The Sun enters Virgo III The Sarcophagus (according to Austin Coppock's naming conventions from 36 Faces) on 12 September 2024 at 2:40 am EDT, and remains there until 22 September 2024 at 8:44 am EDT. This decan is associated with the 10 of Pentacles, showing a wealthy old man surrounded by the fruitful material benefits of his intentional wealth-building, and T. Susan Chang called this decan Return on Enfleshment.
Despite this decan's associations with old age and decrepitude, it's ruled by Mercury. The trickster, herald, and pundit of the Solar System is a competent authority on a great many subjects and centers of expertise. One can imagine a Renaissance-era messenger going looking for a certain bright young man in a tiny village called Vinci in Italy, and being told by an elderly nonna, "Leonardo? No — he's not here. He's gone off to Florence to be a professional genius." It's telling that Mercury is currently dignified and exalted as the ruler of Virgo, separated from the Sun by more than 15°, and also in their own term — and in this chart, in the house of financial acumen and prosperity. The plans we set in motion now for our financial well-being, are likely to yield positive returns.
Yet the Hellenistic Greeks of sophisticated cities like Alexandria and Antioch seem to have used these ten days at the end of Virgo to celebrate Hestia the goddess of the hearth. In the first ten days of Virgo I they set their city's government in order under the influence of Themis; in the second ten days of Virgo II, they acknowledged the Moirai and the things that were beyond their control; and now, in these last ten days of Virgo III, it was time to bring that order and equanimity within the house, household and family. Depicted as a middle-aged woman tending the fire in the Hall of the Gods, she's at once both servant and empress — responsible for keeping the family warm and fed, but also having the home itself as her domain. She alone is able to cast out the family's black sheep or welcome them home again, and either admits guests or refuses them.
Though Hestia played only very minor roles in Greek or Roman mythology, she had enormous importance in both religious and civil affairs. In Greece, both the first and last sacrifice at any public offering was made to Hestia, and her priesthoods tended each city's continually-burning hearth-fire; embers from these fires would be carried overseas to help establish new colonies and trading settlements on foreign shores. The Vestal Virgins were her Roman priesthood, and they were responsible for keeping track of both family trees and last wills and testaments — thus tracking both the lineages of the city's elites and who could marry whom, and how property passed from one generation to the next.
Virgo III is also a time for Mysteries. This is the end of the month before the autumn equinox. It was the sighting of the new moon within Virgo (which probably occurred in most places on Earth on the 3rd or 4th of September this year) that would have triggered the start of the ten days of observations of the Greater Mysteries of Eleusis, culminating this week. In the previous ten days or so, would-be initiates would bathe in the sea, collect a piglet for the sacrifice, put on fresh new clothes, and walk the distance between Athens and Eleusis. As the festival neared its end, they would enter the Hall of the Hundred Columns, drink the sacred drink, watch a sort-of play of some kind about Hades, Persephone, and Demeter — and then they waited in total darkness through the night before the Hierophant of the Mysteries reaped an ear of grain in total silence at around dawn It sounds prosaic, but for the initiates it was world-shattering: people came away from Eleusis no longer fearing death.
In this context, the emblem of the Sarcophagus makes more sense, doesn't it? The high priestess of Eleusis always sat on a wooden coffer or box in public, her body weight alone preventing anyone from seeing what was in the chest. Something about the Mysteries was related to the contents of that box — and what was taken from it during their performance, was so profound that the people who witnessed it came to believe in the immortality of the soul. And maybe we should have that same look into the sarcophagus, too — seeing it not as the finality of death's ending, but the emergence into a new kind of life that endures beyond the grave.
The four dodeks of Virgo III are smaller-scale iterations of Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, and Leo, depicting the soul's ascent from base matter to imperishable fire: the plodding laziness of the bull who only eats grass and cannot lift his neck to the stars somehow becomes aware that another life is possible, and can now see both heaven and earth at the same time like the Twins; in the crab's sign, he dives deep into the waters of emotional intensity, while in the lion's bonfire he ascends through the layers of being to touch the supercelestial realms beyond death.
