I’ve long been an advocate for the use of the twelfth-parts in astrological analysis. The twelfth-parts are divisions each zodiacal sign into twelve 2 1/2 degree segments, one for each sign of the zodiac. This mini zodiac within each sign kicks off with the sign itself. Some free astrology software programs will display projections of twelfth-part positions along the natal chart. However, they are also not hard to calculate in your head.
A Very Important and Very Ancient Division
Almost every Hellenistic astrologer mentioned the twelfth-parts. Julius Firmicus Maternus (4th century) and Rhetorius (6th or 7th century) regarded them as essential. Abu Ma’shar used them in a myriad of predictive techniques from primary directions to solar returns. Interestingly, they date back to Babylonian astrology. In fact, they are nearly as old as the regular zodiac itself, first appearing about 100 years after the first evidence of a regularized zodiac.
Attention on this Site
I’ve given the twelfth-parts a lot of attention on the site. Like Maternus and Rhetorius, I regard them as absolutely essential to astrological analysis. Whether analyzing a natal chart or even just looking at transits of Saturn, it astounds me what astrologers miss by ignoring the twelfth-parts.
In the text above, I’ve linked to a few of my introductory articles on twelfth-parts. However, one of the most important is not linked above, but is the one on their use as projections of the planets – a second set of planetary positions (click for link). Additionally, in almost every analysis on the site there is a look at the twelfth-parts, even when just looking at transits. Therefore, if you don’t yet understand twelfth-parts or their utility, I’m sure you’ll find clarification and encouragement after some exploration of the site.
Symbolism and Assumptions
Twelfth-parts are one of the most important and undervalued elements of ancient astrology. I do what I can to promote greater awareness of them. I’ve even addressed how important they are within a symbolic view of astrology. Their quick dismissal is due to misguided assumptions rather than to a lack of utility.
Multiple dominant worldviews in astrology, from the naturalistic to the psychological, tend to discourage astrology that is “too symbolic”. Factors like “lots” and twelfth-parts fly in the face of assumptions of astrology working through natural causes or by way of the planets “indexing” occult causes. My focus has instead been on seeing whether these elements of the language of astrology have something to say. Indeed they do, and in all areas of astrology.
Birth Times
The lack of a birth time is a frustrating situation for traditional astrologers in a way that it is not for modern astrologers. In modern psychological astrology, powerful factors index or influence powerful causes. For instance, the Sun and Moon may be taken to directly reflect the most powerful influences upon the individual’s psyche. Finer distinctions, such as those shown by houses, may modulate things, but much can be seen from just the sign placements of the planets.
By contrast, in ancient astrology, there is an emphasis on compositional indications. By the combination of symbolism and its reinforcement does a meaning emerge that can pertain to indications about the life and timed activation. Furthermore, for the self and character, the emphasis is on the fastest changing elements of the chart. Especially pivotal is the degree rising at birth.
Unfortunately, there are times when we do not have a birth time. In such cases, twelfth-parts can still help us get some deeper insight into a chart. This is in part due to their faster moving, and thus more individuating, symbolism. Here, I’ll be taking a quick look at one such example of this.
Joacine is interesting not just for making history, but also for her bold individuality in the face of a disinformation war, and her stutter. She has been heavily and unfairly defamed by the far-right party in Portugal in a campaign of disinformation. Her race, nationality, and her stutter being primary targets.
Joacine was born in the West African country of Guinea-Bissau, a former Portugese colony. She moved to Portugal when she was 8. Additionally, she has a persistent stutter that has been with her since birth. The disinformation campaign has attempted to characterize her as not truly Portugese. She has also been accused for faking the stutter for attention.
It is always disgusting to see people attacked for their race and other accidents of birth, such as Joacine’s stutter. Equally disgusting is the use of misinformation and lies to defame and unfairly discredit. This got me curious as to the nature of her chart, but we unfortunately have no exact birth time. Will the twelfth-parts have anything to say? Is there some symbolism of a stutter even without access to topical symbolism from houses and lots?
Birth Chart
She was born on July 27, 1982 in Guinea-Bissau. I pulled up a Noon chart for her with the twelfth-parts to see what was there. I was immediately struck by some symbolism of the stutter, as clear as day, but hidden in the twelfth-parts.
Joacine Moreira’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Part Positions Along Outside
Natural Significations
As we do not know the birth time, it is not possible to dig deep into symbolism pertaining to the houses and lots. This is very significant as the houses and lots can key us in to the topics that the planets relate to. They allow us to see how indications may pertain to the identity and physical body of the person for instance. Therefore, we have just a small piece of the story here.
In this case, we are stuck largely with the natural significations. Mercury is the planet that has the most to say about communication. Saturn is the planet most relevant for obstruction.
When it comes to the planets, the Moon is particularly relevant for matters of the body. Note that the Moon is shown at 1 Scorpio but could be in late Libra or a little later in Scorpio as well depending on the birth time.
Without Twelfth-Parts
Examining Mercury simply in the natal chart, we find very little that is particularly unusual. Mercury is combust the Sun (close to the Sun under its beams). That has some light symbolism pertaining to being hidden or obscured, but is also extremely common. Mercury is under the Sun’s beams very frequently for long stretches of time, so on its own the signification is insignificant.
Mercury is in the Sun’s house (Leo), with the Sun, squared by Jupiter, and possibly the Moon. It is in the bound of a benefic (Venus). These all pertain to loftiness, opportunity, and power associated with Mercury, consistent with her political accomplishments. However, Mercury does not appear to have any affliction by a malefic or other difficulties we can surmise.
Joacine Moreira’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Part Positions Along Outside
Mercury-Saturn in the Twelfth-Parts
There is significant Mercury-Saturn symbolism that we miss by not examining the twelfth-parts. Mercury is at 6-7 Leo. It’s twelfth-part is in the middle of the sign Libra. Libra is occupied by both malefics, Saturn and Mars. In fact, Saturn is at 16 Libra. It is actually possible for the twelfth-part of Mercury to be in a partile conjunction with either natal Saturn or Mars, depending on the time of birth. In any case, Mercury’s twelfth-part is almost surely in mid-to-late Libra, with both malefics.
Additionally, the twelfth-part of Saturn is at about 20 Aries. Therefore, the twelfth-part of Mercury is conjunct natal Saturn and Mars, while opposed to the natal twelfth-part of Saturn. Furthermore, the twelfth-part of Mars is in Leo, with Mercury.
Joacine Moreira’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Part Positions Along OutsideWhat we find with the addition of the twelfth-parts is that Mercury provides for symbolism of important communication disturbances. The symbolism of obstruction pertaining to Mercury is seen in three ways even without houses. Mercury is combust, has its twelfth-part with Saturn, and has that opposed by the twelfth-part of Saturn. Combustion, the most easily noticeable condition, is here actually the most common and least significant of them. Symbolism of the use of communication as a weapon and as a force of change may also be shown by the links with Mars.
Decans
It is also worth noting that this link between Saturn and Mercury is also apparent in the decans. Mercury is in the first 10 degrees of Leo which is the decan of Saturn. This is yet another significant link between Mercury and the obstructive symbolism of Saturn.
Joacine Moreira’s Natal Chart with Decans (innermost division)
Conclusion
Traditional astrology is extremely limited without an accurate time of birth. However, even in such situations, we can still carefully study the natal chart for a small slice of its symbolism. When we do so it is helpful to pay attention to subtler distinctions than just planets in signs. Twelfth-parts are one too that allow us to do this, seeing additional symbolism that is absent or only in common forms in the bare natal chart.
A link between Mercury and Saturn does not make for a stutter. It is not even sufficient symbolism for indicating a stutter. However, the link between symbolism pertaining to communication and obstruction is necessary to astrologically indicate speech impediments like this one. Mercury is one of the most important astrological symbols for communication, and Saturn for obstruction. Just in using the twelfth-parts and decans we see that multiple forms of this symbolism is indeed present in Joacine’s chart, even without an accurate birth time.
I hope this look will encourage you to take the time to look at the twelfth-parts in every chart you examine as well.
Thank you to reader Iago Pereira for bringing this chart to my attention.
Challenging Assumptions
Some charts challenge our assumptions. These charts can be very frustrating, especially for beginners, as they find that basic chart analysis leads them in the wrong direction. However, more than any other charts, challenging charts push us to refine our art. Without such challenges, our astrology does not grow and simply becomes dogmatic. We ignore such charts to our own disadvantage.
David Carpenter
In this article, we are going to look at one of the most challenging charts which I’ve come across. Life is complex and contradictory. This chart is one of a serial killer, rapist, and pedophile. Additionally, he was a victim of childhood abuse. Amazingly, he has also been unusually lucky in his life, in the sense of catching breaks. He was released from jail multiple times after horrendous crimes. He’s been married twice and has had three kids. Furthermore, he’s a reportedly well-behaved prisoner who has been on death row for decades (34 years) without execution, and still maintains his innocence. These days, he even has a penchant for religion.
The Trailside Killer
David Carpenter was born on May 6, 1930 at 9:16 pm in San Francisco, CA (AA-rated source). He is infamous as the “Trailside Killer”, owing to a string of murders which took place on hiking trails in some of San Francisco’s most scenic parks. Strangely, the murders took place when Carpenter was 49 and 50 years of age. He was caught shortly after his 51st birthday.
David Carpenter’s Birth Chart
Note on Biographical Sources
Information on Carpenter’s life and criminal record prior to the killings is somewhat hard to come by. I rely heavily on the collection of news stories at Murderpedia.org (see Information PDF). However, some stories are inconsistent or riddled with minor errors. For instance, a couple stories state he was born in 1930 but also that he was 33 years old in 1960. The Criminal Minds Wiki also has some conveniently organized information on his crimes and behavior. Additionally, for insight into his prison life, I read an interview with him that was conducted by a fellow prisoner. Note that there are also some minor errors in the Wikipedia article on Carpenter.
Issues with this Chart
Carpenter’s chart challenges in a number of ways. The bulk of my analysis is going to be focused on individual problem areas. I’ll present my solutions or at least some food for thought. After exploring the main issues, we’ll look at the chart in terms of timing.
Many of the challenges pertain to things I’ve previously written articles about. For instance, the interpretation of sign dignity is significant in the chart, as he has 3 planets in domicile. I’ve written many articles on how dignity is often mis-used by traditional astrologers. This chart raises some of those issues anew. Additionally, I’ve written on the importance of twelfth-parts and the lots, including the Lot of Boldness in the charts of murderers. I’ve also highlighted how mutable signs were seen as a destabilizing influence on the character by some Persian astrologers. I’ll explore these important considerations with this chart.
However, there are other ways in which the chart is challenging, particularly for me. I follow the approach of Hellenistic and Persian astrologers. They rely heavily on the Ascendant Lord, Mercury, and the Moon for character delineation. The Lord of the Ascendant is Jupiter in a somewhat benefic place. Additionally, Jupiter is with the sect benefic and its ruler, Mercury is with both benefics. The Moon is dominated by both benefics and her ruler. This is a pedophile turned rapist and murderer – hardly a benefic character. Reading character in this chart is complex.
