The Terms (according to Ptolemy)
Ptolemy's own terms, which he thought fairer than the Egyptians'.
[p. 51] In arranging the order in which the planets take their terms in each sign, their exaltations, triplicities, and houses, are taken into consideration; and whatever planet, whether benefic or malefic, may possess two rights of dominion in one and the same sign, such planet is universally placed first in order in that sign. In other cases, however, where it does not happen that a malefic possesses two rights of dominion in the sign, it is always placed last.
The lord of the exaltation is placed first; then the lord of the triplicity; and then the lord of the house; in regular succession, according to the series of the signs: but it must again be remembered that any planet, having two rights of dominion in the same sign, takes precedence, as before mentioned, of those having only one. In Cancer and Leo, however, the malefics occupy the first degrees; as those signs are the houses of the Moon and the Sun, which take no terms; and the malefics being found to have greater potency in those signs therefore take precedence in them. Mars, consequently, receives the first degrees in Cancer, and Saturn in Leo, by which arrangement a proper order is preserved*.
[p. 52] The respective quantities of degrees for the several terms is thus determined: viz. when there is no planet found to be lord by two rights in the same sign, or in the two signs next following, each of the benefics, Jupiter and Venus, takes seven degrees; the malefics, Saturn and Mars, take five degrees each; and Mercury, being of common influence, takes six degrees; thus completing the whole thirty. Since, however, there are some cases in which a planet has always a double right—(for Venus obtains the sole government of Taurus and Pisces, as the Moon does not share in the terms)—it is to be observed that when such double right, (whether it exist in the same sign or in the signs next following as far as may complete a quadrant,) may be possessed by any planet, that planet receives in addition one degree. The planets thus entitled were distinguished by points in the antient writing above mentioned. And the degree, added to the quantity of the planet which exercises a double right, is subtracted from those of single right; most generally from Saturn and Jupiter, in consequence of their slower motion.
These terms are detailed in the following table:—
[p. 53] A figure or table stood here (Table of the terms according to Ptolemy: for each of the twelve signs, the planets in order with their degrees and running totals to 30 (some cells print two figures); too garbled in both scans to rebuild). It did not survive the scan, so it is not reprinted.
The notes
* The cause of this disposition is that Cancer, the house of the Moon, partakes of moisture, and counteracts Mars’s dryness; while Leo, the Sun’s house, is hot, and counteracts Saturn’s cold.—Vide Chap. iv, and conclusion of Chap. vii of this Book.
It may further be observed, that Jupiter’s right, by triplicity, to the first degrees in Leo, is of course surrendered to Saturn, on the principle that the malefics have greater potency in the houses of the luminaries. (Ashmand’s note, 1822)
Old words on this page
- triplicity
- one of the four groups of three signs: fire, earth, air and water.
- viz
- short for videlicet, Latin for "namely".
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The text is J. M. Ashmand's 1822 translation, checked word by word between two scans of the 1822 printing (Wellcome Library and Harvard). Pages are cited as the 1822 printing numbers them. The portrait is William Marshall’s engraving of Lilly from the front of the 1659 printing (Wellcome Library, public domain).