The Sun enters Scorpio III The Crow on 12 November 2026 at 4:17 am EST, and will pass through this decan for nine days, twenty-two hours and seven minutes, before entering Sagittarius I on 22 November 2026 at 2:24 am EST.

Austin Coppock named this decan The Crow after a myth involving Apollo’s golden cup. The white crow is sent to fetch the cup, which is so beautiful and alluring and reflective that the crow steals and hides the cup — but it belongs to the Sun God, and so its warmth and heat crisps his feathers black. It’s a reminder that a love of the shine and luster of wealth can lead us into difficulties, for sure. T. Susan Chang called this decan Mortal Beauty as she explored the links between this decan and the seven of cups — a card that Pamela Colman Smith painted as a showcase of earthly desires for fame, wealth, pleasure, beauty, occult and public power, and divine mystery. The dodeks, or twelfth parts, of Scorpio III are associated with Cancer of Scorpio, Leo of Scorpio, Virgo of Scorpio, and Libra of Scorpio. While the sign of Scorpio as a whole is ruled by Mars, the administrator of this decan is Venus; it overlaps with the Egyptian terms of Venus, Mercury and Saturn. Meanwhile, at least some of the natives of the Hellenistic era seem to have associated this decan with the Korybantes or Curetes or kouroi — three different names for the wild and dangerous masculine spirits of nature.

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Let’s start with the Korybantes. The Greco-Roman Nymphai, or feminine spirits of groves, springs, meadows that I wrote about in the column for Scorpio I seem to have been a standard feature of Mediterranean religion, folk practice and cosmology from the Bronze Age up to Byzantine times. But the masculine spirits that I’m calling the Korybantes were much more politicized, and had different names in different parts of the ancient world, and at different times. In some areas, like Sparta in the eighth through 4th centuries BCE and somewhat later in Rome, these male spirits were reduced to just two, Castor and Polyduces, sometimes called Pollux — the Dioscuri, or Sons of Zeus. The Dioscuri were so important across the ancient Meditteranean littoral as the defenders of sailors in particular and humanity more generally… and so important that James and John, two of Jesus’ disciples, are called “The Sons of Thunder”. Obviously, two of the apostles couldn’t be called “Sons of Zeus” — but there’s a bit of a wink and a nod that there might be a through-line from the hard-dancing korybantes to the more urbane and sophisticated holy physicians: protectors of humanity descended from the powers of the sky…. In somewhat later Christian times, by the 4th and 5th centuries CE, several temples of the Dioscuri were converted into churches to the physician-saints of the early Church, Saint Cosmas and Damian, who assumed the same places and feast-dates as Castor and Pollux had had before them…

In other places, like Crete, the wild masculine was celebrated as the Curetes, the spirits that guarded Zeus from his father Kronos while the thunder god was in his infancy. They danced a wild dance at the entrance to his cave on Mount Ida, clashing their bronze swords and spears against their bronze-rimmed shields, hiding the infant’s cries. In Phrygia, the central highlands of modern Turkey, as well as in Thessaly in the northern regions of modern day Greece, the Korybantes or Kyrbantes were associated with the ecstatic circle dances in which youths were initiated into manhood. In still other places, they were the kouroi, or “youthful men” — somewhere between boyhood and manhood, full of physical strength and sexual vigor, but not yet wise enough to command themselves or others.

Why didn’t all these different regions just know this class of gods by one name, like the nymphs, by one name? Perhaps because manhood always has been political. The Dioscuri were known as Castor and Pollux to the Spartans and the Romans as great warriors and the sons of Tyndareus, and the divine ancestors of the kings of Sparta. On the other side of Greece, though, other cities worshipped the Dioscuri under a different set of names, with different parentage and descendants and professional paths: same deified twins, and roughly the same ceremonies of worship — but wrapped in different identities. This tradition of honoring divine twins can be traced backwards in history into the Proto-Indo-European language family, and then back out again to other set of divine twins in other languages and cultures: the Ashvins of Vedic and Hindu mythology, the Alcis twins of Germanic legends mentioned in the Roman author Tacitus, and the Dievas twins that appear in Latvian and Lithuanian mythology. Every society with divine twins, it seems, figured out ways to cast a light on them that emphasizes aspects of young manhood that were desirable to that culture.