I. Character
Jupiter is the domicile lord and main (first) triplicity lord of the Ascendant. Jupiter also closely aspects the Ascendant within about 5 degrees. Therefore, Jupiter is an important significator of the character. Jupiter is in the 7th house (a stake of the Ascendant) and is strongly advancing, so it is quite strong. Jupiter is out of sect, but it’s still a benefic, and one that is with the sect benefic (Venus), as well as its own ruler, Mercury. This would appear to bode very well for the character, but this guy is a pedophile, rapist, and serial killer. What gives?
Mercury too is typically used for the character and rational mind. Here Mercury is in the 7th place, in its own house and bound, with both benefics. None of the malefics aspect it with a hard aspect (square or opposition). Therefore, one the surface, Mercury is perplexing.
First, we have to seriously consider whether Jupiter and Mercury are saying something meaningful about the character and the life. Next, we have to look deeper at the “hidden placements” of these planets by twelfth-parts, and possibly even antiscia. Finally, we also have to consider special techniques specific to aggressive behavior.
7th House: Sex and Marriage
Jupiter is in the 7th house, which in ancient astrology is the house of marriage and sex. Many indicators (especially Venus with Mercury) in the 7th tended to show a preoccupation with sex. One thing noted frequently with Carpenter is that he was an uncontrollably lustful character. Even in his first marriage he was said to want sex constantly. He started stalking other women while married. The lord of the 1st and Mercury (two significators of the self and mind), in the 7th, with Venus, mathces this emphasis.
Jupiter’s role in the 7th is also interesting in the sense that Carpenter was able to marry and have children given his notorious past. He was a convicted pedophile prior to meeting his wives. He was also very abused as a child and suffers from an extreme form of stuttering. That he could get married, twice, and father three children is somewhat remarkable. Benefics in the 7th house are an indication of some undeserved luck in this area.
Well-Behaved?
While Carpenter was a depraved pedophile and stalker from early on, he seemed able to get off on good behavior time and time again. Prior to a string of murders, his stints in prison were rather brief compared with his crimes. He is noted as being a somewhat model inmate and one who is religious. It is thought that his victims may not have originally suspected he’d harm them because his mild manner and stutter made him seem harmless. He has molested many boys, raped many women, and killed at least 8 people. Now, at age 88, he has survived 34 years on death row without execution. He maintains his innocence and fights for his own release.
We see the role of Jupiter strongly advancing in many of these facts (see also the chart of OJ Simpson). Jupiter is loud in the life, granting lots of opportunities and breaks. It is quite likely that his character is one that does seem to align with Jupiter ruled by Mercury. Someone who seems friendly, even helpful, as well as knowledgeable or judicious. Jupiter is not indicating that he is a “good guy” but Jupiter is indicating that he can come off as one, and that is part of what makes Carpenter so dangerous.
Mars Influence
Jupiter is in the bound of Mars and is most closely aspected by Mars, from the right side. Therefore, Jupiter is linked strongly with Mars, and Mars is the more influential of the two in the relationship. Mars is the closest aspect to Jupiter from the right side and it is an applying aspect, so it is a Jupiter colored by Mars. The Mars bound of Gemini is particularly associated with blood and destruction.
The fourth term, 7° belong to Mars: much-burdened, with no brothers, having few children, a wanderer, with a good income, destructive, bloody, inquisitive. (Valens, Anthology, Riley trans., 2009, p. 6)
Mars itself is in sect and in a good place, but Mars is very strongly afflicted by Saturn. Saturn is out of sect, in the dark 2nd place, and it dominate Mars. This is exacerbated by the fact that the aspect is applying within 3 degrees. Therefore, Mars is strongly colored by and connected with Saturn.
Mutability
This chart was brought to my attention in reference to another article of mine on Mercury and mutability. Mutability was associated with instability and fickleness in Hellenistic astrology (see Ptolemy, Book III, Ch. 13). Some of the Medieval astrologers additionally associated the Lord of the Ascendant or Mercury in a mutable sign with anger, fearfulness, and an unsound mind. The passages pertaining to that are quoted in the article.
In the case of David Carpenter, we see the Ascendant, its lord (Jupiter), Mercury, the Moon, and Venus in mutable signs. Most of the planets, including the most important character significators are in mutable signs. Furthermore, three of the seven planets are ruled by Mercury, including the Asc Lord and Mercury itself, adding more instability to the mix.
Missing Pieces
Obviously, we cannot get the full story on character from the apparent state of the Lord of the Ascendant and Mercury in the chart. For the most part they indicate positively. It is in fact troubling that they can apparently indicate positively for the most part but we can end up with someone like David Carpenter. We do see that the strongly advancing Mars is very loud in the life and influential upon the character, but there are plenty of missing pieces. Remember this before assuming that you can judge character based on the apparent state of a few factors that signify character.
Twelfth-Parts
I have written extensively on the twelfth-parts. I have discussed how you don’t know the full story about a planetary placement until you’ve examined the twelfth-parts. These additional positions were used by nearly every Hellenistic astrologer, with some of them stressing that they hold the secret to hidden information. Carpenter’s chart emphasizes the importance of these positions.
David Carpenter’s Birth Chart with Twelfth-Part Positions Along Outer Wheel
A few notable things are revealed in the twelfth-parts. Twelfth-part Jupiter is conjunct Saturn, the most malefic planet in the chart, This ties the Asc Lord to Saturn’s significations. The Ascendant and Saturn’s significations get tied to the Sun (publicity) in the dark 6th house by way of their twelfth-part positions. Mars has its twelfth-part square its natal position, intensifying it. Furthermore, its twelfth-part is in the harmful 8th house of death. That twelfth-part is also opposed to Saturn and the twelfth-part of Jupiter. Venus has her twelfth-part conjunct the Moon in Virgo, confirming the strong instinctual need for sexual gratification.
Dark and Fallen
Some interesting things occur with the twelfth-parts when dark houses and zodiacal fall are considered. The Sun and Moon end up conjunct in the dark 12th house. Actually, the twelfth-parts reveal 5 of 7 planets in dark houses, with all involved in hard malefic aspects. Additionally, the twelfth-parts put 4 of the 7 planets into the signs of their fall.
The Lot of Spirit
A look at the lots is vital to an analysis of any topic in the natal chart. The Lot of Spirit is particularly relevant to matters of character. I’ve explored the Lot of Spirit in depth in the article on the Four Principal Lots and the lesson on the lots.
David Carpenter’s Birth Chart with a Selection of Important Lots (Affliction and Mother at top of chart – names cut off)
As noted by reader Iago Pereira, Carpenter has the Lot of Spirit with and ruled by Mars, while dominated by Saturn. In terms of character, Spirit shows an aggressive martial character dominated by a bitterly dark and malefic Saturn. Mars is in the bound of Venus tying the violence to women and sexuality. As noted, Mars has its twelfth-part in the 8th house, connecting it with harm and death.
The Lot of Boldness
I have written an article on the Lot of Boldness as a possible indicator of capacity for bloodshed. The Lot of Boldness and Mars were the main factors explored by Abu’Ali for delineation of aggressive behavior. Additionally, many planets significant to the character in masculine signs was said to exacerbate aggressiveness. Mars in the 4th was also said to be significant for bloodshed. We may wish to consider Mars advancing toward the IC in a similar fashion, as quadrant houses were starting to be used during the period in which Abu’Ali practiced.
Carpenter, like the mass murder James Holmes, has Boldness with and ruled by Mars, while Mars strongly advances toward the IC. The Lot of Spirit additionally connects this with the character. Furthermore, the Ascendant, Lot of Spirit, Lot of Boldness, and 4 of 7 planets are in masculine signs, including the Asc Lord (Jupiter), Mercury, Mars, and Venus. Therefore, this special technique for assessing numbness to violence appears to be a promising one.
Additional Factors
Planetary Day and Hour
It is hard to look at Carpenter’s chart and not notice that he was born on the planetary day of Mars and at the planetary hour of Mars. Many Medieval astrologers included the rulers of the planetary day and hour as significant in their techniques for finding an overall chart lord. Vettius Valens also advised to look at the planetary day and hour rulers of the natal chart (see my article on planetary days and hours). We may consider this another indication of the importance of Mars in characterizing Carpenter’s life.
Antiscia Chart
Julius Firmicus Maternus (4th century) advised that the secrets of the chart can be found in the twelfth-part and antiscia positions. Many Hellenistic astrologers used the twelfth-part positions, and I’ve discussed them in this chart. However, only Maternus appears to have used the antiscia positions as additional body-doubles, or shadow points, for the planets. While I don’t normally use the antiscia points in practice, Carpenter’s chart has made me wonder if maybe I should. I’ve touched on the use of antiscia by Firmicus in an article on the twelfth-parts, and I’ve discussed antiscia in more detail in an article on symmetry in ancient astrology.
David Carpenter’s Birth Chart with Antiscia Positions Along Wheel
The Ascendant and Saturn are antiscia each other. This connects Saturn, the most malefic planet in the chart, with the nature of the self and character. Even more striking, Saturn is contra-antiscia Jupiter to the degree (i.e. they are the same distance from 0 Aries). This is seen as an opposition in the antiscia chart. Therefore, Saturn pertains strongly to both the Ascendant and its lord (Jupiter) by antiscia.
Additionally, Mars has its antiscia in the 10th house with the Moon, connecting it with the appetites and irrational mind as well as Carpenter’s role in the public eye. Similarly, the Moon’s antiscia is with Mars (i.e. the Moon and Mars are antiscia each other by sign). Also, both benefics and Mercury have their antiscia in the 8th house linking them with harm and death.
II. Mercury and Communication
One of the other perplexing things about Carpenter is his severe stutter. He is said to have been a severe stutterer since early childhood. This speech condition has caused him immense suffering due to the difficulty of communication as well as bullying in his school years. However, Carpenter has Mercury in sect, with both benefics, in domicile, in its own bound, and unafflicted by malefics.
David Carpenter’s Birth Chart
Before getting to the possible ways Mercury could indicate stuttering, let’s look at the ways Mercury may be indicating true things about the life. It is well known that IQ is not a strong predictor of intellectual success in life. Carpenter is reported to have an IQ of 125 (very high) and to have gotten good grades in school. Additionally, he got a degree in computer printing and was trained as a typesetter, a very mercurial profession. He even taught classes on these matters.
These things all suggest that Mercury is indeed prominent in his life. That prominence is reflected in Mercury’s position in a stake, in its own place, ruling the Moon and MC. Its benefits through association with both benefics are also well-attested in the life.
Mutability
As noted above, mutability, as well as rulership by Mercury and a position in an air sign, can all destabilize Mercury. Mercury is complicated enough, while Carpenter’s Mercury (and its twelfth-part) in a mutable sign, in air, and ruled by itself vacillates so much that it causes difficulty.
