Slavery and Astrology
© 1994 Robert Zoller All Rights Reserved. Revised 2000
Introduction
The purpose of this paper is to aid the astrological researcher who wishes to investigate slavery or bondage in the modern natal horoscope.
It draws upon the [Liber Hermetis] Mathesis and [Liber Astronomiae] contrasting the given rules so that the student may discover their practical application in the modern context.
Liber Hermetis and Slavery
Reference should be made to the [Liber Hermetis], translated by Robert Zoller, New Library Electronic Edition, 2000, Revised.
The [Liber Hermetis] has many references to slaves. Indeed the picture of the world described in the work is that of a slave society. In which the privileged individuals of the upper classes were few in number and there was much work to be done. Thus, slaves were used in considerable number and in a broad range of skills.
Slaves were drawn from the lower end of society — indeed many are described as having been born into slavery. Some were freed later. Others never achieved freedom. Many foreign born people were enslaved. Slaves did all kinds of work from farming to political bureaucracy.
In this society there are household slaves (famulus and familarius, ancillus and ancilla). There are dispensatores, household managers, superintendents or stewards who might even be in charge of the imperial treasury. These were usually the most trustworthy slaves. There were procuratores, agents or overseers similar to the dispensatores and villici. The latter, villicus, was a manager of a country estate or farm. The word implies, "belonging to a country estate". The overseer too might also be a slave.
Throughout the Liber Hermetis we read that if the Sun and/or Moon is poorly placed by not being in honour of dignity or exaltation or by being dominated by the malefics (e.g. the malefic is angular and the Moon is not), or by being unsupported by the rulers of its triplicity, posited in the terms of a malefic, then the parent signified by the luminary in question is unfortunate, low-born, base, foreign-born or a slave. Should however, the luminaries be in the terms of benefics then the parents are noble. Should the luminaries be in the terms of benefics but be afflicted by the malefics, the parents are noble but forced to do ignoble work - so too the native: s/he is noble but afflicted. Should the lights be badly placed in terms of infortunes, and afflicted, biothanatus (violent death) results.
An example is found in the Liber Hermetis Chapter XXVI:
The Sun in the Ascendant, not made unfortunate in a diurnal nativity, especially in its own house or triplicity or exaltation, shows the noble birth of the father and that he was born in his own country and glorified with riches and possessions. Many kings have been made cosmocrators, i.e. those holding the world, or regents, but some are made dukes or presidents. But if Mars shall be present or attain the Medium Coeli or be in the opposition of it or in the west and aspect {the Ascendant}, they will hold {their} kingdoms or {their} populations with envies and conflicts and dangers. But if the Sun were in Libra in the Ascendant or in some other sign alien to him in no way does it signify the noble birth of the father, nor does his fortune have beauty of this kind, but minor good things do happen.
But at night, the Sun being in the Ascendant, shows that the native is of a poor father, either ignoble or one expelled {from his homeland}, or a slave or that he destroys his paternal house, but sometimes {it shows} the orphandom of the father and it makes the life of the native laborious and without glory. Especially if an evil {planet} should aspect from an angle, it makes the evil double and the father dies before the native and it makes the signification regarding his offspring sorrows and deaths.
In Liber Hermetis Chapter XVI : Concerning the Consideration of the Figure, we gather that the terms and their lords show the baseness or high-born status of the parents when the luminaries term rulers are benefic or malefic:
"If the Sun were in the terms of Saturn or Mars or were unfortunate, you will say that the father is either a slave or base born. However, if the malevolent {planets} should aspect or oppose, they signify great dangers."
"Understand the same configurations when considering the Moon for the Mother. If the Moon were in the terms of a benevolent {planet} and in {houses} cadent from the angles and on the ecliptic with the Nodes especially with the Tail {of the Dragon} and aspected by the malevolent {planets}, it indicates that the mother is noble, but doing servile work and having a vile life on account of poverty."
