Thirteenth Aphorism: Astrology for Builders

13. Dum Luna erit meridionalis, descendens in Scorpione vel Piscibus, non incipias fabricare, cito enim huiusmodi fabrica diruetur.

"When the Moon is southerly [and] descending [in latitude] in Scorpio or Pisces, do not begin to build; for any building undertaken in this way will quickly be ruined."

The Moon "has latitude" whenever it is north or south of the Ecliptic. This results in four possibilities: the Moon can be "north ascending" (moving from the Ecliptic toward its northern limit), "north descending" (returning toward the Ecliptic from its northern limit), "south descending" (moving from the Ecliptic toward its southern limit), or "south ascending" (returning toward the Ecliptic from its southern limit). [refer to Charles Hutton's Mathematical and Philosophical Dictionary (1795) for a good explanation of this].

In our Inception Chart, the Moon was at 4 Scorpio 44 at 8:50 PM, with a south latitude of 5º12'. To determine whether the Moon was ascending or descending in latitude, we erect a new chart for an hour later (9:50 PM). We discover that the Moon was then at 5 Scorpio 17, with a south latitude of 5º11'. Thus, the Moon was ascending in south latitude, so although the Moon in Scorpio fulfills the first condition of the aphorism, it does not fulfill the second. Therefore our aphorism does not apply.

As we have already noted (my story about planting a tree, in connection with the Ninth Aphorism), it is a general principle that growing things must be planted when the Moon is waxing, not waning. This aphorism suggests an analogous principle for commencing a building: even if the Moon is in Scorpio or Pisces, it is permissible to undertake construction when the Moon has north latitude (either ascending or descending), and when the Moon has ascending south latitude--but not when the Moon has descending south latitude.

Why are the signs of Scorpio and Pisces specified? These (along with Cancer) are the signs of the Water Triplicity. Of the four elemental principles (Fire, Earth, Air, Water), Water is clearly the one most inimical to man-made structures. The reason Cancer is not included in our aphorism is that Cancer is the Moon's domicile, so that the Moon in Cancer is exceedingly well-placed. The Moon in Scorpio would be doubly unfortunate because Scorpio is the sign of the Moon's depression.

This aphorism thus presents an important principle of Catarchic or Electional Astrology (the selection of a propitious time to begin an undertaking). The reason it emphasizes the Moon is that the Moon moves rapidly through the heavens, making it feasible to "place" the Moon to one's advantage.

In combination, the two conditions specified here will apply to a given chart approximately one twenty-fourth of the time (since the Moon will be in Scorpio or Pisces about one-sixth of the time, and will be descending in south latitude about one-quarter of the time).

Let us look at the Ephemeris for the current month of December 2009: we find that the Moon will enter Scorpio on the 12th of December at 4:31 (universal time) and will leave that sign on the 14th at 12:25; the Moon will enter Pisces on the 21st of December at 23:42 and will leave that sign on the 24th at 11:39. While passing through Scorpio, the Moon will be ascending in south latitude. While passing through the sign of Pisces, it will be ascending in north latitude. Consequently, there are no days this month when the undertaking of a new construction project is prohibited by our aphorism.

As a matter of fact, the periods when our aphorism applies come and go in long cycles. This is because the Lunar Nodes rotate through the Zodiac in a 28-year cycle. The Lunar Nodes are the two opposite points where the Moon's orbit crosses the Ecliptic. This aphorism specifies that the Moon must be descending in south latitude. This only occurs during periods immediately after the Moon has passed its South (or Descending) Node. Since the Moon must also be in either Scorpio or Pisces to fulfill the conditions of the aphorism, we need to look for periods when the South Node is in or near the signs of Scorpio or Pisces. There are in fact no such periods during 2009 or 2010. The next occasion when the conditions of our aphorism will be fulfilled will be in November of 2015. On 21 November 2015, the Moon will be in Pisces and descending in south latitude for just over an hour, from 1:56 PM to 3:12 PM (Universal Time). It will again be in Pisces with descending south latitude on 16 December 2015, this time for about six hours (3:13 PM to 9:26 PM U.T.). This cycle will continue into 2016, with comparable periods (Pisces, south descending) from 3:47 PM on 14 January 2016 through 2:48 AM on 15 January 2016 (11 hours) and from 8:45 PM on 10 February 2016 through 9:55 AM on 11 February 2016 (13 hours).  These periods will continue to lengthen until

Turning our attention to the recent past, we find that the last time these conditions were fulfilled was in 2004.

It is very interesting to note that the 9th book of Vitruvius' De Architectura comprises a long discourse on Astrology and the construction of sun-dials and water-clocks. However, he makes no mention of the application of Catarchic principles to the undertaking of construction projects.

This is OLD HAT

And That is That!