Planetary Rulers of Culture

[sdi]

Classical culture was clearly the darling of the Sun—not only was Apollo the special shepherd of the Greeks, and not only was the history of Greek culture intimately tied to the history of Delphi, but so also were the highest things the Greeks honored Solar: youth, vitality, the male form of beauty, speech, self-expression, etc.

Our own western culture is clearly the darling of Mercury—simply look to the institutions we allow to rule us, like finance and media and medicine; or how we've undertaken to achieve universal literacy; or how we value technical knowledge for it's own sake above any practical use of it; or how we measure and weigh everything; or how we insist upon breaking down barriers between the sexes, whether socially or biologically; or how duplicity and self-interest is elevated to such a central position that not only is usury tolerated, it is mandated; etc.

Alas, I know too little about other cultures to continue or complete the set. Little wonder it is, however, that classical culture is a balm to those weary of our own (many horoscopes possess a combust Mercury, since It never strays far from the Sun), and that I have never really felt at home in either (having neither planet strong in my chart).