Study Notes: Valens Anthology

The two systems based on the Lots, seem to differ mainly in that those from Fortune are more concerned with the outside or surface body parts and those from Spirit are more internal parts. Valens explicitly states that the Fortune system has Cancer in the first place (The Lot of Fortune is the Lot of the Moon) and Leo in the first place for the series from Spirit (The Lot of Spirit is the Lot of the Sun).

In this section Valens has the headingInjuries and Diseases; Injuries are more likely to be suffered to the outer parts of the body and more easily fit in with the concept of Fate or Chance, which Fortune represents. Disease or illness is more difficult to attribute but even in Valens time there was a recognition that disease could be caused by imbalances in the body. A popular view was that disease was the work of daemons or the gods. It seems in this section that Valens attributes injury to the Lot of Fortune and Disease to the Lot of Spirit.

Valens sign based third system is the one that was most used in the ensuing centuries and you'll find it in Lilly when you get on to Medical Horaries (sixth House questions).

In Example 1, The Lot of Fortune is in Capricorn and so injuries are likely to be of a Capricorn nature. That will be brought out more from Its ruler, Saturn, Valens also tells us to look at the Place of Occupation (the tenth to see if there are malefics or benefics there. In this case Saturn is in the Place of Ocupation. and it's the out of sect malefic. Just to make matters worse, the other malefic, Mars is in Capricorn with the Lot. So injuries to something ruled by Capricorn are likely. From the list we might well go for knees as first choice, because this is the more modern connection. However there are three clues as to why he takes blindness. Firstly he lists it as connected with Capricorn. Secondly, the Sun is in Capricorn and the Sun is connected with vision and eyesight, the means by which we take in most imformation from sense perception. The third clue is that he tells us that the subject was indeed blind (as this was perhaps the most notable feature of the man, Valens probably thought that his poor vision was likely to be related to Capricorn and the badly positioned Sun.

The Gout is a more obvious conclusion. Daemon is in Pisces, which is connected to the feet. So Valens is looking for a disease or sickness connected to the feet. Gout is a fairly obvious one, even in Valens' day. Daimon is ruled by Jupiter, which is badly placed in the sixth, the place of bad fortune, Capricorn is ruled by Saturn. Gout is a form of arthritis and is therefore linked to joints and sinews and Valens specifically links arthritis to Pisces.

Valens does mention constellations in Book 1. When he discusses the Nature of the Sign of Taurus (In Section 2) he says:

Taurus is feminine, solid, lying in the Sun’s spring tropic, full of bones, with some limbs missing, rising backwards, setting straight down. This sign lies for the most part in the invisible sky. It is calm. From its first degree to 6° (the section of the Pleiades) it is worthless, even destructive, disease-producing, thundering, causing earthquakes and lightning flashes

I can only surmise that Saturn is placed in this part of Taurus. You will find other references to constellations in this section. Valens too was using effectively a sidereal zodiac, so his references to constellations and fixed stars, should be very close to modern sidereal positions.

I'm back in civilzed territory and will start adding notes to both this and Lilly from tomorrow.

Meanwhile a quick 'refactoring' of Minderwiz's (explanation of Valens's) method in the last post, and its application to my horoscope.

(1) Injuries estimated from Lot of Fortune. Diseases from Lot of Spirit.
(2) Other planets in the House of the Lot can indicate disease (Here Sun in Capricorn, in the 6th. As also Mars.
(3) The other important factors to look at are Lot of Spirit (and its Lord), and Place of Occupation (== the Tenth House) and its Lord, especially if malefics occupy or aspect this place.


So let us apply this to my horoscope and see if the diseases I suffer from are indicated.

Ascendant = 24 Gemini
10th = 24 Pisces

Sun = 26 Sag
Moon = 28 Leo
Mercury = 05 Sag
Venus = 29 Cap
Mars = 15 Pisces (10th, out of sect Malefic)
Jupiter = 00 Sag
Saturn = 05 Taurus (ha! close to Plaiedes, in sect malefic)

Lot of Fortune = 26 Aries (in the 11th, trined by Sun, opposed by Moon)
Lot of Spirit = 22 Leo

Lot of Fortune is in Aries (natal 11th). Lord Mars in the natal 10th (this parallels the example horoscope, but for a day horoscope), 12th from Fortune, 8th from Spirit

Valens says about Aries

"Aries is indicative of the head in general, the sensory faculties, and the
eyesight. In the point now at issue, Aries causes headaches, dimming of
vision, strokes, deafness, blindness, leprosy, lichenous scaliness of the skin,
loss of hair, mange, baldness, stupor, festering sores, sudden attacks of
panting, arthritic joints, tumours, plus whatever syndromes occur of the
sensory faculties, the ears, and the teeth."

on Pisces

"Pisces is indicative of the feet, the sinews, and the toes. Under it occur
arthritis, lichenous scaliness of the skin and leprosy, and people who are on
the way down, reviled and suffering many injuries. Pisces causes births with
extra limbs, halting speech, deafness, mange, wounds from aquatic beasts,
or affliction from moist syndromes."

