planetary hours

[crimsoncurrent]

The second item is presented because there is very little on the
planetary hours in English astrological literature. The subject has
for a long time been shrouded in mystery, originally having been
part of the Art's practice which bordered on alchemy and magic.
There is no doubt in my mind that the planetary hours are both
useable and valuable. I cannot say how many times I have seen
disagreements arise in Mars' hour or reconciliation occur in
Venus' or Jupiter's. Venus' hour is outstanding for all pleasurable
activities and for anything connected with sex and love. I have
noted that Mercury's hour is dangerous from the point of view of
theft and mugging for Mercury is both the god of business and of
thieves. Sometimes, the impulse arises in Mercury's hour, but the
act is committed in the following hour, Jupiter's. Such is the
practical insight that observation of times, in this case hours, can
give.
Bethen's piece on the hours is also valuable because it is laid out
in such a way that one can move from a study of the hours to the
rudiments of electional astrology. After giving the things, which
the hours are good or bad for, he then relates this to the elemental
nature of the sign rising at the same time. Thus one begins by
learning about the immediate changes in the surrounding world
and then is taken to a place where he can begin to make use of
this insight. The entire text is very basic but it is valuable for just
this reason. After one has learned that the hours and risings are
real one can move into more involved presentations such as
Bonatti's Eighth Tractate 51 or Lilly's Introduction to Astrology 52 or
any of the better modern books on electional astrology 53.
Unfortunately I do not know who this Bethen was. His little work
was appended to the end of Abano's translation of Ibn Ezra's
works and may have been in the manuscript of Ibn Ezra, which
he worked with. He seems to have been a competent astrologer
with a knack for succinct straightforward presentation and clarity.
51 Liber astronomiae Tractatus octavus
52 Being the first book of William Lily’s Christian Astrology 1647, London. Copies
of Lilly’s work can be found at www.horary-astrology.com or from the archivist
at publications@new-library.com
53 See, for example, Vivian Robson’s Electional Astrology, 1937 London. If you
are unable to get a copy then email publications@new-library.com
The third item is Ibn Ezra's a paraphrase of instructions for
identifying the Almutem or Ruler of the Chart based upon a
comparison of Henry Bate’s translation (Latin) of De Nativitatibus
and Peter of Abano's translation (Latin) of the same work.
The question of the true ruler of the chart has been discussed in
several places within the last few years and there has been, it
seems, recognition that the ruler of the ascendant is not always
sufficient as an indicator of the native's physiognomy and soul
qualities. Indeed to attempt to make it so is to place more upon it
than it was intended to take. The ascendant represents the native's
physical body and instincts. In so far as these determine
personality, the ascendant represents these too. The ruler of the
ascendant can often significantly modify the appearance of the
native depending upon its own position by sign and its aspects
and as we tend to become more like the ruler as time goes on, it is