{{Short description|Astrological concept}} {{multiple issues| {{technical|date=December 2012}} {{more citations needed|date=October 2023}} }} {{astrology}} {{anchor|article_start}}'''Essential dignity''', in the context of an astrological horoscope or natal chart, refers to the relative “strength” or “weakness” of a planet based on its zodiac sign and specific degree. This strength or weakness is referred to as the planet’s ''essence''—what the 17th-century astrologer William Lilly called "the strength, fortitude or debility of the Planets [or] significators."{{sfnp|Lilly|1999a|p=101}}
==Background== Since most astrology centers around the unique energies of each planet, and their various effects on Earth, ''essential dignity'' is simply an extra tool for gauging any potential “pros” or ”cons” of a planet in a given horoscope chart. A specific planet may be more ”effective” in a horoscope based on the time of day or night the chart was cast, or an individual’s personal birth time, or simply what sign the planet is in. For example, the Sun is traditionally the ruler of Leo. The opposite sign of Leo is Aquarius. Thus, someone with the Sun in Aquarius will be said to have a “weakened” or “debilitated” Sun, or that their Sun is ''in detriment''. The Sun’s effects for this person will not be as pronounced or felt as intensely. This is, of course, dependent on other factors unique to the individual, but the Sun and Leo represent the self, vitality, showmanship, loyalty and respect. Aquarius and its planetary ruler, Saturn, both represent necessary tasks, group success, detailed facts, and potentially difficult (but often needed) scenarios. In the Northern Hemisphere, Leo and the Sun are indicative of high summer. Aquarius, in January, is a zodiac sign of midwinter. The Sun in winter is lower in the sky, and thus weaker than in summer. However, not every planet in a horoscope will have an elevated or debilitated status; some planetary placements are purely “neutral”, so the perceived effects will be less noticeable or intense.
By comparison, accidental dignity indicates how much strength a planet or point derives from its ''position'' in a natal chart, such as its relation to the other factors in the chart: for example, its proximity to other planets, or to the four angles of the chart, or to stars, as well as the aspects (or symmetrical angular connections) it forms with other planets or points in the chart.
For example, to find the ''essential dignity'' of Mars at 27° of Capricorn, one would first take into account the fact that the planet is already in a dignified position—Mars is said to be ''exalted'' in the sign of Capricorn—and also that it is the "bounds" ruler of the 27th degree of Capricorn and also the face ruler of the 27th degree of Capricorn. This is a considerably dignified Mars.
If the same horoscope featured an Aquarius first house—making Capricorn the twelfth house—Mars at 27° Capricorn would be placed in the twelfth house; Mars's ''accidental dignity'' would be poor, since it would be located in a weak or malevolent cadent house. The twelfth house symbolizes rest, respite, dreams, and fantasy, as well as deep sleep and escapism. These themes are contrary to the motivated, spirited, and determined energies of Mars as a planet, and of Capricorn as a sign. If Mars, in this horoscope, were to also be squared to a malevolent planet, such as Saturn, and would be receiving a dexter square aspect from malefic Saturn, ruler of Capricorn, this would further hinder Mars's strength and ability to operate benevolently. These ''accidental'' dignity factors would tend to weaken a Mars which is otherwise strong in ''essential'' dignity.
== Traditional dignities == Traditionally the five essential dignities are: *Sign vs detriment *Exaltation vs fall *Triplicity *Terms (or "bounds") *Face (or "decan")
For post-Classical astrologers, such as Bonatti or Lilly, the dignities had a hierarchy. The most important dignity was sign rulership; slightly less important was exaltation. Triplicity rulerships were still fairly important in medieval astrology, but nowhere near as vital as they were for Hellenistic astrologers such as Ptolemy. ''Terms'' or ''bounds'' rulerships became very much diminished in importance, and ''face'' rulers were almost entirely ignored. (Lilly said that the only function face rulers served was to keep a planet from being entirely ''peregrine''—that is, without any essential dignity whatever—which was considered a malefic condition.)
However, Hellenistic astrologers had a very different view of the dignities. To earlier astrologers, such as Ptolemy and Vettius Valens, sign rulership, exaltation, triplicity rulership and bounds rulership were all of equal strength in influence.
