MARS is known as the "lesser unfortunate" ( Saturn being the "greater unfortunate") and both are considered malefic planets. It stands for strength, competition, energy, drive, courage, initiative, impulsiveness, self-assertion, war, violence, quarrels and accidents. It signifies soldiers, pioneers, and agitators. Mars rules the sex organs, bladder, muscular system, head, face, left ear, the sense of taste, blood poison, sexually transmitted diseases, hemorrhoids, burns, accidents, cuts, scalds, influenza, kidneys, inflammatory conditions.
Mars takes about 2.5 years to transit the chart – (up to 0°40’ / day).
From the operations of Mars they made an Image in the hour of Mars, Mars being in the second face of Aries, in a Martiall stone, especially in a Diamond; The form of which was a man armed, riding upon a Lyon [lion], having in his right hand a naked sword erected, carrying in his left hand the head of a man; they report, that an Image of this kind rendreth a man powerfull in good and evill, so that he shall be feared of all; and whosoever carryeth it they give him the power of enchantment, so that he shall terrifie men by his looks when he is angry, and stupifie them; they made another Image of Mars for the obtaining of boldness, courage, and good fortune in wars, and contentions, the form of which was a souldier armed and crowned, girt with a sword, carrying in his right hand a long Lance; and they made this at the hour of Mars, the first face of Scorpio ascending with it.
—Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa: Of Occult Philosophy, Book II (circa 1510)
| Mars Rules : | Aries by Day Scorpio at Night Water signs Day & Night |
| Angel : | Samael |
| Exalted Degree : | 28 Capricorn |
| Detriment : | Libra |
| Fall : | Cancer |
| Houses ruled : | 1st and 8th houses |
| Day Ruled : | Tuesday |
| Persons Represented : | young, rough-edged, strong, motivated, sexual, angry or coarse males or females |
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The Mars symbol (glyph) represents the cross of matter exalted over the circle of spirit. |
| Classical Astrology Data at bottom | |
IN THE CHART
Mars shows challenges and the ability to meet them bravely. Mars is connected with the muscular system. The Sign Mars is in represents the particular psychological area in which we express our energy. Mars takes 2 years to go around the Sun, as it is in each sign for approximately 2 months. In a woman’s horoscope it represents the type of men she is attracted to, in a man’s his own attitude to men, competitiveness and masculinity.
The House Mars is in shows the specific area where you want to tend to invest energy. Mars is the Ego in action, an aggressive planet which causes divisions and splits between mankind, but is also the giver of courage and physical energy. In Mars we find great risk-taking, physical energy, and the symbolism of fighting, argument, hostility and hot-headed action.This house will also show where one is most dynamic, where men are encountered, and where one is confronted with issues of power. Battles are fought in this area. It energizes, stimulates, inflames, spurs to action, intensifies and aggravates.
Aspects to Mars show the way we use our energy and special talents for particular kinds of work.
A heavily afflicted Mars in a natal chart may give the subject impulsive or violent tendencies. Favorable influences may channel the energy of Mars more positively, into strength, determination and achievement, for example.
Mars represents athletes, soldiers and weapons, in fact any cutting implement, and so associates with surgeons and blood. It is a planet of boldness, courage, competitiveness and connects with violence, anger and murder. Mars represents passion, desire, energy, assertiveness, courage and initiative.
How Mars will manifest its energy, the force of life and creator of matter out of spirit, depends on the horoscope as a whole. The Sign (and its Element), the House in which if falls, and the Aspects to the other planets will all have a bearing on any interpretation. Mars represents drive and masculinity, as well as issues connected with sexuality and power. It indicates the work we choose and the way we approach it. Mars is strongly associated with the experience of brothers, the father and men in general. Where Mars is there is trouble, but also the fighting instinct to get on in life. Mars shows challenges and the ability to meet them bravely. Mars is also connected with the muscular system.
When a chart is receiving a Mars contact it will indicate that anger, motivation, or drive is being activated. The reason is enthused with an idea or feeling. This idea may plunge the reason into physical activities, to experience strong sexual motivation, encounter angry people, or even cause the person to be part of an accident.
MEDICAL MARS
Mars is known as the "lesser unfortunate", and Saturn is known as the "greater unfortunate", as both are considered malefic planets. The action of Mars is acute and violent, heating, inflammatory, and febrile. Mars rules one’s physical energy, expressed as either self-assertiveness and healthy efforts, or aggression and hostility. Mars actions include arousal, erection, and penetration. Mars diseases are traumatic, contagious, burning, blistering, leaving scars, pock marks, and disfigurements. They are diseases that arise from anger, frustration, madness, and wickedness. When Mars is well aspected, it shows a strong constitution, good physical endurance and independence. Natives under strong benefic influence are practical, handle instruments well, and make good surgeons and dentists. When unfavorably aspected, the native is prone to fits of fury, argumentative, and accident-prone.
Esoterically speaking, Mars, like the Moon, is one of the planets that loses its influence as spiritual faculties are developed. It is a planetary influence where its principal expression – anger – always brings reciprocal negative reactions of the worst kind. To better understand its influence in the native, the house location indicates the external conditions in the life of the native that needs spiritual development. The zodiac sign location of Mars indicates the body’s susceptible areas where the negative emotion of anger will raise havoc and disorder.
PATHOLOGICAL TENDENCIES: Inflammations and scars on the body parts ruled by the zodiac sign or house of its placement; alterations in blood chemistry, especially glucose, calcium, magnesium; geloses and myogeloses in muscular tissues; liver torpidity and congestion; genitourinary infections; hypertension and hypertensive headaches, migraine.
