ORPHIC FRAGMENT 286

OTTO KERN

HellenicGods.org

HOME GLOSSARY RESOURCE ART LOGOS CONTACT

For links to many more fragments: The Orphic Fragments of Otto Kern.

SUMMARY: This lengthy fragment is the work of the astrologer Dorotheus of Sidon, which, at its commencement, states that “Orpheus also says these things.”

286. Codices Venetos Marcianus 334 (6) f. 168 s. μζʹ (47). μηʹ (48) (A, described by Wilhelm Kroll) and Venetos Marcianus 335 (7) f. 137 ρϛβʹ (B, described by Alessandro Olivieri) = Catalogus Codicum Astrologorum graecorum II 1900, 198, 24 (compare in the same text on p. 35):

καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ὁ Δωρόθεος· λέγει δὲ καὶ Ὀρφεὺς περὶ ἐπεμβάσεων ταῦτα· ὁ Κρόνος ἐπεμβὰς Διὶ σφάλματα βίου ποιεῖ καὶ κτημάτων ἐστὶ φθορεὺς καὶ γάμον σκεδάζει γυναικὸς καὶ εἰς πᾶν ἔργον βλάπτεται· ὁ Κρόνος εἰς Ἄρην αἴτιος συνοχῶν δεσμῶν νόσων, λυπεῖ δὲ ἕνεκεν τέκνων, ὄλεθρον σημαίνει κτημάτων, τινὰς φυγοπάτριδας ποιεῖ ἢ θητεύοντας καὶ πενητεύοντας. ὁ Κρόνος εἰς Ἥλιον μετὰ κόπου τὰς πράξεις τελεῖ· φευκτέον δὲ τὸν πλοῦν καὶ τὰς ὁδοιπορίας διὰ φόβον ληιστῶν. ὁ Κρόνος εἰς Ἀφροδίτην ἐχθραίνει τοὺς συγγενεῖς καὶ τοὺς φίλους, ἀπάτας καὶ ταραχὰς καὶ ζημίας ἐπάγει, ὁ δὲ ἔχων γυναῖκα αἰσχυνθήσεται διὰ τὴν αὐτῆς μαχλοσύνην. ὁ Κρόνος εἰς Ἑρμῆν φιλονεικίας καὶ κρίσεις σημαίνει καὶ ζημίας καὶ ταραχὰς καὶ θανάτους ἀδίκους συγγενῶν· φευκτέον δὲ τάς τε ἀγορὰς καὶ τὸ ἀνακοινοῦσθαι ἑτέροις τὰς πράξεις· δολοπλοκίας γὰρ ποιεῖ καὶ ἀπάτας. ὁ Κρόνος εἰς Σελήνην ἐπαναστάσεις τόπων ποιεῖ ἢ χρονίας νόσους ἢ κτημάτων ὄλεθρον καὶ ζημίαν. ὁ Κρόνος εἰς έαυτὸν μεταναστάσεις, ἐπὶ ξένων τόπων |¹⁹⁹ τε πλάνας σημαίνει, ταραχάς τε καὶ εἱρκτὴν καὶ δεσμά, γονέων θανάτους, οἴκου καὶ χρημάτων ἀφανισμόν. ὁ Κρόνος εἰς τὸν ὡροσκόπον εἰς ἄλλην χώραν μεθιστᾶι, ποιεῖ δὲ καὶ ἀπάτας, ζημίας, κινδύνους. ὁ Κρόνος εἰς τὸ μεσουράνημα εἰς ξένης γῆν ἀπάγει καὶ δόξαν δίδωσιν ἀλλ’ ἕνεκα χρέους λυπεῖ. ὁ Κρόνος εἰς τὸ δῦνον καὶ τὸ ὑπόγειον ἢ τῶν οἰκείων οἴκων καὶ κτημάτων ἀπελαύνει ἢ εἰς ἀλλοδαπὴν ἀπάγει ἢ δορυαλώτους ποιεῖ ἢ τοὺς δούλους θανατοῖ.

