4.10.2 Comparisons of the Western Zodiac, the Medicine Wheel, and the Chinese Zodiac

• Greco-Roman Zodiac: Libra; Cardinal, air, ruler exalted
• Zodiacal associations: Scales (Libra); stone, Tourmaline
• Roman Zodiacal associations:
  • animal is Elephant; plant, Aloe; gem, Emerald
  • color, Green; symbol, Balance, Scales
• Amerindian associations:
  • animal is Raven; plant, Mullein; mineral, Jasper; color, Brown
• Chinese animal associations: Cock or Rooster, Rat, Dragon
• Eck-Vidya associations - Parinama, Jasper, October, Neralit, Years of the Raging Fires

• Sanskrit name for this sign, Tula the Balance
• to Persians, Tarazuk the Scales; Greeks called it Zugos the Yoke
• traditional sign more resembles a yoke of an ox
  • rather than ancient balances for weighing, yet always understood as a scale
  • similar to scale of Maat, who weighs hearts in Egyptian afterworld
• Romans placed Vulcan, god of Weights and Measures here
  • the sign is ruled by his official spouse, Venus
• Venus is related to Maat, and Tanit (her Carthiginian counterpart)
  • also known as heavenly judge
• Tanit, to the Carthaginians, held the title of Astroarche, Queen of the Stars
  • and Astraea, the Lady of Justice
• Romans called her Libera, assimilated as consort of Dionysus/Bacchus Liber
  • worshiped together with him annually at festival of Liberia
• part of Tanit's symbol produces modern symbol of Libra
  • the name is a short form of her Punic - Roman Libera
• traces of the goddess's qualities and influences in Librans:
  • artistic instincts, love of pleasure and beauty; generally good-natured charm
  • also said to be jealous, impatient, subject to up-and-down mood swings
    • resembling a seesaw balance
    • sometimes overenthusiastic in rashly embracing new fads
  • may also imply lack of initiative
    • perhaps as it is an inanimate object rather than a sentient being

• Venus (see Beaver/Taurus)

• Libra; direction is Cardinal; masculine; air sign
  • ruler is Venus; exaltation is Saturn
• Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, and Hieroglyph associations
• body part - liver, kidneys; meridian - circulation
• alchemical, sublimation; tarot, Justice; geomancy, Puella
• weapons, The Cross; perfume, Galbanum; Genii, Siabul
• Egyptian Maat, Law and Justice; Greek Themis; Roman Themis
• Roman/Greek Juno, Goddess of Marriage
• Libra sublimates the ego and rules partnerships, co-operation, business
  • public relations, oriental studies, persuasion, justice
  • judges, counselors, socialites, lawyers, poets, politicians, officers