The Astrology Of Bodily Injuries and Diseases [According to Egyptian Ptolemy]
last updated: 21/May/2021
Note: For references, I utilized the version of the Tetrabiblos from Ptolemy’s four books of the influence of the stars [or the Quadripartite Mathematical Treatise] translated from the Greek paraphrase of Proclus by j. m. Ashmand – more specifically I will refer this article to the Book III; chapter 12, pages 82-86 [London, Davis and Dickson; 1822].
—
Considerations
Ancient astrologers can be quite fatalistic because they didn’t get astrology for granted; they knew the power of the Solar System upon us, and the entire universe as a whole single unit. At the end of this text (conclusion) I hope you understand what I mean by that.
Wanting to know beforehand injuries and diseases is somewhat interesting, some people would never dare and think of this “kind” of astrology (people say traditional, but I think is the original “kind” of astrology that makes effort to the name regardless of time) as something to avoid, a bad sync and of psychological injury booster. But dear one, what can you do? We are not that perfect, fortunately or unfortunately? Are we “Gods” in true exile pretending we know it all? We have human parts [limbs] to move about and declare intentions while experiencing life, it was logical and matter of time for these astrologers to identify such moments of maleficent and evilness of the body through astrological means, as well as recoveries.
Of Bodily Injuries and Diseases
As an introduction to the chapter 12th, Ptolemy writes:
“(…) In this case also, to gain a general comprehension, it is necessary to look to the two angles [stakes] of the horizon [axis], that is, the orient [1st house] and the occident [7th house], and especially to the occident [7th house] itself and the sign preceding it [6th house], which is disjunct [Averse] from the oriental angle [1st house]. We must also observe what aspect the maleficent planets [Saturn or Mars] bear to them. For if they, one or both of them, are stationed against the ascending degrees of the aforesaid places, either bodily on them [conjunction] or quartile [square] or in opposition to them, we must conclude that the subjects born will suffer bodily injuries and disease, especially if either one or both of the luminaries [Sun or Moon] as well chance to he [be] angular [conjunction or square] in the manner described, or in opposition. For in that case not only if one of the maleficent planets is rising after the luminaries, but even if it is rising before them and is itself angular, it has power to produce one of the aforesaid injuries or diseases of such kind as the places of the horizon [the first axis of the Zodiac] and of the signs may indicate, likewise what is indicated by the natures of the afflicting [from the malefics] rand the afflicted planets [rising or setting], and moreover by those that bear an aspect [looking] toward them. For the parts of the individual signs of the zodiac which surround the afflicted portion of the horizon will indicate the part of the body which the portent will concern, and whether the part indicated can suffer an injury or a disease or both, and the natures of the planets produce the kinds and causes of the events that are to occur. For, of the most important parts of the human body…”
In order, Ptolemy puts:
Order of Investigation (Research) | Primarly Observe What Happens on… |
1st | Stakes of Horizon Angle (1st/7th houses) |
2nd | Specially the 7th house |
3rd | Then the 6th house (Aversion to the Asc) |
4th | Are there Mars or Saturn in Conjunction or in Aspect to these planets on these houses or degree points [cusp]? |
5th | Are these planets especially the Sun or the Moon? |
6th | What are the Zodiac Signs in the 1st-7th and 6th? |
7th | What are the body parts these signs represent? |
I made these quick tables [many below] you will soon read so you can filter the information better by visual differentiation of what has been wrote in Greek by the Egyptian scientist and polymath Ptolemy. Note that the Zodiac Signs and Planets may rule different realms of the body ruled by their planetary rulership. Here is the table with the parts:
Planet | Body Parts [by Ptolemy] |
Saturn | … is lord of the right ear, the spleen, the bladder, the phlegm, and the bones |
Jupiter | … is lord of touch, the lungs, arteries, and semen |
Mars | … of the left ear, kidneys, veins, and genitals |
Sun | … of the sight, the brain, heart, sinews and all the right-band parts |
Venus | … of smell, the liver, and the flesh |
Mercury | … of speech and thought, the tongue, the bile, and the buttocks |
Moon | … of taste and drinking, the stomach, belly, womb, and all the left-band parts |
You can also add Uranus [supposedly the higher octave of Mercury] and Pluto [supposedly the higher octave of Mars] to the malefic planets, but judge only if they really have something “special” in such radix, obvious signatures [aspects to personal planets especially to Mars at the stakes etc.] that demand some attention indeed and observe the results. Now, humans have no new limb in the body like we have the discoveries of the new generational planets, but they [the outer planets] indeed carry out their own kind of operation [not to be discussed now]. To give you just a quick example, is that Primary Directions of Uranus to the Sun or to its own rising or descendant may result in the native being killed by technology that were created after Uranus’ discovery, such as cars [according to my own investigations].
