Gemini - Sun Sign - Dates: 20th June to 20th July
Definition: [Sun Signs - Solar Zodiac] Gemini, the sign of the Twins, is the 4th 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 the stars in Gemini, those in the feet share the same quality as Mercury and, to a less degree, as Venus; the bright stars in the thighs, the same as Saturn; of the two bright stars in the heads, the one in the head in advance the same as Mercury; it is also called the star of Apollo; the one in the head that follows, the same as Mars; it is also called the star of Hercules." |
| Character of the Sign: | "Bicorporeal" [now Solsticial (Cardinal) - see below] |
| Planet and House: | "Mercury; Masculine Aspect." [now the Sun - see below] |
| Triangles: | Third Triangle - Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius: Masculine. Ruled by the Saturn in day and Mercury at night. |
| Exaltations and Depressions: | "Sun exalts in Gemini. Saturn is depressed in Gemini." |
| The Egyptian Terms: | "Merkur = 6; Jupiter = 6; Venus =5; Mars = 7; Saturn = 6" |
| The Chaldean Terms: | "Merkur = 7; Jupiter = 6; Venus = 7; Mars = 6; Saturn = 4 " |
| Countries: | "Hyrcania, Armenia, Matiana; in the centre, Cyrenaica, Marmarica, Lower Egypt. " |
| Effect upon the Weather: | "The sign of Gemini as a whole is productive of an equable temperature, but taken part by part its leading portion is wet and destructive, its middle temperate, and its following portion mixed and irregular. Its northern parts are windy and cause earthquakes; its southern parts dry and parching." |
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. Gemini is no longer a Bicorporeal sign, but is now a Solsticial sign. In modern terminology this makes it a cardinal sign. [See Tetrabiblos Book i Chapter 11]
Which planet makes its 'house' in Gemini [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 Sun makes its 'house' in Gemini.
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The Powers of the Stars of Gemini : |
Gemini, the Twins. From Uranographia, John Bevis, London, ca. 1750. |
| 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
See the new Astrological Index for the meaning of other astrological words and phrases