying opposite to
this, which is subterraneous. Also, the Lot of Children. In addition to
these. it will be necessary to look at the star of Zeus and the ruler of hi s
trigon , and Ihe star of Aphrodite and of Hennes.
Now, if one place or two or even more should be found 10 be
unscrulinized by Kronos, Ares, the Sun, and the ec lipsi ng places l , the
delenninalion concerning children will be free from sorrow, as long as
Ihe ru lers of the aforesaid places, or the said stars themselves (I mean
Zeus or his trigonal ruler. Aphrodite, Hennes), should nOI be found on
the Evi l Di vinity, the Evil Fonune, or the eighlh place. BUI if Ihe
benefics (either of Ihem) should be found in the prolific ziJidia. with lhe
Moon . the H tiroskopos, or child-begetter· in prolific ztiidia apan from
Ihe ray of Ihe malefics, Ihe figure becomes indicative of fecundity.
If the star of Zeus should be present in the twelfth or eighth place,
while one of the malefics is upon a pivot point with the star of
Aphrodite, the figure will become the cause of barrenness.
If the trigon lord of Zeus is declining . with a malefic occupying the
child.begeucr". it will make for few chi ldren .

I upotiechomo.i.

l hemumeus.

1 Lun;u- Nooes?

• Lol'!

61
 If Aphrodite and Hermes together occupy the filih place in
Capricorn or Aquarius without the aid of Zeus, they amict the seed and
become causes of barrenness.
When Ares is culminating in a feminine z8idiotl in a nocturnal
binh, it wi ll make for hardly any children. But if it is culminating in a
masculine zoidion in a diurnal birth, i, will make ones who arc
childless, and especially in regard to the detennination concerning
masculine children.
Malefics which are in the Good Divinity' s z8idia, declining from
the Sun with Zeus, indicate those who are child less; if one of the
malefics occupies the fifth place while the star of Zeus or Aphrodite is
badly placed. the figure becomes indicative of barrenness.
If the Sun culminates while Ares or Kronos occupies the fifth
place, either Zeus or Aphrodite being badly placed. let it be considered
a figure of barrenness.
If Zeus and Hermes are allotted the lower pivot points, or if one is
setting while the other marks the birth hour, they show the death of
male chi ldren: but if the Moon is lying within the boundaries or places
of Hermes, while the star of Aphrodite is found at the z8 idia or
bou nd aries of Kronos, they show those with a single child or no
children, and wives who are barren or with but one child.
If Kronos and Hermes happen to be upon a pivot point, they vex
the determination concerning children.
If Aphrodite and the Moon are actually within the boundaries or
zoidia of Kronos, or they have exchanged ' with the aforesaid places,
they make those who arc chi ldless. if indeed they happen 10 be
scrutinized by Kronos or Ares. But if the figure is nOI regarded l by one
of the malefics. it will sti ll make for few children outright.
And if the aforesaid figures happen upon Aries. Sagittarius. Gcmini ,
and Libra. they signify hardly any chi ldren . But if they happen upon
Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn. Leo, and Aquarius, leI them be considered
barren and childless from the outset. But if they happen upon the trigon
of Ciincer. Scorpio, and Pisces. mUltiple, frequent, and fertile births are
signified in consequence of thc stars that are also present and bear

t cnal/aHi). MWlm/ reception ?

1 Ihcoreo used hCIC as a synonym fOf k(ltopll'w} (scrutinizc) immcdi;jlcly

above.

62
wilness in the aforesaid places.

26. Concerning What One Docs

The delenn ination concern ing what one does' is grasped through ils
keennessl from the stars having a fast mOl ion (I mean Ares, Aphrodite,
and Hemles), though certainly nOI every art) and sc ience~ is studied
from these three.
The places that make the deali ngs all the more effectual in relation
to the stars present in them are these: all the pivot points, and the
post-ascensions of these, and the sixth from the HiJroskopos- the
z.6idioll of the Midheaven being preferred above the other poi nts. and
the second z.6idion from the Horoskopos being preferred among the
post·a.,'icensions.
But if none of the aforesaid stars stands upon one of these places.
nor indeed upon the Lot of Fortu ne, it is fitling to seek which of the
stars of Kronos, Zeus. Ares has come to the notice of the Moon or Sun
by application, or should happen 10 ha ve made a morning appearance,
(or which of the slars of either Aphrodite or Hennes has made an
even ing rising) seven days before, or seven days after birth.
Wh ichever of these stars should be found to have one or eve n morc
relationships to the aforesaid. it is necessary for the nature of what one

I praxis. The most common Greek word for dOing or ac ting. [Additional

note by RH J It is commonplace in modem astrology to regard the tenth house

as a house of career. Howevcr. the word. praxis. as defined here is a much
more comprehensive word. indicating wh'lI one does for a life, nOl necessarily
for a living.

l to autei oxu. This "keenness" does not seem to be merely the quickness

of the cxecution of the work, but something that characterizes the activity itself
as an activity. Perhaps 'inteMity' would be a beller translation.

I lee/mi. Not fine art, but a craft or \ech nology: the know·now .

• epistimi. Demonstrative knowledge: the know-why [as opposed to know-

how. RUJ

63
docs to be revealed by taking the propen y of ac t u a l i ~.=lI ion' of that star.

If none of the aforementioned stars stands upon o ne of these pi<lf.:es,

nor yet upon the Lot of Fonunc, you will say that th is place is
ineffectual.

27, On the l">fi:lincs

There being four pivot poi nts, four post-ascensions, and four decli nes!,
one must know mat someti mes even the decli nes have dealings and
produce no ordinary actualization for the productive} re lationshi p. This
is whenever one of the stars which happens to be found on o ne of the
dec lines should bring its rays to bear within three-degrees of a pivot
point o r a star which is harmonious to it, with a tri angu lar figu re.
For the purpose of an image4 • say that the H 6roskopos is at the
15th degree of Leo, and that the star of Zeus is at the 16th degree of
Aries. Si nce Leo happened to be occupying the pivot point that marks
the birth hour at its 15th degree, and the ninth ziiidion, a decline. was
fou nd to be good si nce Zeus is there and bringing its rays to bear on the
adjacent degree of the H Dr oskopos. it beca me ac ti ve.

