CHAPTER XI

 THE GIRDLE OF VENUS, THE RING OF SATURN¹, AND THE BRACELETS³

 

These marks are classed among the minor⁴ lines of the hands, but they often have a significance that is of the greatest importance.

 

The Girdle of Venus is that broken or sometimes unbroken kind of semi-circular line that is found rising from the base of the first finger to the base of the fourth (1-1, Plate XX.).

 

I have not in my experience found this mark to indicate the gross sensuality that is so often ascribed to it by other writers. It should be remembered that the hand is divided by the Line of Head, as it were, into two hemispheres, the lower and the upper.

 

The lower relates to the physical or more animal side of the nature, and the upper to the intellectual. Following this arrangement, it is only reasonable to assume that this mark under consideration, viz., the Girdle of Venus, relates more to the mental side of the symbolism of the Venus nature.

 

I have found that persons with this sign are more mentally sensual than physically⁵ so. They love to read or write books on the subject of the "sex problem," but they are not inclined to put their theories and ideas into practice, at least with their own lives.[Pg 89]

 

The qualities, however, that this mark represents are much more active and dangerous when this Girdle forms itself from the Mount of Saturn to that of Mercury. The imaginings of such people are then morbid⁶ and unhealthy.

 

 

Plate XX. THE GIRDLE OF VENUS, THE RING OF SATURN, THE THREE BRACELETS, THE LINE OF

INTUITION AND THE VIA LASCIVA. Plate XX. THE GIRDLE OF VENUS, THE RING OF SATURN, THE THREE BRACELETS, THE LINE OF INTUITION AND THE VIA LASCIVA.

To those who study Astrology, the inference that[Pg 90] I draw from the connection of these two parts of the hand will become clear and reasonable.

 

When broken or made up of little pieces, the Girdle of Venus has little meaning except to show a hysterical⁷ temperament⁸, with a leaning towards the tendencies I have mentioned above.

 

These persons in all cases suffer enormously from moods, they are very difficult to live with, and when the Girdle of Venus runs off the side of the hand and passes out through the Marriage Lines, their moody⁹, changeable natures generally make marriage for them an unusually unhappy experience.

 

THE RING OF SATURN

 

What is called the Ring of Saturn (2, Plate XX.) is very seldom found, and it is by no means a good sign to have. It is also a semi-circular line, but found lying across the Mount of Saturn.

 

In all my experience I have never been able to come across any person with this mark who succeeded in life or was able to carry any one of his plans to a successful termination.

 

These people seem cut off from their fellow beings in some peculiar¹⁰ and extraordinary way. They are isolated¹¹ and alone, and they appear to realise their lonely position keenly. They are gloomy, morbid, and Saturnine¹² in character. They seldom marry, and when they do it is always a ghastly failure.

 

They are terribly obstinate¹³ and headstrong in all their actions, they resent the least advice or interference in their plans. Their lives generally close in suffering, poverty, or by some sinister¹⁴ tragedy or fatality¹⁵.

 

It is the most unfortunate mark ever to find.[Pg 91]

 

THE BRACELETS

 

The Bracelets (3-3, Plate XX.) are of very little importance except to throw light on certain points of health. There are supposed to be three of these lines or bracelets at the wrist, which were called by the Greeks the Bracelets of Health, Wealth, and Happiness.

 

It is certainly very seldom that they can be found together, for experience in life does not give much hope that these three much-sought-after possessions can ever be found together on this side of the grave.

 

Delving¹⁶ back into the ancient legends of Greece, we find one very significant point in reference to the first bracelet², the one nearest the palm, which represents Health.

 

It appears that at one period of the ancient Greek civilisation¹⁷ all women had to come to the priest at their Temple to have their hands examined before they were allowed to marry. If the priest found this first Bracelet out of its place and rising up into the hand in the shape of an arch (4, Plate XX.), he would not allow the woman possessing this sign to be married under any circumstance, the idea being that it represented some internal malformation that would prevent her bringing children into the world. In such cases these women were made Vestal Virgins¹⁸ in the temples. Perhaps the old Greek Priest was right in his idea, for if this first Bracelet is found rising into the hand in the form of an arch, both men and women possessing it are delicate internally, and especially so in matters relating to sex.

