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Appendix a a Glossary of Terms Pertaining to Astrology and Divination Appendix A A Glossary of Terms Pertaining to Astrology and Divination Aëromancy (a.k.a. nephelomancy): Divination by observing clouds or other atmo- spheric phenomena. Agricultural astronomy: The observed correlation between celestial phenomena, seasonal weather patterns, and the tasks of the agricultural year; this does not involve an astrological attempt to predict future events (apart from the obvious recurrence of seasonal patterns). Alchemy: An ancient body of chemical, philosophical, mystical, and religious lore whose primary focus was the magnum opus (the transmutation of base metals into gold by means of the lapis philosophorum, or philosopher’s stone). Other alchemical operations included the quest for the panacea [elixir of life] and the alkahest [universal solvent]. The oldest extant alchemical texts arose in Egypt during the 1st-4th centuries ad and are attributed to Zosimus of Panopolis and Mary the Jewess. Alchemy was of great interest to Muslim intellectuals, and from them it spread to Mediaeval Europe. Just as astrology was the precursor of mod- ern astronomy, alchemy was the precursor of modern chemistry. Isaac Newton left more than 30,000 manuscript pages on alchemy (more than he wrote on any other subject). King Vakht’ang VI of Georgia was also a student of alchemy. Almanac: Annual weather prognostic, derived from lunar configurations to planets, and configurations of the planets to each other. Alveromancy: Divination by listening for sounds. There are many forms of alvero- mancy, of which the Chechen practice of listening to the ground is a typical example. Angles: (a.k.a. Pivots, Centers): In any horoscope, the four primary points along the ecliptic: Ascendant, m.c., Descendant, l.c. Application: The approach of a faster-moving planet to Aspect or Conjunction with a slower-moving planet; the opposite of Separation. Ascendant: The point on the ecliptic that is rising in the east at any given moment. This is the eastward angle and the beginning of the 1st mundane house; the most important point in any chart. Aspect: The angular relationship between any two planets (or points): sextile (60º), square (90º), trine (120º), opposition (180º). Astragalomancy: The practice of divination by means of dice or knuckle-bones. Astrological chiromancy: Any of various systems which seek to establish correlations between palmistry and astrology, or to apply astrological principles to palmistry. Timothy Paul Grove - 9783657705160 Downloaded from Brill.com10/02/2021 04:17:26PM via free access 392 appendix a: A Glossary of Terms For example, the seven planets are associated with parts of the hand (the base of the thumb is known as mons Veneris [mountain of Venus), that of the index finger as mons Jovis, that of the middle finger as mons Saturni, that of the ring finger as mons Solis, and that of the little finger as mons Mercurii; while the heel of the hand is designated as mons Lunae), and the palm of the hand is desig- nated cavea Martis [cave of Mars (a.k.a. triangulum)]. These correlations are very widely known, and are presented, along with a diagram, in chapter three of manuscript Q-867. Astrological divination: a wide array of techniques to develop prognostications based on the configuration of the heavens, most of them far less sophisticated than Horoscopic Astrology. These techniques include the interpretation of celestial and meteorological omens, horary astrology, and geomancy. Specific simpli- fied divination techniques include the “Sphere of Life and Death” attributed to Pythagoras, calendologia, lunaria, Dies Aegyptiaci, other lists of lucky and unlucky days, days for phlebotomy, and the stella ophiomimeta. Astrological geomancy: A complex method of astrological divination, of Arabian ori- gin; a series of random marks is made in sand or on paper and then used to gen- erate a pseudo-horoscope which is then used for prognostication.1 Astrological omen: Any astrological phenomenon or configuration inductively cor- related to a specific terrestrial event. Astrological talisman: An object specially prepared at an astrologically propitious time, using materials and procedures calculated to activate the influence of a specific planet or star. Astrology: The interpretation of celestial phenomena with a view to predicting future events on earth (either as omens or by generating a horoscope). Astronomy: The empirical, descriptive study of the celestial bodies and their motions (as contrasted with their interpretation). Throughout most of history, astronomy has functioned as a tool in the service of astrology; thus, Ptolemy’s Almagest is an astronomical work, while his Tetrabiblos [Quadripartitum] is an astrological work. It has only been since the Scientific Revolution that a clear distinction was made between astronomy (as a science) and astrology (as a pseudo-science). Augury: The practice of divination by interpreting the flights of birds (Ornithomancy). The early Romans developed an elaborate science of augury, which was car- ried out by the collegium augurum [college of augurs]. The