AUTHOR’S NOTE: These are not my words. I merely compiled the writings of the most prominent sidereal astrologers, all who give a thorough explanation of the signs as they really are. The works of Cyril Fagan, Rupert Gleadow, and Alex-Blaire are hardly known to the world. They deserve to have their voices heard. Their writing is invaluable to any serious student of astrology.
Manilius, ASTRONOMICA book 4
SAGITTARIUS
As for the Archer, when the foremost portion of his cloak rises, he will give birth to hearts renowned in war and will conduct the conqueror, celebrating great triumphs in the sight of all, to his country’s citadels. Such a one will build high walls one moment and pull them down the next. But if Fortune favors them too generously with success, the mark of her envy is to be seen on their faces, for she works cruel havoc upon their features. So was it that a dread warrior* paid for his victories at the Trebia, Cannae, and the Lake, even before the hour of his retreat, with such disfigurement.
But they whose lot it is to be born under the Centaur of double form delight in yoking a team, in bringing a fiery horse to obey the pliant reins, in following herds which graze all over the grasslands, and in imposing a master on every kind of quadruped and taming them: they soften tigers, rid the lion of his fierceness, speak to the elephant and through speech adapt its huge bulk to human skills in a variety of displays. Indeed, in the stars of this constellation the human form is blended with a beast’s and placed above it; wherefore it has lordship over beasts. And because it carries a shaft poised on drawn bow, it imparts strength to limb and keenness to the intellect, swiftness of movement, and an indefatigable spirit.
Cyril Fagan, THE SYMBOLISM OF THE CONSTELLATIONS, 1962
SUN IN SAGITTARIUS: Dec 17 – Jan 14
When the Sun is passing through this constellation the effects are like a conjunction of the Sun with Jupiter (its diurnal ruler) and Uranus (exalted in Sagittarius’ at 9 degrees). It is well known that configurations of the Sun, Jupiter and Uranus, when angular, symbolize royalty, scions of noble houses, aristocracy and those who hold the reins of power. Jupiter signifies the element of quality, and indicates all that is accounted valuable and best, spiritually, socially and materially. In its loftiest expression, Jupiter came to represent God, deification, orthodoxy, spiritual ambition and aspiration.
In its worldlier guise, it denoted the hierarchical principle – the letters patent of nobility, titles, rank, decorations and uniforms, racial purity, academic distinction, fortune, social standing, reputation and moral worth. Its vices are pride, hauteur, intolerance, exclusiveness, snobbery and the urge to segregate the ‘chosen’ from the ‘bourgeoisie’; attitudes inevitably leading to oppression and war. The predominant characteristics of the average Sagittarian is his respectability, fear of public opinion, pronounced sense of right and wrong, and detestation of the devil and all his works.
Socially ambitious, they are like to associate with the ‘best’ people, either in church or state, when the occasion presents itself, they will parade in processions and the like, wearing their medals and regalia. Their acute sense of morality prompts them to become members of religious organizations or of vigilant societies, and the womenfolk are often found to take a keen interest in discussing their neighbors’ morals (although their own private lives are not always impeccable). Sagittarians delight in rewarding the righteous and punishing the wicked: it is for this reason that many of them occupy the ‘bench’ in our law courts.
The typical Sagittarian wife will work the flesh off her fingers to advance her husband’s position and give professions to her children. If not drawn to the Bible, she will at least study Burke’s Peerage or master the Almanac de Gotha. Even if unhappily married she will remain with her husband for the sake of appearance, social ambition meaning more to her than Cupid’s wanton play. Favoring period furniture and lofty rooms, she usually manages to make her home look stately and even imposing, and she is not a little house-proud.
Sagittarians are usually refined and cultured and spotlessly clean in their home and habits, dressing neatly and with a taste a la mode, avoiding all eccentricities. Children of this constellation are well-behaved, tractable, docile and law-abiding, and dress with the same care and attention to detail as their elders. Being of a happy and sunny disposition, the Sagittarian is nevertheless prone to serious and edifying reading, especially in the realms of philosophy. The Greeks identified Sagittarius with Chiron, the wisest and most just of all the Centaurs, who was the teacher of the distinguished heroes of Greek mythology. He was renowned with his skill in medicine, gymnastics, hunting, music and the art of prophecy.
It is interesting to note that many of the world’s greatest divines, philosophers, academicians, scholars, physicians, surgeons and professional men generally are scions of this constellation. Not only do Sagittarians make efficient disciplinarians and guardians of children, but they also excel as trainers of animals and make capable horsemen, preferring the glories of the rugged mountain with its majestic tall trees and open life, to the artificiality of city life. The Empress of Austria (“Sissi”), a native of this constellation, had her own team of circus ponies, which she rode as skilfully as any circus hand; an intrepid horsewoman, she was seldom absent from the hunt.