I f!nergf!ia. Although our word 'energy' comes from this word. in Greek it

simply means being at ..... ork. Thc property of acluali/..ation is evidently the
special wa y in which the planet itself acts in one of the places~.g. smoot hly,
in filS and SI:lJ1S. frenetically, etc. The propeny of "keeness'" in what one docs
must itself be a reflection of this property of actuaJilation of the planet.
This whole idea is very near to being a "formalization" of the notion of
activity as such, and may ul timately relate to the ideas of intensifi cation and
r~mi ss ion that derive from Plato's generation of the eidetic numbers-idcas
which m:l y in fact point the way to :l "quantification'" of aclivi ty in a manner
thm wo uld not be too remote from cvcryday tifc and astrological expcricnce_

: apoklimn.

) (lIHJlelulllatikos. Sce gcneral nNe in translato r's preface .

• triK.On. This is a strange wo rd 10 use fOI ·examplc'. because it means

'imagc' or ·token'. Perhaps the phrase should be translated. '"to visua1i7.c th iS."'

64
 We wilt make usc of another illustration that employs the H orosko-
p os as sct OUI. The 15th degree of Taurus was culminating, and now the
star of Aphrodite is found on the 16th degree of Capricorn in a
ri ght-hand triangle with the culmi nating degree. having brought its rays
to bear on the succeeding degree of the pi vot poi nt al the peak. The star
was having dealings and became active in accOfdance with the
[part icular) productive! relationship.
A decli ning star is made more capable whenever some other star
should have dealings whi le lying upon a pivot poinl harmonious to it.
The ninth and the sixth places are said to be distinguished from the rest,
the one being harmonious to the Horoslwpos. the other being figured in
accordance wi th a side triangular to the pi vot point at the peak (I mean
the culminating l,ijidiorl ). And the six th place results in greater activity,
because it is hannonious to the culminating pivot poim. For, they willed
that thi s pi vot point take the lead over the other pivot poin ts, just as
they laid down that the second from the Hiiroskopos was di stingui shed
from the remaining post-ascensions because it is harmonious to the
culminati ng l,oidioTl by a triangular side. And they say that acquisi tion
of one's mode of li fe comes from the culminati ng l,6idioTl and the other
pi vot poi ms, and from the star that has joint dealings upon one of the
pi vot points, while they I;ontend that the quality of this acquisition is
indicated by a star being found upon the four declines at birth .
For the purpose of illustration, say that the star of Zeus has
deal ings upon the place at the peak, while the star of Aphrodite has
deal ings upon the triangle on the right side of the cul minating l,6idioTl.
wh ic h is a decline and the sixth place of the hirth. The acquisition
resul ts from the star of Zeus, the quality from that of Aphrodite. And
so, if one of the malefic stars (I mt:an the star of Kronos or that of
Ares) should have dealings upon one of the pivot poi nts while Aphrodi-
te is decli ning and occurri ng hannoniously with it, what is caused by
the pi votal location of the malefic star is made effective because of
femin ine pretenses.
The malefic slars become more alCtive in the declines in relation to
hinderi ng or outright wrongdoing, if one of the malefic stars should
happen to have deal ings upon one of the four pivot points. For. the
causes of a hannful acquisi tion are effected through these. and

65
especially . whenever one of the malefic stars should be found on the
sixth place. But whenever one of the benefics should occupy the six th
place. while nothing has done workl upon the cu lminating ziiidioll. nor
yet on the JX)sl-ascension of the H6roskopos. it becomes altogether
unemployed , ineffeclUal, powerless. and idle in relation to every
productive 2 activity. and especially in relation to actions useful for life,
and potentialities for turning out as something good.

28. On the Motion or Ihe Sun and on Learning in What ZiHdion

and Roughly What Degree It Is In.

The Sun, the framer of the whole, sometimes passes from zoidion to
z6idion in 31 days. and sometimes in 29 days. Each day it moves one
degree, more or less-sometimes 1 minute more, sometimes 2 minutes.
when nearest the earth of course; and there are times when it moves 59
minutes, and 58 minutes, and 57 minutes. The Handy Tabies of
C laudius Ptolemy will sct forth the exact deg ree.
In order to know in what epoch the Sun is, in a manner that is easy
to investigate. one must do as follows :
Collecting together the days from the first of Thoth up to the day
in question, you add to these 158 universal days), and from the number
so conjoi ned, take away half of the months there are from Thoth up to
the month in question. And if this number has a c ircle in it4, get rid of
it, and pass the remainder through from Ares, g iving 30 degrees to each
zoidioll. And at the place where the elided) nu mber leaves off, can thaI

I leuchO. Literally, to make or fashion . Thi s word is used occaSionally

throughout the book. He re it is dearly seen to be a synon ym for chri!mntizo.

2 cJ1JOIelesmaliiws.

J See page 40. note 2 in c hapter 19.

~ If it is greater than 361}

~ ho arilhmos Iw kat' elleipsifl . ti lera!! y. Ihe nu mber wilh ell ipsis. Co mp,lrc
with page 44. nOle 4 in chapter 22.

66
roughly the degree of [he Sun l .

29. On How to Calculate the Horoskopos

Af[er multiplying [he dis[ribUled 2 hours by 15. add to the conjoined

number the degrees which the Sun has. more or less, at [he birth. And
pass the conjoined number through from the zo idiorl in which the Sun
is, giv ing 30 degrees to each sign. And at whatever place the elided
number leaves off, call that the Ha roskofJo~. If the birth should be
noc turnal , to make use of the preceding method pass the conjoined
number through from the z6idio f! diametrically opposite the Sun . If you
should have the hour from an astrolabe. multiply the proximate' hourly
times~ for the solar degree of the day in question by the distributed
hours. and add the resulting quant ity to the proximate ascensions of the
solar degree for that zone.
For. the multiplication by 15 is made whenever the hours are

I For the pecu liar ari thmetical terminology throughout this calculation. see

notes to chapter 22.

l Or equipartite. That is. the length of hour obtained by dividing the total
length of daylight (o r nightti me) at the equator by 12. These hou rs m;;y also be
called equinoctial hours. sinee the y are obtained by dividing the day (or night)
at the equinox by 12. [These are closely cquivalent to our modem hours. RH ]

) For the peculiar arithmetical terminology throughout this calculation, see

notes \0 chapter 22 .

