Study Notes: Valens Anthology

Minderwiz

1. Calculation of the Lot of Fortune

e.g: My birth data (day birth) has Asc at 24 Gemini, Moon at 28 Libra and Sun at 26 Sagittiarius

Since the modern (? from Ptolemy? just guessing) 'day birth formula' for PoF calculation is "Ascendant +Moon – Sun" (see http://www.skyscript.co.uk/gl/fortuna.html) I get 26 Aries as PoF, thus giving Mars as the Lord (http://www.astro.com/astrology/in_fortune_e.htm has the same formula for day births has the same formula for day births)

Using Valens' method

"Next in order, it will be necessary (for day nativities) to count accurately the
distance from the Sun to the Moon, then to measure off in the opposite
direction an equal distance from the Ascendant, and to inspect the resulting
place: which star is its ruler and which star or stars are at this point and all
the square or trine asterisms of this place. "

So for my chart, (24 Gemini Rising)

Sun to Moon distance = 26 Sag to 28 Libra == 58 degrees clockwise (using a modern circular chart)

"measure off in opposite direction an equal distance from the Ascendant" gives 58 degrees **counter** clockwise from the ascendant and so

I get my Lot of Fortune in 22 Leo, with Sun as Lord.

This would seem equivalent to the modern (?) '**night** birth formula '

"Ascendant + Sun – Moon".

Interesting since there is a "(for day nativities)" qualifier in the text.

Did these two formulae flip over the years?

Or maybe I'm just interpreting wrong?

Solar Fire on its default settings does show PoF at 26 Aries for my birth Chart, and not Valens Method's 22 Leo.

This may well be a translation error, because I've checked a couple of Valens' charts later on and he calculates in the proper fashion. Like you, I'm surprised at the use of the word opposite here, as it's clear elsewhere and from other authors, as well, that the projection goes in the same direction as you counted. Thus for the Lot of Spirit, you would start with the Moon and count to the Sun (in your case, in the order of Signs or anti-clockwise). The projection from the Ascendant is, therefore, also in the direction of Signs.

In your case the Moon lies in the fifth place of Libra and the Sun in the seventh place of Sagittarius. Counting from Sun to Moon is indeed clockwise (or against the order of Signs). So the projection from the Gemini Ascendant should also be against the order of Signs, that is the Lot ends up in Aries.

That is certainly the way it's calculated in the first couple of example charts that provided clear enough information on the Ascendant and whether it was a Day or Night birth.

RohanMenon said:
2. Then in (the next) section 4 titled "The Star Which Holds the Ascendant or the Lot"

we have language like "If Saturn is allotted the hour or the Lot [of Fortune] and is in the Ascendant, with Mars not in opposition, the native will be fortunate "

I think what this means is something like "if Saturn is the Lord of the Ascendant *or the Lot of Fortune* (or both) and is in the ascendant ... etc" I assume "allotted the hour" is the same as 'lord of the sign rising at birth'.

In other words, having Lord of the Ascendant *or* Lord of the in the first house is good, with the following paragraphs detailing the effects of having each planet be either Ascendant Lord or Lot of Fortune Lord , and also be in the first house.

Correct?

My text reads:

If Saturn is allotted the hour of the Lot [of Fortune] and is in the Ascendant, with Mars not in opposition, the native will be fortunate in activities controlled by Saturn

Which means that Saturn rules the Lot and is in the Ascendant. This isn't an either/or situation By hour Valens is reminding you that 'Horoscope' is derived from the word for hour. The Ascendant is often referred to as the Hour Marker and of course, as the Lot depends on the Ascendant, it too has an horary quality (See a link to Lilly and the Horary thread - horary is an adjective relating to hours or measurement of time).
 

RohanMenon

Minderwiz if you read further, you'll see that

for the rest of the planets, the word is 'or' not 'of' so I assumed the first was a typo (or the rest of them are!)

(emphasis mine)

" Jupiter, when allotted the hour **or** the Lot and in the Ascendant... "

"Mars, when allotted the hour **or** the Lot and in the Ascendant, ..."

"Venus, when allotted the hour **or** the Lot [and in the Ascendant], ..."


etc

I have no problem reading everything as 'of' and your interpretation above makes sense. So do you think it is best to read all of this as "of"?

To the first point, great to know that this seems a typo/translation error. I'll use the 'standard' day and night formulae then. Phew, I was going crazy trying to figure this out.!

Thanks a lot, as always!
 

Minderwiz

Yes you're right, or is used and it's also used in the section heading. I'm not a Greek reader so I can't say whether there was a typo or a mistranslation at each stage. I'll read on and see what further sense I can make. I'll also check my course notes, though I'm not sure I've seen reference to that point.