Ptolemy continues with the conversation:
“For the most part it is a general principle that injuries occur when the significant maleficent planets are oriental [1st house – Asc], and diseases, conversely, when they are setting [7th house – Dsc]. The reason for this is that these two things are distinguished thus – an injury affects the subject once for all and does not involve lasting pain, while disease bears upon the patient either continuously [chronic] or in sudden attacks.”
Malefics Rising [Asc] | Injury | Temporary (not lasting long) |
Malefics Setting [Dsc] | Disease | Chronic or Not (sudden attacks) |
Again, Ptolemy wants to assure the reader that planets oriental [rising in his terms] and occidental [setting] are important to know in advance to predict such results, or the planets on the horizontal axis are being square or conjunct by malefics have this tremendous operation that may afflict the native so bad in a literal way, that it may result in a temporary or permanent body injury or diseases. He continues:
“For the purpose of ascertaining particulars, certain configurations significant of injury or sickness have been specially observed, by means of the events which generally accompany such positions of the stars.”
Blindness | “For blindness in one eye is brought about when the moon by itself is upon the aforesaid angles [horizon axis], or is in conjunction, or is full [opposite the Sun], and when it is in another aspect that bears a relation to the sun [I suppose a square], but applies to one of the star clusters in the zodiac, as for example to the cluster in Cancer, and to the Pleiades of Taurus, to the arrow point of Sagittarius, to the sting of Scorpio, to the parts of Leo around the Coma Berenices, or to the pitcher of Aquarius; and whenever Mars or Saturn moves toward the moon [assembly; applying conjunction], when it [the Moon] is angular [in whatever stakes] and waning [beings to decrease in ilumination; the Square] and they [the malefics] are rising, or again when they ascend before the Sun, being themselves angular. But if they are in aspect with both luminaries at once, either in the same sign or in opposition, as we said, morning stars [rising] with respect to the sun, and evening stars [setting] to the moon, they will affect both eyes; for Mars brings about blindness from a blow, a thrust, iron, or burning; when he [Mars] has Mercury in aspect, in palaestras [wrestling or perhaps in any kind of martial art] and gymnasiums or by felonious attack. Saturn causes it [blindness] by suffusion, cold, glaucoma, and the like.” |
Sterile Men; Miscarriages; Premature Birth | “Again if Venus is upon one of the aforesaid angles [horizontal axis], particularly the occident [setting], if she is joined with Saturn or is in aspect with him or has exchanged houses [let Saturn be Libra, Venus in Capricorn], and is inferior to Mars [Mars ahead of Venus?] or has him in opposition, the men who are born are sterile, and the women are subject to miscarriages, premature births, or even to embryotomies [mutilation of fetus], particularly in Cancer, Virgo, and Capricorn.” |
Hermaphrodites | “And if the moon at rising applies to Mars [especially angular I suppose], and if she also bears the same aspect to Mercury that Saturn does [let Saturn square the Moon and Mercury also square even from another sign of the same modality], while Mars again is elevated above her [rises first?] or is in opposition, the children born are eunuchs [castration] or hermaphrodites or have no ducts and vents.” |
Deprived of Sexual Organs; Sterile Women | “Since this is so, when the Sun also is in aspect, if the luminaries [both Sun and Moon] and Venus are made masculine [I don’t know if he is talking about masculine quadrants or a unique hemisphere, or simple masculine signs], the moon is waning [the 7th day of the Moon – the last quarter], and the maleficent planets are approaching in the succeeding degrees, the males that are born will be deprived of their sexual organs or injured therein, particularly in Aries, Leo, Scorpio, Capricorn, and Aquarius, and the females will be childless and sterile.” |