• This probably means 10 take the nearest entry in the tables. Sec ne xt note.

) parokeimenoi h(Jmiui chronoi. The hourly time (the Greeks use the plural
" hourly times" since they re gard a timc as a numerical multitude) is til.!
conversiun factor for changing from equipanite to seasonal (see next note)
hours. It depends on both the degree of the 7.odiac and the terrestrial b titudc.
These times were compiled by Ptolemy for key cities within various bands of
latitude. within which the times did nol change very much.

67
equipartite . The equipanite hours become seasonal ho urs ' from the
astrolabe, if you divide the conjoined number from the multiplication of
the hours and the proximate hourly limes by 15. If the binh is noctur-
nal. it is necessary 10 multiply the hours lIfler sunset, which afe
nocturnal , by the prollimate hourl y limes for the degree opposite the
solar degree. And to add Ihe result ing quantity not to the proximatc
ascensions for the solar degree in the zone. but to the proximate
ascension for the degree opposite it. And thus the whole quantity
reaches as faf as the fl6mskollOJ' itself. sho wing the degree of the
zo idion rising up at that time of the night in the same zone. which then
you also call the 116 roskol)OS.

30. On the Midhea\'en

It will be necessary to treat of the degree of the culminating z6idion in

the fol1owing manner: Counting the temporal ascension of the zoidia
(for any pan icular zone) from Aries to the degree of the H 6roskopos,
pass the conjoined number through from Capricorn, g ivi ng 30 degrees
to each z6idioll. And at whatevcr place the elided number should leave
off. that wi ll be the degree at the Midheaven 1 .
For the purpose of illustration: With the H oroskopos being at the
15th degree of Leo for the zone of Egypt . we calculate from Ihe
beginning o f Aries up to the fifteenth degree of Leo, and we will find
21 ;40 temporal ascensions of Aries. 25 of Taurus, 28;20 of Gemini, and
3 1:40 of Cancer, and we will find 17;30 temporal ascensions up to the

, In their daily affairs. the Grceks reckoned time by seasonal hours. whic h
were obtained by simply dividing the total length of da ylight for a gi~en day
by 12. These seasonal hours obviously nuetuate, being longer in the summer
and shorter in the winter_ tn this chaplcr, we are dealing with thc standard
method of converting from seasonal hou rs to equipartitc (i,e. equinoctial) or
distribuled hours, and vice versa.

I This is only an approximate tcchnique. The problem is that the lin: of

ascension from Aries to H{)roskoflO'{ is mca~ured along the equator, analogous
10 our oblique ascension. Bill when thc lLre is added to 0° Capricorn, il is
treated as an arc on the ccliptic. This wi!! rc)u lt in an errur of a couple of
degrees at tht: maximum. [Ril l

68
15th degree of Leo, since Leo rises in 35 times for the zone of Egypt '
Altogether become 124 ; 10. We pass these through from Capricorn,
giving 30 degrees to each z6 idiofl. Four times 30 is 120. From the
degree of Capricorn up to the degree of Taurus is 4, 1/6' This 1/6 is 10
minutes. We say that the degree of the Midheavcn is al the 4th degree,
10th minute of Taurus.
It is necessary to know that the culminating degree does not always
fall in the tenth place from the Horos/(opos owing to the inequality of
the temporal ascension of the ziiidill. bUi that it sometimes falls in the
ninth place. and sometimes in the eleventh place.

3 1. Concerning Year and Month and Day

As many years as a genes is should spin out ~ we pass through from the
zoidion marking the bi rth hour, giving the fi rst year of the generati ve
time to the Horos/(opor, and the second to the post-ascension of the
H6roskopos, the n the next to the third z(jidion fro m the Horos/(opos, and
so on for the remai ning years in the succeed ing zaidia. until the 12th
number should be completed. And again. we give the 13th year to the
zoidion marking the birth hour, and wherever the elided number should
leave off, there we say the year to be.
Agai n, you will treat the month similarly by beginni ng from the
zoidion whcre the year left off. and g iving to the next laidia in
succession the sought num ber o f months, and wherever it should run
out, we will deem that the month.

I As is the case elsewhere in this writing, Ihe aseensionat times of the

toidia arc expressed as equivalents of equinoctial hours. whieh are our standard
degrees of right ascensioll understood as times.
In the text thc fractional times are all expressed with an eOlTlier system of
notalion. Here they have been uniform ly changed 10 staooard sexagesimal
fractions.

1 diag(J. Literall y. to draw through. Probably another reference to spinning

and the Fates. Compare chapler 22.

J This chapter is a fairly standard treatment of profcctions. See Ptolemy,

TelrabibIQ$. Book IV.

