Terms or bounds

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In astrology, the terms or bounds refer to an essential dignity in which unequal segments of every astrological sign have internal rulerships which affect the power and integrity of each planet in a natal chart.

Each sign is divided into five different segments which have their own term or bound rulers. This dignity is in addition to the more familiar dignities of rulership, exaltation and triplicity.

"EGYPTIAN" Terms (or Bounds) Rulerships[1] *
Sign First Term ruler Begin Degree End Degree Second Term ruler Begin Degree End Degree Third Term ruler Begin Degree End Degree Fourth term ruler Begin Degree End Degree Fifth term ruler Begin Degree End Degree
Aries Jupiter 0 5.999 Venus 6 11.999 Mercury 12 19.999 Mars 20 24.999 Saturn 25 30
Taurus Venus 0 7.999 Mercury 8 13.999 Jupiter 14 21.999 Saturn 22 26.999 Mars 27 30
Gemini Mercury 0 5.999 Jupiter 6 11.999 Venus 12 16.999 Mars 17 23.999 Saturn 24 30
Cancer Mars 0 6.999 Venus 7 12.999 Mercury 13 18.999 Jupiter 19 25.999 Saturn 26 30
Leo Jupiter 0 5.999 Venus 6 10.999 Saturn 11 17.999 Mercury 18 23.999 Mars 24 30
Virgo Mercury 0 6.999 Venus 7 16.999 Jupiter 17 20.999 Mars 21 27.999 Saturn 28 30
Libra Saturn 0 5.999 Mercury 6 13.999 Jupiter 14 20.999 Venus 21 27.999 Mars 28 30
Scorpio Mars 0 6.999 Venus 7 10.999 Mercury 11 18.999 Jupiter 19 23.999 Saturn 24 30
Sagittarius Jupiter 0 11.999 Venus 12 16.999 Mercury 17 20.999 Saturn 21 25.999 Mars 26 30
Capricorn Mercury 0 6.999 Jupiter 7 13.999 Venus 14 21.999 Saturn 22 25.999 Mars 26 30
Aquarius Mercury 0 6.999 Venus 7 12.999 Jupiter 13 19.999 Mars 20 24.999 Saturn 25 30
Pisces Venus 0 11.999 Jupiter 12 15.999 Mercury 16 18.999 Mars 19 27.999 Saturn 28 30

* NOTE: This table presents the so-called Egyptian bounds, which differ somewhat from those preferred by Ptolemy in his Tetrabiblos. The terms given were also those used by Dorotheus of Sidon and Vettius Valens. Paulus says these were the bounds the "Egyptian sages determined,"[2] most likely referring to the lost work of Nechepso/Osiris.

Not all astrologers of the period agreed about the exact details of these rulerships. For example, Vettius Valens[3] varies the bound rulers according to sect, using different rulers for diurnal and for nocturnal nativities.

For Hellenistic astrologers, such Claudius Ptolemy, Dorotheus of Sidon, Vettius Valens and Paulus Alexandrinus, this dignity had an equal footing with rulership and exaltation and was accorded the same weight in the delineation of a natal chart, particularly for vitality. Paulus says, "from this Rulership is drawn conclusions about length of life."[4]

According to Paulus, the way in which longevity was determined by the bounds had to do with the number of degrees in the table which were ruled by each planet. Adding up these degrees, the following totals are determined, which Paulus calls the "final years of life:"[5]

  • Saturn: 57 years [= 57 degrees ruled by Saturn]
  • Jupiter: 79 years [= 79 degrees ruled by Jupiter]
  • Mars: 66 years [= 66 degrees ruled by Mars]
  • Venus: 82 years [= 82 degrees ruled by Venus]
  • Mercury 76 years [= 76 years ruled by Mercury]

(The total number of years/degrees equal 360, for all the degrees in the zodiac.)

A later scholium explains (paraphrasing Porphyry): "Whenever the Ruler of the nativity[6] may be well-situated, then it gives the years of life."[7] To give the full measure of a planet's final years, the planet would have to be excellently situated and dignified, with no afflictions in motion, combustion or sect.

Paulus further says that the "final years" given by the Sun is 120 years and the "final years" given by the Moon is 108 years, even though, as can be seen, neither of the luminaries is allotted any term dignity. Presumably these "final years" are given for situations when the Sun or Moon are the oikodespotes[8] of a chart, despite the lack of bounds rulerships.