Impediment of Speech/Tongue | “Sometimes those who have such genitures continue not without injury to the sight also; but those suffer impediment of speech, lisp, or have difficulty in enunciation who have Saturn and Mercury joined [conjunct] with the Sun at the aforesaid angles, particularly if Mercury is also setting [occidental] and both bear some aspect to the Moon. When Mars is present with them he is generally apt to loosen the impediment to the tongue, after the moon meets him [Moon ahead of Mars].” |
Deformations (hunchback, crookedness, lameness, or paralysis) + Attack from Animal | “Again, if the luminaries [Sun + Moon], together [conjunct] or in opposition, move toward the maleficent planets upon the angles [applying an aspect; assembly], or if the maleficent planets move toward the luminaries [before the Sun & Moon], particularly when the moon is at the [south or north Lunar] nodes or her bendings [?], or in the injurious signs such as Aries, Taurus, Cancer, Scorpio, or Capricorn, there come about deformations of the body such as hunchback, crookedness, lameness, or paralysis, congenital if the maleficent planets are joined with the luminaries, but if they are at the mid-heaven [10th house] points, elevated above the luminaries or in opposition one to the other [in the 4th house?], the deformations will result from serious dangers, such as falls from a height, the collapse of houses, or the attacks of robbers or animals.” |
Danger | If Mars prevails, the danger is from fire, wounds, bilious attacks, or robberies; if it is Saturn, through collapse of buildings, shipwreck, or spasms.” |
White Leprosy; Lichens; moles | “For the most part injuries come about when the moon is near the solstitial [Cancer – Capricorn] or equinoctial signs [Aries-Libra], particularly at the spring equinox [end of Gemini (he said near) to Aries sign?], injuries by white leprosy; at the summer solstice, by lichens; at the fall equinox, by leprosy; at the winter solstice [end of Sagittarius to Capricorn?], by moles and the like.” |
“Diseases are likely to result when at the positions already described the maleficent planets are in aspect, but in the opposite sense, that is, evening stars with respect to the Sun and morning stars to the Moon.”
Saturn Operation | “For in general Saturn causes his subjects to have cold bellies, increases the phlegm [mucus], makes them rheumatic, meager [lack of supplement/Vitamin to anemia?], weak, jaundiced [Hepatitis?], and prone to dysentery, coughing, raising [?], colic, and elephantiasis; the females he makes also subject to diseases of the womb.” |
Mars Operation | “Mars causes men to spit blood, makes them melancholy [really?], weakens their lungs, and causes the itch or scurvy; and furthermore he causes them to be constantly irritated by cutting or cautery of the secret parts because of fistulas, hemorrhoids, or tumors, or also burning ulcers, or eating sores; he is apt to afflict women furthermore with miscarriages, embryotomies, or corrosive diseases. Of themselves, they also bring about the properties of disease in agreement with the natures, which have been already discussed, of the planets in aspect, as they relate to the parts of the body.” |
Mercury Operation | “Mercury assists them chiefly to prolong the evil effects, when he is allied with Saturn inclining toward cold and continually stirring into activity rheumatisms and gatherings of fluid, particularly about the chest, throat, and stomach. When he is allied with Mars he adds his force to produce greater dryness, as in cases of ulcerous sore eyes, eschars [result of burn injury?], abscesses, erysipelas, savage lichens or skin eruptions, blaek bile, insanity, the sacred disease, or the like.” |
“Certain qualities of disease are determined by changes among the zodiacal signs which surround the aforesaid configurations on the two angles [horizontal axis]. For in particular…”
Cancer, Capricorn, and Pisces | “…and in general the terrestrial [+ Taurus, Virgo] and piscine signs [+ Scorpio], cause diseases involving eating sores, lichens, scales, scrofula, fistulas, elephantiasis, and the like.” |
