John Partridge: Bethem, his Centiloquium, or his hundred Aphorisms Rendred into English (1679)
Text Copyright 2007 J. Lee Lehman
Partridge, like many authors, was in the habit of compiling earlier authors into his books. I have included this list here because of the number of aphorisms that are useful in electional.
This material is excerpted from pages 325-341 of Partridge’s work:
Partridge, John. 1679. Mikropanastron, or an Astrological Vade Mecum, briefly Teaching the whole Art of Astrology – viz., Questions, Nativities, with all its parts, and the whole Doctrine of Elections never so comprised nor compiled before, &c. William Bromwich: London.
Bethem, his Centiloquium, or his hundred Aphorisms Rendred into English.
1.
We will begin this Book according to the Custom used in the Judgments of the Stars.
2.
Thou mayest know that when a Planet is Retrograde, he is as a man infirm, stupefied and sollicitous.
3.
If a Planet be Cadent, he is as a man dead, and hath not motion.
4.
If a Planet be Combust, he is as a Man in Prison, without hope of Liberty.
5.
If Stationary to Retrogradation, he is as a sound man receding from health; yet there is hope of recovery remaining.
6.
If Stationary, he is as a Sick man amending.
7.
If Besieged, he is as a man fearful between two Enemies (and not without cause) when Besieged by the Infortunes.
8.
A Planet between Jupiter and Venus, is as a man in pleasant Company, free from trouble and want.
9.
If Aspected of the Infortunes from the fourth House, he is as a man on whom death is coming.
10.
A Planet in Aspect of his Enemy, is as a man fearing to be betrayed.
11.
A Planet in Conjunction of an Infortune, is as one fighting with an Enemy.
12.
A Planet in conjunction with a Fortune, is as one in his friends Imbraces.
13.
A Planet in anothers House who rules the same Trigon, is as a man in the House or Castle of his friend.
14.
If Cadent from his House or Exaltation, he is as one absent from his abode.
15.
A Planet in his House or Exaltation, is as one in his Castle or strong hold.
16.
If in his House or Exaltation Retrograde, he is as a Sick man at home.
17.
If Combust in his own House, he is as a man confin’d thereto by his King.
18.
If in his own Dignity and Cadent, he is as a man vexed, and fearful.
19.
Fortunate Planets Retrograde are unfortunate; if Cadent from Angles, or their Houses, &c. as one hoping for good, but misses it.
20.
A Fortune Retrograde with an Infortune, strengthens the Infortune’s Nature; but abates the worth of his own.
21.
An Infortune in his own House direct, and there joyned to a Fortune, his Malignancy shall turn to good.
22.
A Planet in the last degrees of a Sign, is as a man falling from his former Estate.
23.
A Planet in the first degrees of a Sign is ever found to be of a very weak Signification.
24.
From the first degree to the fifteenth, a Planet is rising; but from the fifteenth to the twenty fifth, he is compleat in strength.
25.
A Planet in the last five degrees of a Sign, is as a man leaving his House.
26.
An earthy Planet in the Ascendant strong, he argues good in any thing, (that is) a Planet ruling the earthy Trigon.
27.
A Planet not in his own House, is as a man knocking at another man’s Door, and his Signification is to be slighted, as having no power in that place.
28.
When Planets are with the Sun, their powers and Significations are made less.
29.
When Planets are in the last degrees of a Sign Retrograde, their Judgments are transmitted, their light lessened, and their strength and glory abated.
30.
A Planet seven degrees distant from the Sun, and in his own House, Retrograde, is as a man in his Castle, in the Power of his Enemy, striving to abandon slavery.
31.
A Planet in the house of his Enemy, is as a man in such a condition; a Prisoner in earnest.
32.
A Planet in his own House free from affliction, declares the perfection of the Question, or thing interrogated.
33.
The Moon separating from a Planet, ever declares what is past, be it good or bad.
34.