Retrograde Station
In the lesson on planetary prominence, I noted that whether a planet is direct or retrograde is not as significant as whether it stations within a week of birth. Additionally, a direct station within a week of birth is very strengthening, while a retrograde station is the opposite. Amazingly, astrologers often discuss how a planet is retrograde but miss that it is actually stationing direct (powerfully strong). In Carpenter’s case, it is too easy to see that Mercury is direct and miss that it is stationing retrograde.
Two Days After Carpenter’s Birth – Mercury Stations Retrograde
Mercury stations retrograde less than 2 days after Carpenter’s birth. It is this debility of Mercury which may be the symbolic key to Carpenter’s severe speech impediment.
III. Parents
Taking an approach which stresses the importance of the 4th house, the Sun, and the Moon for parents can lead to surprising results. The 4th house is ruled by Jupiter, a benefic, which is in a strong house. The Sun is in the weak and dark 6th house but is ruled by Venus and in the bound of Jupiter. The Moon is the sect light, very prominently positioned in the 10th house, dominated by the benefics and her ruler. However, Carpenter was notably abused by an alcoholic father and had a domineering strict mother.
Saturn and the Father
Both the Sun and Saturn are relevant as natural significators of the father. By night, Saturn often becomes the more important significator. Both the Sun and Saturn are in dark places (6th and 2nd places respectively) and out of sect. Saturn is also the only planet making a right side aspect to the house of father (4th) and to the Sun (trine). Therefore, Saturn has a significant influence over the significations of both the 4th and the Sun. Saturn is very malefic in this chart, exacerbated by being out of sect, in the dark 2nd place, and in an applying close aspect with Mars. As we’ll see with timing, Saturn activations also relate strongly to Carpenter’s crimes.
The Moon and the Mother
Little is known about Carpenter’s family, though his mother is characterized as domineering and physically abusive. Note that the Moon literally dominates the 1st house of the self in the chart. Additionally, the Moon is trine that malefic Saturn, signifying friendship between the Moon and Saturn. Also, the Moon rules the 8th place of the chart, which is occupied by the twelfth-part of Mars.
Twelfth-Parts
Again, the twelfth-parts provide plenty of additional insights. The Sun and Moon are together in the 12th house of enemies and undoing. The twelfth-part of Saturn is with the Sun, reinforcing their strong relationship.
Lots
Interestingly, the Lot of the Father is conjunct the Lot of Boldness. Both together are with and ruled by Mars. They are also both with the Lot of Spirit. Above I discussed how Spirit linked the character with the influence of this Mars. We’ve also seen how indicators of the father connect with the sense of self (Jupiter as ruler of the 4th and 1st, Asc antiscia Saturn). Now we see the occurrence together of Boldness, the Lot of the Father, and Lot of Spirit, with and ruled by this strongly advancing Mars. Violence, the sense of self, the role of the father, and a numbness to violence are all connected in this house.
There is a similar connection between the Moon, the Lot of the Mother, and the Lot of Affliction in Virgo. The Lot of the Mother in the 10th house confirms that the Moon in the 10th is the main significator of the mother. The Lot of Affliction connects the Moon with with crises in the life. As they are in the same degree, it would seem that the mother is connected with crisis-inducing situations in the life.
Antiscia
The antiscia chart also shows the mother linked with harm. The Moon and Mars are antiscia each other by sign. As already noted, the Saturn-Ascendant antiscia shows self-identification with the father.
Important Time Periods
Let’s change gears and look at the timing of Carpenter’s crimes and life relative to indications with ancient predictive techniques. A thorough analysis of these time periods could fill a book. I’ll keep the analysis brief to focus on just a few techniques for each year in order to investigate if factors are activated which were singled out in the delineation above. The timing of events explored is from a work-up with a timeline from Radford University.
Age 17: Molestation Conviction
The details are unclear, but by age 17, Carpenter molested two of his young cousins (ages 8 and 3). He was sentenced to the California Youth Authority.
Profection
The annual profection of the Ascendant at age 17 is to the 6th house. For Carpenter that is Taurus, occupied by the Sun, ruled by Venus. Venus is posited in the 7th house of marriage and sexuality. The public significations of the Sun, sexual themes of Venus, and themes of harm and illness of the 6th fit this period.
Solar Return
The solar return for the year sees srVenus conjunct nMars in Aries. It even has srMars with her in an applying conjunction. The srMoon in the sr12th applies to srVenus. All of these configurations further highlight the significance of Venus and give her a strong link for the year with Mars and sexual violence (Venus-Mars).
David Carpenter Age 17 Solar Return
The srAscendant is with nSaturn, ruled by Saturn, and in the bound of Venus, highlighting the natal Saturn’s themes. srSaturn is very malefic in the chart, as it is in the 8th of the return, out of sect, and strongly advances toward the Descendant. Therefore, Saturn in the chart is also highlighted in the solar return.
Secondary Progressed Moon
Using the Valens technique for secondary progressions, we pull up the chart 17 days after birth. We are particularly interested in the relationship to the natal chart.
Carpenter’s Age 17 Secondary Progressions Along Wheel
The spMoon progressed to conjoin Mars in Aries. In this we see Mars highlighted yet again. The spSun also progressed to conjoin Mercury in Gemini. Mercury rules the 10th house of reputation and we see an important event in this year in terms of developing Carpenter’s public reputation.
Primary Directions: Distributor
The distributor of the Ascendant by primary directions from ages 14-18 was Mars. In other words, the Ascendant directed through the Mars bound of Sagittarius during that period. At age 14, Carpenter was hospitalized for committing sex offenses and by age 17 he got his first sentence. Therefore, we see a confirmation that Mars in his chart is particularly linked to sexual violence.
Carpenter’s Youth Distributors of the Ascendant
Age 25: Marriage
Carpenter was married at age 25 to a 19 year old Ellen Heattle. She gave birth to their three children over the following 5 years.
Planetary Years
25 marks the activation of the Moon by planetary years. The Moon is the sect light of the chart and separates from Mercury (ruler of VII in VII) to apply to Venus (in VII). The Moon naturally signifies the mother and personal life, and here is accidentally connected with status/reputation (10th house) and marriage (Mercury-Venus in VII) among other things.
Primary Directions
The marriage was on November 5th, 1955, when Carpenter was 25.5 years old. By primary directions, Venus directed to the natal Sun within a week of the wedding.
Carpenter’s Direction of Venus to the Sun at age 25.5
Age 30: Assault and Attempted Murder
While still married, Carpenter attacks a woman. He tied her with a clothesline and tortured her with a knife and claw hammer. A military officer responds to the screams. Carpenter tries to shoot him but misses and then is shot twice by the officer. Later in the year, he is tried and sentenced to 14 years (only 8 will be served). Additionally, he is diagnosed with sociopathic personality disorder at this time.
Planetary Years
30 marks the activation of Saturn by planetary years. I have noted that Saturn is particularly associated with the father, sense of identity, and the worst malefic significations in the chart. Saturn and Mars are in an intense applying square with Saturn dominating. Saturn also signifies isolation (imprisonment).
Primary Directions
Interestingly, Saturn directs to the Ascendan while the square of Saturn (11 Libra) directs to the Moon, both at age 30. Again, the activation of Saturn reflects the native having to come to terms his actions and do hard time.
David Carpenter Age 30 Directions of Saturn
Age 39: 2nd Marriage and Multiple Rapes
Unfortunately, Carpenter was paroled after only 8 years. Less than a year later he was married to his second wife, Helen. However, less than 6 months after marriage, in late January and early February 1970, he was involved in many violent crimes. The period is of interest for its intensity with two rapes, multiple attempted rapes, stolen cars, home invasion, and kidnapping all within the span of a week. The crime spree culminated in his arrest on February 3, 1970. He also briefly escaped from jail in April. He was convicted at age 40 through a plea bargain.
Profection
His lucky break of being paroled, his marriage, and his out of control sexual aggression relate to activation of Venus and Jupiter in the chart. The profection is to the 4th house, Pisces, making Jupiter lord of the year. Jupiter is with Venus and both are influenced by Mars. Note that by Valens-style profections, it is also the case that Jupiter and Venus profect to the Moon (House of Affliction), Saturn profects to Mars, and Mars profects to its twelfth-part and the Moon (ruler of the 8th). The strong role of the benefics in the year make it a complex time – one of a release from prison, a marriage, and a sudden slew of rapes.
David Carpenter’s Birth Chart
Primary Directions: Distributor
During the release from prison, the marriage, and the rapes, Venus was the distributor of the Ascendant. Around the time that Carpenter was convicted, Saturn took over as distributor. This echoes the benefits of Venus running into the problematic sexuality of Venus, then the dark isolation of Saturn.
David Carpenter Distributors in his thirties and early forties
Solar ReturnThe solar return has echoes of many of the Venus and 7th house themes discussed. Gemini, the natal 7th house, rises in the return. Return Mercury is in Gemini conjunct natal Venus. Jupiter is advancing in the return and rules the MC (gift of status).
David Carpenter Age 39 Solar Return
However, we also see some echoes of the themes of sexual aggression. Return Mars is in the 7th of the return, 1st house of the natal chart. It is in the house of the other for the year from the house of the self in the natal chart. There is an application between srVenus and srMars echoing he natal chart. Importantly, srVenus is at 11° Aries conjunct natal Mars within 2 degrees and ruled by natal Mars. The srMoon is with nSaturn while srSaturn is with the nSun.
Transits
We know that the crimes of the year took place in a short period of time from January 27th to February 3rd of 1970. A look at the transits kicking off the crime spree reveals many interesting things.
David Carpenter 1-27-70 Transits Along Natal
The crime spree takes place during a Mars return as tMars entered Aries just a few days prior. It actually kicks off with the tMoon’s opposition to nMars. Jupiter, the lord of the year, was transiting in Scorpio, Carpenter’s 12th house, ruled by Mars. Mercury transits in Carpricorn with natal Saturn. Saturn is transiting in the 6th through the house and bound of Venus, with his malice directed along sexual dimensions. Transiting Saturn overcomes the Moon by trine, echoing the natal Moon-Saturn trine.
Arrest
The entire crime spree took place during the period between the transiting Moon’s opposition to natal Mars and her conjunction with natal Saturn. Carpenter is arrested soon after.
02/03/1970 Day of Arrest Transits
Age 49-50: Serial Killer
Sadly, Carpenter was paroled to a halfway house shortly after his birthday in 1979, after serving less than 9 years. Within months of his release he had become a serial killer. Previously, he had not killed anyone. It is believed that he killed at least 10 people between August 1979 and May of 1981. Most of his victims were women hiking along scenic trails in the San Francisco area. Many of the victims were raped. He was arrested just after his 51st birthday.
