~I*I*I

~
Ii1*1*1 ~
~
~
* The Astrological
*
~
~ Record of the ~

~
* Early Sages
in Greek
*
~
* ~*~
~ Translated ~
~ by Roben Schmidt ~

~
* Edited
by Robert Hand
*
~

~ ** Project Hindsight
Greek Track
*
~
*
I'lh......trrI Volume X ~

~ ~
~ ~
~I*I*Ie1*I*I~
 This booklet is a facsimile reprint of one volume from
PROJECT HINDSIGHT’S GREEK TRACK, Robert Schmidt’s
early provisional translations of various Hellenistic
astrological texts done from 1993 through 2000.
We say provisional because it was a cardinal principle of
PROJECT HINDSIGHT from its outset that no one in the world
– however learned in the Greek language – was in a position
to do a final translation of any single item from this large
body of work that had lain essentially unread for centuries.
Hence, this translation was not published as a final edition,
but only as provisional; this word was stressed and it was
hoped that the homemade character of the original book,
duplicated in this reprint, would serve to reinforce the idea
of the “temporary” character of the translation inside.
But now the situation is different. After spending the past
seventeen years studying the entire surviving corpus of
Hellenistic astrological writings, Robert Schmidt is now
ready to publish his final translations of all the selections
first presented in this and other GREEK TRACK volumes.
Accompanied by extensive notes and commentary, these
new translations are just beginning to be issued in attractive
hardcover format in a new series called THE ASTROLOGICAL
RECORD OF THE EARLY SAGES * (acronym TARES). It will
take several years to get all the material into print.
Meanwhile, at the request of numerous students we are
making these older provisional versions available. Some
may find it useful to compare the old versions with the new
You’ll have to visit our website to see how beautiful our
and see with hindsight how much was overlooked the first
TARES books actually are. We sharpened up the old frame
time around. It is gratifying to realize that we planned from
(originally created by a Victorian artist) and preserved the the very outset to make such later experiences possible.
same light blue color; the central white rectangle gives a
bright new look. The new page size is 6.14 x 9.21 inches, It will also be useful to keep this old version of the GREEK
and there are 400 pages in Definitions & Foundations. Find TRACK available in our archives for the permanent record,
out about the new TARES subscription plan at our website: since some seem to have forgotten who did what and when.

www.ProjectHindsight.com * See the final pages of this booklet for more information.
 REPRINTS* of the The Astrological Record of the Early Sages
Project Hindsight Greek Track
(aka “TARES”)
VOL. I. Paulus Alexandrinus: Introduction to Astrology.
We used this title once before for VOLUME X of our original
VOL. II A. Anonymous of 379: On the Bright Fixed Stars. GREEK TRACK, which contains fragments from many ancient
authors; now we have chosen it again for a much larger role as
VOL. II B. Antiochus of Athens: Fragments From His Thesaurus. as the overarching name for a projected 30-volume set that will
represent the work of ALL the Hellenistic astrologers of whom
VOL. III. Ptolemy: Phases of the Fixed Stars. any trace yet survives.
VOL.VI. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Book I. When complete, TARES will contain not only the entirety of
the original GREEK TRACK in Robert Schmidt’s revised trans-
VOL.V. Ptolemy: Tetrabiblos, Book I.
lations, but much more: virtually the entire surviving corpus of
VOL.VI. Hephaestio of Thebes: Compendium, Book I. Hellenistic astrological treatises and fragments, accompanied
by Schmidt’s extensive notes and commentary.
VOL.VII. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Book II.

VOL.VIII. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Book III.

VOL. IX. Teachings on Transits.

VOL. X. The Astrological Record of the Early Sages in Greek.

VOL. XI. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Book IV.

~TARES~
VOL. XII. Ptolemy: Tetrabiblos, Book III.

VOL. XIII. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Books V & VI.

VOL. XIV. Ptolemy: Tetrabiblos, Book IV.

VOL. XV. Hephaistio of Thebes: Compendium, Book II. Definitions and Foundations is the first translation in the new
series. As you can see from the picture of its front cover on the
VOL. XVI. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Book VII. final page of this book, the “provisional look” has vanished, but
there is still a family resemblance to these older editions which
PROJECT HINDSIGHT Companion to the Greek Track
were the beginning of the entire enterprise.

Visit our website WWW.PROJECTHINDSIGHT.COM for

*Available at WWW.PROJECTHINDSIGHT.COM the latest information about our new TARES series.
 The Astrological
Record of the
Early Sages
in Greek
Translated by
Robert Schmidt

Edited by
Robert Hand

Project Hindsight
Greek Track
Volume X

.-'-:=-:- . _.-=::"..

The Golden Hind Press

 PROJECT HINDSIGHT is funded entirely
by the astrological community through
subscriptions and donations.

©Copyri ght 1995 by

Robel1 Schmidt

Published by The Golden Hind Press. P.O. Box 002.

Berkeley Springs. WV 25411.
 T:lblt: of Contents

Ili stor;cal Introduct ion by Ro bert Hand

The Maps . xv

Translator's Preface by Robert Schmidt

General Note
Katarche. wiTh an Update on ApOlell'snul .. llxvi
Kala rchi and Apol elesma as Counterparts to Arche and Telos
llllv iii
Ka/archi as Complement 10 Arche XllXl

The Astrological Record of the Early Sages in Greek

I , Tcstimonials and Biographical References
MaTcrial from Venius Valens. . ...... .
From Preface to Book 9 of the Anthology of Veil ius
Valens ... . ... . .. . .
From the Treatise o n the Bright Fi lled Stars by A nonymou~ of
379. ....... 2
Material from Johannes Lydus 3
From the Book Concern ing sig ns by Lydus 3
Material from Masha'allah . 4
From an Apolelesmatic Book of Masha'allah 4
2. Hennes Trismegistus ... ... . 6
Introduction to Fi rst Fragment .. . 6
A Mystical Method of Hermes Trismegistus Useful for Every
Incept ion . . ......... 7
Method of Hermes Trismegistus fo r Every Inception 7
In troduction to Second Group of Hermes Fragments II
Another Examination of Taking to One's Red 12
A Numerical Method for Giving a Prognosis for the One Who
Is Sick- Whether He Will Li ve in Health. or in Danger,
orOie 16
3. The Relationship Between Hemlcs and Nechcpso/Petosiris
17
Introduction 17
From a Papyrus Fragment 17
4 . Nechepso and Pctosiris 18
Introduction IR
A Surp r i~in g I\ ,inl frolll l'elOsiri .~ C:oncerm ng li armonious
IS
 A Third NechepsolPetosiris entry 19
On Eclipses of the Sun and Moon 20
5. Erimarabos. Phoredas. Odapsos 22
InlIOOuction ... . .. ...... . 22
CCAG 8, 3; 91-92 22
6. Zoroaster 23
InlIoouclion 23
About the Zoroastrians 24
Concerni ng the Presentation of a Letter, from the Writings of
Zoroaster .. ... .. 26
Concerning When the Expected War or Some Evil Thing W ill
ifappen. from Zoroaster, according 10 Praxidi kos. 29
7. PYlha,oras the Philosopher 29
Intro:.luction . .. ....... ....... . 29
Rcckoning o f Pythagoras the Philosophcr Concerning the
Infanl Being Born, and Concerning a Si milar Examination
of the Seven Wandering Planets in Order That You May
Know by Study in Regard to What Sort of Star Each Was
Born . .... ... .......... . . 30
Concerning the Shapes and Signs of the Twelve z6idia, How
from Ihe Study of Each One You May Learn What Kind
of Z6idion You Have and Its Acti vity. from Pythagoras
the Philosopher 32
8. Erasistratos ....... 36
Introoluctio n 36
Concerning the Loss of an hem according to Erasistralos; To
Find the Thief and What Is Losl and Where It Lies 37
9. Timaeus ....... 41
Intro:luction 41
Concerning Runaways and Thieves, from Timaeus
Prax idos ....... ....... . 42
10. Serapio 44
Introouction 44
Concern ing Inceptions, from Serapio 45
Concerning Running Away, from Serapio ..... .. 46
On Confinements and Taking to On("'s Bcd, from the Same
Serapio .. ........ . . . ...... . 46
On Intercourse with Wo men, fro m Serapio 47
Conccrni ng Every Association . . .. ... . 48
II . Cril().\cmus 49
Inlro.lu(\ ion 49
 Summary of Critodcrnus ... .. 49
General Figures of Violent Death .. ... . . . ... . 50
Introduction to the Second Fragment o f Critodemus .. 53
Effects of the Bounds, from CrilOdemus .. 53
12 . Thrasyllus · ... 57
Introduction . . . · ... 57
Summary of The Table of Thrnsy llus, to Hieroclcs ... 57
13. Call icratcs ....... . · . . 60
Introduct ion ....... . . .... 60
Summary of the Astrological Essays of Callicrates. Written to
Timogcnus: the Expression Thesaurus of Callicrules Is
Inscribed upon it .... . ...... . . _ . ..... 61
14 . Demetrius .. ..... ... . .. . 61
Inlroduction ... ..... . ... 61
On the Astrological Practices of Demetrius .. . 62
Concerning Those Who Run Away . . . .... . ... 62
15. Balbi ll us .. .. ...... . .... .... 66
Introouctioll ...... . . ... 66
Summary of the Astrological Practices of Balbil1us. !O
Hennogenes . ...... . . ... 66
Balbillus' Method for Length of Life from the Aphcta and the
Destroyer . 68
16 . Teucer of Babylon . . . .. . . . 71
Introduction ....... . . ..... 7 1
From the Writings of Teucer of Bab)'lon concerning the Seven
Stars . ...... .... . . ... 72
Concerning Oeeans That Cause Licentiousness . __ 76

G lossary 79
 Historical Introduction by Robert Hand

Given the fael Ihal lhe malerial in Ihis volume relales to the earliest
material on astrology surviving in the Greek language, it seemed
<Ippropriate that we provide readers of Project Hindsight booklets with
an overview of the history leading up to the Hellenistic era in which
astrology as we know it, horoscopic astrology, first came into being.
The account which we present here is mostly derived from
mainstream academic sources, although we will also present some of
our own speculations in an::as where Ih ~re is no clear evidence. We do
not present such speculations whimsically but on ly where inlernil l
evidence seems to justify them. and always they will be presented with
clear indications that they are speculations.
On the other hand, because we have drawn from Western academic
sources. one could object Ihat Ihis account does nOI take into
consideration possible alternate views that might be derived, for
example, from the study of :he aSlrologies of India. This might be a
valid objection, but we would like to assure the reader that we do nut
accept academ ic positions on the history of astrology uncritically. We
try to accept only what is consistent with the internal evidence of the
texts themselves. We also recognize that what we say here is not to be
taken as definiti ve . There is much to be learned abom the history of
astrology, especially now that it is being carefully studied by those who
arc not hostile to the subject.
Based on the above considerations, it is lhe thesis of this author that
astrology as we know il came inlO being only once in time and in one
place ; the place is Mesopotamia (roughly modern Iraq) and the time is
to be discussed below. Having said this, another point needs to be
made; what we mean by astrology as we know it is horoscopie
astrology, i.e .. astrology the intention of wh ich is the picking of
favorable times for doing thing~, the answering uf questions, the
forecasting of mundane events, and the analysis of individual destiny,
all based on a peculiar instrument. the theme. genesis or chart. And that
chart has a particular degree or sign which is marked as the beginning
point of analysis. It is usually the degree or sign ascending, although for
part icular purposes the Sun, Muon, or Lot of Fortune may be used as
well .
The reason fur making this very specilic definition of astrolugy as
we kn(lw il is th,u in a broader sense some kind of astrology is nC;lrly
universal among ancient peoples and is not limited to either one time
or place as its poin! of origin. Almost every ancien! people had some
system of e~ami nin g the heavens for divinatory purposes. Native
Americans. Greeks (lOrig before they encountered Mespotamian
astrology), the peoples of India, whoever it was that built Stonehenge
and New Grange in the British Isles, and the ancient Nordic peoples. to
give a par1iallist Much of the controversy concerning the antiquity of
various peoples' astrologies sterns from confusion over this very point.
The star of celestial omens does not consti tute astrology as we kno w it.

Mesopotamian Origins

Meso(Xllamia. the Land between the Two Ri vers. (see maps #1 and #4)
is one of the so-called "cradles" of civilization, along with Egypt (see
map #3) Chi nl, and the Indus Valley. It also appears to be the o ldest of
these. The e\idence indicates an urban civiliUlIion as early as 4000
8 .C.E . The first people in the area were a people known as the
Ubaidians. We know virtually nothing about these people except that at
a fairly early period another people began moving into the area and
intennarrying with them. These were the Sumerians who became
domimmt and whose language replaced whatever was the language of
the Ubaidians. Also the Sumerians invented the oldest known fonn of
writing. cuneifonn, which is done by impressing wedge-shapes into soft
clay. )
After a ptriod of time Semitic peoples began moving into the area
as well . The fITSt of these weTe the Akkadians centered around their city
of Akkad. lr. about 2330 S.C.E. Sargon of Akkad conquered the
Sumerians and created the first of several Semitic empires that would
dominate not only Mesopotamia but also the Mediterranean coast and
eventually even Egypt. The language of the Akkadians was the direct
ancestor of the Assyrian and Babylonian languages. these being in fact
dialects of Al:kadian.
The Akkadian Empire fell in about 22 18 B.C.E. After this various
Semitic and othcr peoples struggled for control of the area. This
constant struggle among various peoples in fact marks the major
difference be(ween the Mespotamian civilization and that of Egypt.

) Cune iform itself may have been deri\'w from an earlier pictographic
writing somewllat similar in idea to Egyptian hieroglyphics.

"
EHpt hall many centuries o f rdative peace with occasional periods of
distu rbance, but nothing like the chaos of MesopOlamia.
Afler a period of time in the second millennium B.C.E. two peoples
began to assume dominance, the Babylonians who had been culturally
do minant for many centu ries in the south, and the Assyrians in the
north. (Sec maps;;1 and #2 .) As it turned out, while both groups were
politicall y dominant at times, in general it can be said that the Assyrians
were more often politically dominant while the Babylonians werc
culturally dominant. In fact the Assyrians even used the Babylo nian
d ialect of Akkadian for their own official records.

Here are some dates in Mesopotam ian hislOry from this point on . All
dates as!\ume that something like the modern system of chronology .
Even in modern sources these dates vary. The ones here are from the
1994 version of Microsoft's Encarta.

1792-1750 S .C .E. - Hammurabi unifies the area around Babylun.

1350 B.C.E. - The rise of the Assyrian Empire.
730-650 S .C.E. - Assyrian Empire controls all of Mesopotamia, parts
of Persia, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt. This is also notable as the
first time that Egypt and Babylon were under the same regime.
612 B.C E. - The fall of Assyria and the rise of the Second
Babylonian Empire. The Babylonian pe<)ple thai brought this about
were ,llso known as Chaldeans, hence [he term Chaldean Empire.
539 B.C.E . - The conquest of Babylonia by Persia. For a second time
Egypt and Babylon were under one regime. See map *4.
33 1 S .CE. - The conquest of Mesopotamia by Alexander the Great.
The entire area becomes dominated by Greek language and culture.
The Seleucid dynasty descended from Alexander's general Seleukos
ruled the area including Mesopotam ia.
126 B.C.E. - The Parthians, a Persian Iribc, conquered the Mesopo-
tamia.
227 C.E. - The $assanids, a people from the central area of Persia,
overthrow the Panhians and establish the Second Persian Empire,
or Sassanid Empire.
635 C E. - Thc Mos lem Arabs ovenhrow the Sassanid Empire and
Mc:->oplllamia comes undcr the rule of various Caliphatcs .

Ik!\IfI: 1111 '\ In g on to a discussion o f how and where astrolog y evolved,

,"
let us give a similar chronology for Egypt .

3200 S .C.E. - First evidence of strong political forces in the Nile

basin. Also the earliest hieroglyphic writings. Evidence of a fairl y
high culture in the area precedes this by several centuries.
c. 2755 -2255 ReE. - The Old Kingdom. lbe pyramids dale from
this time. The first solar calendar was developed.
c. 2255 - 2134 B.C.E. - Interregnum .
c. 2134 - 1668 S.C.E. - The Middle Kingdom .
c. 1668 - 1570 o.c.E. - The second interregnum. the period of the
Hyksos, a race of probable Semite,; dominated Egypt during this
period.
1570 - 1070 S.C.E. - - The New Kingdom. This is the period of the
Kings AmenhOlep, Akhnaten, Tutankhamem, and the various
Kings Rameses. The exodus of the Israelites is widely believed to
ha ve occurred in this period.
1070 - 671 B.C.E. - The third intenegnum. Various regional dynasties
ruled . In 671 S.C.E. the Assyrians conquered Egypt for a time.
525 B.CE. - The Persians overthrew the last native ruler of Egypl.
332 B.CE. - Alexander the Great conquered Egypt. II then came
under the rule of the Ptolemies descended from Ptolemy I, another
of Alexander's ge nerals.
30 B.CE. - Cleopatra. the last of the Ptolemies, dies and the Romans
lake over. See map #6.

Subsequently Egypt fell under Arabic rule at about the same time as the
Sassanid Empire was overthrown.

Mesopotamian Astrology-First Stages

In the beginning Mesopotamian astrology was much like that of other

cu ltures, a simple examination of the heavens for Offie ilS that might
affect the kingdom. Often these observations of omens would include
weather phenomena intennixed with true astronomical ones. What made
the Mesopotamians different is that they began at an early time to make
systematic observations of phenomena with an eye to fi nding regular
patterns in the heavens that might correlate with patterns in human
events.

i\'
 Accord in g 10 Van dcr Waerde n ' the earliest astronomical writings
known in Mesopotamia are from the o ld Babylonian period, roughly the
time of HammurabL II is not known whether the Sumerians were
invol ved in astronomical studies or not, but it would seem plausible that
they were, There are also some writings which refer to the Akkadian
period and which may date fro m about 2300 B.C.e. Here is an example
of o nt! of these early writi ngs.

If Venus appears in thc East in the mo nth Airu and the G reat and
Small Twins surrou nd her, all four o f them, and she is dark. thell
will the King of Elam fall sick and no t re mai n alive.l

The most extensive o men lore was contai ned in a compilation referred
to as Enuma Anu Enlil. These were assembled somewhere in the second
millennium n.c.e. Another collection of omens is an importa nt work,
the dating of which is extremely controversial. the Venus Tab les of
Ammitaduga. This consists of systemat ic observatio ns of the phases of
Venu s combined with their o men significations. the signifi cations being
clearl y based on past observatio ns. The general belief is that these tables
date (rom the reign of Ammi7..aduga about 146 years after Hammurabi .
Ba.~ cd on the astronomy. van der Waerden assigns the followin g years
as possible dates for the observations. 1702. 1646, 1638. and 1582
B.C.E.l O ne of the reasons that these d ates have become controversial
in certain circles is that if these dates are COlTect, then Velikovsky is
seriously in error. That contro versy is outside of this scope of this
introd uction however. and we will continue o n the ass umption that
orthodox scholarship is at least reasonably correct. Still I urge readers
to take the dates with eXlTe me caution, The Babylo nians themselves.
much li ke modem Hindus, attri buted an antiqui ty to themselves and
their observatio ns that seems fantastic by modern Western standards.

1 8 .L. van der WacrUcn. Sn"n c~ A'<'Ilt.·'linll If. NUOfUhofl Oxford. Ncw
York . 1914. p. 48.
1 Quoted by van dcr Wacr-Icn p. 49. ffUm a wurk by Schaumbcrger. to wit.
J. Sl'hau mhcrger. 3. r:rgii"lI.UlK.~lrrft ~ "'.X. KWH/", SIt' m ku" dt fl. Slurtkdi~rtSI
ill /I"brl IM ij n~le r, 19.'\5). p_ 344
,Ie.
, V:/Il W:w:rden. (/1' (·it . p. ]4 The d :l l e.~ rn his oook are ~i\'c n in
.,,1'''110''111<';11 1I01:.1in ll whu.: h wr h;on' o:han~nl hcr,' 1(1 Ihe n"l ll' fanlll i:\1 H,C.F.
1l,'I.•li'''l
hundreds of Ihousands, even millions of years . Such antiquity is not
consistent wilh the evidence of schttlarship, but we have to keep
something of an open mind. Scholars are often limited by their very
specialization with the result that one discipline, such as modern
astronomy for example, may often have powerful consequences for
another such as archeology. The ~'Ork of Gerald Hawkins on
Stonehenge comes to mind. But first someone has to bring the two
disciplines together. This may yet happen in Mesopotamian studies in
such a way as to radically alter our historical understanding.
Van der Waerden concludes that the Venus tables were compiled
and preserved out of motives of astral religion, i.e .. the Mesopotamians
believed that ibe stars and planets were associated with, or were in fact
themselves the gods. lshtar-Venu!' was one of the major divinities ofthe
Mesopotamian peoples. Many other ancient peoples had similar notions.
The Egyptians identified the constellation of Orion with Osiris. But
Osiris was a dead god who ruled the underworld. His transportation to
the heavens was very similar to other transportations made in classical
mythology . The Mesopotamians $Cern to have been unique in their
emphasis on the stars and planets as being the primary indicators of
divine will in the here and now. This is the probable motive of the
studies that led to astrology.
Over ttlt next centuries the Mesopotamians, especially the
Babylonians, continued observing and compiling lists of phenomena
eventually getting to the point where, based on observed recurrence
cycles of the planets, they could reasonably accurately estimate the
positions of the planets at any time in the future . Ptolemy records, and
modem scholarship does not dispute this, that accurate and systematic
eclipse recorck were kept from 741 B.C.E. onward into the Hellenistic
period after the conquests of Ale)(ander the Great.
An interesting question about which there is much controversy is
what kind of zodiac were the Mesopotamians using? In the earlier
material they simply recorded planets as being so many degrees from
a star.
 I'l l frnm the Moon t\1 the Pleiades : 17 from the Pleiades to
Orion : 14 from Orion to Sirius ...1

T:,i~ i ~ Je foldll it ~iJC-o~1 observation, but it is nOI a zodiac! A zodiac

requires a fiducial point, a point on the circle from which mea.<;uremenls
arc made . Also normally a zodiac has some fixed number o f regular
d ivis ions such as the twelve signs of the modern zodiacs, the twenly-
seven lunar mansions of the Hindu lunar zodiac and so forth . But all of
these early observations are like this in using individual stars as markers
for positions.
Van deT Waerden argues thai the evolution of asuology went
through th ree phases. The first phase consists o f the omen lore thaI we
have already described. The second phase is closely related to this bUI
has a zodiac in the modern sense, twelve 30° signs. There is no
personal horoscopy in this middle level. but great attention is paid to the
transits of Jupiter through the signs at the rate of approximalely one
sign per year. From this is clearl y descended the C hinese prdctice o f
assigning each year 10 a zodiacal sign,) and probably also the system of
annual profcctions in later horoscopic astrology . There are also of
course no houses of any kind. Van der Waerden dates this middle phase
as be ing from about 630 to 450 H.C.E . The zodiac at this point is
clearly a sidereal o ne and its aya namsha is at least close to the Fagan-
Allen value.
The third phase is horoscopic astrology. Various ancient sources
mention "Chaldeans" who cast birthcharts for various persons, including
Diogenes Laertius who said that according to Aristotle, a Chaldea n
forecast Socrates's death from his birthchart, and that Euripides' father
also had his son's chart read getting a forecast of his brilliant career.
The reference to Chaldeans of course refers to astrologers and makes it
clear that the art in this period was completely associated with late
Ra bylonians, i.e., Chaldeans.
Several birthchalts have been found wriuen in cuneiform . Most of
them date from well within the Hellenistic era, but the oldest has been

, I'rCSllln;!hly de!!rccs
~ () Ncu}!chaucr. Till' 1;·"/1·/ .'i!i,>IICC.I" in A/I/'quity, Ncw Ynrk. H arpel.
l'J~ 7. I' 'II).
, Wtud. Ihe ( ·llIoc",· m l~hl h;l\"\" u,·\·cloro-I io.,lepc",kntly . hut Cli ne-ill
1· \ld '·lln· ..,·<"111' hI '"PI~lrI .• \\·,·'h· I O nrl!-'l lIlm Ih " pr:II-II'·'·

, I;
dated by A. Sachs to April 29, 410 B.C. l Here is the translation as
given by Fagan.

I Month (?) Nisan (?) night (7) of (?) the (?) 14th (?) ...
2 son o f Shuma-usur, son of Shumaiddina, descendant of Deke was
born.
3 At Ihal lime the Moon was below the "Hom " of the Scorpion
4 Jupiter in Pisces, Venus
5 in Taurus, Saturn in Cancer.
6 Mars in Gemini , Mercury which had set (for thl! last time) was
(still) in (visible).
7 , . . etc., etc.

As the reader can see this is a very rough chart with only sign positions
given, and no delineations at all . The other cuneiform chans, though
much later, are almost as terse, although positions are given to much
greater precision.
As Cyril Fagan correctly points out, the positions in the charts also
correspond more nearly to those of the sidereal zodiac using the Fagan-
Allen ayanamsha than to tropical positions.
But do we have at this point an ything like the elaborate horoscopic
astrology of the later Helle nistic era? No we do not~ Although academic
historians hal'e not uncovered much concrete information about the
evolution of astrology after the early Babylonian charts, there is
considerable internal evidence for the place of origin in the earliest
texts. Many of these texts are co ntained within this volume. According
to these texts the birthplace of astrology as we know it is Egypt .
This wou!d not have been a surprise to Cyril Fagan. He maintained
almost alone mat Egypt had been the binhplace of horoscopic astrology.
The trouble with his theory however is that he believed that horoscopic
astrology carne into being in the Egypt of the pharaohs. For this there
is very little (vidence outside of Fagan's own somewhat questionable
interpretations of the evidence. It was a later Egypt that gave binh to
horoscopic astrology, an Egypt that has made close contact with the
ideas of the Babylonians.

l A. Sach~. "Babylonian Horoscopes," Journal oj CUfltijonn Studies 6

(1952). p. 49. These chans are described in detail in chapter 15 of Cyril Fagan's
Astrological Ongins. Llewellyn, 1971.

VIII
 Pharaonic Egypt had a great interest in astronomy. This is ev idt:nt
in to\) many ways to mention. But it was the kind o f astronomy that
Involved stars rather than planets. The Egyptians were masters of
.. :igni;".g t.iliklir' f~, tempks ,mil especial1y I h~ p}"ram i d~ iO fixed stars,
'Ipparent l}" in an effort to bring about sympathy between terrestri al
structures and the .~tar s with which they were associ ated . Their ability
to ~urvcy and align build ings with stars was incredibly accurate. oft en
wi thin minutes of arc of the perfect ali gnment. But they do nol seem to
have. had any planetary theory, nor did they halle the propel
mathematica l techn iques.
The Mesopotamians inherited the sexagesimal system of numbers
from the Sumerians, a system which used place notatio n in numbers
much like our modern decimal system, and which had sexagesimal
fractions very similar in kind 10 our dec imal fractions . This enabled the
MesoJXltamians to do complex computations that would have been
difficult in any other ancient system of numerical notation . The other
anc ient peoples paid Mesopotamian mathematical notation the supreme
compliment . They used it whenever they had to do similar calculations
of their own The Egyptians had nothing like it. But they did have a
stro ng sense of a need for terrestrial matters to be brought into
synchrony with the heavens.
The critical factors in the fus ion of Egyptian ideas wit h Babylonian
.Ist mnom y was one or both o f two historical events, the conquest of
Egypt by Persia, and the conquest of both Pers ia and Egypt by
Alexander the Great. On both of these occasion s Egypt was hrought
under the same regi me as the Babylonians. In the case of the Persian
Em pire, the Persians themselves became ardent devotees of astrology
whic h no doubt assisted Ihe moveme nt of astrological ideas into Egypt.
And as you examine the tex ts included in this volume. you will
discover something that is not all obvious from hi story te;';ts that deal
with astrology. The ancients clearly knew that astrolog y had something
to do with Babylon (after all they did call astrologers Chaldeans) butlhe
princ iple credit was given 10 the Egyptians_ It ' is cuslOmary among
academics to pass th is off as something that w'j s merely a fas hion
among a ncie nt writers with no real historical basis . And in f:let the
,lIle icnt writers did often attribute ast rology to persons dating bad to [he
pharaohs .~uc h a.~ Nechepso and Pctosi ri.'>. Nl' \'cnhclc s ~. there is no
rl' ~"on [ 41 assu me that the ~uKie lll s Wl"TC mIt c(l n e..:t a~ 1(1 Egypt", heing
It It' ~ (l llrl"<' (It hOT"" 'opic ;I\trolo~ .\": it 11":1\ iU\1 ''' lHe wklt !:tIn Ih:1I1 they
,lIpp,,\cd

"
 What did the Egyptians add to Baby lonian astrology':' We cannot
say for certain, but internal evidence indicates the fOllowing. The use
of a rising degree mayor may not have been found in pre-Helle ni stic
Babylonian astrology. But the Hellenistic writers anri buted the use of
houses, or signs used as houses to Hermes . For Hennes we should
understand a reference to Hellenistic Egyptian sources. It is probable
that aspects are also Egyptian but we cannm say for cenain . The lots
are almost cenainly Egyptian as well as most of the systems of
rulership. Only the exaltations ha\'e a clearly Mesopotamian origi n.
At any rate it is quite likety that the entire apparatus of horoscopic
astrology was in place by I c.E.. quite possibly several centuries
earl ier. One of things that we have found in our studies of the later
Greek writers is that they are already dealing "'ith a later era of
astrology. They have their "ancients" and they have already begun to
misunderstand some of the anc ient teachings. One of these writers.
Veltius Valens, actually went traveling through Egypt looki ng for
masters of the old traditions. much like modern Americans have gone
to India to study astrology and various sacred teachings. While most of
the Greek writers seemed to have studied from books, Valens studied
with at least a few living teachers of the old traditions. And it is clear
from his work that much of what they taught would never have been
wrillen down but for Valens.1

What Happened Next

Whatever lIlay have been the lllnguage of Egyptian astrology when it

fi rst began to come into OOllg, by I C.E. it was Greek. This is nOI to
say that there ",'ere no <utTology texts written in Coptic, the last form of
anc ient Egyptian, rut no clear reference to any has survived. All of the
Egyptian texts thai are referred to in the later literature seem to have
been .....1'illen in Greek.
The use of Greek had imponant consequences. Although the
Persian empire was a truly cosmopolitan empire with a considerable
level of equal ity aTJIong the races that made up the empire, no o ne
language came to predom inate. No doubt Persian was used for official
purposes, but n~yl o nj a n and Egyptian also continued to be used in

I See the forthcomj~ edition of Book IV of the AnthQlogy rrom Project

Hindsight. Volume Xl Oflhc Greek TraCK.

