Myths and Marvels of Astronomy
of Venus hath,' quoth he, 'a love-dimple in the chin, a lovely mouth,
cherry lips, and a right merry countenance.' In character the native of
Venus is merry 'to a fault,' but of temper engaging, sweet and cheerful,
unless she be ill aspected, when her native is apt to be too fond of
pleasure and amusement. That her influence is good is shown (in the
opinion of Raphael, writing in 1828) by the character of George IV.,
'our present beloved monarch and most gracious majesty, who was born
just as this benevolent star' was in the ascendant; 'for it is well
known to all Europe what a refined and polished genius, and what
exquisite taste, the King of England possesses, which therefore may be
cited as a most illustrious proof of the celestial science; a proof
likewise which is palpably demonstrable, even to the most casual
observer, since the time of his nativity is taken from the public
journals of the period, and cannot be gainsaid.' 'This illustrious and
regal horoscope is replete with wonderful verifications of planetary
influence, and England cannot but prosper while she is blessed with the
mild and beneficent sway of this potent monarch.' Strengthened in faith
by this convincing proof of the celestial science, we proceed to notice
that Venus is the protectrice of musicians, embroiderers, perfumers,
classic modellers, and all who work in elegant attire or administer to
the luxuries of the great; but when she is afflicted, she represents
'the lower orders of the votaries of voluptuousness.'
Mercury is considered by astrologers 'a cold, dry, melancholy star.' The
Mercurial is neither dark nor fair, but between both, long-faced, with
high forehead and thin sharp nose, 'thin beard (many times none at all),
slender of body, and with small weak eyes;' long slender hands and
fingers are 'especial marks of Mercury,' says Raphael. In character the
Mercurial is busy and prattling. But when well affected, Mercury gives
his subjects a strong, vigorous, active mind, searching and exhaustive,
a retentive memory, a natural thirst for knowledge.[13] The persons
signified by Mercury are astrologers, philosophers, mathematicians,
politicians, merchants, travellers, teachers, poets, artificers, men of
science, and all ingenious, clever men. When he is ill affected,
however, he represents pettifoggers, cunning vile persons, thieves,
messengers, footmen, and servants, etc.
The moon comes last in planetary sequence, as nearest to the earth. She
is regarded by astrologers as a cold, moist, watery, phlegmatic planet,
variable to an extreme, and, like the sun, partaking of good or evil
according as she is aspected favourably or the reverse. Her natives are
of good stature, fair, and pale, moon-faced, with grey eyes, short arms,
thick hands and feet, smooth, corpulent and phlegmatic body. When she is
in watery signs, the native has freckles on the face, or, says Lilly,
'he or she is blub-cheeked, not a handsome body, but a muddling
creature.' Unless the moon is very well aspected, she ever signifies an
ordinary vulgar person. She signifies sailors (not as Mars does, the
fighting-men of war-ships, but nautical folk generally) and all persons
connected with water or any kind of fluid; also all who are engaged in
inferior and common offices.
We may note, in passing, that to each planet a special metal is
assigned, as also particular colours. Chaucer, in the Chanones Yemannes'
Tale, succinctly describes the distribution of the metals among the
planets:--
Sol gold is, and Luna silver we threpe;
Mars iren, Mercurie silver we clepe:
Saturnus led, and Jupiter is tin,
And Venus coper, by my [the Chanones Yemannes'] faderkin.
The colours are thus assigned:--to Saturn, black; to Jupiter, mixed red
and green; to Mars, red; to the sun, yellow or yellow-purple; to Venus,
white or purple; to Mercury, azure blue; to the moon, a colour spotted
with white and other mixed colours.
Again, the planets were supposed to have special influence on the seven
ages of human life. The infant, 'mewling and puking in the nurse's
arms,' was very appropriately dedicated to the moist moon; the whining
schoolboy (did schoolboys whine in the days of good Queen Bess?) was
less appropriately assigned to Mercury, the patron of those who eagerly
seek after knowledge: then very naturally, the lover sighing like
furnace was regarded as the special favourite of Venus. Thus far the
order has been that of the seven planets of the ancient astrology, in
supposed distance. Now, however, we have to pass over the sun, finding
Mars the patron of mid life, appropriately (in this respect) presiding
over the soldier full of strange oaths, and so forth; the 'justice in
fair round belly with good capon lined' is watched over by the
respectable sun; maturer age by Jupiter; and, lastly, old age by Saturn.
Colours were also assigned to the twelve zodiacal signs--to Aries, white
and red; to Taurus, white and lemon; to Gemini, white and red (the same
as Aries); to Cancer, green or russet; to Leo, red or green; to Virgo,
black speckled with blue; to Libra, black, or dark crimson, or tawny
colour; to Scorpio, brown; to Sagittarius, yellow, or a green sanguine
(this is as strange a colour as the _gris rouge_ of Moliere's
_L'Avare_); Capricorn, black or russet, or a swarthy brown; to Aquarius,
a sky-coloured blue; to Pisces, white glistening colour (like a fish
just taken out of the water).
