#venus and adonis

gnossienne:

“Let cheap things please the mob; may bright Apollo serve me full draughts from the Castalian spring”

Preface to Shakespeare’s Venus and Adonis(1593)

Giorgio Ghisi: Venus and Adonis, c. 1570.

Peter Paul Rubens, The Death of Adonis, ca. 1614. The Israel Museum, Jerusalem.

It shows the dead Adonis being mourned by Venus,Cupid and the Three Graces.

Signs in the Seventh House

The house of “the other” is fittingly the domain of the sign of harmony - Libra. Libra is ruled by the planet Venus. Venus’s Greek deity is famously Aphrodite, the goddess of union and beauty. Aphrodite is born off the coast of Cythera from the foam produced by the Ancient God, Uranus’s genitals. So there was no sexual intercourse making her existance be a little more on the superficial side. She was so beautiful that Zeus was afraid she’d cause conflict between the gods (which she did anyway) so he married her off to the ugliest but the most unproblematic God Hephaestus. We can see that the theme of “opposites” came into play right from the start. Despite this, she was unfaithful to him and had many lovers. The most famous one of her affairs being with the God of war Ares (Mars/Aries), her exact opposite. Another famous story is the “Venus and Adonis” in which Aphrodite is attracted to a young hunter who has no interest in love. Aphrodite, being used to be the one who is pursued is taking on the role of “the other” and turns into this aggressive seducer. She loses her own self identity in the act of pursuing someone who she sees as her equal. At one point, she even tries to dress like Artemis so that Adonis would think she is a huntress like him… So, this is the house of what you think of other people you encounter initially. The part of you that you want to avoid so instead you see it in other people. You are bound to encounter what you refuse to identify with. More than intimacy, this is a union of the minds the ruler of the house Libra being an air sign. Interacting with other people gives us more clues about who we are than who they are. There can be immediate attraction or repulsion, depending on what kind of a relationship the person has with THEMSELVES.

♈︎Aries / Mars in the 7th House:

There is a tendency to take other people’s actions too personally. They might feel like the whole world is out to get them but that is not the case. One-on-one relationships build the person’s identity. They seek a partner who is fiery and a go-getter. Having a partner makes them feel sure of who they are. They may expect their partners to act or decide for them. People who’s got this aspect put harmony and balance in a relationship first. They expect honesty in relationships and they are very direct people themselves. They also jump into relationships way too quickly and end them abruptly. Even when putting balance first there is a sense of selfishness from time to time. They can expect much more in a relationship than they give. They might view themselves as faultless and be quick to blame the other party. Relationships for these people are always heated but also somehow light-hearted.   

♉︎Taurus / Venus (Day Chart) in the 7th House:

There is a tendency to value other people more than they deserve. At first, they are slow to trust people but once their trust is gained they dedicate their whole life to “the other”. One-on-one relationships have to be forever in the minds of these people. They seek a partner with who they are comfortable around. Someone who is trustworthy and stable and of course drop-dead-gorgeous.These people are not looking for a snack, they are looking for a whole meal. It is also common for those with this position to believe that money can buy them, love. Co-dependency patterns must be watched out for. They might become too attached to people and when they have to let go, they simply don’t want to. They view the people they love as their property almost. In a relationship, they think of themselves as the other party’s whole world. Relationships for these people have got to be based on true love and they have to be stable.    

♊︎Gemini / Mercury in the 7th House:

There is a tendency to be conflicted when it comes to dealing with other people. And they often try to be in multiple relationships at once since they really do think they can be in love with more than one person at the same time. One-on-one relationships can actually make them feel nervous because they have so much to say and share - so, even if they are not nervous they sure do come across as if they are because of the hectic energy. They seek a partner who is intelligent (but not more than them) and someone who keeps them on their toes at all times. They like the idea of teaching their partner something about life, so in all relationships, they come across as bossy or know-it-alls. The attraction for them is someone who experiences the chart owner as a teacher through life – they want someone who looks up to them. Relationships for these people have got to make sense. There is a tendency for these people to listen to their minds than their hearts when it comes to love. They always feel like they have to make a choice between options and it is common for them to change their minds often. 

♋︎Cancer / Moon in the 7th House:

There is a tendency to allow other people to affect themselves on a very emotional level. These people do shy away from one-on-one interactions because when they do, they tend to fall for people way too easily. Even the smallest act of care can win these people over who think of themselves to usually have a cold-exterior. They might seek a partner who reminds them of their mothers. A partner who is nurturing and perhaps older than them. They expect to be taken care of by their partners and be loved unconditionally. The partner in their lives has a lot of impact on their moods and overall sense of security. Co-dependency patterns must be watched out for. These people can easily be insecure when they do not feel like the person in front of them do not actually care for them. The unconditional love theme is highlighted here because if they do not feel like that, they might think that other people despise them. Two extreme cases…  Relationships for these people have got to be gentle and sincere. 

♌︎Leo / Sun in the 7thHouse:

There is a tendency to have a more naive attitude towards other people. These people usually seek out people who draw attention to themselves - someone who is confident enough to let their inner-child shine. They might also be more interested in people who remind them of something from their childhood. They like to interact with people since being social sparks their creative fires. They might act childish around people they especially fancy. Leo tends to want to dominate. In this case, the person with this placement might want to take control of the other’s personal choices or vice versa. Being in a relationship will boost the ego of these individuals and they just adopt a more positive point of view overall. They really like the idea of people helping each other to discover who they are in a lighthearted manner. Relationships for these people are like out of a movie. Very romantic at heart but often naive when it comes to love. 