,
their own areas in preference to Persian. But when Alexander the Greal
conquered all of Persia and Egypt, and advanced all the way into
norlhwest India,l Greek became the dominant language not only for
official pur(JOse~ , out 1Iiso COl allY purpose that involved communicating
from one ethnic area to another. 1be original languages continued to be
used for local purposes, such as Aramaic (which completely supplanted
Babylonian) and Coptic. But a scholar or traveler could go anywhere
from Greece in the west to India in the east and Egypt in the south and
be understood. Any idea expre s~ed in Greek could have a similar range
of travel.
Even after the Persi an revival begi nning fi rst with the Parthians and
later with the Sassanids (sec chronology gi ven earlier), the Bactrian
peoples of what is now Afghanistan and Pakistan continued to ha\'C'
Greek speaking rulers until the early cemurics C.E. Conseque ntly the
Babylonian methods embod ied in Egyptian astrology as well as the
Egyptian methods themsel ves could travel into India without difficulty.
This accounts for the fact that all of the technical words in Indian
astrology whose origin s can be found in another language are Greek,
nOI Babylo nian, not Coptic, nor earlier Egyptian. What is also
interesting is that there appear to be few, if any, technical words in
Greek astrology that have their origi ns in any other language.
Below is a partial list of some of the terms in Hindu astrology thai
appear 10 have a Greek origi n.

I . Zodiacal Signs

Sanskrit G=' En8li ~h San.~k.rit

G=' Engti sh

Kriya Krios Aries Juka Zug~ Li bra

T3\'lIra Tau~ Tauru s Kaurpi Skorpi os Seorpio
JII Um3 Didumoi Gemini T3Ukshika Tox()(~ Sagimuius
Kuli ra K3d inos C~, Akolr;ef1. AigokcrOs Capricom
Lq·a LeOn H udroc hoo~ Aq uarius
PalOOna Parthc nos ""
Virgo
'i ridroga
Cheuha tchthucs Pisces

I Pers ia :ll~o u tcndcd into northwest India. Map If4 does not quile show
til\" c xl c nl which the empire reached at il s height.
 2. Planets

Sanskrit

H,_
Asphujit
lIeli
..-
"'"
~hrodit~
alios
English

M,,,,,,>,

,,,
Ven us
Sanskrit

••
luvl
Koo.
G=,
''''
Zo~
KronOi
English

M~
(Jove)
Saturn

All of me above had Sanskrit equivalents which probably preceded the

inroduction of Ihe above words into India, and which also eventually
completely d~placed these words or Hellenic origin. The following are
terms for whj,: h there are no previous Sanskrit roots and appear to have
come compJelely from Greek.. These words have remained the standard
astrological tmns to this day.

3. House and Aspect Wo rds

"'" G='
-
Sansk.rit En glish San,krit En gl ish

H~ .... Hour'
....,..,.
K,,"'" ',gk
Kentton
Liptaka
Hi pa.k.a
lamitra
"".
tiJpogeion
Diametros
Minutes
Imum Coeli
Diameter'
Apoldima
0.."",
..... ''''''''''',
Apokl ima
""""
Dckllflos "'~,
Mesurana Mcwun.ntma Midheucn SunapJu. Suna phl! Applying
Menyaiva Men iaios No Eq ui v' Anaphara AnaplloB Separating
Trikona TrigOnon Trine' Oauradhun. Oof\lphoria Doryphory
Oyuna Ilmoo Settin ~ Kemadf\lma Kenudromia Void orc.

As the heading at the top of Table 3 indicates, these are all house and
aspect words, indicating that this was an area of Hindu astro logy on
which HellenIStic astrology had great impact.
The que~ion of the debt or lack thereof of Hindu astrology to

I Actuallyin an ast rological conlelt the word means HOroskopos and is an

older form. Oui word 'hour' comes from another application of the same root.
1 The seventh house in Hindu asrrology or an opposition when used as an
aspect.
1 The sign or house in square to the Moon.
• Or tOgOl.
! Refers \(. the seventh house.
Hellenistic is an extrcmely cOnlroversial one . Many authors of the
Hindu school would like to dcny that there was any at all . Thi s position
IS a bit hard 10 support gh'cn the above, and also g iven the very
fn:4uent Icfclt!nces to tile " l'llI'WUU" who were G reeks' or more
precisely G reek speaking persons of whatever ethnic extraction .
On the other hand there are Westerners, of whom this author is not
one , who belie ve that Hindu astro logy comcs ent irely from the West (or
more prccisely Middle East). David Pingree in his study of the
Yaranajawl«/ does an extremely thorough job of cataloging the
panllleis bctween the astrology of that work and that of Ihe Greeks, and
eve n he is forced to admit that there arc man y differences. However
such differences do nOl require 1wo diffcrem origins. All it req uires is
a period of isolation between two branches of a tradition after an earlier
period of unity. such that the two branches can diverge, and one, the
eastern, merge with nati ve traditions already in place. Whi le we do not
insist that Hindu aSlro logy is entirely or even princi pally an offshoot of
Hellenistic astrology, it must be said that the required period of isolation
did occur.
Aftcr 126 n.C.E. the Parthians, a Persian people, rose up against
the Seleucids who succeeded Alexander the Great , and they reconquered
most of the old Persian Empire except for the portion near the
MeditelTanean, and the ponion in the northwest of India. The Panhians
were extremely hostile 10 the Greek s (and later the Romans) and
eff('"Ctivcly cut off communication (or at least cut it down to a Irickle)
between the main body of Hellenistic peoples toward the West and the
Bactrian Greeks in Afghanistan and Pakistan, who in tum remained in
power umi l the early centuries C.E . The Bactrian Greeks eventually
converted to Hinduism and their language d isappeared. However as of
about 200 c.E. they still existed as an identifiable group. These are the
Yuvanas of the Yavanajataka .
Still later the historian Kay mentions Hindu records from the 4th
and 5th Centuries C.E. of a new Su n God cul t com ing in from the

1 Ya va nn is also ttK- Sl.'mllJc word fOf ' Greek', and is dcri\'ed from the
,arne roOI as lhe English ' Ionian' .
, TIJt' Ym·ww}!llaka of 51"lujidln'oJII. Iranslmcd with cummcnt:l1 Yhy David
1' :n~ln:. 1I ,lf V:1rd 11111\ Prc~" Ca!llh1id~r . MA. InK

X l))
West.' Given thai Christianity displaced the worship of So/ ln vicrus, the
Unconquered Sun, it is tempting to poslUlale that Hindu astrology
received a second burst of input from a new group of Yavanas fl ee ing
Christian persecution in the West.
The central problem is how much of Hindu astrology is indigenous
and how much comes from the West. Other than the few suggestions I
have made here, this is not the place to attempt an answer. In any case
it is very clear that whatever the Hindus got from the West they did no t
just take and passi vely apply. They altered, modified, and quite possibly
improved whatever they may have received from the West and
combined it with their own nati ve traditions.
There is one other consequence of the Parthian separation. The
Persian peoples had always been enthusiastic astrologers. It seem~
logical to conclude that they must have developed their own traditions
from the astrology that they had inherited from the Mesopotamians and
the Greeks. Then in 227 C.E. they were overthrown by the Sassanid
Persians who would have continued the development of the Persian
traditions of astrology . Unfonunately when the Arabs came, almost all
of the literature of the Zoroastrian Sassanids was destroyed. This
includes their astrological works. However we do have a strong clue as
to what their astrology must have been like. Most of the greatest
astrologers in the Arab era were Persians! And the astrology they taught
is quite different from bmh the Hindu and the Greek. It had orbs of
aspect, the Great Cycles of Jupiter and Saturn , all of the elaborate
syste ms of planetary interactions such as Refre nation, Frustration ,
Abscission of Light, Translation of Light and so fo rth. While Arab era
astrology clearly owes a large debt to Hellenistic astrology. it i:i also
clear that in the two or three centuries between the last Hellenistic
astrologers and the first Arab era o nes. something new had come into
the stream. This could have been, and probably was the Persian stream
of astrology . And Arab era astrology is the immediate ancestor of the
Western astrology of today. Our astrology may be in fact the successor
to that third stream of ancient astrologies.

I G. R. Kay. Hiruiu Astronomy: The Ancient Science of the Hindus, Cosmo

Publications, New Delhi. 1981. pp. 95, 106·t07. This is a reprint of a the
origin~1 edition of the work published in 1924.

XI\'
 A Final Note on Zodiacs

We ha ve memioned previously in this essay that the first Babylonian

birthchan.s wen: cw;t ill the ~idereal lodjac. Also it ha!> been traditional
for Hindu astrologers to use o ne or another sidereal zodiac. Thi s whole
matter is as controversial as the issue of the indebtedness or lack thereof
of Hindu astrology to Middle Eastern astrology . But there is not enough
space in this essay to go into the matter at thi s time. In previous
introductions we have stated that the zodiac did not seem to be an issue
of great import to the ancients. We still hold that position. But at some
point in a future imroouctory essay we will go into that matter in some
depth. For the moment it will have to suffice to say that the matter is
far from closed in favor of either zodiac .

As usual all of the footnotes in the text that follow this introduction are
by Robert Schm idt except for those marked with [RHI which were
added by your editor.

The Maps

The maps presented here of the ancient world. and also of modern
G reece and Egypt were prepared with the aid of Microsoft's £ncarla.
They were captured and cleaned up with a bit map editor by which we
removed the very intrusive MICROSOl--i MAP which usually appeared
obscuring some detail of the map. This notice herewith constitutes the
acknowledgmenl of their copyright as required in their docume ntation.
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xxi
XXII
 Translalor's Preface by Robert Schmidt

One of the questions most frequently asked of us is; " When arc you
going to start translating the really ancient material, the Egyptian and
Babylonian and Akkadian astrological texts?" The answer is that we
cannot, because next to nothing survives (or has been discovered up to
Ihis time) of these astrological traditions in their original languages.
There are significant collections of omens found on cuneiform tablets,
and these do include Ims of ce lestial o mens, but this is hardly 8);trology
in the modern sense of the term . I There are undoubted astrological
allusions in the Akkadian epic literature and thi s is certai nly useful In
tracing the developme nt of planetary symbolism, although it would be
hard to derive any practical techniques from them. The same may be
said about the half-dozen or so surviving cuneiform birthcharts. all but
the first of which arc from the Hellenistic era anyway. There arc also
a few star-maps to be found on Egyptian sarcophagus lids and other
ancient relics. but thesc do not contain interpretations. In shon we have
nothing as yet in the fo rm of practical or theoretical treatises o n the
subject of a...trology from these languages.
We know that there were such treatises because the Hellenistic
astrologers c ite Greek translations of them that were probably made in
the 3rd and 4th centuries B.C.E. The Egyptian sage Hermes Trisme-
gistcs figures large in these. Citations, and a number of titled books arc
explicitly attributed to him. The Chaldean (that is, Babylonian) Berosus
set up an astrological school during this period on the Greek island of
Cos. 2 and presumably had texts at his disposal either in the original or
in Greek trans lation. And the definiti ve text of the period, which was
the major source for later Helle nistic astrology , is a work attributed to
Nechepso and Petosiris, an Egyptian high priest and his pharaoh. This
long work, which only survives in quotations from latcr writers, was
either translated into Greek or composed in Greek. but it definitely
contains Egyptian astrological doctrine.
It is quite possible that much of this ancient Middle Eastern
doctrine was also assimilated directly into the Arab and Indian
a.~ trologicaltradition s witho ut the mediation of the Greeks . However, in
the early );urviving writings of the Indians, we would have to assume

I See the preceding historical introduction. [R HJ

~ 280 B.C. E. (RH ]

xxii i
that this assimilation is already a Juil accompli. as we do not fi nd the
numerous direct quotations and expl icit paraphrases from the Egyptians
and Babylonians that we find in Hellenistic astrology. And in the case
of Arabian astrology. even though there are numerous references to
Hennes. it is hard to detennine whether these derive from Greek
sources or nOl . Thus it would be quite difficuil to restore the earlier
doctrines on the bases of the survi ving Indian and Arabian writings. The
long a nd shon of it, then, is that virtually all that survives of the explicit
Egyptian and Babylonian astrological teachings is to be found in Greek
translations.
But even when we are trying to restore the ancient teachings
directly from the Greek references, we must always bear one thi ng in
mind : we may nol only be deali ng with the problem of their translation
into Greek, a language from an ent irely different linguistic family; we
may also be dealing with their rtcoflcep tualit.ation by the Greeks
themselves.
We arc here referring to something more serious than the usual
problem of translating from one language to another. We know that in
other areas. such as geometry and arithmetic , the Greeks consciously
transformed material they admittedl y took from the Egyptian priesthood .
This transfonnation in volved more than mere improvement or
advancement of the science. It involved seeing the mathematical objects
in an enlird y new way. and establishing an entirel y new goal for
mathematics itself. A simple sign of this is that there is nothing like
definition or demonstration in the surviving Egyptian mathematical
record. $0 we need to establish how "literal" the Greek translations
were in the conceptual sense JUSt mentioned before we can hope to
understand the Egyp«ian and Babylonian practices on their own terms.
But there is a third possible difficulty. According to lambl ichus in
On the Mystuies, the Egyptian sacred writings (which included
astrOlogical teachings) were translated by men versed in Greek
philosophy. Does this mean that they were trying to fit Egyptian
thinking into a Greek mold? In that case there would be an inevitable
diston ion of the original teaching. Or were they perhaps trying to outdo
the Greeks- newcomers and upstans in their opin ion-at their own
game, using the Greek language for an alternati ve conceptual izatio n of
the sciences in general and astrology in particular. one that more
accurately represented their own sacred teachings? This would require
us to look very closely al the subtleties of Greek astrological language

XXI\
and sy ntax in order to see what the translators were up to.
These are questions that we must always keep in mind when we try
to restore Egyptian and Babylonian astrological thinking . At the present
time we have no alternati ve but to start with a consideration uf the
Greek material. But do we take it at face value as directly representative
of that earlier thought? Do we perhaps to try " purge ancient astrology
of its Hellenistic accretions" (to parap\traore an expression applied to
Arabic astrology by Renais..<:ance astrologers who wanted to restore a
pure Greek aSlroiogy)? Or do we look more deeply al the Hellenistic
astrological language in Greek. o n the assumption that the Greek
translators-ofEgyptian culture though of Greek schooling-embedded
the sacred Egyptian teachings deep in the bowel s of the Greek language,
either in answer to the challenge of Greek philosophy , or perhaps just
for safe keeping?

Principles o f Selection

The princ ip les of selection for the present collection of translations are
as foll ows: All the texiS have been tra nslated from the CCAG (the
Catafogus Codicum Astro{ogorum Graecorum). Except for a few
instances. they represent texts not cited or quoted in later treatises by
well -known astrologers such as Valens (who q uotes extensively from
NechepsolPctosiris and Critodemus. for instance). Besides the CCAG
and these later authors of substantial treatises. there are a few other
scattered no n-astrological sources for fragments of some of these
authors; these remaining fragments will be collected and translated at
a later time.
We have translated all the purel y astrological texts in the CCAG
attributed to legendary sages such as Hermes. O rpheus. Zoroaster. and
Pythagoras. although in many cases it is hard to c redit these sages
directly with the texts attributed to them. at least in the form in which
they presently survive. In some cases. the texts may derive from schools
of astrology thaI attributed all their own works to some founding
prophet/sage. Strangely enough. there are nOI many excerpts explicitly
attributed to NechepsoiPetosi ri s in the CCAG; there may. however. be
many more in the CCAG belonging to them but unattributed .
In addition. we have translated all the texIS in the CCAG going
under thc name of undeniably hi storical personages who preceded
Dnrotheus and Manil ius (the earliest astrological authors for whom we
have more Of less completc trcatises); these include Critodcmlls,
Serapio, and Timaeus.
We have translated the excerpts attributed to some astrologers who
were nearly contemporary with Dorotheus and Manilius but apparently
uninfluenced by them. Some of these, such as Thrasyllus, were
self-avowed eXjXlsitors of ancient doctrine; others, such as Balbillus,
may preserve alternative traditions. Teucer of Babylon may also be in
this category.
We have also included a few other astrologers, such as Demetrius,
who arc totally unknown. but who may have been contemjXlrary wi th
Dorotheus or earlier. The authenticity of many of these attributions can
be questioned, although sometimes the arguments against authenticity
seem to me to be JUSt as tenuous as the arguments for. Given the
current stale of scholarship, and with major revisions in historical
chronology pending, perhaps we should just keep an open mind. We
have only omitted a very few excerpts with patently erroneous
auribulions.
The excerpts are of all different types. Some may be direct
quotations; some are clearly paraphrases. either prose paraphrases of
verse, or condensations or elaborations of earlier prose versions; some
are simply allusions to the doctri ne of some astrologer and make no
pretense of being quotations; some are merely summaries of books no
longer extant ; and some are testimonials to the work of some anc ient
astrologer.
We have confi ned our selections to purely astrological texts. Thus.
we have omitted omen texts (there are two major oncs attributed to
Hennes. one of eanhquakes and one on thunder). We have also
excluded some interesting texiS on astro-numerology. a number of
which are attributed to Pythagoras and Pctosiris. These texts wi ll all be
translated at a latcr date.

General Note

Katarchi, witb an Updale on Apotelnma - It would cenainly be

premature of us to attempt a definitive exegesis of this imponant
astrological concept since it is only with thi s very booklet that we have
begun to translate the pertinent Grcek texts. However. some preliminary
reflect ions aTe in order. As usual. WI! wHl begin with a discussion of the
word.
The word katarchi is .II compound made up of the fundamental
Greek word archi with the prepositional prefix kala added. Arche is one
of the most i mport~nt philosophical tenm in the Greek language. Its
fundamen tal meanings are 'beginni ng' or 'source', and ' sovereignty' or
'command'. In this pair of meanings it is very like the i...:Hin word
princeps. from which we get our word 'principle·. A principle is both
the begi nning of something. and something that ru les over other things .
An old teacher of mine used to combine these IwO meanings with the
following two translations for arche: 'ruling beginnings' ano
'commanding orig ins'. the idea being Ihat a true beginning somehow
rules over what later becomes of something . The main thrust of the
G reek philosophers was to find the true ruling begin nings of things. For
instance, the four causes of Aristotle are regarded by him as the four
primary archai.
The prefix kala is a common preposition with the root meaning of
'down' as "down the ladder:· But as is the case wilh all prepositions,
il has :1 great variety of derived meanings such as 'against', as in
making a charge against someone, because you are calling judgmenl
down upon him. II also has a great variety of relational meanings that
are only metaphorically connected with the idea of motion downwards
such as 'in accordance wi th '. Sometimes these are hard for us to
construct, but I suspect that 'in accordance with ' . comes from some
such idea as pulling a thing downward where the o bject that is in
accordance with that thing fo llows after. Often you can get a clue to
these re lational meanings when you see how people gesture while they
are talking and using such words or phrases. In any case, the part icular
relational meani ng just mcntioned is very common in Greek. '
The compound Iwtarche sometimes seems to be used almost
interchangeably wi th archi when the latter si mply means 'beg inning'.
It does not seem 10 be used to indicate sovereignty, the other major
meanin g of arche. But in compensation. as it wcre, Jwrarche has one
very interesti ng speciali zed usage. It refers 10 the first action performed
in a sacrifice or other rdigious ritulll : the washing of hands or cutting
of hair, for instam:e. Now . such an action does not exactly rule over the
remainder of the ceremony in the manner of a princ iple or cause. but

I The prclX"lslhlln de in Latin has a vcry similal rJngc of meanings. IRHI

it is yet a vel)' important indicator of what is to come. and in a sense
defines the 5a:juence of steps that will be taken in the ceremony itself.
ASlrOlogi::ally speaking. the word katarchi is used for all manner
of situations bat are classified as electional or horary in later astrology:
the asking ofa question, taling to one's bed with an ill ness, the arrival
of a message, etc. As a matter of fact , Ptolemy himself says (Book IU)
that, since cOlception is in a sense the true archl (or ruling beginning)
of a child, ltE nativity should itself be regarded as a kalarchl. In all
these situatiOls, it is evident that the k.atarchic event cannot be regarded
as the cause d what it indicates (whereas the conception moment might
be so regarded). Therefore , I wish to e ntertain the possibility that these
beginnings ald their outcomes were conceptualized in a ritualistic
context.
That is also why in this volume we are experime nting with the
word 'inception' as a translation for katarchi, because it seems to mark.
the beginning in some special sense that is not causal.

Katllrchi and Apoteksma as Counterparts to Archi and Telos - If

the ritualistic sense of katQrchi is ever present in its astrological
application, \lit might see it as a deliberately chosen counterpan to the
word archl . 11is the archi that is supposed to give intelligibility to the
way things are, what they become, and how they are interconnected
with other thilgs. As an efficient cause, or the cause that sets something
in motion, the archi can help explain the interconnection between twO
events, and dtimately whole chains of events (particularly with the
modem adaptation of an effi cient cause that we use in physics). As a
fonnal cause, it can be held responsible for the various propenies and
potentialities that properly belong 10 that fonn . And similarly for the
other causes. That is, the use of urchi renders things intelligible because
it makes an exact connection between things and their sources, and this
is at the root of all scientific thinking.
But in the context of rituals (and games, for that matter) events also
have very exact and intelligible relationships to each other, although
they are non -cau~a1. In a ritual things are done according to very exact
rules, in a I'ery exact order. They begin from the ""tarche, or
inceptional aaion. and all lead up to the event thaI is the completion of
the ritual, such as the sacrifice itself. Now the inception of the ritl1al is
certainly not Icgardt:d as the cause of what follows , though, as I have
said above, it is in some sense an indicator of what is 10 come.

xx \ ' 111
 I am not aware if there was o ne general term for the conclusion of
a ritual corresponding to katarche as its inception, but it is very
suggestive that the tenn apote!esma was so fully appropriated by Greek
a:.trologers. In the General Note to my 10 the Introductory Matters of
Paulus, I emphasized the causal applications of apotelet'J, the verbal root
of this word, such as 'to make' or ' to produce', which are certai nly very
common in Greek. But in a more fundamental sense, the verbal root
simply means 'to fin ish something off. It means 'to make' or 'to
produce' by derivation from this fundamental sense, where the acti vity
of making is seen from the perspective of the completion of the act ivity.
But the word need not have such causal overtones. In fact, I now think
that it was chosen as the perfect mate for the word katarchi, to refer to
the conclusion of the ritual for which the ka farchl was the inception. As
such, it is no more an effect of the inception than the inception is a
cause of the conclusion.
An interesting point arises in this connection. One of the four
Aristotelian causes is called the telos, or final cause. It is that for the
sake of which something is done or takes place. The word is re lated to
the same root verb as apotelesma, o nly without the prepositional prefix.
apo. The felos is itself simply the end or the completion of something,
but, as the Aristotelian usage confinns, it is the end that motivates or
draws to itself as a kind of goal. It is not simply the last stage of an
activi ty; in some sense it is outside the activity altogether as that which
is a cause or source of the activity. However, the prefix apo auached to
the analogous root telesma puts the emphasis squarely back on the
activity itself. The apotelesma is the final stage of the activity that
finishes it off; it is the concluding flouri sh with which some activity is
accomplished. Thus, not only is the apotelesma not an effect of the
katarchi as cause, but it is not itself an archi in the manner of a telos.
Thus, this sense of the word is entirely outside the realm of the causal,
whereas in the deri ved sense it has a distinct causal overtone. So we can
add apotelesma to our list of equivocal liStro logicaltennino logy.
The events in between the inception and the conclusion of a ritual
are not related in a causal manner either. But the sequence is no less
intelligible for all thaI. If you knew the ritual, and you came in at the
very midd le of it. you would know exactly what stage the ritual was at
from the action being performed at that time. So here we have a
different "principle" of intelli gibility competing with that o f originative
causes.

XX I X
 The application to astrology is quite straightforward. The kataTche,
whether it be a question or the arrival of a message or whatever. is to
be regarded as a ritualistic beginning to a ritual whose outcome or
conclusion is not ordinarily known to us ahead of time for the simple
reason that we do not know what ritual is being performed. The
outcome. the apOleiesma. as well as the intermediate events, may be
known to one who knows the rules of the ritual-that is, to the
astrologer. The celestial bodies are not to be thought of as agents in the
ordinary sense, as producing isolated good and bad events depending on
the strength of the celestial body at a given moment. Nor should they
be understoo::i as coordinating causes with effects. sources with
outcomes (as AI-Kindi argued), Instead, they arc the priests performing
a ritual, and we are the subjects. Sometimes the ritual may be
performed for the blessing and good fortune of us subjects. sometimes
for our condemnation and ill fortune. Other times it may be for the sake
of children. and other such events. And al some moment in time we are
all the subjects of a sacrificial ritual , which ends in our death.
So katarcilic astrology (and katarchic thinking in general) may have
conceptualized events ritualistically, while Greek science (and modem
as well) thought in terms of originative causes. Neither is more
"rational" than the other. They are both just conceptualizations of the
world. They must both be regarded as in some sense hypothetical. That
is, it is not a prion' evident that all events, or even most events in the
world can be made intelligible in terms of a source from which they are
understood to have their being, any more than it is clear which events.
if any, can be made intelligible in terms of the paradigm of a ritual,
It is primarily modem science that has made the hypothesis of
universal intelligibility in teons of causes-in Husserl's terms "an
hypothesis of an exact nature." But why should nature be purely
intelligible in this manner? Even the Greeks-or I should rather say the
Greek philosophers above all- thought that there was a dark underside
to things that was unintelligible in terms of causes , a kind of mere
materiality utterly and completely without form or order. Plato's Other.
And this dark underside includes, by the way, most of the specific
events of daily life. But might it not be the case that just where the
intelligibility of the ruling beginnings ends, there the intelligibility of
ritual takes o~er and comes into its own? This would argue for a kind
of complementarity between the two views, and not an exclusivity.

