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Bibliotherapy

Charles-François Dupuis: From ‘Origin Of All Cults’ – About The Zodiac & A Few Useful Correspondences

A portrait of Charles François Dupuis,

by Louis Marie (dit Normand Fils), (Paris, 18-03-1789 – Paris, 10-05-1874),

published in the 1822 fourth re-issue of the abridged version of the ‘Origin of all Cults’.

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Today’s sharing from the Blue House of Via-HYGEIA, are excerpts from Charles-François Dupuis 1794 ‘Origin of all Cults‘, volume XI, part six-second division, section two; running from page 40 to 74. Dupuis in this sharing presents the zodiacal system, its connection to the seven planets and displays a few worthy correspondences. English translation from the original French by Via-HYGEIA.

Charles-François Dupuis (1742–1809) was a French scholar, philosopher, and polymath whose work represents a remarkable synthesis of Classical & Hellenistic Antiquity Wisdom. His encyclopedic writings, serve as an immaterial museum, preserving and transmitting a wealth of rare and often overlooked sources.

Dupuis meticulously wove together insights from classical antiquity, mythological traditions, and astronomical systems, creating a comprehensive framework that emphasized humanity’s shared heritage and collective wisdom. His rigorous standards of scholarship and fact-checking set a high bar for intellectual inquiry, ensuring the integrity of his work as a foundation for future generations. In doing so, Dupuis established a timeless repository of knowledge, uniting diverse cultural threads into a vision of universal human understanding and intellectual legacy.

We share with you a bit of context to understand Dupuis’s lesson about the importance of the Zodiac in our Western culture, as he will quote many authorities of the Classical & Hellenistic Antiquity, here in the ancient but evergreen voice of the Brethren of the East: ‘The Orphic and Pythagorean School, like other schools of the East, ideally divided the celestial sphere into two hemispheres, selecting constellations located near the celestial equator (which is the plane that cuts through the celestial sphere) as the 12 zodiacal constellations.

The disciples of Orpheus called these constellations the “Belt of Eurydice” or the “Ring of Orpheus” and attributed an allegorical meaning to them. The high priestess of the Orphic rites wore a belt adorned with 12 precious stones arranged in an order following strict symbolism. The clasp of the belt was a diamond, and the stone opposite it in the sacred space corresponded to a ruby. To the right of the ruby was an emerald, and to the left, a sapphire. On the right of the emerald was a topaz, and on the left of the sapphire was an amethyst.

It was said that when the great Pythagoras saw this sacred belt, he compared the 12 constellations to the 12 different types of precious stones. The face of the belt shone brightly, with the diamond surrounded by the ruby. This symbolism did not stop there, as it was also mirrored by the silk that surrounded the priestess during her ceremonies. The precious belt was considered as the representation of the “Belt of Eurydice” or the “Ring of Orpheus,” with the stones corresponding to the constellations of the zodiac.

Perspective diagram of the “Belt of Eurydice,” the Celestial Equator, and the Earth’s orbit.

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About The Zodiac

The zodiac is a circular band of the heavens, divided in twelve equal parts, of 30 degrees each, which are symbolized by twelve representations known under the names of Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, & Pisces. It is on this band, roughly 18 degree large which cuts the Equator in two opposites points, called Equinox points, that all the planets journey. The path of the Sun is in the middle and of an equal distance of the two sides that closes the width of the Zodiac. This path is called the Ecliptic line, because the Moon ought to be on this path, or in the point of its orbit that cuts it, for an eclipse to happen.