Planetary Years
Age 49 is an activation of Sun-Saturn relationships by planetary years. On its own Sun-Saturn configurations often crop up at time of death, as the Sun signifies vitality and Saturn signifies loss. As noted previously, the twelfth-parts of Saturn and the Ascendant are in Taurus with the Sun. Additionally, the Sun and Saturn are trine each other across the dark 2nd and 6th houses, with Saturn overcoming the Sun. I had noted how this configuration relates to the father as well.
David Carpenter’s Birth Chart with Twelfth-Part Positions Along Outer Wheel
Profections
Ages 49 and 50 are profections to the 2nd and 3rd houses. Therefore, Saturn was the lord of the year for both years that Carpenter was an active killer. Additionally, Saturn occupies the 2nd house, further highlighting Saturn’s significance the year the killings began.
David Carpenter’s Birth Chart
Solar Return Age 49
We see the lucky Jupiter and the aggressive sexuality highlighted in the solar return. The return has srVenus in srVII and ruling the return Ascendant. It also has srJupiter on the srMC (gift of status; release from prison). However, note that srVenus is in Aries, ruled by and occupied by nMars. Additionally, she is with srMars and srMercury, indicating aggression with intent. Additionally, we see the lunar return in the solar return, but one with srSaturn, emphasizing the Saturn-Moon relationship noted in the natal chart.
David Carpenter Age 49 Solar Return
Conclusions
I could go on and analyze each murder and the ensuing arrest. For instance, the Moon and Mars were transiting in Cancer at the time of the 1st murder. However, due to time constraints I will wrap things up.
Beyond the Superficial
The chart of David Carpenter is interesting on a number of levels. I believe it is impossible to accurately see the key associations in this life without using the twelfth-parts, lots, and other such hidden factors. Additionally, we see the importance of detailed delineation in which things like possible stations, twelfth-parts, antiscia, and the lots are checked. In fact, it may be that much of the key information in every chart is actually less apparent. Such hidden information tends to be more individualized and to indicate things that are less superficial. By contrast, easily apparent indications like dignity by sign can easily lead one astray if misinterpreted.
Additionally, we see the importance of special techniques. Unusual features of a life don’t typically stand out at face value in the natal chart. Special techniques such as that for finding unusual aggression in the chart are vital. We see additional promise with the technique of using the Lot of Boldness, as we did for James Holmes.
Confirmation through Timing Techniques
Even when delineation is difficult, we find that the principles behind the best predictive techniques can help us make sense of important events. We see repeated and reinforced activation of the relevant factors that were identified in the delineation. In fact, we can use timing techniques to test our hypotheses about the significance of certain houses and other factors in the natal chart.
For example, on a superficial level Carpenter’s Moon appears strong and even benefic. Through timing techniques and a closer look at indications involving the mother we see Virgo, the Moon’s house, crop up time and again. Many of the events are true to its role as the House of Affliction. For instance, see the lunar return with Saturn conjunct the natal Moon at the 49th solar return. Factors are often mixed in signification, and sometimes their significations can have a very broad range across positive and negative dimensions. In Carpenter’s case, the wide range of significations may be exacerbated by the mutability of signs of many factors (dualistic or vacillating).
Loose Ends
While it is grim subject matter, all astrologers should check this chart out and keep it in mind. Delineation is very difficult and we still have many unanswered questions. A big part of delineation is understanding the central tendency and spread of various factors. We compare indications, look for repeat indications, and try to come to some conclusions about the most probable possibilities. In all of this we need to know the relevant factors for a given subject matter and how to prioritize and integrate them.
As you come to refine your own art of chart interpretation, return often to this chart to test your methodology. Carpenter is a complex individual but a severely damaged and destructive one. In untangling the web of his chart one faces many tough interpretive decisions. Ultimately, we want to make the same decisions, with the same interpretive principles and priorities, with every chart. Otherwise, where shall we start with the chart of someone we don’t know?
The Hellenistic technique for finding the professional indicator is the best approach to the astrology of profession that I’ve come across. I’ve explored the technique in a series of articles on profession. In challenges in which one must match a chart with a profession, it is a good guide.
You can find a discussion of the technique, which draws heavily upon the work of Paulus Alexandrinus (4th century CE), in the article: Astrology of Profession or Calling | 1. Technique. Please familiarize yourself with the technique before proceeding.
Difficult Cases
There are two types of charts that prove very challenging in relation to this technique. Charts where multiple planets are good candidates make it difficult to decide just where someone’s professional focus lies. Those with no planets in one of the 9 most eligible places also make it difficult to find the focal planet.
Bruce Lee’s 12th House Cluster
Bruce Lee (AA-rated time) has a birth chart that presents both problems. On the one hand, none of the three planets of actions are in one of the 9 most eligible places. All three are in Scorpio, the 12th house. Yet, when we look to see if any planets are with Fortune, we find all three of them there, as Fortune is in Scorpio. Therefore, none of the three provide really strong initial testimony, while all three provide testimony through Fortune.
Bruce Lee’s Natal Chart
Many Significant Planets
Mars rules Fortune and has bound rulership of the MC so it is significant.
Mercury appears to be even more significant as Mercury rules the MC and 10th place, has the application of the Moon, and rules the bound of Fortune and the Moon, and is actually in that bound with them. Additionally, Mercury left the beams (i.e. is in phasis) and stationed direct within the week before birth.
Venus is the most advancing of the three planets and she has triplicity at the MC and at Fortune.
None of the three planets appears to connect with the Ascendant and 1st house. Jupiter, the Sun, and Saturn have dignity there, while the Sun is in the place, and no other planets regard it. The Sun and Jupiter contribute strongly to the character, and the Sun is significant to profession also.
Dominance of Mars, or Mercury?
Mars (martial arts), Mercury (teaching), and Venus (show business), as well as the Sun (publicity, leadership), all did have relevance to Bruce Lee’s skill development and professional direction. However, what’s missing is the clear indication that Mars is more important than the rest in singling out the dominant factor (martial arts).
One could argue that the fact that all three professional indicators, and two planets important for character (Mercury and the Moon) are ruled by Mars provides that indication. Mars also most closely aspects the ruler of the Ascendant (Jupiter). However, with Mercury ruling the bound of the Moon, Mercury, Fortune, and Jupiter, while ruling the 10th house, it provides similar indications. Mercury is also stronger due to phasis, a station, and the application of the Moon.
In short, I think that the technique as we have it would correctly indicate Mercury, Mars, Venus, and the Sun as relevant for profession, but would incorrectly indicate Mercury as most important.
Enter Twelfth-Parts
I have written extensively on the use of the twelfth-parts. The twelfth-parts are a division of the zodiac that is almost as old as the zodiac itself. This division originated in Babylonian astrology and was prevalent in Hellenistic astrology. They are a micro-zodiac in each sign which provide an additional placement for each chart point, like a “secret second chart“.
I recommend the use of twelfth-parts in all types of astrology and all types of chart analysis. Twelfth-parts can even enhance special techniques such as the one for the professional indicator.
Bruce Lee’s Twelfth-Part Chart
When we look at Bruce Lee’s chart with the twelfth-parts, things become clearer. Without the twelfth-parts, it appeared that none of the three action planets connected strongly and directly with the person themselves (Ascendant). Mars, Venus, and Mercury all connected with its ruler (Jupiter) by rulership and aspect, but none connected with the Ascendant itself.
Bruce Lee’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Part Positions
The twelfth-part of Mars puts its position in the 1st house. This connects the significations of Mars strongly to the person’s personal identification, character, and skill. The twelfth-parts of Venus (12th house) and Mercury (6th house) don’t show that additional strong personal connection. This is one of many cases in which the twelth-parts are necessary to provide the crucial missing information.
Bruce Lee Conclusion
We know that there is personal identification with Mars due to its twelfth-part in the 1st, as well as rulership of Mercury and the Moon, and it has the closest aspect to the Ascendant lord (Mars is also the exaltation lord of the lot of Spirit). We can say that this person is personally very invested in fame/publicity/leadership (the Sun), very physical and/or aggressive activities (Mars), and spirituality (Jupiter). This is a choleric personality (Sun-Mars-fire) with an air of joviality (Jupiter rulership).
There is a stress on physical strength or aggression (Mars) in the profession. Communication and analysis are also very strongly emphasized (Mercury) suggesting a teaching component, and this links back to the Mars significations (Mars rules Mercury). The arts (Venus) are also relevant but are linked very strongly to the significations of Mars (Venus is conjunct and ruled by Mars).
Jean-Claude Van Damme
Van Damme is another martial artist and actor for which an AA-rated birth time is available. We won’t look as deeply at Van Damme’s chart but there are some interesting parallels we can quickly observe.
Van Damme’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts
All Action Planets in Eligible Places
Van Damme has all three planets of action in eligible places. Mars is in the 10th so Mars emerges immediately as the best candidate, even prior to looking at twelfth-parts.
However, Mercury and Venus are both also in an eligible place (the 2nd) and Mars has only minor dignity at the MC and 10th house (triplicity), and no dignity at the Ascendant. Venus rules the 1st house and has minor dignity at the MC.
Similarities and Differences with Bruce Lee
As with Bruce Lee, Mercury and Mars are with Fortune and all are in Scorpio, a house of Mars. Significantly, both have the Sun in the first house very near the Ascendant.
Mercury is not as emphasized in Van Damme’s chart and Venus is more emphasized. Van Damme’s career has seen more of a stress on acting and image (Venus) and less on teaching (Mercury).
Beyond the career significator, for personality indications Venus and the Sun are both very significant for self-identification. The Venus component has related to his personal life where womanizing and substance abuse problems have been significant issues at times (note that Venus is in a dark house – the 2nd. rules the 8th, and has her twelfth-part in the 12th).
Van Damme’s Twelfth-Parts
The twelfth-parts of Venus and Mercury are not in eligible places (12th and 9th) while that of Mars is eligible (2nd). This provides another indication for Mars. Additionally, we find the twelfth-parts of the Sun and Moon with Mars, further emphasizing the connection of Mars in the chart with publicity and importance.
Van Damme’s twelfth-part Mars is also conjunct Venus, a parallel with Lee’s Mars-Venus conjunction, emphasizing the art and aesthetics connected with Mars.
Conclusion
The special technique for identifying professional significators can be a messy affair. Not only is it often the case that multiple planets are significant for the person’s main career, but it’s also the case that people often have multiple types of careers, sometimes simultaneously. Twelfth-parts provide some additional valuable insight when working with this technique. As we’ve seen with the lot of Fortune, lots can also provide important information. Hopefully, with timing techniques we can also gain a clearer understanding for important shifts of emphasis that occur in one’s occupational development.
