Of the Division of Times [According to Egyptian Ptolemy]
last updated: 27/Sep/2021
Note: For references, I utilized the version of the cosmopolitan Tetrabiblos from the anthologist 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 IV; Chapter 10, pages 110-115 [London, Davis and Dickson; 1822].
—
X. Of the Division of Times
In the last chapter o the treatise, not only Ptolemy introduced the 7 Ages of Human through the 7 planets, but also distributions of the planets and points which holds most vitality in any radix by Primary Directions. Although the last chapter, this is the first time the polymath cites the word Chronocrators in the manual, making me believe he was indeed very aware of other kinds of technique that would be “responsible” in putting life and things in chronological order, yet as it seems, he would like the astrologer to view such division in timeline as last in the order.
However, again, in this last part of the quadripartite, the scientist writes about distributions and primary directions and the themes that come out from the most vital places and planets in Solar Revolutions. This actually seems like a resume from the entire treatise but very completely synthesized and condensed. The Chapter that Ptolemy most repeated information is/was from Book III Chapter 10 “of Length of Life”. Read it:
The Last Inquiry & Divisions of Time: “As we have treated systematically [Ptolemy’s Systematization] under its several heads the outline of each kind of inquiry [questions/topics, investigations] only so far as to explain the general doctrine, which was our original intention, it would remain to add in the same manner any observations that should be made about the division of times, in such manner as to agree with nature and to be consistent with the specific doctrines which have already been set forth.
Nativity of a Country & Costumes: So then, as, among all genethlialogical [individual/nativity] inquiries whatsoever, a more general destiny takes precedence of all particular considerations, namely, that of country of birth, to which the major details of a geniture are naturally subordinate, such as the topics of the form of the body [the origin of the gene], the character of the soul and the variations of manners and customs,
Powerful Heredity & Eccentric Traditions: …it is also necessary that he who makes his inquiry naturally should always hold first to the primary and more authoritative cause, lest, misled by the similarity of genitures, he should unwittingly call, let us say, the Ethiopian white or straight-haired, and the German or Gaul black skinned and woolly-haired, or the latter gentle in character, fond of discussion, or fond of contemplation, and the Greeks savage of soul and untutored of mind; or, again, on the subject of marriage, lest he mistake the appropriate customs and manners by assigning, for example, marriage with a sister to one who is Italian by race, instead of to the Egyptian as he should, and a marriage with his mother to this latter, though it suits the Persian.
Universal Conditions First: Thus in general it is needful first to apprehend universal conditions of destiny, and then to attach to them the particular conditions which relate to degree.
According to the Ages & According to Reality: In the same fashion likewise, dealing with the division of time, one most take as a basis in each single prediction the differences and special proprieties of the temporal ages, and see to it that we do not, in the ordinary, simple treatment of matters incident to the inquiry, carelessly assign to a babe action or marriage, or anything that belongs to adults, or to an extremely old man the begetting of children or anything else that fits younger men;
Length and Time & Planetary Years: but once and for all let us harmonize those details which are contemplated in temporal terms with that which is suitable and possible for persons in the various age-classes. For in the matter of the age divisions of mankind in general there is one and the same approach, which for likeness and comparison depends upon the order of the seven planets;
The 7 Planets & the Age of Human: …it begins with the first age of man and with the first sphere from us, that is, the moon’s, and ends with the last of the ages and the outermost of the planetary spheres, which is called that of Saturn. And in truth the accidental qualities of each of the ages are those which are naturally proper to the planet compared with it, and these it will be needful to observe, in order that by this means we may investigate the general questions of the temporal divisions, while we determine particular differences from the special qualities which are discovered in the nativities.”
AGES OF HUMAN
| |
Planet & Age | As Process |
The Moon’s Age Age: 0-4 | “For up to about the fourth year, following the number which belongs to the quadrennium [the first 4 years], the Moon takes over the age of infancy and produces the suppleness and lack of fixity in its body, its quick growth and the moist nature, as a rule, of its food, the changeability of its condition, and the imperfection and inarticulate state of its soul, suitably to her own active qualities.” |
The Mercury’s Age Age: 5-11 (Uranus as secondary?) | “In the following period of ten years, Mercury, to whom falls the second place and the second age, that of childhood, for the period which is half of the space of twenty years, begins to articulate and fashion the intelligent and logical part of the soul, to implant certain seeds and rudiments of learning, and to bring to light individual peculiarities of character and faculties, awaking the soul at this stage by instruction, tutelage, and the first gymnastic exercises.” |
The Venus’ Age Age: 12-20 (Neptune as secondary?) | “Venus, taking in charge the third age, that of youth, for the next eight years, corresponding in number to her own period, begins, as is natural, to inspire, at their maturity, an activity of the seminal passages and to implant an impulse toward the embrace of love. At this time particularly a kind of frenzy enters the soul, incontinence, desire for any chance sexual gratification, burning passion, guile, and the blindness of the impetuous lover.” |
The Sun’s Age Age: 21-40 | “The lord of the middle sphere, the Sun, takes over the fourth age, which is the middle one in order, young manhood, for the period of nineteen years, wherein he implants in the soul at length the mastery and direction of its actions, desire for substance, glory, and position, and a change from playful, ingenuous error to seriousness, decorum, and ambition.” |
The Mars’ Age Age: 41-56 (Pluto as secondary?) | “After the sun, Mars, fifth in order, assumes command of manhood for the space of fifteen years, equal to his own period. He introduces severity and misery into life, and implants cares and troubles in the soul and in the body, giving it, as it were, same sense and notion of passing its prime and urging it, before it approaches its end, by labor to accomplish something among its undertakings that is worthy of note.” |
The Jupiter’s Age Age: 57-69 | “Sixth, Jupiter, taking as his lot the elderly age, again for the space of his own period, twelve years, brings about the renunciation of manual labor, toil, turmoil, and dangerous activity, and in their place brings decorum, foresight, retirement, together with all-embracing deliberation, admonition, and consolation; now especially he brings men to set store by honor, praise, and independence, accompanied by modesty and dignity.” |
The Saturn’s Age Age: 70- ‘till Death | “Finally to Saturn falls as his lot old age, the latest period, which lasts for the rest of life. Now the movements both of body and of soul are cooled and impeded in their impulses, enjoyments, desires, and speed; for the natural decline supervenes upon life, which has become worn down with age, dispirited, weak, easily offended, and hard to please in all situations, in keeping with the sluggishness of his movements.” |
The Ordinary Cause of Nature: “The foregoing, then, may be taken as a preliminary description of the characteristics of the ages of life, viewed generally and in accordance with the ordinary course of nature.
The Particulars & Distributions of Hylegical Points/Planets: …But as for particulars, which are to be discovered from the peculiarities of the nativities, some of them again we shall base upon the general considerations already set forth, that is, upon the prorogations of greatest authority, all of them, however, and not one, as in the case of the space of life [?].
DISTRIBUTIONS OR OTHER DIRECTIONS
| |
Asc | We shall apply the prorogation [Primary Direction – Distribution(s)] from the horoscope to events relating to the body and to journeys abroad; |
Lot | that from the Lot of Fortune to matters of property; |
Moon | that from the moon to affections of the soul and to marriage; |
Sun | that from the Sun to dignities and glory; |
Mc | that from the mid-heaven to the other details of the conduct of life, such as actions, friendships, and the begetting of children. |
Contradiction in Events: For thus it will come about that one beneficent or maleficent star will not be the ruler of all of them on the same occasion, for usually many contradictory events take place at the same time. | |
Examples of Contradictions: …One may, for example, lose a relative and receive an inheritance, or at once be prostrated by illness and gain some dignity and promotion, or in the midst of misfortune become the father of children, or have other experiences of this sort which are apt to occur.
All Directions From Anaereta & Vital Places/Planets Matter: …we must take into account not only the destructive ones, as in the case of the length of life, but absolutely all of them, and similarly not those alone that meet the prorogation only bodily [conjunctions], or by opposition, or in quartile, but also those that are in the trine and sextile aspects [he actually repeats these kind of information from Book III; Chapter IX].”
The Conjunction or Aspect of the Ruler of the Prorogation and the Vital Place/Planet Itself: “In the first place, we must give the rulership of the times in each prorogation to the star that is actually upon the Prorogatory degree or in aspect to it , or, [for ex. let the Moon be in Taurus, and Venus actually reached out the Moon by Primary Directions]
Distributions Through the Signs of the Zodiac: …if this condition does not exist, to the one that most nearly precedes [aspectual direction rather than Conjunction of bodies?], until we come to another which is in aspect with the next following degree in the order of the signs; then to this as far as the next following, and so on;
The Terms/Bounds are Also Part of Directions & Rulership: and the planets which govern the terms are to be given a part of the rulership.
Degrees as Solar Years: And again we must assign years to the degrees of the intervals:
Distributions of the Asc & Timing: in the prorogation from the horoscope a number equal to the times of ascension in the latitude concerned;
Distributions of the Mc & Timing: in the prorogation from mid- heaven, as many as the times of the culminations;
Distributions of the Other Points & Timing: and in the prorogations from all the others, in proportion to or in accordance with the nearness of the risings, or settings, or culminations, to the angles, as we explained in the discussion of the length of life [again, Book III; Chapter IX].”
From now on until the last words of the treatise, Ptolemy points out the “order” of Chronocrators, giving us a framework, a reference or systematization in order to put a sequence in the predictions so the astrologer won’t just predict out of nothing or plain intuition, but with a specific set of data to confront reality with that what began to be “corrupted” (set into motion) since birth:
General Chronocrators: “We shall discover the general Chronocrators, then, in the manner described, [I think he says about Division of Time, Firdaria etc. and the others that have dissimilar periods which are not annual or monthly]
Annual Chronocrators: …and the annual Chronocrators by setting out from each of the Prorogatory places, in the order of the signs, the number of years from birth, one year to each sign, and taking the ruler of the last sign. [I am almost certain that in here Ptolemy just talked about Annual Profections of the Asc/Mc/Lot/Moon/Sun]
Profections & Monthly Forecasts both from Natal and SR Charts: We shall do the same thing for the months, setting out, again, the number of months from the month of birth, starting from the places that govern the year, twenty-eight days to a sign; and similarly for the days, we shall set out the number of the days from the day of birth, starting with the places which govern the months, two and a third days to a sign.”
Ingresses By Transits from Saturn & Jupiter: “We must also pay attention to the ingresses which are made to the places of the times [transiting Ingresses of social planets Jupiter-Saturn and Chronocrators], for they play no small part in the prediction of the times of events; particularly to the [transiting] ingresses of Saturn to the general places of the times [Distributions of Saturn & General Chronocrators – For example, let transiting Venus ingresses the same Zodiac Sign as Natal between the ages of 12-20 years], and to those of Jupiter to the places of the years [for example, let annual Chronocrator of Profection be in the same Sign of the natal Jupiter (Jupiter’s return) or in aspect (but with familiarity) to the degrees of the planet – remember that Jupiter travels 1 sign per about 1 year];
Monthly Forecasts & Transits: to those of the Sun, Mars, Venus, and Mercury to those of the months, and to the transits of the moon to those of the days. [ex. .]
Powerful Annual Chronocrators: The reason for this is that the general Chronocrators [Profections; Solar Return etc.] have greater authority to realize the prediction,
Monthly Profections & Others: while the partial Chronocrators assist or deter, in accordance with the familiarity or unfamiliarity of their natures,
Transits & the Diminishing or Aiding of Influences: and the ingresses influence the degree of increase or diminution in the event.
Special Quality and Lengths of Time: For in general the special quality and the length of time are signified by the Prorogatory place and the lord of the general times [Lord of annual Chronocrator] together with the lord of the terms, because each one of the planets at the very time of the nativity is made familiar with the places which they happened at first to govern.” [a mix/cocktail of prediction for the special quality of the person who lives that chart and the length of time of such ‘general’ periods – could these general Chronocrators be easily called the great “Chapters” of our lives, considering life as a biography?] – Again, Ptolemy cites the Terms/Bounds of the Zodiac for special kind of predictions.
What | Signification |
Special Quality General Formula | Hyleg + Lord Primary Direction & Particular Distributions + Lord of Division of Time, or Firdaria + or other general Chronocrator of the astrologer’s systematization + Terms/Bounds Involved in the Whole Configuration |
Will it be Good/Bad or Both, or even in Between for each of the extremes?: “Whether the event will be good or bad is discovered from the natural and composite properties of the Chronocrators, whether they are beneficent or maleficent, and from their original familiarity with or antipathy to the places which they possess.
What | Investigate |
When the Events will be Evident | – Annual Chronocrators – Monthly Chronocrators – Ingresses of Saturn + Jupiter and/in Aspects of/to the other Spheres – Sun/Moon Lunations & Eclipses |
When the actual Events of the Configuration of the Cocktail Will Become Clear as Crystal: At what time the predicted event will be evidenced is shown by the aspects of the annual and monthly signs to the places which furnish the causes, and by the aspects of the signs into which the planets are making ingress and in which the phases of the Sun and Moon occur to the annual and monthly signs. [another mix where Ptolemy repeats information but as sequence, making sure the person reading knows how important is to divide the topics like every other subject and worthy of study and further mastered by experts]
Ingresses of Transiting Planets & Harmonious Times Ahead: For those whose relation to the affected places under consideration is harmonious from the beginning made in the nativity, and which in their ingresses are in favorable aspect to them, exert a good effect upon the species of the matter concerned, even as they cause evil if they oppose.
Ingresses of Transiting Planets & Diverging Times Ahead: And those which are inharmoniously related and of opposite sect cause evil if they are in opposition or in quartile to the transits, but not in the other aspects.”
Excessive & Flawless in either Beneficial or Malignant: “And if the same planets are lords of both the times [annual and monthly Chronocrators] and the ingresses [for example, let in that year a native have the same Lord in both Annual and Monthly Profections among with the Ingress of a planet in that Sign], the nature of the predicted event is made excessive and unalloyed, whether it incline to the good or to the bad; all the more so if they govern the species of the cause not only because they are Chronocrators, but also because they ruled it originally in the nativity.
Fortunate or Unfortunate in All Respects: The subjects are unfortunate or fortunate in all respects at once, whenever either all or most of the prorogations are found in one and the same place, or if these are different, whenever all or most of the occourses [Planets or Points Setting in the Radix by Primary Directions] occurring at the same times are similarly fortunate or unfortunate. The character of the investigation of the times, then, is of this fashion, by the style which agrees with the natural procedures.”
—
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.)