THE ESSENTIAL AND ACCIDENTAL DIGNITIES OF THE PLANETS.
The essential and accidental dignities of the planets is a point of much importance in Mundane Astrology.
The signs are distributed among the planets in the following order, and a planet is said to “ rule over “ a sign.
♈
and ♏
are the houses of
♂
♉
“ ♎
“ “
♀
♊
“ ♍
“ “
☿
♐
“ ♓
“ “
♃
♑
“ ♒
“ “
♄
♌
is the
house of the Sun
☉
☽
“
“ “ Moon
☽
These signs are called the houses or mansions of the planets, because when a planet is placed in a sign it rules over, it is very powerful, and is then “ essentially dignified. ”
The rulership of the signs by the planets is brought into use very considerably, in Mundane matters, for when Aries rises Mars is the ruler of the figure, and the position and aspects of this planet would show the general condition of the people and country at any particular time. The same with the other houses, but particular attention is to be paid to this point when there are no planets in the house under consideration.
There are certain other signs in which the planets are found to be very powerful, though not to the same degree as when in their own houses. These are called the exaltations of the planets and are as follows.
The Sun is exalted in the sign Aries.
The Moon “ “ Taurus.
Jupiter “ “ Cancer.
Mercury “ “ Virgo.
Saturn “ “ Libra.
Mars “ “ Capricorn.
Venus “ “ Pisces.
Uranus is powerful in the Airy Signs, ♊, ♎, ♒.
Neptune is chiefly powerful in ♓.
NOTE.-The signs opposite to those in which the planets have their exaltation are those of their “fall,” and then they are especially weak in power. The planets are also said to be in their “detriment,” when they are placed in the signs opposite to those which are their houses or mansions.
The accidental dignities consist of the position of the planets in respect to the angles of the figure. The first, tenth, seventh and fourth houses of the Map of the heavens are termed angular, and any planet placed in one of these houses is said to be “accidentally dignified.”