69
 So also, you will neat thc day by beginn ing from the zoidioll where
the month ran out, and by similarly apportioning the number of days
that are fou nd to the next zo idia in succession, giving one day to each
unti l the number of twelve days should be completed, and beginning
again from the preceding and fi ll ing out the number. For wherever the
elided number should run out, there will be the day, just as in the
construction of the year.
For the purpose of illustration: Someone is drawing out l his 26
years, having a Leo 1/6roskopos. We give the first year to the Homsko-
pm. which is Leo, the second to the post-ascension of the H 6roskopo.f .
which is Virgo, Ihe third 10 the next one Libra, the fou rlh to Scorpio,
the fifl h to the following Sagittarius, the sixth to Capricorn. the seventh
10 Aquari us, the eighth to Pisces, the ninth 10 Aries, the tenth to Taurus.
the eleventh to Gemin i. the twe lfth 10 Cancer. With the first dozen fill ed
up. we begin all over agai n. giving the thirtee nth to the H6roskofJos,
which is Leo. the fo urteenth to Virgo. and so on as above, until the
nu mber of a dozen should be fi lled again. And so, we agai n give the
25th to the Horoskopos. which is Leo, and the 26th fa lls to Virgo.
Hermes is the lord of the year. We see where the star of Hermes
lies in the bi rth. and which of the stars are scrutinizing ii, which are
looki ng ahead at l the z6idion where the year occurs. and which were
configured with it al the birth. We fi nd that Hennes is lord of the year
in Aries, which is in aversion to the z6idion where the year is. The star
of Zeus is in Gemini , actuall y in a sq uare on the right side of Hennes:
Kronos is in Taurus. occurring in a triangle on the righl side of it. As
for Ihe remai ning Slars of the birth, we will not have any al all lhat bear
witness to it, nor a si ngle prognostication of thei r effects .
It will be necessary to treat each year in this manner, and 10 give
the fi rst month of the year 10 the zoidion where the year runs o ul in
Virgo, the second to Libra, Ihe third to Scorpio, and you wi ll do the
same for the remain ing months up to the mo nth which you see k to
know about . As for seeki ng in the same fas hion the day where the birth
abides, you will work from the z.oidiol1 where the month runs ou t,

I karQgii. Litcrally. 10 draw out. Yct another spinning word.

! cpi/hearth. To make ,I figure wilh a body ahc<ld or il in Ihe order of

:oidia.

70
giving one day to each z(}idion, until the number of a dozen is
completed, giving the thirteenth day agai n to the z6idioll where the
month ran out, and you will give them simi larly in succession, until the
number of the days should be completed.

32, Concerning the Manam airia by Trigon

The monomoi ria l by trigon is understood as fo llows: After seeking out

the degrees of the light of the seCI, you Slart from Ihe slar that
welcomes Ihis light trigonally by sect', apportioni ng onc degree to each
star in the order of the trigonal masters by sect, not assigning a degree
to a particular star from a second trigon, as long as the fi rst star (the
one from which the begi nning of the apport ionment originated) has not
yet accepted a degree from a second trigonl. And the star at which the
degree of the sect light of one's all" should finally leave off, we say
thai it has mastery over the monomairia by trigon of the light of the

I See page 13, note 1 in chapter S.

I That is, the appropriate trigonal ruler of the z6idioll in which the degree

is found.

, Since according to Paulus' system of trigon rulershi ps, Aphrodite has the
diurnal mastership of both the second (usually designated as earth) and the
fourth (usually designated a~ water) trigons, this provision is nccessary lest
Aphrodite get assigned twice as many degrees as any other planet.
The editor of the Greek teX! despaired of making sense out of this passage,
assuming that the text was corrupt. The variety of differenT tables accompanying
this chapter in the manuscript tradition shows that later r.ditors and copyists
interpreted it in a varielY of ways. In our opinion, the Greek is merely concisely
written and the sense clear enough .

• See page IS in chapter 6 where the Sun and Moon are referred 10 as the
adminiSlralors of one's all.

71
sect We have made a canon of this below l .

I In the text the table had the following caption:

The above canon is for diurnal binhs. For noctu rnal binhs the order of thc
trigon-lords will be al ternated. For example, for the first trigon through
Aries. Leo. Saginarius: Zeus, thcn thc Sun, and so fonh .

In the table as presented here. we have ta ken Ihe libeny of :ldding a second
column in eac h trigon which explicitl y gives Ihe order of the rulers for
nocturnal chans. Thc fj~t column in eaeh pair is exactly as given in the Original
text.
We should also like the re~der to oole that in the ta ble prcsented here. the
trigoos are explicitly not referred to by cleme nt but simply by numher

72
 Canon of Monomoiria by Degree (Trigonal Type)

Trigon 1 Trigon 2 Trigon 3 Trigon 4

QTI' llItJ1'l ""II", 1II.Ol{

, , , ,•
deg. 0 N 0 N 0 N 0 N

,• , ,
I 0 ) <f <f

,•• •,
2
I 3
•,
0
)
)
<f <f
0
0

,•• • , ,,• ,•,

4 ) 0 )
5
, <f
,
<f 0 )

, ,•, ,•,
6 0 )
7
,
<f
, <f
•,
0 )

,, 0,
8 0 ) <f <f

10•
,•,
0 ) 0
•, )
, ,,
<f <f

,•,
\I ) 0 )

, , , ,, •,,
12 <f <f 0 )
13
14
,
<f <f
0
0
•
, ,•,
)
)

15
16 , 0
0 )
• )

,, •,, •, ,,
<f
0
<f

,•,
17 ) <f <f 0
18 )
•,, ,
0 • )

,, ,••
, ,
I' <f <f 0 )
20
21
,
<f <f
0
0
• )

,, ,•,
)
22
23 , 0
0
•, •,
)
)

, ,
<f
0
<f
I
25 I • , , , ,
24 1 ) <f <f 0
,, )
•,, 0
,•, ,•,
)

,,
26 <f <f 0 )
27 0
•, •,)

,, I
28 <f <f 0 )
2.
30
0
0
•,
)
)
, , <f
0 ,
<f
I

73
 33. O n the Degree of the H iiroskopus as it is Necessitated l
Through Methods According to Nature'

The Egyp tian wise men SCI down the IIIQnomoi ria l by !riBOn to be
useful for grasping the Hiiroskopos in its degree. T hey fo llowed the
panicular tri gons o f the stars and the sects of the lights in relaTion to
both di urnal and nocturnal births. according to a monomoi rja that makes
4
use of the trigonal mastership by the star • sayi ng that the degree of the
H6roskopos is gotten by me:lnS of the degree o f the sect l ight ~ through
its being mastered tri gonall y b,
Some were suspected of saying Ihal Ihe boundaries of the star,
with in which the Moon is found for whatever z6idiofl , will necessarily
be o n the H iJroskopos.
Some treated of the bou ndary lord or e lse the house steward of the
prenata l conj unction or whole moon, and saw in what degree of
whatever z6idion each of them is for the binh day. They contended that
the degree of the Hiiroskopos was one of these, and especially the one
that had dealings at birth in accordance with the recko ning of the higher
count 7• And they further contended that when the ru ler of the bou nd-

I cuwnkasfikQS

l This chapter <kals with various techniques that astrologers have used to
detennine whether the computed degree or the H 6 r Qskopos is correct (RH J

J See page 13. nole I in chapter 5.