Because the Zodiac, or the circle of the twelve animals consists of the paths of all the planets, which, by their influence and their combination with the all-mighty action of the Sun, direct the Great Work of the plants, fate, and regulate the seasons, it was considered as the first cause of generation (see Ocellus Lucanus, ‘De Universi Natura’, or ‘περι του παντος’, ‘peri tou pantos’, chapter 2, paragraph 17) and it played an important role in the ancient Theology. It is in this very circle, that principally journey the soul of the world and of the Spheres; it is there it was subject of diverse metamorphosis expressing the diverse quality and the quantity of energy it was developing, and the different graduations its activity was modified, during the yearly revolution of the Sun. it is in this circle, that time was traveling as the God who gives us its most beautiful measure; this time, which main epochs were characterized by various symbols distributed along the twelve divisions; this time who was born out of the bosom of eternity, endless itself, because it will always be re-born; finite, because he begins and ends at each revolution measured by the Zodiac, and which in its progression is simultaneously creator and destructor, engendering and destroying everything. It is upon this path, that the god with the twelve wings was gliding for ever (See Clemens of Alexandria,Stromateis’ , ‘Στρωματεῖς’, ‘Patchwork‘ or ‘Miscellanies‘, book 5, page 53), who was sowing light and warmth which makes all of the production of time; it was him who was setting  ablaze this period with favorable and evil things, of the light and of the darkness, shared between them also with Ormuzd and Ahriman (See the Zend Avesta, volume 2, pages 10 to 96 and volume 1, part 2, pages 414).

Here is this famous life achievement, in which Kronos,  the God of Time, under the Roman name of Hercules or the Greek name of Herakles (See Athenagoras of Athens, ‘Legatio Pro Christianis‘ or ‘The Embassy for the Christians‘, Chapter 18), untirable hero, driving the solar chariot, who overcame twelve animals in twelve victories, distributed within the twelve stations of the Sun’s annual revolution. After living this challenging life, he would take his immortality back and his youth by becoming the husband of Hebe. Elsewhere, under the name of Osiris and Bachus (Dionysus), we saw him travel the Universe to make us love his might and benefit from his benevolence. In another fable, he ventures towards acquiring the ram and its famous Golden Fleece, which belonged to one of the Sun’s sons.

Here we can see a river, gushing from Aries or the Ram, Ruler of the twelve zodiacal signs, ceaselessly flowing between its fertile banks, upon which are rooted trees, called trees of life, producing fruits every months. Higher it is a luminous city which had twelve doors and twelve foundations, each supported by a precious stone.

In all these allegories, in all of the sacred poems and legends, describing Time and the Sun chaining him on his chariot, we are forced to always think back to the Zodiac, and to all the figures that are placed into all of its divisions. It is therefore, relevant to know the number of these said divisions and diverse denominations given to this fertile circle, the number of the various emblems that are depicted within, and the relationship between each of these divisions with other emblems, being outside of the zodiac, either by their rising or their setting. This is what we have called the theory of the Paranatellons. (A star or constellation that rises, above the horizon, at the same time as another).

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About The Different Names

Of The Zodiac

The Greeks called this circle Loxos, it is slanted because it cuts in a sloping manner the Equator; Zodiacon, or circle of life and of the animals that are representing its divisions. According to Aratus, they call it the roads of the Sun, δοδεκατε-μοριον, περιπολεσισ ζοδιον, dodecate-morion, peripolesis zodiou, the zodiac cycle in twelve sections.

The Romans called it Signifer; Achiles Tatius of Alexandria calls it ‘the circle that carries the signs, in which twelve images are spread‘. Lucan in his ‘Pharsalia’, chapter 10, line 205, calls it: ‘Varii mutator circulus anni’, ‘the circle that unfolds the seasons’. Marcus Manilius in his ‘Astronomica‘, book 1, line 263, calls it calls it ‘Arx Mundi‘,  or ‘citadel of the world‘, because it is in it that are concentrated the causes of the generation and the destruction within the system of fatality and influences.

Hermes, in the ‘Corpus Hermeticum‘, or ‘Poimandres‘, chapter XIII, paragraph 12, calls it ‘the great Tent‘, ‘Tabernaculum’.

The modern Egyptians or Copts, name these twelve signs, ‘the twelve towers‘. It was in in one of them that Danaë, Perseus’ mother, was locked up and it was placed in the first sign. Perhaps these are the towers that crown Cybele’s head.

The Arabs name them the ‘twelve citadels‘, or ‘the band of the twelve fortress‘, ‘Phalek al Barugi‘ or ‘Phalek al Burugi‘ and ‘Mintaka al Burugi‘-simply ‘Mintaka‘. This word ‘Burugi‘ depicts the word palace, in Persian ‘Khushk‘, in Latin ‘Arx‘, and ‘ πυργοσ'(Pyrgos) in Greek. They also use the words Nitac and Al-mantica.

