Non diffinias aliquid, antequam scias intentionem quaerentis. Multi quidem interrogare nesciunt, nec possunt exprimere quod intendunt.
("Do not make any definite statement before you know the querent's intention. For many do not know how to ask a question, nor are they able to express what they have in mind.")
We have already had occasion (in our discussion of the twelfth aphorism) to examine the Considerations Before Judgment, used by traditional astrologers to determine whether or not a given horary chart was Radical, or fit to be judged. A number of the Considerations were designed to identify cases in which the Querent was a fool or a knave, with a view to preventing the astrologer from being tricked or imposed upon.
The present aphorism concerns itself with the same problem, but in this case the issue is not deliberate duplicity so much as the Querent's confusion of mind, incoherence, or ambiguity of expression. It is the Astrologer's task to ascertain the Querent's real Intention, even if he does not understand it himself.
Apart from the ability to read people (which may be either acquired or innate), the astrological tradition provides a number of useful tools for this purpose. I have abstracted here a number of the various Considerations Before Judgment, which pertain specifically to this problem:
First, according to John Gadbury, The Doctrine of Horarie Questions (1658), ch. i, sec. 2:
"The Astrologer before he adventureth to judge a Question, ought first to consider, whether it be proper and fit to be judged: For many times, Persons propound impertinent Questions, with an intention to disgrace Art; in doing which, they do nothing but create shame to themselves. Then, the Artist shall sometimes meet with Persons that know not how to propound their desires aright, it's an Argument when such Queries are made, that (although they may be asked with a good intent, yet) they are not ripe for a resolve; and the Astrologer in such Cases ought to defer judgement until another time.
"Now, for the discovery of the knavery of the one and the unfitness or unpreparedness of the other, you may observe these following Rules and Aphorisms--viz. [N.B.: I have included only those of Gadbury's rules which pertain specifically to the Querent]
2. When either the very beginning of a Sign ascends, or the very later end thereof, it is not safe to give judgement; for the Querent hath been tampering with others about the business propounded, or else the Question is forged, and therefore not fit to be answered.
4. If the Moon go to a square, or opposition of the Lord of the Seventh; or the Lord of the Ascendent afflict him so; the Artist may conclude his Querent a knave, for he then cometh to abuse him.
6. When Saturn is the Ascendent of a Question, and infortunate, the Matter propounded is either false, and without ground, or else 'tis past all hope: And if at the same time, the Lord of the Ascendent be Combust or Retrograde, the Querent is either a knave or a fool."
(ch. 2):
"The knowledge of the Marks, Moles, &c. of each Querent by Art, is a good way for to verifie your Figure, and prove it Radical, as I before shewed: For if the Moles, &c. of the Person enquiring, correspond exactly with the Scheam erected, the Artist may safely proceed to judgement. Now the Rules observable herein, are these following.
1. Having erected your Figure, consider the Sign Ascending, and what part or Member in Mans body it Rules; for the Querent hath a Mole, Mark, or Skar in that part of his body. Example: if the Sign ascending be Virgo, it is on his belly; if Libra, the reins; if Scorpio, the Secrets, &c.
2. Then consider in the next place, in what Sign of the Twelve the Lord of the Ascendent is posited, and say the Querent hath a Mole, &c. in that Member or part of his body represented thereby.
3. Observe the place of the Moon and tell the Querent that he hath another Mole, or Scar, &c. in that part of his body that is represented by that Sign she possesses.
4. Consider the Sign of the Sixth, and the Sign wherein the Lord of the Sixth is Located; for, usually in those Members represented by these Signs, the Querent is also marked.
5. When Saturn shall signifie the Mark, &c. it is generally an Excrescence of a darkish obscure or black colour. If Jupiter, it is usually a purple or blewish Mole, &c. If Mars, 'tis commonly some sear, slash, or cut, chiefly in a fierie Sign; and sometimes a reddish Mole, or spots of Gun-powder. If the Sun, generally of an olive or chesnut colour. If Venus, of a honey-colour. If Mercury, it is sometimes whitish, and other times of a pale lead-colour. If the Moon, 'tis often white, yet many times participates of the colour of that Planet she is in aspect with.
6. If the Planet and Sign representing the Mark, Mole, or Scar be Masculine, the Mark, &c. is then on the right side of the body; if feminine, judge the contrary.
7. If the Significator of the Mole, &c. be above the Earth, the Mark, Mole, &c. is then visible to the eye, and on the forepart of the body; but, if he be under the Earth, it is then not to be seen, but is on the back part of the body.
