Friday, 20 June 2025

Alan Leo's Centiloquy

Tucked in the very back of Alan Leo's How to judge a nativity, (1928) is his "centiloquy" , or collection of 100 short astrological aphorisms. The most famous are the centiloquies of of Ptolemy, Hermes, and Bethem. The tradition continued well into the 18thc. The astrologer John Partridge wrote a 'centiloquy' of 102 aphorisms  and a collection of 80 astrological aphorisms . More generally Nicholas Culpeper wrote a whole series of aphorisms, which are scattered all across my blog. You can find one part here 

Leo's Centiloquy is less well known, and as such I felt it is proper to reproduce it here. The centiloquy usually concentrates on natal astrology.

The text has been transcribed from this copy of how to judge a nativity https://archive.org/details/howtojudgenativi00leoa/page/330/mode/2up . Page numbers are left in brackets 

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A CENTILOQUY

The 'Centiloquies' of Claudius Ptolemy and others are famous for containing in a short and pithy form the fruit of many years of study. The present Centiloquy is intended simply as a help to the student by which he may fix in his mind the gist of the teachings given in this book, in the form of a hundred brief aphorisms. To each aphorism is added the page on which more detailed information can be found.


I. The ‘squares’ denote opposition and discord, the ‘triangles’ peace and harmony (4).

II. Astrological symbology conceals within itself the history of the earth as a planet (6).

III. The Ascendant corresponds to sunrise, and suggests spirit made subject to matter; the Meridian corresponds to noon, and suggests balance between spirit and matter; the Descendant corresponds to sunset and suggests the triumph of spirit over matter; the Imum Coeli is the great mystery, the occult centre (7).

IV. The Cardinal Houses indicate physical matters connected with the external life; the Fixed Houses indicate matters connected with feelings and emotions, not yet ripe, but maturing; the Mutable Houses indicate matters latent in the mind, and affairs brought over from past lives (8).

V. The Cadent, Succedent and Cardinal divisions represent thought, speech and action, or spirit, soul and body (6).

VI. The six houses above the horizon (xii, xi, x, ix, viii, vii) correspond to the ‘life’ side of the universe, the six below (vi, v, iv, iii, ii, i) correspond to its ‘form’ side (6).

VII. There exists an intimate correspondence between the Signs and the Houses (10).

VIII. The Houses relate to physical and etheric matter, and the Signs to astral matter (10).

IX. The influence of the Signs is greater than that of the Houses, and the former will ‘overbear’ the latter (p. 10).

X. The Houses are like transparent vessels, each having its own pattern; the Signs supply the contents of such vessels, giving a special substance, colour and quality to each house (12).

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XI. The four triplicities are Fire, Air, Water, Earth; or Spirit, Space, Time and Matter. The three qualities are Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable (14).


XII. The Cardinal Signs govern the head, and their chief characteristic is activity (15).

XIII. The Fixed Signs govern the heart and will, and their chief characteristic is stability (15).

XIV. The Mutable signs govern the limbs, lungs and bowels, and their chief characteristic is adaptability (15).

XV. Odd Signs are all positive, male, day signs; Even Signs are negative, female, night signs (16).

XVI. Positive signs refer to the force or life side of things, negative signs to the matter or form side (16).

XVII. The Fiery Signs as a whole signify energy, vitality and vigour. Aries the originator, Leo the organiser, Sagittarius the executant (17, 18).

XVIII. The Watery Signs as a whole signify mobility and sensation. Cancer the insistent, Scorpio the passionate, Pisces the emotional and sympathetic (19, 20, 21).

XIX. The Airy Signs as a whole signify expansion and mentality. Libra the Woman, Aquarius the Father-Man, Gemini the child (22, 23).

XX. The Earthy Signs as a whole signify completion and achievement. Capricorn the practical idealist, Taurus the concentrator, Virgo the discriminator (24, 25).

XXI. Planets in their exaltation exert a more refined and more powerful influence than elsewhere (28).

XXII. The Sun is the vehicle through which the Solar Logos manifests; in the horoscope it represents the Individuality (29).

XXIII. The Moon is the vehicle of communication between the Sun and each living thing; in the horoscope it represents the Personality (29).