'"
Kalarchi as Complement 10 Archi - I wish to suggest a way in
which these two conceptions of nature and life might coexist. My
approach wi ll be to reflect both the concepts of an inception ktltarche
and a ruling beginning archi inlO Ihe syntax of natural language. I mUSl,
however, use the Greek language, for reasons that will become clear.
Here is the analogy: For the Greeks. the relation between noun and
verb in a certain class of simple sentence can be likened to the relation
belween Ihe ruling beginning arche, and whill depends on it. BOlh Plato
and Aristotle regard the noun (Ihal is, the thing signified by the noun ,
not the sound) as somehow imposing a limit or detcnnination on the
verb (again , the action signified by the verb, not the mere sound). In my
opinion, this is actually be the fundamental meaning of logos. Aristotle
has a general name for all differenl types of such verbal usages . He
calls them "categories." The Greek word ka regoria from which this
word deri ves basically means an 'accusation' or 'charge' made against
someone or something. But one can make a proper accusation only
against one who can be held responsible for that charge. Now, the
Greek word for responsibility in this sense is aitia, which also happens
10 be the Greek word for 'cause' , which is an nrchl for Aristotle, Thus
Aristotle (and presumably Plato) conceptualize a sentence such a~ "A
man runs" as asserting that a man can be properly held responsible for
the act of running, Similarly with such sentences as "A man is an
animal" and "A man is bipedal ." Thus, the form or essence of a man is
the cause of everything he is properly capable of bei ng or doing. He is
the fonnal cause in the sense alluded to above.
Yet, in most sentences there are also other types of syntactic units
that involve detenninative relationships, For example, in the expressions
'equal of a man ' and 'similar to a man' , the word ' man' is in the
gen itive and dative cases respectively, and it would be in these same
cases in Greek. We might say that man is determined as to his case by
the words 'cqual of and ' similar to' . But even though this relationship
is determinative, it cannot be conceptualized in the same manner as the
noun-verb relationship discussed in the prev ious paragraph. 'An equal
or is not being held responsible for 'being a man'. In fact, the Greek
word for 'case' is plosis which simply means ' a falling' (the Latin word
casus havi ng exactly the same meaning).
Now. 10 relUm 10 the analogy. I say Ihat the katarchic event and the
apolelesmatic event, thc beginning and ending or the ritual respectivel y
and all thc (' vcnts in between, arc related to each other as cases, nOI as

xxxi
noull and verb, A sign o r this is thc fact that word koturchi and the
word apote/~smo. both have preIXJsitional prefixes, and such prepositions
are also ind icators or different cases. Archi and telos have no such
prefixes. In this manner, the relationship betwec n the stage or events
within a ritual is determinative, but not causaL
II must be bom in mind that both the noun-verb relationship and
the case relationship coexist in most sentences. For example. " A man
gives the book of hi s brother to a frien d," By analogy, both causal and
ritualistic intcrconne.:lions can coexist in the same events and event
complexes. The question becomes. what is the jurisdiction of each?
The most common Greek word for 'an evcnt', sumptonro, provides
us with a clue as to how Greek asttolo~ers may have ans .....ered this
question . This ..... ord si mply means a 'falling together', It comes from
the very word that the Greeks use for 'case' , Ptolemy uses this term to
describe most of the eve nts befalling human bei ngs. II can also be used
10 describe several episodes Ihatfallrogether to pr<XIuce one event, o r
several events that /all together to produce an event complex. Thus, the
basic Greek word for 'an event'. implies an non-causal interconnection
of the episodes compos ing it, Orie which I think is best conceptualized
as ri tualistic. Might it not be the case that everyday life is in fac t more
intelligible in tenns of such ritual than in terms of o riginative causes?
In the present discuss ion, I have reflected the causal and rituali stic
conceptuali zation of even ts into the syntax of natural language in order
to find an analogy for the ritualistic view of events itself and its
relationship to the causal view. However, there may be more than an
analogy here . At the beginning of this preface I mentioned the
possibility that the original translators of the Egyptian wisdom tradition
into Greek might have been consciously embedding their own rival view
of the nature of things deep in the Greel.: language itself. as a challenge
to thc phi losophy of the Athenian Greeks. I thi nk I have made a
plausi ble case that the words Imta rchi and apotelesma were deliberately
chosen for that purpose. However. what beller way would there be to
make a lasting impact on the Greek mind than to base their
conceptualization of events on case, a fundamental syntactic unit of the
Greek sente nce, yet one different than the logos of the Greek
philosophers?

XXX Ii
 The Astrological Record of the Early Sages in Greek

t. Testimonials a Dd Biographical ReCerences

Material from Vettius Valens.

Valens is one of the main sources for excerpts from NcchcpsolPelosiris, whom
he obviously regards fairly highly. Ncchepso's champion. as mentioned in the
following excerpt. is probably Pelosiris . himself. Valens has already voiced his
distaste of Critodcmus's writing style in chapler 9, Book lit , but here we are
informed that there were also other writers who adopted a similar style.

From Preface to Book 9 of the Anthology of Veuius Valens

Valens to Mark, greetings. Everything that the most divine king

Nechepso, who made a stan of the 13th book. said, is trite {in Ihe
treatment given itl in the works composed earlier by us and others. I
now arrange this book although it is laCking in nothing. That he has
made his outline. then, with a mystical sagacity. and has also originated
the introduction to these matters, is qu ite clear. I The agreement with
him of a good and wise man concerning initially the things that were
in error, and later the things that are successful. as he makes his defence
and bri ngs his intelligence to bear, as well as the fix.ati on of (hi sl ..... hole
kingship and dictatorship, was on a zealousness for experience
concerning such matters on the part of this man who has both
persuaded, and is still showing to his successors, that this study is
desi rable and stimulating.! At any rate, Ithe pursuit of J life's necessities
and avaricious digression did nOI divert him, as it does many of the
present age; for this reason , such a one is to be followed.'
The most sagacious C ritodemus in his Vision, which is inscri bed
with the most essential of many proofs, began in the following man ner:
"Already at that time, after sailing the open sea and having traveled

I That is. he wrote the paradigm of all introductions. fR HJ

1 This preceding sentence is e:\eeedingly complex and the grammar i~
murky. Thc editors of the Greek have tinkered with this pa:<:sllllC and thi s is the
tlest that can be done with the result
] In other word~ . he was sufficiently ['{'.movcd from tife's petty concerns 50
;I~ to aUain grcater detachment and clarity aOOut matters.
many solitary [paths I. I was thought worthy by the gods of meeting
with a safe harbor and the most secure of resting places." And in a
different manner, Timaeus and AscJation and most others. These. the n.
though they are carried with a beauty of discourse and with marvelous
tales, did not exhibit works in accordance with their promise. nor
compositions full and ex:planatory. but rather compositions always
lacking in many respects for some of those who chance 10 encounter
them ; and thaI which is tangled and begrudged and cuI loose and
interwoven in every respect. And they are those who keep straight to no
one path, but rather add sect on top of sect and reference books that are
markers for detours rather Ihan for truth. Crilooemus. Ihen, possessi'lg
a multitude oftheorcms, adorned with otocrs, and being able to interpret
distinctly oy means of the imagef)' of these orgallons. made knowledge
dim .

From the Treatise on the Bright Fix:ed Stars by Anonymous of 379 .

And in order that we should make remembrance of those who wrote

before him concerning the (phasesl of the non-wandering stars, and
concerning the power of the stars rising alongside the ecliptic, we will
set forth these: The Babylonians and the Chaldeans. then, were just
about the first 10 discover the knowledge of phenomena, as far as we
knew from our progenitors. For Apollonius the Myndion and
Anemidorus write accounts (lacuna]. And Berosus and those
foll owing; wrote about them. And the ancestors of our Egyptians bore
them in mind and made predictions concerning them, from whom
Hennes first arose and wrote in his cosmic predictions concerning the
annual rising of the Sirius, and Nechao and Cerasphorus. and Pelosiris
and Nechepso, and some others wrote abom them in a different zone.
and especially Timaeus and Ascl ation. And those born later, being
indebted to these compilers. observed in many different places both
many risings and seuings and the other indicators of them , which they
made in all sorts of zones, and they recorded what was produced by the
activity of these stars nearly every day. These were Meto n and
Apolli narius and Euctemon in Athens . and Dositheus in Ion ia, and
Callipus in Hellespont. and Philippus in Peloponnesia and Phocis and
locris. Hipparchus in Bithnyia. And collection s are carried in each
treati se of the aforementioned men concerning the lpower] of the
non · wandering stars and what was produced by their activity. If, then.
these !\t:trs tUff) the mix:ture of the air a cenain amount when they rise
and m.. ke olher phases, they are all the more abl e to act on u ~ and
produce prosperity and adversity , sometimes even death when the
releas ingl bodies make contact with them . And Antioc hus find Va1ens
and Antigonus and Heraiscos and certain other ~ wro te many and
different things concerning their power, even as many as are rolled up
in their treali ses. And Serapio and Ptolemy born after him made
predictions with them . But none of the men of whom I have spoken
translated out of the Imerely} astronomical the occupancies of the
non-wandering stars which are of the moment, nor what is produced by
their mixture.

Material from Johannes Lydus

JohannC's Lydus wrote three books in the 6th century C.E. The following extract
comes from one of his books that deal t with the subject of divination.

From the Book Concerning signs by Lydus

ICCAG I ; 8 11

I believe that it is fitting for one who wishes to write about sueh
matters to say whence the knowledge of such things began, and where
it departed from , and how it advanced to such an extent as even to
outstrip (if it is proper to speak) the Egyptians themselves. For aft er
Zoroaster the mi ghty, Petosiri s, one of these Egyptians, hav ing
interwove n the general matters with spec ifi cs, is compelled to hand
down many things in accordance with {Zoroaster}, and he does not hand
down these matters for everything, but only for those matters in
accordancc with him , and rather whatevcr is also more suitable for their
conjecturing. Antigonos after him divided and an ic ul alcd the tradition,
and. being disposed to compactness, sel down at the same time an
unspeakably great mass of writings in astronomy, filled with every
obscurity in wri ting: for what ArislOl le had said was wel l known.
Hc1 iodoros and AsclcpiOn. and furthennore, Octapsos the TIleban and
Aigieus Polles and Pto lemy, the most di vine of all, were not powerful
enough to cast out alt the ancient obscurity in the matter, though they
did indeed earnest ly e ndeavor 10 do so.

, IIf,h,·/i lw.1
 Material from Mash ..'allah.

Masha'allah ....·as an imponant Jewish astrologer who wrote in Arabic in the 8th
and 91h ccnturiu CE. It is hard to know what 10 make of the following bizarre
list of Greek "astrologers," especially since the works attributed (Q recognized
astrologers witb surviving writings, such as Dorotheus and Valcns. seem more
or less plausible.

From an Apolelesmatic Book of Masha'allah

ICCAG " 81-821

An account of the most sagacious Masha'allah contai ni ng the number

of booklets I that each of the ancienl sages published. and the capacity
of the boo kl et~.
Masha'allah spoke as follows: I kne w that the ancient sages have
ambiguities concerning some of the astronomical hypotheses; and a
number of books of these sages were made . And for this reason
confusion results when the mind reads them. So I have published this
book, indicating briefl y the uncontested matters in them and the best of
the doctrines from the booklets of Ptolemy and i-Iemles, those great and
erudite sages, and likewise from the booklets le ft by those before me as
a legacy to their children . Those who have published the booklets are
as follows:
Hennes published 24 booklets. of which 16 arc genethlialogical. 5
are about questions, 2 are about the degrees o f the ,oidia, and I is
about calcu lation.
Plato published 7 booklets, or 5 about nativities and 2 about
questions.
Dorotheus publiShed 11 booklets, or 4 about nativities. 3 about
questions, 3 about calculation, and 1 about conj unctions.
Democritos published 14 booklets. or 6 about nativities, 4 about
questions, 2 about conjunctions, J about calculation , and 1 about wnes. l
Aristotle published 10 booklets, or 3 about nativities. 2 about

I bibfiOli. This i5 the diminuti\'c for the word biblos. Whereas biblo$
usually refers (0 an entire book or chapter or an entire book (as in the
Tnrabiblos of Ptolemy), the! diminutivc usuall y rcre~ 10 a paper. scroll. or
leiter.
I klima .

•1
questions, 5 about the power of the stars and zojdia and their
concordance.
A ntiochus published 7 booklets, or 5 about nati vities, and 2 about
questions.
Valens published 10 booklets equivalent to whole books.
Erasistratos published II booklets. or 4 about nati vities, I about the
powcr of the Sun in relation to the stars. 1 about calculation. 2 about
questions. 2 about conj unclio ns, and I about minor periods. I
Stochos' published 6 booklets, or 3 about nati vities. I about
eclipses, t about conjunctions. and I about good and bad fortun e.
The Persians published 43 booklets, in which they clari fied the
pase and the future. They also published another two great and
compelling booklets, the fil st about nativities and the other about
questions, each book having?' headings, and each heading having again
4 discourses. These have been taken to India and given away there
without having been cast ashore to us . ~
These are Ihe booklets found in our day, concerning which (as I
said) I have also made clarifications, so Ihal you may know that 1 have
taken great pai ns in making synoptic extracts from the said booklets and
publishing the present book in four di scourse.~.

I phartarion. Pharlar is considered 10 be a Persian transliteration of l he

Greek word periodos, meaning 'period' . This seems to be its diminutive fonn.
1 Unknown writer.
J The Persians ma y have pioneered Ihe astrological slUdy of history.
4 The number is unreadable in the manuscript.

s This ~talement would appear to say that these Persian writings went to
India before they had any direct influence on Arabian astrology. [Additional by
RH1 When the Moslems conquered Persia, the y demanded forcefull y the
coercion of all Zoroastrians, these not being considered "People of the Book."
Those who woold not convert fled to India and became the ancestors of the
Parsecs of India. Perhaps they took astrological works with Ihcm which became
lost to the Mo~Jcms .

5
 2, Hermes Trismcgistus

lnlfoduction to First Fragment

Hermes is the Greek name (or the legendary sage or saint of the Egyptians.
called "th rice-greatest", often regarded by them as the discovercr of astrology.
Al though :here aR numerous references 10 the writi ngs of Hermes in the
survivi ng astrobgicalliterature ofGreck times and a number of shoo quotations
in the Greek aN Arabic traditions. not that many coherent astrological treatises
survivc under tis name. There is, of COUrK. the Corpus Htmreticum , which is
more philosoPlical than prlctical. but still contains much of immediate
astrological inl!resl. And in addition 10 the prcscnt treatise. there is a shon
omen·te~t on clnhquakes. one on thu nder. a few short but influential works on
medical astrol~gy. We should also mention the Lib.., lIentlelis (already
translated by Projccl Hindsight), which contains a few chaplers that may derive
from the I-Iermetic lilerature .
11 is hard to know whether these writings are <! i r~ctl y from the hand of
whomeve r WTOle under the name of '"Hennes" originally (perhaps in translation)
Of 3rc tater cOlJpositions that we re circulated under his name. However. they
undoubtedly ~ntain very early astrology. and were surel y sources for later
writers such as Dorotheus and Valens.
Among the astrological innovations thai are regularl y attributed 10 Hermes
by latcr Greek. ·.\'rilers are the lots (Paulus excerpts from a Hermctic treatise on
[he seven fu ndmtental lOIS called the Pana,.uus): the system of twelve houses,
called either th( twelve-place or the twelve· turning of Hermes (cf [he upcoming
summary of th: book by Thrasyllus): the nalure and activity of the tlifferent
z6idia (compare CCAG 5, I: 188): and perhaps the doctrine of crises (ef
chapter 34 of Paulus).
The follovlIlg lillIe treatise presents a highly idiosyncratic and systematic
method fo r dOillg inceplional (katarchic) astrology. We see here thc lot-like
reasoning wilh a kind of cousin of the Lot of Fonune. We alro see how the
multiple classifications of the ziJidia (as found in Valens and others) are
employetl in in::eptional as tro logy. There is also a method for determining the
charactc r and I!mperament of the qucre nl. And these are just the highlights.
A Mystical Method of Hennes Method of Hermes Trisme-
T rismegistus Useful for E very gistus for Every Inception
Inception l
[CCAG 8, 1; 172 ff.] (Variant texl)

Before all it is necessary for the Before all it is necessary for the
premeditator and one who is in a premeditator and one who is in a
state of inquiry1 over inceptions Slate of inquiry over incept-
to make transpositions of the ions- if indeed he should want
pivol.o; and occupancies of the 10 be successful and nol mistaken
stars, if he should indeed want to in such and such a inception-to
be successful and not mistaken in make the disposi tion of the
such and such a inception; that is pivots and the stars Guile exact.
10 say, whenever you should be And if he should be asked about
asked whether the sowing of lhe the sowing of the seed, whether
seed is of a man or a beast, male the offspri ng that is madc will be
or female, twins or quadru peds human Of bestial , and male or
or fowl , whether it is saved or female, whether twins or fowl 0:
brought to birth,1 and whether quadruped, and if it is preserved
the offspring wi ll be reared or or deslroyed, and if the one to be
not, and any other differences in born will be reared or not. or if
the inceptio ns-the method is the he should be asked about any
same. Always take the degrees other difference of the incep·
from the Sun to the Moon and tlons, one must make use of the
carry these out by sixes, and cast same method which is as
out as many groups of six as you follows.
should find , and depart with the Always take the degrees
degrees which do not even o ut 4 from the Sun to the Moon and
from the zoidion in which the divide these by 6, and discard as
Moon is, supplying o ne degree many g roups of six as you
per zoidion .j And at the zoidion should fi nd. Depart with those
where the num ber leaves off, deg rees below six from the
observe that zoidiQn. If it is z()idion in which the Moon is,
human in shape and witnessed hy supplying one degree per ztJi·
benefics, you will say that the dion. And at the zoidion where
begetting wi ll be of a man. But the number leaves off. examine
if the number leaves off at a the ztJidion. If it should be of
quadruped,6 and benefics should human fonn and benefics shou ld
be lOOking on , you will say that beal wi tness to it, say that the

7
the begetting will be of a offspring will be completely
quadruped; but if benefics should human . But if the ze'Jidiol1 shou ld
contemplate this toidion without be of the fonn of one of the
the malefics,l it will be of an animals without speech, and
unfortunate man . And if it should should also be witnessed by
leave off at a human toidion malefics. indicate that thi s
while malcfic~ are present o r offspring will be o f a beastly
bearing witness, it will be a tame form. And if it should be
quadruped; but if benefies as witnessed by benefics. indicate
well as malefies should be that the man will be unfortunate.
witnessing in quadrupedal ,-oidia,
they are likewise manageable
animals.

I k.a/archi.
1 T he preceding refers to a perron who is think ing about a question (t he
premedi tator) and 10 a querent. Thf: text has been translated this literally
because it conveys romethi ng about the one asking a question that is not
completely conveyed by the term 'querent' IRH]
l apoliktrJ. 111e context and Ihe parallel passage below suggest that this
verb ought to be one convey the sense of 'aOOn.'
• That is. the remainder after di vision hy 6.
S Because we working with six degree pieces here, Ihe end result cannot
be a z6idion more than six away from the ysning one. IRH]
" That is. a quadrupedal1.tJidion. ]RHJ
7 Apparently the previous clause implies the presence of malefics along
with benefics. See the alternate translation

,
And if it should fall onto a quadrupedal z{iidinn while benefics should
be present upon it or should be upon pivots. the man will be alienated
from his kin . So it wi ll be supposed. then. And if the pi vots should be
together in descri ption,' he will also ~ brought to kingship.
If someone should want to know whether the offspring will be long
or short-li ved. know it by Ih is teaching : If yo u should find the ZDidion
(at which the number leaves o ff in the manner said above) in a decline
of Ihe Horoslwpos and in the bou nds o f a malefic. declare the offs pring
10 be short-Jived . Seek . then. the ascensional times of each zoidion for
the wne where you li ve. And if male fics should bear witness to this
zoidio/!. each o f them subtracts I/) of the ascensionat time of the
zoidion. But if benefics should do this. each of them adds back again
II} of the ascensional time . If the number should fall o n the zoidion or
bound of a benefic. the offspring wi ll be long-li ved.
O ne may also know the years of these [natives] by making use of
the same teaching . Thai is, for the Z6idion at which the number left off,
take the ascensional time in the wne where the question originates:
furthermore. take the ascensional limes of the neXI two zoidia for the
same zone. and say that these times are the months and days to be
lived, carefully observing any testimo ny of the malefi cs by square and
opposition. And in this case subtract a third for the contemplation of
each. But if a benefic should look on , let each o ne add 9 years. If Ihe
place sho uld fall in a decline and malefic!. should regard the two
squares of the Moon, such inte rvene.2
When a benefic is post-ascending.) the offspring is reared and pUl
up for slavery ; and if two benefi cs, for contract and child-begetting. But
if a malefi c should post-ascend. the foetus will be brought forth dead ;
and if there should be two malefics. it will be aborted or miscarry .
Twins and triplets are made whenever the access' should fall in twin
zlJidia , or in zijidia rich in seed . If the ztJidion should also be prolific,

I suglu:nlrograph~6. This word seems to mean that the pivots are tied
together in some fashion
1 la '0; au,a ~mbolimaios gjn~'aj. Anythi ng we say about the precise
meaning of Ihis is conjeclural.
3 Pres umably. post-ascend the ~oidiort calculated above .
• ephodos. Literally. an entrance Of place of access for communication or
intercourse. The translation 'access' i ~ 10 be undentood as re rerring to the point
computed hy casting out sixes as desc ribed above.

9
more than three are often made . And jf malerics should also be
post-ascending for these, Ihey are born dead; bUI if benefics, they are
ali ve . And if the stars of the sect should bear witness to fh e shown
access, the embryo is a male or masculine. But if fhose of the oppos ite
sect, a female or feminine. And if one is masculinized, the other
femin ized, male and female. If the place should be intercepted' by
malefics, there is no embryo.
For other inceptions. if the access i ~ willlessed by benefics, say that
the inception and every such approach2 is good. But if by malefics, say
that the inception and the appro3ches arc base; for, it signifies either
taking to one's bed l or a j udg ment~ or somethi ng like these.
Furthermore. the teaching of each of the queslions is known through
this access, whether base or useful. When you should find this loidion
to be declining, bUI witnessed by benefics whi le no malefics are
co-present, say that the questioner is skeptical and meddlesome. And if
it should be witnessed by Zeus. say that the inquirer is knowledgeable
in arguments and letters and poems and philosophy; and if Zeus shou ld
chance to be in the house or bounds of Ares, it signifies that he is also
nOI to be condemned ; and in the house or bounds of Kronos, that he is
also a writer of history ; and in its own bounds it signifies that he is a
benefit to his fami ly and his kin . And if Aphrodite should also regard
Hennes while witnessing the place, it sign ifies that he is musical ; and
if it should be present in the bounds of Ares. it indicates an actor or
member of th(: tragic chorus; and if it is in its own bounds or in those
of Hennes, a successful person or a maker of worlds} o r someone
capable; and if in the bounds of Kro no~, it signifies one who is touched
by all, but helped by no o ne; and if Aphrodi te should regard Hermes
while under the beams, it signifies a sorcerer or thai some sorcery has
happened . If Ihe slar of Kronos should bear witness 10 Hennes. it
ind icates someone who is in good repute and successful ; and if Kronos
should bear witness while it is afflicted, the matters in which one is

I m~Jolahl6. Literally, 'hetd in the middle.' This seems [0 mean that [he
plac(: is nankC(! by maJdics. but it is not clear whether they need [0 be in [he
same z6idion or not. This is similar 10 the later concept ·besieged· .
2 epibole.
1 ka/akli.~i.l .
• kalakris;s.
~ km mopoios. Refers 10 11 vcry powcrful personage.

10
held in good repute will have a bad o utcome; if Kronos should ~
present in thc place o f Zeus while look ing upon the p lace. ' it signifies
a doctor. Malefics squaring Hennes while it is declining signify a
ro bber and murderer; and if the malefics shouid be ex-changing their
bounds with each other. they indicate that such a one also gets
crucified; and if one of the malefics should be in the bounds of a
malefi c, the other in the bounds of a benefic. it signifies ,he cancellation
of this {fatel for a nobleman; and if only one malefi c should have a
regard for the place mentioned above. it does not indicate that he will
be a murderer, but it shows a robber; and if the testimony itself should
be made fro m a triangle. it ind icates a soldier; and if a malefic should
nOt regard Hermes, it signifies one who is well-travelled and generous;
bul when the malefics are regard ing, it signifi es a forger, a fraud . A nd
if Hennes occupies the bounds of a benefic and is upon a pivot, it
signifies a leader and ruler; Hermes with the Moon signifies a royal
man; if the Moon should be witnessed by a benefi c while squaring
Hennes. and if it is also in the bounds o f a malefic. it nevertheless
signifies a great man. Hermes in the post-ascension of the place of
access signifies an artisan, a handicrafts man; and if it is in the bounds
of Ares. it sig nifi es one who works with fi re or iron; and if in the
bounds o f Kro nos. a fence 2 o r o ne who takes care of seaside business;
but when benefics are squaring. one who has full command of
every thing in an an but gains nothi ng.

Inuoduction to Second Group of Hennes Fragments

The fo llowing excerpt is a prose paraphrnse made of a didactic poem (which

still survives) dealing with the extensive subject of medical astrology, It is
probably represents some of the earliest surviving thinking done on Ihi s topic
in the Western tradition. The first part of the translated texl cites much laler
material. but wc have also included it hcre for the sake of completeness and
contrast.
Note the intcgratiun of fast and slow lunar motion (the concept of adding
and subtracti ng in nu~bcrs. which we think we have understood for the fi rst
time) wilh the other astrologically relevant characteristics of lunar motion.
There is also a conspicuous use of the lunar nodes and some clari ty as to their
connection with the astrological concept of the Moon's being "in bonds."

I The place of access.

} l,hrontjSli.~ apa klol'ts Thi ~ is a guc~s from contcx!.

II
 Another Examinatiun of Taking to Onc's Bed
ICCAG I ; 122-1241

Le t the H6roskopos be the doctor. the Midhcaven the sick one, the
Descendant the disease, the subterraneous pivot the therapy. If then a
malefic should mark the ho ur, the doctor will be of no help to the s ick
one, but the sick one will be harmed by him . But if a benefic should
mark the hour, the doctor will benefit the sick one, or the illness will
automatically grow milder without the doctur. If a malcfic should mark
the hour, but a benefic should be in the ~ubterra:leous pivot, it indicates
that the first doctor--even ifhe should be knowledgeable-will not help
the sick one at all, but some other doctor comi ng later will help him .
And when it sees the sublerraneou ~ pivot, examine whether the star
following it should be in its own throne or not. For if it should be in its
own trigon or house, the doctor will be native and nO[ foreign: but if it
should be in the places of others, the doctor will be forei gn.
Dorotheus abo says that figures such as the seventh and ninth days
of the crises are dangerous. For if, he says, the total days from the
nati vity of the sick one to the time of taking 10 his bed divided by 7
should leave off at 7, or divided by 9 should leave off at 9, there will
be a crisis I with respecl to that genesis, for which, if he should
commence to be sick, he will be dangerously sick, The same writer says
that we should also consider the followin g. Taking the number of the
interval of the zoidia themselves from the Sun at the nativity to the
Moon at the nati vity; also taking into the recko ning the very zoidia in
which the lights are found at the beginning, and having, then, as has
been said. such a quamity of Ithese) zoidion. Also, take the days from
the beginning of the nativity up to the time of taking to one's bed, and
dividing these by the quantity of the loidia, as has been said ; and if this
number should equal the multitude of days, the one who has taken to
hi s bed will be dangerously sick.
But he also speaks in a diffcrc m way . Consider the Moon at the
time of taking to one's bed , If it should chance to be either in the 4th
place of the nativity, or in the 6th place, or in the 8th, or the Moon
itself was there at the lime of fixin g,l these also suggest that the illness
if dangerous, And it is necessary to examine, he says, two Suns: the o ne

I klimaktir

, Thai is, the Moon was in one of these place in the nativity.