“And these things Dôróthæos (ed. Δωρόθεος Σιδώνιος) (said); but Orphéfs (Ὀρφεὺς) also says these things on the commencement of dominant periods: Saturn entering into Jupiter causes the failures of life, is the destroyer of possessions, shatters the marriage of a woman, and destroys all her work; Saturn entering into Mars is responsible for the bondage of constant chains of disease, and gives pain on account of the children, indicates the ruin of property, makes many a one an exile or a serf and poor. When Saturn moves toward the Sun, this accomplishes actions but along with suffering; one must avoid sailing and journeys for fear of robbers. When Saturn moves into Venus, it makes family and friends hostile, brings on deceits, troubles, and losses, and he who has a wife will be ashamed because of her lust. When Saturn passes through Mercury this indicates rivalries and disputes, penalties, troubles, and unjust deaths of kinsmen; and one must avoid the assemblies and impart the affairs to the others: for it produces plots and devious stratagems. When Saturn passes into the area of the Moon, it produces insurrections of provinces or lingering diseases or destruction and loss of properties. When Saturn enters his own, this indicates migration and wanderings towards foreign regions, insurrections and both imprisonment and chains, deaths of parents, destruction of the home and properties. When Saturn moves through the ascendant, removes one from one place to another country, and produces wiles, penalties and dangers. When Saturn passes through mid-heaven, he carries you off to a foreign land and grants honor, but you grieve on account of debt. When Saturn passes through its setting and is at the nadir, verily, it will drive one away from family homes and possessions, or carries one off to a foreign land, or makes prisoners, or puts slaves to death.

Ὁ Ζεὺς εἰς Κρόνον ἀνώμαλον τὴν πρᾶξιν τοῦ βίου, ποτὲ μὲν ἀγρῶν καὶ θεμελίων κτῆσιν διδοὺς καὶ οἴκων ἢ ἀλλότριον βίον διέπειν, ποτὲ δὲ τῶν προτέρων ἔργων καὶ πράξεων ἀποσφαλλομένους ποιῶν, ἄλλοις δαπάνας καὶ ζημίας <καὶ> μακρονοσίας ἐπάγων. ὁ Ζεὺς εἰς ἑαυτὸν ὅσας θλίψεις εὕροι τούτων λυτροῖ καὶ κέρδη παρέχει, φήμας τε κενὰς καὶ θρύλλους ἐπάγει, εἰ μὴ τύχηι ἐν ἰδίωι οἴκωι κατὰ πῆξιν. ὁ Ζεὺς εἰς Ἥλιον ἀργίαν ταῖς πράξεσι δίδωσι καὶ φθείρει τοὺς οἴκους ἢ νόσων ἢ κτημάτων ἀπώλειαν καὶ μάταιον τέλος τῶν πόνων καὶ ἐναντίον τελεῖ. ὁ Ζεὺς εἰς Ἄρην ἀγαθός· εἰ γὰρ εὕροι ἐν κακότητι καὶ συνοχῆι καὶ θλίψει, πάντων ἀπολύει, εἰ δὲ ἐν χαρᾶι εὕρηι διάγοντα, μείζονα τὴν εὐφροσύνην δίδωσιν, καὶ μειζόνων προσώπων φίλους ποιεῖ καὶ κτήσεις παρέχει καὶ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς λυπεῖ καὶ κέρδη καὶ δόξαν δίδωσι. ὁ Ζεὺς εἰς Ἀφροδίτην πλοῦτον σημαίνει ἀπροσδόκητον καὶ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ὑπέρτερον δείκνυσι καὶ τοῖς μὲν ἀγάμοις γάμον, τοῖς δὲ γεγαμηκόσι τέκνα παρέχει καὶ ταῖς πράξεσι τέλος ἐπιτίθησιν. ὁ Ζεὺς εἰς Ἑρμῆν φίλους μεγάλων ἀνδρῶν ποιεῖ, ὧν καὶ τὴν παρουσίαν οἰκονομεῖν πιστεύονται, καὶ αὐξάνουσι τὸν ἴδιον οἶκον· καὶ δῶρα ἐκ φίλων παρέχει· καὶ οὗτοι μὲν εὐφραίνονται, λυποῦσι δὲ τοὺς ἐχθρούς, εἰ δὲ δίκην ἔχουσι, νικῶσι· δεῖ μέντοι τὸν τοῦ Ἑρμοῦ ἀγαθύνεσθαι. ὁ Ζεὺς εἰς Σελήνην τοῖς μὲν γεγαμηκόσι τεκνογονίαν, τοῖς δὲ δικαζομένοις εὐτυχίαν καὶ κέρδος· πλὴν ὀλίγον πρότερον βλάψας ὕστερον νίκην καὶ εὐπραγίαν παρέχει· ἐνίοτε δὲ καί τινας χρυσείαις κοσμεῖ σειραῖς. ὁ Ζεὺς εἰς τὸν ὡροσκόπον καὶ τὸ δῦνον κοινός ἐστιν εἴς τε ἀγαθὰ καὶ κακά, ποτὲ μὲν κρίσεις ἐπιφέρων καὶ μάχας καὶ ζημίας καὶ ἔχθρας, ποτὲ δὲ τούτων λυτροῖ καὶ κέρδη καὶ κτῆσιν δίδωσιν, ἄλλοτε φιλίαν ἄλλοτε χηρείαν σημαίνει καὶ αἰσχρὰν φήμην γάμων καὶ ταραχὴν διὰ ταῦτα, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ συγγενικὸν φόνον ποιεῖται καὶ κληρονομίαν ἐκ τούτων παρέχει, καὶ τὸν πλανήτην ἐπανάγει εἰς τὴν πατρίδα· εἰς δὲ τὸ μεσουράνημα καὶ τὸ ὑπογειον θανάτους γονέων καὶ νόσους καὶ κόπους καὶ θλίψεις· ἄλλοις γάμον παρέχει· |²⁰⁰ ἑτέρους τῆς πατρίδος μετανιστᾶι·