By the Medieval era in the history of astrology, this dignity had been devalued to the status of a minor dignity. It was still used for defining longevity and probably for determining physical characteristics that were likely to manifest in a person, but it no longer was considered as important as domicile dignity (rulership) or exaltation. (Medieval astrologers such as the Arabs and Guido Bonatti and William Lilly also used a hierarchical scale of dignities, where rulership was the most important, exaltation was slightly less important, triplicity was next in importance, and terms or bounds were ranked fourth in weight. The least important dignity--and considered a very minor one indeed--was that of face or decan.)

Below are the terms or bounds according to Ptolemy, a later variant of the older "Egyptian" bounds:

Terms (or Bounds) Rulerships acc. to PTOLEMY[9] *
Sign First Term ruler Begin Degree End Degree Second Term ruler Begin Degree End Degree Third Term ruler Begin Degree End Degree Fourth term ruler Begin Degree End Degree Fifth term ruler Begin Degree End Degree
Aries Jupiter 0 5.999 Venus 6 13.999 Mercury 14 20.999 Mars 21 25.999 Saturn 26 30
Taurus Venus 0 7.999 Mercury 8 14.999 Jupiter 15 21.999 Saturn 22 25.999 Mars 26 30
Gemini Mercury 0 6.999 Jupiter 7 13.999 Venus 14 20.999 Mars 21 25.999 Saturn 26 30
Cancer Mars 0 5.999 Jupiter 6 12.999 Mercury 13 19.999 Venus 20 26.999 Saturn 27 30
Leo Saturn 0 5.999 Mercury 6 12.999 Venus 13 18.999 Jupiter 19 24.999 Mars 25 30
Virgo Mercury 0 6.999 Venus 7 12.999 Jupiter 13 17.999 Saturn 18 23.999 Mars 24 30
Libra Saturn 0 5.999 Venus 6 10.999 Jupiter 11 18.999 Mercury 19 23.999 Mars 24 30
Scorpio Mars 0 5.999 Jupiter 6 13.999 Venus 14 20.999 Mercury 21 26.999 Saturn 27 30
Sagittarius Jupiter 0 7.999 Venus 8 13.999 Mercury 14 18.999 Saturn 19 24.999 Mars 25 30
Capricorn Venus 0 5.999 Mercury 6 11.999 Jupiter 12 18.999 Mars 19 24.999 Saturn 25 30
Aquarius Saturn 0 5.999 Mercury 6 11.999 Venus 12 19.999 Jupiter 20 24.999 Mars 25 30
Pisces Venus 0 7.999 Jupiter 8 13.999 Mercury 14 19.999 Mars 20 25.999 Saturn 26 30

* NOTE: This second table presents the terms or bounds according to Claudius Ptolemy. in Tetrabiblos. Ptolemy modified the "Egyptian" bounds for reasons that are not clear, but probably having to do with astronomical measurements. Ptolemy's table was adopted by medieval astrologers and is still in use in modern times.

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ As given in: Paulus Alexandrinus. Introductory Matters. (378 A.D.) in Late Classical Astrology: Paulus Alexandrinus and Olympiodorus, a translation by Dorian Gieseler Greenbaum. ARHAT (Archive for Retrieval of Historical Astrological Texts) (Reston, VA; 2001.)
  2. ^ Ibid., p. 6.
  3. ^ Vettius Valens. The Anthology. Book III. [translated by Robert Schmidt and edited by Robert Hand.] Project Hindsight, Greek Track, Vol. VIII (The Golden Hind Press, Berkeley Springs, WV, 1994), p. 52-53.
  4. ^ Paulus, op. cit.
  5. ^ Ibid., p. 7.
  6. ^ According to Dorian Greenbaum, the "ruler of the nativity" here is the oikodespotes of the chart. The oikodespotes is generally the planet with the most essential dignity in all the planetary positions of a chart, as well as the Ascendant. All dignities in the ancient system were of equal weight, in contrast to the later Medieval model.
  7. ^ Paulus, op. cit., p. 8.
  8. ^ See note 6.
  9. ^ As given in: J. Lee Lehman. Essential Dignities. Whitford Press. (West Chester, PA, 1989.) The same table may be found in Lilly's Christian Astrology (London, 1647), p. 104.