12
of the fixin g and the one of the transit. and furthermore the transiting
Moon of the taking to one's bed. And if the Moon should apply to one
of the Suns before squari ng itself. it indicates that the disease is a mild
one. But if it should square itself before applying to o ne of the Suns,
the signification is base.
Julian l adds the following considerations, Those who are sic k wi ll
die. he says. in those (figures) in which the lights are afflicted in Ihe
eclipsing places, or for which Kronos and Ares in the eclipsing places
have testified to the lights, and are especially pestilential for those who
are sick with a disease. 1be .~ame things happen for those who are al
war and those who are sai lin g, fo r they are deslroyed by the mob. And
even if the inception of a hurricane or fire or cataclysm or harsh winter
should occur with such a fi gure, it signifies general destruction, And if
a comet or meteor or some such thing should appear \ ... V And when
Kronos and Ares aTC stati oning in the tropical z6idia while having a
relatio nship to the inception. they will irrevocably produce something
bad. and especially if the di sease pertains to Kronos o r Ares. And it is
necessary to attend to the fact that Arcs will not save when o ne is
letting blood. For thi s often happens whenever it should be witnessed
by Zeus or Aphrodite, having the power of a benefic .
Furthermore. one must speak about the same things from lhe
latromathematical Matler~ of Hermes and Petosiris and from the
collections of Protagoras.· And these say that it is necessary to take the
inceptions for taking to one's bed fro m the Moon and from its
associations~ with the stars and the Sun . One must above all attend to
such inceptions in o rder that, if the circumstances of the childbirth
should be deficient or unknown, the procedures of prognostication may

1 Julian of Laodicaea, circa 500 C.E. See the second passage relflting 10
Petosiris below.
1 Lacuna in text. .
J That is, astrology applied 10 medicine.
• Probably Protagoras of Nicaea of uncenain dale, though some have
speculaled that he was a librarian at Alexandria in the time of Antiochus the
Great (a Seleucid who reigned from 223-1 81 B.C.E.). A katarchic piece by him
on runaways is summarized by Hephaistio in Book 111. chapter 37 .
} koinonia. I do nOl. think \1\31 thi s is being used as a technicallerm here,
although it is si milar to the term communion mn hochi (cf chapter 30 of
Anllochus),

1J
successfully go forward by means of the motions and fi gurations o f the
stars going on atthc time. We will look out, then, for the strong phases
of the Moon, They are these: conjunction, 1st half-moon , whole moon ,
2nd half, and fu rthermore the nodes. ' He will attend to its numbers in
longitude and latitude. and whether it subtracts or adds 2 to these
numbers. A nd one must see that the ruler of this phase not have a
superior position to it, or be diametrical to it, for it makes the diseases
be di verse :n their changes. And one must watch carefuJi y the squares
of the lights to each other or squares of the nodes, for the activity of
the.~e is strong, and taking to one's bed is Jangerou~ because of these;
but harmonious fig ures, the triangular and hexagonal ones. are not
dangerous.
And the associations of the rays with Kronos increase chills and
indigestion and frost and phlegm; with Zeus, it establishes the beginning
of the disease from surfeit or from the liver or joints or feet ; and if Ares
should look on the Moon, from bile or fe ver or by reason of quadrupeds
or from a blow; and if Aphrodite, from the lungs or spleen or
sleeplessness or strong drink ; if Hermes, it provides suffering from gall
or dysentery or ear-ache or uvula or teeth or tonsils; and if the Sun, a
cause of hean di sease. and sometimes it also furnishes the onset of a
disease from being unwashed or burning beat.
The remedies that are procured are to be suitable in accordance
with the nature of the zoidia in which the Moon is grasped for joint-

I s14ndesmos. This seems to be referring to the 'bond' as an aspect. Cf

chapter 35 of Paulus.
2 The expression "subtracts or adds to these numbers" might suggest that
we are talking about re trogradation versus direct motion, but since the Moon
cannm go retrograde in longitude we might infer that it refers to decelerated
versus accelerated motion of Ihe moon, or at least slower versus faster mmion,
There seems to be a great deal of confusion regarding these expressions in later
literature. In an allemp! to resolve this difficulty in the present context, we
suggest tilat motion adding in number may refer to motion in excess of the
mean notion of the Moon- that is. fasl in morion; whereas motion subtr<lclive
in motion refers to the opposite case--that is , slow in molion. This distinction
would also naturally be suggested by the epicycl ic hypothesis, in which the
planet moves on a circle that revolves with unifonn motion, and the variations
in motion are caused by movcmenl around an epicycle earned on this basic
circle_
sensation . I It is suitable for phlegm purgatives in Aries, leo, Sagittari us;
purifications and vomiting in Cancer. Scorpio. and Pisces; diuretics and
cucumbers in Gemini. Libra. Aquarius. One must make use of blood-
~ etting in Aries. Taurus. Sagittarius, walks in Pisces, exercise1 in
Gemini, passive exercise} in Sagiuarius, aromatics in Taurus, phlegm
purgatives in Capricom.
It is also necessary to accept nourishment in accordance with the
sympathy of the stars. It is sympathctic for vegetables with Kronos,
chickens with Hennes, flesh with Ares, aromatics and fruits and
poultices and gruel with Aphrodite, doses of wine or o f cold (drink) or
antidotes with Zeus; and whe n tht Sun is testifying, one must make use
of vomiting and fasting or changes of place or alterations in one's way
of life or bathing or drawing off o f moisture.
The notable hours of taking to o ne's bed are 10 be carefully
observed : by day. the 1st, and, 3rd, 4th, 51h, 6th. 7th , and 12th; by
night, I Sl , and, 6th, Sth.4
When the Moon is increasing in numbers at the first half moon, and
when it is escaping the node in which it was fo und around Ihe whole
moon, it brings an e nd to the o ne affl icted. But if it should likewise be
moving in the fi rst half moon according to the subtraction of numbers
along with escaping the bond, it restores the conditions of health.
When the Moon is configured with Ares and the Sun while moving
its fastest, it aug ments disease, and brings on danger at the square or
I... )s figure, When so configured with Kronos, it renders diseases
harmless; but if it should be configured with Kronos while it is
subtracting in numbers, it surrounds one with dangerous diseases. When
so configured with Ares and the Sun while subtracting in numbers or
in light, it again introduces health at the square. Diseases that
commence in the eclipse of the Sun and Moon tend to be exceedingly
severe and hard to prevent, The days thaI can be made use of will be

I sunaiSlhesis. The idea seems 10 be Ihat the physical effect); of the zijidion
are sensed or experienced) along with those of the Moon.
1 gumnasion. Gymnastic-type exercise.
J aie/lira. Passive exercise such as swinging.
~ 1l\e "notable hou~" referred to here could either be hours in which
ideally one should take to one's bed. or could also be hours after laking to one's
bed that one should nole for pOienlial crises. fR HI
~ Lacuna in text.

15
harmless with bc:nefics, but da ngerous with malefics, and especially
whenever ant should take to his bed at a conjunction or ..... ho le moon;
for those who are dying are for the most part destroyed in an evi l
manner. The risings of Sirius and Orion and the other common stars
will be cond ucive, the settings no t. When Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn , or
Pisces is marling the hour and the Moon is also in them, it is not fillin g
10 operate as we have also said in the Amicipalion.s;' for a rupture will
ensue. The twelfth.parts1 of the malefics and the Moon, ..... hen they tum
out to be at these same {zoidial, signify that taking to one's bed will be
miserable arod des truc tive: bUI twelfth-parts of Ihe benefics art:
significant of health. The Moon, when desce nding from the node and
closely meeting ..... ith a malefic always bri ngs about violent deat h.
He gives only an adequate explanation here from what the ancients
have said abeut taking to one's bed: for from these things one can find
those [authoritiesl who are o n target and if anything received {from the
tradition] is omitted owi ng to the length o f the compi latio n.

A Numt!rical Method for Giving a Prognosis for the One Who Is

Sick- Whether He Will Li ve in Health, or in Danger, or Die
[CCAG 1;128[

To elaborate, lei tht! division of da ys as illustrated for men by Hennes

be set out fi rst; the methods discovered by Petosiris and Pythagoras will
follow Ihi s. Hermes Trismegistus, then, adv ised counting from the rising
of Si rius (which is the 25 th of Epiphi al Alexandria) up to the day of
taking to o ne's bed, and dividing the 100al num ber by 36, See in what
row the left over days fall in the appended] canon and take the letter
lying next to this to know what is sought: 4 for 7 indicates life, 10
danger, 9 death.

I phlhasllS, from phulni}? This appears to be a book ti tle.

1 We cannot tell ror ccnain whether this is a sign or a dOd,kalimorion, but

it appears to Dc: the latter. [RHJ
l Unfortunately. I hi~ canon does fl()I seem 10 he in the manu$Cripl.
~ Using tl"c sa-ondary manuscript to supply thi s last clause.

1(,
 3, The Relationship Betwet!n Hermes and NechepsoiPelosiris

Introduc tion

There was evidently a real Egyptian king named Nechepso, who was a member
of the 26th dynasty (663-525 S.c.E.), History also records an Egyptian priest
named PctOsiris from the 4th centu ry B.C.E. There was an important
astrological work writlen in Greek (or translated into Greek) around lhe 2nd
century 8 .CE .. which purported to be written by an Egyptian priest named
Petosiris and addressed to a king named Necheps(), As the fo llowing two
quotations attest, this work was an explanation and exposition of Hermetic
Writings.
We see in the following qU0l3tions that the Egyptian astrologicallioeage
passed from Hennes 10 NechepsoiPetosiris.

From a Papyrus Fragment

[CCAG 8, 4 ; 95J

Seven gods. By examining in fiany books how it was handed down to

us by Ihe wise ancients, that is, by the Chaldeans, and how Petosiris and
especially the king Nechepso also [handed it down). just as they also
based I themselves on our lord Hermes together with Asclt:pius, who is
of Imouthos, son of Hepheslos-i n accordance with the time given me
for the first year of the lord Antoninus Caesar.

Compare thi s with the following passage from Firmicus Matemu$ [IV pref. 5].

For everything which Aescuiapio, Mercurius,l JHanubiol have handed

down. which Petosiris and Nechepso have explicated, ) and which
Abram, Orfeus and Critodemus have made known· .

I 'l1le operative word !lere is $unidru.san, which would mean they 'set

down,' 'establish,' 'found,' 'dedicate,' etc. This is a bit troublesome since it is

in the active voice, and we WOLIld more normally expect a middle construction
here such as nmidrusanll).
2 That is, l!ennes_
j upliw .
4 edo.

17
 4, Nechcpso and Pelosiris

Introduction

A fair number of fragmen ts survive from the textbook of NcchepsofPetosiris as

quotations from later writerl. In Book I of Hephaislio there is a lenglhy e)[tr&et
tha~ coocem~ the detailed delineation of eclipses. Valens makes frequen t
reference to Jrethods found in NechepsolPetosiris. and often quotes it . And
there arc O(her fragments scattered throughout the ancienl literature. From
Valens we also learn Ihal Ihere was controversy o\'er the interpretation of
nume rous passages in that work . Ik regularly refers to thc methods and
concepts found therein as "enigmatical:' In fact. mnny of the variations in the
laler traditio n may be due 10 misunderstandings of this canonical wrilltfl text.
The following shon e~cerpt s how~ that thell: was difference of opinion over
very bltsic issues c\'cn in the time of Nech~"soIPctos iri s.

A Surprisi ng Point from Petosiris Concerning Harmonious Squares

[CCAG 6; 62[

Everyone supposes that the triangular sides are harmonious thro ugho ut
our (lives] and thc cause o f good things, but they are in CTTor. For, the
squares have the strongest activity whether they s hould be indicati ve of
good things or base. And the triangle oft en makes neither a good
[fi gure] that is well -fitted. l nor a bad onc. Again, of the squares the
ones o n the right are more active than those on the left . And in the
diameters malefic s are difficult, but diametrical benefics arc never bad,
neither with each other nor with the lights. And Kronos and Ares are
cKceedingly malefic in this figure if they are able 10 ace whil e
stationing.)

I t'pal"arisM. Implicit in this word is the thought that the figure is oflen
..... eak because it is badly joined. I hu ~ unharmonious.
: Thai is. if these malefics have a zodiacal or place positioning in which
they may be active.
J [t is a modem view stated quite often thaI not all squares and oppositions
are bad or difficult . and that nOi all trines and sU liles 3re good, also thai trines
may be quite weak. Here is yel another uample of ule ancients having a
similar vie wpoUiI. In the Middle Ages specirlc rutes were gi\'en for telling when
these arrarenl re vcrsal s y,ero: likely hl takC plocc. IRH)

IR
 On Inceptions
Quoted by Julian of Laodicaea
[CCAG I; 138)

The divine Petosiris speaks as follows when discussing inceptions:

Examine the Sun arid the Moon and Ihe rulers of both, and the
H oroskopos and the Midheaven, and examine upon which of the said
places ' the Moon and its ruler stand, If the ruler of the Moon should be
in a decline while the Moon itself is upon a pi vot, the matter will be
brilliant in the first (period I. but it will not have an ending similarly
bright. For, the beginnings of everything are taken from the Moon, the
endings fTom its ruler. And if the Moon should be in a decline while its
ruler is upon a pivol . the matter will have beginnings which are
troublesome and tardy, but endings which go well and are steady. When
the Moon and its ruler are upon pivots, they indicate that the matter will
go well from beginning to l:.:Jd. If they should chance to be in declines.
the opposite. When the ruler of the Moon happens to be in the post-
descensions, he says that the matter will be long delayed, but il will
come to completion. Also examine the separations and applications of
the Moon ; for when separating from a benefic, the matter does not go
well except for a slave who is considering running away.2 BUI when
applying to a benefic, i( indicates that the outcome of the matter will be
good; to a malelie, base. Also, it is necessary to examine the futuTl~~
from the applications. the present or the past from the separations.J
Examine the Lot of Fortune as well , If it is testified to by benefics, it
indicates that the ending will be good; if by malefics. bad.

A Third NechepsofPetosiris entry

In the first book of Hephaistio's Apolciesfflatics (chapter 21). there is a long and
detailed excerpt on eclipse delineation attributed to "the ancient Egyptians."
This euerpt concludes with the follOwing sentences: "And they observed that
the eclipses of the Moon and the Sun that take place in the same month at the
diamelrical opposition are productive by means of a commixture of the

I Evidently a reference to a foregoi ng discussion of the twelve place~.

' Because the benefic energy is passing away. [RUI
.' Here we see thai Ihis doctrine comes from the oldest astrological
tradillons. those allributcd to the Egy plian ~. [Rill

,9
aforementioned effects of each eclipse. And in order that we should not make
these comments too long, let this be said 50 that the intelligent can decide for
themselves." Thus, the piece from which Hephaistio was quoting apparently
went on with some more details which he omilS. A manuscript in the CCAG
preserves the entire excerpt: quoted by Hephaistio. Although there are significant
Stylistic differences between the version of HephaiSlio and ttK: ont: in the
manuscript, the information is more or less the same the same. Howeve r, the
manuscript version also preserves material corresponding to the omilled material
alluded to at the end of the Hephaistio version. That new material is what is
here translated.

On Ecli pses o f the Sun and Moon

[CCAG 7; 1'7- 150[

If in the same month the s~ n undergoes eclipse in Pisces, the Moon in

Virgo undergoes eclipse prior to il after setting, I but the s un after rising,
the one who leads the Asians will be depressed by barbarian nations; he
will bear lribute of much mo ney and many will again be taken prisoner
from the cities.
If the Moon undergoes eclipse in the C laws 1 when the Sun
undergoes eclipse in Aries in the same month, there will be grief in
Egypt and Asia, and mutual slaughter, and he who is jX)werful will
wrong the weaker: the army will be in disorder, and there will be much
blood.
If the Moon undergoes eclipse in Scorpio and the Sun in Taurus,
the masses will be in disorder and they will plunder the common
propeny, and they will lay their hands upon sacred places.
If the Moon undergoes eclipse in Sagiuarius and the Sun in Ge mini,
many and oppressive masters will be set over those in C ilicia and Italy
and Libya.
If the Moon undergoes eclipse in Capricorn and the Sun in Cancer.
there will be war and conflict with those living in the north and south,
and they will be carried) on their way through the blood of others.

I apo dusm6n. Presumably the setting of the Sun. This qualification. and
"after rising"' for the Sun. would seem to be there 10 insure thai the respcclivr
ecli pses arc atxwe the horizon and hence visible from the same location in the
same month.
1 Li bra. IRH J
I PQr~u6.

2"
 If the Moon undergoes oclipse in Aquarius and the Sun in Leo,
there will be inroads of barbarians in Capp,l(locia, Phrygia, Macedonia;
in Egypt a notable man will perish, and the masses will depend upon
each other, J and there will be a few calam ities,l
If the Moon undergoes eclipse in Pisces and the Sun in Virgo in the
same mo nth, great fears will come to those in Bithyni a and Elymais:
and many people will be brought over to another land and some will
flee to a foreign people.
If the Moon undergoes eclipse in Aries and the Sun in the Claws,
a large crowd wi ll assemble in the land of Egypt; Libya will be brought
to naught, and there will be much QUI of place in Cilida from robbers
and the suffering of friends, and there will be death of notable men.
If the Moon undergoes eclipse in Taurus and the Su n in Scorpio,
the condition will be savage in Libya.
If the Moon undergoes ecl ipse in Gemini and the Sun in Sagittarius,
the Hellenes will make war against each other, and there wi ll be a much
wintry weather on land and sea,
If the Moon undergoes eclipse in CanC!;!T and the Sun in Capricorn ,
the ambidextrous onesl from the west wi ll [overpower] those living
beyond the east. and there wi ll be an awakening of the people in Syria .
If the Moon undergoes ecl ipse in Leo and the Su n in Aquarius, the
worse ones in Egypt will surround the better, and after notable places
have been laid waste, they will be transfigured.
If the eclipse of the Sun and the Moon in whatever l.Oidion should
come from the first to the third hours at night or duri ng the day, the
effects will be in Syria and Egypt; from the four1h hour to the sixth. in
Media, El ymais. Cyprus. and Asia; from the sixth hour to the eight, in
Rhodes and Sicily and those of same latitude;· from the ninth to the
tenth. the effects will happen in the twilight zones where time is
lacki ng.
Other mailers. If the eclipse of the Sun or Moon should happen
from the first to the third hours of the night or day, it wil1 be necessary
to expect the effects after four months; if from the fOUr1h. fifth, o r sixth
hours , the signs will be after 8 months; and from the 7th to the 9th,

J ocil/oi tip' alle/ous hixo"si.

1 {1loma .
.1 (1I'fJdexios _This ma)' simpl), me,llI 'the vCf)' ellpert ones'.
4 isofflt'lms .

21
afler 9 months; from the 10 to the 12 hours, after 12 months.

5. Erimarabos, Phoreda.s, Odapsos

Introduction

This short summary of the work of throe ocherwise unknown amologers of

carty times shows the imponance with which the cycles of Jupiter and Saturn
were held, but also the disag recmcnts uveoT the basic delineations.

[CCAG 8, 3; 91-92)

That even though Erimarabos, I whom the Egyptians hold to be the

discoverer of astronomy, and Phoredas 2 the Indian treat of the same
hypothesis, they have not agreed with each other in everything on the
very same matters, either because the difference in country yields
effects which are different, OT because the observations of the art
proceed by conjectures and therefore there is no accord among them all ,
exactitude being neither found nor passed down.l And each of them
treats of what results when Zeus is present in each of the 12 ~"idia; for
example, what will be the effec ts, and for what, when it is present in
Sagi ttarius; and again what kind of effects, and for what, when it is in
Capricorn; and so on up to Scorpio.'

I Since Hermes is generally regarded as the inventor of astrology amongst

the Egyp(ians, the text editor cites an atlemp: to read this name as a corruption
for "Hennanubis·'. or a conDation of "Uermes" and "Anubus" (another of the
Egyptian saints).
2 Absolutely nothing else is known o{ this writer. To my knowledge, he is
the only Indi:ln mentioned in the context of early Hellcnistic astrology.
1 A surprising amount of skepticism {rom an ancient astrological source!
IRHI
C There are several such treatises found in the CCAG. The Jupiter cycle

referred 10 is cilled the d6dekataeli (or twelve-year) cycle, and ilS study was
evidemly pioneered by the Chaldeans. The trealises in the CCAG are almost
exclusively dc~OIed to the meteorological and envitoomental effects of this
cycle. [Additional by RHJ This might very well be the source of the doctrine
of profections wherein a sign is taken {or each year of lifc. Profections could
be an idealization of the Jupiter cycle. 'Tbe method of signs in the Chinese

22
 HUSlapsis l Odapsos. being called a priesl, compiled l:osmic effcclS,~
and he addresses his booklet to him 10 whom it refers. in which he
treats of what it signifies when Kronos occupies each of the Iwel ve
zjjidia both by ilself and wilh the Qlher four of the planels,] or w~n it
is mixed with one or more planets and co·regarded along with them.
and not simply aCl:ording to the whole z6idion , but also according to
each of its parts and members when its occupancy is closely examined.
And he also says what kind of country is dependent on which of the
zoidia,4 and he characterizes the kinds of effects from the peculiarities
of the parts of each zoidiorl. He is, then. proclaim ing things similar to
the others. but I have not yet made a test by experience or found with
arguments if he got!. astray on the undertaking like the others.

6, Zoroaster

Introduction

Zoroaster (also called Zarathustra) is the name of lhe prophet and sage of the
ancient Persians, who supposedly lived in the: 5th or 6th century H.C.B. Among
the surviving fragments attributed to Zoroaster or early Zoroastrians are a few
dealing with astrology. The next exccrpl. which derives from Gregory of
Nicaea. is remarkable for a number of reasons. There is the articulation or
domicile rulership. the deeans. and possibly the bounds. There is also the very
explicit connection between astrology and potylheism. Modem astrologers may
also find in the invocation of Poseidon (Neptune) and Pluto as co-rulers with
Zeus and Ares respectively a deep confi rmation of the inner consistency of the
symbolic reasoning tying togelher the planetary gods and the signs.

calendar also comes to mind. See the Historical Introduction to this volume.
page vii.
I Although some have taken this to be another astrologer besides Odapsos.

the general syntax of the sentence would indicate that it is rather some kind of
priestly litle.
2 This probably means that his book dealt with the general dfcclS of
Kronos according to zodiacal position. and these would be primarily weather
and environmental effects.
l That is. the starry planets. [R H]
• V31ens ciles Odapsos in Book I of the Anthology on this very matter.

23
 Aoout the Zoroastrians
[CCAG 8, 3; 120· 122[

We must lell what they say aboullhe .zcJion-bearing l circle. Zaralhustra,

then, who was a barbarian, was the first to make an examination of this;
and after him Zames and Damoitos, his children; then Oro iesos, a child
of Damoitas; then after these Ostanes . They divided the zodiacal ci rcle
into houses, gods, co-dwellers, and different airs,' They supposed that
there were seyen gods (I mean the Sun and Moon and the five planets).
thereupon also giving an account of the seven-stringed Iyre. l They say.
then, that thue is an eternal god. highest of all , from whom they
maintain that all the others ex ist-the Titans, Daimons. beings born of
the earth" immoJ1al s,J heroes. divine likenesses. and spirit. like beings6
ruling over roen. They say that there were seven overseers,' through
whom the effecL'" happen : Ares, Aphrodite, Demeter. Dionysius,
Athena. Hephaistus, Artemis;' and some also add Asclepius as the one
who succors the ill . Others use the name 'zones,IO for the seven,

I Used as a synonym for the l.odiacal circle. Cf chapler 3 of Paulus.

2 air. nl i ~ word seems to be used here in the same way in which we say
that someone bd an "air'" of royalty about him- that is, a certain "aura" (a
word which is also cognate to the Greek word). To my knowltOge, il is
nowhere else u>ed in connection wit h the decans. The main tradition uses the
term 'face' forthe shaping done to the p/Mtts in the decans. Perhaps 'air" is
the proper tenn for infl uence done to the t.iiidi(J themselves.
) Gregory of Nicaea. who is the source of this discussion, also studied
Ptolemy's Harmoniki, which ends wi th propositions that involve the harmonies
inherent in the ratios of the various motions of the planets. It was Ptolemy's
won: that inspired Kepler's Horm onict Mu.ndi .
• gilgtfWS.
, /courites . Literally. 'young men.'
6 doimOllid.
1 tphoros.
~ aporelesmatika. That is. the astrological effects,
9 The rea~ r should notc that this is nolthe same list of seven from which
the planetary goos come. However. thai list follow s shon ly in the texl.l RH]
III lOM. The name for the twelve celestial regions of the zodiac has
tvidently been transferred to the beings that art "engirded"' with them- that is.
the planets th~t ruk on beha]( of tht diffe rent $ idia . Cf the concept or
'Iike,engirding' in chapter 12 of Paulus,
enu me rating them thus: Kronos, Zeus, Ihe Sun , A res, AphrClditc,
Hennes, the Moon . And concern ing wd iacal habitatio n, they say that
it is divided inlO six houses in the following fas hion: the houses of
Kronos are Capricorn and Aq uarius; of Zeus, Sagittarius and P isces; of
Ares, Scorpio and Aries; o f Aphrodite, Libra and Taurus; of Hemles,
Virgo and Gemi ni; of the Sun. Leo and CanceL I The coinhabitana of
these: Apollo with the Sun; Muse with Hennes: Anteros with Aph rod ite,
AIc1 with A res: Hera with Zeus; Rhea with Kronos . These are the
coinhabitants for the six z.oidia Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Saginarius.
Capricorn . And next. Poseido n is the coi nhabilant ..... ith Zeus; Plulo with
Ares; Imeros l with Aphrodite: I Kronosl with Artemis; [NepheiEj4 w ith
Hennes: [there is no house of the Moon, but by sy mpathy. Leo and
Cancer being the houses of the Sun , the M oon i ~ coinhabitant of
CancerJ.) And these are .he coinhabitants for the other six z.oidin,
Pisces. Aries, Taurus, C ancer, Gemini. Aquarius.
Of the widia d ivided inlO 36 airs of gods, they say the names are
thus: AidOneus, Persepho ne. Eros, Charis. Horai. Litai. Tethus, Kubele,
Praxidi ke, Nikt . H t r~k l es. Hecate, Hephais tos. Isis. Sam pis. Themi s.
Mo irai. Hestia, Eri nus, Kaiws, Nemesis, Num phai. UIO, Kairos.
t o imos, Kore, Anangke. Asklcpios. Hugieia, Tolma, Dike, Phobos.
Osiris, Okeanos, Oolos, Elpis. 6 They say that there are sixty gods
d ifferent from these. and that the lim itless ' motion of the z.oio,,·bearing

I Notice that the Sun gets both Cancer and Leo. However. just below thi s

the Moon is associated with th<'. Suo in Cancer. There are many ways in which
much of later ast rology treats Cancer and Leo as a pair like Aquarius and
Capricorn. IRHJ
1 Goddess of mischief and rash action.
j God of desire .

• The Greek word for a cloud mass.

s Corrupt lexl here. I ha\'e restored it somewhat according 10 conteltt.
6 From some specific assignments of these same gods 10 several decans as
found in the Stobaeus fragments, we can infer that the presenl list of 36 begins
with the first decan of Aries and continues in the order of the' Z6idia.
1 apeirQS . The number 60 immediately suggests the 60 bounds. which ate
also subdi visions of the zodiac:. 1bere may also be an implied connection
bttween the limitless and apparently indeterminate motion of the planets as
eaused by these deities and the bounding or limiting influence of these siltty
subdivisions. hori(J. of the 1.ooiac. Pcrhaps thc bounds were considered \0 be
dignities of the plancts because in them thc indeterminate and erratic tendencies

2."1
circle and the planets is from them. The divine Gregory. in briefly
refuting the opinions concerning these maners (for the ilstrological
effects are imagined to result from these since they are wandering an
inescapable path). says that "{floating] stars are the opposites of (fixed)
stars."1

Concerni.lg the Presentation of a Le ner, from the Writings of

Zoroaster
ICCAG 2; 192- 1951

If a leiter should be sent 10 you, and you want to know the intention of
the ones who have written it, whether it is treacherous or not , and
whether just or unjust, or good or knavish; and if you should want to
know the sarr.e things when the one dispatched should carry a message
for you, you may thus know what is hidden. Fix the pivots and the
occupancies (If the stars as if for a nativity. And if Kronos should be
marking the hour or culminating at the hour you received the letter. the
message is exceedingly bad. And if the Moon should go to meet fit} or
should square, the struggle is double and more severe. If Kronos should
be stationing while it marks the hour or culminates. it contains a terrible
message of constraints of some sort. And if Hennes should also be
co-present, he will further confirm everything for the worse. And the
letter has beeD written by a knavish man. The one who sent it and the
one who wrote it are your enemies and opponents; and his manuscript
is the most hostile to you of all. If Zeus should be present with Kronos.
the things written are mixed. good in some places and base in others;
yet bad will not prevail . And the leiter is from a superior man, one who
hates knaves, just. If Aphrodite should be co-present with Kronos, the
things wrillenare indifferently of good and base, and the letter has been
written with the knowledge of a woman. And the manner of the one

of (he planets were toought to be curbed.