Featured Image
Featured image is cropped from a stencil of Bruce Lee by Giga Paitchadze (originally posted to Flickr as Bruce Lee) [CC BY 2.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons
Some readers may be interested in a brief passage by historian Francesca Rochberg. Twelfth-parts were popular in Hellenistic astrology. However, they are much older than Hellenistic astrology. In the passage, Rochberg discusses the pre-Hellenistic use of twelfth-parts by Babylonian astrologers. Shockingly, Babylonian twelfth-parts date back to at least the 5th century BCE.
In the passage, she notes that the Babylonians were using the twelfth-parts of the zodiac in the context of their omen lore. There is evidence of this from only a couple hundred years of the first evidence of a regularized twelve-sign zodiac (circa 700 BCE). Therefore, this important division of the signs in Hellenistic astrology is Babylonian in origin and almost as old as the zodiac itself.
You can read the entire section on Babylonian twelfth-parts in Google Books by following the link below:
Most of the major Hellenistic astrologers made use of the twelfth-parts. They are a key technique of Hellenistic astrology and a valuable addition to the traditional astrologer’s toolbox. However, astrologers often neglect them today.
Many of the articles on this site feature the use of twelfth-parts. Those unfamiliar with the twelfth-parts should check out the information I’ve provided on them starting with the introductory article on them. In this article, we look at finding twelfth-part positions in your head and with free software.
If you would like to use free software to find twelfth-parts then please download the Traditional Morinus software program (click to go to download page). It has undergone a number of great updates, including the addition of twelfth-part calculation. Please see the article on the installation of Morinus.
Finding Twelfth-Parts in Your Head
Of course, you can calculate twelfth-parts with pen and paper. It’s simple and was discussed in the introductory article on the twelfth-parts. However, I’d like to highlight some quick and dirty techniques for finding twelfth-part sign positions. Below are my tips. The numbers that I give are where the twelfth-part sign starts, so always think in 2.5 degree segments. Remember that 10 goes from 10°00′ to 12°30′ of that sign.
0 = Same Sign
This is the easiest one to remember. If the planet is in the first 2.5 degrees of any sign, from 0°00′ to 2°30′, then its twelfth-part is in the same sign.
10, 20 = Trine, Same Element/Triplicity
If the position is in the 2.5 degrees following degree 10 or 20 in the sign then it is in the same element. It is in one of the signs trine to that one. 10 is the beginning of the first trine, the one following. 20 is the beginning of the second trine, the one prior. For instance, if the Moon were at 10°30′ Scorpio, then the twelfth-part Moon is in Pisces, the water sign after Scorpio. If it had been at 22°00′ Scorpio, then the twelfth-part Moon would’ve been in Cancer, the water sign before Scorpio.
15 = Opposite Sign
If a planet were at 15° (up to 17°30′) of some sign, its twelfth-part would be in the opposite sign. For instance, you see someone has Jupiter at 16°47′ Cancer. Capricorn is opposite Cancer, so you know that the twelfth-part of Jupiter is in Capricorn.
5°, 25° = Sextile
You see Jupiter at 6°33′ Libra in someone’s chart, but where is it’s twelfth-part? The segment beginning with 5° is the sign that is the sextile after the one occupied. The segment beginning with 25° is the sign that is the sextile before the one occupied. 5 and 25 – easy enough to remember, especially since 25 is 5 squared, and the sextile is of the nature of Venus who makes a five-pointed pentagram figure in her course. Returning to our example, the twelfth-part of Jupiter must be in the following sextile, Sagittarius.
30′ = 6 degrees of a sign for twelfth-part
Let’s return to our example with Jupiter. Jupiter is at 6°33′, and we determined its twelfth-part is in Sagittarius. However, where in Sagittarius? We know that Sagittarius starts at 5° Libra and goes until 7°30′ Libra. Every half degree after 5° is another 6 degrees of Sagittarius, starting from 0°. Jupiter is about 1.5 degrees past 5°, which is 3 time half a degree. Each half a degree is 6 degrees, so 3 times 6 puts Jupiter at about 18 Sagittarius.
For fine-tuning, note that every 5′ of a degree equals 1 degree for twelfth-part positions.
Examples
In order to get you thinking in twelfth-parts and getting acquainted with these rules, let’s work on a few examples.
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain’s Natal Chart
Where is the twelth-part of Kurt Cobain’s Venus, planet of love, artistry, and beauty? Venus is at about 26.5 degrees Pisces. 25 is the magic number here as it is in that 2.5 degree segment after 25. In the rules above I specify that 25 is the preceding sextile. Venus is in the 7th, Pisces, so the twelfth-part is two signs back in the 5th, Capricorn. How many degrees after 25 is 26.5? 1.5 degrees. Each half degree is equivalent to 6 twelfth-part degrees, so the twelfth-part of Venus is 3*6=18 degrees into Capricorn. 18° Capricorn as the position means that Venus is in her own bound and in her Joy (the 5th place of children, creativity, entertainment, and performance is called the Joy of Venus).
Bill Gates
Bill Gates’ Natal Chart
Where is the twelfth-part of Bill Gates’ Mercury, planet of commerce, scholarship, and technology? Mercury is a little more than 16.5 degrees into Libra at 16°36′ Libra. As Mercury is in the 2.5 degree segment after 15, it is 15 that is the magic number here. 15, being half of 30, also puts us halfway around the zodiac from Libra to the sign that is its opposite Aries. What degree of Aries is Mercury’s twelfth-part? Mercury is a little more than 1.5 degrees past 15, and 1.5 is equivalent to three 1/2 degree segment. Again, each 1/2 degree segment equates to 6 degrees, which puts us 18 degrees into Aries. There is an extra 6′ though, and every 5′ is another degree, so it must be at 19° Aries. Therefore, the twelfth-part of Bill Gates’ Mercury is in its own bound in Aries, with the sect light, the Moon, in the 10th house of authority, honors, and profession.
Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston’s Natal Chart
Where is the twelfth-part of Whitney Houston’s Venus? The magic number is 10, as it’s in the 2.5 degree segment after 10° Leo. As mentioned in the rules above, 10 puts is in the next sign of the same element. The next fire sign or first trine is Sagittarius, the 10th house. What degree in Sagittarius? Venus is at 11°12′ Leo, so it is two 1/2 degree segments plus 12′. Each half degree segment gives 6 degrees, bringing us to 12. Then every 5′ segment is a degree, and there are two of them in 12′. This brings us to 14° Sagittarius. Houston’s Venus twelfth-part is in its own bound in the 10th house of authority, honors, and profession.
Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama’s Natal Chart
Where is the twelfth-part of the Dalai Lama’s Jupiter? The Dalai Lama’s Jupiter is in the 2.5 degree segment after 12.5, so it doesn’t fit exactly with any of our rules. However, our rules can lead us right there. 12.5 is one segment after 10, and one before 15, so Jupiter is one sign after the first trine and one sign before the opposition. We can go either way. If thinking in terms of “10, plus one sign”, then we would find Pisces, which is the next water sign after Scorpio, and we would put Jupiter in the next sign, Aries. In terms of “15, minus one sign”, then we would find Taurus, the sign opposite Scorpio, and put Jupiter in the one before it, Aries. In any case the twelfth-part is in Aries. But what degree of Aries? Jupiter is at 13°28′ Scorpio, so it is nearly 1° past 12°30′ Scorpio. Each 30′ equates to 6°, so it is nearly 12° into Aries. 5′ is equivalent to a degree and it is only short by 2′, so it is less than 12°00′ Aries, but by less than a full degree. This puts the twelfth-part of Jupiter at 11° Aries. The twelfth-part of the Dalai Lama’s Jupiter is in the Venus bound in the 10th house of authority, honors, and profession.
Finding Twelfth-Parts in Morinus
Recently, the developers of the free, open-source, astrology program, Traditional Morinus, added twelfth-part capability to the program. Please read the article on basic installation and chart entry in Morinus.
Settings
Once you have Traditional Morinus installed and ready to go, load one of your charts, or the chart that it comes with. Let’s look at its default chart, that of Morinus (Jean-Baptiste Morin), the prolific 17th century French astrologer and mathematician. Then go to the Option menu and Appearance I, or hit SHIFT-A (that is, hold Shift and press A). Click the bullet in front of “Dodecatemoria” to turn on the twelfth-parts, which will appear marked along the outer edge of the wheel.
I also recommend adding the terms (bounds) into the wheel, making the wheel black and white, and thickening up the lines for the angles, as shown below.
A couple other things you can do quickly to set your charts like mine include pressing SHIFT+F6 to switch to whole sign houses, and pressing SHIFT+W to have the Node position be the true position (note: I may have still had the Node at mean position in some examples). Finally, make sure you press SHIFT+U, so that your settings will be saved for the next time you start up the program.
Morinus Twelfth-Parts
Morinus’ Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts
Look at Morinus! The twelfth-part of Jupiter is right on the Ascendant. The twelfth-part of Mercury is in its own bound in his 10th.
The Example Charts
Below are the charts that I discussed above, but this time with the twelfth-part placements included.
Cobain with Twelfth-Parts
Gates with Twelfth-Parts
Houston with Twelfth-Parts
Dalai Lama with Twelfth-Parts
Have fun and feel free to discuss in the comments!
In the previous articles, I discussed the use of the twelfth-parts. These are also known as the dodecatemoria or the duads/dwads. For a review of the twelfth-parts and their use, please see the first and second article Here and in future posts of the series, I’ll be revisiting analyses from other articles on the site to look at the twelfth-part positions.
A Return to Sign Dignity
In my articles on dignity, I’ve pointed out the folly of using sign-based dignity to evaluate the beneficence or maleficence (i.e. benefit or harm) of a planetary signification. Overall, dignity has been a chart factor that has been far over-emphasized by traditional astrologers. It is to traditional astrologers what “Mercury retrograde” is to modern astrologers – a convenient but inaccurate crutch.
Dignity as a Separate Concept is a Distraction
It is my opinion, dignity as a separate concept is unnecessary. Dignity as a separate concept is a redundancy in most cases when it appears to work . Generally, a planet in its own domicile is made more prominent because its ruler is itself – a type of feedback loop. In that sense, a planet with dignity has a type of strength or prominence.
There are also more specific instances of a benefic or malefic interpretation in which dignity is not really at the heart of the issue. For instance, the Moon in Scorpio is linked with difficulty (especially in a day chart) by the Moon being ruled by a malefic. It is similar with Venus in Scorpio or Aries.
More commonly, the astrologer is overlooking more important factors such as place, sect, and the influence of malefics or benefics when they defer to dignity. Mercury in Pisces is a Mercury linked with benefit (Jupiter). However, if someone with that configuration had a speech impediment, the astrologer would be quick to blame Mercury in fall. Perhaps, they missed that Mercury is in the 6th house and dominated by Saturn.
The Curious Case of Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Turner
The first of the articles on dignity compared the charts of Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Turner. Dahmer had a whopping 4 planets in domicile, with only 2 peregrine and only 1 in fall – a chart with an unusually high amount of dignity. Ted Turner has no planets in domicile or exaltation, 1 planet in fall, 3 planets in “detriment” (for those who use detriment – I don’t), 2 planets peregrine, and only 1 planet with positive dignity – an unusually ill-dignified chart.