The chief fixed stars had various influences assigned to them by
astrologers. These influences were mostly associated with the imaginary
figures of the constellations. Thus the bright star in the head of
Aries, called by some the Ram's Horn, was regarded as dangerous and
evil, denoting bodily hurts. The star Menkar in the Whale's jaw denoted
sickness, disgrace, and ill-fortune, with danger from great beasts.
Betelgeux, the bright star on Orion's right shoulder, denoted martial
honours or wealth; Bellatrix, the star on Orion's left shoulder, denoted
military or civic honours; Rigel, on Orion's left foot, denoted honours;
Sirius and Procyon, the greater and lesser Dog Stars, both implied
wealth and renown. Star clusters seem to have portended loss of sight;
at least we learn that the Pleiades were 'eminent stars,' but denoting
accidents to the sight or blindness, while the cluster Praesepe or the
Beehive in like manner threatened blindness. The cluster in Perseus does
not seem to have been noticed by astrologers. The variable star Algol or
Caput Medusae, which marks the head of Gorgon, was accounted 'the most
unfortunate, violent, and dangerous star in the heavens.' It is
tolerably clear that the variable character of this star had been
detected long before Montanari (to whom the discovery is commonly
attributed) noticed the phenomenon. The name Algol is only a variation
of Al-ghul, the monster or demon, and it cannot be doubted that the
demoniac, Gorgonian character assigned to this star was suggested by its
ominous change, as though it were the eye of some fierce monster slowly
winking amid the gloom of space. The two stars called the Aselli, which
lie on either side of the cluster Praesepe, 'are said' (by astrologers)
'to be of a burning nature, and to give great indications of a violent
death, or of violent and severe accidents by fire.' The star called Cor
Hydrae, or the serpent's heart, denotes trouble through women (said I not
rightly that Astrology was a masculine science?); the Lion's heart,
Regulus, implied glory and riches; Deneb, the Lion's tail, misfortune
and disgrace. The southern scale of Libra meant bad fortune, while the
northern was eminently fortunate.
Astrology was divided into three distinct branches--the doctrine of
nativities, horary astrology, and state astrology. The first assigned
the rules for determining the general fortunes of the native, by drawing
up his scheme of nativity or casting his horoscope. It took into account
the positions of the various planets, signs, stars, etc., at the time of
the native's birth; and as the astrologer could calculate the movements
of the planets thereafter, he could find when those planets which were
observed by the horoscope to be most closely associated with the
native's fortunes would be well aspected or the reverse. Thus the
auspicious and unlucky epochs of the native's life could be
predetermined. The astrologer also claimed some degree of power to rule
the planets, not by modifying their movements in any way, but by
indicating in what way the ill effects portended by their positions
could be prevented. The Arabian and Persian astrologers, having less
skill than the followers of Ptolemy, made use of a different method of
determining the fortunes of men, not calculating the positions of the
planets for many years following the birth of the native, but assigning
to every day after his birth a whole year of his life and for every two
hours' motion of the moon one month. Thus the positions of the stars and
planets, twenty-one days after the birth of the native, would indicate
the events corresponding to the time when he would have completed his
twenty-first year. There was another system called the Placidian, in
which the effects of the positions of the planets were judged with sole
reference to the motion of the earth upon her axis. It is satisfactory
to find astrologers in harmony amongst each other as to these various
methods, which one would have supposed likely to give entirely different
results. 'Each of them,' says a modern astrologer, 'is not only correct
and approved by long-tried practice, but may be said to defy the least
contradiction from those who will but take the pains to examine them
(and no one else should deliver an opinion upon the subject). Although
each of the above methods are different, yet they by no means contradict
each other, but each leads to _true results_, and in many instances they
each lead to the foreknowledge of the same event; in which respect they
may be compared to the ascent of a mountain by different paths, where,
although some paths are longer and more difficult than others, they
notwithstanding all lead to the same object.' All which, though
plausible in tone labours under the disadvantage of being untrue.
Ptolemy is careful to point out, in his celebrated work the
'Tetrabiblos,' that, of all events whatsoever which take place after
birth, the most essential is the continuance of life. 'It is useless,'
he says, 'to consider what events might happen to the native in later
years if his life does not extend, for instance, beyond one year. So
that the enquiry into the duration of life takes precedence of all
others.' In order to deal properly with this question, it is necessary
to determine what planet shall be regarded as the Hyleg, Apheta, or Lord
of Life, for the native. Next the Anareta, or Destroyer of Life, must be
ascertained. The Anaretic planets are, by nature, Saturn, Mars, and
Uranus, though the sun, moon, and Mercury may be endowed with the same
fatal influence, if suitably afflicted. The various ways in which the
Hyleg, or Giver of Life, may be afflicted by the Anareta, correspond to
the various modes of death. But astrologers have always been singularly
careful, in casting horoscopes, to avoid definite reference to the
native's death. There are but few cases where the actual day of death is
said to have been assigned. One is related in Clarendon's 'History of
the Rebellion.' He tells us that William Earl of Pembroke died at the
age of fifty, on the day upon which his tutor Sandford had predicted his
decease. Burton, the author of the 'Anatomy of Melancholy,' having cast
his own horoscope, and ascertained that he was to die on January 23,
1639, is said to have committed suicide in order that the accuracy of