Planetary Archetypes
We can see the chart at the start of Virgo III as a kitchen and dining room in a household that has been recently affected by a death in the family. The Sun below the horizon tells us that it is the early morning, and people are getting ready to figure out what to do about breakfast now that the long passage through someone's last night on earth is done.
Mercury and the Sun are figuring out the coffee maker and the old Thermos system. Mercury wants to make coffee by precise measurement with only the best beans, while the Sun is much more focused producing something hot and caffeinated, and doesn't care if they're fair trade beans or supermarket brands. They're arguing, but quietly, and shushing each other every time a pot or pan or spoon clatters on the counter.
Venus is in the bedroom with the Body, deciding on an outfit for the burial — and maybe has found a nice scarf or two for herself in the close. Is that a sterling silver ring from Tiffany & Co? Surely no one will miss it in the confusion (they will, and there will be arguments later).
Moon and Pluto are in the home office, looking through paperwork for the will, and other essential paperwork. Pluto has already found both the old "at my death" folder of papers, and the new one... and is looking for a place to hide the new documents, because he knows the new one is less favorable to his interests. Moon is mourning over a pile of old photos she found, and is distracted from the more serious task at hand.
Saturn and Neptune are on the porch, not saying much to each other other than occasional memories of run-ins with the law when they were teenagers, and how the deceased used to talk them out of trouble. They're smoking a couple of cigarettes. Later, they will deny who brought the pack of cigarettes. Neptune has a more rosy set of memories that lead to future potentials worth consideration, while Saturn is more caught up in his own stories of how past choices have trapped him in the present moment.
Uranus is standing at the end of the driveway, playing with his phone and waiting for the hearse. Above him, the night sky is absolutely pocked with stars. Alone of all the household residents, he gazes in wonder and considers the soul's place in eternity.
Jupiter is creating the email announcement and obituary that will go out to "everyone". It's a thankless job — nobody particularly cared for the deceased, and trying to make them into a hero in death isn't going to play well. But the deceased was prominent and important, and it's best that the Family put a brave face, and an honorable one, in the death mask.
Mars is lounging on a deck chair in the back yard. He's normally so tight-laced, but he's smoking a joint and texting his girlfriend about his loneliness and emotional despair over the death... and she's not answering yet (it's the middle of the night). Their relationship has been rocky of late, and he doesn't know whether to be angry or afraid that she's not calling back. It's not clear if she's not answering because she's asleep... or abandoning him. And he very much fears being alone right now.
House Placements
The Ascendant is in Leo in the First House of self and self-presentation. It's about putting our best foot forward and delivering a quality performance — as an expert, as a talented performer, as a deliverer of results. Ruling Sun is inconjunct, and so Jupiter takes a more active role from the sextile. Fake it til you make it, and invite your friends in the gentle deception; more, it's better pretend to be generous and kind in your transactions than flirtatious or seductive. With the Sun below the horizon, this is a Night Chart where private realms take priority over public programs. At the same time, there are an equal number planets above the horizon as below — you will have to take public action, even if you don't explain why — just make sure that private action is both rational and creative, and also serves your personal interests!
Mercury and the Sun are in the second house of wealth and possessions. Taking a financial accounting of your worldly goods, resurrecting things you haven't used or worn in a while, and disposing of the things that no longer serve you, should all be on the agenda. With ruling Mercury at home and more than 15° from the Sun, let numeric and qualitative analysis of problems be your real guide more than a Marie Kondo-style, "does this spark joy?"
In the third house of siblings, extended family, neighbors and more formal educational opportunities, the South Node, Lunar Apogee, Venus, and Imum Coeli are all clustered together. With ruling Venus at home Some of your usual rules and norms around familial and social relationships will be upset and challenged — find a new way to adjust your expectations, though, and there will be new equilibrium and contentment. This is also a good arrangement for reminding yourself that kids should settle down into new school routines soon... if the start of the year is rocky, try to soothe them through the first few weeks.