I found Dahmer and Turner to be the perfect minimal pair for explaining the trouble with dignity, not just in terms of beneficence and maleficence, but also for strength. I do use some sign-based significations like domicile, exaltation, fall, triplicity, and bound, for prominence myself. However, I give them less stress than typically given to them. I place more stress on advancing/retreating, being in a stake, stations, phasis, and relationship to the lights (including being in a domicile of a light). I explore strength indications at length in the lessons.
Dignity is Not Beneficence and Not Stature
Obviously, Dahmer’s life was not filled with more joy, goodness, and positive productivity than that of Turner, as might be expected if dignity pertained to beneficence and maleficence. Similarly, while Manetho, Maternus, and other Hellenistic astrologers suggested that one’s stature and power depend to a great deal on the number of planets in domicile in one’s chart, it is clear that this also cannot be the case. We would expect the lack of dignity in Turner’s chart to suggest he is very much held back. Similarly, we would suggest that Dahmer has immense social mobility. Therefore, while I believe that being in domicile, exaltation, triplicity, or bound is reinforcing of a planet, it is obvious folly to rely on dignity for beneficence and for evaluating social stature.
Enter Twelfth-Parts
With the above said, it is interesting that the twelfth-parts tend to reveal much more strength and beneficence in Turner’s chart. The twelfth-parts also reveal additional weakness and maleficence in Dahmer’s chart.
Dahmer’s Twelfth-Parts
Dahmer’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts along Outside of Wheel
In Dahmer’s chart, there are 4 planets in domicile and 1 in fall but 3 twelfth-part planets are in fall (and 1 in “detriment”), with none in domicile or exaltation.
Twelfth-Part Mars in X Ruled by the Moon and Square to Mars
More importantly, the twelfth-part of Mars, occupies the powerful 10th place (Dahmer’s “achievements”), square to its natal position. The square to its natal position increases its malice (see quote in previous article on twelfth-parts that square or oppose their natal positions).
Mars-Moon combinations, such as the one in the natal chart, have significations that relate to bodily violence. The twelfth-part of Mars is in the sign of the Moon and square to the natal Moon-Mars. The twelfth-part of the Moon in Scorpio, a domicile of Mars, in the bound of Saturn (significator of death), and in the 2nd place (one of the dark places). Therefore, the Moon-Mars bodily violence signification is reinforced in many ways.
An Even Darker Character
The Moon is relevant for character, especially in terms of irrational impulses and instincts. Ptolemy identified it with the irrational part of the soul (see Tetrabiblos, Book III, Ch. 13). The Ascendant and Mercury are also relevant for character delineation and are in the bounds of Jupiter in the natal chart. The Moon, Mercury, and the Ascendant have their twelfth-parts are in bounds of Saturn. The twelfth-part of Mercury is additionally with the twelfth-part of Saturn in the 11th, pertaining to friends and groups.
The ruler of the Ascendant, the twelfth-part of the Ascendant, and the ruler of the twelfth-part of the Ascendant are also relevant to the character. We find the ruler of the Ascendant, Venus, to be in the 8th pertaining to death, fear, and harm, in the bound of Saturn. The twelfth-part of the Ascendant is in that same place and bound. Additionally, that twelfth-part is also ruled by Venus. Therefore, three important character significators are piled into the bound of Saturn, the planet of death, in the 8th place, the place of death, ruled by Venus, planet of sexuality.
Turner’s Twelfth-Parts
Ted Turner’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts on Outside of Wheel
The 3 planets in “detriment” in Turner’s natal chart are in their own domiciles in the twelfth-parts. Saturn in fall sees its twelfth-part in “detriment”. However, detriment was not a distinct concept in Hellenistic astrology. Therefore, Saturn’s twelfth-part is actually in triplicity and the sign of the sect light. Being in triplicity and in a sign of a light, especially the sect light, is strengthening.
Lighting Up the 10th House
The Sun has its twelfth-part in the 10th with the Moon, in a sign of Mercury and bound of Jupiter. Both twelfth-part lights in the 10th provide an additional indication of power and influence.
Benefics Gracing the Lights
Additionally, the twelfth-part of the sect benefic, Jupiter, falls into the 12th, the place of the Sun, Fortune, and Venus. This links benefits to their significations. The other benefic, Venus, lands in the 11th, her domicile, the place of the Moon. Thus both benefic twelfth-parts occupy the places of the lights linking them with fortunate circumstances.
Conclusion
Twelfth-parts give very important additional information about planets and points in the natal chart. Dignity is often a redundant consideration, but it can play a role in terms of planetary prominence and reinforcement. If you are going to consider dignity as a strength consideration, then be sure to also examine the twelfth-parts.
The ancients stressed how the twelfth-parts are responsible for major modulations in planetary signification within a sign. In this sense, dignity relating to twelfth-part positions may be even more important than that related to natal positions. More work research is needed in this area. In any case, the twelfth-parts positions reinforce or contradict significations in the natal chart. It is these reinforcements and contradictions that help us to correctly interpret the chart.
For, if you want to explain the entire substance of the astrological significations from the efficacy of the dodecatemories and from the terms in which they are found, you will not be mistaken; for the Babylonians attribute the supreme power of [astrological] decrees to the dodecatemories, but Ptolemy to the antiscions, [and] we to both. (Maternus, Book III, Ch. 9, #14, Holden trans., 2011, p. 170)
So, you thought you just had one astrological chart, but in Hellenistic astrology you have two. Then again, maybe three. The secret charts are found by examining some projected positions for chart factors.
Twelfth-Parts
The second chart I allude to is the chart of the twelfth-part positions. Twelfth-part positions were noted as a fundamental basic of astrological technique by nearly every Hellenistic astrologer. Their use was urged most strongly by Julius Firmicus Maternus. These are typically marked along the natal chart to keep a reference to natal chart houses. I explored what the twelfth-parts are and how they are calculated in the introductory article.
Antiscia
The third chart that I alluded to is something that appears to be more idiosyncratic to Maternus. It is the use of antiscia positions as yet another chart body-double. I explored this use of antiscia by Maternus very briefly near the end of my article on sign symmetry.
Maternus attributes this use of antiscia chart positions as secret positions to Ptolemy, though this is a false attribution. Maternus is the only Hellenistic source I know of that uses this third set of positions. On the other hand, the dodecatemoria or twelfth-parts are indeed Babylonian in origin, and their use was widespread among Hellenistic astrologers.
Paulean Twelfth-Parts
In the last article, I expressed that Paulus presented an idiosyncratic variety of twelfth-parts in which the position in degrees and minutes are multiplied by 13 rather 12. I was recently confronted by a footnote by James Holden (footnote #2, p. 18, 2009) in his translation of Rhetorius in which he noted that there is evidence in surviving cuneiform tablets that the two different methods of projecting twelfth-parts existed in Babylonian astrology. In other words, according to Holden multiplying by either the more common 12 or the 13 as used by Paulus, then projecting from the beginning of the sign, were both used (Holden cites “Mesopotamian Astrology” by Koch-Westenholz).
If it is in fact the case that the 13-fold variety does also have Babylonian origins, then at least among the Hellenistic astrologers, it was a less popular variant. Manilius, Dorotheus, Ptolemy, Valens, Maternus, Hephaistio, Porphyry, and Rhetorius (as well as later astrologers) employed or expressed preference for the 12-fold variety.
The Importance of the Twelfth-Part Positions
I was originally skeptical about the use of the twelfth-part positions. I didn’t think they represented an important or informative addition to the natal chart positions. I’m sure many readers initially feel the same way. Therefore, I want to stress that the twelfth-parts were mentioned as a basic of astrological technique by nearly every Hellenistic astrologer. Many of them, including Manilius, Maternus, and Rhetorius, felt it necessary to stress how important they are despite how easy it is to overlook them.
… the genitures differ in a single constellation, because the individual signs vary on account of the distribution of their divisions and modulate their respective powers in the dodecatemories. (Manilius, Book II, #710-712, Goold trans., 1977, p. 139)
And the method of dodecatemories is a necessity in nativities; and I also put down the astrological significations of these so that some might use them not just as in a secondary work. (Rhetorius, Ch. 18, Holden trans., 2009, p. 18)
Now I shall show briefly how you may inquire about the dodecatemories, for some think that they can find the entire substance of the nativity from them, and they intimate that whatever is concealed in the delineation can be discovered from the dodecatemories. (Maternus, Book II, Ch. 17, #1, Holden trans., 2011, p. 59)
Basics of Use
The twelfth-part positions are used just like natal positions. They give additional information and reveal significations that might be missed from looking at the natal chart alone.
Cognition Usage Isn’t Just About Cognition
Even the interpretation of cognition usage (discussed in the last article) is along these lines, though it is for horary or consultation charts. Masha’allah (in On Hidden Things) discussed multiple signficators for the querent’s thoughts or intentions. One of them was the ruler of the Ascendant. However, Masha’allah expressed that the best significator is the twelfth-part of the Ascendant and its ruler. In other words, the twelfth-part Ascendant and its ruler are used just as the Ascendant and its ruler to give information about the querent and the matter itself.
Hellenistic Astrologers Using Twelfth-Parts as the Secret Chart
Paulus: Twelfth-Parts Also Show Benefic/Malefic Indications
We get a sense of this all-purpose use in Paulus, even though he used the 13-fold ones. In Ch. 22 of his Introduction, he noted that the twelfth-parts of benefics occurring in important places signify very good things for the person. By contrast, twelfth-parts of malefics occuring in such places indicate bad things. Benefics produce fortunate circumstances where they occur, and malefics produce difficulty, and it is the same with the twelfth-parts of each.
Maternus: Delineation of a Planet or Point Includes Delineating its Twelfth-Part
Maternus laid out the use of twelfth-parts in Book II of the Mathesis. There he instructed us to look at numerous things but stressed the place, the ruler, and the bound ruler of the twelfth-part. We are are also to look at sect and the interactions between planets in ways that he discussed for regular planets (for instance that there is greater harmony between the waxing or full moon and diurnal planets). All in all, it seems that Maternus wants us to look at twelfth-part positions as on an almost equal footing as natal positions, examining things like place, sign ruler, bound ruler, regards/aspects, and special configurational indications.
This is further stressed in Book III, when each chapter on a planet ends with Maternus admonishing the reader to also check out the planet’s twelfth-part. Apparently, we are to look at the same factors discussed with reference to the natal planet. In this way we will not miss some important indication that is in the twelfth-parts but not the regular natal chart, as everything should be in one or the other. Maternus even advised to check the twelfth-part of the Lot of Fortune after discussing Fortune’s delineation (Book IV, Ch. 4) . Again, the clear lesson is to delineate the twelfth-part as you’d delineate the planet.
