Taurus - Sun Sign - Dates: 14th May to 19th June


 

 


Definition: [Sun Signs - Solar Zodiac] [See also: Age of Taurus] Taurus, the sign of the Bull, is the 3rd sign of the Real Solar Zodiac.

Gemini Astrology: Below can be found the fundamentals of the astrology of Gemini. The quotations are from the Magnum Opus of astrology, Tetrabiblos, composed by Claudius Ptolemy [c 130 - 170 AD] - the father of Classical astrology.

The Power of the Fixed Stars:   "Of those in Taurus, the stars along the line where it is cut off have a temperature like that of Venus and in a measure like that of Saturn; those in the Pleiades, like those of the moon and Jupiter; of the stars in the head, the one of the Hyades that is bright and somewhat reddish, called the Torch, has a temperature like that of Mars; the others, like that of Saturn and moderately , like that of Mercury ; those in the tips of the horns, like that of Mars. "
Character of the Sign:   "Solid" [now Bicorporeal (Mutable) - see below] 
Planet and House:  "Venus; Feminine Aspect." [now the Sun - see below] 
Triangles:   Second Triangle - Taurus, Virgo, and Capricornus: Feminine. Ruled by the Venus in day and Moon at night.  
Exaltations and Depressions:   "Sun exalts in Gemini. Saturn is depressed in Gemini." 
The Egyptian Terms:   "Venus = 8; Merkur = 6; Jupiter = 8; Saturn = 5; Mars = 3" 
The Chaldean Terms:   "Venus = 8; Merkur = 7; Jupiter = 7; Saturn = 2; Mars = 6" 
Countries:   "Parthia, Media, Persia; in the centre, the Cyclades, Cyprus, the coastal region of Asia Minor." 
Effect upon the Weather:   "The sign of Taurus as a whole is indicative of both temperatures and is somewhat hot; but taken part by part, its leading portion, particularly near the Pleiades, is marked by earthquakes, winds, and mists; its middle moist and cold, and its following portion, near the Hyades, fiery and productive of thunder and lightning. Its northern parts are temperate, its southern unstable and irregular "  

Movement of the Ages : Ptolemy's astrology described the heavens in the Age of Aries. However, nearly two thousand years later we are now in the Age of Pisces. Therefore, some of the astrological features noted above are no longer accurate. Taurus is no longer a Solid sign, but is now a Bicorporeal sign. In modern terminology this makes it a mutable sign. [See Tetrabiblos Book i Chapter 11]

Which planet makes its 'house' in Taurus [in modern terms the planetary ruler] is even more complex. In the Age of Taurus, 4000 years ago, Leo was the Summer Solstice sign in the northern hemisphere and hence the Sun made its 'house' in Leo and the rest of the signs followed from this starting point. But by the time of Ptolemy, in the Age of Aries, Cancer was the Solstice sign and should have been assigned the Sun. However Ptolemy assigns Leo the Sun. Even Ptolemy kept out-dated astrology, as we do today. [See Tetrabiblos Book i Chapter 17] In our time at the end of the Age of Pisces, Gemini is the Solstice sign and so should be assigned the Sun. Hence in the Age of Pisces the Moon makes its 'house' in Taurus.

The Powers of the Stars of Taurus:

Taurus, the Bull.  From Uranometria, Johann Bayer, Augsburg, 1603 AD.

 

Taurus, the Bull. From Uranometria, Johann Bayer, Augsburg, 1603 AD.

Click on the above picture for a larger version 223 kB.

The Real Solar Zodiac Sun Signs:
  Sun Sign    Meaning   Dates 
01:   Pisces   the Fishes   12 Mar to 18 Apr 
02:   Aries   the Ram   19 Apr to 13 May 
03:   Taurus   the Bull   14 May to 19 Jun 
04:   Gemini   the Twins   20 Jun to 20 Jul 
05:   Cancer   the Crab   21 Jul to 9 Aug
06:  Leo   the Lion   10 Aug to 15 Sep 
07:  Virgo   the Maiden   16 Sep to 30 Oct 
08:  Libra   the Scales   31 Oct to 22 Nov 
09:  Scorpius   the Scorpion   23 Nov to 29 Nov   
10:  Ophiuchus    the Serpent Bearer   30 Nov to 17 Dec 
11  Sagittarius   the Archer   18 Dec to 18 Jan 
12:  Capricornus     the Sea Goat   19 Jan to 15 Feb 
13:  Aquarius   the Water Carrier   16 Feb to 11 Mar 
* The Non-Zodiac Constellations    

 

© Dr Shepherd Simpson, Astrological Historian

 

Historical Astrology


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