But the Moon applying to a Planet, always pronounceth what is to come, after the same manner.
35.
When the Moon in any Question separates from Saturn, she declares sorrow, discord, trouble.
36.
When she is found to separate from Jupiter, she intimates good fortune, mirth, and pleasure.
37.
When she shall separate from Mars, it signifies Contention, Strife, Bloodshed, Bonds, Falsewitness, &c.
38.
When the Moon separates from the Sun, she signifies Cares, fears Sicknesses and Imprisonments.
39.
If she separate from Venus, then Lust, Sport, Laughter, Dancing, Singing, c. is denoted.
40.
When she separates from Mercury, her Significations are to be interpreted according to his Position, for Mercury is convertible.
41.
The Moon applying to a Planet shews things to come, according to the Nature of her application with them; as if with good Planets, then good; if with ill Planets the contrary.
42.
The Moon fortunate in the morning, the Querent’s Business prospers the better all day after; one born when she is so, will be fortunate.
43.
The Moon unfortunate in the morning, shews Corruption of the Question, &&c. and he that is then born, dyeth quickly; or else is very sickly.
44.
The Moon in conjunction with Saturn, is observed to be an evil day for every work.
45.
The Moon in conjunction with Jupiter, is found to be a good day in all humane affairs.
46.
The Moon in conjunction with Mars, is observed to be unfortunate for every purpose.
47.
The Moon in conjunction with the Sun, is only fit for private business; he that then falls sick, dyes.
48.
The Moon in conjunction with Venus, shews a good day, chiefly in Love matters.
49.
The Moon in conjunction with Mercury, ’tis good; but principally in Contracts and Writings.
50.
The Moon in opposition to Saturn, denotes an ill day in all kind of business.
51.
The Moon in opposition to Jupiter, denotes a good day in all kind of things;- But I doubt it.-
52.
The Moon in opposition to Mars, you are advised to begin nothing of weight that day.
53.
The Moon in opposition to the Sun is good in no manner of business.
54.
The Moon in opposition to Venus, shews a laudable day in all kind of business;- believe it who will.-
55.
The Moon in opposition to Mercury, shews a good day for all things, except Writings and Contracts.
56.
The Moon in square to Saturn, shews a bad day, chiefly in meeting with Kings, great Persons, Nobles, &c. Let not eminent persons then take Journeys, for they will prove ill; he that falls sick, will hardly escape.
57.
The Moon in square to Jupiter, shews a good day in access to great Men to obtain friends.
58.
The Moon in square to Mars, that day is unfortunate for all things; chiefly in contending with great Men, Commanders, &c. Likewise in Marriages; also the sick person either dyes, or bleeds.
59.
When the Moon is in square to the Sun, it is an ill day for diseased persons, and the same to go to obtain the favour or friendship of great Persons.
60.
The Moon in square to Venus is good in all things, chiefly in wooing and dallying.
61.
The Moon in square to Mercury is a good day to Merchandize, to Study, or Converse with Kings.
62.
The Moon in sextile to Saturn, is good to converse with ancient people, or to begin any work of a Saturnine Nature.
63.
The Moon in sextile to Jupiter, is a good time to settle things, to do works of Charity and Justice.
64.
The Moon in sextile to Mars, is a good day to Engage an Enemy, to reduce or divide an Army.
65.
The Moon in sextile to the Sun, shews a good time to manage the affairs of Kings, or great Persons.
66.
The Moon in sextile to Venus, shews an excellent time in all things, chiefly of Love.
67.
The Moon in sextile to Mercury, is a good day for Contracts, Agreements, Merchandizing, Sealing of Writings, &c.
68.
The Moon in trine to Saturn, is a good day to Build, till, &c. and to talk to Magistrates, and grave Persons.
69.
The Moon in trine to Jupiter, declares a good day in all things; but chiefly to meet Kings, Judges, &c.
70.