Certainly a nativity in which the ruler of the Lot is configured (major aspect) to the Ascendant is likely to work out better than one in which the ruler of the Lot is averse to the Acendant.

So the ruler of the Lot in the Ascendant, is probably in the best place for the nativity, especially if free from malefic aspects. We have to take being in the Ascendantt as applying to both being the Ascendant ruler or being the Lot ruler.

Take it as or for now and the of for Saturn as a typo. If I come across anything different I'll post here.
 

RohanMenon

Will do . Thanks. Ahh I was wondering what exactly

"configured" meant. Another bit of knowledge. Appreciated.
 

RohanMenon

In this section (Book 2 section 4: The Star which holds the ascendant or the lot),

Valens deals with the various effects of having Lord of the Ascendant or Domicile Lord of the Lot of Fortune being located in the ascendant. At first glance these seem to be empirical observations, so to thoroughly master these, there seems to be no option but to memorize them. (gulp!)

Taking a deeper look, things aren't completely random and some general principles can be discerned.

E.g from

"If Saturn is allotted the hour of the Lot [of Fortune] and is in the Ascendant,
with Mars not in opposition, the native will be fortunate in activities
controlled by Saturn If Jupiter is in aspect, he will be doubly fortunate; if
Venus is in aspect, he will be fortunate through the help of women or
eunuchs. If Mars is in conjunction or in opposition, the native will suffer
disturbance and reversals. If Mercury shares the Ascendant with Saturn, the native will be handicapped in his hearing. "

Taking this apart,

From "If Saturn is allotted the hour of the Lot [of Fortune] and is in the Ascendant, with Mars not in opposition, the native will be fortunate in activities controlled by Saturn"

the principle seems to be that if planet X is lord of Lord of Fortune or Ascendant and in the ascendant, the native is fortunate in those activities signified by X, either universally or by house rulership etc.

"If Jupiter is in aspect, he will be doubly fortunate"

This is Jupiter acting as the 'greater benefic'.

"If Venus is in aspect the native vill be fortunate through the help of women or eunuchs"

This is Venus acting as the lesser benefic, with the benefic effects manifesting through the universal significations of Venus

"If Mars is in conjunction or opposition, the native will suffer disturbances and reversals"

This is Mars acting as malefic. Note that the aspects are 'harsh' ones. I suspect Mars square ascendant will have these effects too.

Saturn is either Lord of Ascendant or LoF and in the ascendant, so assumed to act in a benefic manner.

Now this bit

"If Mercury shares the ascendant with Saturn, the native will be handicapped in his hearing"

I can make no sense of, and have to conclude Valens has seen this empirically.

the key take away:

If you note in a natal chart that Lord of Ascendant, or Lord of Fortune is located in the Ascendant, predict (in general) fortunate manifestations in the native's life corresponding the universal and chart-specific significations of that planet. Factor in any hard/soft aspect from other planets.

Look to Valens for any empirical observations and see if they apply to the native (e.g: Saturn is Lord of ascendant or LoF and is in ascendant. If Mercury also present, does the native have hearing issues?)

The rest of the "Planet X is lord of ascendant or Lord of Lot of Fortune and in the ascendant" descriptions can be analysed likewise, with some interesting 'empirical observations' for which I can derive no logical explanation.

Addendum: Valens says "Mars, when allotted the hour or the Lot and in the Ascendant, urges men toward the military"

I have *one* horoscope where this is true (I have only a tiny collection - mostly friends and family).

Rising Sign Cancer, LoF in Aries, Mars in Cancer and Retrograde. This guy is *not* in the military, but is *very* well read on military matters, an avid wargamer etc.

Score 1 for Valens.
 

RohanMenon

Some confusing language. Need help!

Valens Book 2. Section 5. The XII Place of the Bad Daimon.

Some confusing language here.

"If the Lot of Fortune is in this place (the twelfth house) and some star rules it, there will be no help, not even during transits. They have become enemies from the beginning, from the moment of birth."

What does this mean? Who exactly "have become enemies"?

My best interpretation: Consider a chart with Gemini Rising. Taurus is the 12 th House (Whole Sign Houses). Lot of Fortune falls in the twelfth == Venus is its (domicile) Lord. So Valens seems to be saying that even when Venus transits through the sign Taurus (or the Lot of Fortune degree?) there will be 'no help'.

Does this mean then that if the Lot were *not* in the twelfth, and in the tenth, say (here Aries) that when its Lord transits the sign, (here Mars through Aries), or exact degree of the Lot, something fortunate happens, is the default rule?
 

Minderwiz

Valens Book 2. Section 5. The XII Place of the Bad Daimon.

Some confusing language here.

