HumoursThe four humours are Sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic
and melancholic. Each is related to one of the four administering virtues of
the body – blood, yellow bile, phlegm and black bile respectively – whose
relative proportions were used in ancient and medieval physiology to determine
a person’s natural disposition and general health. They are associated with the
elements and seasonal influences – see individual terms: sanguine, choleric,
phlegmatic and melancholic. |
ImpeditedThis is another term for 'debilitated', hindered, or damaged. A planet may be impedited if it has been afflicted by another or is in a general state of weakness due to its position or lack of dignity. |
Imum caelum (IC)The Latin term for ‘lowest heaven’; hence the
abbreviation: IC. This is the degree of the ecliptic (zodiac) that reaches its lowest
declination beneath the earth (due north in the northern hemisphere; due south
in the southern hemisphere). In quadrant systems of house division it denotes the
4th house cusp. Not to be confused with the nadir. |
Inconjunct aspectTraditional term for the quincunx aspect (planets that
are 150° apart). It conveys a sense of
being disconnected – anciently planets separated by this degree were said to be
unable to make a relationship because signs cannot behold (aspect) others that
are five signs ahead or behind them. |
Inferior/superior planetsThe ‘superiors’ are the planets which were
traditionally conceived to be placed above the sphere of the Sun: Mars, Jupiter
and Saturn; the ‘inferiors’ those which fall beneath its sphere: Moon, Mercury
and Venus. Modern definitions say inferiors are those whose orbits fall within
that of the Earth, superiors those outside of it, which amounts to the same
result but misses the point about the Sun being a central factor. The outer
planets are included in modern definitions but fall outside the traditional
notion of ‘superiority’ because of their limited signification. It is a
principle of traditional astrology that the heavier, superior planets are less
subject to the detrimental influences of the lighter, inferior planets, but the
inferior planets are readily susceptible to the influences of the superiors. |
Intercepted signsThe full enclosure of a sign within a
house that has two other signs on cusps – for example, if the 2nd house cusp is at 23°
Aquarius, and the 3rd house cusp at 6° Aries, Pisces is intercepted
within the 2nd house and any planets in Pisces may be described as
being within an intercepted sign. Modern authors have suggested that planets in
intercepted signs are weakened or in some way confined, though this view does
not appear to be supported in traditional texts. |
Luminary(ies)Sun or Moon, so called because they illuminate the sky. Also known as ‘the lights’. |
Malefic planetsAlso known as ‘infortunes’, these are planets that are judged capable of afflicting a positive outcome. Under normal circumstances Saturn and Mars are considered naturally malefic because of their intemperate natures, (Saturn is traditionally known as the ‘Greater Malefic’ and Mars as the ‘Lesser Malefic’). Many traditional texts also consider the south node to be representative of decrease and therefore term it a malefic. The outer planets – Uranus, Neptune and Pluto – also tend to be considered malefic in their influence. Compare with ‘benefic planets’. |
MalevolentsAnother term for malefic planets. |
Manilius - astrologer (early 1st century CE)Roman poet whose Latin text, Astronomica, is the oldest detailed instructional work on astrological technique to survive (more or less) intact. A long, didactic poem in five books, it provides our earliest description of house meanings, as well as detailed accounts on how to calculate the ascendant, the meanings of the zodiac signs, constellations, aspects, chronocrators, decans, and various other technical matters. References within the text show that Manilius lived during the reigns of Augustus and Tiberius, so wrote his work between the years 14-27 CE. It is almost certain that Manilius versified an earlier well-known astrological text, and that his work survived because of its artistic format. An English translation was made by G.P. Goold in 1977 for the Loeb Classical Library. |