The Charites – Venus (Hephaestion of Thebes)

“Eros and the Charites in the domiciles or exaltation of Aphrodite [Venus].” (Hephaestion of Thebes, On Inceptions, Egypt, 400 AD)

According to Salutius, a philosopher and close friend of Emperor Julian, the Charites or Graces are seen in Venus. The Orphic Hymns considered the three young women daughters of Zeus, embodying charm, beauty, creativity, enjoyment and fertility. Hesiod named them Aglaea (Shining), Euphrosyne (Joy) and Thalia (Blooming). Homer considered them to be attendants of Aphrodite. In one myth they were the daughters of Dionysus. The three Graces are believed to be of Pelasgian origin, the prehistoric people who inhabited the Aegean before it became dominated by Crete, the Myceneans and Minoans. The Graces were closely associated with the Eleusinian Mysteries and the underworld. In Roman times they were widely depicted as three young nude women.

Mosaic of the Charites, Pompey, first century (Source: public domain)

Taurus and Pisces are female nocturnal signs and Libra is a masculine sign. Taurus is earth, Pisces is water and Libra is air. These three triplicities are ruled by all the planets except the Sun. In a nocturnal chart, Venus and the Moon have chthonic characteristics.

The underworld as a source of gifts depending on the celestial god or goddess who occupies it has shown itself to be a persistent theme in the ancient world. This is a sharp contrast with the view that equates everything relating to the underworld as demonic and harmful while implying that everything celestial is of a more benefic nature. It wasn’t purely dualistic for the ancients. The underworld was the abode of the planetary and stellar gods for half of the year and whether they hurt or helped depended on many factors. The chthonic world in its purest form was dark and decaying and the celestial was unlimited fire. The solar year was an endless cycle of light and dark.

Hephaestion says that images of the Charites should be ensouled with inceptions or elections using the signs of Taurus, Libra and Pisces. The astrological configuration would fall along the same lines as the instructions in Picatrix for Venus elections with a bit more focus on triplicity and sect. Medieval astrologers considered those factors but it appears to have had more importance in the early common era.

Taurus and Pisces are female nocturnal signs and Libra is a masculine sign. Taurus is earth, Pisces is water and Libra is air. These three triplicities are ruled by all the planets except the Sun.

The three Graces have a parallel in Picatrix in Book 2, Chapter 10.
“If, under the influence of Venus, you make an image of three people holding each other, in the hour of Venus, in a crystal, and whoever carries this image will be fortunate and gain profit from merchandise.”

Source

Hephaestion of Thebes was a Hellenized Egyptian astrologer who lived in Roman Egypt during the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Around 415 AD, the same time that Emperor Theodosius issued his decree against heretics and making many practices a crime in Rome’s provinces. In his third volume “On Inceptions” he provides instructions for crafting many different temple statues and sacred images.

“In the temples one must ensoul the statues (agalmata), after they have been made in the fitting form, and of suitable material, as the wise Egyptians and the rest of the ancients have transmitted. When the Moon is waxing and has appeared in her phase; for the powers of such images, when they are completed in harmony with the heavens’ movement, are produced more ‘theōdéstera’ (more god-filled) and ensouled.

“And each of the sacred objects and statues, it is advantageous to fashion and enthrone while the Moon is in Jupiter’s trigon (triplicity) and while Jupiter is harmonious with her, that is, in the same trigon, and likewise when the Sun has been configured in the same way, and Saturn likewise happens to be in his own trigon.

“And for the rest of the stars one must in the same way prepare both the sacred objects and the statues; furthermore it is auspicious, whenever they themselves are in their exaltations and domiciles, to fashion them, provided none of the malefic stars is opposing.”

(Hephaestion of Thebes Book III 7.13-18)

Hephaestion requires a considerable amount of factors to be present. The triplicity rulers according to Dorotheus are considered, as well as the Sect leader having a harmonious configuration. Jupiter is provided as an example for the Moon in a fiery sign, the nocturnal triplicity ruler. For the Sun, the diurnal triplicity ruler, Saturn is the third ruler in consideration. He adds that they should be crafted when the sign’s exaltation or domicile ruler is present and not opposed by the malefics, Saturn and Mars, and made with suitable material.

Election Standard

In Venus hour, Aphrodite (Venus) rises in 6 Taurus. Selene, the Moon and luminary of sect, harmoniously aspects Aphrodite by trine with mutual reception by exaltation and triplicity, respectively. According to Hephaestion, the luminary of sect and significator in signs of the same triplicity is optimal and both are in earth signs. Selene (Moon) is full and unafflicted, having just separated from an opposition to the Sun in the previous sign. According to Hephaestion and Julianus of Laodecia, a full moon is excellent for ensouling images. She separates from an opposition to Zeus (Jupiter) in Cancer, providing a translation of light. Zeus (Jupiter) aspects Aphrodite by a separating sextile, in Cancer and the third house of the Goddess.

Julianus says,

“..if the gods are chthonic [earthbound or nocturnal], with Selene, Aphrodite, and Zeus testifying [bearing witness, aspect] to one another, and let Kronos also testify to them in harmony.”

Saturn is not harming the significators and dignified by triplicity, fulfilling all the criteria that Hephaestion and Julianus recommends while minimizing the influence of Saturn. The water triplicity rulers are the Moon and Venus, both highly dignified. The third triplicity ruler, Mars, is dignified by bound and face, fulfilling all the requirements.

Note: brass talismans are prone to tarnish and are easily cleaned with baking soda, water and a soft cloth.

12 June 2025, 03:26 am