In case it’s not clear, we’re talking about patriarchy: the idea, not simply that “men are in charge” but that older generations of men have the right and responsibility to shape and reshape the identity of younger men in the direction of some preferred ideal, so that men continue to be in charge. It’s possible, in a world in which the divine twins are constantly shaped a to match men’s whims, to dismiss any young woman as a mere nymph: a nubile, gentle, and receptive girl who will eventually grow up to be a wife and mother. But young men, with a less-perceptible menstrual cycle, can be reshaped to what a society’s elders think is most needed: archers or artisans, cooks or cavalrymen, athletes or nerds, husbands or hustlers. The teenage boy who lacks role models will be turned into something by the wider culture — and by the priests who decide what and who the role models will be.

In other words, the way we imagine and worship the gods can have a powerful effect on who we become. Pick your gods, and your assumptions about them, carefully.

Dates to Watch

Uranus trine Pluto until December 14, 2026 — a course correction of your life usually occurs during this transit. It’s often the case that old lies and convenient fictions dissolve under the influence of this combination, since both planets stand as representations of the combined forces of popular delusions and crowd actions: Uranus acts as a signifier of the masses of “ordinary citizens”, while Pluto represents “the typical consumer.” In the harmonious trine, they represent the idea that winter holiday shopping may be more aligned than usual with the results of recent elections — with Uranus in the superior position, what people think may have substantial influence on how people shop, or which stores they boycott.

November 13, 10:54 am EST — Mercury retrograde ends — normal communications start to return, the time of revision and revisitation of old issues begins to end. Keep an eye on the issues of business, financial reporting, communication, medication, medical management, and expertise that arose in the last three weeks. You’re not out of the woods yet, but your communications may start to flow in more productive ways by Monday November 16. Private confidences may spill out in conversation with friends.

November 13, 7:27 pm EST — Venus retrograde ends — Your old flame is likely to give up on reconnecting; some old patterns that you kept spinning can be revisited and reviewed. It will soon be time to bring the juggling act to a grand conclusion, but not this week. Household issues may be cleaned up as familial boundaries and norms are mended; you can resume your efforts toward making a better home together.

Consider these three together, since November 17-18 can be a capstone to what you start on November 13-16.

• November 13-18 — Mars conjunct Jupiter — Don’t wait until New Year’s Day to start your 2027 resolutions to “get in shape” or “lose weight” or “build a better and stronger body.” Avoid the rush at the gym in January and start setting your habits for the post-holiday season during this six-day window. At the same time, don’t overdo it. If you’re starting as a couch potato, don’t put 40,000 steps on your pedometer this week; just get in the habit of lifting weights, stretching, and walking 2-3 days a week; set reasonable expectations here! Avoid getting involved in get rich quick schemes, though — Mars fires us up, and Jupiter expands beyond what the facts support: this program is nowhere near as good as it looks.
• November 17 — Sun square Jupiter — Pay attention to the ways you give yourself license to excess today. You may want or need energy, but do you really need that second donut? It will be easy to put the spurs to your own flanks today, or to join what my friend Irene calls the Society of the Helium Hand: volunteering for more than you can legitimately do. It’s also an easy day to take out the credit card and pay for everyone; but can your personal finances really back up that promise? Exercise positive actions with mild restraint; exercise negative actions with even greater reserve…
• November 18 — Sun square Mars — Today will test the validity of opinions you doubled down on six months ago, and the ego conflicts that arise regardless of whether you’re right or wrong. Resist the temptation to “Told You So!” but also be honest when it comes to eating your old words. There’s a likelihood that you’ll run a little hot and bothered. There’s no need to be assertive or aggressive unless the facts really call for it.