τὸ δὲ τέλος τῶν πράξεων ἔσται ἐπίμοχθον.

“When Jupiter journeys through Saturn, this indicates an unstable condition of life, at one time granting the acquisition of fields, foundations, and houses, or managing the life of what is another’s, but at another time it brings about failure of former jobs and businesses, to others bringing on expenditures and losses and lingering illnesses. When Jupiter enters into its own path, one might find that it redeems great afflictions and provides profits, yet it brings on empty rumors and murmurs if one should not happen to be at one’s own house in solidity. When Jupiter enters into conjunction with the Sun, it gives interruption of transactions, and destroys homes, or diseases, or the destruction of possessions, and you will accomplish a useless and opposing consummation of one’s labors. When Jupiter enters into Mars it is good; for if it found one in distress and in affliction and oppression, it frees you from everything, but if it finds one living in joy, the greater it grants merriment, and it makes friends of more important people, grants possessions, grieves enemies, and bestows profits and fame. When Jupiter moves into Venus, this indicates unexpected wealth, and indicates (victory) over enemies, and marriage to those unmarried, and produces children for those who are married, and grants fulfillment to businesses. When Jupiter enters into Mercury, this makes friends of great men, of whom they can also be relied on to administer property, and increase their own house; and produce gifts from friends; and these are happy, and cause distress to enemies, and if they possess justice, they prevail; to be sure, of Mercury, it ought to be honored. When Jupiter enters into the area of the Moon, this bestows children to those who are married, success and gain to those supporting a cause; however, if having caused damage a little before, later it bestows victory and well-being; but sometimes it also adorns some with golden necklaces. When Jupiter enters into the ascendant and setting, it is shared with both good and bad things, sometimes bringing disputes, battles, losses, and enmities, but at other times it releases from ransom and gives gains and property, at one time in indicates friendship, at another widowhood and ill-favored omen of marriages and upheaval due to these things, and often even producing the murder of kinsmen and handing over inheritance from them, and brings back the wanderer to his fatherland; but when in mid-heaven and below the earth (ed. the nadir), this indicates the death of parents, plagues, sufferings, and affliction; to some it offers marriage; removes other from their fatherland; but the completion of the affairs will be toilsome.”

