Chapter XXXVII Concerning the Mystical Wheel of Pythagoras and the Methods of Working It
This mystical figure is copied from a work in old French on Chiromancy and Geomancy, compiled by the Sieur de Peruchio, and published at Paris in 1657.
Arithmancy, or divination by numbers, on which the working of this figure depends, was much practised in various ways during the Middle Ages; and much confidence appears to have been placed in this wheel of Pythagoras, which resolves questions by a species of sortilegy by numbers, in which the result depends upon the unfettered agency of the mind and will, or the serious intent to know any difficult thing. The wheel is said by the old-world writers to be able “to resolve all questions on all matters upon the result of which the querent desires information, whether of the past, present, or future.”
Concerning the method of working it, the Sieur de Peruchio gives the following explanations:—
The wheel, it will be perceived, is divided into four equal parts, the upper part of which contains the numbers which are fortunate, and the lower half those which are unfortunate. Around the wheel are seen the letters of the Alphabet, above which are placed certain corresponding numbers, which are required in the calculations.
The following table gives the numbers to be chosen by chance (as will be explained further on) in working the questions:—
| 1 | 11 | 22 | 28 | 29 |
| 6 | 2 | 12 | 23 | 30 |
| 15 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 24 |
| 19 | 16 | 8 | 4 | 14 |
| 25 | 20 | 17 | 9 | 5 |
| 27 | 26 | 21 | 18 | 10 |
The inquirer, whilst thinking earnestly upon the matter he wishes resolved by the wheel, must choose a number out of the above Table.
This is better done with the eyes closed, and the number pricked out with a pin, so that there may be no premeditation in the choice. To this number, thus chosen, the inquirer must add the number answering to the first letter of his first name, which number is seen in the wheel itself where the numbers are above the letters of the alphabet. To this number must be added the number of the day of the week on which the question is asked and of the planet ruling that day. Then add all these numbers together and divide the sum by 30 as often as it can be done. Then look for that number which is the remainder in the inner circle of the wheel; observing in what part of the wheel it falls should there happen to be no remainder, then the number 30 must be looked for. If the question to be propounded should be whether anything about to be undertaken will succeed or not, should the number fall in the upper part of the wheel the matter will have a happy issue; but if, on the contrary, the number appears on the lower part of the wheel the thing in question will not be a success. In any question where time is concerned as, for instance, as regarding how long or how short shall be the matter in hand it must be borne in mind that the numbers in the right half of the wheel represent long time—that is, that the event about which the question is asked will be some time before it comes to pass; whilst those in the left half of the wheel signify short time—and so, whether for good or evil, shall the business quickly or slowly come to pass.
All questions are thus to be asked but one, and that is, whether a sick person shall recover or die; in which case, after proceeding to add the numbers of the Christian name, the day of the week and the planet, the number representing the Moon’s age on the day the question is asked must also be added; for example, if a person whose name is Veronica—asks on a Wednesday, 20th day of the Moon, if a sick friend should live or die, and chooses from the Table the number of 23, the matter would be worked thus:—
| Number chosen | 23 |
| Number answering to the letter V | 9 |
| Number answering to Wednesday | 102 |
| Number answering to the planet Mercury | 114 |
| Number of the age of the Moon | 20 |
| 268 |
This, divided by 30, leaves 28 remainder, which will be found to fall in the unfortunate part of the wheel, showing that her friend will not recover.
The following table of the mystical numbers representing the planets, and also those belonging to the days of the week which each planet governs, is of much importance in working the wheel:—
| Planets. | Days of the Week. | |||
| Saturn | 55 | Saturday | 45 | |
| Jupiter | 78 | Thursday | 31 | |
| Mars | 39 | Tuesday | 52 | |
| Sun | 34 | Sunday | 106 | |
| Venus | 45 | Friday | 68 | |
| Mercury | 114 | Wednesday | 102 | |
| Moon | 45 | Monday | 52 | |
These several numbers attributed to the days of the week, as well as those of the planet ruling the day, are of very ancient origin and are, probably, as well as the wheel itself, a relic of former traditional foreknowledge by lots and numbers.
There are certain days, however, which are evil days, on which no question should be asked of the wheel of Pythagoras. These days are as follows:—
Of January, the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 9th and 11th.
Of February, the 7th, 13th, 17th and 19th.
Of March, the 13th, 15th and 16th.
Of April, the 5th and 14th.
Of May, the 8th and 14th.
June has but one ill day, which is the 6th.
July has two, the 16th and the 19th.
August has also only two, the 8th and 16th.
September has three, the 1st, 15th and 16th.
October has only one ill day, which is the 16th.
November has two, the 15th and 16th.
December has three, the 6th, 7th and 11th.
This is a very old tradition, and in mediæval ages these days were universally shunned as “ruled by evil influences.” In conclusion, those consulting the wheel of Pythagoras are advised not to ask more than one question on the same day and to refrain from all gibing, sporting, or jesting, and—above all—from all unbelief whilst making use of this mystical wheel in order to know the truth.
ENVOY.
Go—little book—and teach the present age something of the wisdom bequeathed us by the Past.
Footnotes
1 The ambient means the heavens when spoken of in a general manner.
2 Saturn, Mercury and the Moon.
3 Aries is always opposite to Libra; Taurus to Scorpio; and so on of all the rest, as shown by the table given (p. 11).
4 The foregoing chapter explains this term.
5 The Chaldees averred that when Saturn was powerful in a nativity the person then born was “mystical and confederate in secrecy.”
6 This animal has been probably assigned to him by reason of its sagacity and extreme fidelity—constancy in feeling being one of the attributes given by the planet Saturn when well-dignified.
7 Zadkiel’s and Raphael’s are both good; the following figure is worked after the Ephemeris of the latter.
8 The nebulous mass in the body of the Crab.
9 Hyleg is the word used for that body or point which is the giver of life.
10 This was the case at the birth of George the Third of England; at that of the Emperor Paul of Russia; Maria, Queen of Portugal; Charles the Second, King of Spain; and Murad the Fifth, Sultan of Turkey; and all these sovereigns, as is well known, became insane.
11 At Admiral Nelson’s birth Mars was rising in the sign Scorpio.
12 Probably vivisectionists.
13 These aspects can all be judged from the Ephemeris of the year of birth.
14 And these secondary directions being so much easier to calculate, students are advised to follow the ancient methods in this as in all else relating to this old-world study.
15 Translated from a Hebrew manuscript found near Cairo in 1836 at the time of the removal of the obelisk to France.
16 Adda-Nari, Nature—that is, the deity known under the name of Isis by the Egyptians.
17 The date of this event would be determined by the place where the separation line crosses the Line of Fate.
18 If the Sun is one of the dominant planets, the Line of Heart broken under the Mount of the Sun shows serious physical affection of the heart; if this sign is on both hands it is fatal.
19 If the Head Line it placed very low, then the date where it crosses the Saturnian Line would be 30, and if the Heart Line is proportionately low the date where it crosses the Saturnian would be 45 years.
20 The noses of those born under Venus are frequently slightly upturned at the tip; they are never bent downwards over the lips.