The fourth house of home and family is Scorpio ruled by Mars, who lounges at the trine in Cancer. There will be deep uneasiness around family matters and complicated secrets... but you still have to relax into these experiences and not let emotional turmoil rattle you.
The fifth house of pleasures is Sagittarius ruled by Jupiter from the opposition. Your friends are likely to annoy you, and it may feel like they're getting in the way of your fun. Take a chill pill, talk and think with your acquaintances, and build some new and deeper relationships by doing things you wouldn't normally do.
The sixth house is Capricorn ruled by Saturn retrograde from the sextile, and hosting Moon and Pluto retrograde — it's going to be hard to find good help, and you may be moaning the problem of "no one wants to work any more." It's more that no one wants to work for what you're offering —and problem are likely to go unfixed and unaddressed until you acknowledge that you are caught in the same traps as everyone else.
The seventh house of primary relationships is Aquarius ruled by inconjunct Saturn, with only debilitated Jupiter available to manage affairs from the trine. Your relationship with your primary partner or spouse is likely to be on public display to friends and allies, and you will have to mediate your own interpersonal discussions through their eyes and opinions. Don't throw your partner under the bus... but recognize that outside critique and opinion will be hard to avoid.
The eighth house of duty and trouble is Pisces ruled by square Jupiter, and occupied by Saturn and Neptune, both retrograde. Plodding drudgery and difficulties with friends and acquaintances are likely, with both affected by a mix of unashamed enthusiasm for cool ideas and menial activities that you're obligated to pursue together.
The ninth house of travel and higher education is Aries ruled by square Mars — learning is only going to take place if you choose to engage with the material... and you're not going to want to. If you're starting college this fall, or even if you're already embedded —be alert to your own tendency to relax and not give your best attention to your travel plans or course syllabi... rein in those tendencies or they'll catch you off-guard.
The tenth house of career and professional reputation is Taurus ruled by inconjunct Venus, and thus supported by sextile Mars and trining Venus — emotional devotion and personal drive are your secret weapons in holding onto your territorial gains at work... but with Uranus here, it's still likely to be a period of upheaval with few matters actually under your personal control. Hold on and pray.
Although the eleventh house is Gemini ruled by square Mercury, a great deal of the chart is actually dependent on Jupiter's presence here: demeaned and reviled, he nonetheless urges you to include and connect and communicate your plans to and with your friends. Go grocery shopping with a new acquaintance, invite a crew to go to the movies with you, have a social night to learn a new game... just focus on your friends rather than the game. And if you have to trudge back to the grocery store for a few extra items you forgot: that's OK.
In the twelfth house, governing both long range visions and obstacles to our plans (particularly the ones that we ourselves imagine into being), we find Cancer ruled by the opposing Moon in the 22nd Mansion — but occupied by Mars. Our daily labors, and our minor illnesses and chronic complaints, are likely to get in our own way. So is our lassitude and our accidie. Modern translators often render the Latin word accidie as "sloth" — but it's an emotional state somewhere between laziness and despair, something closer to situational depression: "I face all these problems that I cannot see my way through... so I will sit and do nothing." This opposition has considerable governing power in the chart — in the cadent houses, and so largely invisible or unnoticed; and yet operating between two planets each in the signs of their detriment but also acting as triplicity rulers. This is likely to manifest as emotional turmoil around our daily responsibilities, yet also facing a sense that there is no reward worth this particular set of obligations. The 22nd Mansion of the Moon is also a place where it's easy to create discord between employer and employee, or between nominal friends — we can love our partners deeply while also being deeply frustrated by them at the same time...
Horoscopes by Rising Sign
Decan I of any sign (usually covering the 21st of the month to the first of the following month) is free to all visitors; Decan II is only available to Patreon and Ko-Fi.com subscribers; and Decan III is available to Patreon, Ko-Fi, and MailChimp subscribers.
Leo:
Virgo:
Libra:
Scorpio:
Sagittarius:
Capricorn:
Aquarius:
Pisces:
Aries:
Taurus:
Gemini:
Cancer:
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