"The Moon in the angle of the earth shows the mother's illness. If it were aspected by the malevolent {planets}, it makes one ignoble and soon orphaned from the mother. If the Moon were in the terms of Saturn or Mars, but the Lord of the term were cadent from the angles, you will say that the mother is a slave."
"If the Sun and the Moon are in their own descensions and in the terms of the evil {planets} and aspected by the evil {planets} they are separated by death. But if the benevolent {planets} and they are in the terms of the good {planets}, they are separated while living."
In Liber Hermetis Chapter XXVI:
"The Moon and Saturn in the Ascendant or in the Medium Coeli shows that the native is from a mother {who is} a hand-maid or a lowly woman or a woman who has been injured or {it shows} the orphanhood of the mother and they destroy the belongings of the parents. "
"The native himself is the first-born or the first nourished and is shown to be their first son. It signifies humiliations and vexations for the mother and detentions in sacred places, especially with the Moon waning worse evils happen."
" But if Mercury were in the west or in the angle of the earth, {or} in its opposite, it makes maniacs, epileptics, demoniacs or those mentally damaged. However, if Mars will be in the west with Mercury or in the Medium Coeli or in the angle of the earth, it makes worse evils and biothanati happen. If however, Jupiter aspects, it makes indeed stupefied {natives}, but those having their intellect, at one time {doing} mindless things but at another time effeminacies in the baths."
Firmicus Maternus on Slavery
The following comes from Firmicus Maternus's Mathesis, translated by Bram, Noyes Press, Park Ridge New Jersey, 1975, Liber Septimus p 238-240.
The following is extracted from Bonatti's [Liber Astronomiae] Tractatus Secundus, Part Three: On the Being of the Accidental Circle. Chapter V : On the Significations of the Twelve Houses. Reference may be made to the [Liber Astronomiae], translated by Robert Zoller, New Library Electronic Edition, 2000 , Revised.
In reading Bonatti the following definitions are helpful:
"It ought to be seen how the lord of any nativity or question regards the lord of the sixth house, namely whether it is joined to it by trine or by sextile aspect, or bodily with mutual or perfect reception. If it were so the native or querent will have fortune in all the things or from all the things which are signified by the sixth house. "
"But if they should aspect each other by the aforesaid aspects without a reception, there will not be great fortunes for him from those things, although there may be some kind {of benefit} for him from them. But if they aspect each other by a square aspect, or by an opposition, without reception, it will be evil for him in all and from all the aforesaid."
"But if it is with reception the evil will be less. But if the lord of the first should receive the lord of the sixth, and the lord of the sixth does not receive him, it will be better for the slaves from him than for him from them. Indeed, they will be infidels and frauds with respect to him. But if the lord of the sixth should receive the lord of the first, and the lord of the first does not receive the lord of the sixth, it will be better for him from them than for them from him. Indeed he does not like them, nor does he treat them well, though they benefit him and though they stand by him as faithful servants and faithfully transact all his businesses."
Concluding Remarks
The above seems to indicate that the authors of these texts believed that the horoscope was an accurate portrait of the social standing of the native and that there was an intimate relationship between the astrological moment in time s/he was born and his/her station in life.
The question though is: Did they believe there was a connection between the horoscope and his soul or being? An affirmative answer would indicate a threefold link: soul-horoscope-social station.
They certainly seem to have felt that unafflicted lights, angular and dignified meant power and social standing - in short, nobility.
Introduction
The purpose of this paper is to aid the astrological researcher who wishes to investigate slavery or bondage in the modern natal horoscope.
It draws upon the [Liber Hermetis] Mathesis and [Liber Astronomiae] contrasting the given rules so that the student may discover their practical application in the modern context.
Liber Hermetis and Slavery
Reference should be made to the [Liber Hermetis], translated by Robert Zoller, New Library Electronic Edition, 2000, Revised.
The [Liber Hermetis] has many references to slaves. Indeed the picture of the world described in the work is that of a slave society. In which the privileged individuals of the upper classes were few in number and there was much work to be done. Thus, slaves were used in considerable number and in a broad range of skills.