ὁ Ἄρης εἰς Κρόνον, ὅσα ὁ Κρόνος εἴωθε βλάπτειν, σώιζει οὗτος ταῦτα· πάσας γὰρ νόσους καὶ λύπας καταπαύει καὶ πλοῦτον καὶ νίκην καὶ εὐφροσύνην διδοῖ· ὁ Ἄρης εἰς Δία ὀλέθριος καὶ ἀπηνής, χρημάτων δαπάναι εἰς μάτην ἔσονται· καὶ ἐν δίκαις βλάπτει καὶ ἐχθροὺς ἀνιστᾶι. ταῖς δ’ ἐγκύοις τὰ ἔμβρυα φθείρεται ἢ τεχθέντα τάχιστον τελευτᾶι· βλάβας καὶ ὕβρεις σημαίνει καὶ τόπων μεταναστάσεις ποιεῖται· τάς τε πράξεις ἀχρειοῖ καὶ τέκνων ἢ γυναικὸς λυπεῖ καὶ ἔχθρας ἀφ' ἡγεμόνων διδοῖ καὶ ἐκ τοῦ δήμου χόλον. ὁ Ἄρης εἰς ἑαυτόν, ἐκ τόπου μετανιστᾶι ἢ νόσους ποιεῖ ἢ σιδήρωι αἱμάσσει ἢ πυρὶ φλογίζει, εἰς μέντοι τὸν βίον πρῆξιν καὶ κῦδος ὀπάζει. ὁ Ἄρης εἰς Ἥλιον ἐλαττοῖ τὰ κτήματα κἀν ταῖς πράξεσι κακός, λύπας ποιεῖ καὶ βλάπτει τὸν νοῦν, τινὰς χάριν κρυφίων ἔργων λυπεῖ· εἰ δὲ καὶ στηρίζηι, χαλεπωτέρους θορύβους τε καὶ μάχας διὰ πράγματα κινεῖ καὶ ἀρχαίων ἕνεκεν πατρώιον ἔχθος διδοῖ, προδοσίας τε ἐκ τῶν φίλων καὶ ἔχθρας ἐπάγει. ὁ Ἄρης εἰς Ἀφροδίτην· μάχην ἐκ γυναικὸς καὶ χόλον ὑπόπτευε· ποιεῖ γὰρ χωρισμὸν ἐπιπολὺ καὶ ὑποψίας μοιχικάς· ἐνίοτε καὶ τὰ τῶν ἀνδρῶν πάντα συλῶσιν. ὁ Ἄρης εἰς Ἑρμῆν ζημίας καὶ δίκας τὰς πλείους ψευδεῖς καὶ δολίους καὶ ἀποκρύφων ἔργων αἰσχύνας καὶ ἀπάτας καὶ ἐπιορκίας, προδόσεις, φυγάδας τε καὶ δεσμοὺς ποιεῖ. ὁ Ἄρης εἰς Σελήνην· εἰ μὲν θῆλυ τὸ ζώιδιόν ἐστι, περὶ νόσου μόνης φοβοῦ καὶ μάλιστα τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν, εἰ δ’ ἄρσεν, τὴν πρᾶξιν τοῦ βίου ταράσσει, εἰ δὲ καὶ στηρίζηι, ἔτι μᾶλλον· τέκνων γὰρ ἀποστερεῖ καὶ ἀδελφοὺς θανατοῖ, κινδύνους καὶ θορύβους ἐπάγει καὶ εἰς ἀλλοδαπὴν ἀπάγει ἢ τὴν οἰκίαν μετήμειψε καὶ ἀπὸ ἄλλου ἔργου ἄλλο ἔργον ἔδωκεν, εἰ μὴ τοῦ Κρόνου τὸ ζώιδιον τύχηι καὶ ταῦτα κωλύσηι· ἐν δὲ τοῖς κέντροις πᾶσι χαλεπός, ἀστασίας ἐπάγων καὶ ταραχὰς ἐν τοῖς οἴκοις καὶ τῶι βίωι λύπας καὶ μάλιστα διὰ γάμον ἐν τῶι δύνοντι· καὶ γὰρ καὶ ὠμοτοκίας ποιεῖ· εἰς δὲ τὸ μεσουράνημα τὴν κοίτην τῶν συζύγων αἰσχύνουσιν ἢ καὶ νόσους ἐν τούτωι τῶι κέντρωι παρέχει.