"If the Lot of Fortune is in this place (the twelfth house) and some star rules it, there will be no help, not even during transits. They have become enemies from the beginning, from the moment of birth."

What does this mean? Who exactly "have become enemies"?

My best interpretation: Consider a chart with Gemini Rising. Taurus is the 12 th House (Whole Sign Houses). Lot of Fortune falls in the twelfth == Venus is its (domicile) Lord. So Valens seems to be saying that even when Venus transits through the sign Taurus (or the Lot of Fortune degree?) there will be 'no help'.

Firstly, some background: The twelfth place, is the worst place in the chart. Like the other 'bad places' it is averse to the Ascendant (no major aspect). So any planet placed there has no link to the Ascendant, which was known as the helm of the ship of life - the place from which the journey through life is steered. So that planet cannot help steer the ship. The twelfth is also the place of the Bad Daimon or the bad spirity (Daimon is the root of the English word Demon - though much of it's modern meaning came later).

The twelfth lies opposite another bad place, the place of Bad Fortune. So this axis is the worst one in the Chart. Fortune (both the Lot and the idea) refer to the body and what befalls it. Spirit (both the Lot and the idea) relates to the Soul (not the Western Christian concept) character, mindfulness and power. The ability to do things and direct the mind to achievement.

Thus the twelfth is a position where the soul, mind, character, and power are all weakened. Valens identifies the Twelfth Place with Suffering, Enmities, Weakness and Danger. For the Lot of Fortune to be placed here puts the body in peril from those areas, no matter which planet rules the twelfth. Though for it to be rules by Jupiter in a Day chart or Venus in a night chart, might bring some mitigation (though remember that they would now become accidental makefics, so any mitigation is likely to be minimal).

That situation will hold even with Transits. Thus if, say Mercury, ruled the Twelfth, transits by Jupiter (Day chart) or Venus (Night Chart) are not going to reverse the affliction of the Lot. The Lot and it's ruler (the ruler of the Twelfth Place) are enemies, in Valens' statement and. as was noted above, the Twelfth is the Place of Enemies.

RohanMenon said:
Does this mean then that if the Lot were *not* in the twelfth, and in the tenth, say (here Aries) that when its Lord transits the sign, (here Mars through Aries), or exact degree of the Lot, something fortunate happens, is the default rule?

No, it just means that something nasty is not the norm (though it still might be the case, if the Lot is afflicted by the out of sect malefic, or even ruled by it.
 

RohanMenon

"The Lot and it's ruler (the ruler of the Twelfth Place) are enemies, in Valens' statement and. as was noted above, the Twelfth is the Place of Enemies.
"

Does this generalize to any planet in the 12th? Say Mercury is in the 12th,(Taurus, so ruled by Venus). Does this mean (for that chart) Mercury and Venus are enemies? Seems logical. If the above is true for the Lot, it should be true for any planet in the 12th?
 

Minderwiz

The Lot is not a planet, it's a point. The flow is one way, The Lot can receive but not cast aspects and it dependent on it's ruler to make it effective (to allow the native to take advantage of the opportunities that Fortune brings).

In the twelfth, the Lot's ruler will not do that, is the extreme version of what Valens is saying. The ruler doesn't like to see 'good fortune' manifest.

Whilst that's probably an exaggerated version. Those brief descriptions of the way things manifest, tend to be the extreme version of what might happen, rather than the norm but you should realise that in the twelfth, the Lot will struggle to manifest, because its ruler in accidentally unfortunate (or malefic). Again there's possible compensation, just as Fortune can compensate for badly placed Trigon Lords, it's possible for the Lot of Spirit to play some of the role of Fortune. Perhaps not as well but, if you like, the native's determination and will to do well can overcome some, if not many of the problems of unfortunate circumstances. In other words the native may succeed in spite of the cards being stacked against him or her.

For planets in the twelfth, they are badly placed and, like Fortune, will struggle to play a full role in the native's life. Thus if the Lord of the Ascendant is in the twelfth, he or she might be their own worst enemy (a meaning that is still cited for the twelfth), or they my experience significant loss or suffering during their life - and be recognised by others to be experiencing that suffering or loss. They might self harm, they might be at the mercy of their enemies - it's a wretched placement.

Again, though, there may well be compensations. If the planet exchanges domiciles with another, especially a benefic, it might receive some mitigation (exchanging domiciles is the Hellenistic equivalent of a mutual reception and seems to be by Sign (Domicile) only).

Aspects from the benefic of sect, may help, especially trines or sextiles So what is a threatening situation becomes more an uncomfortable or difficult situation.
 

RohanMenon

Thank you Minderwiz

Great answer as always.
Lots to digest! Nom nom.