I The conlrast here is between two different words for star in Greek: astir

and as/ron. Cj. Excerpt VI. CO,!"d Hefmt/icum, toward the end, where tile
same distinctioo is made. and the zoidia are called astra. as being set or fixed
upon the celestial circle, whereas as/eres noat in the ether. Earlier in thc same
chapter, thj~ later property is attributed to the Ulurgi. which are being~ that are
~uhjcct to the decan~ and do their bidding. These are prohably the amorpha/a,
that is the stan that are nO! assigned to any constellation.
who has written it is a mixture of knavery and ho nesty. more inclin ing
toward the good.
If Ares should be marki ng the hour or culminati ng or should (arise}
at the selli ng of the Sun, the leiter contains a great plot and the one
bearing the letter is a conspirator of the plot and one who intends harsh
things. If Ares should chance to be station ing while it marks the hour
or culminates, it contains the greatest slnlggle and some destruction of
sUpl!riors. And it has been wri tten by a knavish man, keen-spirited. hot.
irrevere nt. If Zeus should be co-pre.~e n t, the thi ngs written are
indi fferen t. If Aphrodite, the contents are ind ifferent, but it is written by
a woman or eunuch. If the Moon should be! co-pieSen! with Hermes, let
the same things be supposed as for Kronos. If Ares is co-prese nt with
Kronos. and if the star is no! stationi ng, the letter contains fraud ,
steali ng, treachel)' , over-elaboration. fa lsehood: and the one who ha$
written it is a partner or a manager of affairs or o ne who has a
successful trade. If it should be stationing. that which is being intended
is worse and more treacherous and more contentious. If the Moon
should be co-p resent, it will produce worse. just as has also been said
for Kronos: a nd the messenger is an accompl ice in the evil, or he
tampered with the seal o r the leiter alo ng the way.
If Hermes should be marking the hour o r culminating. it contains
great good for li velihood and security, both o f the things present and of
those that have been. a nd everything is good. And he who ha.<; wri tten
the leiter. if Zeus should be co-present. is a man superior in reputation
and j us!. If Aphrodite, o ne who has lately entered into the matter is a
youth. c heerful , playfu l, and good: and the bearer of the letter is j ust,
with good inten tions.
If Zeus should be marking the hour or culminati ng, it contai ns great
good and truth fu lness and glad thoughts over past. present and future
matters: and it was sent by a great and truthful leader. He who wrote it
is reputable and your frie nd. If it should be marking the hour along with
the Moon, the indicated goods are augmented. If Zeus should be
statio ning, the good is doubled. If Hermes should also be co-present . it
will augment the indicated goods. and it provides for o ne's profi t and
surplus. And it has been written with the knowledge of twO men, one
of whom is JUSt and good, the other j ust but craft y, while the one
sending the letter is considerate toward you by intention. But if Kronos
or Ares should be co-present with it, you should suppose the contents
to be indifferent, partly good and panly base.
If Aphrodite should be marking the hour or culminating, the leiter

27
contains cheerful and glad news. And if it is marking the hour in a
masculine z6idion, it has been writlen by a good woman who is
well-disposed toward you. If Aphrodite is stationing, the good tidings
will be double. If the Moon or Hermes should be co-present, the good
will be confirmed, and more so through Hennes; rather, it provides
through Hennes distinctive and fine speech; And it has been written by
a cheerful youth, but onc who is close and dissembling with his
thoughts, social, an embezzler, forcswom and false, and one who robs
from you cleanly and unsuspectedly. But if Hennes should not be
co-present, then it has been wriuen by a common woman, and the
bearer of the letter is just by nature and well-inten tioned toward you. If
Kronos or Ares should be co-present with Aphrodite. that whi(;h is
written is indifferent, both fine and terrible; but the good things are
dominant, lavish. And it has been written by a superior man with some
eagerness rto appear] prolix and not to the point. [But if these should
not be co-present1 ,1 the letter contains an accusation. And the
manuscript is of someone exceedingly arrogant; however, he who is
carrying it is also such a o nc.
H the Moon should itself mark the hour by itself while none of the
planets is ascending or culminating under the eanh, the leiter contains
an expeclatioll of something and an ordinary message and concerns
what has been done and what has been completed. The letter is a speech
of some overseer or some pri vate person or a partner and manager or
kin. But if the Moon maintains a conjunction, the letter contains a
summons; and he who delivers it is meddlesome and officious.
If neither the Moon nor anyone of the 5 stars should be marking
the hour or culminating, that which is signified by each z6idion contains
what is signified by the 7 stars. When Aries is marking the hour or
culminating, it makes what is written commanding. When Taurus is
marking the hour or culminaling, things disturbing and likely to enrage.
Gemini , gentle and austere and more, which will also be effected.
Cancer g ives indications of things standing in the way. Leo, that it is
from superiors and harshness. Virgo indicates mysterious things, which
will also be effected. Libra, from superiors, but more violence. When
Scorpio is marking the hour or culminating, it indicatcs a message and
expectation of something good, which will be effected. Sagittarius,
something commanding and austere, which will also be effectcd. Whc n

I Small lacuna in the text. which I have tried 10 restore from lhe contc . . t
Capricorn is, it indicates cheerful things. but nothing true. When
Aquarius is. it contains something advantageous, which will also be
brought to completion. When Pisces is, it ind icates a summons and pial.

Concerning When the Expected War or Some Evil Thing Will

Happen , from Zoroaster. according to Praxidikos.
(CCAG 5, 3; 87 )

Examine Ares. and if you should find him to be entering into one of the
pivots. say that the war is present. And if Ares should be in the
post-ascens ions of the pivots, the war wi ll be after I... Jl days, within
a month. BUI if Ares should be in the declines. this war has come about,
and the expectation is bad. If you should be asked concern ing a war that
is about to be , count lhe degrees between Hennes and Ares, and depart
from Ares. Whenever, Ihen, Ares should arrive al il.} Ihe war will begin
at Ihat lime . In military inceptions. lhe benefics signify the ending or the
war when they come to squares on the left.

7. Pythagoras the Philosopher

Introduction

Pythagoras is the eponymous author of the followin g pieces, which are found
in the midst of some general astrological material which could nOi possibly be
due to him, since it assumes the Aristotclian elements and is otherwise quile
typical of Hellenistic astrology both in language and treatment. This material
is immediately followed in the manuscripts by other material connected with
numerology. some of which is also attributed 10 Pythagoras. (We will be
tra nslating this at a later date.)
Although it may be hard [0 take thesc atlributions seriously. gi ven
Pythagoras' early date, there are nonelhele~ a few interesting and atypical
fe e[ures about the following astrological characterizations. Firsl of all. both the

, The number of days is miSSi ng in the te",\.

2 At the place where the counting leaves off! jAdditional by RHJ Here we
have an instance of a procedure such as fou nd in the astrology of thc modem
Hamburg school. In their system such a point would be point = d .. d - 2. or
the poim which with Mercury makes a midpoint al Mars. Techniques vcry much
like this abound In the Hamburg s(".oool.

20
section on planets and the one of llJidiu use a very extensive vocabulary fu ll of
subtleties and ovenones. and th is is more characteristic of earli er Gree k writing.
Secondl y. both secti ons are presented as means o f asce n aining what planet
or ZlJidion a give n per~n "has" through observation of his appearance and wha t
he does. They are thus in a di vinatory context rather than being typical
dc lineati ons of celestial effects.
Thirdly, even thQugh th e pl ane tary descriptions are fairl y standard, in all
the surviving Gree k astrological li terature, there is nothing comparable 10 the
extensive c haracteri1.ations o f the w idia foul\d in the second section. Nearly all
the astro logers assign geographical rulers hi ps to the :.Oidia. but hardly any give
natal del ineations. Paulus does not deli neate the lQidia at all; nor does
Hephaistio. Ptolemy assigns only very ge neral propcnies of cardinal. fixed &
mutable and masculine & feminine to the Widia. as wcll as some general
characterist ics such as aquatic. human-shaped. etc, associated with the
constellat ions. but no spedfic na tal de lineations. 1lle treatise on the zlJidia
anribu tcd to Teucer (discussed elsewhere in this booklet) gives a single ph rase
primari ly characterizing physical appearance when the tAidion is risi ng or
contains the Moon. and then what the native docs and what his character is like
gets treated in the context of the dccans. Dorotheus treats of the physical
appearanccs o f thie\'cs on the basis of the t6idio.. but th is is in the context o f
katarehe, and we know that the natures of the ..oidia werc instrumental in all
katarchic astrology going back to HemlCS. Firmicus Matemus gives predictions
about the subsequent life of the: narive when a given loidiOl1 in asccnding.
Valens gives some delinealion material. both physical, characterological, and
professional, but he i mplie~ thai these may be due to the nature of the ruling
planel, nOI simply lhe t6idiofl itself. So if this treatise is fai rl y old and is not
the product of latet confusions over the respective roles of the planets and the
zoidia. it is a very imponant document.

Rec ko ni ng ' of Pylhago ras the Philosophe r Concern ing the Infa n!
Being Born. and Concern ing a Similar Examinat io n of the Seven
Wandering P lanets in Order Tha I Yo u M ay Know by Stud y in
Regard to W h at Sort of Star Eac h Was Bo rn .
[CCAG 11 , 2; 124- 125\

Kronos signifies suc h men: dark-ski nned, sulle n, w ith patchy beard,1
sunke n eyes, grim, annoying, endowed with genius, liars. those with bad

I Refers II) some of the numerological methods dcalt with laler in the

manuscrip t.
habits. thieves. rovers. those who are ill-i ntent ioned , secretly cowardly.
hypocritical. those with reverent appearance I or those who are solitary
or clerical , and hateful in every thin~.

Zeus signifies such men : dignified. of good size. with wide brow,
beneficent, those having hair in their nostrils, bald in the forehead, with
large heads, truthful, giving good counsel, freedom-loving, those
cooperating with all.

Ares signifies such men: of good size, rcs<Jurceful, with large eyes,
grim, those who have traumas to the body, bold, contemptible, warriors,
suspicious, miserable, natural, adulterous, hard-drinkers, those who are
turbulent in everything; and it signifies some who are under a bell or
woolen mantle1 or armed under ex.pedition, often ... ~ of slaves. for the
study of the figure.

The Sun signifies men who are fine of figure!, youthful, with manl y
eyes, those liable to premonitions, quick. truthful, those given to
walking, proportionate in stature.

AphrodiTe signifies mcn who ace of short growth, full of worth, with
olive complexion, small eyes, fortunate , great of soul, amorous, weallhy_
gracious, those who are loved, especially by women, erotic, musical.
those who have love marks o n the body , or moles, or those hupokng-
kellizonral on the body.

Hemles signifies men having spots in the eyes, those given to

premonitions. quick of speech, sweet-tongued, liars, those who write
well, thieves, gamblers, tavern-haunters, impostors. those speaking many
tongues, powerful in the body, large, bankers, lawyers, Ihose who lake
notes. 5

I £u/{Jbo.schima .
1 These seem to be idioms of some sort.
) Lacuna.
4 hupokagke/b5. Unknown word.
S nO/ariQS. Not a classical Greek word, but prob.lbly a transliteration of
Latin nOlariuJ.

31
11le Moolj sign ifies those with white skin, those having thick legs. wide
bodies. those who are coarse, quite shon. with beautiful eyes. a
feminine countenance. truthful. who eat well . l well-proponioned. those
who mind their own business. beautifully put together. accustomed to
the fine . well-arranged in the whole body, those who associate with
women, those who are accepted. those who are rough and quite
boastful.

Concerning the Shapes and Signsl of the Twelve zoidia, How from
the Study of Each One You May Learn What Kind of ZOidion You
Have and Its Activity . from Pythagoras the Philosopher
(CCAG, 11 ,2; JJ5·13S]

Those having a zijidion of Arie~ are those who are somewhat long in
the face. with drawn nostrils. kotaropoi: reddish. with wide forehead.
bald in the forehead, those having thin lips, fierce, all -youthful,j black-
eyed. with a far-ranging voice. 6 naturally ready with a gift. sloping from
the shoulders, plump. natural. those who trade their patrimony. who are
very hairy, who look toward the ground, who are shaggy, long in the
face, heavy. base at heart. playful, of good courage. those who join in
a fi ght. With respect to what they do. they arc liable to become famous.
manly. crude, reckless, military leaders. those who are rapacious and
make their li ving from spoils; and they are changeable.

Those having a l,oidion of Taurns are those with broad forehead. large
nostrils. quite fu ll in the face. with pointed chin, large eye.~. a thick

l euphagus.
I simeion . This is not the modem astrological meaning of ·sign •.but the
general Greek word for anything that is significant of something else.
) Kriou hoi echontts zoidion eisi ... This is the formula thai is used for
each of the zoidia. It may Ix: playing on the ambiguity in the word zoidion. for
it could read either "those having ArieS 3S their z6idion (Ihat is. as an imponanl
influence at birth)" or "those bearing an image of Aries (that is. the visible
imprint of the :6idion)."
~ Meaning unknown.
J fJ(ln(}raio.'.
~ fl fl(lnin (In(lmenoi. It is not clear w!tether this refers to a voice that
("ames " 'ell or a voice with ;, broad vocal range

"
square neck, mean-spirited, delicate in constitution,1 stupid, producing
everything with violence, gluttonous, many who have fallen under
servitude and arc wandering in many lands: their nose is large and the
nostrils open, broad brow (anJ they huld it outward):) Ihey are strong,
liars and plotters and those nOI being outdone in wickedness,) those
having c" il within . those having their hands spread out . fornicators, iii·
!ntentioned.~ those who hllve made lin utter ruin of their manner of
living, those possessin g a visible g reedin~ss. With respect to what they
do they also become famous. ph:asure-Ioving, c harming. priestly.
skillful . prudcnt, wcalthy, prolific .

Those having a zoic/ion of Gemini ,Ire red of fa(;e. with beautiful eyes.
those who ha ve agreeable eyes and large eyelids, with a g\xxl
complex ion, medium in stalure .~ delicate. white of body. tho!ie having
broad chests separated from one each other. those who are bold in
everything. With respect to what they do, they are temperate, well·
educated, estimable, competent, skilled in words, sovereig ns, orators.
philosophers. writers. lovers of antiqu ities, those who make a living
from giving and recei ving.

Those having a zoidion of Cancer have these signs: largc joints and
thick bones, shaggy hair and back, large faces: they are also dark·
skinm..-d, with sunken eyes. wide heads. cheerful. prone toward amorous
matters, those who are mindfu l, treacherous. ice--cold,· malicious,
desirous of gai n, money-lenders. those who achieve the standards and
those who are more human in things. great of face, those who have
crooked tceth, square, those who have their lower half greater Ihan their
upper, and even if the), should have :1 large face. it is at any rate a
round one ; they have white-colored skin , red haired. With respect to
what they do. they are estimable. wealthy. prolific. noble. changeable.
hucksters. retailers. gardeners. those who culti vate plants.

I Perhaps 'meagre of mind' or ' weak of character'.

leplOi Iii phu sei.
1 Perhaps this means the brow is convex rather than concave.
1 lei kakiui llfJlhmloi.
~ kokogrJ omon_ Perhaps 'lacking in judgment' .
j mesoi tii helikiai.
~ sterropJuchlJ....
Those having lowion of Leo are glaring. I red-haired. those who
calculate. well-formed. fine , bold and rugged and sluggish, silenl with
intent ... } those who have their upper half greater than their lower.
those who have small ears, those who nush with color. with large
gullelS. thin-set teeth, smooth of body, fine legs and fine feet. violent
by nature, irascible, daring, such as are like a lion; broad-chested,
narrow -browed, with small capac ity for thought. With re~pect to what
they do, they are domineering, those in power, estimable, wealthy.

Those having a ;,oidion of Virgo are proportionate in stature and those

holding their entire body straight, with rou nd and beautiful eyes, drawn
nostrils, those having sufficient lips. thick chins, those who are deep.
useful, pure, those who adorn their bodies. fine of figure, with beautiful
hair and bright eyes. With respect 10 what they do, they are temperate ,
those who have worth in a marriage,l well-educated, writers, physicians,
business eltpediters, those who make their li ving by giving and
receiving; and they are also those who are fond of husbandry, and fond
of solitude, and those who work in the fi elds, bUlthey are quick to learn
and lovers of learning and those who make deci sions and do anylhing
whenever the)' are provoked,·

Those having a laidion of Ubra are finely formed in the face , white-
skinned, with beautiful eyes and hair, thick-lipped, youthful ,' cheerful,
erotic, those who will be trusted even though they are speaking
falsehoods, those who learn iambic poems by hean and compose and fit
together unusual discourses, those who engage in erotic acts and attend
to the desires of women, those who are always advancing along a palh,
who are crafty, lovers of Ihe arts, those who expound clever maners,6
Ihose who are diverse with respecl to their enlire life, those who are fufl
of ideas, c hangeable, good, kindly, and whatever is similar 10 Ihese

I g/(lukas,
1 Shorl lacuna.
J arion echonlU e-n zonei. This lilerally says '!hose who ha ve value in a
belt' . My translalion is a guess at the idiomltic meaning .
• tlrumithOsin. From thwnoO.
, hiiroiOl',
6 hUfJ()krinomenoi I'(lnourga . This could also mean · tho~ who play knavish
roles'.

)4
things.

Those having a loidion of Scorpio are shon-headed, with round eyes,

sharp noses, somewhat dark colored, ' those who have the lower lip bent.
with a delicate voice, bad habits. coarse hai r, light-green eyes; they are
thof\e having broad chests, long: legs, ugly feet. and a body badl y put
together. With respect to what they do, they are great-souled. erotic.
manly. contcntious. rapacious, thieves. robbers. generals and military
com manders. These. then, will be augmented by viole nce and spoil s,
those who urge on 10 a course. l those t;ke a scorpic)!l .

Those having a laidion of Sagittariu s arc square of body , with beautiful

thi ghs, aniculated, bold, rough, reddish over their ent ire body. sound of
body, with round and small eyes. long-bearded, bald in the forehead.
braggans, eumLl!os.l thi ngs similar to an archer. With respect to what
they do. they are great. full of ideas. endowed with geni us, military
leaders. tenders of caule.

Those having a laidion of Capricorn are shaggy and lean. bony. wi th

slopi ng faces, sharp chins, beautiful eyes, those who havc thin legs.
black eyes, black hair, fin e figures, thick lips, those who are cheerful,
those fi nding the ir livelihood in toi l. With respect to what they do, they
are full of ideas, wealthy, lovers of pleasure. business expediters.
farmers, those who spend time along the waterside, those initiated into
matters of the heavens and guardians of secret malters.

Those having a laidion of Aqua rius are beautiful in fi gure and in

manner, with beautiful eyes, those who provoke shame. those who are
upset with diseases. erotic, quite youthful , well -grown , those with white
skin, delicate. those with smooth hair, who suffer fro m dizziness;
everything they acquire, they will throwaway. but they will easily find
a means of li ving for a day: they are drunks. The ir doings are re ligious.

I hupomtlagchn·zonleJ. From hupomtiagchroi!.d?

l prOJ poreian tpagonltJ. If we read pomeion for portion. the tUI wou ld
say 'those who lead on to fornication', which;s perha~ more likely here.
} If anything. this word means 'rich in sheep'. and seems senseless here,
The lellt editor has suggestt:d eumachol which wou td mean 'easy to fight
against'. bUI Ih:lt is nOi much bener. rumlliuklo.< would mean 'ea~ily molded' .

.15
wealthy, thrifty, trifling, those who make a living in waterside places.

Those having a zoidion of Pisces are ruddy-headed, red-haired. slight ,

delicate, lhose of medium stature, broad-chested with respect to the
shoulders, these who have long legs, thin backbones, rough joints, those
proportionate in body, bright-voiced, pleasant to the ear, with beautiful
hair. white. sometimes also slightly sallow , fish-eyed. with soft hands.
With respect 10 what they do, they are full of ideas, philosophers, often
those who associate with women, endowed with genius. trustworthy,
commanders of fleets. mercantile. hound-leaders. hunters, seamen,
fowlers, bird-keepers, busint'ss expediters.

8, Erasistratos

Introduction

Eleven " bookl<ts" 3re ascribed to Erasistralos in the Greek version of the
booklist of Masha'allah translated by us earlier in this vol ume. although no
trealises going ~nder his name seem to survive in Greek e~ce pt the short piece
translated by iii below. This work is explicitl y attributed 10 Erasistratos by
"Palchus," onC! thought to be an astrologer of the 5th centu ry C.E. However,
since Pingree alOsiders "Palchus" to be a pseudonym of Ele utherius Eleus. an
astrologer of tM: fourteenth century, this means that Erasislratos is not even
mentioned in a. astrological context in surviving Greek texis prior to the Greek
version of MiSha'allah'$ list. For thi~ reason. Pingree suspects that this
an ributio n is a de liberate deception on the pan of Eleutherius. particularly since
this name cou~ easily be a misreading of the Arabic for Aristarchus, and
AriStarc hus is tile kind of distinguished personage tllat one fin ds in
Masha"aJlah's li,t.
However. it should be pointed out that the Erasistratos piece occurs in
"PaJchus" alOlg with a numbe r of other katarc hic pieces amibuted to
recognized astrologers such as Timaeus and Serapio. neither of whom is on the
list either. It seems just as plausible to me to suppose that there was soch an
astrologer, andalJ astrological references to lIim in Greek have disappeared. We
need o nl y supplsc Ihallhere we re Greek sources translated inlO Arabic that did
not survive in (ired:. Erasistratos is indeed a common enough Greek name. for
example, thereis the physician Erasistra tos from the 3rd century B.C. E. refened
to by Galen.
 Concerning the LQss l of an Item according 10 Eras i s lf~lIoS; To Find
the T hief and What Is LoSI and Where It Lies
ICCAG 1: 94·971

Make the examination from the pi vots in the following manner: Let the
Horoskopos be what is lost, the Midheave n the one who has lost it, the
Descendant the thief. the subterraneous pi vot where the losl item lies.
Similarl y also, the Moon indicates where the lost itcm lies, When the
Moor. is marking the hour. it indicates that the lost item lies in a middle
and obvious place. if it should culminate, it lies in an elevated place; if
it is in the subtcrraneous pivot. it lies in a depression or a well ; and
when the Moon is ill the Descendam. it lies in a separate and withdrawn
place.
Seck also the nature oflhe staLl When Kro nos marks the hour. the
lost ite m will be old or unfi ni shed or d irty. When Ares is marking tht:
hour or is upon a pivot with the Moon. the theft occurred with some
violence, wi th bolts being broke n. o r beds or utensils, or with seals
broken through. When Zeus is c ulminati ng and with the Moon. the theh
was made from a sacred place. When Aphrod ite is upon a pi vot with
the Moon, it indicates that the 1051 items are goods belong ing to women;
when Aphrod ite is cul minating. it indicates that the lost items are sacred
thi ngs from a temple. When Hennes is upon a pivot with the Moon, say
that the lost items are pieces of s il ve~ or books o r account-books.
When the Sun or the Moon is marking the hour or c ulminating, say that
it lies in front of the eyes, or in a place thai can be o pened, or in a
bright place, or in a sacred or public place.
When Kronos is upon a pivot with the Sun. say that the thieves are
freedmen. And if Hennes should also be present with these, o ne is a
slave and o ne a frecdman. If Zeus is with the Sun or with Ihe ruler of
the Moon. the thief will be . .4 When Ares is with the Moon or with

the Sun , say the thieves arc freedmen or slaves, and q uic k-tempered and

I ap6leill. This word. deriving from [he common Greek verb af/oUami,

usually means 'destruction' or 'ruination'. rather than 'loss'. However. the

come)([ clearly makes its meaning clear.
l 'll1 is sentence occu rs after the ne~t sentence in the Greek lext. We have
movcd it 10 the beginning of this paragraph.
J That is, money
4 Lacuna in tc~t.

l7
violent. Whet Aphrodite is with the Moon in their own places or (hal
of Zeus. say freedmen.
Hennes ....ith the Sun or the Moon, say a child or adolesce nt. When
the 5 stars I are under a hehacal setting,l they say that the thieves are
older; also when the Moon is aged . But when they are morn ing rising,
say younger; when evening rising, say of middle years. Also, make an
examination of Ihe stars and their phases as follow s: Hermes signifies
children, Are j youths, Zeus those of middle years, Kronos elders.
The MOO'l with the Sun in the subterraneous pivot signifies that the
lost items cunot be found. The Moon with the Sun in the Midheaven
make them dlsco\'erable during a dark phase.] It the planet signifying
the thief shadd chance to be in its own exaltation, it signifies a long
time; if in its depression, a small or short time; in accordance with the
distance frolt. the exaltations and depressions, so the lengths of time .
If the plalCt signifying the theft should come to be under a he liacal
setting 4 7 da~ after the theft.s the thief will suffer exceedingly. And if
Ares should \O·itness the Lot Of Fortune. he will be unde rgo wounds or
tortures or dMgers, If a malefic should not look at the Lot of Fortune.
say that the deft never took place. Also. if the Sun should see the Lot
of Fortune, say. 6
to be lost. If Kronos should be upon z.oidion of the
subterra neous pivot, in a dark place or in a deep one. If Ares, nearest
tu a copper-worker1 or a craftsman or a dice-maker.' If Hermes, nearest
to a teacher cr lawyer or banker or accountant.
If neither the Sun nor the Moon should see the Horoskopos, the
stolen item Will be hard 10 find . The Moon in the subterraneous pi vot,
the finding will be difficult.

I This ~bly does nl)( mean that all 5 planets must be in this condition.
bul only one oflhem, There is a cenain Inity in the use of singular and plural
throughout thi ~ section.
2 hI/po dUlin IOU Hl/i()u. The context indicates that this expression means
heliaeal sellins-
3 din aphCli.vwu phaseos. During a dark phase of the Moon?
~ See nott 2 aoovc.
J Quc:stior.able text here.
b Lacuna.

, c hallceiOl .
• p,fpllop)w'{. This is a gucs~ , J.11('rally. 'pebhle·maker."

1R
 When you shou ld wi sh to know where the stolen item lies or has
been carried off. see what sort of z,6idioll should be present in the Anti ·
midheaven. and whose house it is. For. all the watery z,6idia indicate
lthal it has been carried of0 into a c istem or well or tank or something
simi lar to these . The quadrupedal 1,6idia indicate found ations. woods,
hills. especially wherever quadrupeds lie for the night or dwell. Tht:
human 1,6idia indicate thatlhey have gone from, or been given into. Ihe
hands of someone .
If Zeus and Aphrodite should be there,1 it will be lying in a pure.
fair place. If Kronos. in a deep, dark place o r an impure. lofty place. If
Ares. it will be near to fi re connecled the an of Ihe craftsman or
coppersmith. or al Ihe butcher's shop.
And should the .c;tar be of such a kind. we will speak of a slar that
also recei\"es 2 in the following manner. If a star should be in its own
house. growing sirong j in the subterraneous Midheaven, Ithe stolen
item] will be brought bac k from some place to one's own place. If it is
the dwell ing of another that is diametrical to it, say that it was carried
off to an outside neighbor. If a star should be in its own house and
another should be with it. say that the re will be strife and contention of
the one who has lost something in relation to the o ne who has litl and
the one who stole it. If the Sun or the Moon should look at these stars,
the item will come to be revealed. If the stars should come to be in the
culminating 1,6idion in the dwelling of either of them, you say that the
master of the him who has lost it has thrown it away; if in another's
dwelling, (you say that] another's Imaster) has ell;posed it (to riskJ.
II is necessary to observe the Moon not only for thefts, but also for
everything. For when it is adding in light and increasing in numbers.
you will say that the losl item is either new or highl y valued. But if it
should be decreasing in light and in numbers, it is not very valuable and
needed, not new. When the Sun and the Moon see the Horoskopos. they
signify that the thief is frOIll one·s household. And if o ne of the two
lights should look at the H6roskopos while the other shou ld not. the
thief is fro m outside, but with right of entry.4 BUI if the Sun and the

IThat is. in the subterraneous pivot.

1 ho hupodtxomtnos. ·!1tat is. the domidle ruler. We have a Greek
e~ample of rt'.uprio or reception.
) Retaining the manuscript leading rather than the text editor's emendation
• t'i.uxtos.

39
Moon should not comemplate the /loroskopos. the thief will be from
elsewhere.
The stars signify the shapes and the forms of the thieves. I First the
one in the Descendant; but if no star is present in it, the star in the 9th;
and if there is none, the one in the 12th. Seek to what star the moon
makes an application. and you will find the thie f to be related to it and
il'> phase. But if this (procedure} should not be satisfactory. consider
which of the stars changed rrom one sign to another 7 days before the
loss. and distinguish the thief by its nature and phase and form . If a
benefic sho uld testify to the star or place signifying the thier, it signifies
a freedman; but :f a malefic shou ld, it signi fies a slave or o ne who has
a servile manner. When Aphrodite is allotted the place of the one who
has stolen, it signifies that the one who has stole n is female. It is also
necessary to compare the phases and the ages. For, a morning rising
sig nifies a child, but being under the beams signifies an old man; first
station and acron ycal , middle age; second station and going into
conceal ment, the age afler middle age .
By making everything confonn to the phases, then, you will
accurately find the habits and the ages. For example, if Kronos should
happen to be morning rising in the place of the thief, it signi fies neither
a child nor an old man, but one of middle age. Hermes at evening rising
signifies a youth. child. Aphrodite at evening rising, a maiden. Hermes
under a heliacal setting, a man of middle years. Aphrodite under a
heliacal setting, a woman of middle years. The rising setting planets1
sig nify youths, but under the concealment o f the Sun, say that the
thieves or truevesses are o ld men or women. The losses, then, arise fo r
the most pan when the Moon and Hennes are affiicted. When, then,
malefics should chance to be rising while witnessi ng the Moon, but the
benefics are under [heliaeal} setting, there will be no finding of the lost
item. Likewise, jf the benefics and Hennes sho uld happen to be rising
while wicnessing the Moon , but the malefics are under (heliaeal) setting,
there wilt be a finding of the lost item. When both the lights happen to
be above the earth, they are also very favorable for findin g, or even
whe n they are [both) in the lower subterraneous hemisphere.
When Kronos is testi fying to the H6roskopos and to the Moon, say

I IU.S Inorp/ws kni las ideas Ion idel'lon.

