ASTROLOGIA MUNDA - Classical Astrologer Weblog

Book IV – Astrologia Munda
Appendix IV
In this first line, we meet the first of several very important differences. In Abu
Ma’shār’s text he says,
«…you should look at the horoscopes of the conjunctional or oppositional Beginnings, and at their
degrees.»
The differences are Abu Ma’shār’s use of the word «degrees» and Ramesey’s
use of the word «place». Whenever Ramesey spoke of a «place» previously he
was generally speaking of a house, where «place» is the equivalent of the word
topos. Abu Ma’shār makes it clear that what he is referring to is the degree of
the lunation, whether the degree of the New Moon or the degree of the Full
Moon.
Next, Ramesey writes,
«If the places of the conjunction or prevention apply to the place of Jupiter…»
Abu Ma’shār states here,
«If the degree of the conjunction or the opposition applies to Jupiter…»
Again, a principle difference is Abu Ma’shār’s use of the word «degrees» rather
than place. The semantics clarify what he is instructing the reader to do, i.e. if
the degree of the conjunction or the opposition applies to Jupiter. That is
possible because the degree of the conjunction (New Moon) is the degree in
which the Sun and Moon are conjunct. Because they are planets that have their
own motion, then their degree can apply to Jupiter because together or
separately the Sun and Moon will also apply to Jupiter! Likewise, the degree of
the opposition, or full Moon, is the same degree as the Moon and since the
Moon can apply to Jupiter so also can its «degree». In Ramesey’s explanation,
«place» makes this distinction ambiguous.
Ramesey continues,
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