4 Sec previous chapter.

$ i.e. Sun or Moon. (RHI

6 The Greek here is rather complex and compact and appears \0 be saying
the following :
The degree of the H {ir oskqJOS can be obtained from the degree in its
rJjidion of the trigonal mononwiriu ruler of the Sun or Moon.

1 The higher coont pcnains to havmg molC essential dignities in th .. t degree

We do nOt know whether or not the vanous dignities were weighted in manner
of Arabic astrology in which rukrship:: 5. exaltation :: 4. trigon = 3. boundn ry

74
aries and o f the zjjidion of the prenatal conjunction or whole moon
should be fou nd to have the same degree, whether in one zjjidion or in
different zoidia, they positively indicate that the degree of the H oros/w-
pas has been grasped. I
Some are pointed out as saying that whatever degree is found for
the ruler of the boundaries of the prenatal conjunctio n or whole moon .
at just that degree will the Hjj ros/wpos have to occur.
Others have treated the degree of the H tJ roskopos in the foll o wing
manner. As regards the natal hour, kno wing in what lftitJion the
twelfth-pan1 of the previous} conjunction or whole moon left o ff;
similarly also, as regards the day of conception . knowing in what
z6idion the twelfth-pan of the previous conjunction or whole moon
turned out to be; and knowing which of the trigonal maSlers of these
[z6idia] by sed lies more nearly upon a pivol point: they say that the
degree of the one that lies more nearly upon a pivot point. marks the
birth hour, no matter what z6idiofl the HtJr oskopos occurs in , Thi s is
because il is near to making a lurn s, since ' making a turn ' is said of the
degree marking the binh hour. which rises from the invisible 10 the
visible and steers6 the binh of the babe .
If the trigonal rulers of the birth do not lie in thcir houses, they
have given bac k the degree of the HiJroskopos to those who are the
common rulers of it by trigon, in whatever zlJidiofl the H6roskopos went
fonh. and especially in Ihe one of them thai happens to be morc

'" 2 and face", I. Ptolemy seems not to use any weighting system granting each
dignity the same weight. lRH]

I Sec Ptolemy Book III on computing ascendants.

1 Thi s is probably the d6dd.olemorion which is for Paulus a 13th harmonic

position, but we cannot be prcciM!ty certain.

J i.c. prenatal .

• i.e. thc trigon ruler according to day or night.

, ekl ropi. This term has th(! same pivot quality as f~fllro" .

• oiokizjj. Stt page 50 in chaplcr 24, thc deSCription of the: fi rst place.

75
appropriate for the birth.

34. Concerning Crises'

It happens that death· bringing and dangerous crises1 arise from the
meeti ng by circumambu lation} of the Sun and Moon. and sometimes
also of the H6roskopos, with the ra ys of the male fi cs, either by the ir
co· presence, or according to a triangular, diametrical. square, or
hexagonal side. And the triangu lar side in either direction gives safety
in fleeing away from the coming crisis. Simi larly, the hcxagonal and
square sides on the right are free from hann. while the square side o n
the left becomes more dangerous than the other sides. Let the hexagonal
or square sides on the left. or the diametrical side. and the contact~
resulting from the meet ing by co·presence, be conceived of as destruc·
ti ve, fatal, and dangerous to you. with the hexagonal side on the left
bei ng easier 10 bear than the other sides.
And in the same way. the meeting of the lights by co-presence o r
diame trical {X)sition can also be made with the ascending or descending
nodes. And for diurnal births. say thaI the contact arising from the solar
circumambulation with the star of Ares is dangerous. For nocturnal

1 This c haptcr deals with something \'cry much like a primary direction.

called a circumambulation. II diffe:-s from Ptolemy's methods as set out in Book

III of the T~trabiblos in that the direction is done in rather than against the
order of the signs. The method. which might seem peculia r to us. is direc tly
derived from the ascensional times of the tJjidin. These are used rather than
methods employing oblique ascension. which might seem more logical \0
modem practitioners. loe ascensional times of the t.6idia were a major subject
of concern for Babylonian ast ronomy Mel their use in this way carried over into
Grcck astronomy·astro tngy . Even if the Greeks had access to modem
trigonometric methods, this older system might have been retained out of a
sense of tradition . [RH I

l klimnktir. Li terally. a rung on a ladder

) ek pcripatou.

• knlliJis

76
births, say that the contact arising from the lunar circumambulation with
the star of Kronos signifies a frightful crisis. And let the contact,
whether by day or by night. that resul ts from the circumambulation of
one of the lights with an ascending or descending node be conceived of
as dangerous. And let the contact, whether by day or by night. that
arises from the solar circumambulation wi th the Moon be conceived of
as dangerous and death-bri nging. And si milarly. the contact arising from
the circumambulation of the Moon with the Sun, whether by day or by
night. signifies deathly danger. And always. the meetings that arise, by
circumambulalion . in relation to Ihe slars that are sect-leaders' signify
that Ihe crises are transitory and will not be dangerous.
In the seasonal transits1 by ingress}. it is necessary to closely
examine the sect when the Su n and the malefic stars happen to be
present upon the pivot poi nts. or the Lot of Fortune upon the Moon , or
the star of Hermes upon it, or even the ascending or descend ing nodes
upon it ; and especia1Jy whenever the malefics are carried to a morning
ri sing or to their stations.
In addition to these. it will be necessary to treat of the stars that
yearl y fa ll upon ei ther Ihe prenatal conju nction or the prenatal whole
moon of the birth in question. or upon the squares and diameters to
these. and also to treat of the circumamhulations of the lights or of the
Horoslw pus for the proper w ne.
The treatment of either the solar. the lunar. or circumambulalions
of the H6roskopu~· is made in the follow ing fashion: We will count from
the degree at which either the Sun. the Moon. or the Horoskopos is
found at birth. until it should meet with one of the stars lying ahead of
it in accordance with any fi gure whatsoever. or until the interval from
z6idion to z6idion should be made. And if. then. it should meet with
one of the fore-lying stars in the same ::.6idion before the interval. this
star being actually one of the malefics. it will bring the danger of the
aforesaid cri ses more quickly . But if the interval is finished before it
should meet with one of the stars lyi ng ahead of it in the figura l

I IUlirtsiarr;hi.