“Mars, when passing into Saturn, preserves those things as great as Saturn is accustomed to hinder: for it puts an end to sickness and pain, and bestows wealth, victory, and merriment. When Mars enters into Jupiter, it is destructive and harsh, there will be fruitless expenditures of goods; and in lawsuits, it both damages and raises up enemies. And with pregnant women, fetuses perish, or, if born, they die very swiftly; it indicates damages and injuries and causes migration from places; and ruins transactions, and causes pain because of one’s wife or children, and gives feuds from leaders and anger from the people. When Mars enters into its own domain, it causes one to migrate from a region, or causes diseases, or makes bloody with iron, or burns with fire, however, it grants achievement and renown to life. When Mars enters the path of the Sun, reduces properties and is bad for transactions, produces pain of body and perverts the mind, it causes pain to some on account of clandestine deeds; but if it also is fixed, it sets in motion grievous uproars and battles through deeds, and delivers hate from olden times in consequence of the ancestors, it brings to you betrayals from friends and enemies. When Mars passes into Venus: you must suspect battle and bitterness from one’s wife; for, to a great extent, it produces separation and suspicions of adultery; sometimes they even pillage everything from their husbands. When Mars passes into Mercury, it produces penalties and lawsuits full of lies, deceits, and scandals from secret deeds, both frauds and perjuries, betrayals, exiles and imprisonments. Mars passing into the area of the Moon: if the zodiacal sign is female, you will be frightened concerning a single disease and most of all of the eyes, but if (the zodiacal sign) is masculine, it disturbs the business of life, but if (the sign) is also a fixed, yet more so: for it robs one from one’s children and puts to death brothers, it brings on dangers and uproars, and carries one off into a foreign land or transform the customs of the home and bringing one thing after another, unless the zodiacal sign of Saturn happened and prevented these things; but it is difficult in all cardinal points, bringing on instability and upheavals in homes, pains in life, and most of all through marriages collapsing: for also it produces premature births; and when in mid-heaven they dishonor the marriage-bed of those copulating, or in this cardinal point it also produces diseases.”

ὁ Ἥλιος εἰς Κρόνον ἀρχαίων μνήμας ἐπάγει καὶ τῶι βίωι τε πλοῦτον καὶ χαράν· ὁ Ἥλιος εἰς Δία μέγα κῦδος ὀπάζει καὶ φήμας καλὰς καὶ εὐφροσύνας καὶ ἐξ ἀφανῶν ἐμφανεῖς ποιεῖ. ὁ Ἥλιος εἰς Ἄρην νόσωι κατακλίνει ἢ τῆς πατρίδος μετανιστᾶι, χρήματα φθείρει καὶ ἀκουσίους ζημίας ποιεῖ καὶ τοῖς φίλοις ἐχθρὸν καὶ ἐξ ἰδίων ταραχός ἐπεγείρει, εἰ μὴ καὶ ὁ Ζεὺς κατ’ ἐπέμβασιν ἐκεῖ γένηται. ὁ Ἥλιος εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἢ τὴν |²⁰¹ Σελήνην, νόσους καὶ ἀχρημοσύνας ποιεῖ καὶ ἐκ τῶν Ἰδίων τόπων κινεῖ· πολλάκις δὲ καὶ ἐκ τῶν θλίψεων πλοῦτον φέρει. ὁ Ἥλιος εἰς Ἀφροδίτην ἀκαταστασίας αἴτιος, ταράσσει τὸν οἶκον χάριν γυναικῶν, εἰς δὲ τὰς δόσεις κέρδη παρέχει. ὁ Ἥλιος εἰς τὸν Ἑρμῆν πλανᾶι τὸν νοῦν καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν λυπεῖ ἀπατῶν καὶ δαπάνας ματαίας ποιῶν· ὁ Ἥλιος εἰς τὰ κέντρα ἀπὸ τῶν οἴκων εἰς ἄλλους τόπους μετανιστᾶι καὶ νόσους ποιεῖ καὶ τὸ σῶμα χαλεπαίνει, ἐν δὲ μεσουρανήματι πρῆξιν καὶ κῦδος ὀπάζει.

“When the Sun travels toward Saturn, it brings on memories of the ancients, wealth, and joy to life; when the Sun passes into Jupiter, it grants great glory, beautiful reports of fame, festivities, and makes them obvious from things obscure. When the Sun passes into Mars, it lays one down in illness or removal from one’s fatherland, it destroys ones goods, produces forced losses, hatred in friends, and disorder rouses up the members of one’s own family, even if Jupiter is not there on the commencement of the predominate periods. When the Sun travels into itself or that of the Moon, it produces diseases and poverty, and moves one from one’s own regions; but often also it brings wealth after afflictions. When the Sun travels into Venus, the one responsible for instability, it troubles the house as regards to the women, but as far as the gifts, it gives profits. When the Sun moves into Mercury, it deceives the mind and distresses the soul by wiles, creating frivolous expenditures; when the Sun moves through the cardinal points of the ecliptic, makes one migrate away from their homes to other places, produces diseases, and is severe to the body, but when in mid-heaven, it gives success and glory.”