Lot of Spirit in Leo (natal 3d, 4th from Fortune. Ruler Sun in natal 7th. 5th from Spirit)


Valens on Leo:
"Leo is indicative of the flanks, the loin, the heart, courage, vision, sinews.
Under this sign the following occur: lunacy or superstitious terrors,
convulsions/wounds caused by violence or vice, or resulting from bravery or
asceticism, loss of limbs, amputation, and injury to the eyes. It is also the
cause of foul doors. It also causes ugliness, amputations, fractures, falls from high places or from animals, bites from wild beasts, and injuries from
buildings collapsing and from burns, as well as depression, cancer, and
homosexuality."

Place of Occupation (10th) is Pisces, occupied by Mars. This triggers Valens's 'malefics in the Place of Occupation" diagnostic, especially since Mars is the out of sect malefic.

The main 'diseases' from which I suffer are severe myopia (from birth) and Plantar Fascitis (+ fallen arches in the feet, which are occasionally quite painful, but generally handleable). It can be seen that these two are indicated by the places of the Lots and their rulers. Mars in the 10th in Pisces seems to account for the latter, especially since it manifested during an exact transit of Saturn (lord of 8th,9th, in the 12th) to the cusp of the 6th house (Scorpio, again ruled by Mars).

I'm not so sure about the diagnosis of vision defects, which are indicated in multiple signs, and so perhaps not a good diagnostic. Still, the Pisces/Feet connection is impressive.

Example 2.
Ascendant in Capricorn
Sun,Venus, Mars in Sagittarius (12th)
Mercury, Lot of Fortune in Scorpio (11th)
Jupiter in Virgo (9th)
Saturn in Cancer (7th)
Lot of Spirit in Pisces (3d)

Looking for illness/disease potential
Lot of Fortune in Scorpio (natal 11th). Mercury is there as well.
Lord of Fortune Mars in Sagittarius (natal 12th). Note: this in not good. Besides the 12th house placement, Mars is the out of sect melefic.
Lot of Spirit in Pisces. Lord Jupiter in Virgo.
10th house is Libra. Lord Venus in Sagittarius.

So these signs - Scorpio, Sagittarius, Pisces, Virgo should give us hints. Sagittarius seems to be prominent, since it contains the out of sect malefic, who is also Lord of Fortune, and since Jupiter is also Lord of Spirit (and in detriment in Virgo), and is also the natal 12th

From Valens:

Scorpio is indicative of the genitals and the rump. Because of its sting, it causes dimming of vision, blindness, weak eyesight, kidney stones,strangury, recurrent illness, hernia/promiscuity [?], fistula.

Sagittarius is indicative of the thighs and the groin. Under this sign occur piebald skin with birthmarks, baldness, weak vision, eyestrain or blindness, bad breath, gout. It also causes falls from high places or from beasts, the loss of limbs and injuries from wild animals, and births with extra limbs.

Virgo is indicative of the belly, the internal organs, and the internal reproductive organs. It causes attacks of passion; with respect to intercourse, it makes people who are either weak, or strong and chaste. (So that we maynot seem too lengthy—the injuries and diseases caused by a sign or star are obvious from the nature of the sign and the star.) Virgo causes orthopnoea, hernia, superstitious terrors; in women it causes hysterical syndromes andcomplaints of the womb

Pisces is indicative of the feet, the sinews, and the toes. Under it occur arthritis, lichenous scaliness of the skin and leprosy, and people who are on the way down, reviled and suffering many injuries. Pisces causes births with extra limbs, halting speech, deafness, mange, wounds from aquatic beasts
or affliction from moist syndromes.

If I had to pick a sign, I'd go for Sagittarius, and if I had to pick a disease I'd go with vision problems because this is indicated by both Scorpio *and* Sagittarius. (that said, I am not sure this is an accurate way to predict disease, vs noticing an existing disease and seeing where it comes from astrologically. There are simply too many options per sign and no heuristic for choosing between them. Not to mention many possible signs are 'possibles' as above). Let's see what Valens says.

