Tag Archives: Peter of Abano

astrology, Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy

Which House Is Next To Which?

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In astrology, the contiguity of the houses is obvious, since the houses are usually arranged either in a square or in a circle, but always forming a loop. Thus, we have that the Ascendant is always squished between the second house and the twelfth; that it always opposes the seventh, and, if we go by whole sign houses, that it has fixed relationships with all the others (inconjunct, sextile, square or trine).

This is not the case in Geomancy, where the relationship between houses is controversial, at least nowadays. First off, it is not pacific that the houses of the Shield represent astrological houses, unless we operate an equivalence with astrology, as was done at least since Geomancy reached Europe.

Those coming to Geomancy through Michael Greer, as I did, are probably used seeing the geomantic houses as equivalent to astrological houses: once the Shield is turned into a square chart, the houses follow the same astrological pattern as in an astrological chart. Those coming to Geomancy through the Golden Dawn, though using a different way of assigning the mothers to the houses (the one popularized by Agrippa), still end up dealing with a 1:1 replica of an astrological chart.

However, the idea that the Shield chart and the astrological chart are separate ways of doing Geomancy seems to be relatively new. In most old books, only the Shield is shown, and even when the astrological format is followed, this is done more to show some of the similarities with astrology.

Secondly, which house is next to which is not always clear, and sometimes varies by author. In some sources it seems that only houses that are in company are considered to be next to each other: first and second, third and fourth (but not second and third), fifth and sixth (but not fourth and fifth) and so on pair by pair. This seems to follow the order in which the Shield chart is generated.

An example shield chart. App used: Simple Geomancy

In the example above, Tristitia in the first is next to Via in the second, and Tristitia in the third is next to Conjunctio in the fourth, but not to Via in the second. This is possibly because the first and second combine to form the ninth and the third and fourth combine to form the tenth, but the second and third never combine. This approach obviously restricts the possibilities of perfecting the chart, since most houses end up losing a possible spot next to them for other figures to move to.

Another approach is the one I found while translating Abano’s work. Here Abano started by saying (or rather, implying) that the twelfth house is not next to the first. Initially, I thought this was because he was following the arrangement for the company of houses I just discussed. Yet he gives other examples where he does not follow it, for instance by implying that the eighth and ninth house are next to each other, which would contradict the company of houses (the eighth is with the seventh, the ninth with the tenth).

Then, in another one of his examples, he implies that a figure in the tenth house is next to a figure in the third. This does not make sense from an astrological standpoint, but from a sheer geomantic standpoint it does: the third house DOES border with the tenth, since it co-generates it with the fourth. This would also explain why he doesn’t consider the twelfth house to be next to the first: not because they are not in company, but because they are not close on the Shield (they are, in fact, on opposite ends of the shield).

This approach of considering the houses close on the Shield as being next to each other is certainly different from anything I’ve seen, especially in contemporary geomancy, and if it weren’t for the fact that enough readings I’ve done confirmed to me that the twelfth house CAN perfect with the first, I would find Abano’s approach extremely appealing. Unfortunately, one of my rules when dealing with divination is that practice trumps theory.

Abano goes even further, implying that the Witnesses (and possibly even the Judge) are to be treated as regular houses. This, in itself, is not unique to him, but what I find unique is that he considers the Witnesses capable of perfecting the reading, for instance if the first figure moves to the tenth and the quesited’s figure moves to the right Witness, where, by Abano’s theory, the two figures touch.

Another consequence of Abano’s approach is that not all houses are created equal: the first house, for instance, only touches with the second and the ninth, while the tenth house must be considered to be next to the ninth, eleventh, third, fourth and to the right Witness.

A possible argument, at this point, could be that this approach makes certain readings too easy (like those involving the tenth house, as I just showed). Still, we should keep in mind 1. that divination reflects reality, so a no is a no, regardless of the system 2. secondly, that Abano doesn’t always consider merely the querent and quesited. Often he considers the whole chart, and sometimes he resolves certain questions by dividing the shield into two sides (the left and the right side) and seeing which side is stronger. This is a method he has from traditional astrology, where questions of contest or war are often decided in such manner.

Ultimately, which approach we choose depends on what works, which means that the only way is to try, record and compare with what actually ends up happening.

MQS

Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy, Occultism and Esoterism

Introduction to Abano’s Geomancy – Who Was He?

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The modern mind is used to neat distinctions and a more or less monolithic theoretical scaffolding where everything finds its little place. To our sensibility, what belongs to natural science does not belong to literature or art, let alone to astrology or occultism. Though some eccentrics try to straddle the gorge, within the current worldview they must remain what they are: eccentrics. This is largely a consequence of the evolution of science away from the mother root of philosophy and the triumph of the technical-scientific worldview. It is neither a good process nor a bad one: it is what it is, but it hasn’t always been this way.