ἡ Ἀφροδίτη εἰς Κρόνον ἐπίκτησιν δηλοῖ καὶ δόξαν ἐν τῶι δήμωι καὶ ἐκ κρυφίων βοηθεῖ, ἀλλ’ εἰς τὸν γάμον κακοεργός· ἀναστατοῖ γὰρ ἢ ἄλλως

λέχος ἀντήλλαξε καὶ ἥττονι φωτὶ συνῆψεν.

ἡ Ἀφροδίτη εἰς Δία, πέψεις, κινδύνους, νόσους, ἔχθρας, κρίσεις διὰ τοὺς οἰκείους καὶ ἐν τοῖς οἴκοις καὶ τοῖς οἰκείοις φιλονεικίας· εἰ δὲ ἡ τούτου γυνὴ ἔγκυός ἐστιν, ἐκτιτρώσκει. ἡ Ἀφροδίτη εἰς τὸν Ἄρην στάσεις καὶ δαπάνας ἐκ γυναικῶν καὶ τόπου μετανάστασιν καὶ ταραχὰς εἰς τὸν βίον. ἡ Ἀφροδίτη εἰς Ἥλιον ἀκαταστασίαν ποιεῖ καὶ τὸν νοῦν πλανᾶι καὶ τὰς πράξεις καὶ ῥαθυμίας ποιεῖ καὶ ψόγους καὶ στάσεις ἐν τοῖς οἰκείοις. ἡ Ἀφροδίτη εἰς ἑαυτήν· κοινή ἐστι καὶ ἐπίμοχθος, πῆ μὲν ἀγαθή, πῆ δὲ φαύλη. ἡ Ἀφροδίτη εἰς τὸν Ἑρμῆν κληρονομίας δηλοῖ καὶ κτήματα αὐξάνει καὶ τέλος ἐν ταῖς πράξεσιν ἐπιτίθησιν· καὶ ἐν δίκαις νίκας παρέχει. ἡ Ἀφροδίτη εἰς τὴν Σελήνην εὐφροσύνην δηλοῖ καὶ ἐν πράξεσι τέρπει, κέρδος ἄμοχθον διδοῖ καὶ γάμωι συζεύγνυσι, καὶ τεκνογονίαν ἐν θηλυκῶι ζωιδίωι οὖσα ποιεῖ. ἡ Ἀφροδίτη εἰς ὡροσκόπον καὶ μεσουράνημα ἱλαρὰ καὶ φαιδρὰ καὶ εὔπρακτος καὶ πλείονα τὴν κτῆσιν καὶ τὰ κέρδη ποιεῖ, εἰ δὲ καὶ στηρίζει, ἔτι πλέον. ἡ Ἀφροδίτη εἰς τὸ ὑπόγειον κρυπτὰ πάθη καὶ λύπας ἐξ ἀλόχων, εἰ δὲ καὶ στηρίζει, καὶ μορίων <καὶ> ἕδρας πάθη ποιεῖ καὶ τῶν κοσμίων ἀπώλειαν καὶ δάκρυα ἐπιφέρει τοῖς οἴκοις.

“When Venus moves into Saturn, it indicates fresh gain and glory amongst the people, and comes to aid from concealed means, but harmful to marriage: for it destroys it or otherwise:

‘It changed the marriage-bed and united her to an inferior man.’

When Venus moves into Jupiter, ripenings, dangers, diseases, hatreds, disputes in the family and in the home and contentiousness in kinsmen: if the wife is pregnant, she miscarries. When Venus moves into Mars, (it brings) factions, expenditures because of the women, migration from one’s place, and disorder in life. When Venus moves into the area of the Sun, it produces instability and causes the mind to wander, it produces transactions and indifference, censures, and factions in kinfolk. When Venus enters into herself: it is shared and toilsome, on one hand good, on the other bad. When Venus moves into Mercury, it indicates bequests, it increases possessions, it grants completion to transactions; and it offers victories in lawsuits. When Venus moves into the area of the Moon, it indicates happiness and gives delight to transactions, it gives trouble-free profit, unites one in marriage, and when in the feminine zodiacal sign it produces child-bearing. Venus, when on the ascendant and in mid-heaven, is happy, beaming with joy, prosperous, and producing even more property and profits, but if it is fixed, yet even more so. When Venus moves into the nadir, it causes hidden accidents and grief from wives, but if it is also fixed, it produces misfortunes in the genitals and anus, and the destruction of well-behaved people, and it brings tears to homes.”

