The Manners of the Native in Traditional Astrology

Some Choice Aphorisms Concerning the Manners and Conditions of the Native

1. A planet, or planets, placed in the sign ascending, or intercepted within it, shall be the principal significator of the native’s manners.
2. Observe which planet has the greatest dignity in the ascending sign, for that planet will also share in the signification of manners, together with any planet or planets placed in the Ascendant.
3. If there is no planet in the Ascendant, then the planet joined to Mercury, either by body or by aspect, shall describe the manners of the native.
4. When any planet or planets are joined to Mercury and the Moon, they describe the native’s manners as truly as if many planets were placed in the Horoscope itself.
5. When a benefic planet is lord of manners, the native will have good and commendable behaviour, according to the nature of that planet.
6. But if the significator of manners is a malefic planet, then the native will have rough, corrupt, or disorderly manners, according to the nature of that planet.
7. If a good planet signifies manners and is essentially dignified, the native will have a more noble and excellent manner of life. But if that planet is afflicted, the good manners it signifies will be weakened and obscured.
8. If an evil planet signifies manners and is essentially dignified, the evil it signifies will be lessened. But if that planet is debilitated, the evil manners it signifies will be more obvious and visible.
9. If Saturn is the significator of manners and is strong, the native is serious, steady, sober, prudent in behaviour, and reserved. But if Saturn is afflicted, the native is envious, covetous, fearful, lying, and full of dissimulation.
10. If Jupiter represents the manners and is well placed, the native is noble-minded, fair, and faithful in his dealings. But if Jupiter is afflicted, the native is flattering, fawning, hypocritical, dull in understanding, sceptical, or scornful.
11. If Mars is lord of manners and is well placed, the native is prudent in his affairs, desirous of honour, and one who reports strange or incredible things. But if Mars is afflicted, the native is quarrelsome, malicious, false in oath, turbulent, and given to stirring up trouble.
12. If the Sun governs the manners and is fortunate, the native is humane, courteous, and affable to all. But if the Sun is afflicted, the native is proud, restless, turbulent, domineering, and one whose promises often come to nothing.
13. If Venus signifies the manners and is well placed, the native is quiet, cheerful, loving mirth, virtuous, and faithful. But if Venus is afflicted, the native is given to excess, unlawful pleasures, and dissembling.
14. If Mercury denotes the manners and is fortunate, the native is strongly inclined to learning, subtle in judgment, witty, and clever in every undertaking. But if Mercury is afflicted, the native is troublesome, light-headed, frantic, lying, talkative, and meddlesome.
15. If the Moon governs the manners and is strong, the native is peaceable, quiet in disposition, fond of new things, and delighted with studies. But if the Moon is afflicted, the native is dull, base, negligent, careless, and of a poor disposition.
16. Be especially careful to observe the Moon. If she is joined by conjunction or aspect to the significator of manners, she makes the native changeable in disposition. This is the meaning of Ptolemy when he says that the Moon’s configuration with the planets shows the native’s disposition. If those planets are strong, the native is active, spirited, and capable. If they are weak, the native is dull, inactive, troublesome, and without courage.
17. Many planets in the Ascendant produce variety in the manners, as has been said before. But the strongest planet gives the most lasting manners. The weaker planets still have some influence on the native, though their effect is like a star seen dimly from behind a cloud.
18. The chief alterations and changes in manners are known by the directions of the Moon and Ascendant to their several promittors.
19. While the native is under a good direction of the Moon or Ascendant to Saturn, he partakes of the good manners signified by Saturn. But if the direction is evil, he partakes of the evil that Saturn signifies. The same rule must be understood concerning the other planets.
20. The fixed stars must also be considered when judging the manners and dispositions of the native. They increase or lessen the significations, either for good or evil, according to their own nature.
21. If the significator of manners is with Caput Medusae, the native will be of a harsh, fierce, and violent nature. His violence may be so great that he either brings a violent death upon himself or causes it to others.
22. If the significator of manners is with Oculus Taurus, the Bull’s Eye, the native will be fierce, warlike, restless, and seditious. And if the lord of the Ascendant and the Moon are also joined with that star, the native may often prove to be a murderer.
23. When the significator of manners is with the seven stars of the Pleiades, the native will be ambitious, turbulent, and given to luxury and pleasure.
24. If the significator of manners is found with the Girdle of Orion, the native will have a sharp understanding, a great memory, and will be very industrious.
25. If the lord of manners is with Cor Leonis, the Heart of the Lion, the native will be magnanimous, noble, generous, aspiring, desirous to rule, and ambitious to govern others.
26. But if he is with Cor Scorpii, the Heart of the Scorpion, the native will be ravenous and devouring, rash and headstrong. He cannot easily be restrained by the best examples of civility, and by his obstinacy he often brings destruction upon himself.
27. When the significator of manners is found with Hercules, the native is bold, rash, cruel, subtle, and very crafty, yet he makes a show of courage, greatness, and valour.
28. If the significator of manners is with Spica Virgo, the native will be gentle, friendly, quiet, and affable. He will be diligent in the search of learning, admirable in invention, faithful, honest, and true-hearted.
29. If the lord of manners is with Lyra, the native appears grave and sober, yet is often wanton and given to lust.
30. If the significator of manners is with the Eagle, it shows a disturbed disposition in the native. He may sometimes be prone to bloodshed, yet he is bold, confident, valiant, and unwilling to yield to anyone.
31. When the significator of manners is with Cygnus, the native is ingenious, wonderfully fit for all kinds of learning, and generally has a high and lofty imagination.
32. If the significator of manners is in Aries, the native is quick and perceptive, yet choleric and stubborn in nature.
33. If in Taurus, the native is hardworking and industrious, yet very reserved and subtle, and often deceitful.
34. If in Gemini, the native is clever and witty, somewhat hypocritical, a great lover of arts and sciences, and much given to study.
35. If in Cancer, the native is subject to fear, timid, unstable, wavering, and changeable.
36. If in Leo, the native is majestic, commanding, cruel, and tyrannical, yet outwardly appears grave and discreet.
37. If in Virgo, the native is a lover of arts and all kinds of learning. He is also cunning, subtle, crafty, and deceitful.
38. If in Libra, the native is generally just and inclined to acts of charity. He makes it his business to do good.
39. If in Scorpio, the native is arrogant and shameless, covetous, scurrilous, and scandalous, yet of good understanding.
40. If in Sagittarius, the native has a valiant and heroic spirit. He is generous, noble, lofty-minded, and free from fear.
41. If in Capricorn, the native is unstable in faith, careless of promises and engagements, and much given to lust and venereal pleasures.
42. If in Aquarius, the native is humane, friendly, courteous, sober, and grave. He hates envy and all base, harmful, or prejudicial thoughts and actions.
43. If in Pisces, the native is fraudulent and deceitful. He pretends to religion, yet is a great hypocrite.

If these aphorisms are carefully observed in every nativity, the native’s manners and dispositions may be sufficiently discovered, even when they are hidden and obscure. This I have found true by experience in many nativities, some of which I may one day publish.

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