Slaves were drawn from the lower end of society — indeed many are described as having been born into slavery. Some were freed later. Others never achieved freedom. Many foreign born people were enslaved. Slaves did all kinds of work from farming to political bureaucracy.
In this society there are household slaves (famulus and familarius, ancillus and ancilla). There are dispensatores, household managers, superintendents or stewards who might even be in charge of the imperial treasury. These were usually the most trustworthy slaves. There were procuratores, agents or overseers similar to the dispensatores and villici. The latter, villicus, was a manager of a country estate or farm. The word implies, "belonging to a country estate". The overseer too might also be a slave.
Throughout the Liber Hermetis we read that if the Sun and/or Moon is poorly placed by not being in honour of dignity or exaltation or by being dominated by the malefics (e.g. the malefic is angular and the Moon is not), or by being unsupported by the rulers of its triplicity, posited in the terms of a malefic, then the parent signified by the luminary in question is unfortunate, low-born, base, foreign-born or a slave. Should however, the luminaries be in the terms of benefics then the parents are noble. Should the luminaries be in the terms of benefics but be afflicted by the malefics, the parents are noble but forced to do ignoble work - so too the native: s/he is noble but afflicted. Should the lights be badly placed in terms of infortunes, and afflicted, biothanatus (violent death) results.
An example is found in the Liber Hermetis Chapter XXVI:
The Sun in the Ascendant, not made unfortunate in a diurnal nativity, especially in its own house or triplicity or exaltation, shows the noble birth of the father and that he was born in his own country and glorified with riches and possessions. Many kings have been made cosmocrators, i.e. those holding the world, or regents, but some are made dukes or presidents. But if Mars shall be present or attain the Medium Coeli or be in the opposition of it or in the west and aspect {the Ascendant}, they will hold {their} kingdoms or {their} populations with envies and conflicts and dangers. But if the Sun were in Libra in the Ascendant or in some other sign alien to him in no way does it signify the noble birth of the father, nor does his fortune have beauty of this kind, but minor good things do happen.
But at night, the Sun being in the Ascendant, shows that the native is of a poor father, either ignoble or one expelled {from his homeland}, or a slave or that he destroys his paternal house, but sometimes {it shows} the orphandom of the father and it makes the life of the native laborious and without glory. Especially if an evil {planet} should aspect from an angle, it makes the evil double and the father dies before the native and it makes the signification regarding his offspring sorrows and deaths.
In Liber Hermetis Chapter XVI : Concerning the Consideration of the Figure, we gather that the terms and their lords show the baseness or high-born status of the parents when the luminaries term rulers are benefic or malefic:
"If the Sun were in the terms of Saturn or Mars or were unfortunate, you will say that the father is either a slave or base born. However, if the malevolent {planets} should aspect or oppose, they signify great dangers."
"Understand the same configurations when considering the Moon for the Mother. If the Moon were in the terms of a benevolent {planet} and in {houses} cadent from the angles and on the ecliptic with the Nodes especially with the Tail {of the Dragon} and aspected by the malevolent {planets}, it indicates that the mother is noble, but doing servile work and having a vile life on account of poverty."
"The Moon in the angle of the earth shows the mother's illness. If it were aspected by the malevolent {planets}, it makes one ignoble and soon orphaned from the mother. If the Moon were in the terms of Saturn or Mars, but the Lord of the term were cadent from the angles, you will say that the mother is a slave."
"If the Sun and the Moon are in their own descensions and in the terms of the evil {planets} and aspected by the evil {planets} they are separated by death. But if the benevolent {planets} and they are in the terms of the good {planets}, they are separated while living."
In Liber Hermetis Chapter XXVI:
"The Moon and Saturn in the Ascendant or in the Medium Coeli shows that the native is from a mother {who is} a hand-maid or a lowly woman or a woman who has been injured or {it shows} the orphanhood of the mother and they destroy the belongings of the parents. "
"The native himself is the first-born or the first nourished and is shown to be their first son. It signifies humiliations and vexations for the mother and detentions in sacred places, especially with the Moon waning worse evils happen."