The Romans identified Sagittarius with Diana, “The Huntress” that is, with the Moon as she ‘hunted’ among the zodiacal constellations. In Egyptian mythology, the regent of Sagittarius was Min, the ithyphallic god of Panopolis and Koptos. He is depicted naked and standing erect. Crowned with the lofty plumes of Amun, he holds high a flagellum, in the act of striking. In Graeco-Roman astrology, this present constellation is portrayed as the trainer of fiery animals and the subduer of unmanageable boys (Gemini).
Notable among those who have the Sun in Sagittarius may be mentioned: John Bunyan, John Milton, St. Ignatious Loyola, Bernadette of Lourdes, Father Damien of leper fame, St. Theresa of Lisieux, Swami Vivekananda, Joseph Smith (founder of the Latter Day Saints), Matthew Arnold, Hermann Goering, Benjamin Disraeli, Richard Nixon, Mao Zedong, Joseph Stalin, Alexander Hamilton, Woodrow Wilson, Hannibal, Sir Isaac Newton, Louis Pasteur, Tycho Brahe, Kepler, Newton, Cecil Rhodes, Rudyard Kipling, Carl Sandburg, Thomas Grey, Shelley, Simone de Beauvoir, Henri Matisse, Paul Klee, Gustave Dore, Sulamith Wulfing, Monck, Beethoven, Marlene Dietrich, Humphrey Bogart.
Fagan (Symbolism)
MOON IN SAGITTARIUS
When the Moon is Sagittarius, the native is usually popular in personality and likely to prosper. Moon-in-Sagittarius people are addicted to ‘churchianity’ and the study of theology or philosophy, and they delight in attending meetings where such subjects are discussed. Generally speaking, they live a life of rectitude and decorum, many becoming vegetarians, non-smokers and non-drinkers. Being prone to moralize, they feel they have a divine mission to perform: there is an ‘itch’ to ascend the pulpit. They firmly believe in disciplining the young and are the first to clamor for ‘the return of the birch.’ (Spare the rod and spoil the child!)
Among those who have the Moon-in-Sagittarius are the following: Victor Hugo, Billy Graham, Field Marshal Montgomery, Joseph Goebbels, Adolf Hitler, Prince Aly Khan, Thomas Alva Edison, Mary Queen of Scots, Bismark, Ruebens, Marshal Foch, George Washington, Adolph Eichmann (27deg27′) and Peter Kuerton (27deg55′).
Rupert Gleadow, YOUR CHARACTER IN THE ZODIAC, 1968
…this is probably the most fortunate of constellations, for it expects good luck and therefore very often gets it. On the other hand, since it never expects anything else, and cannot be bothered to work out the actual probabilities of the case, it encounters what the more cautious types would consider avoidable disappointments. Sagittarius, however, is not discouraged by them; he considers it rather silly of fate to let slip the opportunity of gratifying his wishes, but he takes it all in his stride and always thinks it worth while to give a hundred-to-one chance the chance of being realized, in stead of grousing at having recently failed at three or four to one.
The less sporting type of Sagittarius is extremely professional and well-behaved–it knows how to organize its life with attention to reputation, and accumulates much skill and knowledge; but it is insufficiently demonstrative of affection, and the women are sometimes tiresomely ambitious for their husbands and children, and do not caress them enough, not being highly sexed.
In general the Sagittarian enjoys travel, and adventures of ideas no less. He is fond of speculation, whether about the meaning of the world or the result of a race, and is attracted to any new theory so long as it is not pessimistic. In style he tends to be rambling, with long sentences which flow on as his thought flows on. He is on the side of growth, progress and cheerfulness, and his enjoyment of life is obvious, like that of Leo and Scorpio.
Sagittarius is the constellation of faith and can never be deterred from hoping for the best; now and again he becomes wildly imprudent and his gamble fails to come off. He is naturally generous, for being ruled by Jupiter, the planet of expansion, he cannot help believing that money will be forthcoming, that everything will get better, and that even the most unlikely flukes will happen twice. He is therefore deceived at time through thinking the best of people when he ought to have known better.
But the principle of expansion certainly does seem to rule the Sagittarian mind, for its motto is ‘On & on and up & up.’ It believes that everything is improving–not only that it can be made to improve but that it will improve naturally of itself. Apparent setbacks are explained away as not really harmful, or as necessary to consolidate the future, and Sagittarius can be superbly indifferent to the kind of evidence that delights the heart of the pessimist. For our Sagittarian always believes in progress, his own even if not that of the whole world.