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY: Body heat, inflammatory response, adrenal function, formation of hemoglobin and blood clots, digestion of food, muscular activity, glycogen storage and liver function, genitals.
DEATH in CLASSICAL INTERPRETATION
Jupiter causes death through strangulation, pneumonia, apoplexy, spasms, headaches, and cardiac affections, and such conditions as are accompanied by irregularity of foulness of breath. … Thus, then, those who depart from life in the way described die natural deaths, whenever the lords of death happen to be in their own or in kindred natural characters, and if no planet that is able to do injury to make the end more remarkable overcomes them. They die, however, by violent and conspicuous means whenever both the evil planets dominate the destructive places, either in conjunction, or in quartile, or in opposition, or also if one of the two, or both, seize upon the sun, or the moon, or both the luminaries.
—Ptolemy Tetrabiblos (2nd century CE)
CLASSICAL ASSOCIATIONS
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Physical descriptions: Generally middle stature, strong bodies, big bones, more lean than fat; complexion of a brown, ruddy colour, or of a high colour; their face round, their hair red or sandy flaxen, and many times crisping or curling. Sharp, hazel eyes, and they peircing; a bold, confident countenance, and the man active and fearless. When Mars is oriental [east] he signifies valiant men, some white mixed with the redness, a decent tallness of body, hairy of his body. Occidental [west]: very ruddy complexioned, but mean in stature; little head, a smooth body, and not hairy; yellow hair, stiff, the natural humours generally more dry. |
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Associated Terms :
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Rulership by face (or decanate) :
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Nature: Masculine, nocturnal, hot and dry, choleric |
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Colors and odors: Red, yellow, fiery and shining. |
Minerals & Stones: Iron, antimony, arsenic, brimstone, ocre, adamant, loadstone, bloodstone, jasper, the many coloured amethyst, the touchstone, red lead or vermilion. |
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| People Signified:
Princes ruling by tyranny or oppression, tyrants, usurpers, new conquerors. Generals of armies, colonels, captains or soldiers generally; physicians, apothecaries, surgeons, alchemists, gunners, butchers, marshals, sergeants, bailiffs, hangmen, thieves, smiths, bakers, armourers, watch-makers, botchers, tailors, cutlers of swords and knives, barbers, dyers, cooks, carpenters, gamesters, bear-wards, tanners, curriers. Places Signified: Smiths, shops, furnaces, slaughterhouses, places where bricks or charcoal is burnt, chimneys, forges. |
Anatomy and Illnesses:
The gall, the left ear, tertian fevers, pestilent, burning fevers, migraines, carbuncles, the plague and all plague sores, burnings, ringworm, blisters, frenzies, mad, sudden distempers in the head, yellow-jaundice, bloody-flux, fistulas, all wounds and diseases in men’s genitals, the stone both in the reins and bladder, scars or small pox in the face, all hurts by iron, the shingles, and such other diseases as arise by abundance of too much choler, anger or passion. |
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Herbs, Plants and Trees: Those that are red in colour, whose leaves are pointed and sharp, whose taste is caustic, and burning; that love to grow in dry places, are corrosive and penetrate the flesh and bones with a subtle heat. They are as follows: The nettle, all manner or thistles, restharrow or cammock, devils-milk or petty spurge, white and red brambles, the white vulgarly called by the herbalists ramme, lingwort, onion, scammony, garlic, mustard-seed, pepper, ginger, leeks, dittander, hoarhound, hemlock, red sanders, tamarinds, all herbs attracting or drawing choler by sympathy, radish, castoreum, aresmart, assarum, carduus benedictus, cantharides. All trees that are prickly, such as the thorn or chestnut. |
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Manners when well dignified: Generally middle stature, strong bodies, big bones, more lean than fat; complexion of a brown, ruddy colour, or of a high colour; their visage, round, their hair red or sandy flaxen, and many times crisping or curling. Sharp, hazel eyes, and they piercing; a bold, confident countenance, and the man active and fearless. When Mars is oriental (eastern side, left side of the chart) he signifies valiant men, some white mixed with the redness, a decent tallness of body, hairy of his body. Occidental (western side); very ruddy complexioned, but mean in stature; little head, a smooth body, and not hairy; yellow hair, stiff, the natural humours generally more dry. |
Manners when badly placed: Then he is a prattler without modesty or honesty, a lover of slaughter and quarrels, murder, theivery, a promoter of sedition, frays, and commotions, and highway-thief, as wavering as the wind, a traitor, of turbulent spirit, perjurer, obscene, rash, inhumane, neither fearing God or caring for man, unthankful, treacherous, oppressors, ravenous, cheater, furious, violent. |
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“It is affirmed by Magicians, that there are certain tables of numbers distributed to the seven planets, which they call the sacred tables of the planets, …
The third table belongs to Mars, which is made of a square of five containing twenty five numbers, and of these in every side and Diameter five, which make sixty five, and the sum of all is 325. And there are over it Divine names… [and so forth]. These with Mars being fortunate, being engraven on an Iron plate, or sword, makes a man potent in war, and judgments, and petitions, and terrible to his enemies, and victorious against them; and if engraven upon the Stone Correola, it stops blood, and the mestrues [menses]; but if it be engraven with Mars being unfortunate, on a plate of red Brass, it hinders buildings, casts down the powerfull from dignities, honors, and riches, and causeth discord, strife, and hatred of men, and beasts, chaseth away Bees, Pigeons, and Fish, and hinders Mils, and renders them unfortunate that go forth to hunting, or fighting, and causeth barreness in men and women, and other Animals, and strikes a terror in all enemies, and compels them to submit. Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa: Of Occult Philosophy, Book II (circa 1510) |
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