The Sun enters Libra III The Gyroscope (as named by Austin Coppock) at 4:24 pm EDT on 12 October 2024 — and remains there until 22 October 2024 at 6:15 pm EDT, making 10 days, one hour and 15 minutes. T. Susan Chang called it The Widening Gyre, referencing a poem by William Butler Yeats, “The Second Coming” — which itself wonders at how fruitless it is to stand against the frightening terrors of a pitiless future. when Fate can make empires crumble with the mere sound of a rocking cradle? The decan is also associated with the Tarot card, the Three of Swords — a reminder of how thoroughly we can brought low by heartbreak and regret.

The ancient Greeks assigned this decan to the ministrations of the goddess Nemesis, whose name comes from a word that means “the distributor of what is due.” There’s a sense, in this name, of the fulfillment of a debt or the delivery of goods or services promised and paid for. Sometimes this is a good thing — when you hire me for a consultation, be it a week or a month out, I clear my schedule of other obligations to deliver on that promise. And I don’t spend the money until I’ve delivered the consultation — because I want to be sure I can return the money to you if it doesn’t work out and we genuinely can’t meet, not only then, but ever. Sometimes what goes around, comes around again for other reasons — imagine my shock, many years ago, when a missing notebook of poetry was returned to me because a couple of eight-year-old girls found it in a bookshelf during their family’s visit to IKEA. I had left it there, in a city hundreds of miles from my home, while shopping for housewares for my stepdaughter’s first apartment after college — and they found my card in the back pocket of the notebook, and took a chance on calling me.

At other times, the return isn’t so kindly or so wanted, though: nobody wants their application to college or graduate school returned with a mark insufficient postage or to discover that essential documents like a passport or a driver’s license are missing in the mail. My mother still wakes sometimes, punching her thigh in frustration and anger over events that she felt she flubbed sixty years ago. Nemesis is not simply an enemy or a rival — it is our own retreat at past actions which have led us to the impossible situation we sit in today.

As I write these paragraphs, I’m facing some consequences of my own. Last winter my aging parents transferred ownership of an apartment in Florida to me; they didn’t have the skill or mental bandwidth to manage the property any more. Today, it’s in the path of Hurricane Milton — and there’s nothing to worry about any more: the local manager of the property has said they won’t go into the property until after Milton has passed by and the storm is over. Nobody is living there; the neighbors have all evacuated. I could fret about it, but it’s out of my hands. Nemesis will distribute to me what is due — and either there will be an apartment in Florida on Friday, or there will be a ruin. Or there will be something along that spectrum between hope and hazard — Nemesis will do whatever she feels must be done.

Today, we tend to say “my nemesis” and think about a specific person as a rival or potential foe. But a nemesis is much more than simply a person whose priorities and goals may get in our own way — it’s the idea of an anthropomorphic shape of Justice (or Consequences) taking a personal interest in our case, and bringing us low. A human being might be the agent, but usually it’s our own priorities and agency bringing about a result that’s both undesired and yet completely predictable. Oh, look, implies the modern meme, here come the consequences of my own actions, coming back to ruin me.

The traditional decan ruler of Libra III, for this reason, is Jupiter — the lord of expansiveness and law, and understood to be the indulgent father of dark-haired Nemesis. He’s inclined to give her whatever she wants. Accordingly we can understand our actions and the actions of others as being like a large rock thrown into a small pool, and setting up overlapping patterns of ripples and shockwaves in the water. If it’s an artificial pool, your stone may cause water to slosh onto the concrete apron…. or to crack the bottom of the pool and drain the water into the hillside below, triggering a landslide. The first is predictable and obvious; the second is a risk which may or may not come to pass, but is still a byproduct of your own agency. Nemesis, surely, stands in the shadows whenever we say, “Here, hold my beer and watch this!”

The dodeks of Libra III are Gemini, Cancer, Leo and Virgo — a sudden thought arising in the mind, followed by the emotional excitement of rushing in to do a thing, performing the act as the young lion showing off… followed by the analytical mind recognizing, whups, I shouldn’t have done that. So much of the risk of Nemesis is born in regret of past actions, and the anguish of conscience.

Planetary Archetypes

The Gyroscope of Libra III is much like a commercial bank that’s downsizing and going through another round of layoffs. The goal of the CEO and C-suite staff is to maintain essential functions for as long as possible, while also taking as much money out of the company as they can as they bug out to the Turks and Caicos or Cabo San Lucas as quickly as possible. Unfortunately for these would-be masters of the universe, they had the misfortune to attract notice… and the government regulators have shown up.