XXIV. Mars is the planet of focussed force and out-going impulse (30).

XXV. Saturn is the planet which binds, limits and crystallises (32).

XXVI. Saturn rules the personal Ego, Mars the animal tendencies (33).

XXVII. Venus and Jupiter are the respective counterparts of Mars and Saturn (33).

XXVIII. Venus is the planet whose force comes from within through the Ego’s direct intuitive power (34).

XXIX. Mars is the planet of physical generation, Venus the planet of creation (34).

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XXX. Jupiter is the planet of expansion, and rules the ‘celestial’ body (35).


XXXI. Mercury is the planet of adaptation, and represents in each life the knowledge gained (36).


XXXII. Uranus is the planet which represents the fully individualised Ego (36).


XXXIII. Neptune is concerned with psychic evolution (37).


XXXIV. Conjunctions stand symbolically for union and synthesis (40).


XXXV. Oppositions signify antagonism, rivalry and duality (46).


XXXVI. Squares alternately crystallise and limit, and disrupt and shatter (46).


XXXVII. Trines stand for progression and harmony (46).


XXXVIII. In examining aspects, pay attention to the application of the swifter moving planet (63).


XXXIX. If the ruler has just left one aspect and applies to another, give the principal value to the influence forming (p. 63).


XL. Planetary influences are primarily of a super-material nature, and cannot be accurately expressed in words (65).


XLI. The Sun represents the Individuality and corresponds to the Fixed Signs (68).


XLII. The Moon represents the Personality, and corresponds to the Mutable Signs (69).


XLIII. The Ascendant represents the physical body and brain, and corresponds to the Cardinal Signs (71).


XLIV. The Ascendant moves most quickly and corresponds to the Rajasic guna; the Sun moves most slowly and corresponds to the Tamasic guna; the Moon is intermediate and corresponds to the Sattvic guna (72).


XLV. Fiery Signs rising denote good vitality, airy signs less vitality but more mentality, watery signs a tendency to weak constitution, and earthy signs good general health but not much vitality (90).


XLVI. Fixed signs rising denote fixity of purpose; cardinal signs energy; mutable signs, versatility (91).


XLVII. The expression of the Ascendant is considerably modified or accentuated by the planets rising (91).


XLVIII. Whatever be the Rising Sign, pay especial attention to the corresponding house (92).


XLIX. Aries, Taurus and Gemini belong to the Intellectual Trinity; their keynote is knowledge and progression through the intellect (95).

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L. Cancer, Leo and Virgo belong to the Maternal Trinity, and their keynote is emotion and progression through the moral sentiments (98).

LI. Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius belong to the Reproductive Trinity and their keynote is Progression through the power to reform and renew (101).

LII. Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces belong to the Serving Trinity, and their keynote is Service to Humanity (104).

LIII. The general influence of Neptune rising tends to inversion of motives; that of Uranus, to inversion of ideas (105, 106).

LIV. Saturn rising denotes limitation, and the form side of power; Jupiter rising denotes dignity and the internal power in which the will is exercised (106, 107).

LV. Mars rising denotes a strong desire nature; Venus rising refines and beautifies the love nature (107).

LVI. The Sun rising strengthens the constitution, and gives dignity to the appearance (108).

LVII. The Moon rising influences the temperament, and makes the stamp of heredity more clearly defined (109).

LVIII. Mercury rising is very potent and denotes the mental capacities, but it is greatly affected by the influence of aspects (109).

LIX. The Ruling Planet is either the lord of the ascending sign, or else that planet which is strongest or most prominent in the horoscope (129).

LX. The Sun well aspected and well placed brings success in life (131).

LXI. In considering the question of health, take into consideration Ascendant, Moon and Sun (139).

LXII. If the Sun is afflicted, the flow of the vital energy will be disturbed; if the Moon, the vehicle conveying the life forces is abnormal; if the Ascendant, the health will suffer according to nature of affliction and the rising sign(139).

