古典占星辞典 | Declination 赤纬

作者 | Rose chen | 陈红颖

这个英文字有下降、倾斜、拒绝之意,但在占星学的领域中,它更多的指是指天文学的概念,即是赤道坐标系统中的两个坐标数据之一,另一个坐标数据是赤经(Right ascension)。赤纬与地球上的纬度(Latitude)相似,是纬度在天球上的投影。位于北赤纬的星座(自牡羊座至处女座)在黄道上向北延伸,而位于南赤纬的星座(自天秤座至双鱼座)向南延伸。

占星的初学者可能会与另一个黄道坐标系统的黄纬混淆,实际上两种坐标系统所依据的大圈并不相同,前者是赤道(Equator),后者是黄道(Zodiac),而两者所形成的交点就是大家所熟知的春分点与秋分点。至于赤纬是平行与赤道的纬度,黄纬则是平行与黄道的纬度,而行星所在的位置在不同的坐标系统中自然会产生不同的坐标数据。

由於在古代占星學與天文學是同一件事,因此古代占星家也會把行星位於赤緯與黃緯的相對位置列入考慮來進行判斷,以下是《世界占星學I》中馬謝阿拉(Māshā’allāh)以蝕相盤論天氣時的內容︰

“Māshā’allāh said: If you wished to know the variation of the season with respect to the diverse things of the corruptible world, know the signs of the heavy planets (namely, whether they are hot or cold)……In short, know that the heavy planets, if they were in the direction of any of the regions, they will signify dryness and the sterility of the earth; but if they were elongated from it, they will signify a multitude of rains. By ‛nearness’ I want it to be understood that they are in northern signs, and by ‛distance,’ in southern ones.”

「马谢阿拉说︰若想知道随着季节的变换以及物质世界中各类事物的状况,可观察慢速行星所在的星座(热性星座还是寒性星座)。……简而言之,若慢速行星来到某地区,该区域会经历干旱;若远离,则代表多雨。此处的“靠近”是指在北方的星座,“远离”是指在南方的星座。」

[引自《世界占星学I》中马谢阿拉(Māshā’allāh)以蚀相盘论天气]

这里戴克博士解释到︰「马谢阿拉可能是指行星若在北赤纬(Northern Declination)的星座,则靠近北半球的适合居住区。南赤纬则离适合居住区较远。」不过有时古代文献并不会清楚说明究竟是赤纬还是黄纬,成为后代占星家解读时的一大考验。戴克博士编译的《占星诗集》,有一篇讨论月相、龙首、龙尾及其与买卖以及价格的关系就是这样的例子︰

“The Head is said to be rising, and its Tail falling, and the signs which the scholars call ‛the concealed’ are from Leo to Capricorn (and it is the region of falling), and from Aquarius to Cancer is the region of rising.

So, look: for if the Moon was in the region of rising, increasing in calculation, then one who buys at that time will buy with expensiveness, and an increase over the price it is worth. And if the Moon was in the region of falling, and she is decreasing in calculation, then what he buys at that time he will buy with cheapness, and less than the price it is worth.”

「龙首」被称为往上扬升的而龙尾则被称为往下堕落的。另外学者所称“隐藏”的星座是指从狮子座到摩羯座(也就是黄道上下降的区域),而水瓶座到巨蟹座则为上升的区域。

因此应检视:若月亮位于上升的区域且运行数据增加,买家将以超出物品本身的价值的昂贵价购买。若月亮位于下降的区域且运行数据减少,此时买家将会以低于物品本身的价值的便宜价购买。」

[引自戴克博士编译的《占星诗集》论月相、龙首、龙尾及其与买卖以及价格的关系]

这个例子中,原文并未清楚指出是黄道还是赤道,因此博士在脚注解释道︰「希腊名家赫菲斯提欧的《结果》所引用都勒斯的内容中并未提及赤纬而是指黄纬的高低与速度的快慢。因此此处有关月亮交点的内容是正确的,但若说它与赤纬相关的则是错误的(至少就都勒斯原始的内容而言)。」另外,戴克博士在《世界占星学》中,针对阿拉伯名家乌玛·塔巴里(’Umar al-TabarīUmar)对这段的引用也有以下说明︰「塔巴里的说法是不对的,在南赤纬的星座应该是从巨蟹座到射手座末度数,即与魔羯座的交界处,而北赤纬的星座则为魔羯座到双子座末度数,即与巨蟹座交界处。因此都勒斯应该不是指赤纬的度数」

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