Jupiter, as ruler of both the Ascendant and Midheaven, is the disgraced bank president, “spending time at home with his family.” He would rather be in front of the cameras on the bank’s front steps, reassuring everyone; instead he is chafing at home, possibly with a locked ankle bracelet from the local constabulary — who may also have his passport.

Mars is the CFO, uncomfortable at home as well, drinking from a glass of bourbon, or maybe whiskey, neat — over and over again. Is the cup half-empty, half-full, or just right? Hard to know… the first bottle is empty, and the second isn’t looking too full right now.

The Sun is the chief government regulator, his non-binary/masc assistant Mercury in tow. Both of them are all too aware that they may have blown the possibility of criminal charges by their seizure of the bank — but at least the customers won’t be screwed. They’re both going to catch hell from the government if the bank doesn’t reopen Tuesday morning, but they’re prepared to work through the weekend to make things right. Hopefully, the bank’s books aren’t too corrupted to be useful.

Venus sits primly at her desk, the bank’s chief accountant and risk officer, and the probable whistleblower. She may catch a lot of flak for putting depositors and staff through hell — and she’s ruined the regulators’ long weekend, too. But alone of the planets, she’s in the most-favored position: she’s a triplicity ruler in Water signs, and she’s in her own decan in Scorpio. Everyone will do their best to drag this goth ice-queen with a head for numbers through the mud… but at the end of the week she’s going to be the only one with a career in finance. Her paperwork is in perfect order, she’s got a nice pile of documentation in front of her, and every single thing the regulators ask for is going to be no farther away than arm’s reach. She might be running the place come Tuesday.

Pluto is the chief representative of the depositors and creditors of the bank. He stands to make some money from the bank’s reorganization, but he has to make sure that the regulators see it his way. That means getting as many of the depositors to sign an affidavit making him their proxy in discussions. He’s got most of the paperwork lined up, but time is ticking. While he and the non-binary guy with the regulators seem to see eye to eye, the Sun seems to have his own opinions: and he’s the voice that really counts.

The Moon is approaching a trine with the Sun and with the retrograde Jupiter — while she and the bank president didn’t really see eye to eye, she’s got increasing sympathy for him and his leadership. These government dudes seem to be total creeps. She’s another candidate as a possible whistleblower… but she’s lonely, isolated, and none of her forms or paperwork are going to be satisfactory to the regulators. She’s got a text-message open and typed to Jupiter, but she hasn’t hit send yet — and the question is, should she cut-paste it to the Sun instead? If she can cut the right deal, she’ll be fine… but right now, things look ugly. She might need legal counsel soon.

Saturn and Neptune just showed up at the front door of the bank to do business today as ordinary depositors. They’re waiting on the front step, hoping to attract the attention of someone inside the bank, where there seems to be a lot of activity and discussion going on… but no actual banking. The ATM is shut down. IS this temporary? Is it a permanent state of affairs? Saturn is concerned, but isn’t yet willing to take action; Neptune is stirring up trouble on his phone, calling everyone he knows to tell them that the bank isn’t letting people have their money.

Uranus, in the third house, is another bank board officer, tromping around on the hiking trails and across the meadows in the landscape around the house. The rivers are in flood from all the recent rains, and he’s got a set of prayer beads in his pocket. Should he pray in these open fields and then go home or to see his cousins? Or should he throw himself into the river? He’s got a feeling that his old colleague Venus has set him up for a fall… but life is so very precious, and there is a life to lead after your career is ruined. Isn’t there?

House Meanings

The first house of self and self-presentation is Pisces, ruled by Jupiter from the square, and currently hosting Saturn and Neptune. Our own boldness and vision is somewhat reduced and limited by an awareness of our mortality and the genuine limits of our knowledge; we hold back from risk-taking, and pretend to more prudence than we actually feel.

The second house of wealth and possessions is Aries, ruled by Mars in exile from the square, and currently hosting the North Node. Household and familial matters put significant pressure on our economic well-being, and we desire to have more resources, no matter what our economic standing may be. We are aware of too many projects where we could put our attention.

The third house of neighbors and larger family is Taurus, ruled by Venus in detriment from opposition, and currently hosting Uranus. The issues of neighborhoods and extended family are in need of our prayers and devotion, yet we’re also aware of how little our prayers are able to achieve without action.

The fourth house of real estate, immediate family, and household, is Gemini, ruled by a combust Mercury from the trine and hosting a retrograde Jupiter and the Lot of Fortune. The mindful questions of who is in our household and community are top of the ticket; we have the ability to guide and direct our household matters with greater sovereignty than usual — but we also must lead generously and with open-handedness.

