Kenneth Johnson wrote:
Thanks, Deb. I was aware of the 5th as a house of "pleasures" going back quite a ways and always assumed that this was, as you pointed out, due to the fact that Venus rejoices there. The quote you have given from Dariot is the earliest specific mention I have seen of romance and love as one of those "pleasures" -- Bonatti, for example, does not mention it and his thinking is more in line with the examples you have also given from al-Biruni and ibn Ezra. I wonder if there is anything earlier than Dariot?
Apart from the Venus link to the 5th through the joys we also have its ancient association in the Thema Mundi. In that scheme Mars is placed in the 5th house in the sign of Scorpio. With the 5th representing children we have a fertile sign ruling the house. Clearly though, both Mars and Scorpio bring in associations with sex. So the Venus-Mars connections of this house would be consistent with romance and love.
Mark