1 Presu mably. this refers to Uermes and Aphrodite Otherwise ambiguit y
leigns in the Int.

40
that the theft has happened Wilh c unning and in secret . When Zeus is
so testifying, say that one who seems trustwonhy and has freedom has
hidden it, and thai the theft was execuled by tak.ing Ihe freedom for
granted. I When Ares, by digging through a wal l and a fal se key. or by
the break.ing open of a door. or the breaking of bolt. or some such
vio lence. If Aphrodite, on accou nt of a harlot. or for Ihe sake of
friendship arising from a woman. If Hermes. the theft resulted from
malice or mischief.
For declaring Ihc place fro m which it wa~ 10SI, you wi ll do ru.
follo ws; lei the Ho roslwpos be the entrance for you, and the Moon
signifies Ihe place from which it was lost. If, then, the Moon should be
in the Horos/(opos, Ihat which has hcen lost was lying before the eyes;
and slill more if the Sl!n should look ahead at the Moon. Should the
Miclheavc n be made that same location,! it ind icates that the place from
which il was lost was hanging. And if Ares should look ahead at the
Moon. what may have been lost was los! from a locked place. If the
Moon should be carried to it~ setting. ;t W3S 1051 from a withdrawn
place . If in the subterraneous pi vot, it is always from a buried and
sublerraneous and depressed place . If it should also look ahead at the
place o f the thief while it is setting, say that the thief has been made
known .

9. Timaeus

Introduction

Timaeus was evidently a fairly imponam carly astrologer. His remarks on

parents we(e reponed by Valens in Book II. chapter 32. We have already seen
Valens criticism of his writing style in the testimonials. There are a few OIlier
sparse references to him by Antiochus and otllers. His date is uncertain

hupoitpsdJs tis e/eutheria s.

I dju IC.f
lThe entrance? It seem~ tllat all tllese determinations arc made from tile
cntruncc as a point of orientation.

41
 Concerning Runaways and Thieves, 1 from Timacus Praxidos
ICCAG I ; 97-991

If the star of Zeus should be with the Moon, and if it ~ hould be in the
Horoskopos, and if it should be in the Midheaven, he who has run away
has carried off silver-adorned or silver-plated utensils, and he will pass
where he wishes, If it should also be present with the Sun, he has
carried off far more.
And if Aphrodite and the Sun should be in the same places, he has
carried off sacred icons, gold and silver articles, and bronzes. And if
Zeus and Hermes should regard, he will depan sufficien tly laden and he
will be immediately apprehended. And with the Sun and Hennes
regarding, he will be overpowered in :3 or II days. having been
denounced by his own.
With Kronos upon the Midheaven or the subterraneou$ pivot or
above the eanh. Ihe thief will betray himself; yet, whenever these are
bodily afflicted in a subordinate position. the runaways will also be
denounced by women. And if Aphrodite should see the Moon by the
hurling of rays or through the Midheaven, a freedwo man who is an
associate wi ll denounce the fugitive.
And if Ares should chance to be in the same places, he will also
cause the same things as Kronos. He will have traumas to the eyes and
legs from an unusual wound and blow.
If quadrupedal zoidia should mark the hour or culminate, or should
comain the Moon without any of the 5 stars, he will be found on a road.
If it l should regard, he will be procured by corrupting a relative or o ne
of his household. And if Aphnxlite or Zeus or the Sun !should regard],
a kinsman, a son, a father, or a close brother acquitted him.
And if Zeus should be either in Aries, Taurus, Ge mini. Cancer.
Leo. Virgo, Scorpio. or Pisces. the one neeing will be found in sacred
places. and especially if Aphrodite regards. they will be handed over
after being overpowered in sacred places. If Kronos should be with the
Moon, the runaway will be arrested in a watery place. If Kro nos and
Zeus should be with the Moon. he will be found in a watery place.

I It seems a little strange that the suhjects of nmaway, ami thj~I<" a I', '
(reated together. Perhaps the Gr~ek s regard a runaway ~Iavc a~ a p',.,.,c"jnn Ih:11
,lcals itself
: Pr~sumably Ihe Moon

I'
When Kronos is culmi nating, he will be given over into custody and
bonds after 25 or 63 days.
If Zeus should be upon the H rJ rosKopos or the Midheaven or with
the Moon. he will carry off not a little sil vt:r with him, and he wili
corrupt another and w ill be overpowered within 89 or 170 days, and the
lord of these [two] will have some help by that one. 1 And Aphrodite
will do the same ; but say further that he is licentious, masochistic,!
glullonous, pronigate. And if Hennes should look ahead, say that Ihc
runaway has bad characfe r. is lreachcro us, a plotter.
Also, if Hermes should be with the r-.t oon upo n Ihe Midhea\'en, it
ind icates that he has withdrawn alone. if Hennes shou ld be upon the
H6roskopos or the Midheaven with Aphrodite, a man and a woman
have fled togethe r. And if it should be with Kronos on the Horo:;kopol
or Midheaven. two have fled . Aphrodite. say a younger man, from 40
to 50. If should be with Ares upon the H oroskopos or Midheaven, a
man or a woman has fled . If Kro nos. Hermes. and the Moon should be
upon the H6roskopos or Mid heaven , say that Ihe runaway is a eunuch.
If Ares, Hermes, and the Sun shou ld be in Ihe Midheaven or thc
H iJroskopos, say that the runaway is a hermaph rodi te. If Kronos and
A res should have fa lle n upon the H6r oskopos, the o ne fl eeing wil\ give
himself up to another's authority .
What the one who has stolen will be, yo u will know from the
H6roskopos when certai n stars arc upon it, or where the Moon falls
upon its own twelfth-part If the Moon falls unde r the earth. he wi ll be
found out with difficulty, and more so if it is in Gemi ni or Leo or Libra
or Pisces. If Zeus should regard. he wi ll be found quickly. And if
Kronos or A re.~, the searching will be dangerous or one whom he has
w ith him will perish. And if the Moon should be upon the Horoslropos,
he will be fo und after having been de no unced. And if upon the
Midheaven, he will be found in a conspicuous and crowded place . And
if unde r the earth, he wi ll be found with difficu lty by an infonner.
W henever it is begin ning to travel the middle of its path, he will be
overpowered at the beginning of h is depart ure.
Whenever one of the stars is travelling over the selling [horizon],
he wi ll also be overpowered at once in a warery place . Whenever a slar

I Evidentl y Ihe one the runaway has corrupted

l The edilo! of the text conjcclUres Itmm eno/wl'os

43
is travelling aver the originative I horizon. he will be caught with
difficulty. W~e never one of the stars is in its own house while the moon
should be in a tTOpical w idion, tell that he has not run away. If the
runaway has. mrried off money and Ales regards the Horoslc.opos o r the
Moon, he will spend the money in a profligate manner. And if
Aphrodite should be with Ares. he has fl ed for licentiousness and the
desire for wemen and for the sake of . . .l if Zeus should look at the
Horoslc.opos ....d is contemplated by Kronos. what he carried off at that
time will perish. though he will be saved .
We will also perform the fo llowing kind of prognostication for this
purpose. We ·",iIl make the Moon the runaway. the Midheaven the lord.
If. then, the Noon is waning at the inccp(ion of the fli ght. and does not
chance 10 be far from the whole moon, the runaway will quickly return
home. And . .l the lord on purpose or by himsel f. and thus his fault
will be hiddel. If the Moon should be waxi ng. the one who is fleeing
will not cscare outside, and he will quickl y come under the authority
of the lord. If the sun is seuing and it is squeezed' by Kronos or Ares.
the lord will die sooner and the runaway will relurn. Similarly. consider
the Midheaven. and if malefics chance to be upon il. the runaways will
cause much loss to the lord and harm to the o ne searching for them; or
they will find some help.

10. Serapio

Introduction

Serapio is woo hard 10 dale exactly. The earliest astrological reference 10 him
is in Anon ymoos of 379, where he is placed before Ptolemy. Uis astrological
vocabulary seems fairly antique as well, so we may tentatively dale him in the
l SI century 8 .C.E. The five excerpts that follow seem to be all of a piece and
arc presumed Ii) be genuine. They all deal with inceptional astrology. Serapio
may in {OCt haie been one of the early systemati zers o r inceptional Iheory, as
the first of the cxc~rpt s shows a fully developed ge neral ap proach to inceptio ns

I That is. the eastern hori zon.

, Lacuna.
J Lacuna .
• IliUM. That is. oppressed.

44
of an y k.ind. and Ille ottler treatments of special ~uhjecls seem to be articulated
wilhin ils context.

Concerning Inceptions. from Serapio

ICCAG I , 99 -1001

For every inception of those things which have already had a beginning
and of those that are about to begin. it will be necessary to see at the
same time the star going about and the one executi ng,' and in what kind
of place the lord of the Horos/wpol of the inception is found . For
whenever they should chance to be upon the pivots of Ihe inception. the
matter which it concerns or which they ;"ke upon themselves w ill be
accomplished quickly. And if the y shou ld chance to be upon the
ascensions,3 it will be accomplished. but slowly. But when they are
upon the ded ines. there is no accomplishment . And if they should be
fo und in d ispute,4 the matter willlUrn out in accordance with weightier
condition . When, then. the bencfics and Ihe Moon and Hennes should
bear witn~ss to them. thai is. to Ihe one going about and the one
executing and to the lord of the H6 roskopos. the matter will issue with
expediency. Bul when the malefics and the Moon and Hennes should
bear witness, the inception will al so inexpedient. And if both {benefics
and malefics sho uld bear witness to them, the inception wil l tum OUI]6
in accordance with the ones thai are weightier. [f other factors in
inceptions <Ire kept conStant . the remainder will be known as follows.
It wi ll be necessary to observe in what kind of zoidia are the
Horaskopo.f and the Moon. and their natures, and the place-positioning;

I This refers to plaoctary hours. Refer 10 chapter 2 t of Paulus to see how

to calculate which planet is going about and which is executing. (Additional by

RH] The reader may also use any modem text to compute the planetary hours
because the modem system is identical to that of the ancients.
: In the phrase 'lord of the HiJrolkopo,J' as used by Serapio the actual
Greek. here is hOm which is nonnally 'hour' _ However, according to Pingree
Serapio u$cs M ra JUSt as other au thors used Haralkopol. lIara is apparently the
older word.
) We would expect ttle word 'post-ascensions' here instead .
• Say one of them upon a pivot and thr othel in a decline .
~ I!IJjrropOtuos. WOld rcfcmng 10 the tippi ng of a scale on one side ra ther
than another.
6 Lacuna 10 text. I ha\'c conjectured a rcstorallon.

45
furthennore. the applications and separations of the Moon and whether
those to which il is carried are stationary; and also their bonds: ' and
thus you will know the quality of the inception. For when the Moon
chances to be in Iropical1.6idia, or the lliJroskopos . •hey quickl y make
a change of the inception if the Moon should nOI happen 10 be under
bond. And when they chance to be in bicorporeal zijidia, it will cause
it for a time. but it will not last through everything . And if in the solid
l6idia, the inception is permanent ; j ust as when the Moon is under bond
the inception is pemlanent, it is still more so if it should happen to be
in a solid zbidion. II is necessary to consider the test imony or
application 01 separations together. For when the Moon is carried to a
star wh ich is uationary, it will provide sluggishness. And in inceptions
having an ovm.hrow,l the overthrow will come about in the squares or
diameters or w njunctions.

Concerning Running Away. from Serapio

(CCAG I ; 101]

If someone should run away while the Moon and the HOroskopos
happen to be in tropical or bicorporeal zijidia and when Moon and the
H6roskopos a:e witnessed by malefics. they will be speedi ly found . But
if in solid zaidia or under bond, they are found more slowly, sometimes
pUI to death. And if they should be witnessed by benefics. they will not
be found, especially if they should run away in solid zi5idia or under
bond. And for every inception that arises, it is necessary to make use
of the Moon , and the Star going about and the one executing at the
hour, and the lord of the H6roskopos, just as I described to you about
inceptions in (he beginning of the tropes/ and then the inception will
be easily sUI"\'Cycd by you .

On Confi nel:lents and Taking to One's Bed, from the Same Serapio
ICCAG I: 101 -102)

It will be necessary to observe by what (he Moon and the H6roskopns

and Hermes are witnessed, and from what the Moon was .~eparating.

I See charier 35 of Paulus for this concept.

~ "If/a/rori .
, Impii or IroPQJ. I am not sure what he is referring 10 here.

·Ih
For, thc separation signifies what has already happened while the
application g ives signs for deliverance or complete recovery. And for
confinements and taking to one's bed, you will always find that such is
happening from affliction of Ihe Moon and the Horoskopos and Hermes.
The difference is in the affliction; for as regards the difference of
testimonies, it either ruins or subdues. If the testimony of benefics
should appear more weighty , or the Moon should conjoin a benefic star
within three days, the confinement and the illness will not be dangerous.
But if the testimony of malefics should chance to be more weighty, the
one in confinement or the one ...... ho is sick dies. The quality of the
confinement o r illness or destruction will be known from the nature of
the zo idion where the Moon is and the Slar from which it is separating.
F()I" if the Moon should be in tropical zijidia, the event will lead to a
concl usion quickly. If in bicorporeal ~idja, it will issue with moderate
speed. But if in the solid zoidia or in bonds, it indicates sluggishness.
The same also if it should be separating from a star making a station.
And the Moon should be afflicted while it is in bonds, the danger wil1
be more perilous. And it will be also be necessary to take into
consideration both the planet going aro und and the one executing, as
well as the lord of the HlJrosiwpos, just as I have described to you in
the inception concerning this.

On Intercourse with Women, from Serapio

[CCAG 5, 1; 179[

It will be necessary to observe by what stars the Moon and Aphrodite

are witnessed. Whenever, then, the Moon chances to be in a bicorporeal
z6idion, and especially in one with a human shape, while the
Horoskopos should be trining the Moon in a solid zoidion; and when the
Sun is in a biangle with the Moon, and they are in profitable places,
while Zeus testifies to them and the malefics are in aversion, the
intercourse will be favorable . And if the star of Aphrodite and of Zeus
shou ld testify to the places suitable for the conception of children,
interco urse will beget chi ldren. And if the ~idia should also be
abundant in seed, there will be a multiple birth. But when the malefics
are in the figures mentioned while Zeus is in aversion, the intercourse
will be dissolved. If then in the tropical or bicorporeal zijidia, there will
be no exchange. But if dissolution should happen and it should have the
assistance of some good [starJ there will be an exchange . But if in solid

47
loidia or especially when afflicted under bond, the intercourse will not
be restored. And if Aphrodite should chance to be in bonds in some
way, the marriage will be secret It is necessary 10 take into
consideration the star going about and the one executing, together with
the lord of the Horoskopos in accordance with the teaching on marriage.
You will find the writings on synastry in the earlier chapters on the
marriage indbtor.

Concerning Every Association

ICCAG 5, I ; 180)

II will be necessary to make associations l that arc common to many

topics whenever the Moon and its lord and the lord of the Horosk.opos
should becorre contributing [factorsl. 2 while chancing to be in profitable
places, and fllrthermore witnessed by benefics with the malefics in
aversion. But whenever the malefic s should bear witness to them while
the benefics should be in aversion, the opposite will be the case.
Nevertheless. for human intercourse, it is requi red that the z6idion of
the Moon or of the H6roskopos be human in shape. But for the
intercourse of flocks and herds. the quadrupedal zjjidia ; for affairs of the
land, the terrestrial zoidia with the Moon testifying to Kronos and Zeus;
for nautical affairs, the wet ZO;dia while the Moon is testifying to
Kronos and Zeus; for inheritances. when the Moon is testifying to
Kronos and Zeus; for a campai gn, when the Moon is testifying to Ares
and Zeus; for careful dealings or interpretation or whatever pertains to
distribution 0 ; receptio n,) when the Moon is testifying to Hermes and
Zeus, as you take into consideratio n the star going about and executing,
as well as the lord of the Horoskopos. according to the above teaching
concerning this.

I epi!winOl k.oinOnia.
1 That is. these points have ast rological relev,1flce [0 the nature of the
ques[lon. [RH1
J As i n buyin!! ~nd sel ling for in~l;tnCe. [RH I
 11. Critodcmus

lntroductio n

Critodemus was an imponam astrological authority who wrote around or before

the Christian Era. He wrote a book called Vision which is cited quite ofte n by
Valens although Valens was somewhat disgusted at its theatrical style.
Book 3, section 9 of Valens would suggest that the upcoming summary is
one pan of Critodemus' Vision . Book 4, chapters 17-24 of Valcns, which deal
with the same topic, may have been based on Critodemus' work.

Summary of C ritodemus
[CCAG 8, 3: 102)

1) He expounds about the giving overl of the Sun, how it g ives over to
the remaining six planets, and what it signifies when giving over to
each of them. 2) He treats of imparting;l what the Sun signifies when
it impans to itself and when configured to anyone o f them. And the
Moon, when it impans to itself and to the remaining six. 3) What
Kronos indicates when imparting to itself and what when imparting to
each of the six. 4) What the star of Zeus signifies when imparting to
itself and what it signifies when giving parts to each of the remaining
p lanets. 5) What Ares indicates when impaning to itself and what when
it d isposes the imparting to each of the others. Similarly also what
Aphrodite and Hermes show at the time they are impaning to
themselves and 10 the other planets. Then he treats of the giving o ver
of the stars beginning from Kronos, whal it shows when giving over to
itself and what when giving over to each of the others. Then the giving
over of Zeus simil arly. He ends up with the Sun and Aphrodite and the

I poradasis. This is the technical term for an imponant astrological conccpt

in Greck astrology--the issue of the giving over or changc of chronocratorship.
that i ~, the planclary ru!crship of periods of onc's life. This is similar to the
Hindu dasa concepl. See Valens IV, 17-24.
1 To 'i mpart· refers 10 whatlhe lord of major planetary period does 10 the
ruler of a suD-period which may be itself. Heocc the idea of the Sun impaning
to itself mcans that Ihc Sun is the ruler of both lhe major and minor period in
effecl at a given timc. See Balbillus at the vcry end of the second fragment, p.
7L

49
Moon. And \\ith the~ . the essay l of Critodemus has been ~ umm arized .

General Figures of Violent Death

(CCAG 8.4; 199-202 1

The Lot of the Destroyer is from the ruler of the Horoskopos to the
Moon and an equal amount from the Horoskopos, but by night the
reverse .1 When the Moon sees the Lot oflne Destroyer, it causes violent
deaths. and worse if the Moon should be found in the zaidia that have
limbs c ut ofe When the lord of the prenatal conjunction or whole moon
is in aversion 10 its own house and is contemplated by malefics; when
Ihe prenatal conj unction or whole moon is contemplated only by
malefics: if tre lord of the Horoskopos or of the Lot of Fortune should
be found to be contemplated by malefics; if the first trigonal master' of
the subterranrous pivot sho uld fall badly and should be contemplated by
malefics without Zeus and Aphrodite IcontemplatingJ- the Lot of Death
is from the Moon to the eighth placc of the H6roskupos by day and
night ; and wllerever the lot should fall , exam ine Ihe stars regarding il ;
for if a malefic alone should regard the Lot, it causes viole", deaths.
Otherwis: according to Cri todemus. When the bound-ruler of the
setting pivot is a malefic and happens 10 be under the beams in the
degrees of Ire Sun, it signifies that Ihe death will be by guile and
treachery ; but when it is out of the beams. it makes violent deaths and
those who are put to death openly. When the bound-ruler of the selling
pivot is a malefi c and either stationi ng or ascending, it destro ys with
injury and drugs or wounds. When the bound-ruler o f the selling pivot
is malefic and in zOidia of human shape while being contemplated by
malefics, it Cluses death from men; but in zaidia that are somewhat
watery, from wafer; and in zoidia of ani mal shape. from animals or

I spoudc . This word generally has the ,ense of an earnest erfon.

1 This lot IS also found in A I-Biruni and o th e r medieval sources. IR U j

J Thi~ is arcfcrence to Ihe eonstcUational fo rms associated ..... ith Ihe ;.uidill
The eonstellational images of thcr.e signs have limos mhsin!! in th\· im;lg(:
(possibly ellec?ting Leo which is usually a complete illlagl' ) .flIc- (aleV-of),
slIr\jvcs up th rough the Middle Ages even though the «() n ~ l dl ;I1 U1ll " ,!l1l1 '-Ig n ~
had Ile)!llli !O Civelge. Schoener in Ihe 16th century. for exa mple. Ir ~ b Ar i\·\.
r" lJ nl~. Len. a~d Pisces. These lists J o VlIf)' somcwhat. 1RHI
J 111;11 .... 'h,' fir'l lIipllc lty lord

-OJ
heights.
When the Moon is enclosed in a ~oidiotl by Kronos and Ares while
upon a pi vot o r post-ascending, it causes violent death.
When Kronos rules the eighth p:ace and witnes~s it apm rro m
benefics, it deslroys by water; and if Kronos chances to be in a
somewhat watery loidiOf! , in rivers o r in seas ; but if in terrestrial ~o idi(J ,
on a mo untain or in a desert. And when Hennes is distant from the Sun
by 24 degrees, it causes violent death, while when Aphrodite is distant
by 28 degrees it does the same. And when the Sun is rul ing the eighth
place and stands in anothcr's place. while the Sun and the ei ghth place
have bee n afflic ted. it causes death from heights. And if Ares should
rule the eighth pl ace and the place should be afflicted apart from Zeus
and Aphrodite. it causes death by robbers or beasts or e nemies; but
when Ares is witnessed by the Sun , it deslro),s [the nalivesl by having
them crucified by the people or the multitude. or ki ngs, or having them
decapitated, o r making them fi ght with animals. If Aphrodite should rule
the eighth place, and it and the eighth place should be affl icted apan
fro m Zeus, it causes destruction from a woman or much wine. If
Hermes is ruling the eighth place and it is afflicted and the eighth place
[as well ], it causes destructio n from slaves or writings . If Zeus rules the
eighth place and is afflicted along with thi s place, it causes destruction
by kings or leaders.
When the lord of the eighth place shou ld not be looking at it but
is afflicted and standi ng in another's ~Oidion . it causes what we have
mentioned in a foreign land. And if it should look al the eighth place
while it happens to be in its own house or trigon o r exaltation, these
things fall in the fatherland. When the eighth place and its ruler art
poorly situated, if benefics should focus on the eighth place or the ruler,
they make the same (kinds oil deaths and nOI open ones.
Also examine the third, seventh. and fortieth days of the Moon; for,
when fortie th day is carried to a malefic, it causes a violent death.
Furthermore, it behooves us. as we said before, to also seek the
eclipsing nodes .' If the ascendi ng node should chance to be in the
eighth place and Ares and Kronos and Hermes should regard it, they
cause violent death; for Ihe natives either have their heads cut off or
they are impaled. And if the Sun should also testify to these, they art
wounded in the eyes or thc fee t. BUI if benefi cs alone should happen to

I ThaI is. the nodes.

51
contemplate the eighth place apan from Kronos o r Ares. they ,ause a
pleasant death. If the descending node should chance to be in the 8th
place. and Zeus and Aphrodite and Ares should chance to be there. it
causes viole", death, those who have their heads cut off.
There are also other headings that cause violent death, not those
that involve single figures in this way, but those configured from many
stars, For example, a full moon in the Midheaven, with Ares and the
Sun being d iametrical in the subterraneous pivot. while Zeus and
Aphrodite are in aversion, causes violent death by bei ng burned alive,
Since, then, these headings arc made from different figures. I did no t
think il necessary to append these in making this epilogue from the
different ancients, because the headings of the nati vity that are o f one
form and constant throughout have immediately preceded IhereI once
and for all . as I promised from the outset. So I have left behind the rest
with the ancients,
When the lord of the Lot of Fonune and the lord of the eighth
place are opposed to each other, they cause vio lent deaths . When
Kronos is marking the hour while Ares is setting diametrically. they
make huntsmen and those who fight with animals and are those who are
devo ured by dogs. When Kronos is in the subterraneous pivot while
Ares is culminating by night. they make those who are crucified and
devoured by birds. If the lord of the bounds should occupy the Evil
Spiri t I whi le going about.1 it causes the native to be devoured by
animals. And if Ares and Kronos should chance to be in Leo and in
Cancer. they cause either shan life or violent death . And when the lord
of the Horoskopos and of the Moon are diametrical to them, they cause
deat h in foreign lands. And if they should also be contemplated by
malefics, they arc destroyed violently . When the lord of the Lot of
Fortune: is under the beams while chancing to be entirely apan from
Zeus and Aphrodite, they cause an evil death in accordance with the
nature of the Widion. When Kronos. Hermes. and Ares are lyi ng upon
the forti eth {day I of the Moon ,) they cause violem death, When the full
moon has Ares in the tcmh from it in the z6idia with parts cut off!
without Zeus and Aphrodite. they cause violent death . When the

1 Twelfth house. IRH]

1 dif'p";.Technical sense of the dis penser of the planetary htlu r-
' Probat>ly the place of the Moon on tile fortieth lIay. IRli t
., Sec note :'I . page 50.
malefics are in superior position. the lights without Zeus and Aphrodi te.
the malt:fics cause violent death. The Moon in the 4th, in the house of
Ares. without Zeus and Aphrodite. causes violent death. When Hennes
is opposed to a whole moon and contemplated by maldies. it causes
violent dea th.

Introduction to I h~ Second Fragment of Critodemus

This passage occurs in a late compendium by Achm.:t the Persian. It may have
been translated into Greek from Arahic. Some have doubted that it deri,·cs from
Critodemus because it employs the Egyptian bounds wh~re Valens attributes to
Critodemus an entirely different syMem of bounds. Ilowever. the same criticism
could be leveled against Va!en ~ himself. for in Book III of the An/holog)' he
presents a new syStem of bounds. but he Quite regularly uses the Egyptian
system. In any case it is Interesting for a number of reasons. 1be delineations
arc somewhat different than those we have found in Valens Book I. And
chapter 34 of the Libt, Iftrmc/is delineates the planets in their own bounds or
in the bounds of another planet, whatever ~oidion they may occur in. There
seems to be some attempt to combine the vcry concept of a horion (a hound.
boundary, limit. terminus. etc.) with the symbol ism of the planet as a principle
for deriving the delineations. For example, Kronos is confinement within
bounds: Zeus, the elevation above or transcendence of bounds: Ares. the
uclusion from bounds (as in banishment), or physical txmdage itself. or the:
transgression of bound<lrie:s (a~ in robbery); Aphrodite, the detennination or
limitation arising from relationship: and Hermes, the determination or limitation
arising from the proper usc of language, since logos is understood by the
Greeks to be a delimiting of one thing by anothcr in speech. These fundamental
determinations are then varied in accordance with the symbolism of the
different ~jjjdia.

Effects of the Bounds. 1 from Critodemus

[CCAG 8, 1; 257-261 1

The degrees of Aries from the first up to the sixth are the bounds of
Zeus: e levation and adva ncements from low conditions to greater: and
some are held in repute by the multitude or are citizens of two c ities.
The deg rees from the 7th up to the 12th are the bounds of Aph rodite:
love, friendship and intercourse with superior women. The degrees from

I The bound ~ySl em here IS thai of the Egy pfians.

