Opus Astrologicum

Aphorisms For Resolving Horary Questions (1 – 20)

LONDON,

Printed for R. Moone & S. Chatfield. 1654

Aphorisms.

1.

Under Aries are born men of thick hair, white or yellowish, curling, long visage, crooked nose, hazle eyes, little ears, short legs, little feet; the first 15 degrees give a more gross body then the later.

2.

Under Taurus are born men of a short and thick stature, big, broad men, high forehead, wide nose, great mouth, fat short neck, dark ruddy colour, short arms, thick hands, thick black hair, big buttocks, short legs, slowe to anger; but if once angered, hardly ever pleased again.

3.

Gemini gives a delicate, strait, well-composed, and well-set body, good colour, bright clear eyes, good sight, and piercing; long arms, long hands and feet, large brest, brown hair, good wit, fluent tongue, and apt discourse; yet a man of no great fidelity.

4.

Cancer gives but a little short stature; yet the later fifteen degrees give a more full body then the former: you know one Sprat may be something bigger then another: the upper parts of the body are more thick then the lower; disorder in the teeth, little eyes, blackish hair, a lowe whining voice.

5.

Leo arising, gives great head and eyes, quick sight, a large, lusty, strong body; full of metal, courageous, stout-hearted; thick, broad shoulders, yellowish or flaxen hair; a big great voice, resolute spirit, aspiring brain, of a generous, free-hearted, and courteous disposition.

6.

Virgo arising at a Nativity, gives a spare body, yet well composed; a mean stature, lovely brown complexion, great eyes, thick black hair, subtil wit, no great fidelity, aiming at self-ends.

7.

Scorpio gives but short stature, yet a big-limbed, full, and well-set body, strong and active, willful, malicious, false, and deceitful; sad-brown hair, dark sallow complexion, a short neck; quick in motion of body, but of reserved thoughts.

8.

‘Twere pity to have missed Libra, the comeliest of person, and uprightest in condition of all the Zodiack.

Libra gives a delicate, comely, strait body; a round, fair, and well-favoured face, hair for the most part flaxen or light-brown, but sometimes black: a cheerful well-spoken creature; red lips, cherry-cheeks; a tall slender body; courteous, impartial, just and upright in all their dealings.

9.

Under Sagittarius are born strait, well-proportioned-bodies, strong and well-set; of a loving cheerful countenance, high colour, oval visages, good horse-men, and great shooters; stout hearts, brown hair; and quickly bald.

10.

Capricorn gives a very slender weakly man, dry and mean, the face lean and thin; blackish hair, and is exceeding [thick] [missing word/s] pale; man as big about the middle as about the brests; long neck, a disproportioned body; witty, cholerick, and [missing word].

11.

Under Aquarius are born men of a middle stature, well shaped, clear skin, fair visage, yet more lovely than beautiful or curious, yet a handsome composed body, a whitish-bright hair, and sometimes yellow.

12.

And lastly, Pisces gives a short, ill-composed body, yet a good face of clean complexion and colour; thick shoulders, brown hair, fat and plump in all parts; an idle body, else no way hurtful.

13.

In general descriptions of the Planets, consider, The Sun presents one of a brown or yellowish colour, and forehead, great hazle eyes, sharp and piercing, quick-sighted; of no great stature, yet fleshie, and full-boned: he hath a long beard, and is quickly bald, a generous creature, high-minded, aiming at no base or mean things.

14.

The Moon declares one with a pale and whitely face, mixed with but a little redness, if any: of mean stature, proud, of an auburn hair, flowe of speech, fat and flegmatick; short arms, fleshly hands of a mutable condition, often removing from place to place; a wearish peevish creature, seldom contented; neither delighting much in action nor idleness.

15.

Saturn signifies a man with a black swarthy colour, big and large eye-brows, black and little eyes, thin beard, and sometimes none at all; thick shoulders, and sometimes crooked; heavie impish looks, tall stature: he goes with his head stooping forward: lean face, thick lips: he delights to be alone, and is always musing: he hits one leg against the other as he goes: he can hide his anger, and his tongue will tell no tales of his heart: willful, envious, malicious, fearful, proud, and slovenly; covetous, aiming wholly at his own ends.

16.

Jupiter represents a man tall of stature, of a brown muddy complexion, an oval visage, high forehead, fair gray eyes, light brown hair, a handsome well-set strait body, large belly, great thighs, great well-proportioned legs, long feet, a sober, well-spoken, well-conditioned man, desiring to benefit all men; not covetous, nor caring for the goods of this world.

