Anthony Louis: Was William Lilly a Uranian Astrologer? Aspect of 22°30

← The vocabulary of non-zodiacal “aspects”The Founding of St. Peter’s Basilica → Was William Lilly a Uranian Astrologer? Reading through Lilly’s 1647 text Christian Astrology, I was surprised to find Lilly using 22.5-degree aspects. Today we regard 22.5 degrees (sometimes called a semi-octile) as a minor aspect, along with many others. Kepler is generally credited with discovering and writing about the minor aspects, though he did not include 22.5 degrees on his list, which did include 18, 24, 30, 36, 45, 72, 108, 135, 144, and 150 degrees. Lilly incorporated several of Kepler’s minor aspects in his discussion of primary directions. During the same period Morinus in France also incorporated some but not all of Kepler’s minor aspects in his framework of astrology. Although Kepler was critical of much of traditonal astrology, he had a deep appreciation for astrological phenomena and considered the aspects the most important part of the tradition. In fact, Kepler wrote: “the Aspects are the only kind of thing I retain from astrology — and I put as much into it, in the name of harmonic doctrine and philosophy, as I show stamina to uphold as the rest of the kitchen astrologers is almost entirely to be eliminated.” Kepler quoted at https://www.astroariana.com/The-notion-of-Aspect-in-Kepler-in.html. Interestingly, Lilly’s use of the 22.5-degree minor aspect does not appear to be taken from Kepler but is consistent with the understanding of this aspect by the Hamburgh School of Alfred Witte, often called Uranian Astrology in the United States. Uranian Astrologers consider multiples of the 22.5-degree aspect (22.5, 45, 67.5, 112.5, 135, 157.5, and 180-degree aspects) to be related to the manifestation of chart potentials in the real world. Alfred Witte, founder of “Uranian Astrology.” Did William Lilly anticipate Witte? For his part, Lilly constructed a Table of the 22.5-degree aspects of the Moon in a decumbiture chart to follow key dates and times in the progression and crisis points of an illness. Here is a copy of Lilly’s Table from page 294 of Christian Astrology: This is Lilly’s Table for “indicative” and “crisis” days in the course of an illness. You locate the position of the Moon in the decumbiture chart and look across the row to see at which degrees in which signs the Moon will form a multiple of a 22.5-degree aspects with its position in the original decumbiture chart. For example, if the Moon in the decumbiture chart is at 6 Aries 30′, then the first “indicative” moment occurs when the Moon reaches 22.5 + 6.5 = 29 Aries, and 29 Aries + 22.5 = 21 Taurus 30′, and so on, as can be seen to the right of the Moon’s position in column one, and so on across the row from 6 Aries 30′. Addendum (19 Sep 2024): This is a direct quote from Lilly (CA 291-292) about how he used the table: “I have hereunto inserted a Table, wherewith if you enter with the place of the Moon in Signe and degree, you shall easily discover when she comes to an Indicative day, when to a Semi-quadrate or halfe Crysis (when to a true Square, when to an Opposition) which is called a full Crysis, and so for all the Indicative and Criticall dayes during the sicknesse, &c.. As for example; let the place of the Moon in the later Figure of the 16th of July 1645. be supposed the true period of beginning of a Disease, the place of the Moon is 15.42 Virgo; because 42 minutes doe almost make one degree, I enter with 16 degr.. under the Signe of Virgo in the 8th column, so that 16 degr. of Virgo is my Radix, or true place of the Moon; over against 16 degr. to the right hand, I find 8.30 over the head thereof Libra, so that when the Moon comes to 8 degr. and 31 min. of Libra, it was the first Indicative day, wherein the Physician might expect how the Disease then would shew it selfe; upon every Crysis or Indicative day, have consideration with what Planet the Moon is in configuration; if with a benevolent, expect some remisnesse in the Disease; if with a malevolent, a bad indication, &c.” “Next on the right hand to 8.30 Libra, you find 1 Scorpio, viz. when the Moon came to the first of Scorpio, she was then in Semiquadrate to her first place, and this is, as it were, halfe a Crysis, at what time the Disease might more or lesse manifest it selfe according to that aspect the Moon found at her being in that first degree of Scorpio. In the next column on the right hand, you see 23.30 over it Scorpio, it tels you, when the Moon came to the 23 degrees and 30 min. of Scorpio, it was a second Indicative day, whereby the Physician might further judge of the encrease or decrease of the Disease: In the next column you find 16 over it Sagittarius, when the Moon came to the 16th of Sagittarius there was then a true Crysis, at what time the Disease assuredly might be more fully discerned in one kind or other, and then, according to the aspects the Moon in that degree had to the Planets, good or ill, so