Sagittarius/Gemini Axis | “…are responsible for those that come about with falling fits or epileptic seizures.” |
29° Degrees [Anaretic] | “And when the planets are in the last degrees of the signs they cause diseases and injuries especially in the extremities, through lesions or rheumatism, from which elephantiasis and, in general, gout in the feet and hands result.” |
“Since this is the case, if no beneficent planet bears an aspect to the maleficent ones which furnish the cause, or to the luminaries on the centres, the injuries and diseases will be incurable and painful; so also, if they bear an aspect but the maleficent planets are in power and overcome them [as result]. But if the beneficent planets are themselves in the authoritative positions and overcome the maleficent planets that bear the responsibility for the evil, then the injuries are not disfiguring and do not entail reproach and the diseases are moderate and yield to treatment, and sometimes they may be easily cured, if the beneficent planets are rising.”
Ptolemy continues the text describing Jupiter’s operation when “granted” such magnitude of power and resilience in the radix which overcome the potency of the malefics and their evilness towards deformation and diseases, thus an benefic intervention is astrologically applied. The Egyptian from the Roman Empire than adds Mercury, Venus and Saturn with the mix, read it:
Jupiter + Mercury | “For Jupiter generally causes the injuries to be concealed by human aid through riches or honours, and the diseases to be mitigated; and in company with Mercury he brings this about by drugs and the aid of good physicians.” |
Jupiter + Venus | “… And Venus contrives that through pronouncements of the gods and oracles the blemishes shall be, in a way, comely and attractive, and that the diseases shall be readily moderated by divine healing…” |
Venus + Saturn + Mercury | “… if however Saturn is by, the healing will be accompanied by exhibition and confession [origin?] of the disease, and such like, but if Mercury is joined with her it will be with the accrual [accumulation] of use and gain, through the injuries and diseases themselves, to those that have them.” |
When Ptolemy adds Venus in the equation, he’s talking about miracles and the “power of pray”, or better yet, the “power of intent?”, or somehow a “divine” intervention nonetheless. I’ll let the reader decide. I would also boldly add to the interpretation: with the help of women willing to; charity; because great amount of money thus good doctors and expensive medicines and surgeries); post-operation treatments; topical therapies (creams, medications) etc. everything good that comes after or even during such period to help to heal. Add Mercury, you shall have many people at the native’s disposal ready to help or to serve, like doctors and specialists.
Conclusion
This topic have so many layers like an onion, that one could easily write a good essay on the health department as well as for writing a good book on the research, but not for me though. Nevertheless, such (astrological) phenomenon intrigues and never sizes to amaze me. One I thing I missed in such chapter, was the elements and how they contribute to virus & sickness by air, by animals [if quadruped, flying, volant etc.], blood, etc.
The Ptolemy’s 12th Chapter of Book III is just an introduction to what can be investigated through astrology, nowadays there are “new” kind of pandemics and diseases, to isolate each will demand investigation and great time of research astrologers, especially in the medical field in contrast things are getting easier and better by technology and knowledge, by human intervention, by creative and scientific means.
In this last part where he talks about benefic Jupiter and Venus and great recovery, I think the astrologer will also want to investigate the benefic Primary Directions, because if there isn’t/aren’t any great directions from the radix, apparently the chances of recovery is not literally good. This is just one part of an investigation. This part of the astrology can indeed be quite fatalistic and somehow pre-determined.