ὁ Ἑρμῆς εἰς τὸν Κρόνον αὔξει τὰς πράξεις καὶ τὴν κτῆσιν, τοὺς δὲ ἐχθροὺς βλάπτει. ὁ Ἑρμῆς εἰς Δία πάντηι ἀγαθός, ἐξ ἐμπορίας κέρδη διδοὺς καὶ φίλους ποιῶν ἐμφανῶν καὶ δόξαν ἐν οἴκοις παρέχων καὶ κράτος. ὁ Ἑρμῆς εἰς Ἄρην ἐμπράκτους δηλοῖ καὶ τῶν φόβων ἀπολύει καὶ τέλος τοῖς πόνοις ἐπιτίθησιν. ὁ Ἑρμῆς εἰς Ἥλιον ἄστατος εἰς τέχνην καὶ πρᾶξιν, ἕως διέλθοι τὰς μοίρας τοῦ Ἡλίου, μετὰ τοῦτο |²⁰² γὰρ εὔπρακτος. ὁ Ἑρμῆς εἰς Ἀφροδίτην πλοῦτον καὶ ἀλλότρια χρήματα δωρεῖται καὶ κλῆρον ἐκ τεθνεώτων,

ἐκ δ’ ἀλόχων πηῶν τε φιλοφροσύνην κατὰ δῶμα,

ποιεῖ δὲ φίλους παίδων καὶ δούλων. ὁ Ἑρμῆς εἰς Σελήνην· τοῖς μὲν οἰκείοις στάσεις καὶ τὸν δῆμον ταράσσει καὶ ἐν ἀγοραῖς ψεύδη καὶ φιλονεικίας καὶ διαβολὰς ἐγείρει, ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ ἀγαθὸς ἴδοι. πολλάκις γὰρ οὕτως ἐπιθεωρήσας ἀγαθὸς ἐπικερδῆ τὴν τούτου τέχνην πεποίηται. ὁ Ἑρμῆς εἰς τὸν ὡροσκόπον καὶ τὸ μεσουράνημα φιλίαν μεγιστάνων καὶ πίστιν ἐκ λόγων καὶ ἐν δήμοις τιμάς· εἰς δὲ τὸ δῦνον λύπας καὶ ἔχθρας, φροντίδας, κρίσεις, διὰ δάνεια οἰκτρά, εἰς δὲ τὸ ὑπόγειον χεῖρον κινδύνους καὶ βλάβας ἐκ κρυφίων καὶ παλαιῶν.

When Mercury moves into Saturn, it increases transactions and property, and hinders enemies. When Mercury moves into Jupiter, it is good in every way, bestowing gains from commerce, and making friends of notable people, and granting fame in the homes and power. When Mercury moves into Mars, it reveals what is propitious and frees from fears and puts an end to struggles. When Mercury moves into the area of the Sun, it is unstable in trade and business, until it passes through the area of the Sun, for after this it is prosperous. When Mercury moves into Venus, it bestows wealth and the property of others and inheritance from those who have perished,

“And from wives and kinsmen friendliness throughout the house.”

and makes friends of children and slaves. When Mercury moves into the area of the Moon: it causes dissent in homes and stirs up people and lies in assemblies, and rouses rivalries and false accusations, if, perchance, free from what seems good. For often therefore, having a favorable consideration, it has made from this an advantageous skill. When Mercury is on the ascendant and in mid-heaven, it bestows friendship of great men, trust of one’s arguments, and honors among the commons; but when setting, it gives pains and enmities, anxieties, disputes, through lamentable loans, but when at the nadir, even worse dangers and harms from hidden and ancient things.”

