AUTHOR'S NOTE: This glossary is a revision of one that appeared in my 1991 text on horary astrology which is now out of print. There was not space in the revised edition Horary Astrology Plain and Simple for the glossary, so I have published it here. I hereby grant readers permission to copy or reproduce any or all of this glossary for personal use only. This glossary may not be reproduced for sale or other commercial purposes. Small segments may be quoted in published works, however, provided written acknowledgment of the authorship is given. I am especially grateful to C. J. Puotinen, Dorothy Kovach, Sue Miller, and Jonathan Clark (of the Tree of Life Website) for their helpful comments and corrections.. I would also appreciate any feedback, especially corrections, at my email address: tonylouis@aol.com

DAY AND NIGHT TRIPLICITIES:

Lilly used the following system of rulerships of triplicities:

Triplicity      Day Ruler        Night Ruler

Fire            Sun                 Jupiter
Earth           Venus               Moon
Air             Saturn              Mercury
Water           Mars                Mars

Ptolemy's system of day and night rulers consisted of a day ruler, a night ruler, and a combined ruler of each triplicity as follows:

Triplicity      Day Ruler       Night Ruler     Combined Ruler

Fire            Sun              Jupiter          Mars
Earth           Venus            Moon             Saturn
Air             Saturn           Mercury          Jupiter
Water           Venus            Moon             Mars

Dorotheus proposed yet another system of triplicity rulerships (Carmen Astrologicum, pp. 161-162):

Fire triplicity by day: Sun then Jupiter then Saturn (presumably this refers to decanates?).
Fire triplicity by night: Jupiter, Sun, Saturn.

Earth triplicity by day: Venus, Moon, Mars.
Earth triplicity by night: Moon, Venus, Mars ("and in Virgo is also a share for Mercury").

Air triplicity by day: Saturn, Mercury, Jupiter.
Air triplicity by night: Mercury, Saturn, Jupiter.

Water triplicity by day: Venus, Mars, Moon.
Water triplicity by night: Mars, Venus, Moon.

DAY HOUSE: The sign a planet rules by day. Except for the Moon, whose Day House is Cancer, each planet rules a masculine (odd numbered) sign by day. (The Moon has only one "house," Cancer.)

DAY RULERS: Sun = Sunday, Moon = Monday, Mars = Tuesday, Mercury = Wednesday, Jupiter = Thursday, Venus = Friday, Saturn = Saturday.

DEBILITY: A weak or afflicted condition of a planet. Being in Detriment or in Fall are potent essential debilities.

DECANATE (DECAN): A division of each sign into three 10 degrees segments. There is a Hindu division of each sign into three decans ruled by the three signs of the same element. There is a Chaldean division of each sign into three 10 degrees faces ruled by the seven classical planets in Chaldean order, starting with Mars ruling the first Face of Aries.

DECREASING IN LIGHT: Waning. Usually said of the Moon as it approaches the Sun in the order of the signs on its way to a conjunction (New Moon) after leaving its opposition (Full Moon). When decreasing in light, the Moon forms a series of sinister aspects to the Sun.

DECLINATION: A measure of angular distance above or below the Celestial Equator.

DECUMBITURE: A lying down due to illness. A chart cast for the time a person first becomes ill or takes to the sickbed. Horary rules are used to interpret a decumbiture chart. The Ascendant signifies the sick person. Lilly appears to have regarded the question, "Whether one absent be dead or alive?" as a variant of a decumbiture chart when the querent bore no relationship to the missing person. Lilly says that when the "Querent hath no relation to the party, then the 1st house, the Lord of that house and the Moon shall signify the absent party." The 8th house, any planets therein or within 5 degrees of the 8th cusp, show the death of the missing person.

DERIVED HOUSES: A method of renumbering the houses so that the matter or person asked about becomes the new 1st house and the other houses are numbered in order around the wheel from the new 1st house. Thus, in a question about a child, the natural fifth house becomes the child's 1st, the natural sixth house becomes the child's second house, and so on around the chart.

DETRIMENT: A sign opposite the one ruled by a planet. For example, the detriment of the Moon is Capricorn because the Moon rules the opposite sign Cancer. Being in detriment weakens a planet and is a debility. A person represented by a planet in detriment may feel out-classed, be obligated to work, and functions at a disadvantage.

DEXTER ASPECT: Dexter means "on the right-hand side." A dexter aspect is one in which the faster planet is waxing, or increasing in light, with respect to the slower one. The faster (applying) planet is casting its rays to the right (dexter) to form the aspect because the more ponderous planet lies on the right side of the applying planet as viewed from the Earth. Lilly says "Dexter Aspects are contrary to the succession of Signs," that is, the rays of the faster planet flow clockwise around the wheel to reach the slower planet as viewed from the Earth. If planets are direct in motion, a dexter aspect forms as a result of increasing angular distance between them so that the planets are moving toward an eventual opposition. A dexter aspect takes place when a faster moving planet aspects a slower moving planet in a direction contrary to the natural direction of the zodiac. For example, the Moon in Aries would cast a dexter square to Jupiter in Capricorn. Ptolemy regarded the 11th house of the Good Daemon as sextile dexter to (sextile and to the right of) the 1st house. Dexter aspects are traditionally more potent than sinister ones. Remember those sketches of an angel sitting on the right shoulder and a devil on the left one? See Sinister. (Dorothy Kovach added that a dexter aspect takes place when a faster moving planet aspects a slower moving planet in a direction contrary to the natural direction of the zodiac.)