The Syrians call the Zodiac, ‘Chudronutho de Malushe‘, ‘the circle of the signs’, or ‘the enclosure of the twelve signs‘.

The Hebrew and the Rabbis name it ‘the wheel of the signs’, ‘Ophan-Hammazzaloth‘; ‘the sphere of the sings‘, ‘Galgal Hammazzaloth‘; ‘the circle of the signs‘, ‘Igghul Hammazzaloth’;’the band or belt of the signs‘, ‘Ezor Hammazzaloth’. It is also called ‘יג לָאוֹפַנִּים–לָהֶם קוֹרָא הַגַּלְגַּל, בְּאָזְנָי.’, ‘As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing the wheelwork‘. The prophet Ezekiel in Chapter 10, paragraph 13, when he sees the wheels in the sky, uses this expression to designate the signs of the Zodiac and their movements.

In the early Medieval times, Martianus Capella in his ‘De nuptiis Philologiae et Mercurii -‘On the Marriage of Philology and Mercury’-attributes to the twelve division of the path of the Sun the name of ‘Hospitia’, ‘the celestial Inns‘. The Greeks called them ‘Houses‘,’σπίτια'(spitia). This name stayed with us until now. Aratus, in his ‘Phaenomena‘, verse 560 calls them ‘Moirai’ (μοιραων, μοιραι, fate, fateful). The very name the Greeks called the Fates that are presiding…to fate, of which the Zodiac and its divisions are its principal instrument.

We cannot doubt that besides the names and figures that we have talked about, the Ancients may have had many others to designate the circle of the Zodiac and its twelve divisions. This is why, in the allegoric fiction of the year as told by Aesop, the world is designated as a temple; the year as a column and the twelve months and the signs by twelve cities.

In the ‘Book of the Apocalypse‘, we also have the world designated by the name of holy city of Jerusalem, bride of the Lamb and Ram, first of the signs and gushing with a shining light. It is represented surrounded by high walls and with twelves doors. At each door, an angel is standing and each name of the twelve tribes is written of one door. There the twelve fruits tree could be found. That tree was producing one fruit per month. (See chapter 22, paragraph 2: ‘In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.‘)

We can also see that the Romans twelves altars were symbolizing the twelve months, designated by the twelve altars placed at the feet of the statue of Janus, or of the ‘genii locorum‘, genius of the Nation’- the Divinity protecting the Roman nation. He holds the keys of time and presides to the ceremonies opening the civil year.

We have seen the Zodiac, under other emblems and Kircher, in his ‘Oedipus Aegytiacus‘, volume III, in the section titled ‘Theatrum Hieroglyphicum‘-specifically in the discourse concerning the interpretation of hieroglyphs related to numerical symbolism-delves into the symbolic importance of the number twelve across various traditions, including Manichean beliefs. He cites Simon Joachites, noting his commentary on the twelve vases, which are emblematic within Manichean cosmology. These vases are often interpreted as representing the twelve realms or aeons in Manichean thought, each corresponding to different aspects of the spiritual and material worlds. He also talks about the Encampment of the twelve tribes of Israel and other mentions of the duodecimal division we have spoken earlier in our volume two.

All these examples are a clear indication of the mystagogical and allegorical genius of the Ancients in representing the Zodiac and all of its parts, under a plethora of emblems and denominations. It is impossible to gather in one place all of them, in their totality. The limited amount we shared is enough for us. Now, lets talk about the divisions and sub-divisions of this circle.

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About The Divisions

Of The Zodiac

As we have seen, the Zodiac is divided in twelve parts that are called signs, due to the figures that are represented in each of them and are indicative of their specificities. The names of the figures are Aries or the Lamb, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo or the Ear of corn, Libra or the Claws of the Scorpio, Scorpio, Sagittarius or the Bow, Capricorn or the Vases, Aquarius, & Pisces.