The fifth house of pleasures and hobbies is Cancer, ruled by the inconjunct Moon in Aquarius and currently hosting an exiled Mars. Matters of learning and ambitious goal-setting around our financial issues get in the way of having fun; are we restraining our pleasures, or indulging them too much? Either is possible, but rule-setting… rule-breaking… and the punitive consequences of these, all seem like enjoyable pastimes; yet the risk of injury from outdoing yourselves is real.

The sixth house of daily labors and sickness is Leo, ruled by the Sun in exile in Libra, and with only Jupiter providing support. A vast range of tasks is in need of doing, and your attention must be well-guided toward all of them, for the sake of your familial well-being and the needs of your household. Get assistance from those who dwell below your roof.

The seventh house of primary relationships is Virgo, ruled by inconjunct Mercury in Libra, and only receiving support from sextile Mars in exile. A primary partner’s overexertion or overstimulation leads to more trouble than enjoyment. It might be worth staying home and keeping the local hearth going, or letting things evolve naturally rather than setting and trying to keep an agenda.

The eighth house of duty and obligation is Libra, ruled by inconjunct Venus in Scorpio and receiving support from a present Mercury, while hosting a Sun in exile and the South Node. Focus on the ubiquitous tasks of odium this week; you’re at a disadvantage in managing them, but they will yield to your attack and deliberate effort. Don’t delay, fight against these forces in your life now — wait through the hold music and annoying announcements, ask to be bumped up to a supervisor when needed, communicate clearly with the officious officer of the agency… just remember not to talk to the police.

The ninth house of travel and higher learning is Scorpio, ruled by a trine but fallen Mars in Cancer, and receiving support from a detrimented Venus that’s also in her own decan, The Crow. Pay attention to what shines in the realm of your intellectual interests, and work with that material creatively. Go toward the places that stir your emotional cauldrons, but be cautious about sharing your enthusiasms with others outside of intentionally established spaces. With your chosen intimate partners, translate these insights and mental theoretic constructs into emotionally fulfilling dialogue.

The tenth house of professional roles, career and reputation is Sagittarius, ruled by an opposing Jupiter in detriment, and containing the Midheaven. You may get bruised in the interoffice politics of the next ten days but you’re likely to emerge victorious — in part because you’re willing to fight for what’s fair for all, and for everyone’s families, rather than just what’s right and good for you (you are willing to fight for fairness for all, right??) That doesn’t mean you can’t attend to self-centered matters… but frame them in terms of how it affects other people’s standing, not just your own. Tell stories that help people buy in, rather than just highlighting your own privileges in the waning firelight.

The eleventh house of friends, professional associates, local and state government, and acquaintances is Capricorn ruled by a sextile Saturn and hosting Pluto. Nobody should have to monetize their friendships through Kickstarter, GoFundMe, Patreon or similar services, but sometimes it’s necessary. Similarly, there’s a significant difference between contributing to the campaign of someone you know personally, and Venmo’ing someone you only know through the Internet a few hundred bucks, quid or Euros. Know who’s giving you money… and where yours is going. Get a sense of how you and your friends are building support systems for individuals in your orbit, too.

The twelfth house of obstacles, hidden foes, and solitude is Aquarius, ruled by an inconjunct Saturn and hosting the Moon in the Twenty-Fifth Mansion, “the lucky star of hidden things.” Your own reluctance to act can be your own worst enemy, but things are likely to work out in your favor. However, being overenthusiastic and thinking you’re invulnerable is equally dangerous. Keep going, but at a slow and sustainable pace. No need to rush in too fast where angels fear to tread.

Horoscopes

Decan I of any sign (usually covering the 21st of the month to the first of the following month) is free to all visitors; Decan II is only available to Patreon and Ko-Fi.com subscribers; and Decan III is available to Patreon, Ko-Fi, and MailChimp subscribers.

I recommend reading your Sun sign, Moon sign, and Rising sign for best results. I write them with rising sign in mind, but several people have told me they find that they do better with all three.

Colophon

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If you want to read some of my astrologically-oriented poetry, the largest collection is called A Full Volume of Splendor and Starlight, available through my Etsy shop, and containing poems and hymns to the planets, constellations, decan deities, and Moon Mansion angels. While not astrological, Festae contains hymns to some of the older Roman gods and spirits from the calendar created by Numa Pompilius, the second ancient King of Rome.

I use iPhemeris for my charting software, and screenshot it to make charts. I want to thank the team that develops iPhemeris for the addition of Terms and Decans to their charts. I also use Hugh Tran‘s Physis typeface to craft logos for this blog, as well.

I use Christopher Warnock‘s The Mansions of the Moon as the basis of my Moon placement delineations, and Austin Coppock‘s 36 Faces for much of my planetary delineations. Neither gentleman endorses me.