Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos: Book the First: Chapter XXIII. The Disposition of the Terms

CHAPTER XXIII

THE DISPOSITION OF THE TERMS 1

THERE are two methods of disposing the terms of the planets, in reference to the dominion of the triplicities; one is Ægyptian, the other Chaldaic.

But the Ægyptian method preserves no regular distribution, neither in point of successive order nor in point of quantity.

In point of order it is defective, since it, in some instances, allots the first degrees of a sign to the lord of the house, in others to the lord of the triplicity, and in others again to the lord of the exaltation. By selecting examples this failure in order will easily be seen; for instance, if the order were regulated by the government of houses, for what reason should Saturn take the first degrees in Libra, since that sign is the house of Venus? or why should Jupiter take them in Aries, which is the house of Mars? If the government of triplicities were followed, for what reason should Mercury take the first degrees in Capricorn, which is in the triplicity ruled by Venus? If the government by exaltations, why should Mars take the first degrees in Cancer? that sign being the exaltation of Jupiter. And if the order were regulated even by considering the planet which possesses most of these dignities in the sign, for what reason should Mercury take the first degrees in Aquarius, in which sign he rules only by triplicity, and why not Saturn, who has government in it by house, as well as by triplicity? or why in short should Mercury, who does not possess any kind of dominion in Capricorn, receive the first degrees in that sign also? The same want of order is abundantly evident in the rest of the distribution.

An equal irregularity exists in the respective quantities of degrees allotted by the Ægyptians to the several terms of the planets. For it is by no means a proper nor sufficient demonstration of accuracy that the aggregate sum of all the numbers of every single planet amounts to the precise total requiring to be divided into portions of time; 2 since, even if it be admitted that this total, collected from every single star, is correctly asserted by the Ægyptians, it may still be objected that the same total, so collected by them, may be found in many other ways by

1 and Leo and Scorpio each in thirty-five degrees; when it is, on the contrary, shown by the Tables, 2 that the latter two signs occupy in their several ascensions more than thirty-five degrees each, but Virgo and Libra less. It should further be observed, that those who support this opinion seem (by so doing) not only to dispute the quantity of the terms most generally received, but to be driven also to the necessity of falsifying many points; since (as it is indispensable to keep to the same total amount of all the terms together) they make use of parts of degrees; but even that contrivance does not enable them to reach the true point.

The old terms, admitted by many persons on the authority of former tradition, are as follows:

THE TERMS ACCORDING TO THE ÆGYPTIANS

 

 

Footnotes

32:1 In reference to the terms of the planets, Placidus has these words (according to Cooper's translation): "The dignity of the planets in the signs and their parts, which are called the bounds and terminations" (quasi, terms), "have a real and natural foundation; to wit, the powerful aspect or proportional influxes to the movable points in which the stars begin to produce the primary qualities. So that, according to those things we have explained in the philosophy of the heavens, these are found to agree so well with the Ægyptian boundaries" (terms), "that they are highly deserving of admiration."

32:2 This total is the 360 degrees of the zodiac, requiring to be divided according to correspondent portions of the equator; by which all time is reckoned.

33:1 The degrees here mentioned are degrees of the equator.

33:2 See, in the Appendix, an extract from these tables; the whole of which are to be found in the Almagest.