The Ancients, due to their great love for the number twelve (See Hyginus, book 4, chapter ) to which they related everything, not only gave to the Zodiac twelve divisions but also only twelve degrees of length-even though there are around eighteen. (See Martianus Capella, book 8).

Besides these divisions, there are many others that are more in the scope of Astrology, and of which we would not  bother to mention, if Astrology was not seen represented in so many monuments of the ancient religions. The knowledge of these distributions may come handy and useful for my readers, so i will delineate them now.

We divide signs between male and female signs (See Julius Firmicus Maternus, ‘Mathesis‘, book 2, Sextus Empiricus, ‘Adversus Mathematicos‘, book 5). The six males signs are Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, Aquarius. The six female signs are Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn and Pisces. We can see that they are alternatively male and female, or two by two. We can also observe that the Romans in the distribution of the twelve great Gods between the signs, had also six male and six female. (See Marcus Manilus, his ‘Astronomica’, verse 437).

Not only male and female sings were distinguished, but the parts of those very signs, and we can count 197 male parts and 163 female parts. From the first degree of Aries until the seventh degree, the male parts were placed; from the eighth until the twelfth the female ones; From the thirteenth until the sixteenth the males ones; from the seventeenth degree until the twenty-second the female ones and from the twenty-third degree until the thirtieth, the males one. Julius Firmicus Maternus, in his ‘Mathesis‘ gives the full tables of such sub-divisions. As they can be discovered in the below :

Claudius Ptolemy, in his ‘Tetrabiblos‘, book I, chapter 13, call diurnal the male signs and nocturnal the female signs. Some astrologers had determined the succession of the sexes, by starting with the ascendant; as others started to count the order of the mobile signs with the Moon, due to the speed of this planet. Others, again, spread them along the Zodiac in 4 parts, and they called the morning male signs those of the East point, or from the horoscope until the middle of the sky-those opposed to them as well. The six others, deemed female and night signs. More denominations were given to them, such as Fixed signs, Tropical, Common, four legged signs, bi-corporeal or non-bi-corporeal, etc…

Some signs were call Tropical, because the change of seasons was done there, such as Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. The fixed signs were called as such because those who follow them immediately, and in which the temperature of the season takes its consistence; such were Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. They were the ancient the equinoctial and solstitial signs. Common signs were given to those which, placed in-between the mobile and the fixed ones, were partaking of the nature of the ones and of the others. Such were Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces.

A short excerpt from professor Frank Egleston Robbins’ seminal  introduction to Claudius Ptolemy’s ‘Tetrabiblos’ in its 1940 Loeb Classical Library edition.

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A short excerpt from professor Frank Egleston Robbins’ seminal  introduction to Claudius Ptolemy’s ‘Tetrabiblos’ in its 1940 Loeb Classical Library edition.

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Signs were combined by triplets to all the winds that blow at each cardinal points of the Horizon. Aries, Leo and Sagittarius was attributed-the 3 signs of the Fire element-to the North wind, Aquilon or Boreas. Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn-the 3 signs of the Earth element-to the South wind, Auster or Notos. Gemini, Libra and Aquarius-the 3 signs of the Air element-to the East wind, Subsolanus or Apheliotes. Finally, the 3 signs attributed to the Water element, Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces, to the West wind, Favonius or Zephiros. Not only the four winds were given attributions with the zodiacal sings, but also every wind was given a sign: To Aries, Africus; to Taurus, Circius; to Gemini, Aquilon; to Cancer, Septentrio; to Leo, Thrascias; to Virgo, Argestes; to Libra, Zephiros; to Scorpio, Africus; to Sagittarius, Auster & Africanus; to Capricorn, Auster; to Aquarius, Eurus & Notos; and finally, to Pisces, Eurus. (See Julius Firmicus Maternus, ‘Mathesis‘, book 2, chapter 14).

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To the human body, correspondences were given, as such, from the head to the feet, distributed alike the Zodiac in twelve parts-each being submitted to a sign: Head to Aries, neck to Taurus, shoulders to Gemini, heart to Cancer, chest to Leo, belly to Virgo, the groin to Scorpio, the thigh to Sagittarius, the knees to Capricorn, the legs to Aquarius and the feet to Pisces. (See Julius Firmicus Maternus, ‘Mathesis‘, book 2, chapter 27). The human body represented the micro-cosmos, or little world, in opposition to the greater world, the macro-cosmos, to which it was submitted. These divisions were essentially useful for Astrological Medicine.