November 24 — Full Moon at 2° Gemini 20′, 9:54 am EST — The Fifth Mansion of the Moon, called The Little White Spot, is said to bring safety for travelers, teach useful arts and professions, and improves the quality of construction; it also bring about favor between spouses.It’s a good time to seek success from governmental officials (especially in the US, where people may want to clear their desks before the Thanksgiving weekend): hit them up first thing in the morning, or even the afternoon before.

November 25 — Mars enters Virgo, 6:38 pm EST — Mars passes from Leo where he’s peregrine, to Virgo where he’s a triplicity ruler of Earth signs. Mars will be in Virgo (including several weeks retrograde) into late February 2027 when he’ll return to Leo for a few months; he’ll be back in Virgo for May through July next year, as well. While we usually picture Mars as a warrior or soldier, in Virgo he’s the farmer driving the yoked oxen and defending his fields and flocks from bird, rodent and wolf — sometimes with scarecrows, and sometimes with scattershot and sheepdogs. Use act next few months to return to the work you’re farming, and do what you can to make it more productive. Consider the “science of the soil” — what micronutrients are missing from your environment that could make your endeavors more successful without you putting forward more effort? (Note that Mars retrograde sometimes brings old boyfriends sniffing around — like any farmer, you should evaluate both tameness and usefulness before opening the barn door for something unknown huffing and puffing in the meadow)

House Delineations

The First House of self and self-presentation is Libra, ruled by present but retrograde Venus. The Air triplicity rulers are opposed (Saturn), sextile (Jupiter) or inconjunct (Mercury retrograde). Keep your creative self balanced, but for you alone: your public persona must be fair-minded and loyal to your compatriots and colleagues, but sensible and inclined to prefer bargains over perfect luxury.

The Second House of money and possessions is Scorpio, ruled by squaring Mars in Leo. The Water triplicity rulers are square (Mars) or inconjunct (Venus, Moon). The Sun and Mercury retrograde are present. Financial matters and questions of resources are best addressed secretly, and with private rationality. Remember Marie Kondo’s question, “does this spark joy?” about your belongings, as well as William Morris’ dictum, “have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” Talk through recent economic decisions, but try not to weaponize them emotionally.

The Third House of extended family and intimate friends is Sagittarius, ruled by trining Jupiter in Leo. The Fire triplicity rulers are trine (Saturn, Jupiter) or inconjunct (Sun). The Moon is present, in the 21st Mansion of the Moon called The City. Your closest supporters may be going through a rough patch, and there’s not much you can do besides stand and watch with sympathy. Long-term travel or argument or emotional distance may be dividing couples; ambitions may be sending confidants in new directions; construction projects are being done well but slowly. When the disaster is complete you can step in and help, but this is not the time to rush into a collapse.

The Fourth House of home, household, and parents is Capricorn, ruled by squaring Saturn retrograde and exiled. The Earth triplicity rulers are square (Venus) or inconjunct (Mars, Moon). The Lunar Apogee is present. Long-standing rules in your household are up for debate and review; your most significant other is likely to be less than pleased, but it would be hard to deny that change is needed. Divide the big issues into smaller chunks, but recognize that the roof and walls protect nothing if there isn’t some love within them.

The Fifth House of pleasures and pastimes is Aquarius, ruled by sextile but exiled and retrograde Saturn. The Air triplicity rulers are sextile (Saturn), opposed (Jupiter) and square (Sun). Pluto is present, as is the North Node. Obscure knowledge brings joy to your children and may save one of your pastime projects, but recognize that expensive tools are unlikely to untangle the snarl if you haven’t got the skill to use them. Any sort of entertainment or hobby can overtake its budget. How can you use what you have to make something worthy?