Pietro d’Abano, who lived between the XIII and XIV century, was, like many of his time, an encyclopedic learner. This was certainly easier back then, when owning a couple of dozens books was considered a marvel and the hyperspecialization typical of our contemporary organization of knowledge hadn’t yet taken place.

The extent of Abano’s involvement in occult practices is not clear. The famous grimoire Heptameron (Book of the Seven Days) is traditionally attributed to him, though it is, in actual fact, an anonymous work. What we do know is that his knowledge of languages allowed him to study many authors (like the Averroes or Ibn Ezra) who had considerable influence on the later development of magical theory, though this influence is still little understood by contemporary occultists.

We also know that he taught a number of subjects ranging from medicine to astrology, and that he was a very adept astrologer. This is not a unicum in the history of science. Astrology was one of the few forms of divination that was, if not tolerated, at least not as consistently persecuted as other branches of occultism in the Middle Ages, largely due to the fact that a reasonable argument could be made that the astrological influence of the planets was a natural consequence of how the cosmos was believed to work according to the Platonic-Aristotelean view accepted by the Church. It was simply not always practical to distinguish astrology as astronomy from astrology as divination, though attempts were made.

Finally, Abano is the subject of a number of urban legends. For instance, he was brought before the inquisition twice, largely due to his immense erudition. Once he was acquitted, the second time he was condemned. Unfortunately, he died in custody before the sentence had been pronounced, so the tribunal ordered his body exhumed and burned. But they dug up an empty grave, since a friend of the philosopher had gotten to his body first. This fact alone was enough to cement in people’s mind the image of Abano as an ominous magus and necromancer whose body was capable of disappearing from the grave.

As for the present book on Geomancy, it is not a stretch to think that someone as versed in astrology as Abano should be interested in this form of divination, which, at least in Europe at the time, was reduced as much as possible to astrological principles. The treatise is divided into four books: in the first, Abano explains the principles and astrological correspondences of geomancy; in the second, he discusses the meanings of the various houses and the principles of geomantic perfection; in the third, he gives examples of the meanings of the figures in the houses; in the fourth, he talks about the good or bad fortune of the figures depending on which figures they derive from.

What makes this book an interesting read for any student of geomancy is that it confronts us with a way of reading the Geomantic Shield that is not typical of how geomancy has been rationalized in the late XX and early XXI centuries. This is in itself worthy of consideration, especially because it proves beyond doubt that the distinction between Shield Chart and Astrological Chart is artificial and only serves to complicate matters. Furthermore, Abano’s interpretation of the figures affords us a rare glance in the workings of the mind of an adept of geomancy, by whose example we can derive solid principles for interpreting our divinations. Abano’s examples are therefore not meant to be taken as the last word, but as a contribution to our study of the interrelation of the Geomantic figures.

MQS

Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy

The Geomancy of Peter of Abano – Book IV Pt. 4

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Abano discusses the various meanings of Tristitia, Laetitia, Puer and Puella as they derive from other figures.

Laetitia

When from Populus and Laetitia, it means luck, gain, especially in large [or great] things.
When from Acquisitio and Puer it means gain, merriment, especially in changeable things.
When from Amissio and Albus it means luck, but with mediocre gain.
When from Major and Puella it means fixity, gain and good luck.

When from Minor and Rubeus it means mediocre gain or honor or good luck.
When from Via and Caput it means gain, honor, positive change.
When from Cauda and Conjunctio it means misfortune, evil, but incapable of doing all it wants.1
When from Tristitia and Carcer it means mifortune, difficulties and problems.

Tristitia

When from Populus and Tristitia it means misfortune, danger, evil.
When from Acquisitio and Rubeus it means fixity and misfortune, except in in things lascivous or feminine.
When from Major and Albus it means luck, gain and honor with firmness.2
When from Minor and Puer it means better3 luck in every question.

When from Caput and Conjunctio it means great fortune, gain and stability.
When from Via and Cauda it means mediocre luck, difficulties, problems.
When from Laetitia and Carcer it means a good deal of luck, but with more problems than positive things.4

Puella

When from Populus and Puella it means infirmity, lascivousness, luck, gain.
When from Acquisitio and Cauda it means mobility, mediocre luck.
When from Amissio and Tristitia it means good luck after much toiling and difficulties, gain in venereal5 things.

When from Via and Rubeus it means misfortune and anger, rumors, change, damage.
When from Albus and Carcer it means gain, good luck, firmness.
When from Conjunctio and Puer it means fortune in everything, luck.

Puer

When from Populus and Puer it means gain, good luck, change.
When from Acquisitio and Laetitia it means gain, honor, mirth, goodness in everything.
When from Amissio and Caput it means good luck, bood in easy things and in seeking pleasure.

When from Major and Cauda it means unfortunate change, damage.
When from Via and Albus it means useful variety,6 fortune, good change.
When from Carcer and Rubeus it means major misfortune in everything, loss.
When from Minor and Tristitia it means fortune, some kind of gain, strife.