The Moon in trine to Mars, is a good day to begin War, to end Controversies, to Hunt, to Discourse Souldiers, &c.
71.
The Moon in trine to the Sun, is a day good to meet, or speak with Kings, Princes, and Nobles.
72.
The Moon in trine to Venus, denotes an excellent day in all things, chiefly in Marriage of Love matters.
73.
The Moon in trine to Mercury, is a day good to converse with Lawyers, Scribes, Secretaries.
74.
When Saturn is in the Ascendant, he hurts the Question, when Retrograde, there he destroys it.
75.
When Saturn is in the tenth, either in Nativities or Questions, he destroys the most hopeful things.
76.
When Saturn is in the seventh, he often changeth the business, and brings much mischief.
77.
When Saturn is in the fourth House, he declares an unhappy end of every business of undertaking.
78.
In any Geniture, Election, or Question whatever Saturn bindeth, Jupiter dissolves.
79.
Whatever Mars at any time bindeth, Venus sets free.
80.
When the Moon separates from Jupiter or Venus, she undoes what happens to be bound by Mercury.
81.
The three Superiour Planets in opposition to the Sun, are observed not only to hinder the Question, but corrupt it.
82.
When Saturn is in square to the Sun, there is a shew of a good progress; but a bad end of a thing.
83.
Saturn in square or opposition to Jupiter, dissolveth the oppression and violence menaced.
84.
Saturn in conjunction, square, or opposition to Mars, prohibits Mirth and impedes or destroys the Question.
85.
Saturn in conjunction, square or opposition to Venus, chiefly in the tenth, declares the Question then propounded, to aim at dishonesty.
86.
Saturn in conjunction, square or opposition to Mercury, destroys the Question, and makes things that are in themselves impertinent, more impertinent and idle.
87.
Jupiter in conjunction, square or opposition to the Sun, is found to hinder an evil threatned; and not only so, but also to turn such an evil to good.
88.
Jupiter in conjunction, square or opposition to Mars hinders the force of Generation and Corruption.
89.
Jupiter in conjunction, square or opposition of Venus, shews the aptness of the Question, and its good end.
90.
Jupiter in conjunction, square or opposition to Mercury, shews the business inquired after, to come to a good end, and this with an Addition to what the Querent Expects.
91.
The Infortunes in the second House strong, declare the Querents Substance or Fortune, to change from evil to good; as well in Nativities, as Questions.
92.
But if the Infortunes are there unfortunate, his substance is then changed from good to evil.
93.
You may give the same Judgment when you find them posited in either of the other Angles.
94.
When you find the Lord of the Ascendant in the Combust way, the Question is commonly corrupted, the Combust way, is from 1 deg. of Libra to 1 deg. of Scorpio.
95.
An Infortune in the tenth or fourth from the Ascendant of the Question, obscures the matter or things quesited after, and the Querent shall tremble (says my Author) to think of the evil attending it.
96.
An Infortune in the Ascendant or second House fortunate, portends the Business in Question, to answer the Querent’s desire; but shews he shall reap small gain thereby.
97.
But if they shall be there unfortunate, then they declare the matter or thing inquired after, shall never come to any good end.
98.
When you find few degrees Horoscopical, and the Lord of the Ascendant in the sixth, or ninth Houses descending, the Querent never obtains the thing he expects; the Fortunes Cadent, Infortunes angular, the same.
99.
A Planet signifying any matter or thing, evilly disposed, at the time of the Querent’s first moving the same, denotes a troublesome, unhappy, vexatious end to the thing; but if he be well disposed, say the contrary.
100.
When the Significator of a thing is in Reception, or good Aspect of an Infortune in an Angle, the Querent’s business then may be accomplished; but he usually at the last takes away what he gave hopes of at the first; the knowledge of Reception is when a Planet shall be in the House or Exaltation of another, and that other in his, and both of them there, free from the beams of the Infortunes.