Ptolemy appeared to believe that those planets which have rulership, exaltation or triplicity in each other's Signs should be classed as friendly planets. Other authorities class them as follows:
Sun |
unfriendly only to Saturn. |
Moon |
unfriendly only to Mars and Saturn. |
Venus |
unfriendly only to Saturn. |
Mars |
friendly with Venus only. |
Jupiter |
unfriendly only to Mars. |
Saturn |
friendly only to the Sun, Mercury and Jupiter. |
Just how Saturn can be friendly to the Sun when the latter is unfriendly to him is nowhere explained, and James Wilson says the entire concept is nonsense. However, a little thought will discern its basic truth when the qualities of the various vibrations are considered, and as regards the Sun-Saturn objection what Ptolemy probably meant was Saturn's application in beneficent aspect to the solar orb, for no one can deny that a sextile or trine from Saturn to the Sun mightily strengthens the latter and agrees with its purpose.