, /KJrodos.

J tptmbasis. This section appears to refer to charts er«:tcd for the sc:asonal
ingresses or the Sun, I.c . 0° Aries. 0° Canccr. 0° Li bra and O' Caprlcom. (RH I

77
description I of the interval. it will produce the cause of the crisis.
As an illustration, the Sun is at the 15th degree of Scorpio. Ares at
the 23rd degree of Leo. Ihl;! Moon at the 6th degree of Sagittarius. the
Hour-marker at the 21st degree of Scorpio. Wc will firs t treat of the
c ircumambulation of the Sun. and what contact it makes by degree in
its meeting with Ares and the Moon. In additio n to these. the circumam-
bulation of the Horoskopo.~. and what encountering contact the Moon
makes wi th either the Sun or the star of Arcs.
First, we will beg in from the .o;olar circumambulation. Since the Sun
is at the 15th degree of Scorpio, which in the zone of Alexandria rises
(according to the Egyptians) through 35 years. I distribute the 35 years
amo ng the 30 degrees of Scorpio and the ziJidiorl which has the same
ascension as this (I mean Leo). I find for the degree of Scorpio and of
Leo 14 months. But the Sun is at the 15th degree, while Ares is at the
23rd degree of Leo. The remainder from the Sun up to the position of
Ares is R degrees. I make eight times 14; 112 months result, which is
9 years. 4 months. The Sun. occurring in a left hand square for its
meeting by circumambulation. Istandi ng] for illumination. has made a
contact with the star of Ares and was showing a death-bringing crisis.
The interval of 17 years and 6 months is made from Scorpio to
Sag ittarius and was showi ng another dangerous crisis. The Su n has
made contact by circumambulation with the Moon. which is in the 23
years and 10 months of Saginarius. For the degree of Sagittarius has 12
months. 20 days.
You wi ll also make the circumambulation of the H oroskopos in the
same fashion as the above illustration. in order that you may treat of
this for every supposi tion.
Hermes Tresmegistes explained himself in his treatise on crises.
speaking thusly: The crises ensuing upon human births do not always
become contributing causes of disea...es. But some contribute to
miseries. some to piratical attacks, some to losses. some to wrecks.
some to lawsuits. and others become the dispensers of long and lasting
stays away from horne . And some crises. produced through those stars
that are out of their sectl , act as contributing causes of di seases.

I See page 50. note 4 on lCliimowgraphia.

~ parairtlis. Tcchnically means out of its sect (night/day), but commonl y

means one that takes away.

78
dangers. and miseries; others. produced through the penalties of the
sect' . also contribute 10 the multiplication of these.

35. Concerning the Bond z of the Moon

The bond l of the Moon is detected whenever it shou ld be found to

occur on Ihe right or left side o f the solar rays in any figure whatsoever.
For. the Moon is found to be carried under bond whenever it shou ld fall
within an arc of five degrees of the solar rays on its way to conjunction.
In like manner. such a thing also occurs for the whole moon figures.
Similarly, it is also carried under bond when it is found in the two
squares of the Sun in the aforesaid fashion. And in the same theory, the
Moon is carried under bond when it occurs near both of the hexagons
of the Sun ~.
II dissolves the bond whenever it has passed by Ihe degree of the
Sun by circumambulation. If the dissolutio n of the bond should meet
with a malefic. it becomes the co ntributing cause of much ilI-fonune .
And if the dissoluti on should meet wi th one that is stationary or
subtractive in nu mbers. it brings madnesses. constraints. decays, and
chronic ill nesses. Someti mes it contributes to injuries that are hard to
treat; other times it even takes away life s.
The dissolution o f bonds are an even more severe affair and

1 dia ton tis hairt'seos zemi6n. Penalties of choice? Presumably this is also

a technical term referring to a way in which the star can fail to meet its sect.

11be 'bond oflhe M oon ' IS clearly a kind of aspecl orb 10 be used only in
'circumambulations' or the Moon (see previous (hapler). [RH ]

] slllldermos. Literally. that which ties together. Evidently a more general

kind of connection than conjunction (sunodos).

• On Ihe face of ;1. il does r.ot appe:tr that the triangular figure. i.e. trine.
is pcnnitted. It would seem to be a curious omission. bUI perhaps the trine is
subsumed by the heugon, a trine being 1110'0 SCJttiles. The Greek does not
especialty imply this, but it ;s a possibility. [RH [

, aphatreii. This renccls the expression subtra(tivc in numbers just above.

79
exceedingly affl icti ve, whenever the Moon, afte r getting loose from
conjunction, has a meeting with Ares; and after getting loose from a
whole moon, has a meeting with Kronos. When the bonds from the first
or second quarter get d issolved, they be1:ome more active in rela tion to
assistance and hindrance; assistance, whenever it is carried to benefics,
but hindrance, whenever 10 malefics.
BUI Jet it not escape your notice that the ci rcumambulat io n rising
through the lights. when either Kronos. Ares, or the Sun makes conlact
in regard 10 a left hand square, makes a dangerous crisis si nce it has the
relationship of Ihe hurling of rJYs', as the Egyptian wise men judged .

.)6, On Rulership

The manner of rulershipl is gotten from the Sun and the Moon, if
indeed they should be found in the dealing places of the birth. And for
a d iurnal birth it will be necessary to look for the boundary or exaltation
lord' of the Sun. or its trigonal master~. For a nocturnal birth, the

, aklinobolos.

