Born this Way: Ptolemy, Tetrabiblos / Almagest 3.14

NOTE: Although this passage uses binary thinking, conflates gender and sexuality, and often uses offensive stereotypes, it is nevertheless an important text in the study of gender and sexuality, as it shows that ancient scientists not only acknowledged that same-sex desire was a natural phenomenon, but also explored possible reasons behind it.  In this passage, the scientist Ptolemy sees a link between astrological horoscopes and sexual identity. 

 

Name: Ptolemy Date: 100 – 170 CE Region: Alexandria [modern Egypt] Citation:  Tetrabiblion [Almagest] 3.14

 

Regarding [gender inversions]: Just like stated in the previous chapter, the most extreme cases are particularly evident in sexual roles, both masculine and feminine, which are not heteronormative. This information can be broken down and analyzed just like we did in the previous chapter, but now we’re looking at the sun and the moon, not Mercury, and their course in relationship with Mars and Venus.

When you notice that all of the heavenly bodies are falling under masculine signs of the Zodiac, then men will be extra-manly, but women will be excessively manly and athletic in their souls. But if Mars and Venus are also present (or both) are in the masculine house, then men become excessively lustful, insatiable, adulterous, and do inappropriate activity, while women will seek romantic activity beyond what is healthy. They will have a roaming eye, and become lesbians, for they love women, just like men do.  If only Venus is in a masculine house, they act this way discreetly, but if Mars is also in the masculine house, they act flagrantly and openly have women they call their lawful wives.

On the other hand, when these heavenly bodies are in the feminine house, then women act extra-womanly, but men will be lusty beyond what is healthy, and their souls become soft and womanly. If Venus is also in the feminine house, then women become adulterous and lusty beyond what is healthy, and they may seek any type of relationship, date anyone whatsoever, never remaining single. Even if it is shameful or against the law, they will engage in that romantic activity. Men however, will be gay and unmanly, acting womanly, seeking relationships that are not heteronormative, seeking to be a man’s boyfriend, but secretly and discreetly. However, if Mars is also in the feminine house, they act flagrantly and openly have sexual activity with men in any manner. 

ἡ δὲ περὶ τὸ παθητικόν, κατ̓ αὐτὸ πάλιν τὸ ἐξαίρετον θεωρουμένη, καταφαίνεται μάλιστα περὶ τὰς κατ̓ αὐτὸ τὸ γένος τοῦ ἄρρενος καὶ θήλεως ὑπερβολὰς καὶ ἐλλείψεις τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν, διαλαμβάνεται δὲ ἐπισκεπτικῶς κατὰ τὸν ὅμοιον τῷ προκειμένῳ τρόπον, τοῦ ἡλίου μέντοι μετὰ τῆς σελήνης ἀντὶ τοῦ Ἑρμοῦ παραλαμβανομένου καὶ τῆς τοῦ Ἄρεως σὺν τῷ τῆς Ἀφροδίτης πρὸς αὐτοὺς συνοικειώσεως: τούτων γὰρ οὕτως ὑπ̓ ὄψιν πιπτόντων, ἐὰν μὲν μόνα τὰ φῶτα ἐν ἀρρενικοῖς ᾖ ζῳδίοις, οἱ μὲν ἄνδρες ὑπερβάλλουσι τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν, αἱ δὲ γυναῖκες τοῦ παρὰ φύσιν πρὸς τὸ ἔπανδρον ἁπλῶς τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ δραστικώτερον: ἐὰν δὲ καὶ ὁ τοῦ Ἄρεως ἢ καὶ ὁ τῆς Ἀφροδίτης ἤτοι ὁπότερος ἢ καὶ ἀμφότεροι ὦσιν ἠρρενωμένοι, οἱ μὲν ἄνδρες πρὸς τὰς κατὰ φύσιν συνουσίας γίνονται καταφερεῖς καὶ μοιχικοὶ καὶ ἀκόρεστοι καὶ ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ πρόχειροι πρός τε τὰ αἰσχρὰ καὶ τὰ παράνομα τῶν ἀφροδισίων: αἱ δὲ γυναῖκες πρὸς τὰς παρὰ φύσιν ὁμιλίας λάγναι καὶ ῥιψόφθαλμοι καὶ αἱ καλούμεναι τριβάδες: διατιθέασι δὲ θηλείας, ἀνδρῶν

Plurime igitur species infirmitatum in agente parte animae contingentium sunt hae quas praediximus, quae secundum naturam suam generaliter per huiusmodi qualitates adveniant. Differentiae vero quae proprie in parte recipiente dispositionem accidunt, in augmento ac diminutione rerum naturalium masculinis & feminininis apparebunt, ad quarum prognosticationem illa via quae praedictae viae assimilantur, perveniemus. Post quam Luna Solem quemadmodum ibi cum Luna Mercurium posuerimus, et Veneris ac Martis ad ipsos similitudinem observaverimus. Post horum igitur explanationem ostendemus, quod si sola luminaria in signis masculinis fuerint, ea quae sibi naturalia sunt viri nimis exercebunt. Mulieres autem quae sibi contra naturam sunt nimium operabuntur, et quae sibi naturalia sunt in vires & masculinitatem animae convertenetur. Item si Mars & Venus vel eorum alter masculinus fuerit, in naturalibus rebus