" But if Mercury were in the west or in the angle of the earth, {or} in its opposite, it makes maniacs, epileptics, demoniacs or those mentally damaged. However, if Mars will be in the west with Mercury or in the Medium Coeli or in the angle of the earth, it makes worse evils and biothanati happen. If however, Jupiter aspects, it makes indeed stupefied {natives}, but those having their intellect, at one time {doing} mindless things but at another time effeminacies in the baths."
Firmicus Maternus on Slavery
The following comes from Firmicus Maternus's Mathesis, translated by Bram, Noyes Press, Park Ridge New Jersey, 1975, Liber Septimus p 238-240.
- If Mars or Saturn are opposed to the Moon, or one is in opposition and the other is square a slave will be born, especially if the Moon is on Imum Coeli or Descendant}. But if Jupiter is in favourable aspect, the slave will be freed.
- If the Sun and Mercury are in conjunction on the Medium Coeli and a malefic is opposed to the Moon located in Cacodaemon, the native will be given to a slave woman. But if Jupiter is in favourable aspect, he will be given to a free woman. If the Part of Fortune is in the sign of a malefic with Mars, the chart is that of a slave.
- If Mars in a morning rising is found in a sign of a malefic together with Saturn, the slave who is born will be unfortunate. Also, if the Part of Fortune is in Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, Aquarius, or Gemini and Mars is in the same sign, this will make slaves.
- But if the ruler of the sign is found in the same sign with Mars, or any benefic is so found, those born slaves will be freed.
- If the Sun and Moon are found on angles, and Mars and Saturn are either with them on the angles or in aspect from other angles, and no benefic planet is on any angle, a slave will be born. But if the Moon is on the Imum Coeli or Descendant with Saturn square to her or Mars in aspect to both, either in square or in opposition, this will make slaves.
- If Saturn is in aspect to the Moon in conjunction with Saturn {sic} and the Moon is on an angle, this will produce slaves; if no benefic is in aspect to that conjunction, the result will be wretched and hard working slaves.
- If Mars and Saturn are in opposition to the Moon with no benefic in aspect to her, and the Moon is not in the same sign with a benefic, this will make slaves who are separated from their parents. If the Moon is on the Imum Coeli and Mars has any aspect to the Moon, slaves are born.
- If the Sun and Moon are found in the twelfth house or sixth and Saturn is in any aspect to them, and no benefics are in aspect to the Sun and Moon, this will make slaves. But if the Moon is found on the Imum Coeli and Saturn with her, but Mars in opposition or square to them, this will make slaves.
- But if the Sun is in the twelfth house and the Moon is on the anafora {or, angle} of the Ascendant, with no benefic planet on the angles, slaves are born. If the Sun is in the twelfth house and the Moon is in the eighth, with no benefic in aspect, this will also produce slaves.
- If the Moon in a nocturnal chart is on the Medium Coeli, the Sun in the sixth house, and the rulers of both houses in the eighth house, this will make slaves.
- If the rulers of the houses in which the Sun and the Moon are found are either on the Ascendant or on the Medium Coeli, with the other planets located as we said, a slave will be found but at an early age will be freed. But if the rulers are located on the Ascendant, the Medium Coeli, Imum Coeli, or Descendant or in the fifth or eleventh house, the slave will be freed later in life.
- If the Sun is on the Imum Coeli, the Moon in the sixth house, Jupiter on the Medium Coeli, and Venus in unfavourable aspect to Mars or Saturn, or if they are located in dejected houses, the natives born in slavery will be freed. If the Sun and Moon are in the sixth house and the other planets are on the Medium Coeli, the natives will be transferred from slavery to freedom.
