Via Combusta

Sebastiane

What does it mean when the querant's significator is in via combusta in a romance horary? I know moon via combust is bad omen.

So I asked:

Is October a good month for X to contact Y?

Y (the quesited) is in via combusta Venus in 21 degrees Scorpio.
 

Sharla

Deleted as i thought this was regarding moon, i didn't read opening post properly.
 

Minderwiz

I don't use the Via Combusta in horary. Indeed it's not completely clear what the Via Combusta is. Most of those who use it seem to have settled on 15 Libra to 15 Scorpio but I've seen the odd definition that restricts it to Scorpio or is a little different in terms of start and end.

There appear to be two arguments for it as a dangerous area. The first is that a number of malefic fixed stars lay in between those points and therefore afflicted any planet travelling through. That argument would make sense but for one thing. Precession of the equinoxes would mean that those stars were now some 23 degrees earlier in the Zodiac. That would suggest that the new danger area is 22 Virgo to 22 Libra. So, unless you use a sidereal zodiac, in which case the original degrees would stand, simply treating the standard definition as the danger area in a tropical zodiac chart would be pointless.

There is also an argument from the zodiac of constellations (not signs) because Libra and Scorpionus overlap. The claws of the Scorpion extend into the area of the Scales. So again there is an argument for danger in this area and it does allow for the danger area to be in the second half of Libra and the first half of Scorpio.

There is a tropical argument for the Via Combusta. That is Libra is the Fall of the Sun and Scorpio is the Fall of the Moon. Personally, I don't see what qualitative difference the Via Combusta adds as the Moon is weak in Scorpio (both first and second halves). Why other planets should be adversely affected I can't follow. In the sidereal argument they would be afflicted but in a tropical one they are not. The only affliction could come from rulers being Saturn (Exaltation in Libra and triplicity ruler in a day chart) or Mars (domicile ruler and triplicity ruler in a night chart).

The only problem with that argument is that the same points could be made for Capricorn (Detriment of the Moon) and Aquarius (Detriment of the Sun) with Saturn as domicile ruler in both cases and Mars exalted in Capricorn the malefics are also present.

I had a quick look to see if I could find any reference to it in Hellenistic authors and so far I've not found one, even though there are detailed accounts of stars and constellations. That would suggest that the Via Combusta is of medieval origin.

So use your skill here. Go by essential dignity and ignore the[ I]Via Combusta[/I] unless you begin to see that it does have an effect (I've not noticed one).
 

Sebastiane

Sorry for the late response, but thank you for the detailed reply. I will take your advice.