2oiiwdespOleio. The one who in fact rules as his responsibility (the resident
or nati\'e ruler. as opposed to a fordgn emperor). (Additional nOle by RH] . This
entire chapter relates to IRe issue of life and life expectancy. Although there are
differences. one can see in the material presented in the chapter a doctrine
similar to the later methods involving a hyleg and an alcochodcn. used in
Arabic astrology. One of the principles differences between this and the later
doctrines as found in Guioo Bonatt, and OIhers is the different manner of
handling nocturnal chans. Usuall y the hyleg (most commonly the Sun or Moon)
is found in Ptolemy's aphetie places (see Book III of the Tetrobiblos J, namely
the first , cle\·enth. tent h. ninth and seventh. Here houses below the horil.on can
be used in a nocturnal chart.

) -kratOr. The one who has the power or might (but not the absolute ruler).

• -despoIls. The one who is in charge (the head of Ihe household . the
master of slaves).

80
boundary lord of the Moon, and its house steward 1, and the remainder
in the fashion laid out above. Of the aforesaid ways, whenever one star
shou ld have more counten;l than the others, and should be found to be
upon the pivot point at morn ing rising and occupying its own throne',
it has the rulership, and especially if it scrutinizes the light of the sed.
The dealing places for the detennination concerning rulership are
these: The H tiros/wpos, the Midheaven, and the Good Divinity; and in
addition to these the Descendant and the l..iiidioll setting upon it} when
these zoidia happen 10 be masculine. AI night, the 4 pivol points, the
Good Fortune, the Good Di vinity, the post-ascension of the Hiiroskopos.
and the z6idion selling upon the Descendent. For, if the light-bearing
bodies should happen to be on these places, they point to the rulership.
But if the light-bearing bodies fall outside of these places, then it
wi ll be necessary to look for the boundary lord or the trigonal lord, or
the house steward, of the prenatal conjunction or whole moon. But if
the pre natal conjunction or whole moon should have nothing to do, then
it will be necessary to look for the ruler of the Lot of Fortune or the
Lot of Divinit y in accordance with the rulership of the trigon, z6idiOfJ,
or boundaries. And after these, even the lord of the H6rosk.opos. And
should the star which has authority over these places be found in the
places explained ahead of time, being figured with that by whi ch it was
brought to notice, it will be accepted as the ruler 6 of the birth.
And when the star of Kronos is allotted the rulership, and if it is
well Situated, il gives 57 as the fi nal years of life . The star of Zeus

-dduJr. 1ne one who accepts responsibility, or takes it upon his own
head. (Perhaps the champion, instead.)

1 pscphos.

) idiOfhrOfleo. Exaltation?

• The "light of the sec!"' refers to the Sun in a diurnal chan and the Moon
in a nocturnal chan. IRH]

) epiduti.

• kurios. The one who has the authority. Evidently used as a synonym for
oikndtSpbftS ahove.

81
gives 79. Thai of Ares 66. That of Aphrodite S2. That of Hermes 76.
And if the Sun or the Moon should have a relationship 10 the star which
is ruler over the binh. the Sun gives 120 years, the Moon 108.
And when one of Ihe five planets obtains the rulership as its 101,
and should be testified ' to by Aphrodite, it rece ives al least an addition-
al 8 years for the final years of life. If it is testi fi ed to by Hennes, an
additional 20 years. !f by Kronos. being well and properly situated , 30
years: but if happens to be improperly situated 1 . it subtracts 30 years
from li fe. Zeus gives 12 addjtional years. And Ares, jf well and
properly situated. gives 15 years; but if out of his house, just that many
years arc subtracted .
But let it be conceived that, when the benefic stars should be found
in the declines, or under the solar beams, or they should scrutinize the
allotted lord while being subtractive in numbers, they find no f'mploy -
ment in the subtraction or addition of years.
And the ruler of the birth, fa lling under the solar beams in declining
z.vidia, gives its years in the manner of the least recurrence 3 • Kronos:
30 years, 30 months, 30 days, 30 hours; Zeus: 12 years, 12 months, 12
days, 12 hours; Ares: 15 years, 15 months. 15 days, 15 hours; Aphrodi-
te: 8 years, 8 months, 8 days, 8 hours; the star of Hermes: 20 years, 20
months, 20 days, 20 hours . The Sun, when it should occupy one of the
mascu line ,oidia. gives 19 years, 19 months, 19 days, 19 hours. The
Moon, 25 years, 25 months, 25 days, 25 hours .

37. Genesis of the Cosmos

As for the genesis of the mortal and terrestrial cosmos- since it is

amenable to investigation by the doctrine of nativity-casting- it is
necessary to postulate a staning point at Ihe creation of the mortal and
terrestrial cosmos for the recurrent [shining fonhl of the stars which are
held to be wandering, in which m<lnner, they, being ordered according
to the proper sect for the n3tural pan-assignment of the heavens,

, epimarluro.

2 alZoi/:'eios.

J apokillaslasis.

82
became visible at their degree-position of the particular ziJidia.
The Sun. then, was on the 19th degree of Aries, the Moon on the
15th degree of Cancer, the star of Kronos on the 15th degree of
Capricorn, that of Zeus on the 15th degree of Sagittarius, that of Ares
on the 15th degree of Scorpio, that of Aphrodite on the 3rd degree of
Libra. that of Hermes on the 7th degree of Virgo. The H~ r()sk.()pos was
rising in Cancer, based on the 15th degree, and being taken at the 11th
nocturnal hour. This is the genesis of the mortal and terrestrial cosmos.
In these z6 idia the above-mentioned stars fi rst emerged, having
everlasting breath. lying in the immortal region, whence too the zoidia
themselves have been named as their dwelling places l •

83
 Appendix

The follow ing words consistentl y translate the ind icated Greek word.

ruler, rulership: oikodespotes, oikodespoteia

ruler: kurios
master, mastership: despotls, desporeia
-lord : -krator (as in horatok.ratOr, lord of boundaries)
-steward: -dektor (as in oikQdektijr, steward of the house)

z6idion: zoidion (See General Note to Translator' s Preface.)

place: topos (See General Note to Translator's Preface.)