Many modern astrologers take little heed of essential dignities, with the exception of sign rulerships (see article on ruling planets.) This is in part the result of the simplification of astrological technique that occurred when astrology lost popularity beginning in the eighteenth century (see History of astrology.) A growth oriented approach to astrology replaced determinism to represent any planetary placement as equal in potential of positive or negative expression.
==Commonly used dignities== The most commonly used of the traditional essential dignities are listed in the table below.{{sfnp|Lilly|1999a|p=104}}{{efn|This (Lilly 1999) is perhaps the source referred to most commonly, but the same table will be found in Ptolemy's ''Tetrabiblos,'' Valens' ''Anthologiae,'' Guido Bonatti's ''Liber Astronomiae,'' and a great many other major textbooks and sources.}}
{| class="wikitable" ! Sign ! Ruled by ! Detriment ! Exaltation ! Fall |- | '''Aries''' | Mars | Venus | Sun | Saturn |- | '''Taurus''' | Venus | Mars | Moon | ''None'' |- | '''Gemini''' | Mercury | Jupiter | ''None'' | ''None'' |- | '''Cancer''' | Moon | Saturn | Jupiter | Mars |- | '''Leo''' | Sun | Saturn | ''None'' | ''None'' |- | '''Virgo''' | Mercury | Jupiter | Mercury | Venus |- | '''Libra''' | Venus | Mars | Saturn | Sun |- | '''Scorpio''' | Mars | Venus | ''None'' | Moon |- | '''Sagittarius''' | Jupiter | Mercury | ''None'' | ''None'' |- | '''Capricorn''' | Saturn | Moon | Mars | Jupiter |- | '''Aquarius''' | Saturn | Sun | ''None'' | ''None'' |- | '''Pisces''' | Jupiter | Mercury | Venus | Mercury |}
==Modern dignities== Many modern astrologers use, in addition to the traditional seven visible planets, a dwarf planet located in the asteroid belt, Ceres, along with the two outer planets Uranus and Neptune, as well as the two trans-Neptunian dwarf planets Pluto and Eris, as the modern rulers of Virgo, Aquarius, Pisces, Scorpio and Libra, respectively. The practice derives from the similarity between the nature of the planets with the nature of these signs. This as illustrated by the differences in the two "decans" tables above. {| class="wikitable" ! Sign ! Affinent Ruler ! Detriment ! Exaltation ! Fall |- | '''Aries''' | Mars | Eris | Sun | Saturn |- | '''Taurus''' | Venus | Pluto | Moon | Uranus |- | '''Gemini''' | Mercury | Jupiter | Ceres | Eris |- | '''Cancer''' | Moon | Saturn | Jupiter | Mars |- | '''Leo''' | Sun | Uranus | Neptune | Pluto |- | '''Virgo''' | Ceres<ref name="Lewis2003">{{Cite book |last=Lewis |first=James R. |title=The Astrology Book: The Encyclopedia of Heavenly Influences |publisher=Visible Ink Press |year=2003 |pages=928 |language=en }}</ref><ref name="George1986">{{Cite book |last=George |first=Demetra |title=Asteroid Goddesses: The Mythology, Psychology, and Astrology of the Re-Emerging Feminine |publisher=CRCS Publications / Ibis Press |year=1986 |pages=190 |language=en }}</ref><ref name="Francis2011">{{Cite book |last=Francis |first=Eric |title=The Asteroid Archetypes: The Astrology of the Asteroids |publisher=Weiser Books |year=2011 |language=en }}</ref> | Neptune | Mercury | Venus |- | '''Libra''' | Eris<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Witches' Almanac: The Magic of Plants |url=https://books.google.com.pa/books?id=sKgxDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA144&dq=eris+ruler+libra&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjr_JPS7br4AhUhs4QIHRNyCuoQ6AF6BAgMEAM#v=onepage&q=eris%20ruler%20libra&f=false |year=2017 |access-date=19 June 2022 |first=Andrew |last=Theitic |page=144}}</ref><ref>Kientz, Sue (2014). “Eris: The Discomforting Other”. The Astrological Journal, Sept/Oct 2014, pp. 37–41. Language: English. Type: Professional astrology journal article (The Astrological Journal, United Kingdom). Summary: Argues for understanding Eris as an active archetype in Libra. Proposes that the rulership or co-rulership of Eris over Libra allows this sign to be reconsidered as an expression of the Other or the dissident. Credibility: University professor of art and astrology; professional publication without formal academic peer review.</ref> | Mars | Saturn | Sun |- | '''Scorpio''' | Pluto | Venus | Uranus | Moon |- | '''Sagittarius''' | Jupiter | Mercury | Eris | Ceres |- | '''Capricorn''' | Saturn | Moon | Mars | Jupiter |- | '''Aquarius''' | Uranus | Sun | Pluto | Neptune |- | '''Pisces''' | Neptune | Ceres | Venus | Mercury |}
==Decanate dignities== {{main|Decan (astrology)}}