LXIII. The Hyleg is that point in the horoscope upon which health and life depend (140).

LXIV. Positive Signs rising tend to give vitality, negative signs are not quite so vigorous (141).

LXV. The Apheta is that which supports life, the Anareta that which takes away life (144, 145).

LXVI. The relationship between signs and houses is that of ‘correspondence’ or analogy (147).

LXVII. In judging the financial prospects in a nativity, study the second house in all its bearings (151).

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LXVIII. The Cardinal Signs give money through fame and public recognition, the Fixed Signs through Government or authoritative influence, the Common Signs through service and ordinary means (157).


LXIX. The third house has a definite influence over the mind and is analogically under the rulership of Mercury (158).


LXX. In judging the mental qualifications consider the luminaries and Mercury, as well as the third house (163).


LXXI. The fourth house relates to the end of life, the environment of the native, and one of the parents (164).


LXXII. The signs on the cusps of the tenth and fourth houses, their rulers and the aspects between them, will denote the attitude of the parents towards each other, and their influence upon the native (170).


LXXIII. In considering the question of parental influence generally, include the Sun and the planet Saturn, with regard to the father, and the Moon and Venus with regard to the mother (169).


LXXIV. The fifth house relates to pleasure, society and social affairs, also to the emotions and feelings (172).


LXXV. The fifth house is an index to the sensations and passional tendencies, the sign upon the cusp indicating past experiences (175).


LXXVI. The first, fifth and ninth houses represent the personal man, showing his present, past and future consciousness symbolically (175).


LXXVII. The sixth house is connected with the mid-heaven and the second house, and relates to work, servants, sickness and the condition of the physical body (178).


LXXVIII. The sixth house indicates the psychic tendencies of the native, and is the house of phenomenal or ceremonial magic (183).


LXXIX. The seventh house is the complement of the first, and represents the unifying of all that is separated or isolated in the ascendant (184).


LXXX. The seventh house signifies the transmutation of the passions into love, the exchange of intellect for wisdom, and the perfect individualisation of the conscious self (184).


LXXXI. Any planet in the seventh house describes the partner, and gives the history of any union (186).


LXXXII. From a higher standpoint, the seventh house may be considered as the house of the Individuality as contrasted with the Personality; the blending of these two being the true marriage (188).


LXXXIII. If the seventh house and its ruler do not offer a clear judgment in a male horoscope note the application of the Moon, and in a female horoscope, the Sun (189).


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LXXXIV. In descriptions of marriage partner, judge according to the planet occupying the seventh, and the sign on the cusp: if no planet in seventh then judge by lord of sign on cusp, and the sign which said planet occupies (191).


LXXXV. The eighth house is the house of death, and all matters connected therewith, and also has relation to some forms of mediumship and occultism (195).


LXXXVI. In all questions of death, the sign upon the cusp of the eighth house, and the signs containing the majority of the planets, must be carefully considered (200).


LXXXVII. The ninth house is the house of philosophy, the higher mind; the house of the subjective and abstract mind as opposed to the objective and concrete brain mind (202).


LXXXVIII. The ninth house denotes that which is to be the unfolding of what is possible in the future (206).


LXXXIX. All planets in the ninth house have a higher vibration than when placed in any other (206).


XC. The ninth house denotes the unexpressed, the motive behind the act, the thought behind the speech (206).


XCI. The tenth house is the house of honour, reputation, profession or occupation and represents the public standing or worldly position of the native (207).


XCII. In considering a vocation, take careful note of Saturn, the ruler of Capricorn, the natural tenth house in the order of the signs (216).


XCIII. The eleventh house is that of friends, acquaintances, hopes, wishes and aspirations (217).


XCIV. The twelfth house is the house of sorrow—the house of self-undoing (226).


XCV. Luminaries applying to aspects affect the polarity more than aspects from which they are separating (288).


XCVI. If the Sun is above the Moon, rising or setting, the Individual character will be stronger than the Personal (288).


XCVII. If both luminaries are below the earth the blending of them is more potent and the polarity more complicated (p. 288).


XCVIII. If both luminaries are above the earth, the Sun gains the greater power; if both are below, the Moon (p. 288).


XCIX. The polarity is always stronger when the luminaries are rising, and weaker when they are setting (288).


C. If either of the luminaries apply to the benefits, the Individuality is stronger if it be the Sun, the Personality if it be the Moon (288).



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