The Sixth House of daily routines, pets, and injuries is Pisces, ruled by inconjunct Jupiter in Leo. The Water triplicity rulers are inconjunct (Mars, Venus) or square (Moon). Getting stuff done on a daily basis will be hard this week; the usual routines are likely to be disrupted or more difficult than normal; commutes may involve detours or delays; key subordinates may be unavailable or less reliable than usual; and yes, you really have to explain this, One More TIme™. There will be mandatory celebrations that you wish you could avoid attending.

The Seventh House of spouse, peer partners, and rivals is Aries, ruled by trining Mars in Leo. The Fire triplicity rulers are trine (Jupiter), present (Saturn retrograde and exiled), or inconjunct (Sun). Neptune is also present. Contention is likely to arise between your spouse or significant other and your wider circle of friends; the confidentiality of couples may be breached in ugly ways, unless you revisit and re-envision your assumptions about what your relationship is supposed to look like, both to one another inside of it, and to outsiders. Certain fires are banked, but sparks still fly.

The Eighth House of obligation, duty and legacy is Taurus, ruled by inconjunct Venus in Libra. The Earth triplicity rulers are square (Mars) or inconjunct (Venus, Moon). Duties, obligations and chores tend to be regular, steady, hands-on, and practical. Don’t get a stiff neck about doing the work (you can go to Tosche Station and waste time with your friends when your chores are done). You can luxuriate in frustration and make them take longer than usual — or you can pull your weight and get things done early.

The Ninth House of higher learning and long-distance travel is Gemini, ruled by inconjunct Mercury retrograde in Scorpio. The Air triplicity rulers are sextile (Saturn, Jupiter) or inconjunct (Mercury). Uranus retrograde is present. You may find yourself learning new skills this week with the manual or textbook in one hand, and a screwdriver or soldering iron in the other, your Instagram ring-light focused on task instead of your face. Try not to travel long distances alone: take a significant other or a work colleague or friend with you.

The Tenth House of career and professional reputation is Cancer ruled by the inconjunct Moon. The Water triplicity rulers are square (Venus) or inconjunct (Mars, Moon). The Lunar Perigee is present. It’s a week of working by the book and with compartmentalized information or materials. You’re going to be mostly on your own, and people may respect you for all that you’ve got on your plate, but this is stuff you’ll have to keep under your hat — there’s very little that you’ll be able to ask for help with, but judicious stamp of your personal brand and commitment to quality will be impressed onto all that you do in the workplace this week: be as professional as possible (and remember to dress for success, too).

The Eleventh House of friends, associates, and allies is Leo, ruled by squaring Sun in Scorpio. The Fire triplicity rulers are present (Jupiter), trine (Saturn) or square (Sun). Mars is also present. Your wider circle of friends, allies, work colleagues and acquaintances are likely going through a fair range of challenges these days, and attempting to muster support to their cause through loud actions and louder alarms. It may be wise to look to what their spouses are doing, and what your own financial implications might be, before you step in to help them; and even then, you may want to check in with a significant partner in your life that you know is going to say “NO” — it’s not that you need to hear that NO, but you have to understand the why of that NO.

The Twelfth House of both obstacles and opportunities is Virgo, ruled by sextile Mercury retrograde in Scorpio. The Earth triplicity rulers are square (Moon) or inconjunct (Mars, Venus). The quality of your long-term analysis of the situation is likely to improve over the course of the next ten days, especially if you’re using the last six months to try to understand the next six. Focus your attention on the more hidden or secret parts of your financial situation. Try to avoid committing to any big capital expenses until after American Thanksgiving (November 26).

Horoscopes by Rising Sign

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.

Libra: Mind your mouth with your friends this week, and keep an eye on your bank account while out antiquing or visiting your preferred kinds of toy shops. It’s easy to make generosity your personal brand this week, or to take some whimsical object into your life as Your New Thing™. Recognize that you cannot buy your way into a new identity, though; and your friend’s problems won’t be solved by paying for their dinner, either. It will be tempting to put off some conversations with a spouse or significant other, but what you put off now is likely to arise again before the middle of January.