1 Saturn   

n.农神，土星

参考例句：

• Astronomers used to ask why only Saturn has rings.天文学家们过去一直感到奇怪，为什么只有土星有光环。
• These comparisons suggested that Saturn is made of lighter materials.这些比较告诉我们，土星由较轻的物质构成。

2 bracelet   

n.手镯，臂镯

参考例句：

• The jeweler charges lots of money to set diamonds in a bracelet.珠宝匠要很多钱才肯把钻石镶在手镯上。
• She left her gold bracelet as a pledge.她留下她的金手镯作抵押品。

3 bracelets   

n.手镯，臂镯( bracelet的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The lamplight struck a gleam from her bracelets. 她的手镯在灯光的照射下闪闪发亮。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• On display are earrings, necklaces and bracelets made from jade, amber and amethyst. 展出的有用玉石、琥珀和紫水晶做的耳环、项链和手镯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

5 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

6 morbid   

adj.病的；致病的；病态的；可怕的

参考例句：

• Some people have a morbid fascination with crime.一些人对犯罪有一种病态的痴迷。
• It's morbid to dwell on cemeteries and such like.不厌其烦地谈论墓地以及诸如此类的事是一种病态。

7 hysterical   

adj.情绪异常激动的，歇斯底里般的

参考例句：

• He is hysterical at the sight of the photo.他一看到那张照片就异常激动。
• His hysterical laughter made everybody stunned.他那歇斯底里的笑声使所有的人不知所措。

8 temperament   

n.气质，性格，性情

参考例句：

• The analysis of what kind of temperament you possess is vital.分析一下你有什么样的气质是十分重要的。
• Success often depends on temperament.成功常常取决于一个人的性格。

9 moody   

adj.心情不稳的，易怒的，喜怒无常的

参考例句：

• He relapsed into a moody silence.他又重新陷于忧郁的沉默中。
• I'd never marry that girl.She's so moody.我决不会和那女孩结婚的。她太易怒了。

10 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

11 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

12 saturnine   

adj.忧郁的，沉默寡言的，阴沉的，感染铅毒的

参考例句：

• The saturnine faces of the judges.法官们那阴沉的脸色。
• He had a rather forbidding,saturnine manner.他的举止相当乖戾阴郁。

13 obstinate   

adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的

参考例句：

• She's too obstinate to let anyone help her.她太倔强了，不会让任何人帮她的。
• The trader was obstinate in the negotiation.这个商人在谈判中拗强固执。

14 sinister   

adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的

参考例句：

• There is something sinister at the back of that series of crimes.在这一系列罪行背后有险恶的阴谋。
• Their proposals are all worthless and designed out of sinister motives.他们的建议不仅一钱不值，而且包藏祸心。

15 fatality   

n.不幸，灾祸，天命

参考例句：

• She struggle against fatality in vain.她徒然奋斗反抗宿命。
• He began to have a growing sense of fatality.他开始有一种越来越强烈的宿命感。

16 delving   

v.深入探究，钻研( delve的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He has been delving into the American literature of 20th century. 他一直在潜心研究美国20世纪文学。 来自互联网
• In some ways studying Beckett is like delving into Shakespeare's words. 在某些方面，研究Beckett的戯好像是深入研究莎士比亚的语句。 来自互联网

17 civilisation   

n.文明，文化，开化，教化

参考例句：

• Energy and ideas are the twin bases of our civilisation.能源和思想是我们文明的两大基石。
• This opera is one of the cultural totems of Western civilisation.这部歌剧是西方文明的文化标志物之一。

18 virgins   

处女，童男( virgin的名词复数 )； 童贞玛利亚（耶稣之母）

参考例句：

• They were both virgins when they met and married. 他们从相识到结婚前都未曾经历男女之事。
• Men want virgins as concubines. 人家买姨太太的要整货。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子