Ptolemy - Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos - Ch. 26 lyrics

CHAPTER XXVI FACES, CHARIOTS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ATTRIBUTES OF THE PLANETS THE familiarities existing between the planets and the signs are such as have been already particularised. There are also, however, further peculiarities ascribed to the planets. Each is said to be in its proper face, when the aspect it holds to the Sun, or Moon, is similar to that which its own house bears to their houses: for example, Venus is in her proper face when making a s**tile aspect to either luminary, provided she be occidental to the Sun, but oriental to the Moon, agreeably to the primary arrangement of her houses. Each planet is also said to be in its proper chariot, or throne, or otherwise triumphantly situated, when it holds familiarity with the place which it actually occupies by two, or more, of the prescribed modes of connection: for when it is so circumstanced, its influence and energy are specially augmented by the familiarity it thus holds with the sign which encompa**es it, and which is similar in influence and co-operates with it. Lastly, each planet (although it may possess no familiarity with the sign encompa**ing it) is said to rejoice, when any connection subsists between itself and other stars of the same condition; as, notwithstanding the distance between them, a certain sympathy and communication of influence is derived from their mutual resemblance. In the same manner, again, when a planet occupies a place adverse and dissimilar in condition to itself, much of its influence is dissipated and lost; in consequence of the interposition and admixture of the other different influence, arising out of the dissimilar temperament of the sign by which it is encompa**ed.