ἡ Σελήνη εἰς μὲν τὸν Κρόνον καὶ Ἄρην ἀργίαν ὄκνον καὶ ζημίας καὶ κινδύνους αφ’ ὕψους ἢ ἀφ’ αἵματος· τὸ μὲν ἐκ τοῦ Κρόνου, τὸ δὲ ἐκ τοῦ Ἄρεως· ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀστράσι καλή. ἡ Σελήνη εἰς τὸν Ἥλιον ἢ εἰς ἑαυτὴν

νωχελίην θυμοῦ καὶ ἀεργείην ἅμ’ ὀπάζει,

ἐν δὲ τοῖς κέντροις ἐνίοτε μετοικίας ποιεῖ.

οὐ χρὴ δὲ μόνας ταύτας τὰς ἐπεμβάσεις σκοπεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς κατὰ τρίγωνον καὶ τετράγωνον καὶ διάμετρον καὶ ἱξάγωνον· οἷα γὰρ ἐν τῆι γενέσει κατὰ πῆξιν σημαίνει, τοιαῦτα καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐπεμβάσεσιν· οἷον

Ζῆνα τριγωνίζων Φαίνων μάλα γ’ ἐσθλὸς ὑπάρχει

καὶ

Πυρόεντι τρίγωνος ἐὼν Φαίνων μέγ’ ἄριστος.

“When the Moon journeys into Saturn and Mars, it brings idleness and hesitation, losses and dangers, from above or from murder: from Saturn on one hand, but on the other hand from Mars; but when it is with other stars, it is auspicious. When the Moon moves into the area of the Sun or itself...

‘It produces sluggishness of the soul and at the same time idleness’

“and in the cardinal points, at times it creates migrations.

“But it is necessary to not only consider these dominant periods (χρονοκρατορία), but also those according to the trine aspect, the square, the diametrical, and sextile: for what sort of things indicate that which is fixed at birth, such as also at the dominant periods; such as

‘When Saturn (Φαίνων), in trine aspect, begins in Jupiter, it indeed is very good.’

and

‘Saturn (Φαίνων), in trine aspect with Mars (Πυρόεις), is best in every way.’ ”

(trans. by the author)

The story of the birth of the Gods: Orphic Theogony.

We know the various qualities and characteristics of the Gods based on metaphorical stories: Mythology.

Dictionary of terms related to ancient Greek mythology: Glossary of Hellenic Mythology.

Introduction to the Thæí (the Gods): The Nature of the Gods.

How do we know there are Gods? Experiencing Gods.

PLEASE NOTE: Throughout the pages of this website, you will find fascinating stories about our Gods. These narratives are known as mythology, the traditional stories of the Gods and Heroes. While these tales are great mystical vehicles containing transcendent truth, they are symbolic and should not be taken literally. A literal reading will frequently yield an erroneous result. The meaning of the myths is concealed in code. To understand them requires a key. For instance, when a God kills someone, this usually means a transformation of the soul to a higher level. Similarly, sexual union with a God is a transformation.

We know the various qualities and characteristics of the Gods based on metaphorical stories: Mythology.

Dictionary of terms related to ancient Greek mythology: Glossary of Hellenic Mythology.

SPELLING: HellenicGods.org uses the Reuchlinian method of pronouncing ancient Greek, the system preferred by scholars from Greece itself. An approach was developed to enable the student to easily approximate the Greek words. Consequently, the way we spell words is unique, as this method of transliteration is exclusive to this website. For more information, visit these three pages:

Pronunciation of Ancient Greek

Transliteration of Ancient Greek

Pronouncing the Names of the Gods in Hellenismos

PHOTO COPYRIGHT INFORMATION: The many pages of this website incorporate images, some created by the author, but many obtained from outside sources. To find out more information about these images and why this website can use them, visit this link: Photo Copyright Information

DISCLAIMER: The inclusion of images, quotations, and links from outside sources does not in any way imply agreement (or disagreement), approval (or disapproval) with the views of HellenicGods.org by the external sources from which they were obtained.

Further, the inclusion of images, quotations, and links from outside sources does not in any way imply agreement (or disagreement), approval (or disapproval) by HellenicGods.org of the contents or views of any external sources from which they were obtained.

For more information: Inquire.hellenicgods@gmail.com

For answers to many questions: Hellenismos FAQ

© 2010 by HellenicGods.org. All Rights Reserved.

HOME GLOSSARY RESOURCE ART LOGOS CONTACT