== Terms == In astrology, the terms (or bounds) are a subdivision of the zodiac into five unequal regions that are assigned to each of the five traditional planets. No subdivisions are assigned to the luminaries.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Terms - Astrodienst Astrowiki |url=https://www.astro.com/astrowiki/en/Terms |access-date=2023-10-17 |website=www.astro.com|date=10 August 2023 }}</ref> The terms may be traced back to as early as the middle of the first century on papyrus horoscopes. While the logic behind the creation of the terms and interpretations of the earliest horoscopes they are featured on are unknown,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Alexander |last2=Steele |first2=John |date=2011-12-13 |title=A New Discovery of a Component of Greek Astrology in Babylonian Tablets: The "Terms". ISAW Papers 1 |url=https://dlib.nyu.edu/awdl/isaw/isaw-papers/1/ |access-date=2023-10-17 |website=dlib.nyu.edu |language=en}}</ref> they are now an important element of traditional astrology, being used as a form of essential dignity and being implemented in different concepts and techniques such as reception, primary directions, and length of life techniques.
=== Types of terms ===
==== Egyptian ==== The Egyptian terms are one of the most commonly used models to organize the subdivisions of the zodiac, especially during the Hellenistic period. Astrologers such as Valens,<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Valens |first=Vettius |title=The Anthology |publisher=The Golden Hind Press |year=1993 |pages=18 |language=English}}</ref> Firmicus,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Maternus |first=Firmicus |title=Ancient Astrology Theory and Practice: Matheseos Libri VIII |publisher=Astrology Classics |year=2005 |isbn=978-1933303109 |pages=36–38 |language=English}}</ref> and Paulus<ref>{{Cite book |last=Alexandrinus |first=Paulus |title=Paulus Alexandrius: Introductory Matters |publisher=The Golden Hind Press |year=1993 |edition=2nd |pages=8 |language=English}}</ref> used this model. Despite being named “Egyptian,” these systems of terms appear to have originated in ancient Babylonia.<ref name=":0" /> <ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20210127102754/https://www.hellenisticastrology.com/bounds.pdf Chart of the Bounds According to the Egyptians]</ref>
==== Ptolemaic ==== The Ptolemaic terms are another model to organize the subdivisions of the zodiac that was favored by scholar Claudius Ptolemy. Ptolemy acknowledged that the Egyptian terms were the most commonly accepted but claimed they did not “preserve the consistency either of the order or of the individual quantity.”<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Ptolemy |first=Claudius |date=February 2006 |title=Claudius Ptolemy: Tetrabiblos |url=http://theosnet.net/dzyan/miscpubs/Tetrabiblos.pdf }}</ref> He then suggests the Chaldean as an alternate model for organizing the terms. Ptolemy did not create this model; rather, he came across it in an ancient manuscript and adopted it for his own use, claiming “we have come upon an ancient manuscript, much damaged, which contains a natural and consistent explanation of their order and number, and at the same time the degrees reported in the aforesaid nativities and the numbers given in the summations were found to agree with the tabulation of the ancients.”<ref name=":2" /> This model seems to have gained more popularization during the middle ages and astrologers such as Lilly used this model.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lilly |first=William |title=Christian Astrology |year=1659 |location=London |pages=104}}</ref>
=== Uses in practice === ==== Essential dignity ==== The terms are used to determine the essential dignity of a planet, which refers to a planet's ability to express their significations. Some astrologers believe that different forms of essential dignity hold different “weight.” A planet in its own domicile is said to have +5, exaltation +4, triplicity +3, terms +2, and decans +1.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lilly |first=William |title=Christian Astrology |year=1659 |location=London |pages=101–102}}</ref> Some Arabic texts that may reflect the traditions put more importance on domicile and exaltation as forms of essential dignity over the terms but put less emphasis on the terms, which might explain the origins of how each form came to be weighted.<ref name=":0" /> It does not appear that astrological literature from antiquity, however, has a ranking system of the different types of essential dignities; in fact, some astrologers believed that a planet in its own bound is just as powerful as being in its own domicile- Firmicus, for example, states “for when a planet is found in its own terms, it is just as if located in its own sign.”<ref>{{Cite book |last=Maternus |first=Firmicus |title=Ancient Astrology Theory and Practice: Matheseos Libri VIII |publisher=Astrology Classics |year=2005 |isbn=978-1933303109 |pages=36}}</ref>