DIGNITY: A condition which strengthens a planet's influence. Dignity may be ESSENTIAL due to an affinity or sympathy of a planet with a particular region of the zodiac, or ACCIDENTAL due to house position, planetary motion, favorable aspects, etc.

DIRECT MOTION: Movement of a planet in the order of the zodiac signs from Aries to Taurus to Gemini, etc. Retrograde motion is opposite to direct motion.

DIRECTIONS BY HOUSE: The houses are assigned compass directions with the Ascendant pointing East; the Descendant, West; and in the northern hemisphere above the Tropic of Cancer, the IC, North (away from the Ecliptic or path of the Sun); and the MC, South (toward the Ecliptic). The intermediate houses correspond to the intermediate compass directions.

DIRECTIONS BY SIGN:

Fire: East

        Aries- E
        Leo - E by N
        Sagittarius - E by S

Water: North

        Cancer - N
        Scorpio - N by E
        Pisces - N by W

Air: West

        Libra - W
        Aquarius - W by N
        Gemini - W by S

Earth: South

        Capricorn - S
        Taurus - S by E
        Virgo - S by W

DISPOSITOR: The planet that rules the sign or dignity another planet occupies. For example, if Mars is in Libra, the dispositor of Mars is Venus. In addition, a planet can Dispose (Receive) another planet through any of its essential Ptolemaic dignities. Thus, the Sun will dispose by exaltation any planet in Aries because the Sun is exalted in Aries.

DIURNAL PLANETS: Saturn, Jupiter, Sun.

DOMAL DIGNITY: A planet in its own home sign has domal dignity. For example, the Sun has domal dignity in Leo, and Saturn has domal dignity in Capricorn and Aquarius.

DWELLING IN HOUSES: According to Lilly (CA, pp. 127 - 128) "things are sometimes perfected by the dwelling of Planets in houses, viz., when the Significator of the thing demanded is casually posited in the Ascendant; as if one demand if he shall obtain such a Place or Dignity, if then the Lord of the tenth be placed in the Ascendant, he shall obtain the Benefit, Office, Place or Honor desired. This rule of the Ancients holds not true, or is consentanious to reason, except they will admit, that when the Moon, besides this dwelling in house, doth transfer the light of the Significator of the thing desired, to the Lord of the Ascendant…" The idea of "dwelling is houses" is related to the idea of "emplacement."

EARTH SIGNS: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn.

EAST POINT: The point on the Celestial Equator rising on the Eastern Horizon at birth. The East Point is the intersection of the Eastern Horizon, Prime Vertical, and Celestial Equator. The Ascendant is the intersection of the Eastern Horizon with the Ecliptic.

ECLIPTIC: The apparent path of the Sun on the Celestial Sphere in Earth centered astronomy. The Ecliptic is inclined at 23.5 degrees to the Celestial Equator.

ELECTIONAL CHART: A horoscope chart cast to determine the best time to take action. Electional astrology is the reverse application of horary procedures.

ELEMENTS: Fire, Air, Earth, and Water.

EMPLACEMENT: Carol Wiggers divides horary questions into two types: "perfection horaries" and "emplacement horaries." Perfection horaries require an applying major aspect between significators to answer the question. Emplacement horaries depend on the house position of the significators to answer the question. For example, in answering questions about lost objects, we depend on the house and sign positions of the significators to describe the location of the missing item. Lilly used "emplacement" to tell a querent "to what part of the world…he might best apply himself to live in" (CA, p. 137). Lilly responded: "The Lord of the Ascendant is the sun, who being near the cusp of the 9^th house (signifying long journeys) and the sign thereof movable; I intimated he was resolving suddenly upon a journey southeast, and to those parts of the world which lie from London southeast…." See also Dwelling in Houses.

EQUINOX: (Equal day and night). The points where the Equator intersects the Ecliptic. Vernal Equinox = 0 degrees Aries. Autumnal Equinox = 0 degrees Libra. Aries and Libra are the Equinoctial signs.

ESSENTIAL DIGNITY: A region of the zodiac where a planet has a special affinity and is therefore more powerful. Essential dignity can occur by ruling sign (domal), exaltation, triplicity, term, or face (listed in order from strongest to weakest). Persons represented by planets with domal dignity are usually well-situated and powerful; by exalted planets, proud, prominent, and unyielding; by planets in their triplicity, in good circumstances; by planets in their own terms, respectable but not especially powerful; by planets in their own face, mildly dignified, or "like a man about to be turned out of doors."