might the Patient or Physician expect a better or worse Crysis: and so in the same continued line or column, you run round the Heavens, ever observing the Moon her comming to those places of the Zodiack, wherein she makes the Indicative or Criticall day, and what Planets she is then in aspect with, and whether in the Figure they promise good or ill: Besides this, you shall observe what dayes she transits the cusps of the 6th, 7th and 8th houses, and how then she is aspected of the benevolent or ill Planets.” (italics are mine) Doing a little more research, prompted by a note from Walter Anliker, it appears that Lilly is following the tradition, discussed in the 2nd century AD by Galen, regarding critical days of an illness (De diebus decretoriis). Thus, the importance of the 22.5 degree minor aspect of the Moon to its radical position, and multiples of that aspect, dates back to Hellenistic astrology, at least at the time of Galen who may have drawn upon the work of Hipposcrates in the 4th century BC. Hellenistic astrologers would not have called the 22.5 degree interval an “aspect” in those days, but they used it like one. In the 16th century, Peter Apian wrote about Galen’s theory and published illustrations of critical and indicative days of an illness in his book Astronomicum cæsareum, which Lilly may have had a copy of. Here is Apian’s diagram: Image from Yale University Library On the left side we see “Principium Morbi” — the Moon’s longitude at the beginning of the illness — and around the wheel at 22.5 degree increments we find the indicative days and the critical days of illness. Peter Apian (1495 – 1552) wrote a key book on Renaissance medical astrology in which he drew upon the work of Galen and Hippocrates. Here is an explanation of Apian’s diagram copied from the Yale Library site: Calling attention to the Astronomicum Caesareum’s contributions to medicine, Peter Apian wrote of his celebrated text in 1540: “So that one may understand even a little how astronomy is useful, I put an instrument on sheet M II, which doctors will know how to use, since it shows The Critical Days. That is, the days when Nature (if it otherwise tries) fights back against sickness. A wise doctor or one who understands such an instrument can signal [these occurrences] many days in advance and [this instrument] should thus be used.” Contrary to expectation, the instrument that appears on M II Recto in Apian’s text is not the black, green, and yellow Critical Days volvelle at right—which appears instead on M III Recto—but the colorful, square horoscope pictured above. No other instruments appear in between. If Apian’s reference to “the instrument on sheet M II” is a typo, then it is a useful one. It underscores the connection between the horoscope and the volvelle, highlighting the medical applications of both. The Critical Days volvelle at right, however, transforms the horoscope’s complex calculations and interpretations into an accessible twirling graphic. Apian made this graphic even more accessible by providing explanations for each of its parts in both Latin and German. A few key points from his German-language exegesis are translated here, starting with the device’s black cross. Principium Morbi, he writes, “means the beginning of the disease. This pointer should be placed in the degree where the Moon was when the illness started.” Crisis Prima, he then notes—advancing counterclockwise— “shows in the Zodiac the degree at which Nature will fight against the disease,” adding “if the doctor understands astronomy, he may well see how the same Crisis or battle between Nature and disease will begin.” He notes the power of planetary aspects to amplify or mitigate this first Crisis, which, he says, “usually occurs on the 7th day after the onset of illness.” Crisis Secunda, he then adds, “shows Nature’s second fight against the disease, and usually happens on the 14th day.” “Crisis Tertia is the third fight; it usually happens on the 20th or 21st day.” Between these four black pointers, he explains, are four green ones labelled Indicativa, which always show how the future and next crises will unfold, for better or worse. The first Indicativa, he explains, “usually happens on the 4th day after the onset of the illness, the next on the 11th day, the third on the 16th or 17th, and the fourth on the 24th day.” Between the green pointers are pink ones labeled Intercidens, which he says, “indicate the days in which malevolent moisture calls Nature to battle.” Finally, he notes “the remaining days, called Vacui, are those in which Nature stands completely still and does not act against the disease, for this reason [they are] also called the medical or medicinal days, since the sick person may surely and safely receive treatment at this time.” About Anthony Louis Author of books about astrology and tarot, including TAROT PLAIN AND SIMPLE, HORARY ASTROLOGY, and THE ART OF FORECASTING WITH SOLAR RETURNS. View all posts by Anthony Louis → This