8. If few Degrees of a Sign ascend on the Horoscope, or descend on the sixth House; or if the Lord of the Ascendent, Lord of the Sixth, and the Moon be in the beginning of Signs, then say the Mole, Scar, &c. is in the upper part of the Member thereby represented. If they, or any of them shall be in the middle of Signs, then judge the Moles, &c. to be about the middle of the Member. But if they be in later Degrees of the Signs, &c. you may be confident that the Mark, &c. is on the lower part of the Member.
9. Observe, if an infortune be in the Ascendant of any Question, the face of the Querent is usually blemished; for the face is signifyed by the Horoscope, let what Sign soever ascend.
10. These Rules will hold true also upon the body of the Quesited, mutatis mutandis; As, suppose one shall enquire of a sweet-heart, or wife, &c. the seventh House will be her first, and the twelfth her sixth, &c. and in the Members, those Signs signifie she shall have Marks or Moles. And thus much for this Chapter."
Claude Dariot, A Briefe and most easie Introduction to the Astrologicall Judgement of the Starres (1598), ch. xviii:
Ganivetus [Jean Ganivet, fl. 1431-34] giveth warning to the Astrologian of these things, especially if the ascendent be the latter degrees of anye signe, the question is demaunded Tentandi causa, or for deceite.
And now these from Henry Coley, Clavis Astrologiae Elimata (1676), ch. xvi, sec. 4:
I. Consider the Ascendant, [viz. the Sign that arises theron] and what Sign the Lord therof is posited in, then what parts of the body are represented by those Signs, and you may conclude there are Moles, Marks or Skarrs upon those parts of the Body.
II. See also what Sign descende upon the Cusp of the 6th, and what Sign the Lord of the 6th is posited in, upon those two parts or members of the body represented by those Signs, you shall discover two other Marks or Moles, &c.
III. Take notice also what Sign the Moon is in, and upon those members such Signs represent in Mans Body, you may say there is another Mark; and also, the rather, if those Signs signifying Marks, be afflicted by the Presence or Aspect of an Infortune: for Hermes in his 87th Aphorisme sayes, There will be some Impediment about that part of the Body represented by the Sign which was afflicted at Birth.
IV. If the Signs be Masculine, it declares the Mark to be on the right side; if Feminine, on the left side of the Body.
V. If the beginning of a Sign Ascend, or the Lord thereof be in few degrees of a Sign, the mark is on the upper part of the Member, but if the middle of the Sign Ascend, or the latter end thereof, moderate your Judgment accordingly, and say the mark is posited upon the middle, or the lower part of the Member so signified: if Saturn be in the Sign and so signifie the Mark, it is a black duskish coloured one, somewhat obscure: but if Mars be in the Sign, a red one, and if he be in a fiery Sign, it denotes a Cut, Scar, or Spots of Gunpowder, or other Blemish in that part of the Body, if Jupiter signifie the Mark, it is generally a Blewish or Purple Mole: if Sun, 'tis a Chesnut or Olive Colour: if Venus signifie the Mark, 'tis Honey Colour: if Mercury, a whitish or pale Leaden Colour: the Moon usually gives a white Mark or Mole; but you are also to consider the colour of the Planet she is in Aspect with; and thus varying the Houses, the Rules hold true upon the Body of the Quesited also."
Clearly, all three of these Authors are drawing upon a common tradition. Since the Querent will not likely submit to an inspection of his body by the Astrologer, the rules just presented suggest two alternate procedures: first, the Astrologer may covertly inspect the visible parts of the Querent's body for the presence of those Marks suggested by the chart. Alternately, as Gadbury appears to suggest, the Astrologer may present these same findings to the Querent for confirmation. Either way, the Querent may be judged an Impostor if the Marks on his body do not correspond to the Marks suggested by the chart.
The correspondence of the Twelve Signs to parts of the human body, known as Melothesia, is an extremely ancient doctrine, transmitted by Antiochus of Athens and all subsequent authors on Astrology. According to this scheme, Aries signifies the head, Taurus the neck, Gemini the shoulders and arms, Cancer the chest, Leo the midriff, Virgo the belly, Libra the buttocks, Scorpio the genitals, Sagittarius the hips, Capricornus the thighs, Aquarius the legs, and Pisces the feet. Melothesia becomes extremely important in the context of Medical Astrology.
OTTAVIO BELTRANO, astrologus
To cast off the idiot Questioner, who is always questioning,
But never capable of answering; who sits with a sly grin
Silent plotting when to question, like a thief in a cave;
Who publishes Doubt and calls it Knowledge; whose Science is Despair,
Whose pretence to knowledge is Envy, whose whole Science is
To destroy the wisdom of ages, to gratify ravenous Envy
That rages round him like a Wolf, day and night, without rest.
He smiles with condescension; he talks of Benevolence and Virtue,
And those who act with Benevolence and Virtue they murder time on time.
(William Blake, Milton, book II, pl. 40, 1810)
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