I am trying to learn horary. I installed Morinus traditional but I dont understand what second option I have to click here:
"Go to Lot of Fortune and make sure the second option is selected, that is giving a different calculation depending on whether it’s a diurnal (day) or nocturnal (night) chart."
Where do I find it when I open the Lot of Fortune set up?
Morinus Traditional has a different setup for Lots compared to the 'Full' version. I'm not quite sure of the circumstances in which your quote (above) originated but to set the lots you should select 'Options' from the top menu and then when the list appears select 'Lots' (just over half way down) and this will open the Lots dialogue box.
When it is first installed, Morinus has only one Lot entered, (the Lot of Fortune as #1 over in the right hand pane).
On the left side of the dialogue are all the settings options. Most of these are for adding further Lots, as you go. At the top of the left hand side is a selection box. This will read 'Ascendant' on the left and then the first option, already selected is AC. You do not need to change this, so leave it as it is.
The next row down gives the name of the Lot. 'Lot of Fortune' in a data entry box. You only need to change this name if you add further lots, so again, leave it as it is.
The next row gives the calculation using drop down boxes. There are three and they should be set to read AC + (MO - SU): the plus and minus sign and brackets are permanently added to the text, but you can change the three terms). Again as this is the calculation for the Lot of Fortune you don't need to change anything.
Now under that row is a check box with the word 'Diurnal' next to it. By default I think this is unchecked, following the ptolemaic method used by William Lilly (that is the Lot does not change in calculation whether it's a day or night chart). You should tick the box by clicking in it and this will reverse the calculation automatically when you have a night birth (or a night question). It becomes totally automatic, if the chart shows that the Sun has set then it will use the reverse formula AC + (SU - MO) without you having to even think about it.
Ptolemy was an oddball when it comes to Lots, this is the only Lot he used and even then he was different from everyone else. Lilly and other Astrologers in the seventeenth century only had Ptolemy to go by as a genuine Hellenistic text, so he rejected the Arab practice of reversing the calculation for night charts, even though it was actually the more authentic method.
I've actually given you a lot more information than you needed. I could have just said, make sure the box with 'Diurnal' next to it is ticked.
However you now have some idea how to enter further Lots, so here's a second one for you.
In the 'Name' box, erase the word Fortune and replace it with the word Spirit. then change the second and third drop down boxes below to read SU and MO. Leave the Diurnal box ticked. Then click on the word 'Add' on the large button further down the left hand side. It's the top one of four wide buttons one above the other. You should now find that over in the right hand pain the words 'Lot of Spirit' appear next to the number 2.
You will notice that there is a tick box just to the left of #2. This will not be ticked, so any chart you calculate will not take any notice of your new Lot of Spirit. If you tick it, then you will find that it appears in the table of Lots on the Tables menu (from the main screen) You can add further lots if you need them but obviously you will need to know what they mean. You will find some reference to them in the Hellenistic Astrology thread.
I do use them if I think it's necessary, in horary but you don't have too. Certainly Lilly and Co did not.
Hopefully I've answered your question but if I didn't please come back at me.