by The onomantic chart
Alfonso Del Bello employs a system of concentric circles to inscribe the elements according to the sequence outlined in the subsequent paragraphs. Instead of utilising the traditional circle, we have adopted a tabular system for ease of graphical representation. Only the elements specific to the onomantic system will be considered, thereby simplifying the comprehension of an exceedingly intricate chart and omitting certain factors associated with traditional astrological analysis (such as Terms, Decans, Arabic Parts, and Fixed Stars). Although Del Bello refers to the computation and placement of the four Substantial Arcana in the nativity theme, these are absent from his example scheme.
First and Second Circle: Astrological Houses and Zodiac Signs
The Ascendant is positioned to the left of the astrological chart, which corresponds to the eastern sector. The First House aligns with the zodiac sign of birth and corresponds to the Starting Arcanum, with the subsequent Houses following in sequential order. As a symbolic system, both Houses and Zodiac signs each span 30°. In the given example, the First House is situated in the sign of Pisces.
Third Circle: The Four Substantial Arcana
The Four Substantial Arcana consist of the Arcanum of the Birth Doorway, the Arcanum of Providence, the Arcanum of Destiny, and the Arcanum of Free Will, each situated in the calculated Houses.
Fourth Circle: The Greater and Lesser Judges
The Greater and Lesser Judges are the Major and Minor Arcana obtained from the calculations carried out in the appropriate section in the 10th, 11th, 12th, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Houses. The Greater and Lesser Arcana of Life interpretation should be performed separately and not integrated into the chart. The Greater Judges are visually distinguished by red, while the Lesser Judges are denoted in black. Greater and Lesser Judges are present only in the Houses already specified.
Fifth Circle: The Terms
The Terms consist of 60 irregular subdivisions of the Zodiac associated with the five classical planets, excluding the Sun and Moon. According to the theory, a planet within its Terms is fortified. In contrast, a malefic planet is considered less harmful, and a benefic planet, not in their Terms, is said to be unable to exert its influence fully. The terms themselves are not provided in the current table, but anyone wishing to use it can refer to the Table of Terms for reference.
Sixth Circle: The Decans
The Decans, unlike the fixed attribution of the Terms, are assigned based on the Planetary Master of the Year as derived from the Table of Annual Cycles. Unlike the Terms, the 36 Decans are evenly distributed among the signs with a longitudinal width of 10°, encompassing the luminaries. From an interpretative standpoint, they may symbolise a sub-influence related to the sign. It is essential to note that the planetary positions attributed to the various Decans by Del Bello do not align with the traditionally accepted positions documented in the Corpus Hermeticum, which are static and not contingent upon the Planetary Master of the Year. The only column in the Table of the Masters of the Decans that adheres to the traditional attributions is the one designated to the years ruled by Mars. In our table, the Decans are not presented.
Seventh Circle: The Masters
The hierarchical structure of Masters includes the Planetary Master of the Hour, the Planetary Master of the Day, the Planetary Master of the Decan, the Planetary Master of the Month, and the Planetary Master of the Year. We consider the corresponding Zodiac Master to determine the Master’s placement within the signs. When attributing them to the Decans, we must reference the corresponding Terms. For instance, the Planetary and Zodiac Master of the Day, represented by Venus in Capricorn, is positioned in the second Decan of Capricorn due to the Venus Term in that specific location. However, complications arise when the Planetary Masters align with the luminaries, given that they are not included in the Terms. In the chart presented by Del Bello, only the Planetary Masters of the Hour and the Day are included. Notably, the Planetary Master of the Decan aligns with the Decan of Birth. While credited with this additional insight, which is not present in other authors’ texts, Del Bello considers it of secondary importance due to potential inconsistencies and, therefore, suggests excluding it from the chart.
Eighth Circle: The Arabic Parts
The use of the Arabic Parts, also known as the Points of Probability, as cited by Del Bello, was referenced by Ptolemy and Firmicus Maternus and is believed to have originated from Egyptian-Chaldean or Persian sources. Albumasar 1 formalised their application, hence the name of “Arabic parts.” In the 13th century, Guido Bonatti, in his work Liber Astronomiae, expounded on their usage and significance. Essentially, it entails the “projection” of the longitudinal distance between two planets, the “fixed” significators, onto a moving significator, typically the cusp of a House, commonly the Ascendant. Some scholars, including Del Bello, differentiate the calculation based on whether births occur during the daytime or at night. Their interpretation varies depending on the planets involved and other factors. For instance, the Part of unions or marriage obtained by projecting the distance between the Sun and Venus onto the Ascendant signifies the revelation of a union, with the Ascendant acting as a catalyst at a personal level. Del Bello enumerates nineteen Parts and situates them on the chart; we will not consider them.