THE END

MQS

Footnotes
  1. It is not clear wheter Abano means that the person won’t be able to do all he or she wants, or whether the evil signified by this combination is not all-pervasive. ↩︎
  2. In this case, it seems that Tristitia’s role is to solidify the good fortune signified by the two figures it comes from. ↩︎
  3. ‘migliore’ means ‘better’, but it’s unclear better than what. ↩︎
  4. These two meanings might be hard to harmonize, though maybe not impossible. ↩︎
  5. That is, in things ruled by Venus. ↩︎
  6. It is not always clear what Abano means when he talks about variety, firmness, changeable things, etc. ↩︎
Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy

The Geomancy of Peter of Abano – Book IV Pt. 2

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Abano discusses the various meanings of Via, Populus, Caput and Cauda when deriving from various figures.

Via

From Via and Populus, its meaning is weakened, but quickened.1
From Acquisitio and Amissio its efficacy is mediocre in every question.
From Major and Minor it means good luck, but it is still mediocre.
From Laetitia and Caput, it means good luck and success.

From Tristitia and Cauda it means misfortune in the question at hand, and it is very strong in its malice.
From Albus and Puer it is mediocre good luck.
From Rubeus and Puella it shows a mix of good and bad, but it brings about the thing quesited.
From Conjunctio and Carcer it means good luck, stability and firmness in all one asks about.

Populus

From Populus and Populus it means stability, getting one’s wish, copious amounts.
From Acquisitio and Acquisitio it means great good luck, great acquisition of what one wishes, usefulness.
From Amissio and Amissio it shows good luck, and being venereal and lascivious.
From Major and Major it means fortune, stability, great gain, honor.
From Minor and Minor it means mediocre good fortune.
From Via and Via it means weakness in the thing enquired about.
From Caput and Caput it means good luck, usefulness.
From Cauda and Cauda, it means great misfortune.

From Albus and Albus it means good effect, good outcome especially in watery things and womanly or white things.
From Rubeus and Ruveus it means excessive evil, war, loss of blood.
From Laetitia and Laetitia it means good luck, happiness, honor, easily getting what one wants.
From Tristitia and Tristitia it means great misfortune, long lengths of time, difficulties and problems, enmities.
From Conjunctio and Conjunctio it means good luck, getting one’s wish, good for marriage and partnerships.
From Carcer and Carcer it means great good luck in everything, melancholy and difficulties, anger, discord, infirmity, prison.
From Puella and Puella it means good luck and fortune, firmness, usefulness, getting one’s wish.
From Puer and Puer it means war, fighting, discord, good for merchandise, mediocre gain, good for marriage.2

Caput

From Populus and Caput it means great firmness, good outcome.
From Acquisitio and Albus it means great good luck, getting one’s wish.
From Amissio and Puer it means misfortune, loss, difficulties.
From Major and Rubeus great good luck, mediocre gain or honor, good fortune.
From Tristitia and Conjunctio it means good luck and gain, but with delay and difficulties.
From Cauda and Carcer it means misfortune and tragedy.

Cauda

From Populus and Cauda it means misfortune, long illness, difficulties, weakness in getting one’s wish.
From Acquisitio and Puella it means good fortune, firmness, usefulness in mobile things.3
From Amissio and Rubeus it means misfortune and grave danger.
From Major and Puer, it means misfortune under the guise of gain.

From Via and Tristitia it means misfortune in getting what one wishes, and long-lasting difficulties.
From Caput and Carcer it means mediocrity, good for virtue and honorable things, otherwise loss.
From Laetitia and Conjunctio it means mediocre fortune, but gain from merchandise.
From Albus and Minor, it means good luck and freedom from difficulties, but mediocre gain.4

MQS

Footnotes
  1. One of the reasons this Book IV is interesting is that it affords us a look into how old geomancers derived meanings from the interaction of figures. Unfortunately Abano’s process is not always clear. Furthermore, it is not clear whether Abano means what I have written (namely, Via’s meaning is weakened but quickened) or if he is saying that Via’s meaning is weakened more than any other figure. I have chosen my interpretation based on this logical argument: that Populus tends to accentuate the meaning of the figure it interacts with, and Via is weak and quick, so in interacting with Populus it would become weaker and quicker. ↩︎
  2. Generally speaking, it seems the effect of Populus is that of accentuating the meaning of the figures it comes from (‘lots of…’). However, some interpretations are not clear, for instance Carcer and Carcer meaning great good luck. Note also that Populus is the only figure that Abano explains in full, giving all possible combinations. ↩︎
  3. It seems here that the two positive figures rub off on the otherwise foreboding Cauda. ↩︎
  4. Again, the two positive figures it comes from seem to bring out the best in Cauda, according to Abano. ↩︎
Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy

The Geomancy of Peter of Abano – Book IV Pt. 1

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Here Abano begins a discussion of how the genesis of each of the figures from other two figures can modify their meaning.