—
References
Tetrabiblos Ptolemy’s four books of the influence of the stars [or the Quadripartite Mathematical Treatise] translated from the Greek paraphrase of Proclus by j. m. Ashmand – [London, Davis and Dickson; 1822]
The Astrology Of Bodily Injuries and Diseases [According to Egyptian Ptolemy]
last updated: 21/May/2021
Note: For references, I utilized the version of the Tetrabiblos from Ptolemy’s four books of the influence of the stars [or the Quadripartite Mathematical Treatise] translated from the Greek paraphrase of Proclus by j. m. Ashmand – more specifically I will refer this article to the Book III; chapter 12, pages 82-86 [London, Davis and Dickson; 1822].
—
Considerations
Ancient astrologers can be quite fatalistic because they didn’t get astrology for granted; they knew the power of the Solar System upon us, and the entire universe as a whole single unit. At the end of this text (conclusion) I hope you understand what I mean by that.
Wanting to know beforehand injuries and diseases is somewhat interesting, some people would never dare and think of this “kind” of astrology (people say traditional, but I think is the original “kind” of astrology that makes effort to the name regardless of time) as something to avoid, a bad sync and of psychological injury booster. But dear one, what can you do? We are not that perfect, fortunately or unfortunately? Are we “Gods” in true exile pretending we know it all? We have human parts [limbs] to move about and declare intentions while experiencing life, it was logical and matter of time for these astrologers to identify such moments of maleficent and evilness of the body through astrological means, as well as recoveries.
Of Bodily Injuries and Diseases
As an introduction to the chapter 12th, Ptolemy writes:
“(…) In this case also, to gain a general comprehension, it is necessary to look to the two angles [stakes] of the horizon [axis], that is, the orient [1st house] and the occident [7th house], and especially to the occident [7th house] itself and the sign preceding it [6th house], which is disjunct [Averse] from the oriental angle [1st house]. We must also observe what aspect the maleficent planets [Saturn or Mars] bear to them. For if they, one or both of them, are stationed against the ascending degrees of the aforesaid places, either bodily on them [conjunction] or quartile [square] or in opposition to them, we must conclude that the subjects born will suffer bodily injuries and disease, especially if either one or both of the luminaries [Sun or Moon] as well chance to he [be] angular [conjunction or square] in the manner described, or in opposition. For in that case not only if one of the maleficent planets is rising after the luminaries, but even if it is rising before them and is itself angular, it has power to produce one of the aforesaid injuries or diseases of such kind as the places of the horizon [the first axis of the Zodiac] and of the signs may indicate, likewise what is indicated by the natures of the afflicting [from the malefics] rand the afflicted planets [rising or setting], and moreover by those that bear an aspect [looking] toward them. For the parts of the individual signs of the zodiac which surround the afflicted portion of the horizon will indicate the part of the body which the portent will concern, and whether the part indicated can suffer an injury or a disease or both, and the natures of the planets produce the kinds and causes of the events that are to occur. For, of the most important parts of the human body…”
In order, Ptolemy puts:
Order of Investigation (Research) | Primarly Observe What Happens on… |
1st | Stakes of Horizon Angle (1st/7th houses) |
2nd | Specially the 7th house |
3rd | Then the 6th house (Aversion to the Asc) |
4th | Are there Mars or Saturn in Conjunction or in Aspect to these planets on these houses or degree points [cusp]? |
5th | Are these planets especially the Sun or the Moon? |
6th | What are the Zodiac Signs in the 1st-7th and 6th? |
7th | What are the body parts these signs represent? |
I made these quick tables [many below] you will soon read so you can filter the information better by visual differentiation of what has been wrote in Greek by the Egyptian scientist and polymath Ptolemy. Note that the Zodiac Signs and Planets may rule different realms of the body ruled by their planetary rulership. Here is the table with the parts:
Planet | Body Parts [by Ptolemy] |
Saturn | … is lord of the right ear, the spleen, the bladder, the phlegm, and the bones |
Jupiter | … is lord of touch, the lungs, arteries, and semen |
Mars | … of the left ear, kidneys, veins, and genitals |
Sun | … of the sight, the brain, heart, sinews and all the right-band parts |
Venus | … of smell, the liver, and the flesh |
Mercury | … of speech and thought, the tongue, the bile, and the buttocks |
Moon | … of taste and drinking, the stomach, belly, womb, and all the left-band parts |
You can also add Uranus [supposedly the higher octave of Mercury] and Pluto [supposedly the higher octave of Mars] to the malefic planets, but judge only if they really have something “special” in such radix, obvious signatures [aspects to personal planets especially to Mars at the stakes etc.] that demand some attention indeed and observe the results. Now, humans have no new limb in the body like we have the discoveries of the new generational planets, but they [the outer planets] indeed carry out their own kind of operation [not to be discussed now]. To give you just a quick example, is that Primary Directions of Uranus to the Sun or to its own rising or descendant may result in the native being killed by technology that were created after Uranus’ discovery, such as cars [according to my own investigations].
