Hi
I dont know if Maternus theory of ancient astrology was available in the days of Charles Carter,but he seems to have come to the same conclusions about the topic of insanity. Maternus claims that the lights in the mutables squared by Mars or Saturn leads to mental problems like lunacy.

Carter claimed that Moon and Mars in mutables squared each other if in the 12th or 3rd could lead to insanity.

Interesting as well that Maternus says " if Saturn or MC fall in the 12th house" suggesting that he used WSH and having MC in the 12th wasnt an issue for him

dragonqueen wrote:Interesting as well that Maternus says " if Saturn or MC fall in the 12th house" suggesting that he used WSH and having MC in the 12th wasnt an issue for him

But this seems to be a defective passage; cf. Holden's (much preferable) translation, p. 445, including the footnote. Bram's book is more of a paraphrase than a translation.

Elsewhere, though, Firmicus appears to support equal houses.

Martin Gansten wrote:

dragonqueen wrote:Interesting as well that Maternus says " if Saturn or MC fall in the 12th house" suggesting that he used WSH and having MC in the 12th wasnt an issue for him

But this seems to be a defective passage; cf. Holden's (much preferable) translation, p. 445, including the footnote. Bram's book is more of a paraphrase than a translation.

Elsewhere, though, Firmicus appears to support equal houses.

maybe,but im still confused by the contradiction of many authors who claimed quadrants were for assessing strenght, yet they called MC point of action,status ,just like the 10th house

On page 49 it is obvious he uses equal houses.
I wonder if he knew the work of Valens,or misinterpreted Ptolemy?
I think in those days it was easier for Romans to understand ancient Greek than for us moderns so Idoubt there were misinterpretations
The key point however is taht the houses were signs,hence astronomy,latitude is irrelevant.
But his comment on the MC(nonagesimal??) looks odd


THE CARDINAL POINTS OF 'rHE NATIVITIES
I. In the nativity there are four cardinal points: Ascendant, Descendant, Medium Caelum (Zenith), and /mum Caelum (Nadir), which the Greeks usually call by the following names: Anatole (East, Sunrise), Dysis (West, Sunset),Mesuranima (Meridi~n,Zenith),Ypogeon (below the Earth).
2.
The rising is the degree of the Ascendant .... The Descendant is opposite it. The Greeks call it Diametrium Dyticon (Western Opposite).
3.
In order that you may understand more easily, compute, starting from the degree of the ascendant through the other signs, 180 degrees; and in whatever sign the 181st degree is found, in that sign or section of the chart is located the descelldant, or setting.
4.
The Medium Caelum is the tenth hou~. from the ascendant, but sometimes also the MC is found exactly in the eleventh sign from the ascendant. In order to understand this more clearly, compute, starting from the degree of the ascendant, through the other following signs, 270 degrees, and in whatever sign the 271st degree is found, this is allotted to the Medium Caelum, which the Greeks call Mesuranima.
5.

and later
5. The fourth house from the ascendant, that is, the Imum Caelum, is
=!!!!
located in the fourth house from the ascendant which begins at the 90th
degree and reaches the 120th. This house shows us family property, substance, possessions, household goods, anything that pertains to hidden and recovered wealth. This is also a cardinal point of the nativity, in that it is called Imum Caelum which is in opposition to the Medium Caelum. This house is in very powerful aspect to the ascendant because it influences the ascendant in square aspect and is influenced by it in square.

11.
The tenth house is located in the tenth sign from the ascendant. It begins from the 270th degree and reaches to the 300th, and stops there. Thisplaceisthe firstin importanceand has the greatestinfluenceofallon the angles. This house we call the Medium Caelum, and the Greeks the Mesuranima, for it is located in the middle part of the universe. In this house we find life and vital spirit, all our actions, country, home, all our dealings with others, professional careers, and whatever our choice of career brings us. From this house we easily see the infirmities ofthe mind. The influence ofthis house is aspected to the ascendant very powerfully, for it can be seen to be in square aspect to the ascendant.
12. The eleventh house is located in the eleventh house from the ascendant. This house starts atthe 300th degree and extends to the 330th. It is called the Bonus Daemon or Bonus Genius, by the Greeks Agathos
Daemon. The Medium Caelum is often found in exact conjunction with this
house. It is, furthermore, the house of Jupiter, and not indifferently aspected to the ascendant; it can be seen to be in sextile aspect."

So the MC is the nonagesimal but the he says it may fall in the 11th house.Dont quite understand-
_:=
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!~