collegium augurum 1 Stephen Skinner, Terrestrial Astrology: Divination by Geomancy (London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1980), 2, 11-12. Timothy Paul Grove - 9783657705160 Downloaded from Brill.com10/02/2021 04:17:26PM via free access appendix a: A Glossary of Terms 393 comprised fifteen augurs during the first century bc.2 The term augury came to refer divination in general. Auspices (auspicia): Omens from the flight of birds. Roman augurs were required to “take the auspices” on important occasions. Eventually, augural practice involved three different types of divination: auspicia ex avibus [omens from birds], auspi- cia ex caelo [omens from the sky (i.e. from thunder and lightning)], and auspicia ex tripudiis [lit. omens from hopping (i.e. interpretation of the eating-patterns of chickens; this form of divination was commonly practiced on board warships before a battle)].3 In later times the augurs practiced hepatoscopy as well. Ayanaṃsa: Adjustment for precession, expressed in degrees and minutes. This num- ber is deducted from all points in the horoscope to convert from the Tropical Zodiac to the Sidereal Zodiac. Sassanian astrologers developed the Zīj-i Shāh [Royal canons], an extremely accurate set of astronomical tables, based on the coincidence of a conjunction of Jupiter with the sun (March 17, 564 ad) with the spring equinox on the following day. The equinox (defined as the begin- ning of Aries in the tropical zodiac) took place precisely 10’01” east of the star ζ Piscium, so that the tropical and sidereal zodiacs coincided exactly. This obser- vation enabled the Magi to precisely compute the ayanaṃsa (adjustment for precession, expressed in degrees of difference between the tropical and sidereal zodiacs). The Sassanian ayanaṃsa is still used today, and amounted to precisely 20º02’39.5” on January 1, 2000.4 The original Zīj-i Shāh [Zīj Shahriyārān al-Shāh] (written in Pahlavi) is lost, but can be largely reconstructed from details found in later Arabic sources.5 Belanomancy: Divination by means of arrows. Biblical references to this are found in II Kings 13:14-19 and Ezekiel 21:21. It was an important practice among the Harranians as well. 2 Auguste Bouché-Leclercq, Histoire de la Divination dans l’Antiquité (Brussels: Culture et Civilisation, 1963), 4:268; [Carbo] “ordered the holding of the consular election, but as the omens were unfavourable he postponed it to another day. On that day lightning struck the temples of Luna and of Ceres; so the augurs prorogued the comitia beyond the summer sol- stice, and Carbo remained sole consul” (Appianus, Historia Romana 1.9.78; Appian’s Roman History, translated by Horace White [Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1928-55]: 3:145. 3 Bouché-Leclercq, Histoire de la Divination dans l’Antiquité, 4:203-05. 4 Dieter Koch and Alois Treindl, §2.7.3. The Hipparchan Tradition, Swiss Ephemeris: Computer Ephemeris for Developers of Astrological Software, Astrodienst AG, 1997-2019, https://www. astro.com/swisseph/swisseph.htm?nhor=119628227;lang=e#_Toc19109061 5 E.S. Kennedy, “The Sasanian Astronomical Handbook Zīj-i Shāh and the Astrological Doctrine of ‘Transit’ (Mamarr),” Journal of the American Oriental Society 78, no 4 (Oct.-Dec., 1958): 260-61. Timothy Paul Grove - 9783657705160 Downloaded from Brill.com10/02/2021 04:17:26PM via free access 394 appendix a: A Glossary of Terms Benefics: The planets Jupiter and Venus (the greater benefic and lesser benefic). Bibliomancy: The practice of divination by means of books. Typically, the book was allowed to fall open to a random page and then a passage was picked with the eyes closed. The pagans had recourse to the sortes Homericae and sortes Virgilianae (utilizing the Homeric epics and the Aeneid, respectively), while Christians have traditionally consulted the sortes Sanctorum, using the Bible for divination. Muslims used the Qur’ān for this purpose, as well as other texts. The dīvān of Hafez (d. 1389/90) was a very popular divination text in Persia. Bibliomancy was widely practiced by the Georgian clergy. Birthday Book: A text which provides character-assessments and general prognostics for those born on each day of the year. This simple form of astrological divina- tion is featured in most newspaper astrology columns. Bodily conjunction: Same as conjunction. Brontologium (Lat. tonitruale): A text which derives prognostics from thunder. Brontoscopy: The practice of divination by thunder and lightning. Caduceus: A staff entwined by two serpents, traditionally associated with the god Hermes (Mercury). It is also the insignia of certain bishops in the Eastern Orthodox and Armenian churches. Calendologium: A form of divination by which the meteorological conditions of a par- ticular day are interpreted as prognostics for the period of time (usually a full year) which follows. The simple weather prognostic associated with Ground Hog Day (2 February) is a survival of this tradition. Canicular Days (Lat. dies caniculares): A period of about 30 days beginning with the heliacal rising of Sirius (the dog star), which currently takes place on July 6th.
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