south. The first six, from Aries to Virgo, are northern; the latter six, from Libra to Pisces, are southern; this is because the Sun and planets when in the first six are north of the equator, and when in the last six they are south of that line.

Each point of the zodiac rises and sets once every twenty-four hours, occasioned by the earth's revolution on its axis once every day; therefore, when any given point is rising, the opposite point must be setting.[3]

As the zodiac consists of 360 degrees from the first point of Aries until we come to that point again, and as these are divided into twelve portions or signs, they must consist of 30 degrees each.

The aspects are five in number; they represent certain positions which the planets bear to each other as they move through the signs of the zodiac; they are as follows, with their symbols:—

The conjunction () is rather a position than an aspect, as planets can hardly be said to aspect each other when they are in the same place. When Saturn is in the first degree of Aries, and any planet in the same degree of that sign, they are said to be in conjunction; this is good or evil, according to the nature of the planets thus posited.

The Trine () is the most powerful of all the good aspects.

The Sextile () is favourable.

The Square () is evil.

The Opposition () is also very evil.

There are several other aspects (sometimes called the "modern aspects") invented by Kepler; but as they only appear to complicate what is at best a very intricate study, it is best to ignore them and adhere in this, as in the matter of the planets, to the old methods.

CHAPTER III.

CONCERNING THE SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC

The zodiac is a band or belt, measuring about 14 degrees in breadth, but, as Venus sometimes appears to have more than her real latitude, it is more correctly considered to be 18 degrees in breadth. The ecliptic, or path of the Sun, passes exactly through the centre of the zodiac, longitudinally.

The ancients divided the zodiac into ten signs—Libra being omitted altogether, Virgo and Scorpio being merged into one, thus: Virgo-Scorpio. This accounts for the similarity of their symbols, .

Ptolemy divides the zodiac into twelve equal parts, of 30 degrees each. He says: "The beginning of the whole zodiacal circle (which in its nature as a circle can have no other beginning or end capable of being determined) is, therefore, assumed to be the sign Aries, which commences at the vernal equinox in March."

One of the many objections urged against Ptolemy's system of astrology is that the signs are continually moving from their positions; but Ptolemy seems to have been aware of this motion of the signs, and has met this objection by what he says in the twenty-fifth chapter of the first book of the Tetra-biblos, where he makes it clear that the respective influences he ascribes to the twelve signs were considered by him to belong rather to the places they occupied in the ambient than to the stars of which they are composed; and he especially speaks of the ambient as producing the effects attributed to the respective signs of the zodiac when in the ascendant in a nativity; thus his astrology is just as applicable to modern astronomy as it was to his own.

The signs have been divided into four triplicities, thus: fiery , , ; earthy, , , ; airy, , , ; and watery, , , .

The bicorporal, or double-bodied, signs are , , and the first half of . The fruitful signs are ,