Hello Mark
Mark wrote: It was natal not horary astrology that Konrad was asking about at the start of this thread so I prefer to stick with that. I know its controversial but I have real doubts that the use of dignities in horary/electional translates that smoothly to natal charts. Human beings are an evolving process not a single event/question. I think dignities need a more subtle and flexible understanding in natal astrology.
I should disagree 100%

Do you know some source where two different sets of rules are mentioned, one for horary and the other for natal astrology?
This is Ptolemy:
For the magnitude of the event we must examine their power and observe whether they are actively situated both in the cosmos itself and in the nativity, or the reverse; for they are most effective when, with respect to the cosmos, they are in their own or in familiar regions, and again when they are rising and are increasing in their numbers; and, with respect to the nativity, whenever they are passing through the angles or signs that rise after them, and especially the principal of these, by which I mean the signs ascendant and culminating.
Exhibit A. Tennis Champion Roger Federer. Federer has Mars in Cancer which is in fall, and out of sect and ruling his 3rd/8th house, and located in the 11th.
You could be nastier. It took me a little to discover who Federer is (I don't like sport at all), but you could mention for example one of the greatest champions of all times, which everybody know, Diego Maradona, with Mars in Cancer.
Federer in a way is a very easy chart to solve.
To be honest I cannot say very much about the detrimental Virgo Venus in the first house, likely she acts in Federer private life, or maybe other can say better than me.
About sport and tennis, it's true that Mars is in Cancer, but not in angle.
At Midheaven Lepus is going to culminate, which is traditionally associated with athletes and games.
Firmicus writes:
"Lepus, the Hare rises in the 7th degree of Gemini. Those who are born when this star is rising will be of such lightness of body that when they begin to run they seem lighter than birds" (VIII,8_)
In a very old post of mine I translated the comment of Prof. Simonetta Feraboli, my favourite scholar on paranatellonta and stellar catalogues about the corresponding Manilius extract.
She says:
Speed depends both of the constellation characteristic and from Mercury?s domicile, the swifter planet in its revolution around the Sun, while agility, lightness, mobility are in agreement with Gemini. The reference to wings and flight can be connected with the opposite sign, Sagittarius, which is winged and showed as a hawk in the dodekaoros. ?..Limbs of a native born with the Ascendant on Lepus, even wingless, participate of the Air of Gemini. It?s not a coincidence that the first three degress of Gemini vocatur Ventus (Liber Hermetis). All the athletic sports are favourite in Mercurial signs, especially Gemini, one of them is Heracles. ?.Mercury well beheld with Lepus makes conjurers and players with ball.
http://heavenastrolabe.net/stars-trade- ... linations/
In this chart Mercury, ruler of the MC is a natural choice for activity ruler together with Mars, ok.
Mars here is in Cancer, true, but quite fast and strong, it had its heliacal rising the middle of July.
Together, from the eleventh house they rule activity, while Jupiter ray to Mars favors success.
Still Firmicus:
"Those who have Mercury with Mars in the 11th house always perish in battle (hope this is not the case). They are lovers of gymnasium,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gymnasium_ ... Greece%29
others of arms, but all are brave in counsel and attain great success. " (III,11)
p.s. on the other side I can show you the chart of a thoughtless woman with Mars in Cancer in the first house, who eventually lost her royal head on the guillotine
margherita