entry was posted in Astrology and tagged 22.5-degree aspect, Alfred Witte, De diebus decretoriis, decumbiture, Galen, Hamburgh school, Hippocrates, Johannes Kepler, Peter Apian, semi-octile, Uranian astrology, william lilly. Bookmark the permalink. ← The vocabulary of non-zodiacal “aspects”The Founding of St. Peter’s Basilica → 4 Responses to Was William Lilly a Uranian Astrologer? james's avatarjames says: September 19, 2024 at 11:12 AM this is a fascinating article anthony.. thanks! i have used the 90 and 45 degree wheels that came out of the hamburg school of astrology – ebertin and alfred witte… 22.5 is 1/2 of the 45… on a 45 degree wheel these 22.5 aspects, and multiples of them show up clearly.. i have always associated an interest in these types of aspects from my understanding of ebertin and friends work, but suggesting it is coming from the hellenistic era and from galen – quite interesting.. most astrologers appear to not bother with the 45 or 135 aspects, so i can’t see the 22.5 aspect gaining any traction, although i think it is valuable… i like how you titled the article as well!! i had no idea that lilly was aware of this, or that it was even around back then, let alone in the hellenistic period.. Reply Anthony Louis's avatarAnthony Louis says: September 20, 2024 at 11:00 AM Peter Apian (1495 – 1552) wrote a key book on Renaissance medical astrology in which he drew upon the work of Galen and Hippocrates. Here is an explanation of Apian’s diagram copied from the Yale Library site: Calling attention to the Astronomicum Caesareum’s contributions to medicine, Peter Apian wrote of his celebrated text in 1540: “So that one may understand even a little how astronomy is useful, I put an instrument on sheet M II, which doctors will know how to use, since it shows The Critical Days. That is, the days when Nature (if it otherwise tries) fights back against sickness. A wise doctor or one who understands such an instrument can signal [these occurrences] many days in advance and [this instrument] should thus be used.” Contrary to expectation, the instrument that appears on M II Recto in Apian’s text is not the black, green, and yellow Critical Days volvelle at right—which appears instead on M III Recto—but the colorful, square horoscope pictured above. No other instruments appear in between. If Apian’s reference to “the instrument on sheet M II” is a typo, then it is a useful one. It underscores the connection between the horoscope and the volvelle, highlighting the medical applications of both. The Critical Days volvelle at right, however, transforms the horoscope’s complex calculations and interpretations into an accessible twirling graphic. Apian made this graphic even more accessible by providing explanations for each of its parts in both Latin and German. A few key points from his German-language exegesis are translated here, starting with the device’s black cross. Principium Morbi, he writes, “means the beginning of the disease. This pointer should be placed in the degree where the Moon was when the illness started.” Crisis Prima, he then notes—advancing counterclockwise— “shows in the Zodiac the degree at which Nature will fight against the disease,” adding “if the doctor understands astronomy, he may well see how the same Crisis or battle between Nature and disease will begin.” He notes the power of planetary aspects to amplify or mitigate this first Crisis, which, he says, “usually occurs on the 7th day after the onset of illness.” Crisis Secunda, he then adds, “shows Nature’s second fight against the disease, and usually happens on the 14th day.” “Crisis Tertia is the third fight; it usually happens on the 20th or 21st day.” Between these four black pointers, he explains, are four green ones labelled Indicativa, which always show how the future and next crises will unfold, for better or worse. The first Indicativa, he explains, “usually happens on the 4th day after the onset of the illness, the next on the 11th day, the third on the 16th or 17th, and the fourth on the 24th day.” Between the green pointers are pink ones labeled Intercidens, which he says, “indicate the days in which malevolent moisture calls Nature to battle.” Finally, he notes “the remaining days, called Vacui, are those in which Nature stands completely still and does not act against the disease, for this reason [they are] also called the medical or medicinal days, since the sick person may surely and safely receive treatment at this time.” Reply james's avatarjames says: September 21, 2024 at 12:06 AM thanks anthony… interesting keplers objections towards the end of the link you’ve shared… in looking at the diagram again – 16 points to it, which coincides with the circle divided by 16 being 22.5 degrees… i wonder if the fact that peter apianus was german was a link to later german astrologers looking more closely at his work and coming to use the smaller hard aspects?? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrus_Apianus