Valens on the Sun.

Vettius Valens of Antiochus

Anthology Book One

Translated by Andrea L. Gehrz

Chapter one---On the nature of the wandering stars

The all-seeing Sun has been created to be fiery in nature, as it is the light within the mind, and thus is the organic mechanism of the aesthetic senses of the soul.  It signifies the part within each native that is inwardly noble, the part within us that can take on leadership responsibilities.  The Sun is connected to the part of the mind that is employed in perceiving, thinking, feeling and deciding, which might be called “intellect”.  It also is linked to the part of the mind that has the ability to be wise and know things by experience, which can be called the “experiential mind”.  The Sun also influences the appearance of an individual and the way in which one moves his or her physical body.  It indicates the upper limits of luck in this lifetime, as well as the task of the native that has been ordained by the Gods.  The Sun rules the judgment ability, the identity among the populace, the kinds of things the native is inclined to outwardly participate in, such as the activities in life that could be called the “practical and business-oriented affairs”.  It signifies the avenue through which an individual might be apt to stand before groups of people and rule crowds in some capacity.  The Sun signifies the father or any other kind of “master” or person who rules over the native, while it can also rule the quality of people whom the native regards affectionately, such as friends and others with whom the individual seeks to continually rectify and unite seemingly discordant tendencies, which is the quality of existence that could also be called “camaraderie”.  It rules the public mask we wear in order to bring ourselves into honorable positions and the masculinity within us.  The Sun incites the desire to obtain awards and honors, such as a wreath or garland to be worn around a staph or chaplet.  In a sense, the Sun can be likened to part within us that is the high-priestess of our own fatherland...of places.  

Of the parts of the body, the Sun rules the head, which houses the perceptive faculties of the “aistheterion”, otherwise known as the “soul-senses-machine”.  It rules the right eye, the rib and flank area, and the heart.  More intricately, the Sun is the bringer of the vapor that is breathed in and out of us and enlivens the movement of the soul, and thus creates sensory perception.  The Sun rules the sinewy parts of the body such as the tendons and nerves, and they are the organs of sensation.  The Sun is itself gold in color, and thus it enlivens the fruits of grains and barley.  It is of the daytime sect and is connected with the color of a citron fruit.  In reference to flavor, the Sun rules tastes that are “drimus”, meaning tastes that are piercing and sharp, such as the flavor of foods that are striking.  This can include tastes that are bitter or pungent, such as the kinds of intense foods to also affect the eyes.