ON THE EMINENCE OF THE NATIVE: BONATTI

This text is an essay on what Guido Bonatti might have had in mind when he wrote the Chapter 2 of the section about the TENTH HOUSE of the Treatise 9 (Nativities) of his Book of Astronomy. Chapter 2 is “On the force of the native and his prosperity, and on his duties and on his kingdom”.

Eminence is a topic we can find – in a very consistent way - for centuries in the astrological writings. From Ptolemy until Lilly, at least. In other words, ancient astrologers always wanted to know about the probability of the native to be in a leadership position, or famous, or successful, or in a high ranking position. In other words, eminence has to do with the native’s status. It is something important because it has consequences on different areas of the native’s life, such as money, power, family life, professional success, happiness.

For every topic, ancient astrologers wanted to know three kind of things: a) the “indicators” (those that “give signs for”) of the matter under analysis; b) the significators of the topic under analysis; c) the condition of the significators.

I must take this opportunity to raise a crucial question: the difference between what I call the “indicators” and what the Ancients called the significators. In his late 90’s talks, Robert Schmidt stressed the difference between the planets (or others factors of the chart) that “give signs for” a specific topic and the significators of the same topic.

And here is my interpretation of Bonatti’s method for assessing the degree of eminence of the native. It is a very hard to understand text that can be read on pages 1347 and 1348 of Dykes’ translation. I’m not going to repeat here what he says, but only the way I understand his procedure.

FIRST STEP: check the luminary of the sect

(This means the Sun, in diurnal charts, or the Moon and Saturn, in nocturnal charts)

You should check whether:

1. they are in the angles
2. they are joined with the benefics
3. there are with “reception”
4. in the case of Saturn: if he aspects the Sun (in case he is oriental); or if he aspects the Moon (in case he is occidental)

Note: in nocturnal charts, according to Bonatti, Saturn is also the significator. I have no idea of the rationale behind this.

Rationale

First, Bonatti selects the luminaries (in fact, the luminary of the sect), as significators of the whole life of the native. This is an exception to the principle of the “indicators”. These are planets (or other factors of the chart) that inform about the significator of the topic. However, in this instance, the luminaries are, by themselves, the significators of the topic. The Sun (diurnal chart) or the Moon (nocturnal chart) are, by themselves, the significators of eminence.

The luminaries have a dual nature. On one hand, they are one of the seven “planets” of the traditional astrological system. On the other hand, however, the two luminaries can function as much broader significators. This happens in different instances, such as the determination of the hyleg, the predominator, etc.

To assess “the force of the native and his prosperity” Bonatti asks us to check the condition of the luminary of the sect.

a) In the case of Muhammad Ali, the luminary of the sect is the Moon.

b) is the Moon in the angles? Yes (from the whole-sign houses standpoint), the Moon is in the seventh sign, which is cardine. However, from the quadrant houses standpoint, things are not that clear. The Moon is having a 7 degrees conjunction with the Descendant. Does this make her angular? No, if we follow the Ptolemy’s 5 degrees rule. Nevertheless, if we consider the 12 degrees orb of the Moon, and the 0 degrees orb of the Descendant (which is not a planet but a “point” in the chart, thus has no orb) the maximum orb (moiety) for this conjunction is 6 degrees.

c) Is the Moon “joining” (that is, in conjunction or aspect with) any benefic? Yes, the Moon and Venus are conjunct by a 7 degrees orb (the maximum orb aloud for these two “planets”, the moiety, is 9.5 degrees).

d) Is there any “reception”? The Moon is in Aquarius squaring Saturn by a 9 degrees orb (moiety for these two “planets” is 10.5 degrees). So, there is a “reception”. (Note: there is a reception, according to Bonatti, when a planet is in conjunction or aspect with its ruler.)

Following the rules as stated by Bonatti, one should check the condition of Saturn.

a) he is angular, both in whole-sign and quadrant houses. Furthermore, it is only 9 degrees ahead of the MC, although there is no conjunction (the moiety is 4.5 degrees)

b) Saturn squares Venus, a benefic.

c) Saturn is under a reception, because he is in aspect with his ruler (Venus)

d) Saturn is occidental and aspects the Moon (square)

Conclusion: yes, both the luminary in sect and Saturn completely fulfil the conditions stated by Bonatti. One might say that yes, Muhammad Ali would “be a king”.

Second step: check rulers of the 10^th and Part of Kingdom

Bonatti states that, if those conditions are not met, one should check the ruler of the 10^th and the ruler of the Part of the Kingdom to see if they are: angular, joined to a benefic, in reception, and in aspect to the appropriate luminary.

Summing it up, either checking the appropriate luminary, and Saturn, or the lords of the 10^th and the Part of the Kingdom, one should check whether the four conditions are met.

A) the appropriate significator should be angular. What does that mean? It means that the significator should be strong, that is, in a position that makes his power of manifestation strong.

B) The significator should join a benefic. (Curiously enough, this apparently includes the square and the opposition) One good question here is: why is a benefic benefic? Probably a benefic is benefic because it is a temperate influence, hot enough but not too much, humid enough but not too much. While the malefics are malefics because they are too dry (Mars) or too cold (Saturn). This recalls me the Chinese principle of balance or equilibrium. When there is balance, there is opportunity, good luck. While the imbalance means “bad luck”, lack of opportunity: qi (the cosmic energy) doesn’t circulate harmoniously. That’s why any “well disposed” planet may function as a “benefic”, according to Bonatti. Using our 20^th century thinking I would say that any well integrated influence helps a lot keeping life in balance and, in the end, means good luck.

C) The significator should be “with reception”. This consists of a condition in which a planet is located in a zodiacal place under the influence of a certain other planet (by domicile, exaltation, triplicity, bound or face) and aspects that planet. By connecting the significator with its ruler, the aspect embodies the combination between the two influences. The significator becomes richer by means of acquiring new qualities.

Finally comes something related to the Ptolemaic “luminary with doriphory or spear bears” configuration. The Sun and the Moon are the cosmic King and Queen, their power go far beyond their own bodies. This is a typical expression of power. The Moon needs “occidental” spear bears, while the Sun needs the “oriental” ones.

Final note: this is the method proposed by Bonatti to assess the eminence of the native. Bonatti’s chapter about this topic is, in fact, very long, but I think what I mention here is the essence of his method. After explaining his own method, he talks about his predecessors methods.