EXALTATION: A sign in which a planet functions well. A form of essential dignity. In horary, an exalted significator may represent an arrogant person (CA, p. 102) "assuming more than his due, or someone who thinks quite well of him- or herself. Exaltation is next in power to dignity by ruling sign. (Dorothy Kovach questioned the use of the word 'arrogant' here and has not found this description to be the case in her horary charts.)

FACE: The weakest form of essential dignity, "like a man about to be turned out of doors.". Each sign is divided into three 10 degrees faces, and a different planet has dignity in each face of the sign. See Decanate.

FALL: A sign opposite the one in which a planet is exalted. A significator in its fall may indicate an unfortunate, helpless, insolvent, or cruel person. A planet in its fall may literally refer to a person who has fallen, been disgraced, or suffered some kind of limitation. In charts about a missing object, it may have fallen down from where it was originally.

FEMININE PLANETS: Traditionally the Moon and Venus. In addition, Mercury is feminine when joined with a feminine planet and masculine when joined with a masculine planet.

FEMININE SIGNS: Water and Earth signs. The even numbered or "yin" signs of the natural zodiac.

FERAL SIGNS: According to Lilly (CA, p. 89), "Ferall signs are Leo and the last part of Sagittarius."

FIGURE: A horoscopic chart.

FIRE SIGNS: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius.

FIXED SIGNS: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius.

FIXED STARS: Those stars outside our solar system which appear to be stationary on the Celestial Sphere when compared with the wanderings of the Sun, Moon, and planets. The fixed stars for the backdrop of the canopy of the heavens on which the Sun, Moon, and planets are seen to be moving. Because of precession the "fixed stars" appear to move forward in the tropical zodiac at a rate of about 50.23 seconds of arc per year, eight minutes every 10 years, or one degree every 72 years. For an example of a fixed start, see "Algol" in this glossary.

FORTUNES: Benefic planets, especially Venus and Jupiter. Also the Sun and Moon when free of affliction. The Moon's North Node and Pars Fortuna are considered fortunate points. Spica and Regulus are potent benefic fixed stars.

FRUITFUL (PROLIFIC) SIGNS: The water signs, that is, Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces.

FRUSTRATION: Lilly used "frustration" to refer to problems with the operation of a conjunction: "when a swift Planet would corporally join with a more ponderous, but before they can come to a Conjunction, the more weighty Planet is joined to another, and so the Conjunction of the first is frustrated." Frustration interferes with the perfection of the matter. Many writers consider Abscission and Frustration to be synonymous so that when a planet is about to form aspects with two other planets, the aspect that perfects first causes an abscission of light that frustrates the influence of the second aspect. In Lilly's definition, a faster planet is about to conjoin a slower one which happens to conjoin a different planet before the faster one can reach it.

GREAT CIRCLE: A circle either on the surface of the Earth or on the Celestial Sphere whose plane passes through the center of the Earth. The meridian and the prime vertical are examples of great circles.

HAYZ: A masculine, diurnal planet above the horizon in a masculine sign by day; or a feminine, nocturnal planet below the horizon in a feminine sign by night. A form of fortunate accidental dignity. The feminine, nocturnal planets are the Moon and Venus. The masculine, diurnal planets are the Sun, Jupiter, and Saturn. (Mars is masculine but nocturnal.)

HELIACAL RISING: "Rising with the Sun" - occurs when a planet or star, which was hidden by the Sun's rays, again becomes visible.

HINDRANCE: Any condition that hinders or impedes the functioning of a significator.

HORARY: Latin - "of the hour."

HORIZON: The Visible or Apparent Horizon is a circle which encompasses what the observer can see on the surface of the Earth. It is the circle formed where the sky around the observer meets the Earth. The Rational or True Horizon is a great circle parallel to the visible horizon whose plane goes through the center of the Earth. The Celestial Horizon is the rational horizon extended infinitely into space to intersect the Celestial Sphere.

HOUSE: One of the twelve divisions of the zodiac circle in terms of either time or space. The houses symbolically represent 12 sectors of life situations and/or relationships. There are many methods of house division. Most start the first house at the Ascendant and the 10th house at the Midheaven. Lilly used the Regiomontanus house system for his horary charts.

HOUSES, FORTUNATE AND UNFORTUNATE: Lilly regarded houses 8, 6, and 12 as unfortunate. A planet was fortunately placed in the house of its joy or in a house for which it was a consignificator. He noted that the sun and Mars are never well-placed in the 2nd house, and that Mars and Saturn are unfortunate in the 5th, 7th, and 9th houses. The sun and Jupiter do well in the 10th house.

HOUSE STRENGTH: Lilly rank-ordered the houses from strongest (most benefic) to weakest (most malefic) as follows: 1, 10, 7, 4, 11, 5, 9, 3, 2, 8, 6, 12. Dariot regarded houses 6, 8, and 12 as "evil houses."

HUMAN SIGNS: Gemini, Virgo, Aquarius, and the first half of Sagittarius.