Ptolemy continues with the conversation:
“For the most part it is a general principle that injuries occur when the significant maleficent planets are oriental [1st house – Asc], and diseases, conversely, when they are setting [7th house – Dsc]. The reason for this is that these two things are distinguished thus – an injury affects the subject once for all and does not involve lasting pain, while disease bears upon the patient either continuously [chronic] or in sudden attacks.”
Malefics Rising [Asc] | Injury | Temporary (not lasting long) |
Malefics Setting [Dsc] | Disease | Chronic or Not (sudden attacks) |
Again, Ptolemy wants to assure the reader that planets oriental [rising in his terms] and occidental [setting] are important to know in advance to predict such results, or the planets on the horizontal axis are being square or conjunct by malefics have this tremendous operation that may afflict the native so bad in a literal way, that it may result in a temporary or permanent body injury or diseases. He continues:
“For the purpose of ascertaining particulars, certain configurations significant of injury or sickness have been specially observed, by means of the events which generally accompany such positions of the stars.”
Blindness | “For blindness in one eye is brought about when the moon by itself is upon the aforesaid angles [horizon axis], or is in conjunction, or is full [opposite the Sun], and when it is in another aspect that bears a relation to the sun [I suppose a square], but applies to one of the star clusters in the zodiac, as for example to the cluster in Cancer, and to the Pleiades of Taurus, to the arrow point of Sagittarius, to the sting of Scorpio, to the parts of Leo around the Coma Berenices, or to the pitcher of Aquarius; and whenever Mars or Saturn moves toward the moon [assembly; applying conjunction], when it [the Moon] is angular [in whatever stakes] and waning [beings to decrease in ilumination; the Square] and they [the malefics] are rising, or again when they ascend before the Sun, being themselves angular. But if they are in aspect with both luminaries at once, either in the same sign or in opposition, as we said, morning stars [rising] with respect to the sun, and evening stars [setting] to the moon, they will affect both eyes; for Mars brings about blindness from a blow, a thrust, iron, or burning; when he [Mars] has Mercury in aspect, in palaestras [wrestling or perhaps in any kind of martial art] and gymnasiums or by felonious attack. Saturn causes it [blindness] by suffusion, cold, glaucoma, and the like.” |
Sterile Men; Miscarriages; Premature Birth | “Again if Venus is upon one of the aforesaid angles [horizontal axis], particularly the occident [setting], if she is joined with Saturn or is in aspect with him or has exchanged houses [let Saturn be Libra, Venus in Capricorn], and is inferior to Mars [Mars ahead of Venus?] or has him in opposition, the men who are born are sterile, and the women are subject to miscarriages, premature births, or even to embryotomies [mutilation of fetus], particularly in Cancer, Virgo, and Capricorn.” |
Hermaphrodites | “And if the moon at rising applies to Mars [especially angular I suppose], and if she also bears the same aspect to Mercury that Saturn does [let Saturn square the Moon and Mercury also square even from another sign of the same modality], while Mars again is elevated above her [rises first?] or is in opposition, the children born are eunuchs [castration] or hermaphrodites or have no ducts and vents.” |
Deprived of Sexual Organs; Sterile Women | “Since this is so, when the Sun also is in aspect, if the luminaries [both Sun and Moon] and Venus are made masculine [I don’t know if he is talking about masculine quadrants or a unique hemisphere, or simple masculine signs], the moon is waning [the 7th day of the Moon – the last quarter], and the maleficent planets are approaching in the succeeding degrees, the males that are born will be deprived of their sexual organs or injured therein, particularly in Aries, Leo, Scorpio, Capricorn, and Aquarius, and the females will be childless and sterile.” |
Impediment of Speech/Tongue | “Sometimes those who have such genitures continue not without injury to the sight also; but those suffer impediment of speech, lisp, or have difficulty in enunciation who have Saturn and Mercury joined [conjunct] with the Sun at the aforesaid angles, particularly if Mercury is also setting [occidental] and both bear some aspect to the Moon. When Mars is present with them he is generally apt to loosen the impediment to the tongue, after the moon meets him [Moon ahead of Mars].” |
Deformations (hunchback, crookedness, lameness, or paralysis) + Attack from Animal | “Again, if the luminaries [Sun + Moon], together [conjunct] or in opposition, move toward the maleficent planets upon the angles [applying an aspect; assembly], or if the maleficent planets move toward the luminaries [before the Sun & Moon], particularly when the moon is at the [south or north Lunar] nodes or her bendings [?], or in the injurious signs such as Aries, Taurus, Cancer, Scorpio, or Capricorn, there come about deformations of the body such as hunchback, crookedness, lameness, or paralysis, congenital if the maleficent planets are joined with the luminaries, but if they are at the mid-heaven [10th house] points, elevated above the luminaries or in opposition one to the other [in the 4th house?], the deformations will result from serious dangers, such as falls from a height, the collapse of houses, or the attacks of robbers or animals.” |
Danger | If Mars prevails, the danger is from fire, wounds, bilious attacks, or robberies; if it is Saturn, through collapse of buildings, shipwreck, or spasms.” |
White Leprosy; Lichens; moles | “For the most part injuries come about when the moon is near the solstitial [Cancer – Capricorn] or equinoctial signs [Aries-Libra], particularly at the spring equinox [end of Gemini (he said near) to Aries sign?], injuries by white leprosy; at the summer solstice, by lichens; at the fall equinox, by leprosy; at the winter solstice [end of Sagittarius to Capricorn?], by moles and the like.” |
“Diseases are likely to result when at the positions already described the maleficent planets are in aspect, but in the opposite sense, that is, evening stars with respect to the Sun and morning stars to the Moon.”
Saturn Operation | “For in general Saturn causes his subjects to have cold bellies, increases the phlegm [mucus], makes them rheumatic, meager [lack of supplement/Vitamin to anemia?], weak, jaundiced [Hepatitis?], and prone to dysentery, coughing, raising [?], colic, and elephantiasis; the females he makes also subject to diseases of the womb.” |
Mars Operation | “Mars causes men to spit blood, makes them melancholy [really?], weakens their lungs, and causes the itch or scurvy; and furthermore he causes them to be constantly irritated by cutting or cautery of the secret parts because of fistulas, hemorrhoids, or tumors, or also burning ulcers, or eating sores; he is apt to afflict women furthermore with miscarriages, embryotomies, or corrosive diseases. Of themselves, they also bring about the properties of disease in agreement with the natures, which have been already discussed, of the planets in aspect, as they relate to the parts of the body.” |
Mercury Operation | “Mercury assists them chiefly to prolong the evil effects, when he is allied with Saturn inclining toward cold and continually stirring into activity rheumatisms and gatherings of fluid, particularly about the chest, throat, and stomach. When he is allied with Mars he adds his force to produce greater dryness, as in cases of ulcerous sore eyes, eschars [result of burn injury?], abscesses, erysipelas, savage lichens or skin eruptions, blaek bile, insanity, the sacred disease, or the like.” |
“Certain qualities of disease are determined by changes among the zodiacal signs which surround the aforesaid configurations on the two angles [horizontal axis]. For in particular…”
Cancer, Capricorn, and Pisces | “…and in general the terrestrial [+ Taurus, Virgo] and piscine signs [+ Scorpio], cause diseases involving eating sores, lichens, scales, scrofula, fistulas, elephantiasis, and the like.” |
Sagittarius/Gemini Axis | “…are responsible for those that come about with falling fits or epileptic seizures.” |