53
the 13th to the 20th are the bounds of Hennes: good nurture. luve of
labor. reputation. advancements. The degrees from the 2 1st up to the
25th are the bounds of Ares: extreme disappointment. banishments.'
condemnation, fli ght, adulteries, inj ury and unprofitilble entangleme nts.
The degrees from the 26th to the 30th are the bounds of Kronos: those
who are two--faced. trustees. those on tribunals; and a few are teachers.
some arc tixed within bounds.2
The degrees of Taurus from the 1st to the 8th are the bounds o f
Aphrodite : love. lovers of cleanliness, skilled in the arts, graceful. The
degrees from the 9th up to Ihe 14th are Ihe bounds of Hennes: peace .
leaders hip, rulers or trustees. The degrees from the 15th to the 22nd are
the bounds of Zeus: beauty, reputation. publication. unexpected
advancements, not many friendships. The degrees from the 23rd to the
27th are the bounds of Kronos: releases. relaxations of everything,
continuous fruition, reduclion of belongings. The degrees from the 28th
to the 30th are the bounds of Ares: violent deaths, robbers. embezzlers,
those who are condemned ; some are also injured.
The degrees of Gemini fro m thc first up to the sixth arc the bounds
of Hennes: stillness, obstructions, rest. 1be degrees from the 7th 10 Ihe
12th are the bounds of Zeus: good deeds. they do good deeds and have
them done to them. and co me into advanceme nts. The degrees from the
13th to the 17th are the bounds o f Aphrodite: bloom, beauty of fonn ,
fortu nate from unexpected things. The degrees from the 18th to thc 24th
are the bound, of Hennes; power. reg ulative authority, advanceme nts.
n.e dcgrees from Ihe 251h to the 30th are the bounds of Kronos:
subordination, orpha nhood. bonds, inglorio us e xped itions. reduction o f
worth.
The degrees of Cancer from the firsl to the 7th are the bounds o f
Ares: movements. upheavals, hostililies, poli tical oppositions. dangers.
banishments. The degrees from thc 8th to the 13th are the bounds o f
Aphrodile: those who are desirous. lovers of cleanliness. The degrees
from the 14th \0 the 191h are the bounds of Hermes: co mmixtures,
fricndships with superiors; some are also lovers of discourse . The
degrees from the 20th to thc 26th arc the bounds of 7..eus: the boundary
of life,) those who do good deeds, fond of nurture, fond of building ; and

, t'"xhorismQs. Lilcra ll )·. ' nu t ~ i de Ilt 111e hOllllda rit'.' .

~ t'"rI horo iJ lllsst)rll(li.
, /lor !>)" : 6is

'.
some are also those who dedicate themse lves to ;1 god. The degrees
from the 27th 10 the 30th are fhe bounds of Kronos: irregular,
inconstanf , those who do not remain in honor, those who are shifty,
restless.
The degrees of Leo from the first to the 6th are the bounds of Zeus:
going up, advancements from a meager fortune , friendships with those
who are superior. The degrees from the 7th to the 11th are the bounds
of Aphrodite: good fortune, advancements, friendships with superiors.
The degrees from the 12th to the 18th are the bounds of Kronos:
magnitude. of man y years. those who are chilled in their bodies and in
their minds. The degrees from the 19th to the 24th are the bounds of
Hennes: speech, honors on aCCOUnf of teaching. winners of the games.
The degrees from the 25th to the 30th are the bounds of Ares: toil.
misfortune s, sufferings: and some are also in danger physically in their
extremities.
The degrees of Virgo from the first to the 7th are the bounds of
Hennes: exactitude. philosophy, geometry. astrological advocates. those
who make their li ving by teaching. The degrees from the 8th to the 17th
are the bounds of Aphrodite: lack of oppression, cheerfulness. and
freedom from care. The degrees from the 18th to the 21 st are the
bounds of Zeus: a reputable name, advancements, fri endships. those
who lead the crowd, notable. The degrees from the 22nd to the 28th are
the bounds of Arcs: a star, those who are brilliant in military matters.
or those on tribunals. The degrees from the 28th to the 30th are the
bounds of Kronos: ups and downs in dignity, and they will run ri sks.
The degrees of Libra from the first to the 6th are the bounds of
Kronos: the taking away of loved ones, destruction and reduction of
belongings. The degrees from the 7th to the 14th are the bounds of
Hennes: deeds, one who is versatile, with many siblings. The degrees
from the 15th to the 21 st are the bounds of Zeus: allotments,
inheritances, and gifts of land. The degrees from the 22nd to the 28th
are the bounds of Aphrodite: nunure, love of cleanliness, those who are
kindly, those who are musical and those who conduct purifications,
those fond of cleanliness and those fond of the chase. The degrees from
the 29th to the 30th are the bounds of Ares: strength, those who lead,
famous expeditions, superabundance.
The degrees of Scorpio from the first to the 7th are the bounds of
Ares: the addition of the things of others. embezzlements and the
decisions from these . TIle degrees from the 81h to the 11th are the

55
bounds of Aphrodite: fonune, those who advance unex.pectedly through
others. The dtgrees from the 12th to the 19th are the bounds of Hermes:
(the state of] abiding, those who become trustees and administrators.
The degrees from the 20th to the 24th are the bou nds of Zeus: increase,
progression to the greater, inheritances of more appropriate possessions,
and advance.nents. lbe degrees from the 25th to the 30th are the
bounds of Kronos: necessity, constraint, the cru.shing of revelry ; and
some are depived of their seed .
The degrees of SagittQrius from the fi rst to the 12th are the bounds
of Zeus: it TT1lkes powers, leaders, lords of li fe and death, undaunted,
kingly. The degrees from the 13th to the 17th are the bounds of
Aphrodite : n ow.' distress; and some are heavy.l The degrees from the
18th to the 21st are the bounds o f Hennes: notable activities, those who
are fond of irivolous conversalion, those who are well-grown. The
degrees from the 2200 to the 26th are the bounds of Kronos: high
spirits . The degrees from the 27th to the 30th are the bounds of Ares :
being away from home, transference, bani shment
The degrees of Capricorn from the first to the 7th are the bounds
of Hennes: abdominal binh,3 those who are cleanly, talting little
nourishment. The degrees from the 8th to the 14th are the bounds of
Zeus: a presetvative power, noble in rank. The degrees from the 15th
to the 22nd are the bounds o f Aphrodite: luxury, heaviness.4 The
degrees from; the 23rd 10 the 26th are the bounds of Kronos:
summoning , those who are SC I under authority; and some also share in
a lineage, those who are harsh, frank, authoritative, those who set
justice in motion. The degrees from the 27th to the 30th are the bounds
of Ares: cona:alments, fligh ts. bonds, guards. ban ishments.
The degrees of Aquarius from the firs t to the 7th are the bounds of
Hennes: masll!ry,l philosophical in manner. The degrees from the 8th
to the 13th are the bounds of Aphrodite: intention. those who are
trustees for glCat women. The degrees from the 14th 10 the 20th are the
bounds of aus: victory, those who are notable, brilliant in their

I hfllSis. Or deliverance.
1 Iw,opht!fts. Or prone to vicc.
) Caesarcm section'! (RH J
• fc.alopir tiu. Or proneness 10 vice.
) ,ngfc.mINJ. Or self-control . in the scnse of keeping onesclf withm
limits.

56
fortunes by means of suffering ; and .wrne are winners of the games.
The degrees from the 2 1st to the 25th arc thc bounds of Ares: being Jed
away by the authorities. those who are shameful or die violent deaths;
and some are also inj ured. The degrees from the 26th to the 30th are the
bounds of Kronos: education, disappointment in youth .
The degrees of Pisces from the fi rs t to the 12th are the bounds of
Aphrodite : jealousy. they have many enemies. The degrees from the
13th to ilie 16th are the bounds of Zeus: advancement, (it makes] those
who are brilliant. commanding. The degrees from the 17th to the 19th
are the bounds of Hermes: intelligence, well -grown, highly fri volous
The degrees from the 20th to the 28th are the bounds of Ares: excess.
greediness, embezzlers, robbers, murderers. those who have many
lawsuits . The degrees from the 28th to the 30 are the bounds of Kronos:
[it makes] those who are virtuous. wise. and dominant .

12. Thrasyllus

Introduction

Thrasyllus is fa mous as the astrologer of Tibcrius. He evidently died in 36 C.E.

He also wrote the astrological treatise summari7.ed below. He is regarded by
Valens. Porphyry and others as an expositor of NechepsolPctosiris. which helps
us gct a better idea of what was in that book. Of panicular interest are the
passing reference to the position of the vemal point, and the clear statement of
the nature of the twelve places (houses in the modem idiom) according to
tlermes, its putative innovator.

Summary of The Tab le of Thrasyllus, to Hieroc les

[CCAG 8, 3: 99- 101)

First he treats of the nature of the zoidia, in almost as many ways as it

was customary for it to be measured up against others ; for example. that
some are human in form , others animal; and thac somc are masculine,
others femi nine; and some cquipartite. others tropical. And that the
tropics are not made at the first degree of the widiofl, as some maintain,

57
but at the 8thdegree.' And thai the degree is a lunar magnitude, or the
circumferenct of the Sun.
Funhenrore. he states that of the 12 z~idi(J some are dominant ,
others servilt; some quadrupedal, others not; some solid, others
dual-natured: some bicorporeal, others aquatic, others terrestrial, others
amphi bious: Ind some abundant in seed, others prolific, others sterile,
and some cooceptive: 2 and some others enigmatical; some humped,
others two-colored. Also, he treats of the wind to which each of the
ziJidia is a.~signed: and which one of these is the dwelling place for
which one of the 7 stars, and which the exaltations and chariots and
kingdoms, ani which the depressions of which stars. And he treats of
the figu res of the other stars and of the Moon , and that the others make
3 phases, bUI the Moon 7; and that among the stars the rising and
selling is two:old, the one in relation to the cosmos, the olher in relation
to the Sun; ald that the planers move with a motion opposite 10 the
whole, and t~t they vary their motion by latitude and depth; and that
the recurrenc(S of the star3 are threefold, a recurrence} being said of the
period from tbe same point to the same point; and what retrogradation
and progradarion and stationing and concealment are said to be, and
how a star CDmes to be an evening or morning one, and what the
acronycal phase is; and but for a few these are the figures.
He also reats of the seven-zoned sphere in accordance with the

t Except I~r the remark in Book 1. chapter 22 of the Tt frobiblQs, thi s is

the only time we have found an ancient writer to exhibit even the bare
awareness that lhere was a problem for astrologers in the location of the vernal
point relative t~ the constellational zodiac. Valens simply seemed to take it for
granted that thl vernal point was in the fi rst decan of Aries (the eighth deg ree
is implicit in the charts he uses). However, the present remark is still
maddeningly lague because it is not clear whether either Thrasyllus' own
statement Of ItK epilOmist's excerpt is made with an awareness of precession or
nol. It is possi~le lhat the issue here is not about precession, but simply about
where the truebcginning of a lropieal zodiac should be; for, it is not a priori
clear that it shC\lld be identical with the vernal point.
2 sptlstikoJ.
J apokLi.l{JJ(aJis. Jr he is referring to the minimum, mean, and maximum
planetary peri«ls here, it implies that even the maximum period, which is
as.wcialed witl the lotal number of bounds assigned to each plaoct. is a
rec urrenct cycc Thi~ may be of hclp in undcrslandlllg the ori!!in of lhe that
mysterious diglily.

5R
tradition of Petosiris and Nechepso. And he: treats of the nalUre of the
planets; and which are appropriated 10 which of the zoidia ; then also,
that Kronos and Zeus follow the Sun, whi le Ares and Aphrodite follow
the Moon; for which reason the ones are said to be of the sect of !he
Sun, the others ofthe Moon, while Hennes is common lin nature]; and
that in accordance with each sect the Sun obtained the masculine zt!jidia
as lot, while the Moon the femi nine ones, and that the Moon obtained
two trigons as lot, namely, that of Taurus and lhat of Cancer; that in the
part on what is entrusted to one he treats of the cosmic nativity,! and
while describing the chart' thema in words he recommends the
ex:amination of the nativity of each man in rel ation to the standard of
the cosmic nativity. And he also says concerning the pivots that the
H6roskopos is said to be the Ascension and the Ascendant} and the
profitable zoidion, the one diametrical to it the Descendant, and the one
pre-ascending the: Horoskopos with a square on the right the Midheaven,
and the remaining pivot the Anti·Midheaven, which is also called the
subterraneous pivot and one that is square to the H()rosiwpos on the left.
And thal lhere are 4 declines and 4 pre-ascensions similar to the pivots.
And that the decline of the Horoskopos is called the Evil Spirit, the
diameter farthest from this decline Evil Fortune. Then he states that the
z()idion marking the hour is said to be life;· the post-ascension to this,
manner of living;} the third ztJidioll has the detenni nation concerni ng
siblings; and the subterraneous one. concerning parents; the
post-ascension to this, concerning children ; the one following, injury;
the Descendant, wife; and the widion post-descending the descending
pivot. which is found eighth from the Horoskopos in oroer, is called
fortune and death. After saying these things and giving a standard' that
was fitting to him. he lays down the fundamenta l exami nation of the
chart. Among these things he also treats of length of life. whicb 15tm]

I This is a reference to tile lhema mundi or nativity of the world. Sec

chapter 37 of Paulus. [RH)
2 rhenulliofl .
l {matellon. This is the first instance that we have encountered of a use or
a word parallel to the Latin asceflderu or English 'ascendant'. as opposed to
H6roskopos .
• loi
S bios.
6 kiJnoniz6.

59
impart il and how; and concerning manner of li ving. how (mc has it ;
and conccrnilg the remaining six headings-I mean siblings. parents,
children. injwes. [wife]. and fortune. Among these. he also treats of the
condilion of heing upon the tenth. and all that the stars indicate when
they are UPOI the tenth with respect to each other. L
He also teats of how the so-called Hennes Trismegistus thought fit
to call and wnsider each Iwelfth-part of the disposition. such as
declaring theH~roskopos to be the helm and indicative of fortune and
soul and wa) of life. and that the same is also indicative of siblings;
and the post-ascension is significant of hopes; the 3rd w idion to be
indicati ve of what one docs. but also of siblings; Ihe 41h he calls Ihe
fOllndalion 01happiness. indicative of paternal circumSlaoces and the
acquisition ci slaves; he calls the Sih Ihe Good Fortune; but the 6th
indicative of misfortune and vengeance and injury ; the 7th setting
z(Jidion indicaive of death and wife; the 8th he calls life and livelihood;
lhe 9th indicaive of being abroad and the passing of life in a foreign
country: the 10th. which is the Midheaven. he says is li velihood and
life, indicatin! children and conception and actio n and honor and ruling
and leading : l'le I IIh lIiidion in the disposition he calls Good Spirit : the
12th. the pn-ascensions. the Evil Spiri t. indicative of being and
livelihood aTd submission of slaves. These then are the Table of
Thcasyllus. to Hierocles.

13. CaJlicrates

Introduction

Except for thismmmary. CalJicrates and his work is totally unk.nown. Since Ihis
summary IS fomd amongsl summaries of other books most of which date from
around or befoe the Christian Era, il is possible that he was of the same period.
At any rate. W I ha ve included him hert because he drew from ancient sou rces.
Apart from the usua l maUers connected wilh the astrological effCC1s o f planets
and their combnations. it is interesting for the em phasis it gives!O lhc conce pl
of 'position upm the temh ' ur 'superior position' (see chaptcr 26 of Antiochus
for a defin ition. a conccptlh:1I seems 10 fade out in laler ast rol o~y evc n though

LThLs is OJnsidcrcd to be a t.: nndi tion 01 ~ur .... rinl P.,w<.'1. (J- dL:l ph'r ~h " I
Tlr(1(J1lr1l.'·'
,\nti()\: hu ~'

'di
it is liberally sprin'-Jed throughout Valens. Abo. the tcrminology 'cmbroidered'
and 'girded together with' sounds archaic and is quite suggestive.

SummaI)' of the Astrological Essays of Callicrates, Written to

Timogenus; the Expression Thesauru s of Callicrates Is Inscribed
upon it
(CCAG 8, 3; 102-103J

He announces that he will compile the effects of the Moon and the
remaining six planets from the things said by the ancients. He begins.
then , from the Moon. enumerating its states and sympathies and its
figures with the other planets, and all the figures and dispositions it is
subject to when occupying the zoidia, and the phases and what is
indicated for each of them. And what it shows when the Moon has them
occupying the tenth zoidion from it, and when it has them diametrical ,
and when it is embroidered I and girded UpI together with one or more
of them. And he treats of the effects of the Sun according to the same
method and pursuit. Then of the effects of Kronos, then of those of
Ares, after this of those of 7..eus, and in addition to these of the effects
of Aphrodite, and finally of those of Hennes. And this is the summary
of the compilation of Callicrates, which he gathered together from the
ancients.

14, Demetrius

Introduction

Nothing is known about the life or date of Demetrius, but from the fact that the
epitomist has thought fit to summarize his book along with those of early
writers such as Critodemus and Thrasyllus (although Ptolemy and Paulus are
also summarized), we ma y surmise tha t is at [east contemporary with them. In

I poikiloo. This is an unusual "lpression. Perhaps it refers to the various

lots that the Moon can be involved in, since the algorithms for calculating these
lots uses language deriving from sewing and weaving.
1 .mndiaZOrmumi. This seems to be the sale occurrence of this word in
Greek, but it is fairly clearly linked up with the idea of the zona, or the
dwelling places of the planets. I would guess that it means occupying the same
"zones" as otl\er planets. Cj Paulus. chapter 12.

(,I
an y casco he deserves to be included here because he secms to prescr\'e suU
more inceptioml material that docs not derive immediately from DorQ{hcus. We
have a.lso tramlated two surviving excerpts that a.rc aurihuted to him in later
writers and correspond to headings in his hook.

On the Astrological Practices of Demetrius

ICCAG 8, 3: 981

This Dcmefrius treats o f different headings and I) of those who come

into association with someone. And he conducts the hunt for the fUlUrc
from the nature of the z6idia and the relations and dispositions of the
stars to each other. 2) Nt:xt, concerni ng those who are selling and tho.~e
who are buy ing. 3) Concerning those who ask for something: a nd 4 )
concerning marriage. 5) Concerning those who run away. 6) Concerning
those who art sail ing and those who are leaving home; and Ihcn also
concern ing tribunals. 1ne tribunal is obviously composed of the one
who judges and the accuser and the one defending himself. O f the
inceptio n, then, he gives the starting+point L for grasping who the judge
will be 31 any given time. good or base, and who will be the o ne
obtaini ng the victory. And concerning arrests for trifling matters, he
gives some signs of the detention or release of the o ne arrested. And he
also trealS of contracts and again of purchasing and of association and
with these thing he ful fill s what he promised .

Concerning Those Who Run Away

ICCAG I: 104· 1061

The lIoroskopos is the runaway and Ihe time of fi ndi ng him; the
Midheave n, the cause of his fli ght; the Descendant. the effect of having
run away; th( subterrancous pivot, toward what zo ne he retreats and
where he is like ly to remai n. If. then, someone sho uld run away while
Aries is marking the hour, he will be speedily fo und ; if whe n Taurus is
marking the hour. within a year; if in Gemini, it will make for 12 days:
if in Cancer. within 60 days: if in Leo, he will never come back; if in
Vi rgo. he will be away for 60 days; if in Libra. he will come back on
his own; jf in Scorpio, he stays for 2 years; if in Sagittari us, he Slays
for 3 years; if in Capricorn . in the beginn ing of the ziiidion. he will he

- - -- -------

h .'
quickly found. but in t h~ iast pans, he stays for 6 mo nths: if in
Aquarius, he slays for 15 months: if in Pisces. he stays for 7 months,
Observe the stars in lhe Horoskopos. If Kronos should be marking
~ _~ ~ f~ . _ W _._if_~lli~ _ if

A phrod i t~,much time; if Hennes, it gives a perfect escape.

If Aries should be culminating, he Titn away wi thout a reason; if
Taurus, because of a miSlake; if Gemi ni. with doubt in his soul ; if
Cancer, because of destruction of somelh ing belo nging 10 his master; if
Leo, he was persuaded by another; if Vi rgo. because of word or deed;
if Libra, through fear and a guard; if Scorpio, because of censure 0 1
disgrace: if Sagillari us, Ihrough desire fo r a prostitute; if Capricorn.
because of tortu re and fear; if Aquarius, because of drin k; if Pisces,
because of women.
Also observe the Slars in the Midheaven. If Kro nos should be
culminating, he ran away because of miSlakes ; if Ares, because of a
blo\'1 and reproach; if Zeus, he fled without a cause; if Aphrodite,
because o f accusations and calumnies of those in the house; r... f
The Desce ndant is the effect . If the n Aries shou ld be selling with
Ares, he will submit to puni shment, but he: wi ll be forgive:n, and he will
run away again ; if Taurus should he selling. he will be put in bonds; if
Gemini , he will be sold; if Cancer, he will be released by a summo ns
and will no t run away an y more; if Leo, he will be in danger fro m e vil
men and animals; if Virgo. he will be in danger o n account o f himself;
if Libra, in the course of running away he will come to grief with fire;
if Scorpio, he will plot against himself and he will be a suicide: if
Sagittarius, he will li ve a useful life; if Capricorn , he will be struck
white falling; if Aq uarius. he will li ve a useful life; if Pi sces. he will be
returned by a woman.
Also, observe the stars in the setting ~iJidion. If Kronos should be
setting, he was brought back; if Ares, he came 10 death by iro n; if Zeus
o r Aphrodite, he stole gold or silver or clothing ; if Hermes, he carned
off copper.
The subterr3neous pi vot is the zone to which he has come and
where he is likely 10 remain. If Aries should be subterraneous, he does
not retreat far, but he will be hidden in the country ; if Taurus. he is in
the city close 10 a butcher or o ne who keeps such a sho p; if Gemini, not
far, but close to the locality; if Cancer. he will be lingering in the same

! A lacuM here; Hermes is missing from this list

.,
ci ty, and another will keep him; if l eo, he is in some de~ol atl' place: if
Virgo, not ffir; if Libra, within the same boundari es: if Scorpio. oulside
of the city in the temple. not far: if Sagittarius, hI! wi ll depal1 by sea:
if Capricorn, to withdrawn sacred places toward the west if Aq u ar iu ~ .
beside a ri ver, not far; if Pisces. on a sea-s ide beac h.
Also observe the stars li n the sublerraneous pi vot] . If Kronos
should be there. they are thrown into priso n by workmen: if Arcs, they
are sacri fi ced on a mountain ; if Zeus or Aphrod ite, they callthcmsclves
fret: ; if Hermes, they rove about crooked ly. If the Moon sho uld be
marking the hour. he will be found by accusations: if it sho uld be
culminating, in crowded or public places; if then on the Descendant. in
wet places; if ., should be on the sublerraneo us pivot. he wi ll be found
with diffi culty

Co ncerning Saili ng and Leavi ng Ho me, fro m Demetrius

ICCAG 8, 3;98-99J

If a ship is likened to the position of the zoidia, and Aries is Ihe stern
and Sleersman, Libra the prow. Taurus the kl.-el, Gemini the sides, Virgo
the oars. Cancer the rudder because of Ihe claws, Leo the planks of the
ship (or the timbers), Capricorn the ropes, Scorpio the anchor because
of the sting , Sagittarius the mast. Aquarius the hold. Pi sces the fl oat.
Now. those who are sailing with a half moon in Aquarius will be
forced to t a k~ water by ration. If someone sails when the Moon is
co ntemplated by Ares and Hermes, the mast and the rudder will be in
da nger. Those who sail when the Moon is marking [he hour with Arcs
will have an unpleasantness. I And when it is marking the hour with
Kro nos or when it is regarded by Kronos. in coming close to a sandbar
or land, the ship will be impeded . He who sail s when Kronos is
marking the oour wi ll have an jmpedi m~ nt . He who has gotten on board
when the Moon is in Aries wi ll have a wai l. then he will put to sea .
When the Moon is in Cancer. he will have calm seas. Those sai li nt;
when the Moon is in Pisces will be parted on account of the
seasickness. He who sai l .~ when the Moon is in Aquarius will encounter
much waler in the ship.
When the Moon is sell ing under the beams and contcmplatcd by
Ares. they will suffe r shipwreck. He whu departs when the Moon i .~

I lie seasick'!
squared by Kronos. and Hennes is in the other square, will have an
impediment on account of a tribunal. or complaint in relation to a
judgment, 01" on account of the slaves. When the Moon with Hennes is
squaring Zeus, it indicates a spee.iy depanure and the making of friends
with a superior. When the Moon is with Hennes while Kronos is
diametrical, it indicates ambushes from enemies, tardy departure, many
impediments, great sickness and calumny. Also, when the Moon is with
Ares in Aries while Hermes regards them, those who have departed will
come back under arms. If the stars should be in the eclipsing place or
they are retrograding. or under the beams of the Sun, or the are in lhe
decline of the Midheaven. they will come back with fo rce . When the
Moon is in Gemini while Kronos is in Sagittarius. the animals will be
harmed. If Kronos should be in Virgo, they will have weakness and
hann in the matters of the body. If the Moon is with Hermes and
Aphrodite is regarding them from a triangle, I it signifies that they will
be d ri ven back by the wind and have a d ispute with the sailors
concerning wages. lnose who have sailed or depaned when the Moon
is with Kronos wi ll suffer losses and delay, and some will also remain
in a foreign land. And for those making short journeys. if the Moon is
with Ares in Sagittarius, there will be shocks and disturbances along the
way.
And to summarize, if someone depans, let the H oroskopos be
examined. which is pertinent to departures for o ne's o wn land. but the
Descendant is pertinent 10 depanures fo r a fore ig n land. and to
d istinguish the distance of the departure. For if a bene fic should look
on l while in its own places. those who sail will make a fine passage;
but if a malefic, the opposite . And you wi ll know the matter of the
return trip by dividi ng the interval at the z6idioll,l-that is, the interval
from the setting zoidioll up to the Horoskopos. And similarly examine
the Moon. For the mailer of the departure is indicated from the
appearance of the Moon up to the whole moon, while the matter of the

I This aspect is possible with whole-sign aspects. IRHJ

2 That is, look. on the H~roslcopos Of Descendant.
l Presumably this refers to the z()idiofl possessed by the Moon at the time
of departure, which divides the interval into two parts.

65
return trip is indicated rrom the whole moon up 10 the l:onj unclion . 1
When the Mlon is in Aries, it contributes 10 movement since the
zl''' di()l1 has apoint1 and possesses a tum -around.} 8U1 when the Moon
is in Libra, it does not contribute: and also, ir SOIn<!olle gOiHg Iv a ci t)
t
in (.. . sholld have business with those who are superio r, he will be
speed ily slain)

IS. Balbillus

Introd uction

Balbillus was tiC son of Thrasyllus. The charts recorded in Ihe excerpt that we
have lrans laledhere may both be dated 10 the 1st century B.C.£. In addition (0
the su mmary Ib.t follows. a more detai led epitome of the first part of his book
survives. whic. we have also translated. The method of aphela employed by
Balbillus. whidl seems to have been the major subject o f his book, is very
different from anything we have seen in Valens or Ptolemy. Also note the
reference to dlccnnials at the end. The text editor guesses that four other
excerpts in the CCAG may be from the same work, al though a couple of these
cite Dorotheus. We have nOI translated them here.

Summary o f the Astl'ological Prac/ius o f Balbillus, to Hennogcnes

[CCAG 3; 103- 104J '0
First he eXJDunds in detail about length of life. beginning his
examination from the aphetas. And he says that Kronos, Ares, the Su n,
and the Mooll are the apheta. He takes as Ihe aphela the lord whic h is
upon Ihe M id~eave n : but if nothing is present in it. he takes the apheta
from Ihe z6id',()n marking the hour, or from fhe one setting. or from the

I By analc~) wilh the z6idion. we surmise that ooe should take the phase

or the Moon at de]larture (I)r when emharkiog on Ihe return trip), ..... hich di\'ides
the lunar cydeinlo t ..... o Intervals
I lI.m .
j f'piSlropi. 15 th is us ing ItIt; imagery ur an "'aogle?" It also seC II\~ 10
~U~)!l"1 that thl· "emal poml (the tumin~ pomt) is willl111 Arics somewherc . Iltll
.,1tilt' tir~t del!"Cc
, Shun I~una .
, 1'I\"'·;IlI., ,·)1 •., :Ibo all :mp.k w,th a ]lom!"
subterraneous o ne. And if the 4 slars should lalll be in possession. then
that one alone is reckoned Ihe aphela which is uJXm Ihe Midheaven.
And that one of the stars is judged the destroyer which should chance
10 be the first of them by {degree]. Then he says that if the destroyer
should indeed go l to meet the apheta, but it is being examined by the
ray of a benefi c,! the destroyer does not destroy unless it should be
found in a destructive ZQidion: this is the one that has pre-ascended the
apheta and its square.
Second , he also expounds that Zeus and Aphrodite are among the
good planets, while Hennes is common, and he thoroughl y deals with
some other corresponding matters concerning apheta and destroyer. He
puts thc detennination concerning length of life as the first to be
investigated according to this method, in which it is also tu be observed
whether the Moon is contemplating the aphela. For he says that it then
becomes more powerful; and that shou ld there be twO destroyers. and
one of them contemplated by the Moon, this will be more powerful in
regard to destruction . And he lays down a sim ilar examination for
Hennes. And after posing illustrations of what has been said. he also
makes rules for the hurling of rays.
Third, he then also expounds about the distinctions in the
twelfth-pans.
Fourth. hc also gives a method for distances, say ing as follow s:
"Double the ascensions of each ztHdiorr and make a division by the
fifth. And if it should leave I day . set 10 against the o ne; and if 2 days.
20. For example. Gemini rises in 28. and twice 28 is 56: divide these
by 5. and eleven fi ves become 55, with a remainder of I. which is of
10: and if 2 are left over. they would be 20. and so forth:'
Fifth, he funhemlore treats of the death of the parents. when he has
it occur with regard to prognostication and concerning the interval from
each other, and of many or few children. and freedom and sla ves, and

I apall/ao. This would iooicate that the destroyer is dircctcO to the aph~a,

nOt the other way around.

