Face

Traditional system of the faces

In traditional and horary astrology each sign of the zodiac is divided into three 10-degree sections, called faces, decanates, or decans. Each face has a particular ruling planet, so a planet has somewhat more "essential dignity" if it is located in its own face.

Traditional Table of Faces (Chaldean)

The Faces of the Planets according to Lilly (Chaldean order):

Sign	First Decan ruler (0 - 9.999 deg.)	Second Decan ruler (10 - 19.999 deg.)	Third Decan ruler (20 - 29.999 deg.)
Aries	Mars	Sun	Venus
Taurus	Mercury	Moon	Saturn
Gemini	Jupiter	Mars	Sun
Cancer	Venus	Mercury	Moon
Leo	Saturn	Jupiter	Mars
Virgo	Sun	Venus	Mercury
Libra	Moon	Saturn	Jupiter
Scorpio	Mars	Sun	Venus
Sagittarius	Mercury	Moon	Saturn
Capricorn	Jupiter	Mars	Sun
Aquarius	Venus	Mercury	Moon
Pisces	Saturn	Jupiter	Mars

Notice that rulerships follow a repeating pattern, the so-called "Chaldean" order of the planets: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon. This planetary order, in which the Sun stands at the center of the continuum, with the planets between the Sun and the Earth on one side and the outer planets on the other side, reflected the perception of the speed of each planet's Diurnal Movement as seen from the Earth.

Modern Table of Faces (Triplicities)

The decans and their rulers assigned as based on the concepts of Modern Western astrology (triplicity):

Sign	1st decan ruler	2nd decan ruler	3rd decan ruler
Aries	Mars	Sun	Jupiter
Taurus	Venus	Mercury	Saturn
Gemini	Mercury	Venus	Uranus
Cancer	Moon	Pluto	Neptune
Leo	Sun	Jupiter	Mars
Virgo	Mercury	Saturn	Venus
Libra	Venus	Uranus	Mercury
Scorpio	Pluto	Neptune	Moon
Sagittarius	Jupiter	Mars	Sun
Capricorn	Saturn	Venus	Mercury
Aquarius	Uranus	Mercury	Venus
Pisces	Neptune	Moon	Pluto

See also

• Dodecatemoria
• Essential Dignities

Weblinks

• Decans (Wikipedia)
• Traditional Degree Influences (a.o. according to term and face; Deborah Houlding, 2006)
• Ptolemy's table of Essential Dignities (Skyscript)