Considerations

In this next chapter (12) he entitled Of Masculine and Feminine Signs, Ptolemy resumes in a heartbeat, the distinction between the masculine and the feminine signs as either diurnal or nocturnal. In this chapter, Ptolemy again accentuated the reasons about Aries becoming the 1st sign of the Zodiac and not Taurus, Gemini, Cancer etc…

Of Masculine and Feminine Signs

At first, Ptolemy divided the 6 pairs of masculinity [diurnal] and femininity [nocturnal] according to how the ancients did, pair by pair beginning from the Aries-Libra Axis and from there they simple continued the sequence.

He says that Aries-Libra axis is masculine because it is when the Sun sets in motion the most powerful movement once all seasons had being completed, probably because the masculinity in someone ‘penetrates’ and from there the other carries the genesis, and thus a power force/modulation behind action while passive or nocturnal signs are those who hold inside the sequence of action. Read it by yourself:

“Again, in the same way they assigned six of the signs to the masculine and diurnal nature and an equal number to the feminine and nocturnal. An alternating order was assigned to them because day is always yoked to night and close to it, and female to male. 

The Introductory Point & The Aries 0 Degree: …Now as Aries is taken as the starting-point for the reasons we have mentioned, and as the male likewise rules and holds first place, since also the active [probably meant the ejaculation and the ‘semen’ factor] is always superior to the passive in power [probably meant the ‘menstrual’ factor and the women’s Egg], the signs of Aries and Libra were thought to be masculine and diurnal, an additional reason being that the equinoctial circle which is drawn through them completes the primary and most powerful movement of the whole universe. The signs in succession after them correspond, as we said, in alternating order.”

The Horoscope: It is clear that Ptolemy and all astrologers think of and determined Aries as the introductory point or the Horoscope of the Wheel, the starting of the Zodiac Signs when organized and counted in a wheel. The first point of the Equinoctial circle is considered the most powerful one because it is there when the Sun in tropicl Zodiac Aries constitues the genesis of variation, where things begin anew, and it is masculine due to this inclination of “penetrating” the skies providing the semi diurnal circle. It is diurnal, the Sun rises at this point giving birth to what is known to us as Day. 

In life, you and I exist because of the penetration of the sperm into the egg, of something rather “masculine” in force acting as penetrator, and the egg allowing such action to the place passively and “feminine”. As the Day ends, the Night comes in in sequence; and the same with the Zodiac Signs, the first of the wheel is supposed (or expected) to be Active/Masculine/Diurnal and what follows to be Passive/Feminie/Nocturnal.

When we say ‘negative’ and ‘positive’ signs, try to think more of an outlet.  Negative signs are more prone to introspection and passiveness while Positive signs are those inclined to operation and insertion. 

Also, when the astrologer says Masculine and Feminine, try to change the traditional retrograde “view” of sexuality of his time and imagine he is talking about the Zodiac signs whose motion enthusiastically “penetrates” the subject, and the one whom “receives” such act passively and enjoys it.

At the end of the chapter, Ptolemy classified the quadrant’s gender so that in others chapters he can exemplify if rather a person is more masculine or feminine in character etc. for predictions such quadrants’ gender are fundamental to understand general outlets. The geographer admited that many would are “divided” about the subject and reject such theory.

“Same, however, employ an order of masculine and feminine signs whereby the masculine begins with the sign that is rising, called the horoscope. For just as some begin the solstitial signs with the Moon’s sign because the Moon changes direction more swiftly than the rest, so they begin the masculine signs with the horoscope because it is further to the east, some as before making use of the alternate order of signs, and others dividing by entire quadrants, and designating as matutinal and masculine signs those of the quadrant from the horoscope to mid-heaven and those of the opposite quadrant from the occident to the lower mid-heaven, and as evening and feminine the other two quadrants. They have also attached other descriptions to the signs, derived from their shapes; I rafer [refer], for example, to “four-footed,”-. terrestrial,”” commanding,”” fecund,” and similar appellations. These, since their reason and their significance are directly derived, we think it superfluous to enumerate, since the quality resulting from such conformations can be explained in connection with those predictions wherein it is obviously useful.”

Conclusion

New Age astrologers may refuse to use such terms as masculine and feminine, once they feel there must be an infusion of both, or those are too limited. The root of life is indeed the infusion of both biological sexes, at procreation level and only, but as sexuality and gender is concerned, procreation has nothing to do with it. It is curious that even those times they knew the existence of all genres including trans people, and although disliking it, it is curious that not only Ptolemy pointed out how one would be sexually inclined to the same sex, but also would denote the positions of the native’s stars concerning straight but “immoral” kind of sex and gender. If you want to know more about sex and gender read this article I wrote on Mars & Venus: Of Diseases of the Soul; Curable vs. Incurable, Homosexuality, Bisexuality, Gender [According to Egyptian Ptolemy].

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References

Go back to Ptolemy’s Way and read the references