"The genitals were injured because the ruler of Scorpio [Mars] was in Sagittarius. The native was bald and blind on account of [Sagittarius’] arrow. Jupiter, the ruler of Daimon [Pisces], was found in [the IX Place of] the God and caused him to recover his sight with the help of the god (!!!) . He became a seer. (!!)

So we see that benefics unfavourably situated are perverted and lead to infirmities and diseases, while malefics favourably situated cause no infirmities, just temporary and intermittent bouts of illness."

Ok except for the focus on Sagittarius (and Jupiter as Lord) I wouldn't have predicted any of that except the vision problems. On the otehr hand, here Valens seems to be working backwards from an observed disease, (and its remission via 'the god's' grace etc) so perhaps this whole section is not really intended to be predictive, but rather to explain a known disease.

Also which malefic is 'favorably situated' ? Mars is in the 12th, and Saturn is in detriment in Cancer.

Some rules about judging disease (causing factors)

1. Benefics unfavorably situated are 'perverted' and lead to infirmities and diseases
2. Malefics favorably situated cause no infirmities, just temporary/intermittent bouts of illness
3. If the rulers of Fortune or Spirit happen to be in the 9th place (of the God) or 3d place (of the Goddess) and are intercepted (1) or aspected by malefics they cause men to be struck dumb, be raving lunatics (!!) or seers (2)
4. (quoting 'The Compiler') : If the planet causing the disease is in a potent (3) place and aspected by a malefic, the disease which befalls will be incurable and untreatable (does this work if the planet causing the disease is itself a malefic and in a 'potent place' ?)
5. If a benefict conjuncts or benefits the Harmful Place (4)
6. Valens reccomends calculating the *degree* position of the lots ( and not just roughly by sign).
7. Generally speaking the Sun, Moon, Saturn and Mercury, when in opposition or rising just after another brings injuries to the eyes or insanity, or strokes (5)
8. The Sun rising just after Mars or located in the same sign causes injuries to the vision, coughing, heart trouble and spitting blood (!)
9. Saturn and Mars together or alone at IC makes men prone to sudden fits, seeing visions of ghosts or gods (!) and initiation into mystic lore (ok I can't follow the logic at all. Why should malefics at IC indicate initiaton!)
10. Mars and Saturn, if opposition or superior (so 'to the left') aspect to the New or Full Moon or if one of them aspects the Moon when it passes out of a phase , cause lunacy, possession, fits, or dumbness.

ok I think there is a whole doctrine of disease and healing hidden behind these seemingly arbitrary rules, but I have no idea what it is.


(1) What is 'interception by malefics'?
(2) So this is a marker for some extreme effects? Does it apply to Lots too (and not just rulers of Lots)?
(3) What is 'potent'? Is this the same as angular? this would make sense since angularity make a planet powerful and its effect highly visible and then aspect by malefic grants the 'negativity' of illness
EDIT: clarified later. 'potent' == angles and the two places that rise just after the angles (so covers 8 signs out of 12? seems a bit overbroad)
(4) What is "The Harmful Place"? the sign giving rise to the disease? (So Sagittarius in the previous example and Capricorn in the one before that)
(5) So every Full Moon birth (Sun, Moon in opposition) has this potential?

I've been getting ready to reply but as I posted earlier, my internet connection died and I'm now dependent on using my Mobile phone as a hotspot.

Very briefly.

Interception by malefics, sometimes called enclosure is placement between the two malefics. This theory has lasted a long time, you will find modern Astrologers who talk about Planetary Containment. For Valens there are two types. The first is the one referred to here, which is clearly an adverse situation The second is enclosure by the two benefics, which is a very positive situation bringing good outcomes.

The Harmful Place, is the Place of Bad Fortune - the sixth place from the Ascending sign. It is still connected to the idea of illness and disease. even in Modern Astrology.

It's the rulers of Fortune and Spirit who are important. They signify the Lots so there condition gives some indication of bad things. If the Ruler of Fortune is in an unfortunate condition, by place of by aspect, then luck and Fortune won't run their way.

The two lights have signification for sight and the eyes. Mars signifies bleeding or blood loss, so the conjunction of the two signifies harm to the body.

Yes, there is something of a theory of medicine underlying this. In part, they ideas of Galen, the Greek writer on medicine had a major influence on Astrology, he wrote during the same period as Valens, though he was nine years younger. Much of his theory was that disease was caused by imbalances in the four humours through the associated secretions in the body - Black Bile, Yellow Bile, Choler and Phlegm It was Ptolemy who mainly articulated the four humours in Astrology and they became embedded in the diagnosis of disease and illness via Astrology. You will find the rudiments of the ideas in Valens

Greatly appreciated MW

much thanks.
Interception by malefics is particularly interesting, since one of my friends who has ASC intercepted by them has been having a particularly bad time over the last couple of weeks, which partially caused my 'internetl/computer ess' state. I'll probably write his experiences up as a 'case study'.