Most of them are incurable optimists, and those that are not will express their expansiveness in some other way, perhaps in snobbery and social climbing, or else in ambition, for they must always better themselves, whether by evening classes, or by knowing the right people, or at best by working on their character from a psychological or religious point of view. A most typical Sagittarian was Emile Coue, who invented the mantra: ‘Every day and in every way I am getting better and better!’
Sagittarians are excitable, and in bad cases irascible and boastful. They are clean and house proud, sometimes too proud of their family, and have a moral streak which likes to see wickedness punished and goodness rewarded. They care for social standing, respect public opinion, and are inclined to preach and interfere with the opinions of others. Typical professions are connected with religion, teaching, sport, and travel.
The aspiration of Sagittarius is strong; Jupiter is the planet of growth. The typical Sagittarian is the enthusiastic optimist who is ready for anything, impatient and acts with gusto. But Jupiter is also the planet of wealth, snobbery and ambition, and can be very conventional, so in countries where ideas have become fossilized by religious or political dogma Sagittarius tends to be a supporter of the establishment and to get on well in the world, the Church, the party or business. In freer societies, or when intelligence is higher, aspiration works out less materialistically; there is an interest in ideas and exploration of all kinds (but not in the plodding type of research), in philosophy, education, philanthropy and religion.
Aspiration, idealism and progress are keywords of this constellation, and this makes it extremely dangerous in public organizations, for there it may produce the unscrupulous idealist who thinks that everyone should be forced into obedience for their own good. This explains how Stalin and Loyola come to be under the same constellation. On a higher level we find the disinterested mystic, whether trained or merely aspiring; and religion is often an effective influence on the thought of Sagittarians–for instance, Kepler and Newton, Gustavus Adolphus, Milton and Bunyan, or even Charles V, who abdicated an empire to enter a monastery.
ALEX BLAIRE
Sidereal Sagittarius In Depth
In the flux and swirl of the dervish dance of life you seek yourself. Going everywhere with the flow, against the flow, always in the flow. Who can say how things really happen? Isn’t it enough that the whole world is a vast happening? Where everything that is happening is just simply happening and most amazing of all it is you happening?
The overwhelming variety and diversity of experience the sheer abundance of existence and there is more always more and more. And just what a fantastic drama your life is. And if there is no drama, no excitement, you always know just how to create some. Then why do you never find what you are looking for? Why does nothing satisfy? Do you know what you are looking for? Do you know it is yourself? The Self that remains forever concealed from itself inside the constant flux that is you?
You go to extreme lengths to appear sophisticated worldly cultured and deep. But the truth will out right out of your own mouth. There is nothing you can do to control this crude and savagely self centered streak deep inside that always betrays you by announcing itself without any warning. You said it! And oh the embarrassment the consternation, the fast talking glossing over flattering babble and doubt. The looks they give you!
What you crave constantly is attention. And the truth is almost any kind of attention will do. Of course being a megalomaniac you prefer admiration and will exaggerate lie and plagiarize to get it. Always on the run you move through places people interests jobs. Stability is death staying is nowhere.
Because you are haunted by the knowledge of your unfathomable Self you have learned to just accept the changes. But there is a deeply troubled look that fills your eyes in unguarded moments. As if you have forgotten something really important. Like your true purpose in this life?
Professionally you want to be where the action is. The positive friendly you can make a great spokes person promoter sales person or just plain huckster. Naturally cosmopolitan you know people from all over the ethnic map. That’s no guarantee that you’re not a bigot at the same time. Nearly everyone loves you in small doses and you make a terrific first impression when you manage to keep your foot out of your mouth.
People like your abundant energy and often like the way you keep things lively. When educated or trained you can rise in life through a mixture of hard work and sheer audacity. Because you have a “been there done that” attitude you tend not to build on your gains and will even self sabotage to get out of boring successful situations. You have managed to convince quite a number of people that you are a bit crazy.
If there are stabilizing factors in your chart that allows you to pick a path and stick to it you can achieve almost anything you set your heart on. You are an able thinker, academic, management and marketing consultant, a natural globalist. Technical skills are also indicated.
In love you are as romantic as it gets but in a completely over the top fatal attraction kind of way. When aroused you are all sexual fire and have terrific sexual endurance. Being a sensation and adrenalin junkie you can also easily become sexually addicted to someone you don’t even like. And when you are not having sex you are fighting like cat and dog. Nothing satisfies you.
Spiritually you really get it but you can only learn from experience and not so much from “teachings”. Real spiritual teachers don’t want you because you are extremely self-important arrogant and unruly. You can though, travel the path of the “self initiated”. After a very long confused journey a great deal of self deception and suffering you enter the eternal now within the flux and swirl of the dervish dance of life where you find yourself.
Zarathustra the Serpent 