Rhetorius: Twelfth-Part Positions Signify in Configurations Too
But what of the relationship of a twelfth-part to its same natal point, such as the twelfth-part of the Sun to the natal Sun? Rhetorius treated of this in Ch. 60 of his Compendium. A twelfth-part trine its natal position increases the beneficence or fortune signified by the planet, but one opposed to its natal position increases the maleficence or difficulty signified by the planet.
Rhetorius also discussed how the twelfth-parts of malefics falling in places can make things more difficult and the twelfth-parts of benefics easier, similar to what Paulus mentioned above. He put particular stress on the twelfth-part of the Moon in relation to the nature and social standing of the person. In his delineations of twelfth-parts he particular stressed the influence of the ruler of the twelfth-part. Some delineations also involve regards/aspects from natal planets and even the qualities of the signs, such as human and quadrapedal. That the twelfth-part delineations of Rhetorius encompassed all these things lends support to the idea that delineation of the twelfth-part is very much like delineation of a natal planet or point.
Delineation Example: Steve Jobs
In the next several posts on twelfth-parts, I’ll be digging back to analyses from older posts on the blog and showing how twelfth-parts add valuable information. I will kick this off by taking a brief second look at the chart of Steve Jobs for the rest of this post.
In one my first posts, in October 2011, I discussed the natal chart of Steve Jobs and some of the most important general planetary strength considerations, showing that his Mercury is much stronger than one might think from a cursory glance. Before reading on, I urge the reader to give that post a quick review by visiting it here. While stations and phasis may not be appropriate to twelfth-parts, the twelfth-parts can tell us additional information about the strength of Mercury.
Steve Jobs’ Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts on Outer Wheel
In the original analysis I noted that Mercury is probably the strongest planet in the chart in terms of having a generally pervasive influence over the life in a broad way, as it is strongly stationing direct, making an appearance (in phasis), advancing, and ruling the 1st.
Twelfth-Part MC Conjunct nMercury; Twelfth-Part Mercury Strong
Looking at the twelfth-parts we find further indication of the significance of Mercury by the twelfth-part of the MC being conjunct Mercury. This and the fact that Mercury’s twelfth-part is advancing in the 11th which is a strong and fortunate place. It is in a sign of a light (Cancer, home of the Moon, which is the sect light of the chart), while actually with the twelfth-part of the sect light. These are all additional indications of the strength of Mercury.
The twelfth-part of Mercury is in the bound of Jupiter (as is the natal Mercury), and is very tightly conjoined to Jupiter, in the place of Jupiter’s Joy, and in the sign of Jupiter’s exaltation. These things all connect Mercury with fortunate and lofty Jupiterian themes, but are not as strongly expressed in the natal chart itself.
Mercury posited in the 11th house from the ASC will make talented persons, indispensable for all activities, and those to whom the conduct of great business affairs is entrusted; but then it denotes greater duties if it was conjoined to Jupiter by a favorable aspect. (Maternus, Book III,Ch. 3f, #23, Holden trans., 2011, p. 147)
More Twelfth-Parts
The twelfth-part of Venus, the sect benefic, occupying Virgo, a house of Mercury, further emphasizes this fortunate quality of Mercury. Also note that the twelfth-part of Jupiter falls right onto the Sun in the chart. The twelfth-part of the Sun is in the place of the Sun’s Joy with the twelfth-part Ascendant. The Moon’s twelfth-part is strongly advancing toward the MC. She is also with the lord of the Ascendant and Jupiter (as well as Saturn). Additionally, the twelfth-part of Fortune is conjunct the Moon, the sect light.
Key Information
As one can see, the twelfth-parts not only help us to get more information out of the chart about the prominence of Mercury, but also showcase fortunate circumstances connected to Mercury. These are important features of this person’s life that are reflected in the chart with the twelfth-parts but would be easy to miss from the natal chart without them. We see many additional indications that the chart is of someone with great social mobility and very fortunate circumstances linked to Mercury.
Conclusion
Twelfth-parts are not a trivial matter. In chart delineation, it is vital to see which indications are repeated in many different ways. Such indications are stronger and more important, allowing us to say something meaningful about the life. The twelfth-parts are a vital and important part of chart delineation. If you’re looking at a chart without the twelfth-parts, you are missing a huge chunk of the information in the chart. Without this important information, you can rest assured that you will reach the wrong conclusions. Similar indications of something in the chart may be repeated without your knowledge while other indications you might think are important may be contradicted by the twelfth-parts. If you’re serious about accurately reading a natal chart add the twelfth-parts to your chart readings today.
References
Manilius, M. (1977). Astronomica. (G. P. Goold, Trans.). Cambridge, MA: Loeb Classical Library.
Maternus, J. F. (2011). Mathesis. (J. H. Holden, Trans.). American Federation of Astrologers.
Rhetorius of Egypt, & Teucer of Babylon. (2009). Rhetorius the Egyptian. (J. H. Holden, Trans.). Tempe, AZ: American Federation of Astrologers.
There is a secret key to the zodiac. Inside every zodiacal sign there are another twelve-signs. This division of the zodiac dates back to Babylonian times and was a key element of Hellenistic and early medieval astrology, but is extremely neglected today. Key elements of natal delineation and timing have been lost due to ignorance regarding this important feature of the zodiac. In this article, I explore the origins and use of twelfth-parts.
Pray examine now a matter trivial in appearance, yet one of great moment, which does not permit description of itself save by a Greek word. I speak of the dodecatemories, of which the name proclaims the principle. The signs each consist of thirty degrees, and every total is further divided by twice six; the calculation therefore shows that in each division there are two and a half degrees. (Manilius, Book 2, 693-700, Goold trans., 1977, p. 137)
Who Used the Twelfth-Parts?
Hellenistic Astrologers
In addition to Manilius, the twelfth-parts were used by almost every Hellenistic astrologer. Early Hellenistic astrologers who used twelfth-parts include Dorotheus of Sidon (1st Century CE) in Book I, Ch. 8 and other sections of Carmen, Ptolemy (2nd Century CE) in Book I, Ch. 22 of the Tetrabiblos, and Vettius Valens (2nd Century CE) in multiple sections of his Anthology. Julius Firmicus Maternus (4th Century CE) strongly advocated the use of twelfth-parts in Book II, Ch. 17, and many other sections of his Mathesis. Additionally, Porphyry of Tyre (3rd Century CE) in Ch. 39 of his Introduction to the Tetrabiblos used twelfth-parts, as did Hephaistio of Thebes (5th Century CE) in Book I, Ch. 18 and in Book III of his Apotelesmatics. Rhetorius (7th century) also used twelfth-parts in Ch. 18 of his Compendium.
Early Medieval Astrologers
The twelfth-parts continued to be a basic component of astrological technique as practiced by later Perso-Arabic astrologers of the early medieval period, including Sahl, Masha’allah, Abu Ma’shar, al-Qabisi, Abraham Ibn Ezra, and more.
Abu Ma’shar made extensive use of twelfth-parts in his predictive methods. He made over 20 mentions of twelfth-parts in his work on predictive natal astrology, On the Revolutions of the Years of Nativities. Ma’shar advocated their use in nearly all predictive techniques. He explicitly advocated their use in solar returns (see Book I, Ch. 5-6; see Book II, Ch. 3 in relation to the profected Ascendant), lunar returns (see Book II, Ch. 1), primary directions (see Book III, Ch. 1), and transits (see Book V, Ch. 9). The twelfth-parts are key not only to natal delineation but also to predictive astrology.
Pre-Hellenistic Use
However, the use of the twelfth-parts predates Hellenistic astrology. The twelfth-parts. like the twelve-sign zodiac itself, have their origins with the Babylonians, who used them in omen lore at least as far back as the 5th century BCE. Therefore, the twelfth-part divisions of the zodiacal signs are nearly as old as the regularized twelve-sign zodiac itself.
What are the Twelfth-Parts?
The twelfth-parts appear in the earliest strains of Hellenistic astrology. They are also known as dodecatemory/dodekatemoria, duodena/duodecimae, or dwad/dwadashama. As the 1st Century astrologer, Manilius, explained in the opening quote, the twelfth-parts are divisions of each astrological sign into 12 equal parts. Each of the twelve parts are assigned a zodiacal sign beginning with the greater sign itself.
Finding Twelfth-Parts
Some authors, including Manilius, give two ways to calculate these, both leading to the same result. One way is to think of the first 2.5° as belonging to the sign itself, the second to the next sign, and so on until you get to the last 2.5° which belongs to the sign preceding the greater sign. For instance, if Mercury were found at 28° Scorpio, then it would be in the last 2.5° of the sign, and thus its twelfth-part would be Libra.
A second method is used for greater accuracy. We take the degrees and minutes of the position within the sign and multiply it by 12, then add that many degrees to the beginning of the sign the planet is in. For instance, with Mercury at exactly 28°00′ Scorpio, we would take 28 and multiply it by 12, yielding 336, then we would add this to the beginning of the sign Scorpio, so 30 would bring us to Sagittarius, 60 to Capricorn, 90 to Aquarius, and so on until we get to Libra with 6 degrees left over; the twelfth-part of Mercury would therefore be 6°00′ Libra in this case.
Chart Calculation of Twelfth-Parts
The FREE, open-source, traditional astrology program, Morinus, has twelfth-part calculation built-in. Some of the developers of the program have been very kind to me and gave given me the chance to check out the functionality before it was implemented. It is great to have a program that can lay out the twelfth-part positions quickly and visually, because as we’ll see, these positions are informative and early astrologers placed importance on them.
Morinus Chart Appearance Options
In order to pull up twelfth-parts in Traditional Morinus, after installation using the instructions I’ve provided, first pull up a chart. Then hold Shift and press A, or click on Option from the top navigation menu and click Appearance I. Select Dodecatemoria from the In Chart options and click OK. The chart will then have the twelfth-part positions apparent around the outside.
Bruce Lee’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-PartsVariations
Some Variations
Manilius Division
Manilius asserted that the twelfth-parts are further divided into 5 segments of half a degree each, assigned to the five non-luminary planets, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Mercury (see Manilius, Astronomica, Book 2, 738-748). However, Manilius didn’t specify the order that the planets are assigned to these subdivisions, and no other early astrologers addressed these divisions. Typically, the Chaldean order, either from slowest to swiftest (Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Mercury) or the reverse (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn) is suggested. While the first one of these orders is certainly the most logical, supported by the use of such order in many other types of zodiacal division from decan to monomoiria, we can’t be sure. I don’t recommend the use of these subdivisions in practice.
Paulean Thirteenth-Parts?
It is also worth noting that Paulus Alexandrinus (4th Century CE) provided an idiosyncratic type of twelfth-parts. The twelfth-part explanation in Paulus is most likely in error, as he multiplies the position by 13, rather than by 12. He gives a paragraph explaining his justification for multiplying by 13 rather than 12, but there isn’t much logical sense in the explanation in my opinion. Paulus seemed to imply that multiplication by 13 was necessary to allow the 12th parts to come back to the sign that the planet is in. This is hardly a noteworthy argument, as the first 2.5° of the sign already fall to that same sign in the standard system.