Since one is not only supposed to consider the springing of the figures from one place to the other, but also their origin and generation one from the other,1 an esposition of of the meanings of each of the figure depending on the figures it is born from is in order, without forgetting the inherent meaning of the figure, as well as that of the querent’s and quesited’s, and those figures in the angles, and those conjoined to them.

Acquisitio

From Populus and Acquisitio: recovering one’s losses or recovery from damage; gain, profitable journey.
From Amissio and Via: dishonorable journey, but useful, recovering something lost.
From Fortuna Major and Conjunctio: good luck, mediocre gain, and [it is positive for] the thing asked.
From Fortuna Minor and Carcer: love between husband and wife,2 and [it is good for] the thing asked.
From Puella and Cauda Draconis: gain, usefulness in things of merchandise, and gain from difficulties.

From Puer and Laetitia: gain from minerals, gain from merchandise.
From Tristitia and Rubeus: fortitude, stability in everything, good outcome, victory, loss of merchandise.
From Conjunctio and Fortuna Major: good luck, mediocre gain.
From Carcer and Fortuna Minor: usefulness; kings and lords, noble people.
From Albus and Caput Draconis: good luck in material things, loss of objects.

Amissio

From Populus and Amissio: loss, trouble, good luck for the ill and the imprisoned, good for traveling.
From Acquisitio and Via: damage, trouble, loss, the lost or stolen thing is not found, vain friends or servants.
From Carcer and Fortuna Major: trouble, problems, little gain.
From Caput Draconis and Puer: good luck in things connected with women; in other questions, gaining what one wants results in damage.
From Rubeus and Cauda Draconis: misfortune [or accident], injury, fear, fighting, trouble, damage, illness.

From Conjunctio and Fortuna Minor: loss of animals, lots of trouble, desperation for the thing lost.
From Albus and Laetitia: freedom from illness or prison, the absent party will come back, white clothes, mobile things, quick ending.
From Puella and Tristitia: poverty, vile things, trouble due to secrets, desperation, mirth, luck in debauched things.
From Fortuna Major and Carcer: recovering the lost or stolen thing.3

Fortuna Maior

From Populus and Fortuna Maior: luck in everything, getting what one wishes to get, but with delay.
From Carcer and Amissio: being very lucky and obtaining what one wants, but with difficulties.
From Albus and Tristitia: it means good news, messenger, usefulness, dignity, good salary [remuneration].
From Caput Draconis and Rubeus: great accident or misfortune, hanging, health problems, violent death.

From Amissio and Carcer: accident, problems, prison, good ending but with difficulties.
From Fortuna Minor and Via: fighting, good news, quick dispatch, honorable journeys.
From Acquisitio and Conjunctio: good fortune, prosperity, getting one’s wish.
From Puer and Cauda: good fortune, tranquillity after much trouble, getting one’s wish with much delay.
From Puella and Laetitia: mediocrity in everything, good things.

Fortuna Minor

From Populus and Fortuna Minor: its meaning has more virtue in good as in bad depending on the question.
From Acquisitio and Carcer: stability, certainty, mediocre fortune.
From Amissio and Conjunctio: good but mediocre fortune, especially in mobile things, less in stable things.
From Fortuna Major and Via: great virtue, great good fortune.

From Caput and Puella: good luck, especially in friendship and marriage.
From Albus and Cauda Draconi: mediocre good luck, especially in feminine things.
From Laetitia and Rubeus: very noble things, luck in mobile, outgoing things.
From Puer and Tristitia: mediocrity, but more bad and mutable than otherwise.

MQS

Footnotes
  1. This seems to imply that we must consider how the figures are generated on the shield. Whether this applies only to the Judge is not clear, though Abano seems to hint at the need to consider all figures, since he also considers those that cannot be Judge. ↩︎
  2. Admittedly, some of these explanations are hard to follow. I do not know, for instance, why this combination should indicate positive things between husband and wife. ↩︎
  3. Abano does not present all possible combinations. It is not clear whether he forgot or he thought it was enough to give some examples. Note also that some explanation almost seem contrary to reason. ↩︎
Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy

The Geomancy of Peter of Abano – Book III Pt. 9

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Here Abano talks about the meanings of Caput Draconis and Cauda Draconis in the various houses.

Caput Draconis (The Dragon’s Head or North Moon Node)

Caput Draconis in the first house means good luck, noble people, wise people, leaders, captains, honor, dignity, a prelate.1
In the second it means good success, gaining wealth or dignity or money.
In the third it means noble brothers and sisters, lucky siblings, good through them, isolated gardens2, pleasures.

In the fourth it means good for the parents, inheritance, buildings, cities, citizens, noble people, good end to an issue.
In the fifth it means science, good children, gain and help through them.
In the sixth it means good servants, faithful servants, good officials, grave infirmity, melancholic infirmity,3 long fevers.

In the seventh it means honorable women, good marriage, good company, gain from noble people or from women and thanks to them.
In the eighth it means inheritance, goods gain from the dead, usefulness through women and noble people, gain through war and by violence against life, being beheaded.4
In the ninth it means honoring God, ecclesiastical dignity, religious people, noble people, good journeys, delay in coming back but with good results, a messenger with bad news, messenger bearing news of legal issues, ingeniousness in a noble science.