sect: hairesis
boundaries: haria
face: pros6pon
trigon : trigonon, i.e triplicity.
house: oikos
dwelling : oikoter
exaltation : hupsoma
depress ion: tapeinoma

figure : schema
to figure : schimntiz6
to configure: suschimlltizIJ
to come to the attention of (by appl ication, etc): hllpodedeiktai

to contemplate: lheoreo
to regard: epithe6reii
to scrutinize: katopteuo
to testify or bear wi tness to: epimarturo

All fou r of the above words appear 10 refer to aspect relationships . The
words theoreo and kalOpteuo refer to aspects in either direction, j e. into
preceding and succeedi ng signs. However, klltopteuo seems to have a
negative overtone suggesting that it refers particu larl y to diffic ult
aspects. The word epilheoreo is limited to aspects into the succeed ing
signs but . like theoreo , can refer to both diffi cult and good aspecL.. ,

84
hbroskopos: h6roskopos
to mark the birth-hour: harosk6pe6
midheaven: mesouranema
to culminate: mesaumneo

pivot: ken/ron
pre-ascension: proanaphora
post-ascension: epanophora
decline: apoklimn

lise: anatello
set: duneo

ascend , (of nodes): anabibaz6

descend, (of nodes): kala!Jibazo
contact : Iwllesis
application : sunaphi
separation : apporoia

circumambulation : I'eripatos

degree: moira (See General Note to Translator's Preface.)

mOl/omoiria: monomoiria (See note I , page 13.)

crisis: kfimakter

to take delight in, rejoice: " hair6 (See note 3 page 6.)
to have dealings with: chremaliz.6

Such dealings evidentl y include any or all of the administrative Or

govern ing functions (i.e. dispositions) perfonned by the planetary ruler.
master, lord or steward. Possibly the pl anet 's role as spear bearer, and
any configuration it enters into.

illustration : hupodeigma

A somewhat irregular word for 'example' , that has JUSt a trace of 'sign'
or 'token.'

85
image: eikiin

Another irregular word for example that may have the sense of a
visual ization.

86
 REPRINTS* of the The Astrological Record of the Early Sages
Project Hindsight Greek Track
(aka “TARES”)
VOL. I. Paulus Alexandrinus: Introduction to Astrology.
We used this title once before for VOLUME X of our original
VOL. II A. Anonymous of 379: On the Bright Fixed Stars. GREEK TRACK, which contains fragments from many ancient
authors; now we have chosen it again for a much larger role as
VOL. II B. Antiochus of Athens: Fragments From His Thesaurus. as the overarching name for a projected 30-volume set that will
represent the work of ALL the Hellenistic astrologers of whom
VOL. III. Ptolemy: Phases of the Fixed Stars. any trace yet survives.
VOL.VI. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Book I. When complete, TARES will contain not only the entirety of
the original GREEK TRACK in Robert Schmidt’s revised trans-
VOL.V. Ptolemy: Tetrabiblos, Book I.
lations, but much more: virtually the entire surviving corpus of
VOL.VI. Hephaestio of Thebes: Compendium, Book I. Hellenistic astrological treatises and fragments, accompanied
by Schmidt’s extensive notes and commentary.
VOL.VII. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Book II.

VOL.VIII. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Book III.

VOL. IX. Teachings on Transits.

VOL. X. The Astrological Record of the Early Sages in Greek.

VOL. XI. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Book IV.

~TARES~
VOL. XII. Ptolemy: Tetrabiblos, Book III.

VOL. XIII. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Books V & VI.

VOL. XIV. Ptolemy: Tetrabiblos, Book IV.

VOL. XV. Hephaistio of Thebes: Compendium, Book II. Definitions and Foundations is the first translation in the new
series. As you can see from the picture of its front cover on the
VOL. XVI. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Book VII. final page of this book, the “provisional look” has vanished, but
there is still a family resemblance to these older editions which
PROJECT HINDSIGHT Companion to the Greek Track
were the beginning of the entire enterprise.

Visit our website WWW.PROJECTHINDSIGHT.COM for

*Available at WWW.PROJECTHINDSIGHT.COM the latest information about our new TARES series.
 This booklet is a facsimile reprint of one volume from
PROJECT HINDSIGHT’S GREEK TRACK, Robert Schmidt’s
early provisional translations of various Hellenistic
astrological texts done from 1993 through 2000.
We say provisional because it was a cardinal principle of
PROJECT HINDSIGHT from its outset that no one in the world
– however learned in the Greek language – was in a position
to do a final translation of any single item from this large
body of work that had lain essentially unread for centuries.
Hence, this translation was not published as a final edition,
but only as provisional; this word was stressed and it was
hoped that the homemade character of the original book,
duplicated in this reprint, would serve to reinforce the idea
of the “temporary” character of the translation inside.
But now the situation is different. After spending the past
seventeen years studying the entire surviving corpus of
Hellenistic astrological writings, Robert Schmidt is now
ready to publish his final translations of all the selections
first presented in this and other GREEK TRACK volumes.
Accompanied by extensive notes and commentary, these
new translations are just beginning to be issued in attractive
hardcover format in a new series called THE ASTROLOGICAL
RECORD OF THE EARLY SAGES * (acronym TARES). It will
take several years to get all the material into print.
Meanwhile, at the request of numerous students we are
making these older provisional versions available. Some
may find it useful to compare the old versions with the new
You’ll have to visit our website to see how beautiful our
and see with hindsight how much was overlooked the first
TARES books actually are. We sharpened up the old frame
time around. It is gratifying to realize that we planned from
(originally created by a Victorian artist) and preserved the the very outset to make such later experiences possible.
same light blue color; the central white rectangle gives a
bright new look. The new page size is 6.14 x 9.21 inches, It will also be useful to keep this old version of the GREEK
and there are 400 pages in Definitions & Foundations. Find TRACK available in our archives for the permanent record,
out about the new TARES subscription plan at our website: since some seem to have forgotten who did what and when.

www.ProjectHindsight.com * See the final pages of this booklet for more information.
The Golden Hind Press