ἔργα ἐπιτελοῦσαι. κἂν μὲν μόνος ὁ τῆς Ἀφροδίτης ἠρρενωμένος ᾖ, λάθρα καὶ οὐκ ἀναφανδόν: ἐὰν δὲ καὶ ὁ τοῦ Ἄρεως, ἄντικρυς ὥστε ἐνίοτε καὶ νομίμας ὥσπερ γυναῖκας τὰς διατιθεμένας ἀναδεικνύειν. Τὸ δ̓ ἐναντίον, τῶν φωτῶν κατὰ τὸν ἐκκείμενον σχηματισμὸν ἐν θηλυκοῖς ζῳδίοις ὑπαρχόντων μόνων, αἱ μὲν γυναῖκες ὑπερβάλλουσι τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν, οἱ δὲ ἄνδρες τοῦ παρὰ φύσιν, πρὸς τὸ εὔθρυπτον καὶ τεθηλυσμένον τῆς ψυχῆς: ἐὰν δὲ καὶ ὁ τῆς Ἀφροδίτης ᾖ τεθηλυσμένος, αἱ μὲν γυναῖκες καταφερεῖς τε καὶ μοιχάδες καὶ λάγναι γίνονται πρὸς τὸ διατίθεσθαι κατὰ φύσιν ἐν παντί τε καιρῷ καὶ ὐπὸ παντὸς οὑτινοσοῦν, ὡς μηδενὸς ἁπλῶς, ἐάν τε αἰσχρὸν ᾖ, ἐάν τε παράνομον, ἀπέχεσθαι τῶν ἀφροδισίων: οἱ δὲ ἄνδρες μαλακοί τε καὶ σαθροὶ πρὸς τὰς παρὰ φύσιν συνουσίας καὶ γυναικῶν ἔργα, διατιθέμενοι παθητικῶς, ἀποκρύφως μέντοι καὶ λεληθότως: ἐὰν δὲ καὶ ὁ τοῦ Ἄρεως ᾖ τεθηλυσμένος, ἄντικρυς καὶ μετὰ παρρησίας ἀναισχυντοῦσι, τὰ προκείμενα καθ̓ ἑκάτερον εἶδος ἀποτελοῦντες.

Veneris valde conversabuntur homines & nimis circa vitium illud solicitabuntur. Ex rebus etiam [amores] turpia quae contra legem fuerint, festinanter facere desiderabunt. Mulieres autem innaturales actus cupidinis plus aequo perpetrabunt, et erunt thahaherat, eo quod ad invicem in agendo commiscebuntur. Si Venus autem sola masculina fuerit id quod inde perpetrabunt erit occultum et ignorabitur. Sed si Mars masculinus extiterit, ita erit illud manifestum quod quandoque mulieres cum eis conversabuntur quasi sibi proprias uxores fore demonstrabunt. Quod si eundem stellae in praedicti contrarium fuerint, id est, ut sola luminaria cum praedictis qualitatibus in signis femininis extiterint, mulieres ea quae sibi naturalia sunt operabuntur. Viri autem ea quae sibi sunt contra naturam committent, et cum mollitie ac feminitate anima naturalia transgredientur. Item si sola Venus feminina fuerit, illegitimos actus Veneris mulieres nimis adimplebunt, frequentius tamen ad naturalia declinabunt et cum quolibet, adeo quod nulli [amorem] denegabunt seu de

formis seu contra legem fuerit, viri autem erunt effeminati, ac molles, et ad innaturales actus Veneris proclvio res, neminem etiam ab illicito [amore] prohiberebunt, praeter quod occulte illud perpetrabunt. Translated into Latin by George of Trebizond

 Ptolemy's Hypothesis in chart form: 

	MASCULINE HOUSE	FEMININE HOUSE
SUN & MOON	MEN: excessively manly WOMEN: excessively manly & athletic	MEN: excessively womanly & soft WOMEN: excessively womanly
+ MARS	MEN: uncontrollable and openly lusty WOMEN: open lesbian relationships / have wives	MEN: openly gay relationships WOMEN: uncontrollable and openly lusty
+ VENUS	MEN: lusty & adulterous but discreet WOMEN: lusty lesbians but discreet	MEN: lusty & gay but discreet WOMEN: lusty & adulterous but discreet
SUN, MOON, + MARS + VENUS	MEN: excessively lusty, adulterous WOMEN: lusty, roaming eye, lesbians [seek women lovers like men do]	MEN: excessively lusty, gay WOMEN: uncontrollable and openly lusty

Ptolemy [Claudius Ptolemy; 2^nd century CE, modern Egypt] was one of the most important scientific minds of the ancient world. He was a Greek scholar who lived in Alexandria, and his works provide us with crucial insight into Greco-Roman scientific thought of that time period. His work on astronomy, Tetrabiblios / Almagest, was one of the most important scientific works of the Middle Ages. For hundreds of years, the original Greek version was lost, and it was preserved only in Arabic translation.