29° Degrees [Anaretic] | “And when the planets are in the last degrees of the signs they cause diseases and injuries especially in the extremities, through lesions or rheumatism, from which elephantiasis and, in general, gout in the feet and hands result.” |
“Since this is the case, if no beneficent planet bears an aspect to the maleficent ones which furnish the cause, or to the luminaries on the centres, the injuries and diseases will be incurable and painful; so also, if they bear an aspect but the maleficent planets are in power and overcome them [as result]. But if the beneficent planets are themselves in the authoritative positions and overcome the maleficent planets that bear the responsibility for the evil, then the injuries are not disfiguring and do not entail reproach and the diseases are moderate and yield to treatment, and sometimes they may be easily cured, if the beneficent planets are rising.”
Ptolemy continues the text describing Jupiter’s operation when “granted” such magnitude of power and resilience in the radix which overcome the potency of the malefics and their evilness towards deformation and diseases, thus an benefic intervention is astrologically applied. The Egyptian from the Roman Empire than adds Mercury, Venus and Saturn with the mix, read it:
Jupiter + Mercury | “For Jupiter generally causes the injuries to be concealed by human aid through riches or honours, and the diseases to be mitigated; and in company with Mercury he brings this about by drugs and the aid of good physicians.” |
Jupiter + Venus | “… And Venus contrives that through pronouncements of the gods and oracles the blemishes shall be, in a way, comely and attractive, and that the diseases shall be readily moderated by divine healing…” |
Venus + Saturn + Mercury | “… if however Saturn is by, the healing will be accompanied by exhibition and confession [origin?] of the disease, and such like, but if Mercury is joined with her it will be with the accrual [accumulation] of use and gain, through the injuries and diseases themselves, to those that have them.” |
When Ptolemy adds Venus in the equation, he’s talking about miracles and the “power of pray”, or better yet, the “power of intent?”, or somehow a “divine” intervention nonetheless. I’ll let the reader decide. I would also boldly add to the interpretation: with the help of women willing to; charity; because great amount of money thus good doctors and expensive medicines and surgeries); post-operation treatments; topical therapies (creams, medications) etc. everything good that comes after or even during such period to help to heal. Add Mercury, you shall have many people at the native’s disposal ready to help or to serve, like doctors and specialists.
Conclusion
This topic have so many layers like an onion, that one could easily write a good essay on the health department as well as for writing a good book on the research, but not for me though. Nevertheless, such (astrological) phenomenon intrigues and never sizes to amaze me. One I thing I missed in such chapter, was the elements and how they contribute to virus & sickness by air, by animals [if quadruped, flying, volant etc.], blood, etc.
The Ptolemy’s 12th Chapter of Book III is just an introduction to what can be investigated through astrology, nowadays there are “new” kind of pandemics and diseases, to isolate each will demand investigation and great time of research astrologers, especially in the medical field in contrast things are getting easier and better by technology and knowledge, by human intervention, by creative and scientific means.
In this last part where he talks about benefic Jupiter and Venus and great recovery, I think the astrologer will also want to investigate the benefic Primary Directions, because if there isn’t/aren’t any great directions from the radix, apparently the chances of recovery is not literally good. This is just one part of an investigation. This part of the astrology can indeed be quite fatalistic and somehow pre-determined.
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References
Tetrabiblos Ptolemy’s four books of the influence of the stars [or the Quadripartite Mathematical Treatise] translated from the Greek paraphrase of Proclus by j. m. Ashmand – [London, Davis and Dickson; 1822]