♍︎Virgo / Ceres in the 7thHouse:

There is a tendency to be overly analytical of other people’s actions. These people may be very judgmental of their partners, especially when they don’t meet their expectations, which are pretty high. It is important for these people to remember to do their parts in one-on-one relationships, not just expecting their partners to do all the work. These people are attracted to people who seem to be put together. Interactions with others stress these people out since they are constantly up in their minds about how they come across especially when they fancy someone. In any partnership that a Virgo might form, it cannot be emphasized too much that there must not be a superficial partnership. These people want to dig deep down and knows every tiny thing about other people they encounter. Being in a relationship helps them to get their lives in order. For these people, relationships are based on people going out of their way to help each other.

♎︎Libra / Venus (Night Chart) in the 7thHouse:

There is a tendency to see other people as a threat to one’s own identity. There is an innate desire to harmonize with others but this desire can turn on them and lead them to do the exact opposite of this… to rebel. Libra is in its natural house here. However, these people may often forget that they have a role in the relationship that is other than receiving. They may perceive the relationship to be all about them and what the partner does to support and balance them while they maintain complete freedom to go off and do their own thing. Even a slight imbalance in the partnership may cause these people to give up on the relationship and go into another one. These people are attracted to good looking and peaceful people. Interactions with others often have a flirtatious vibe. They tend to think people fall in love with them easily when they also get easily attracted to people. Being in a relationship allows them to be in a more peaceful and comfortable mood. 

♏︎Scorpio / Pluto in the 7thHouse:

There is a tendency to be too intimate with other people from the get-go. Relationships are bound to be deep, intense, powerful, and profoundly intimate. They are all-in when they are in love with someone, sometimes to the point of obsession. With every partner who comes into their lives, they go through a deep transformation. Ending a relationship may feel like the end of the world until they construct another world with someone else. They may find that they attract partners that have depths of intimacy which can get scary sometimes. They are also very possessive over the ones they fancy to the point of losing themselves in the agony of jealousy. In their interactions with other people, they like to bring up the most hidden parts about themselves just to test what they would think about it. They are very attracted to people who are more on the mysterious side and who scream sexual energy. They like to dive deep into things they do not understand. A complicated personality is their ideal partner which can turn toxic real quick. They often confuse lust with love and form deep connections with people they should avoid.  

♐︎Sagittarius / Jupiter in the 7thHouse:

There is a tendency to try to out-do other people right from the start. They are usually attracted to people who give off the vibe that they do not have a care in the world. Even though they are very easy to form relationships they are mostly attracted to those who are “out of their league” or who play hard to get. They view relationships as a way to prove themselves to themselves… They learn a lot through partnerships since mind-expanding conversations is a way of flirting. Being in a relationship puts them in a good mood but they prefer to keep the emotional aspect of things light. They love to explore and be adventurous…and they love it, even more, when they have a partner on their side to experience this journey. Interacting with other people gives them very high dosages of energy. They enjoy studying other people’s motives and giving them advice about their lives even if it is none of their business. 

♑︎Capricorn / Saturn in the 7thHouse:

There is a tendency to feel undeserving of the person in front of you’s attention. Interacting with other people causes great anxiety which makes these people come across awkward. But when they work on themselves and push themselves out of their comfort zones they are masters at bonding with people. When they learn their Saturn lessons they are great at dealing with people and usually influence them a lot. These people tend to be attracted to those who remind them of their father or a dominant parent figure. They find ambition to be highly attractive. They are also very careful with who they pick as a partner. If they jump into a relationship too quickly it can cause great distress. Taking their time in partnerships is important for these people. A relationship should be built on solid ground - a tower moment is something hard for them to get over. When they are in a relationship they feel like they have a purpose (which should not be necessary). They take relationships very seriously. 

♒︎Aquarius / Uranus in the 7thHouse:

There is a tendency to try to play it cool and look unbothered when encountering people. These people tend to fall in love with people who are aloof and interesting. There is also this theme of falling for friends or friend-zoning people once they learn that they like them back. Yes. They usually love the game more than the player - meaning the thrill of the chase is what gets them going in romance. When interacting with other people they come across very friendly and they also view everybody as their friend, so when they are hurt by someone who is just an acquaintance it feels like a betrayal from a close friend. A relationship for them should be based on a very close friendship and once they are in love with someone that person becomes their whole World, and they expect the same in return. When they are in a relationship, they embrace their weird sides and be more bold about expressing themselves with someone who has accepted them as who they are on their side. 

♓︎Pisces / Neptune in the 7thHouse:

There is a tendency to lose oneself in other people’s ideals. The boundaries are very blurred between the individual and other people. They are huge people-pleasers and want to meet up to other people’s expectations. The good side is they are very capable of overcoming obstacles - the downside is they only do it when someone else asks for it. They are attracted to people who move them in a spiritual way. They like the idea of having a soul-mate. There is magic to this position and the greatest potential for a fairytale ending is hidden here, if only there is enough faith and devotion to reach this destination coming from both sides. These people dedicate their lives to others and lose their selves. Being in a relationship makes them feel like they are living in a dream, they have to watch out for the warning signs though since the dream can turn into a nightmare and they would only realize it after they wake up from it - if they ever can. 

(Art:“Venus and Adonis” by Charles-Joseph Natoire)