Of Places and Degrees

Or, the Twelfth Parts – is another kind of Zodiac division [12, of course]. Ptolemy seems not to be a fan of such kind of division. Like the ‘Terms’ of the Zodiac, this method of finding Lords for specific amounts of degrees in the wheel, has been forgotten in the contemporary world.

“Some have made even finer divisions of rulership than these, using the terms” places” and” degrees.” Defining “place” as the twelfth part of a sign, or 2 1/2° [Dodecatemoria], they assign the domination over them to the signs in order. Others follow other illogical orders; and again they assign each “degree” from the beginning to each of the planets of each sign in accordance with the Chaldaean order of terms. These matters, as they have only plausible and not natural, but, rather, unfounded, arguments in their favor, we shall omit.”

They thought as giving divisions to the Zodiac signs while alluring degrees to the respect of the order/sequence of the wheel. For example, the 0° degree to 2.5° degrees of Aries has the same “vibe” as the Aries sign, the second division is from 2,5 to 7 degrees Aries which has the same “vibe” as the Taurus sign, etc. Now, Taurus 0° degree to 2.5° degrees has Taurus energy, and from the last to 5° degrees, Taurus now has Gemini energy etc.

“The following, however, upon which it is worthwhile to dwell, we shall not pass by, namely, that it is reasonable to reckon the beginnings of the signs also from the equinoxes and solstices, partly because the writers make this quite clear, and particularly because from our previous demonstrations we observe that their natures, powers, and familiarities take their cause from the solstitial and equinoctial starting-places, and from no other source. For if other starting-places are assumed, we shall either be compelled no longer to use the natures of the signs for prognostications or, if we use them, to be in error, since the spaces of the zodiac which implant their powers in the planets would then pass over to others and become alienated.”

Conclusion

I haven’t got to any conclusion yet on this topic.

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References

Go back to Ptolemy’s Way and read the references