==== Delineation ==== Delineations in the astrological context refer to the interpretation of charts. There are many things to evaluate when making a delineation, the terms being one of them. Interpreting the terms are made on a chart-by-chart basis and are contingent on many factors such as the sign and house it occupies, sect, aspects, etc. There are other factors to be examined as mentioned by astrologers throughout the tradition, including whether the bound lord is a benefic or malefic. Rhetorius gives some general guidelines for interpreting this claiming: “whenever one of the stars is found in the domicile of a benefic and in the terms of a benefic having significance for the nativity, it benefits the [native’s] fortune; and if it is found in the domicile of a benefic but in the terms of a malefic, it reduces the good of the fortune; but if it chances to be in the domicile of a malefic and in the terms of a malefic, it hurts and darkens his luck.”<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rhetorius |title=Rhetorius of Egypt: Astrological Compendium Containing His Explanation and Narration of the Whole Art of Astrology |publisher=American Federation of Astrologers |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-86690-590-9 |edition=4th |location=Tempe, AZ |pages=13}}</ref> In addition to evaluating whether or not the bound lord is benefic or malefic, some astrologers have also provided their own delineations for each subdivision of the zodiac in the 12 signs. For example, Valens claims “The first 6° of Aries, those of Zeus, are temperate, robust, abundant in seed, benefic."<ref name=":1" />
==Notes== {{notelist}}
== Citations == {{Reflist|25em}}
=== Works cited === *{{cite book |first=William |last=Lilly |author-link=William Lilly |title=Christian Astrology, Book 1: An Introduction to Astrology; Book 2: The Resolution of All Manner of Questions |orig-year=1647 |publisher=Ascella Publications |editor-first=D. |editor-last=Houlding |location=London |year=1999a}} *{{cite book |first=William |last=Lilly |title=Christian Astrology, Book 3: An Easie And Plaine Method Teaching How to Judge upon Nativities |orig-year=1647 |publisher=Ascella Publications |editor-first=D. |editor-last=Houlding |location=London |year=1999b}}
== Further reading == *{{cite book |last=Crane |first=Joseph |title=Astrological Roots: The Hellenistic Legacy |publisher=The Wessex Astrologer, Ltd. |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-902405-24-7}} *{{cite book |last=Hand |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Hand |title=Horoscope Symbols |publisher=Schiffer Publishing |location=Easton, PA |year=1987 |isbn=0-914918-16-8}} *{{cite book |first1=Marion D. |last1=March |first2=Joan |last2=McEvers |title=The Only Way to Learn Astrology ''(6 volumes)'' |publisher=ACS Publications |location=San Diego |year=1982}} *{{cite book |author=Ptolemy |author-link=Ptolemy |title=Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos or Quadripartite: Four Books of the Influence of the Stars |translator=J. Ashmand |year=1822 |location=London |publisher= Davis and Dickson |url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/astro/ptb/index.htm}} *{{cite book |translator=Dorian Gieseler Greenbaum |first=Johannes |last=Schoener |author-link=Johannes Schöner |title=Late Classical Astrology: Paulus Alexandrinus and Olympiodorus (with the Scholia of later Latin Commentators) |publisher=Archive for the Retrieval of Historical Astrological Texts (ARHAT) |year=2001 |url=http://www.robhand.com/availpub.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071002064247/http://www.robhand.com/availpub.htm |archive-date=2007-10-02}} *{{cite book |first=Vettius |last=Valens |author-link=Vettius Valens |title=The Anthology ''(Book III)'' |translator=Robert Schmidt |editor-first=Robert |editor-last=Hand |series=Project Hindsight, Greek Track |volume=VIII |publisher=The Golden Hind Press |location=Berkeley Springs, WV |year=1994}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Essential Dignity}} Category:Technical factors of Western astrology