Commentary on Paulus
In the commentary on Paulus by Olympiodorus the Younger (6th Century CE), he found it necessary to explain the more typical form of twelfth-part first to preface the discussion. He then explained the idiosyncratic Paulean form. As far as I know, this idiosyncratic form of twelfth-part isban innovation of Paulus and was used by Paulus only, so I will not pursue it further here.
And we say: the ancient Egyptians used to call it the 12th part, since the number is found in the position of each star multiplied by 12. However Paulus, having come later and examined the matter closely, [said] that the multiplication by 12 is never returned to the same zoidion where the star is, where we seek the dodekatemorion — but often the dodekatemorion of the star happens to fall in the same zoidion where the star is. (Olympiodorus, Commentary on Paulus Alexandrinus, Ch. 21, Greenbaum trans., 2001, p. 102)
How were Twelfth-Parts Used?
The twelfth-parts produce a secondary zodiacal position for each planet and point in the chart. It is as if each point is projected into an additional hidden zodiacal position.
There are four main ways in which the twelfth-parts were used in Hellenistic astrology: 1. The twelfth-part of the Moon gave indications regarding the physical sex of the person; 2. The twelfth-part of the Sun gave indications about the Ascendant when it was unknown; 3. The twelfth-part of the Ascendant revealed thoughts/intentions; 4. Twelfth-part positions gave additional information about planetary significations that are on par with the natal positions of the planet.
I will briefly explore three of these four uses; for sex, finding the Ascendant, and interpretation of cognition. However, I want to make it clear to the reader, that the last use is by far the most fruitful and important.
Sex of a Person from the Natal Chart
Both Dorotheus (Book I, Ch. 8 of Carmen) and Valens (Book IX, Ch. 8 of Anthology) used the sex of the sign of the twelfth-part of the Moon for delineation of the native’s sex.
Dorotheus
For Dorotheus, the basic idea is that if the Moon’s twelfth-part is in a male sign (i.e. a Fire or Air sign) then the native is male, but if in a female sign (i.e. an Earth or Water sign) then the native is female. However, there are some exceptions that can override this indication of the sex of the sign of the twelfth-part of the Moon.
The exception are as follows: 1. Sun, Moon, and Ascendant are in signs of the opposite sex, 2. the Light of the opposite sex (i.e. Sun is masculine and Moon is feminine) is in the Ascendant in a sign of its same sex, 3. planets of the opposite sex occupy the 1st and the 7th, 4. both Lights are in signs of the opposite sex and a planet of the opposite sex rules the Ascendant (example given is of both Lights in masculine signs and Jupiter ruling the Ascendant, this overriding a feminine twelfth-part of the Moon to indicate a male child).
Valens
For Valens, the sex of the sign of the twelfth-part of the Moon and the sex of the sign occupied by that sign’s ruler give strong indications for sex of the child.
Results
This method is poor for predicting sex. For instance, Kurt Cobain has Sun, Moon, and Ascendant all in feminine signs, which would override the fact that the twelfth-part of the Moon in his chart is in Sagittarius, a masculine sign. Additionally, the ruler of the twelfth-part of the Moon is Jupiter, which is also in a feminine sign.
Cobain’s Natal Chart
One might argue that perhaps Dorotheus was incorrect and the twelfth-part of the Moon should be given the primary consideration in this endeavor. However, examine the chart of Traci Lords. Her Ascendant is in a masculine sign, Sun and Moon in feminine signs. The twelfth-part of the Moon is in a masculine sign, and its ruler, Saturn, is also in a masculine sign, so if they were given primary consideration we’d judge her to be a man.
Traci Lords’ Natal Chart
Junk Technique
In conclusion, we cannot rely upon the twelfth-part of the Moon methods of Dorotheus or Valens to guess the sex of a person by the birth chart. Perhaps Dorotheus and Valens have given us leads for the eventual development of a technique for guessing the sex of an individual from the chart that involves use of twelfth-parts. So far we don’t have a reliable technique for such a determination.
Twelfth-Parts for Finding the Ascendant
Another one of the more spurious uses of the twelfth-parts is to rectify the sign of an individual’s Ascendant when it is unknown. It is Valens that discussed this use of twelfth-part of the Sun in Book I, Ch. 4 and Book IX, Ch. 7 of his Anthology. It is only one method among many rectification methods discussed by Valens.
The method involves first knowing if the person was born by day or night and knowing the Sun’s position accurately enough to be able to find the sign of its twelfth-part. The Ascendant for a day birth will either be the sign opposite the sign of the Sun’s twelfth-part, or one trine to that sign, with preference given to the “left” trine (i.e. the one that is 120° after the sign of the twelfth-part of the Sun). If it is a night birth, then it will be one of the signs opposite to these, again with the same preference.
Example
For example, if someone was born with the twelfth-part of the Sun in Taurus, then for a day birth the most likely Ascendant would be Virgo, but could also be Scorpio or Capricorn. If a night birth then the most likely Ascendant would be Pisces, but could also be Taurus or Cancer.
Results
I’m a day birth with the twelfth-part of the Sun in Taurus, and my Ascendant is none of the three relevant signs, nor any of the three signs for night births. A technique that narrows the Ascending sign to one-fourth of the signs of the chart, but still doesn’t give you an accurate indication is not a very valuable technique.
Interpretation of Cognition
One of the more fascinating niche uses of twelfth-parts is in the interpretation of cognition. This use was common for consultation charts, and later in medieval horary astrology. The technique originates with unknown Indian astrologers and Hephastio of Thebes. Importantly, it was adoped by Masha’allah. The basic idea is that the twelfth-part of the Ascendant gives indications about the thoughts and intentions of a native or a querent (the one asking the astrologer to divine the answer to a question). The native is really concerned about matters pertaining to the house represented by the twelfth-part of the Ascendant. The qualities and conditions of that place such as the quality of the sign, its domicile lord, and occupants of the sign are all relevant to the native’s true concerns.
The Search of the Heart
Dr. Benjamin Dykes explored this use of twelfth-parts in considerable depth in his translation of, and commentary on, Hermann of Carinthia’s “The Search of the Heart”. I highly recommend this work of Dr. Dykes for those interested in delving into this use of twelfth-parts in greater depth. Dykes explores the technique in his introduction, translates a work which uses the technique, and provides commentary on that work. Additionally, he includes appendices with further discussion and translations, including a table of the entire 144 significations given by Hephastio for each twelfth-part of the Ascendant.
Horary Astrology
The primary use of this technique in medieval astrology was to anticipate a client’s area of concern. This usage appears to have started in Indian and/or Hellenistic use of consultation charts. This use of consultation charts preceded, and likely lead to, the development of horary astrology.
Masha’allah in On Hidden Things (from the Works of Sahl and Masha’allah translated by Dykes in 2008) suggested that the twelfth-part of the Ascendant provides the best indications regarding a querent’s intention in an horary reading. If a planet is in that place then you look to that place as signifying the person’s intention. If the place is empty then you look to the place of its ruler.
Masha’allah: Twelfth-Part Ascendant and its Ruler
In an example given by Masha’allah (the same example was given by Hermann of Carinthia centuries later but attributed to the Indians), the Ascendant was the 12th degree of Aries, which has its twelfth-part in Leo. As the Ascendant was in Aries, Leo was the 5th place from the Ascendant. Leo was empty in the horary chart and the Sun was in Libra, the 7th. Masha’allah surmised that the question involved the 5th in the condition of the 7th or the 5th seeking the 7th. The indication was that of a child seeking a woman (or seeking the querent’s wife).
Masha’allah said that if the Sun had been in the 6th then it would’ve suggested a question about a sick child, and so forth. As you can see the stress in this technique is primarily on the significations of the place/house. One can combine the significations of the place with its ruler, in the sense of the place being fulfilled by or meeting the condition of the ruler’s place. This is one of a few different techniques given by Masha’allah and later authors for interpreting the intentions of a querent.
Chart Projections
Used with natal charts the technique puts an interesting twist on the idea of personal focus and fulfillment. The ruler of the Ascendant shows a particular pull towards a certain place in the natal chart. Consider its accompanying themes and significations. Similarly, the twelfth-part of the Ascendant and its ruler may reveal a personal emphasis for the individual.
In the next article on twelfth-parts, I’ll explore their use in natal delineation in more depth. I’ll draw heavily on Maternus, who found in twelfth-parts the secret to more accurate delineation. I highly recommend the use of the twelfth-parts of all chart factors. I also recommend their use in predictive astrology as advocated by Abu Ma’shar. However, let’s start by looking at twelfth-part of the Ascendant.
Hitler’s Twelfth-Part Ascendant
Hitler had the twelfth-part of the Ascendant in Leo with the greater malefic Saturn, in the bound of Mercury. It is in the networking and popularity-oriented 11th House (house of friends), in the sign of leadership, Leo. Its ruler, the Sun, was in the 8th, pertaining to death and harm. The twelfth-part of Hitler’s Sun is also in the 8th, and its ruler too is in the 8th. This gives interesting additional valuable information that we can add to our knowledge that his Ascendant lord (Venus) and the sect light of his chart (the Sun) are in the 8th of his natal chart.
Using the Masha’allah-style of place combination, we might suggest that he has some intention to achieve a Saturnine standing in groups through death, fear, and destruction. I also think that Leo and the solar element both contribute meaning here, as does the bound of Mercury.
Hitler’s Natal Chart
Dahmer’s Twelfth-Part Ascendant
Looking at Jeffrey Dahmer’s chart, we find the twelfth-part of the Ascendant in the 8th of death. It is also in the bound of Saturn. It is conjunct Venus, the lord of the Ascendant, which is also the ruler of the twelfth-part. They are both in the same bound of Saturn in the 8th. Therefore, the personal intentions and focus on Saturnine-Venusian, death, fear, and destruction themes are very pronounced.
Dahmer’s Natal Chart
Explore Twelth-Parts
Start playing around with twelfth-parts in natal, horary, mundane, and electional charts. For electional astrology, putting the twelfth-part of the Moon in strong and good places is recommended by Sahl and others. Experiment, and if you have any revelations, feel free to share them in the comments.
References
Dorotheus of Sidon. (2005). Carmen Astrologicum. (D. Pingree, Trans.). Abingdon, MD: Astrology Center of America.
Manilius, M. (1977). Astronomica. (G. P. Goold, Trans.). Cambridge, MA: Loeb Classical Library.
Paulus Alexandrinus & Olympiodorus. (2001). Late Classical Astrology: Paulus Alexandrinus and Olypiodorus. (D. G. Greenbaum, Trans.). Reston, VA: Arhat.
Image Attribution
Featured image of Dodecahedron Aventicum (cropped) by Woudloper [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons
