CHAPTER III

The third chapter deals with the aspects of the degrees of the celestial sphere, their amity, their
animosity, all matters concerning the quarters of the orbit, its twelve divisions, and what they
prognosticate at any moment. The aspect can be in four ways, namely, sextile, quadrature, trine,
and opposition. The degrees of the aspect are seven, to wit, the third, fourth, fifth, seventh, ninth,
tenth, and eleventh. The aspect in the third and eleventh is the sextile aspect. The aspect in the
fourth and tenth is the quadrature aspect. The aspect in the fifth and ninth is the trine aspect. The
aspect in the seventh is the opposition. The aspect in the third, fourth, and fifth is septentrional; the
aspect in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh is meridional. The sextile aspect is the sixth part of the
sphere, that is, 60 degrees; the quadrature aspect is the fourth part of the sphere, or 90 degrees ;
the trine aspect is the third part of the sphere, or 120 degrees ; the opposition is half of the sphere,
or 180 degrees. By way of example, let us suppose that the sign of the ascendant is the beginning
of Aries; then its northern sextile aspect will be in the beginning of Gemini, and its southern sextile
aspect will be in the beginning of Aquarius; its southern quadrate aspect in the beginning of
Scorpio and its northern quadrate aspect in the beginning of Capricornus; its northern trine aspect
in the beginning of Aries, and its southern trine aspect in the beginning of Sagittarius ; its
opposition aspect in the beginning of Libra. The most influential of all the aspects is that of
opposition, next in influence is the quadrature aspect, which in turn is followed by the trine aspect,
and the weakest of all is the sextile aspect. The opposition aspect is complete enmity, the
quadrature aspect is semi-enmity, the trine aspect is perfect amity, and the sextile aspect is semi-
amity. The signs among which there is neither aspect nor conjunction are four, namely, the
second, sixth, eighth, and twelfth. Of these the weakest are the sixth and twelfth. There are some
signs which are detrimental with regard to the aspect, but which are helpful in another way by
virtue of lying within the same radius in ascensions, in prevalence, or in the elliptical orbit : those
whose ascensions are constant, such as Aries, Pisces, Virgo, Libra, Taurus, Aquarius, Leo,
Scorpio, Gemini, Capricornus, Cancer, and Sagittarius; those which have an equal influence, that
is, every sign whose odd hours are the same, such as Scorpio with Gemini, Taurus with Leo, Aries
with Virgo, Pisces with Libra, Aquarius with Cancer, Capricornus with Sagittarius. The star which is
in one of the direct signs is called the master, and the one which is opposite its degree in one of
the oblique signs is the serf. The signs which are precisely in the elliptical orbit are always double
signs which are houses of a star: for instance, Aries and Scorpio are of Mars, Taurus and Libra of
Venus, Gemini and Virgo of Mercury, Sagittarius and Pisces of Jupiter, Capricornus and Aquarius
of Saturn. Even though the Moon has a single house and the Sun has only one, nevertheless both
exert an influence, and their houses are supposed to belong to the same influence. Even though
Aries, Libra, Capricornus, Scorpio, Virgo, Pisces, et cetera, are of a nature which functions
with consistency, yet there is enmity seizing them because of the diametric aspect.
The sphere is divided at every minute of the hour into four parts, because the quarter of the
sphere which extends from the meridian of the heavens as far as the ascendant degree is oriental,
male, and direct; that which corresponds to it among the four elements is the air, in the human
body it is the blood, of the seasons of the year it is the springtime, of the four parts of the day and
night it is the first one, of the age of man it is childhood, of the shades of color it is white. The
quarter which extends from the meridian of the planets to the declining degree is southern, weak
as though it were female, and its motions are retrograde ; what resembles it most closely among
the four elements is the fire, of the seasons of the year it is winter, of the four parts of the day and
night it is the second one, in the human body it is the blood, of the ages it is adolescence, and of
the colors it is the red. The quarter which extends from the declining degree until the degree of the
abyss is occidental, with the power of male, and it is direct; its equivalent among the elements is
the earth, of the seasons of the year it is autumn, of the four parts of the day and night it is the
third, within the human body it is melancholy, of the ages it is about fifty years, and of the colors it
is the black. The quarter which extends from the line of the abyss to the ascending degree is
septentrional, like female, and retrograde ; among the elements what befalls it is the water, among
the seasons of the year it is the winter, of the four parts of the day and night it is the last one, in
the human body it is cold mixed with dampness, of the ages it is the days of old age and senility,
and of the colors it is the green. The term southing denotes the meridian passage above the earth,
extending from the zenith down to the horizon; the term northing refers to that which lies beneath
the earth. Likewise the two quarters which are male are called meridional, and those which are like
female are septentrional. The half of the ascending orbit includes the two quarters from the
meridian of the celestial bodies to the ascending degree and from the ascending degree to the line
of the abyss. The half of the declining sphere means the other half extending from the line of the
abyss to the declining degree and from the declining degree to the center of the celestial bodies.