Ninth Circle: The Fixed Stars
Including the Fixed Stars in a horoscope drawn up using the tropical Zodiac can lead to inconsistencies due to the precession of the equinoxes, which causes a deviation in the constellations to which the stars belong. For instance, Aldebaran (Alpha Tauri) resides in the constellation of Taurus, but in the Zodiac, it is situated at approximately 8° of Gemini. Furthermore, every 72 years, due to precessional motion, it shifts by one degree. The significance of these stars is linked to the characteristics of a planet or a combination of planets that it emphasises. For example, Aldebaran, with the nature of Mars, embodies traits such as courage, strength, aggression, and ferocity. We will not include fixed stars in the chart.
Tenth Circle: The Arcana
These are the Arcana present in the Orientation Tables of the various Houses. It is important to note that the placement of Arcana and planets in the horoscope does not directly align with their position in the Houses of the Orientation Tables, except in certain circumstances. The Orientation Tables serve as an intermediary step in creating the final horoscope. The initial Arcanum is the XLIX (Nine of Cups), situated in the 3rd Decan of the first House (as already mentioned here, we do not consider the Decans). Arcana with planetary symbols not aligned with a zodiacal position are placed in the House of the respective Orientation Table. In contrast, for others, the position indicated by the corresponding planetary symbol’s zodiac sign applies.
Eleventh Circle: The Planets
What we said in the Arcana section also extends to the placement of planets: they must be inserted in the zodiac sign corresponding to the respective Arcana. Del Bello denotes the planet that appears first in the orientation calculation in red when the same planet is present multiple times. In the horoscope, Mercury is absent, leading to its consideration in Detriment and placement in its nocturnal home of Virgo. Additionally, there are special symbols, such as the Arcanum of the Reaper, the Crowned Shekel, and the Arcanum of the Sceptre, to which Del Bello does not assign any specific meaning. These symbols, corresponding to the Aces and Kings of the Minor Arcana, are presumed to carry a sense of authority and initiative within their respective suits.
Twelfth Circle: The Planetary Aspects
Del Bello uses the major aspects in the chart, except for the sextile, since planetary positions are symbolic and not based on zodiac degree; aspects are formed between the signs the planets are in. Referring to our horoscope, Jupiter in Cancer forms an opposition with the Sun in Capricorn and so on. The case of a planet aspecting itself may occur when the planet has more than one entry in the horoscope or other circumstances where a planet has multiple aspects. Del Bello does not clearly explain these circumstances, limiting himself to distinguishing between primary and secondary aspects. In any case, we do not consider planetary aspects in this context.
Albert Einstein’s Onomantic Birth Horoscope
| 1st Circle | 2nd Circle | 3rd Circle | 4th Circle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houses | Zodiac | Substantial Arcana | Judges |
| I | Pisces | Starting: XLIX Free Will: XXII | Greater: XVIII Lesser: XXVIII |
| II | Aries | Greater: XVIII Lesser: L | |
| III | Taurus | Greater: XV Lesser: XI | |
| IV | Gemini | ||
| V | Cancer | ||
| VI | Leo | ||
| VII | Virgo | Birth Doorway: IV | |
| VIII | Libra | ||
| IX | Scorpio | ||
| X | Sagittarius | Greater: XIII Lesser: XXXI | |
| XI | Capricorn | Providence: XI Destiny: XI | Greater: VIII Lesser: VI |
| XII | Aquarius | Greater: VIII Lesser: XL |
| 1st Circle | 7th Circle | 10th Circle | 11th Circle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houses | Planetary Masters | Arcana | Planets |
| I | Hour: Jupiter Decan: Venus Month: Mars | XLI XLIII LXXVII XLIX | Sun Mars Arcanum of the Reaper Venus |
| II | L LVI | Saturn Moon | |
| III | XLVI | ||
| IV | |||
| V | LXII | Jupiter | |
| VI | |||
| VII | Year: Venus | LXIV | Moon Mercury |
| VIII | XLII | Jupiter | |
| IX | |||
| X | L | Saturn | |
| XI | Day: Venus | XLVI | Sun |
| XII | LXVII LXXVI LXIX XXVII | Jupiter Moon Crowned Shekel Arcanum of the Sceptre |
- Abu Ma’shar al-Balkhi, also known as Albumasar (787–886), was a Persian Muslim astrologer at the Abbasid court in Baghdad, a student of al-Kindi. Al-Kindi translated the works of Aristotle into Arabic. More than an innovator, he was an editor of practical manuals that profoundly influenced Muslim scholars and, consequently, through translations, Western and Byzantine astrologers. One of his works, De Magnis Coniunctionibus, deals with the ninety-five Arabic Parts. ↩︎
Leave a Reply