The Master of the Nativity: Finding the Ruler of the Chart

A lecture on the ancient method of identifying the overall ruler of a birth chart, called the Master of the Nativity.

While in modern times astrologers tend to refer to the ruler of the Ascendant as the ruler of the chart, in ancient Greek and Roman astrology the method for determining the ruler of the chart was much more complex.

There are references to the master of the nativity in many of the surviving astrological texts from the Hellenistic astrology tradition, although there are not many surviving discussions about how to calculate it.

The approach that we present in this lecture is derived from chapter 30 of Porphyry's Introduction to the Tetrabiblos, which is itself derived from a lost work of definitions by Antiochus of Athens.

During the course of the lecture we talk about how to calculate the predominator, the master of the nativity, the co-master or joint master of the nativity, and the lord of the nativity.

We also discuss various questions such as the arguments for and against having one overall chart ruler, the use of the master of the nativity to identify the guardian spirit or daimon by ancient astrologers and philosophers, and the use of this doctrine to identify more important placements in a chart.

This is episode 205 of The Astrology Podcast, with astrologers Chris Brennan and Leisa Schaim.

See the podcast website for the full episode description:

http://theastrologypodcast.com/2019/05/16/the-master-of-the-nativity-finding-the-ruler-of-the-chart/

For early access to future episodes of the podcast and other bonus content, consider becoming a patron through our page on Patreon:

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00:00:00 Introduction
00:03:37 Starting point is the Master of Nativity
00:03:48 One Planet to Rule Them All
00:07:22 A Fragment from Petosiris on the Master
00:14:57 Surviving Treatment of Porphyry
00:23:08 Chronology of works on the Master of the Nativity
00:28:52 Porphyry on the Rulers of the Nativity
00:34:32 Calculations of rulers according to Porphyry
00:34:42 How to find the Predominator
00:36:18 Similar to the medieval concept of the Almuten
00:38:24 How to find the Predominator
00:39:18 Identifying the sect of the chart
00:41:15 Angular luminary is preferred over less angular one
00:43:05 The luminary that is more eastern is preferred
00:43:48 Explaining East vs. West in a chart
00:48:34 Use of Equal and Quadrant Houses
01:01:38 Quadrant House based East/West question
01:04:00 Quadrant houses divide the chart into east and west
01:04:30 Meridian vs. whole sign 10th house
01:05:09 Three different midheavens
01:09:13 Finding the sect
01:15:52 Jupiter rising & reaches highest Elevation
01:22:00 Examples from Porphyry
01:22:16 Diagram of Porphyry example
01:22:26 Sun in 1st house, day chart
01:24:27 Moon in 1st house, Night chart
01:25:04 Moon in 1st or 2nd, Sun in 9th, Day chart
01:27:14 Sun in 2nd, Moon in 9th, Night chart
01:30:49 Night Chart, Moon in 9th, Sun in 2nd
01:30:56 Night Chart, Sun/Moon below horizon
01:32:14 Night Chart, Sun angular, Moon in cadent house
01:33:19 Day Chart, Moon & Sun in cadent 9th
01:34:07 Summarizing predomination argument
01:34:58 Can there be a tie?
01:35:19 Night Chart, Sun 4th, Moon in 4th or 5th house
01:36:21 If equal, will degree of angularity matter?
01:39:11 The master of the nativity
01:39:57 First method of Determining the Master
01:40:50 The Master is the domicile lord of the Predominator
01:41:27 Sign/planet rulerships
01:52:17 T. S. Eliot
01:55:34 Salvador Dali
01:57:04 Linda Goodman
01:50:28 Ancient Character Interpretation
02:04:21 Iamblichus on the Guardian Spirit
02:06:02 Rhetorius on Venus as Master of the Nativity
02:08:05 Identifying the Guardian Spirit in Porphyry
02:21:56 Co-Master or the Joint Master of the Nativity
02:22:22 Co-Master / Joint Master
02:22:59 Bound lord of the Predominator becomes Co-Master
02:23:30 Terms / Bounds / Confines
02:23:42 Bounds according to the Egyptians
02:28:32 Table of Planetary Rulerships
02:29:13 Use in the Length of Life Technique
02:33:00 Years associated with each of the Planets
02:35:02 Quote from Firmicus on the Master of the Nativity
02:38:00 T. S. Eliot
02:44:26 Second Method of Determining the Master
02:49:17 Franklin D. Roosevelt
02:52:08 Judy Blume
02:52:12 Linda Goodman
02:55:03 Summarizing the Role of the Master of the Nativity
02:55:51 Bonus Material - The Lord of the Nativity
02:59:00 First Approach to Determining the Lord
03:02:45 Second Approach to Determining the Lord
03:05:20 Second Approach to Determining the Lord
03:06:37 Difficult and Complex doctrine
03:07:47 Valens on the Master of the Nativity
03:13:45 Conclusions
03:13:50 Final Remarks

Видео The Master of the Nativity: Finding the Ruler of the Chart канала The Astrology Podcast