In the tenth it means the king, the emperor, the lord, a magistrate, dignity, honor, good regents and orators, noble people.
In the eleventh it means noble soldiers, captains, dignity, sublimation5, succeeding one’s lord, faithfulness, valor, good luck.
In the twelfth it means noble inheritance through the mother, honorable things for [or through] women, few enemies, weak enemies, certainty, fame.

In the thirteenth it means journeys, messengers, a king, lords, usefulness, gain, honor, dignity, friendship and good recoglientia.6
In the fourteenth it means coming back from a journey with dignity and mirth and gain, letters, positive answer, honors, dignity, usefulness.
In the fifteenth it means a good end to the question and strong hope.7

Cauda Draconis (The Dragon’s Tail or South Moon Node)

Cauda draconis in the first house means evil disposition of the querent or of the quesited, fear of death, being murdered.8
In the second it means wealth gain through illicit means, theft, violence.
In the third it means iniquity against siblings and relatives, remains, retaliations, killings on the streets.

In the fourth it means loss of inheritance, evil lands, evil people, betrayals, false rumors, destruction of a city or fortress.
In the fifth it means evil children or women, loss of children, danger during childbirth, loss of blood.
In the sixth it means evil servants, runaways, grave illness, bodily fluids, killing, desperation, damage.

In the seventh it means a harlot, vile marriage, evil company, unfaithfulness, betrayal, violence, enmity.
In the eighth it means fear of death for [or through] women, rumors, freedom from prison and from illness, loss through women, being killed, loss of blood and flobotomia.9
In the ninth it means being forced on a journey, loss, danger of death, toil, changing one’s religion, evil or false religious people, evil Christians,10 evil messengers, death during a journey.

In the tenth it means an evil lord, traitors of one’s country, iniquitous judges or orators, overthrowing tyrants, loss of dignity, destruction of one’s kingdom.
In the eleventh it means wrongful succession, betrayal, violence, rebellion, death of one’s lord.
In the twelfth it means hidden enemies of the kingdom, machinations, treason against one’s lord, assassinations both public and private, violence.

In the thirteenth it means betrayals during a journey, hate from noble people, the absent party doesn’t come back.
In the fourteenth it means toiling for gain and honor, bad luck, hatred from underlings and very evil enemies, overcoming one’s enemies,.
In the fifteenth it is the worst of all, eccept for doing evil things.11

MQS

Footnotes
  1. Possibly due to the Moon’s North Node connection with beginnings and with increase, as well as the connection of the term ‘head’ with leadership. ↩︎
  2. The text seems to say “giardini solati”, and I am not sure if it means isolated gardens or gardens in the sun or something else that escapes me. The connection with gardens is clear, as the Third House rules neighborhoods and therefore what’s around the house. ↩︎
  3. Illnessess were traditionally categorized based on the prevailing humor. ↩︎
  4. This is another excellent example of how to read the meaning of the figure into the meaning of the house. Caput Draconis is the head, and the Eighth House rules death, thus giving beheading (death by losing one’s head). Of course much depends on the question and the rest of the Shield. ↩︎
  5. This is not clear. ↩︎
  6. An archaic Italian word of whose meaning I am unaware. ↩︎
  7. Caput cannot be the Judge. ↩︎
  8. It is usually said that Cauda being in the First House is enough to break the figure. However, here Abano gives us coherent interpretations. Most of them are very dramatic, but it’s the principle that counts and needs to be assimilated. ↩︎
  9. A term belonging to the vocabulary of Medieval medicine. I do not know what it means. ↩︎
  10. Probably to be interpreted as evil believers in general, nowadays. ↩︎
  11. Cauda cannot be the Judge. ↩︎
Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy

The Geomancy of Peter of Abano – Book III Pt. 8

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Abano talks about some of the meanings of Carcer and Conjunctio in the various houses.

Carcer

Carcer in the first means difficulties, preoccupations, melancholy, prison, deep thoughts, secret thoughts.
In the second it means delay in gain and increase, success through toil, but with difficulty.
In the third it means evil siblings, dishonest pleasures, dishonest and disgraceful neighbors, licentiousness with siblings.

In the fourth it means fortresses, cities, stable buildings, inheritance, abudance, hidden treasures, hidden things.
In the fifth it means miscarriage, dead children,1 danger through childbirth, evil children, lame children, or deranged or possessed, womanly pains.
In the sixth it means good, trustworthy servants, gain from animals, long sickness, danger and pain, crying.

In the seventh it means chaste women, stable marriage, good company,2 faithful people, stable peace, people who can keep secrets.
In the eighth it means death, interment, hiding treasures and goods from the dead, funeral or congregation of people caused by a death.
In the ninth it means religion, serving God, hidden things coming to light, long travel or pilgrimage, good monks, just people, faithful Christians.