- If the Moon is in the sixth house and Mars in a higher degree in the sky in square aspect to the Moon; and the rulers of the signs in which the Sun and Moon are located are in the third house; but Saturn is located exactly on the Ascendant, this will make slaves who will remain so to the last day of life.
- If the Moon is found on the Imum Coeli, the Sun and Mars on the Descendant, Saturn and Jupiter in the sixth or eighth house, this will produce unfortunate, hardworking slaves always oppressed by the burden of slavery. If Jupiter is with the Sun in the Sixth, the Moon with Mars on the Descendant, Venus on the Imum Coeli, and Saturn in the third house, slaves will be born.
- If Saturn is in the twelfth house, Mars on the anafora of the Ascendant, the Moon on the Ascendant, Jupiter in the eighth house, and the Sun in the third, slaves will be born. If Mars is in his debility and the waning Moon is moving towards him, Saturn is in the third house, and the Sun on the Imum Coeli, but benefics are in the sixth house, the slaves who are born will be unfortunate.
- If the waning Moon is in her debility in the seventh house with Saturn, Mars in the sixth house, and the Sun in the third, slaves will be born. But if a malefic planet is found with the Sun or on the Imum Coeli, the benefic planets are in their debility, and also the waning Moon, this will make slaves who are sickly.
- If all these are located as we said, but the Moon is with Mars in the twelfth house and Saturn on the Imum Coeli , the slaves will be born mad. But if the Sun is found with Mars or Saturn on the anafora of the Ascendant, the Moon in the twelfth house, Saturn on the IC, and benefic planets in the third house, the natives will be unfortunate slaves. But if all these are located as we have described and Jupiter is on the Medium Coeli, after many years of slavery they will be freed.
- If all the benefic planets are found in the sixth house, but the malefic planets are in the eighth or ninth, and the Moon is in the third, slaves will be born who are wretched, retarded and short-lived.
The following is extracted from Bonatti's [Liber Astronomiae] Tractatus Secundus, Part Three: On the Being of the Accidental Circle. Chapter V : On the Significations of the Twelve Houses. Reference may be made to the [Liber Astronomiae], translated by Robert Zoller, New Library Electronic Edition, 2000 , Revised.
In reading Bonatti the following definitions are helpful:
- famulus = familiar servants = familaris
- familiaris = a servant which belongs to the household
- famulatrix = a female household servent- a hand maid
- servus = a servent or slave in the generic sense
- ancilla = hand maid
- vernaculi = slaves differ in condition from vernaculi, for slaves are below the native in servitude {while} vernaculi are without servitude and are in the family.
"It ought to be seen how the lord of any nativity or question regards the lord of the sixth house, namely whether it is joined to it by trine or by sextile aspect, or bodily with mutual or perfect reception. If it were so the native or querent will have fortune in all the things or from all the things which are signified by the sixth house. "
"But if they should aspect each other by the aforesaid aspects without a reception, there will not be great fortunes for him from those things, although there may be some kind {of benefit} for him from them. But if they aspect each other by a square aspect, or by an opposition, without reception, it will be evil for him in all and from all the aforesaid."
"But if it is with reception the evil will be less. But if the lord of the first should receive the lord of the sixth, and the lord of the sixth does not receive him, it will be better for the slaves from him than for him from them. Indeed, they will be infidels and frauds with respect to him. But if the lord of the sixth should receive the lord of the first, and the lord of the first does not receive the lord of the sixth, it will be better for him from them than for them from him. Indeed he does not like them, nor does he treat them well, though they benefit him and though they stand by him as faithful servants and faithfully transact all his businesses."
Concluding Remarks
The above seems to indicate that the authors of these texts believed that the horoscope was an accurate portrait of the social standing of the native and that there was an intimate relationship between the astrological moment in time s/he was born and his/her station in life.
The question though is: Did they believe there was a connection between the horoscope and his soul or being? An affirmative answer would indicate a threefold link: soul-horoscope-social station.
They certainly seem to have felt that unafflicted lights, angular and dignified meant power and social standing - in short, nobility.