Every minute the sphere is divided into twelve parts, in accordance with the number of the signs of
the zodiac, and they are called houses; each group of four receives the same name.
Houses 1, 4, 7 and 10 are known as poles, because they look like points.
Houses 2, 5, 8 and 11 all bear the same name, supports for the poles.
Houses 3, 6, 9, and 12 have the common name of wanes.
The poles are more powerful than the supports, and supports are more powerful than the wanes.
The most powerful poles are 1 and 10, the most powerful supports are 5 and 11, the most
powerful wanes are 6 and 9. At every minute the houses of the orbit correspond to the four
elements, and I shall give an example with reference to the poles. When the rising sign is in Aries,
whose nature is like fire, in the meridian of the celestial bodies there will be Capricornus, which
has the nature of earth, and the declining sign will be Libra, which is of the nature of air, and the
line of the abyss will be Scorpio with the nature of water. The same holds true in the case of the
supported houses and the wanes. These twelve houses are fundamental in casting the horoscope
of man, in the consultations of the stars, in the selections, and also in the astrological judgments of
the universe in general.
The first house is the one which rises at the beginning of the western line. It denotes life, body,
speech, knowledge, growth, the start of any undertaking, and any thing which pertains to the
human mind, and of the span of life it points to the inception. The ruler of the first triplicity
prognosticates the life and character of the new-born and of the asker, his requests, and all that
which may befall him early in life whether beneficial or baleful. The ruler of the second triplicity
exerts an influence over the body, over strength, and middle-age. The ruler of the third triplicity
shares, jointly with his companions, in all that they dominate, and, in addition, he controls the end
of the span of life.
The second house forecasts wealth, the acquisition of property, the gift, food and those who
prepare it, those who obey the command, witnesses, keys, and treasures. The ruler of the first
triplicity points to wealth early in life. The ruler of the second triplicity denotes middle-age. The
third refers to the end.
The third house rules over the brothers, sisters, relatives, sons-in-law, wisdom, knowledge of the
Holy Writ, jurisprudence, dreams, modesty, advice, fidelity, epistles, notices, and approximate
direction. The ruler of the first triplicity denotes the older brothers, the second those in between,
and the third the young ones.
The fourth house serves as an augury over the father, floors, homes, fields, regions, cultivated
lands, hidden treasures, and any concealed object. The ruler of the first triplicity points to the
father, the second to the floors, and the third to the end of anything.
The fifth house marks the sons, destiny, food, drink, raiment, pleasure, presents, emissaries,
crops, and the father's treasures. The first triplicity governs children and parents, the second
pleasure, and the third emissaries.
The sixth house points to any disease which is chronic, likewise to chance, servants, maids, small
cattle, prison, fraud, and calumny. The ruler of the first triplicity determines sicknesses and
defects, the second the servants, and the third whether they will be useful or harmful.
The seventh house prognosticates women, coition, dispute, war, litigation, thieves, social
intercourse, and business. The ruler of the first triplicity indicates women, the second wars, and
the third social intercourse.
The eighth house predicts death, inheritance, deposit, separation, fear, grief, and ruin. The ruler of
the first triplicity decides upon death, the second upon anything ancient, and the third upon
inheritance.
The ninth house determines circulation, distant roads, all that which turns freely, secular
knowledge, religion, the service dedicated to God, messengers, news, dreams, oaths, prodigies,
marvels, judgments, and law-suits. The ruler of the first triplicity decides upon circulation, the
second upon religion, and the third upon knowledge.
The tenth house refers to the mother, the government, reputation, and all professions. The ruler of
the first triplicity points to the mother, the second to reputation, and the third to professions.
The eleventh house denotes honor, grace, good reputation, hope, friends, companions, royal
princes, exchequers, and wardrobe-stewards. The ruler of the first triplicity points to the hope in
one's mind, the second to the companions, and the third whether they are favorable or
detrimental.
The twelfth house is an omen of grief, indigence, envy, animosity, fear, tricks, vigilance, prisons,
captivity, disgrace, beatings, and the animals which serve as a mount for man. The ruler of the first
triplicity denotes sorrow, the second prison, and the third enemies.