2 This sentence also serve~ 10 connect the ray with the act of vision as we
have conjectured all along although it is not clear from this conte~t alone
whether the aspect discussed here is being cast bal.:kw3rd or forward in the
order of loidia .

.7
the conceptiol, of chi ldre n, exile and tnnel ing abroad. ;tnd linea!!e. ' and
matters simihr to these. He also hands down Jifferent mel hOlh of
fi nding the Hlroskopos. and even methods of grasping the stars withuu\
anaiy~ i s.
T hese are the chapters of Balbillus on astrological practice that we
know of.

Balbi ll us' Method for Length of Life from the Aphe \a and the
Destroye r
[CCAG 8, 4; 235-2381

The zoidio/l p'e·ascendi ng the upheta is call ed d c.~ lr uc ti ve. If. then. the
destroye r shOlld be fo und in the same z6 idioll, and even if il should be
comemplated by a benefi c, it always destroys . Fo r if the destroye r
s hould be fOUld in anOlher zOidion . wh ile Aphrod ite is within 8 degrees
by fi gure or p)st-ascend ing, and Zeus withi n 11, they prevent the crisis
by be ing unitld 10 the destroyer. 2 With Arcs being the dest royer. if the
two m alcfi es sho uld nOI [be sol. they do nOi release. I f Zeus and
Aphrodi te arc upo n pivots, the one adds 12 years to Ihe nat ivity in a
d iurnal nativity. Ihe other adds 8 years in 3 noctu rnal nati vity.
And he a'so says that when the SUII is Ihe ap hel3 and is fou nd in
the 1st 15 degee ponion o f Aries. Taurus. Leo, Sag ittarius. il gives the
years of the asce nsion of the zaidio/I , But if it is found in the 2nd 15
degree portio~ of the same zo idia, ils circular period alone gives years.
that is. 19. T~c same also fo r the same z.6idia and Cancer when the
Moon is the ;,pheta.

I diagtn(!w. TIm word ma y ~ a ml s~pclling for somrlh11lg tlSt'. I h;IVC

gue s~d al ils neani ng assum ing Ihat it is ,,'O rrcctly wfitlen
1 This sam: nolion appears in Ptolemy Book II I. It 31most looks like an 01'1'1
of 3spcel. How!ver. in Firmicus Book II. chapter 9. Ihc!'e same values ar,' given
as the ule~ of w mbuSlion of these respective planets, and arc al~o 11K- IC'_,er
yeals of thesc )Ianet ~ . 1lk:~fore we do nOl know plecisel)' whatllK-'I' ,,!llll"
rcpresem. It is ')ossibJc Ihal allthrte idca~ ,Ire rela1 t"d. 1 e . ;1'1)[,<;·t I'ft" .. ,rr ~ 01
comhustion an. ) ear. of thc pl:uH't( IR II I
 And he also says that there
are 4 destroyers: the Sun, the m 111
Moon , Krenos. Ares. And he o M
/2 • ) Q
also poses such an illustration \7)
of the aphela and destroyer:
When the Sun is marking the ~ s
hour al the 9th degree of 0 9
Capricorn;1and Kronos is there ,..., H9 o
QII «1 2
at the 5th degree; Aphrodite the
11 th, and Ares the ! 2th degree
of the lst place; (Ihe 2nd _ D
place] Aquarius; Zeus at the
,
20th degree of the 3rd place,
'"H T
Pisces; the 4th place Aries;
Ascending Node 011 Ihe 4th "
degree of the 5th place Taurus; 6th place Gemini ; 7th place Cancer; 81h
place leo; 9th place: Virgo; Midheaven at 3rd degree lof the 10Ih place]
Libra ; Descending Node at the 4th degree of the Illh place Scorpio:
Hennes at 17th degree of the 12th place Sagitwius, Moon at the 19th
degree. And he says that the Sun is the aphela of the nativity, Ares
being unable to become the destroyer because Aphrodite post-ascends
it within 8 degrees and Ares is in its own exaltation. It comes to the
destructive z"idion , the one pre-ascending the apheta, that is, Sagiuarius.
and finding the Moon there he says that it becomes the destroyer. By
taking the circumambulation of the Sun up to the square degree of the
Moon , that is, the 19th degree of Pisces, he then says that it becomes
the destroyer. And with Zeus being at the 20th degree of Pi sces. it was
not able to assist since the Moon happens to be in the destructive
zOidion .

I L .42 in Neugebauer. dated 10 sunrise Dec. 27. -42 (43 S.C.E.). tR Ill
 A~ai n , for another chart
1

he says that Ue Moon is at the T H

4th degree of Virgo;2 the Sun
ai the 22.--1.1 d ~&re~ of
o
Capricorn; and Kronos at the
4th degree <i Capricorn; and
Zeus at the 14th degree of
Virgo; and Ares at the 14th n H
dl!grcl! of Aquarius; and
Hemlcs at the 12 degree of
Aquarius; arK! Aphrodite at the 0
25th deg ree Pisces; and the ) ,
4 14
m
H oroskopos in Gemi ni. And
since the 1igtts fall away from
Q m
pivots. he took the post-ascen sions, and he did not yet take the
H6roskopos to be the aphela, since lhe Sun is in the post-ascensio n of
Ihe Dcscencbtt, but he takes Kronos in Capricorn to be the apheta.
since il has Imre (I believe) detenninalion in the chart and occupies ils
own throne. And he says that the destroyer is (Ares] in Aquarius, and
after he had munled the interval in degrees from Aries up to Ares. he
said that such years became the length of life .
And he says thai if a destroyer to the aphet3 should not be found
in a forceful manner among them all, we take the limes up to the pi vOL
For in the case thai it has gone to meet fitl by square or d iameter, but
is regarded by Zeus or Aphrodite within 12 degrees or 8, il is the n
necessary to measure the times up to the pivot.
And he also says concerning the giving over of a time thai when
each star is in irs own exaltation, it imparts ilS circ ular years (that is. the
least years, which are Sun 19, Moon 25, Kro nos 30, Zeus 12, Ares 15,
Aphrodite 8, Hennes 20). But if it should not be upon the very degree
of the exaltatK:ln, for each Star it is necessary to remove by degree jusl
as many day) as there are years of the Slar: by ztJidioll, as Illiln y
months.

, Ih~ma.
1 L _ 71 in Neugebauer, dated to about 4 P.M. on Jan. 16. · 7 t (72 ReI: )
This depends upon which of [11.10 manu.Kripts one f!lllows. Nl'ugch:lu(·r ha.,
followcd the <lie that is for about ri ve da ys I:llcr Ihal !lives Ihe Muon '" 4
SCOrpio. We h~ve followed the other IRH I

70
 And he also says that when ea\:h aphela takes the times. it divides
its years into 129 parts and gives 19 pans 10 the Sun. 25 to the Moon,
30 to Kronos, 12 to Zeus, 15 to Ares. 8 to Aphrodite, and 20 to
Hermes; and it first imparts the appropriate parts to itself, and second
to the star after it. and third to the one lying next in order, and so on up
to the 7th . Again. he says secondly that the star lying after the apheta
takes over the times and imparts to it~lf and to those lying nexi in
order; and thirdly in a similar fashion up 10 the 7th; and he says that the
limes also are divided in the same manner as in the method itself. I

16. Teucer of Babylon

Introduction

Teucer of Babylon was the author of an important source text on the decans.
His date is somewhat uncertain. He is first mentioned by name by Porphyry
(3rd cennary c.E.). A longish essay on the z"idia and their parts (including
decans and co-rising constellations) and rulerships is also attributed to Teucer
in one manuscript. This text does not. however. contain decan delineations like
those found in me excerpts we have translated below. Since i\ is similar to
material found in Valcns. Pingree speculates that this text of Teucer may have
been used by Valens. thus putting Teucer at least back to the 1st Century C.E.
We will translate mis treatise at a later date.
What concerns us here are me surviving fragments of Teucer's treatise on
deeans. In AntiochuslPorphyry, chapter 10. where Teuccr's work is commended,
we already translated the following passage:

"For example. suppose that the Sun is alten degrees in the first deean of
Aries. in the f;w;e of Ares. Since. then, we have found that the Sun
signifies matters of the soul. you will find the soul of this manl y spirit to
be irascible. delighting in battle. arms-loving. and the like. But again.
suppose mat the Sun is at 20 degrees in the second deean of Arits. in the
face or the Sun; it Signifies mat such a manly spirit is bright in his soul .
a lover of fame and of honor and nO( at all delighting in battle. But again.
suppose mat the Sun is at 30 degrees of Aries. in the face of Aphrodite :
it signifies that this manly spirit is feminine·souled . of the female type.

I This is a description of the method of dccennials. which is BI50 described

in Valens and Matemus. It is in fact one of several Western equivalents of the

Hindu dasa systems.

71
 shameful. lecherous. and the like "

This is similar to the material we have translated below. anu may be a hrief
synopsis drawn directly from Tcucer.
In the Companion 10 'he Greek Track we ha ve also al ready encounlereu
a reference to the dccanic work of Teucer of Babylon. where
Rhe toriusiAntiochus said: 'Then seck the decanic effects of tilt: H6roskopos.
Sun. Moon. and tilt: 5 stars. and the Lots. in accordance with Teuccr of
Babylon." rCCAG 8. 1: 246]
Much later. Michael Psellus refers to it a\ follo ws:

"One would find many. most wonderful th ings by deriving the manifold
bases for differeOl activities from tbe writings of Teucer of Bahylon on the
loidio in lh~ heavens. alld t~ [constellations] co-rising wit h each of them.
and the so-called uocans. For in each of the t.6iJio there are three dive rsely
shaped deeans. which are recounted at lengt h. the o ne possessing an axe.
the other being figured with some otiler image. If you carve the figures
and shapes in the hoop of a ri ng. it will ave rt terrible th ings." ICCAG 2:
152]

The following fragments seem quite genuine. They are highly inzeresting
because they give delineations based both on the nature of thc decan and on the
nature of the co.rising constellations, thus distinguishing the cO.rising effects
from the dccanic effect s per se. I had earlier made the conjecture (Antiochus.
chapter 10) that it was the co.rising constellations that constitu ted the decans
themselves. This was a tempting hy pothesis since there were traditionally :\6
extra-zodiacal constellations. one for each lIccan. and the nillure of the decan.
or its face . was said to result from a kind of shaping done to thirds of each
widion by the decanic deities. However. the present delineations contradict thaI
hypothesis.

From the Writings of Teucer of Babylon concerning the Seven S ta rs

ICCAG 9 1 2; 181 -186J

The Sun s ignifies the determination concerning soul, the Moon that
concerning the OOdy, Kro nos acquis itio ns. Zeus money, a nd A rcs
military matters, Aphrod ite mailers of desire and communion. He rmes
manner and character and s peech.
One must examine the positio n of each . the face of the lig uTlll ions.
the appearance of the co-ri si ng (starsl: and one mus t take the ascen s ion ~
of the proper zone for the accurate knowledge of the limes 0 1 the
effec ts . and the risings o f the stars thc mselves.
 II is necessary 10 know tll:.illhe first (kean ()f Aries is from Ihe 2 1st
of March up to the 13Oth], the second from thc 31st to the 10th of
Apri l, the third from the [10th up to thc 19th l.

(Concerning the Body]

He who has the Moon in thi ~ decan when it is otherwise in a bad figure
and waning and subtracting in numbers and bei ng contemplated by
maiefics and in a diurnal chanl-such a one will e)(perience a cut, burn,
and the like, <lnd thc body will be liable to di sease. Bul when the Moon
is in sect, the bad Ihings wi ll be less. but he will be in deep suffering
over his head and better vision. 3 Above all there are some who in the
said places are dealt with insultingly in wars and battles on account of
Athena. And some suffer from a flux in the extremities because of thc
base of the tail of Cetus and the head of the Cat," signifying the
sufferi ng of the head .

Concerni ng Acquisitions

He who has the star of Kro nos in thi s decan. wel l-situated with respect
to sect, phase , figure . place, and bounds has good fortune after his early
years, not advancing to his manhood withoUi a blow, and not benering
himself and augmenting Ihis fortunes] except slowly. Rut when the star
is found in the opposite figures. he wilt be a lowly workman, a horse-
keeper and one who is assigned to quadrupeds, without a share, and one
who is surrounded with falls and vengeance in regard to the affl icti ve
cause of the decan, and with sailing and toiling on account of the tail
of Cetus, And he runs the course a lot in different places while being
unsett led and unfortunate on account of the Cal.

I Lacuna in text. The delineation of the Sun in the first decan of Aries is
missing. [Additional by RH]l'he reader should nOie Ihat the dates given are
consistent with a tropical zodiac with 00 al the vernal point. But these dates
would only be correct in the 4th Century C.E. until the Gregorian reforms of
the 16th Century.
l 'hema.
Perhaps, 'left eye' .
3 IlOrasiJ arislere.
• An otherwise unknown constellation. [R il l

71
 Concerning Mo ney

He who has the star of Zeus upon a pivot in this decan and in sec t wi ll
be wealthy, notable, well-married, with many children from his middle
years. And if the star of Zeus should be contemplated by the star of
Ares and the Sun, such a one will also be a military commander and
manly because of Athena, both on land and on sea. He will also have
sovereignty in different places because of the base of the tail of Cetus,
and he will be skillful at passing into one pl ace from another, teari ng
at himselfl over another's defilement beC""dUse of the head of the Cat . But
if the star should have the opposite figure , it will only produce those
who are moderately well-fonned.

Concern ing Camp..'ligns

He who has the star of Ares in its own place in this decan and well-
situated and in sect wi ll be fit for command, o ne who is appointed over
anTI S and war. But if the ~ t ar should be found in a bad figure , he will
be e\'illy undone by pirates and in seaside places. 1

[Concerning the Body)

. the square and diameter, he will suffer terribly from watery flux es,
local discharges,3 dropsical spleen, elephantiasis, pleurisy, lethargy and
the like. He will walk in many places and he will be sick with the said
illnesses of bilge-water because of the Yoked C hariot. His body will be
unwell because the underpart of Taurus. which is of the Dog, is but
half-complete. BUI he will have a death' o f the body due to the

I As in tearing one's hair. or learing ooc's clothes.

1 Long lacuna. The last part of Ihis entry is missing. as welt as all the
entries covering the second and third decans of Aries. the firs t and second
decans of Taurus, and the first entry for the third decan or Taul\I~ The te)l1
resumes in the middle or tl\e entry delineating the moon in the third dec'ln tIt
Taurus.
I lopilws "triodo .•. I am not sure or l ll1s remJenng .
• Il'lo.r.

74
heave nl y pan of the Dog in the twel ve hour !bcIl J '

Concerning Acquisitions

He who has till: Slar of Kronos in this dccan in a good figure is happy
with his parents and (lives) off them. and he will be constrained and
will be fortunate after a long timc and welt·married; he will be the lord
c.f other's possessions and will be benefi tcd by ancient or mystical
things; he will run the course a lot in diffe rent places and with
quadrupeds because of Ihe Yoked Chariot and the Horloes that run
separately. But when the star is in a bad fi gure. the nati ve 1,1.ill be
harmed by the aforesaid and will run a great wandering CO Uf!>e to no
profit. He will be fort unate toward the end through the hind pans of the
Dog.

Concerning Money

He who has the star of Zeus in this decan badly situated will be thrice-
unhappy; after making an ostentatious display againstlhe authorities, he
is deprived of his own money , and he will be banished. The hind pans
of the Dog signify that he wi ll have a bad e nd. But if the slar should be
found in a good fi gure. the nati ve will behave decorously in moderatio n,
and he wilt escape the bad things.

Concerning Campaigns

He who has the star of Ares well-fi gured in this decan will assume a
position far from evil l and will have abundance and an income from
[rel ati ves } and trustees. He will have many enemies and he will
destroy his brothers firs t and reject a woman, and he will run away
from many things, and he will be thrown while upon quadrupeds.
Havi ng been al ienated from his own (lands], he will be led aro und in
foreign lands on account of the IWO horses being pan ed. And he will
keep cattle and drive horses because of thc runner and the horse whip
and the race-course. And if the star should also be ill-fi gured, he will

! d6delw~rOJ . Refers to lhc twelve "hours" into which a full day and nigh!

was divided by the Chaldcans.

I (IPO /wk/}n Jcllimali.H~lai.
be hurt from these things and he will break his feet and will be Ilogged .
Also, he will flee to a strange land because of Ihe naked runner, and he
will be threatened by wild beasts and will flee to a strange land beca u ~
of the Dog. In the end he will have wounds and will be shamdully
berated, and being in need of necessities . . I

[Concerning Desire and Communio n]

because of the hind parts of the Dog in accordance with the

twelve· hour sphere.

Concerning Manner and Character and Speech

He who has Hennes poorly situated in this decan will be dead in

intellect. if also long-lived and toothless and foo lish. And he wi ll be
decei ved in his intellect and out of his senses because of the Yoked
Chariot and rart of the Charioteer and the Dog, and in the end he
will be killed while acting fooli shly and o ut of his mind. For, the
hind parts of the Dog underneath indicate that at the last he will
suffer worse wounds in the senses, which destroy his intellect . . .1

The following passages werc c ~ce rpted from TCllccr"s work by either
Antiochus or Rnetorius

Concerning Decans That Cause Licentiousness

[CCAG 9, 2, 196-1981

In which Aphrodite is found . When Aphrodite happens to be in the firs!

decan of Aries, it makes those who are lice ntio us and unlawfully
married , tho~ who do unspeakable acts and cunnilingus, the
blameworthy and passive, sodomites and rapers of women. But when
it has been made benefic, nOI so foul. Aphrodite in the second decan o f
Gemini OUI of sect and declining makes sodomi les, those who are
lecherous, shameful. quickly satisfied in intercourse. adulterous allli mad
for the things of Aphrodite. Aphrodite poorly situated in the first decan

I Lacuna.
l The te ll hrcaks off he rc .

76
of Leo makes those who are amorous, badly lliilrried, who do
unspeakable acts; or [the native] will take o ne of the women who are
promi scuous and do unspeakable acts. Aphrodite poorly situated in the
third decan of Leo makes those who are adulterous, rapers of women;
and they will also suffer loss and misfortune on account of women.
Aphrodite in the first decan of Libra makes those who are licentious
and shamefuL mad in thei r desires. Aphrodite poorly situated in the first
decan of Scorpio and declining makes those who are hurt by those
performing shameful deeds. and those who nee on account of women.
Aphrodite poorly situated in the third decan of Sagillarius makes those
who perform shameful acts, those who are unfortunate due to women,
and those who sai l 10 desert places or the sea for the sake of a woman,
and they will be shameful. Aphrodite poorly situated in the first decan
of Capricorn makes those who are licentious, shamefu l, and those who
perform unnatural acts, cunnilingus or blameworthy acts. Aphrodite
afflicted in the second decan of Capricorn makes those who are
adulterous. blameworthy , or those who undergo terrible things in a
forei gn land and at sea because of a woman o r with a woman .
Aphrodite afflicted in the third decan of Aquarius makes those who are
promi scuous. dirty. Aphrodite being in afflictio n in the third dccan of
Pisces makes those who are promiscuous. adulterous, mad in
intercourse.

Concerning the Sun. The Sun in the third decan of Aries; the first,
second, and third decans of Libra; the first decan of Scorpio; and the
first and third decans of Pisces makes those who are licentious and
effemi nate.

Concerning the Moon. The Moon In the third decan of Aries makes
those who are licentious and passive: also in the third dccan of Leo; the
third decan of Capricorn; the third decan of Libra; the third decan of
Aquarius; and the fi rsl decan of Pisces.

Concerning Kronos. Kronos in the third decan of Aries; the first and
third decans of Libra; the first and third decans of Capricorn makes
those who are licentious.

Concerning Zeus. Zeus in the third decan of Aries: the fi rst and third
decans of Libra; the first and third decans of Capricorn makes those
who are licentious.

77
Concerning Ares. Ares in the third dcc an of Aries and the ti rst and Ih int
decans of Liha signifi es the same things.

Concerning Hermes. Hennes in the first decan of Libra and the first
deca n of CaJrirorn.

Co ncerning the H6rosK.opoS, The HorosK.opos in the third decan of

Aries; Ihe fIrSt and third decans of Libra ; and the first decan of
Capricorn sifnifies those who are licentious and pleasure-loving.

When the Lo: of Fortu ne and of Spirit and their lords fall in licent ious
z6idia. Ihey nake those who are effeminate and licentious.

Concern ing !he Lice ntious laidia. The lice ntious z()idia are Aries.
Taurus. Leo. Capricorn from the side of Pisces and Libra on account of
the He-Goat which is co-rising.
 G lossary

The following word list is intended to give only the barest of guides to
the specifi call y astrological vocabulary occurring in this book, It is
keyed to the words actually used in the translation itself. Each word is
followed by the Ir.lnsl ilcrmcd Greek word it consistentl y translates. The
third e ntry for each word is its counlerpan (if any) in modern
astrological idiom . If there is no modern counterpart. but the translation
seems suffic iently ckar. we have put "nonc".
Occasionally, we have simply transliterated a Greek word in our
translation. This is ei ther because we have not yel corne up wit h a
felicitous equivalent. or else we do not yet think that we have
sufficiently understood the word 011 its own lenns.
Bear in mind Ihat Ihe modern eounlerpan is nOI always co-
extensive with Ihe Greek word ; il may refer to a wider or narrower fie ld
of objects or relationships. And even if the two words are co-extensive.
the modern word often comes from an entirely different semantic field .
and consequently does nOI regard the same object in the same manner
or from Ihe same prospective.
For more infonnatio n about these words and their interconnections.
and a more extensive list of Greek astrological terms. see the
Companion to the Greek Tracie

application: sunaphe: application

(to) ascend (of nodes): anabibazp: ascend
(to) bear witness to: epimaturo: cast an aspect (probably forward)
bound : horion; tenn
bound sovereign : horiokrar6r: tenn ruler
circumambulation: peripatos: a direction
configuration: suschemarismos: general word for aspect
(to) config ure: SIlschlmarit.,(J: verb fonn of above entry
conlact: kolllsis: encounter (usually as a result of direction)
contemplate: Iheoreo: general aspect word
crisis: klimalcter. c\imacterical times
(to) culminate: mesouraneo: 10 culminate
decl ine; apolc/ima; cadent house
degree; moira: degree depression ; rapeimJma: fa ll
(to) descend (of nodes) : katabibat.o: desce nd
dwelling : oikoter: sign ruled

''I
cx.allation: IlIIpsoma: cx.altatioli
face: prosiipolI: traditional
fi gure: schema: any k.ind o f planetary rel ationship
(to) figure: schemntizo' verb for m of above cnuy
(to) have dealings with: clJ r ematizi}: none
H6roskopol': Horoskopos: Ascendant
house : oikos: sign ru led
house steward: oikodl'k/o r : ruler of a sign
lord : kurivs: lord
(to) mark the binh hour; I!fimskopeij; 10 be the Ascendant
master: despoIls: occasional synonym for rulership
mastership : despoteia . see above enn)'
Midh eOl'en: mesOIlranima: Midheaw'n
mOflonwiria: mOllomoiria: assignment of degrees to planets
pivot: kefl/ron: angle
place: tapas: !lOuse
post-ascension: epmlOpho ra : succedent house
pre-ascension: proaf/ophom: cadent house
(10) regard : epilheoreo: cast an aspect forward
(to) rejoice: chain}: to be in one's joy
(to) rise: Gna/rlM: ri se
ruler: oikode,rpotls: ruler of chan or issue, (nol a sign rulership)
rulcrshi p: oikodel'Poleia : rulership in the above sense
(to) scrutinize: k.iltopteuti; aspect word
sect: lIa iresis; sect or condi tion
separation : apporoia: separation
(to) set: dun eo: sel
(to) take delight in : chaira: to be dignified
(to) testify 10: epimarturo: caSI an aspecl (probably forwa rd )
tri gon ; Iri80n1.m: Iriplicity
lrigon al master: trigon ou deslJOti s: triplicity ru ler
l aidion : zoidian: sign

XI)
I
 REPRINTS* of the The Astrological Record of the Early Sages
Project Hindsight Greek Track
(aka “TARES”)
VOL. I. Paulus Alexandrinus: Introduction to Astrology.
We used this title once before for VOLUME X of our original
VOL. II A. Anonymous of 379: On the Bright Fixed Stars. GREEK TRACK, which contains fragments from many ancient
authors; now we have chosen it again for a much larger role as
VOL. II B. Antiochus of Athens: Fragments From His Thesaurus. as the overarching name for a projected 30-volume set that will
represent the work of ALL the Hellenistic astrologers of whom
VOL. III. Ptolemy: Phases of the Fixed Stars. any trace yet survives.
VOL.VI. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Book I. When complete, TARES will contain not only the entirety of
the original GREEK TRACK in Robert Schmidt’s revised trans-
VOL.V. Ptolemy: Tetrabiblos, Book I.
lations, but much more: virtually the entire surviving corpus of
VOL.VI. Hephaestio of Thebes: Compendium, Book I. Hellenistic astrological treatises and fragments, accompanied
by Schmidt’s extensive notes and commentary.
VOL.VII. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Book II.

VOL.VIII. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Book III.

VOL. IX. Teachings on Transits.

VOL. X. The Astrological Record of the Early Sages in Greek.

VOL. XI. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Book IV.

~TARES~
VOL. XII. Ptolemy: Tetrabiblos, Book III.

VOL. XIII. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Books V & VI.

VOL. XIV. Ptolemy: Tetrabiblos, Book IV.

VOL. XV. Hephaistio of Thebes: Compendium, Book II. Definitions and Foundations is the first translation in the new
series. As you can see from the picture of its front cover on the
VOL. XVI. Vettius Valens: Anthology, Book VII. final page of this book, the “provisional look” has vanished, but
there is still a family resemblance to these older editions which
PROJECT HINDSIGHT Companion to the Greek Track
were the beginning of the entire enterprise.

Visit our website WWW.PROJECTHINDSIGHT.COM for

*Available at WWW.PROJECTHINDSIGHT.COM the latest information about our new TARES series.
 This booklet is a facsimile reprint of one volume from
PROJECT HINDSIGHT’S GREEK TRACK, Robert Schmidt’s
early provisional translations of various Hellenistic
astrological texts done from 1993 through 2000.
We say provisional because it was a cardinal principle of
PROJECT HINDSIGHT from its outset that no one in the world
– however learned in the Greek language – was in a position
to do a final translation of any single item from this large
body of work that had lain essentially unread for centuries.
Hence, this translation was not published as a final edition,
but only as provisional; this word was stressed and it was
hoped that the homemade character of the original book,
duplicated in this reprint, would serve to reinforce the idea
of the “temporary” character of the translation inside.
But now the situation is different. After spending the past
seventeen years studying the entire surviving corpus of
Hellenistic astrological writings, Robert Schmidt is now
ready to publish his final translations of all the selections
first presented in this and other GREEK TRACK volumes.
Accompanied by extensive notes and commentary, these
new translations are just beginning to be issued in attractive
hardcover format in a new series called THE ASTROLOGICAL
RECORD OF THE EARLY SAGES * (acronym TARES). It will
take several years to get all the material into print.
Meanwhile, at the request of numerous students we are
making these older provisional versions available. Some
may find it useful to compare the old versions with the new
You’ll have to visit our website to see how beautiful our
and see with hindsight how much was overlooked the first
TARES books actually are. We sharpened up the old frame
time around. It is gratifying to realize that we planned from
(originally created by a Victorian artist) and preserved the the very outset to make such later experiences possible.
same light blue color; the central white rectangle gives a
bright new look. The new page size is 6.14 x 9.21 inches, It will also be useful to keep this old version of the GREEK
and there are 400 pages in Definitions & Foundations. Find TRACK available in our archives for the permanent record,
out about the new TARES subscription plan at our website: since some seem to have forgotten who did what and when.

www.ProjectHindsight.com * See the final pages of this booklet for more information.
The Golden Hind Press