Example 3

ASC = Virgo (1st)
Sun = Capricorn (5th)
Moon = Scorpio (3d)
Mercury = Aquarius (6th)
Venus = Aquarius (6th)
Mars = Pisces (7th)
Jupiter = Leo (12th)
Saturn = Capricorn (5th)

Lot of Fortune = Scorpio (3d)
Lot of Spirit = Cancer (10th)

Injuries from Lot of Fortune

Scorpio.

" Scorpio is indicative of the genitals and the rump. Because of its sting, it causes dimming of vision, blindness, weak eyesight, kidney stones,
strangury, recurrent illness, hernia/promiscuity [?], fistula."

Planet in Scorpio: The Moon. In Fall.
Lord of Fortune Mars in Pisces. Trines Fortune. Opposes ascendant.

"Pisces is indicative of the feet, the sinews, and the toes. Under it occurarthritis, lichenous scaliness of the skin and leprosy, and people who are onthe way down, reviled and suffering many injuries. Pisces causes births withextra limbs, halting speech, deafness, mange, wounds from aquatic beasts, or affliction from moist syndromes"

Diseases from Lot of Spirit

in Cancer (10th) . Lord Moon Fallen in Scorpio. Trines Spirit.

Ok so Moon in Scorpio seems to be emphasised, with Mars in Pisces, which is angular so a 'potent' place. Also Mars is the 8th Lord. From personal experience, Mars in Pisces seems to indicate feet problems. So I'll go with dim vision + feet issues. (gout? fallen arches?)

Valens says

"
The ruler of the Lot of Fortune [Mars] was in opposition to the Ascendant. The native had an injury in the fated places, tender feet and— most significantly —he was a lunatic.

"

ok I got the "injury to feet" bit. Hurrah for personal experience!. Where does the 'lunatic' bit come from ???

RohanMenon said:

Example 3


ok I got the "injury to feet" bit. Hurrah for personal experience!. Where does the 'lunatic' bit come from ???

Click to expand...

The Moon is the ruler of the Lot of Daemon and she's in her Depression (Scorpio) And what is the etymology of the word lunatic?

Good point Minderwiz

but the problem I have is one of judging the presence of a *specific* disease from the chart. i.e, by seeing the chart, how do I judge that Moon in Scorpio and ruling Lot of Fortune means madness, and not (say) a vacillating will?
Even with disease the Moon and Scorpio could mean many things, and narrowing it down seems hard (at least at my level of knowledge)

Of course as a *diagnostic* device, this works extremely well. In other words, if we were to examine the astrological chart of a patient, we could trace a specific disease (here madness) to a specific astrological factor (here Moon in Scorpio + Moon is Ruler of Spirit), and then prescribe specific drugs or rituals etc.

I suspect this section of Valens has to deal with diagnosis, as ancient physicians did, and not necessarily prediction, as astrologers do.

just a thought.

Example 4

ASC = Leo
Sun = Sagittarius (5th)
Moon = Cancer (12th)
Mercury = Scorpio (4th)
Venus = Capricorn
Mars = Virgo (2nd)
Jupiter = Scorpio (4th)
Saturn = Taurus (10th)

Lot of Fortune = Virgo (2nd)

I'm not trying to predict diseases any longer, because I can't seem to make it work, (interesting features = night birth with Saturn (out of sect malefic in the 10th- ouch! - and Lord of Fortune in mutual reception with planet in the same house) so just quoting Valens

"
The Sun, found in the places of Jupiter, is indicative of things concerning the groin, thighs, and feet, and it caused infirmity in these parts as well as gout, for the Sun is the ruler of the sinews. Since Saturn was found at IC, the native had visions of the gods and of the dead.
"

In the first sentence, Valens is combining the planet Sun (general indicator of the Sun) with the place it is in. This is *not* the place of Lot of Fortune or Spirit, which seems to have been the focus so far. (I suspect he is moving from known diseases to the horoscope, which is fine, it is just diagnosis instead of prediction).

The last sentence is very intriguing. Why should a malefic in the IC give visions of the dead etc? I suspect this is a remnant from some kind of ancient shamanism, which would treat the IC as a gate to the underworld/spirit world etc. Not sure why Saturn would give visions. I'd have thought Saturn would indicate skepticism etc.