In the tenth it means a stable kingdom, lordship, palaces, just judges and orators.
In the eleventh it means succession in a kingdom, oppressing enemies, gain with difficulty, hidden machinations, frauds, rumors.
In the twelfth it means dangerous hidden enemies, long imprisonment, death of the inmate.

In the thirteenth it means danger from childbirth, miscarriage, dangers for the mother, long illness, bad in everything.
In the fourteenth it means freedom from dangers and other issues, but after much trouble, leaving all problems behind.
In the fifteenth it means inner strength, delay in getting one’s wish.

Conjunctio

Conjunctio in the first house means an evil disposition, machinations, fraud, cheating, unstable life, a variety of colors.3
In the second it means merchandise, gain through one’s ingenuity, being active, promptness.
In the third it means ingenious brothers and sisters, good short journey and a speedy return, a messenger, false letters, having fun in company.

In the fourth it means good for the father, good inheritance, a beautiful building, ingenious actions, divisions among citizens, killings, rumors, betrayals among them [the citizens]4
In the fifth it means mirth through one’s children, giving birth, false women, a fun evening.5
In the sixth it means good but petty servants, fugitives, various illnesses but not grave, thieves in one’s family.

in the seventh it means iniquitous women, petty women, harlots, false company, thieves, scuffles and brawls, war, a sad marriage, various colors.
In the eighth it means a prisoner being hanged, for the ill man it means death, and likewise for the absent party, desperation, danger of death for women [or through women].
In the ninth it means intelligence, various interests, various journeys, various fatherlands, traveling to acquire knowledge or virtue.

In the tenth it means official documents, judges, litigations, kings, lords, various offices, dignity.
In the eleventh it means promises or oaths, dispatching soldiers or courtesans, instability, wrongful succession, wrong faith.
In the twelfth it means hidden enemies, betrayal, damage through evil animals, infamy, detractions, dishonor, but it is good to buy animals.

In the thirteenth it means good luck in the quesited thing, in marriage and in doing good.
In the fourteenth it means well for litigations and scriptures or writings, for promises and for lordships and congregations.
In the fifteenth it means happy ending and good luck depending on the question.6

MQS

Footnotes
  1. Elsewhere Carcer is given as positive for pregnancies. ↩︎
  2. Usually Carcer signifies solitude. Perhaps, though, if the question is about someone else’s goodness it may indicate a serious character. Needless to say, much depends on the configuration as a whole. ↩︎
  3. Conjunctio’s description is perhaps where Abano is at his most contradictory, possibly highlighting the inherently contradictory nature of this mercurial figure. Keep in mind that Mercury was seen not just as messenger but as patron of thieves. ↩︎
  4. Possibly here Mercury suggests the idea of partisanship. ↩︎
  5. The latin word ‘conjunctio’ can literally means the act of being joined to another in intercourse. ↩︎
  6. Often Conjunctio is taken to means a middling result. ↩︎
Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy

The Geomancy of Peter of Abano – Book III Pt. 7

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Abano discusses some of the meanings of Populus and Via in the houses of the chart.

Populus

Populus in the first house means change,1 a mutable life, but a long one, and water, rivers, company, ships, mills, prairies, rain.
In the second it means gain of a lot of wealth, good merchandise, gain of money.
In the third it means gaiety with siblings, union with one’s neighbors, dangerous travel, gardens, watery places.

In the fourth it means the city, castles, buildings, union, congregation of people, inheritance, usefulness, abundance throughout the year.
In the fifth it means many children, succession, inheritance of a pregnant woman, unstable children.
In the sixth good family, many animals, usefulness through servants, deadly illness.

In the seventh it means good marriage, good partnership or company, usefulness, love of unstable women.
In the eighth it means tears, funerals,2 inheritance, usefulness from dead people, gain through women, fear of death.
In the ninth it means long travel with gain, rain, storm while at sea, shipwreck but ending well, peregrination with company.


In the tenth it means congregation of lords, exaltation of common people over the lords,3 rebellion, schism, diversion, suffocation of common people, grave person.
In the eleventh it means dignity, gifts from lords, usefulness from the mother.4
In the twelfth it means many occult enemies, damage from their coconspirators, unjust machinations, freedom from illness and by sea.

In the thirteenth it means good company, security, safety in travel, gain from friends, goodwill, gain from travel, good return of the absent party.
In the fourteenth it means gain from the mother5 and from relatives, inheritance, good fame.
In the fifteenth it means good things, but with delay.

Via

Via in the First House means a positive journey, whether long or short, poverty, a short life.
In the second it means little wealth, toil, loss of money and possessions.
In the third it means a short journey, gardens, pleasure, gain from the dead,6 few siblings.

In the fourth it means a small inheritance, little gain, desert places, lots of water, a year of dearth, being without a father or mother.
In the fifth it means few children, good relatives, succession for the mother.7
In the sixth it means servants fleeing, small animals, little gain from them, short but dangerous illness, bad servants.

