Of Applications and Separations and the Other Powers [According to Egyptian Ptolemy]

This is the last chapter from Book I, and I would consider this chapter a continuation from the Chapter “The Influences of the Planetary Orbs”.

In other words, a planet Applying a Conjunction to the slowest would be: Let Mars be at 5° degrees Aries and Mercury at 1° degree Aries, Mercury Direct is then said to be Applying [if retrograde it would be “separating”]; or, let Saturn be at 10° degrees Aquarius and the Moon at 11° degrees Aquarius, the Moon is then said to be Separating from Saturn. 

The same with the Oppositions, Trine, Square and Sextile, however Ptolemy said that in the case of these classical Aspects, their latitude won’t matter [except when the planets are said to be in Conjunction] they bodies are already too far away to make such ‘logical’ connection. 

Read it and conclude by yourself:

“In general those which precede are said to “apply” to those which follow and those that follow to “be separated” from those that precede, when the interval between them is not great. Such a relation is taken to exist whether it happens by bodily conjunction or through one of the traditional aspects [Opposition, Trine, Square and Sextile]; except that with respect to the bodily applications and separations of the heavenly bodies it is of use also to observe their latitudes [North or South], in order that only those passages may be accepted which are found to be on the same side of the ecliptic [Let Mars and Venus Conjunction be at South or both in North]. In the case of applications and separations by aspect, however, such a practice is superfluous, because all rays always fall and similarly converge from every direction upon the same point, that is, the centre of the earth.”

Ptolemy didn’t write down the numbers of orbs, or degrees of influence a planet has, instead, Proclus version of the Greek translation boiled down all their Orbs as I create this table below:

“From all this then, it is easy to see that the quality of each of the stars must be examined with reference both to its own natural character and that also of the signs that include it, or likewise from the character of its aspects to the Sun and the Angles, in the manner which we have explained. Their power must be determined, in the first place, from the fact that they are either oriental and adding to their proper motion – for then they are most powerful – or occidental and diminishing in speed, for then their energy is weaker. Second, it is to be determined from their position relative to the horizon; for they are most powerful when they are in mid-heaven or approaching it, and second when they are exactly on the horizon or in the succedent place; their power is greater when they are in the orient, and less when they culminate beneath the earth or are in some other aspect to the orient; if they bear no aspect at all to the orient they are entirely powerless.”

Conclusion

Planets Direct & at their fastest, and in the Eastern halve, and mainly in the 1st house and also preferable conjunction the cusp, is when there are at their strongest. This is followed by planets culminating.

Retrograde planets specially when stationing Retro are great stamps of time. They viewed such phenomenon as “weak” because it is observed that things and people tend to go “backwards” rather than straightforward. However, when stationing in retrograde, there is something hard to be reckoned with, leaving a streak behind when moving forward, because the planet simple “stops” from our vantage point [Earth], as if sticking a flag to the ground to indicate a new “segment” from zero. At the same time I also tend to think the retrograde planets as planets in Cadent Houses, or the houses withdrawing from Cardinal houses, which are said to have weaker “effect”, or, things that are not apparent right away to the person.

No matter the topic of astrology, this is a fundamental concept that all astrologers should automatically follow, its end up being a logical order of judgment from all which has been discussed thus far in Book I. Why the Eastern halve is so important and a planet conjunct the 1st place is powerful? The Sun wakes up in the East etc. etc. etc. – the answers simple goes back to all Chapters of Book I.

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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]

Ptolemy. Tetrabiblos. Translated by F. E. Robbins. Loeb Classical Library 435. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1940.

Porphyry The Philosopher – Introduction To The Tetrabiblos & Serapio Of Alexandria; Astrological Definitions (Translated from the Greek by ] James Herschel Holden, M.A.)