A PHILOSOPHIC ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ASTROLOGY 117
is the listless negative sign Virgo, hence that is the sign of Mercury’s exaltation.
Fall:
When a planet is in the sign opposite its exaltation-sign it is said to be in its ‘fall,’ for that sign, its Lord and exaltation-ruler are all of exactly the opposite nature. Thus, when the glorious Sun which is exalted in Aries, is in the opposite sign Libra where the cold and dreary Saturn has domain, it is weakened and afflicted thereby. Conversely, when Saturn is in the sign Aries, the Sun’s exaltation-sign, it shrivels and shrinks under the heat rays, When the benefice amiable Jupiter, exalted in Cancer, is placed in the opposite sign Capricorn, the sign of the surly Saturn, and the exaltation-sign of the brusque Mars it is surely afflicted and in its fall. Similarly with the other planets.
Feminine Signs:
The feminine signs comprise the six signs with even numbers: Taurus, the second sign, Cancer the fourth sign, etc. This includes the earthy signs, Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn; and the watery signs, Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. Earth and water are the two attributes of ‘Mother’ Nature. Given them she is able to bring forth, and so the signs which have affinity with these essential elements may well be called ‘feminine.’ Even Virgo, which is essentially barren is perhaps the most important of the feminine signs,