Scorpio: I feel like I’m always telling you to keep your mind on your money and resources, but it’s especially true this week when it may feel like you keep discovering things for sale — clothes, books, jewelry, tools — that will serve to accessorize and express and display your identity to all and sundry. However, the astrology of the next ten days offers a different perspective, that maybe you could spend more time on doing what must be done in your workplace and in your personal projects; and more money spending for the people you live with rather than yourself. You’re good at creating a future for yourself, and this is a stretch of time when your creativity can help you learn to kickstart your success in the workplace, as well as bring home the bacon.

Sagittarius: This week starts off with a sense of suffered loneliness: metaphorically in the middle of a city, yet ignored in the crowd. You have some important long-term planning to do, which involves gathering the right resources to yourself, and learning how to communicate what you’ve already done to the people who will help you with the next stage. You may express to others that you’re overwhelmed with responsibilities, but you have some learning to do when it comes to what your real work ought to be. Sometimes you have to choose to pick up the hammer (or pen or other tool), and sometimes wait patiently. A friend’s drama ceases spilling into your own life one day quite soon, but a spouse or significant other may take issue with the way you approach your partnership. Hobbies and pastimes run into roadblocks and limitations that interfere with intentions.

Capricorn: Household matters are highlighted this week. A few of your usual rules or customs are not working, though it brings a certain peace to do it the way the most intolerant person in the family expects things to be done. A visitor may be able to shine light on this problem most clearly, and bring essential clarity to force change, though probably not without argument. Expect a good deal of upset around even very minor shifts in routine; it may be wise to have a pre-planned “walk around the block” to help bring the tone of an argument down. Better yet, walk side by side and find a solution together rather than arguing across the table. The goal here should be to keep things moving rather than reach a stalemate. At the same time recognize that you don’t want to overflow someone else’s buffer: deal with small issues first rather than putting every possible option into negotiation.

Aquarius: Anton Ego, the critic from the Disney movie Ratatouille, in his final review, says “we thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read.” You may find yourself reaching for criticism this week as either a pastime or a posture during your free moments, and directing it at the work of people you otherwise love or whose company you enjoy. Take a step back, pause, loosen the attitude, and remember the rest of that review, reminding us that acts of creation are often more meaningful than the critical words cast at them. You have a powerful ability yourself this week to assemble beautiful components into something more praiseworthy — and you can learn more from attempting to create your own loveliness and failing, than you can by criticizing someone else’s similar efforts to do the same.

Pisces:Why me? and Why now? may be the partial refrain of this coming week, as you find yourself picking up pieces of your own life as well as the lives of friends and allies who have dropped the ball or otherwise made a mess of plans. Expected resources are delayed, or paychecks redirected from planned activities; professional opportunities seem to require that you fix past mistakes as well as put effort into new enterprises. The emotional turmoil may cause you to vent frustrations at people who don’t deserve it — or who do but can make trouble for you in return. Instead, turn your attention to gathering and harmonizing the range of chores that fall on you; make peace with at least two partners, one at home and one in the workplace, to divide what only you can do from what you can delegate. Then proceed cautiously: home is where helpful hands require the most supervision.

Aries: Partnership and its challenges and visions, as well as its delights and expectations, are likely to be much on your mind this coming week. If you can say, “I am someone’s partner,” you may find yourself overshadowed by their needs and expectations this week, even while they’re trying to support you and your extracurricular activities. However, you may find (or believe) that your own needs and expectations don’t get similar treatment, even if those needs support your professional life either in the work place or with colleagues, clients and vendors. It’s worth asking if the partnership is the problem, or your pastimes? I don’t mean to suggest that you should abandon your hobbies, mind you — but if the current plan is that your spouse or significant other Is deeply invested in helping you in your free time, that should be reviewed. on the Other Hand, if you can say, “I am no one’s partner,” you may find yourself deeply wanting and even needing an ally this week, precisely because there are things you want to do that you can’t without a friend or colleague or ally — and you’re going to have to own that. Sometimes it’s a chore and a wearyingly difficult thing to ask for help, or a companion for an upcoming event. But if you don’t ask, you don’t get: It’s time to widen your circle of acquaintances,, allies, and yes, friends that can be your chosen family.