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The Zodiac had, below, human sub-divisions to which it presided; itself, it was divided into twelve universal divisions, the 12 Great Gods that were ruling these divisions. Minerva or Athena, who came out of the head of Jupiter or Zeus, was chairing at the head to the Zodiac, Aries (who rule the head of the human being). Here is presented below, in its due order, how this very distribution was made:

Marcus Manilus, ‘Astronomica’,

book 2, verse 439 to 447  English Translation 

This passage assigns each zodiac sign to a deity

based on their symbolic association in Greco-Roman cosmology:

‘Wool-bearing Pallas (Athena) protects Aries,
Cythera (Venus) guards Taurus,
Handsome Phoebus (Apollo) watches over Gemini;
Cyllenian (Mercury) oversees Cancer,
And Jupiter, along with the Mother of the Gods (Cybele), rules Leo.
The grain-bearing Virgin (Virgo) belongs to Ceres,
And the fabricated scales (Libra) are Vulcan’s;
The combative Scorpion clings to Mars.

Diana hunts her man (Sagittarius), albeit of equine form;
Narrow Vesta cherishes Capricorn’s star,
From Jove (Jupiter), Aquarius belongs to Juno’s opposing domain;
And Neptune recognizes his own in watery Pisces.’

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Half of the Zodiac, from the beginning at Aries, until Virgo was called the hot half; the other half was called cold. This distinction was presented in the Zoroastrian ‘Gāthās‘, Ahura Mazda, “The Wise Lord” (the ancient name of Ohrmazd, and used by Darius and his successors), was the father of the twin spirits— the Holy One (Spenta Mainyu) and the Destructive One (Anra Mainyu, hence Ahriman), who at the origin of the world made a choice, respectively, in favor of good and evil.  Ohrmazd, symbolizes light, warmth and goodness; while Ahriman darkness, cold and evil.

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One quarter of the Zodiac, starting from Aries until Gemini, is hot-humid, the season is spring, childlike and sanguine; the second quarter is hot-dry, the season is summer, it has the nature of  jaundice and bile; the third quarter is cold-dry, the season is  Autumn, it is the mature age and of a melancholic nature. The last part, the fourth quarter, is cold-humid, the season is Winter, it is the time of old age and it is of a phlegmatic nature.

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Distribution

Of The 4 Elements 

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Distribution of the Seven Planets

With The Zodiac Signs

The number of planets being inferior to the zodiacal constellations, five of them were assigned two signs for domiciliation, the zone where they are able to develop their might in the most energic manner. Astrology, which was mostly fused with ancient astronomy took great benefits in these double domiciliation. Their knowledge is necessary for the person who wants to understand the fables of the mythology. The ancients, convinced that the movements of these seven spheres cannot be achieved, without a harmonic concert being produced as a result. The Sun’s movements travelling the Zodiac was like a soul placing in each spheres singing intelligences, known as the celestial sirens.  (See Heraclitus Pontus, “Allegoriae Homericae‘, chapter 70).This ideas is found in Plato & the ancient theologians who placed the Muses in the Zodiac, as daughters of Harmony; these Muses were forming the procession of the Sun or Apollo, Ruler of Universal Harmony.

The emblem of the ship was used to represent the Universe. Seven pilots, figuring the seven planets, were steering its course. Streams of ethereal light filled that ship, and from there it spread into all the great  torches of Nature. This ship sailed in the sphere of the Sun. In the middle of it was the image of Leo, or the celestial sign in which the Sun has elected its domiciliation during its yearly journey throughout the Ecliptic line.

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Text Source

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About Charles François Dupuis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles-François_Dupuis 🌿 About ‘Origine de tous les Cultes’: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origine_de_tous_les_cultes%2C_ou_Religion_universelle
Charles-François Dupuis: From ‘Origin Of All Cults’ – About The Zodiac & A Few Useful Correspondences

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