In the seventh it means an unstable woman, corrupt, sad, unstable marriage, company of few but good people.
In the eighth it means liberation from infirmity and from prison, fleeing danger, return [of someone].
In the ninth it means a long journey soon, goods from the church, messengers, unstable and unfaithful religious people, a bad life.

In the tenth it means instability for the kingdom, lordship, dignity, unjust judges, infamy.
In the eleventh it means little hope, vain hope, unfaithful soldiers and curials.
In the twelfth it means few enemies, unfortunate journey, falling from a high place,8 danger of death, loss of inheritance due to the mother, freedom from prison.

In the thirteenth it means gain from travel, a secure street, little rain, good for selling.
In the fourteenth it means damaged goods, short journey, dispatching goods, the absent party is coming back soon.
In the fifteenth it means good change, a quick resolution.

MQS

Footnotes
  1. Usually, Populus is taken as a rather stable figure, while Via should indicate change. Here Abano considers them both rather changeable, possibly due to the association with the Moon. ↩︎
  2. A congregation due to death. ↩︎
  3. Because Populus means the common folk, and finding it in the Tenth House it can show that the common folk take over the place of honor. Once again, this shows very well how we ought to interpret the chart. ↩︎
  4. The mother is the Tenth House, her Second House shows gain from her. ↩︎
  5. Because the Fourteenth derives from the Eleventh and Twelfth and the Eleventh is, as discussed, gain from the mother. ↩︎
  6. I don’t understand why in this house Via should indicate gain from the dead. ↩︎
  7. This is unclear to me. ↩︎
  8. Possibly because the Twelfth House is cadent from the Tenth House, the highest place in the chart, and Via shows physical movement, thus “a movement that falls from a high place”. ↩︎
Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy

The Geomancy of Peter of Abano – Book III Pt. 6

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Here Abano examines some of the meanings of Puer and Puella in the various houses.

Puella

Puella in the first house means happy things, fleeing from adversity, singing, dancing, usefulness, younger siblings or dead siblings.1
In the second it means usefulness for women and for merchandise, good luck, clothes.
In the third house it means love between siblings and relatives, good friends, usefulness through them.

In the fourth it means fighting over inheritance, difficulty in whatever you wish to gain from your father or mother,2 hiding secrets, good profession.
In the fifth house it means good messenger and letters, gaiety with children, obtaining your wish.
In the sixth house it means lovesickness,3 good servants, harlots, fornication, lasciviousness.

In the seventh it means a marriage of love,4 lucky marriage, lascivious women, lack of stability.
In the eighth it means death of small children, arms and swords.5
In the ninth it means usefulness through travel, good change of place, gain through merchanidse, knowledge, good news.

In the tenth it means honor from lords, good servants, good things for powerful people, happiness, goodness in everything.
In the eleventh it means happiness from friends, good luck for sick people, gain, usefulness through injustice, good in everything.
In the twelfth it means being firm, scams, gain through animals, problems through servants and evil people and phony people.

In the thirteenth it means usefulness through travel and lords, happiness, good news, good messenger.
In the fourteenth it means freedom from danger, usefulness, happiness, gain through toil.
In the fifteenth it depends on the other figuers, depending on where they fall.6

Puer

Puer in the first house means happiness, hope of gain, having kids, obtaining your wish, money.7
In the second it means gain through merchandise, selling, abundance, obtaining the wish.
In the third it means discord among siblings and relatives, gain with difficulty and with company, difficulties, useless dream.

In the fourth it means controversy, fighting, discord, rumors about the father or mother due to inheritance, it brings to light the hidden, useful strategies.
In the fifth it means happiness, false messenger, fights, wealth from minors.
In the sixth it means fled servants, dishonest women, danger from giving birth, male child.

In the seventh it means illegal marriage, harlots, dirty words, useful company.
In the eighth it means death of an enemy or of a minor, inheritance, fraud, if with Rubeus8 it means wounds and loss of blood.
In the ninth it means long travel, reunion, false science and false people, false news.

In the tenth fight, bad judge, dishonor, one’s lord is too credulous, loss of dignity and wealth.
In the eleventh it means false soldiers, false friends, false churchmen, unfaithfulness, treason, contrarieties.
In the twelfth it means enemies, invasion, bad for journeying, subjects, the sick person is evil and a traitor.