Taurus: You may have a deer in the headlights moment or two this coming week, as important allies and partners remind you of elements of your to-do list or regular routines that you forgot or neglected. It’s not that you meant to avoid doing the thing, it just slipped your mind. More than usual, you may find that you benefit from keeping task lists and grocery items, and traveling with a date book rather than trusting everything to your phone. Household disruptions may occur, too, especially if you’re expecting company for dinner (or even if you’re not, needing to put something on for someone unexpected). If you must do any long-term planing, try to do it in short bursts rather than filling up all of next month in a single sitting. Your job may feel more outsized than usual, but you’ll have to loosen connections there to deal with family matters at home.

Gemini: Adjustments in scheduling and planning may take a few more days, but be alert to what isn’t on the calendar but is still important. Are you up-to-date on friends’ birthday plans? The audit team’s arrival? There are things you know about but haven’t earmarked in shared news, and that’s where these last days f Mercury retrograde may bite. Keep your finances on an even keel this week and stay within usual spending patterns. A close family member’s situation may require your leadership and coordination, but be cautious about committing too many of your resources to the problem. There are choices to be made about household fixes, and they’re easy to prioritize now; choose before it’s chosen for you. Finish up something that makes you feel contentment and brings aesthetic relief, but don’t hire someone to do it for you. Establish boundaries when allies talk smack about their own partners — or yours —but you can count on some of those boundaries being permeable.

Cancer: Leadership in the workplace often means that challenging tasks get put in your in-box, often during your time away from your desk. Know that all these suddenly appearing tasks are well within your capacities, and people wouldn’t give them to you if you didn’t know how to strip a problem down to its bones and rebuild it completely. If you’re having financial difficulties, don’t expose them to your social circle; if your friends expose their own financial troubles, identify your own shortcomings before daring to offer them any advice. Long-term learning processes and holiday travel plans may be somewhat upended this week, but let the events on offer dictate how you respond to extended familial circles. If you’ve expressed some secret desires to romantic or intimate partners recently, you might want to speed up the process of trying them out. Be wary of critiquing a partner’s performance on their usual obligations, but notice if they’re getting the balance of work and play out of whack.

Leo: Aren’t you the social butterfly this week? If you’ve got a full schedule seeing friends or making the rounds among your business clients and vendors, be alert on both the transits between, and the subtext during, these various visits. If you’re not booked up with engagements, it’s time to get out your phone and start filling the calendar. This is your path of power this week, but walking it is on you — even though the natural and obvious desire is to stay at home and make people come to you! A home dinner party is acceptable, but it has to be less intimate than you and a single romantic intendant.. show off your collection of friends to each other, please. And, if you are out of the house or on any sort of journey, whether spiritual pilgrimage or making discoveries in library or laboratory — recognize that this is a week for setbacks, delays, detours, and delusions: your Eureka! may turn out to be Errata instead: double-check your data before you publish.

Virgo: Pick your future projects with care this week: preferably by looking at what brought in money, what pleased your inner circle of friends and family, and what kinds of work brought you happiness in the past. It will be easy to collect the necessary components, elements and personnel required for your long-term endeavors, but be assured that assembling them is likely to bring trouble that’s almost certain to return in the summer of 2027: choose good trouble that you know is worth doing rather than repetitive labor. A financial issue is likely to resolve in your favor, but keep pressing on the question rather than waiting for someone else to solve it. Past secrets are likely to come out inadvertently, so it’s worth consciously informing folks to put your own spin on it. No matter how hard you try, some particularly odious role or task is going to stay on your list for now.

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.