17.

Mars describes one of an high colour, slender, yet strong, and well-set; a round sun-burnt face: his hair yellow or [flaxen]; hazle eyes, quick, sharp and piercing; furious looks; proud, presumptuous, valiant, full of words, boasting and lying.

18.

Under Venus are born people of a whitely-brown colour and complexion; black and quick eyes, little eye-brows, red lips, cherry cheeks with little dimples in them; the [lower] lip somewhat bigger then the upper; a neat, well-composed, and well-ordered body; strait, but of mean stature, affable, courteous, merry, wholly delighting in curiosities.

19.

Lastly, Mercury gives a creature of a tall stature, black hair, long lean face, high forehead, long strait nose, lean lank body; long fingers, and lean; long feet; and he goes swinging one arm; a wisty subtil man, full of talk, and of no great fidelity, unless Mercury be in a fixed signe.

20.

By comparing the Planet with the signe he is in, the description of the body is found out. Also, by considering the strength of the Planet, his aspect to the Sun or Moon, his being with fixed Stars, either of, or opposing his own nature, with his being above of under the earth. For Planets, when they are above the earth, give far taller stature then they do when they are under the earth.

Aphorisms For Resolving Horary Questions (21 – 40)

21.

In an Horary Question, when the Lord of the hour is the same Planet, or of the same Nature or Triplicity, or in the same Triplicity with the Lord of the Ascendant, the figure is radical, and fit to be judged of; else not.

22.

Pass no judgement upon a Figure, when either the first or later degrees of a Signe ascend: for if few degrees ascend, the Question is not (as then) ready for judgement: but if the later ascend, the time is slipped, and the Querent hath been tampering with some other Artist about it.

23.

Saturn or Mars peregrine in the tenth house, or the Dragons tail there, the Artist gets no credit by that Question.

24.

In all Questions, have a special eye to the Moon for she brings the strengths of the other Planets to us: It is better the Lord of the Ascendant be unfortunate then she.

25.

In all Questions wherein the Fortunes are significators, hope well, but if the Infortunes be significators, fear the worst and so order your judgement accordingly.

26.

When the Moon is void of course in a Question, there is no great hopes of effecting anything to purpose; yet if she be in Taurus, Cancer, Sagittarius, or Pisces, the fear is the less.

27.

The Planet which the Moon last separated from, shews what hath been done already in the business: If from a Fortune, good, if from an Infortune, ill. See what house the Planet is in, and give your judgement accordingly.

28.

The application of the Moon shews the present state of the thing demanded: a good Planet in a good house, by a good aspect, gives strong hopes of the thing desired.

29.

The application of the Moon to a Planet in his fall, or detriment, signifies trouble and delay in the business.

30.

If a Planet retrograde, or in his first station, be Significator, he denotes much discord and contradiction in the business.

31.

A Planet slowe in motion, if he be Significator, prolong mightily the thing sought after; especially, if he be in a signe contrary to his nature, or in the house of his enemy.

32.

When the Infortunes signifie evil, they bring it to pass with much violence: but if they signifie good, they either bring it not to pass at all, or if they do, it comes with much care, delay, and vexation.

33.

When the Infortunes signifie any evil, see whether Jupiter or Venus cast friendly beams thither: if they do, they mitigate the evil; and so much the more, if it be with reception.

34.

When the Fortunes portend any good, if Saturn or Mars cast forward beams thither, without reception, it mightily hinders the good promised.

35.

Confide not too much upon what a Fortune promiseth, unless he be either in essential dignities, or received by another Fortune: for else, he is like a man that would fain do thee good, but wants power.

36.

Saturn and Mars peregrine, are malicious beyond measure: they are not so bad when they are in essential dignities; for then they are like noble enemies that have got their enemy in their hands, and scorn to hurt him.

37.

If Saturn or Mars be in their houses or exaltations, and in angles, and promise any good, they bring it to pass.

38.

In a Question, when Fortunes and Infortunes are equally weak and ill-seated, defer the judgement till the heavens are setter seated.

39.

When a Planet promising any good in a Question, is either in combustion with, or opposition to the Sun, he never bringeth the good to pass.

40.

Saturn and Mars in conjunction, if they promise good, it never comes to pass: but if they promise evil, it comes with more malice then was expected.