In the thirteenth it means travel, impediments, murder, evil people, violence, eviction, loss of inheritance.
In the fourteenth it means evil company, false marriage, harlots, instability.
In the fifteenth it is always evil except in war.9

MQS

Footnotes
  1. This last correspondence escapes me. ↩︎
  2. Puella is usually presented as a positive, if weak, figure. Why it should cause strife over inheritance is not clear. In some Medieval books on Geomancy it seems as though Puer and Puella are often mixed together. ↩︎
  3. The connection of love, one of the meanings of Venus/Puella, with the sickness typical of the Sixth House, is rather smart here, and should be taken as example of how to derive meanings from the Figure-in-House combination. ↩︎
  4. That is, as opposed to a marriage of convenience or marriage for money, which were common back in the day. ↩︎
  5. This latter correspondence seems more plausible for Puer. ↩︎
  6. Puella cannot be the Judge. ↩︎
  7. Once again, this feels like a mix between Puer and Puella. ↩︎
  8. It is not clear where Rubeus should appear in order for Puer to be ‘with’ it. Perhaps in company. At any rate, it is an interesting comment as it reinforces the idea that the figures combine their meanings to give us a clearer picture of the situation. ↩︎
  9. Puer cannot be the Judge. ↩︎
Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy

The Geomancy of Peter of Abano – Book III Pt. 4

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Abano discusses now some of the meanings of Laetitia and Tristitia in the various houses.

Laetitia

Laetitia in the first house means king, priest, noble person,1 just people, good company, justice, faith, honors, good life.
In the second house it means increase of wealth, gain, obtaining what one wishes.
In the third it means good luck, science, inner goodness, amity, friendship with relatives, good siblings, just people, who fear God.

In the fourth it means inheritance, usefulness, obtaining what one wishes,2 just things, things that are occult or hidden or under the earth.3
In the fifth it means help from children, honor for one’s household, mirth, songs, dances, coming out of difficult situations, long life, obtaining one’s hope.
In the sixth it means servants, subjects, sickness through coldness and through envy, good success.

In the seventh it means good marriage, victory over enemies, good partnerships, usefulness, gain.
In the eighth it means gaining the wealth of dead people, usefulness, gain through marriage or friendship.
In the ninth it means travel for religious matters or science, faith, honor, counsel, gain through travel, change of place, talking to priests.

In the tenth it means honors, dignity, judges, congregation of clerics or lords and noblemen.
In the eleventh it means happiness through one’s friends, dignity, honor, gain through friends.
In the twelfth it means freedom from servitude and prison, travel in faraway lands, staying away a long time.

In the thirteenth it means usefulness through travel and prelates and churches, obtaining one’s wish.
In the fourteenth it means help from friends, gifts, good news in what one hopes to get, long life.
In the fifteenth it means good according to the other figures.4

Tristitia

Tristitia in the first house means difficulties, pain, problems, poverty, debts, evil fancy, desire to hurt, disgrace through merchandise.
In the second house it means difficulty in obtaining wealth, little gain through merchandise, poverty, dearth, damage in movable things.
In the third it means adultery, incest, fights and disorder with family members.

In the fourth house it means evil children,5 loss through trees and fruits, ruin for a city or castle, secret enmity, loss of inheritance, acquisition of secret things.
In the fifth it means little gain from merchandise, little happiness through children, false documents, you will gain what you want but you will lose it soon afterward, loss through fruit trees.6
In the sixth it means problems, difficulties, sickness (long), pain in the head, prison, poverty.

In the seventh it means dishonest women, unjust marriage, discord with friends, thieves, evil men, traitors.
In the eighth it means fear, problems, desperation, death, gain from the sick person, fury, malignity.
In the ninth it means problems traveling, delay, sickness, change of place for the worse.

In the tenth it means fall from grace, elevation of the inferior, loss of honor, exaltation of evil people.7
In the eleventh it means change, variety in friendship, misfortune in what we wish to gain, lack of help.
In the twelfth it means many great enemies, fear, problems, things ill done, damage, loss of animals and servants, death of the prisoner.

In the thirteenth it means change of place, travel, loss through lords or judges, loss of wealth.
In the fourteenth it means ill luck, loss, toil, misfortune due to enemies, dearth.
In the fifteenth it always bodes ill, except for rain and stability.8

MQS

Footnotes
  1. because of Laetitia’s connection with the noble side of Jupiter. ↩︎
  2. Likely due to the Fourth House’s connection with the end of the matter. ↩︎
  3. It probably means that such things are obtained, unearthed etc., due to Laetitia’s connection with upward movement. ↩︎
  4. Laetitia cannot be the Judge. Abano assigns meanings to every figure in every house, including the Judge, even though only eight of the sixteen figures can become Judge. I don’t know why this is the case, whether it is due to a blind, an oversight, a lack of understanding, or a simple “stylistic exercise”, so to speak. Considering Abano’s intellectual prowess and great education, I doubt he wasn’t aware of the fact that Laetitia and other figures cannot be the Judge. ↩︎
  5. The connection of the Fourth House with children escapes me. ↩︎
  6. The Fourth House is the ‘orchard’, the Fifth are the orchard’s wealth, i.e., its fruits. ↩︎
  7. I find some of these interpretations extremely ingenious, and worthy of attention. The Tenth House indicates honor and elevation, but Tristitia indicates lowliness and evil, so the combination of the two can yield either a fall from grace or the elevation of someone who isn’t worthy of being elevated. ↩︎
  8. Tristitia cannot be the Judge. ↩︎