Jupiter

Jupiter is exalted in Cancer, and the tradition reads its benevolence at its warmest here - abundance flowing through home, family and feeling, and a protective generosity that shelters others. Astrologers note emotional richness, a nurturing faith, and good fortune bound up with roots and belonging.

Jupiter is in its detriment in Gemini, where its reach toward the large is scattered among many small things. Astrologers read a mind hungry for every kind of knowledge and a growth pursued through ideas, talk and connection, though the tradition notes a tendency to spread wide rather than deep.

Jupiter is in its detriment in Virgo, where the expansive planet is confined to the particular. Astrologers read growth pursued through work, service and careful improvement, and the tradition notes faith placed in method rather than the grand vision, generosity shown in usefulness, and a habit of finding the large in the small.

Jupiter is in its fall in Capricorn, where its generosity is checked by Saturn's caution. Astrologers read growth that is earned rather than given, expansion disciplined and slow, and the tradition notes a sober faith, a mistrust of easy fortune, and abundance built by responsibility and patient work.

Jupiter in the tenth house sets fortune on the public stage, and astrologers read a career favoured by opportunity and a reputation for generosity, breadth or wisdom. The tradition notes standing gained through teaching, law, belief or benevolence and advancement that comes with a measure of luck.

With Jupiter in the twelfth house benevolence works out of sight, and astrologers read a hidden good fortune, a protective grace in difficulty, and generosity expressed in private or toward the unseen. The tradition notes benefit through solitude, faith and compassion, and help that arrives quietly when it is needed.

Astrologers read Jupiter in the third house as expansion of the mind - a broad, optimistic intelligence, a love of learning and a generous, persuasive way with words. The tradition notes benefit through communication, study and the immediate world, and often good relations among siblings and neighbours.

With Jupiter in the fourth house fortune settles into the home, and astrologers read a generous, abundant private life and benefit drawn from family and origins. The tradition notes a protective, expansive attachment to the base of life and often a home that grows in size or comfort with the years.

Jupiter in the eighth house brings its benevolence to the depths, and astrologers read benefit through shared resources, inheritance or the support of others, and an expansive, hopeful relation to crisis and transformation. The tradition notes gain from what is jointly held and a faith that carries a person through difficult passages.

With Jupiter in Aquarius growth serves the many, and astrologers read a fortune found in friendship, groups and the progressive ideal. The tradition notes a tolerant, humanitarian faith, benefit arriving through networks and shared causes, and generosity extended broadly and impartially.

Astrologers read Jupiter in Aries as growth pursued boldly, faith placed in one's own initiative and fortune found by seizing the first chance. The tradition notes an optimistic, pioneering confidence and a generous, headlong nature that expands by leading and by daring.

With Jupiter in Leo growth is expressed with warmth and grandeur, and astrologers read a magnanimous nature that expands through creativity, play and open-handed generosity. The tradition notes strong confidence, a love of the grand gesture, and fortune found in wholehearted self-expression.

With Jupiter in Libra fortune comes through relationship, and astrologers read growth found in partnership, fairness and the social graces. The tradition notes a generous, conciliating nature, faith placed in justice and cooperation, and benefit that arrives by way of others.

Astrologers read Jupiter in Scorpio as growth found in the depths - through shared resources, intimacy and the willingness to be transformed. The tradition notes a powerful, investigative faith, benefit drawn from other people's wealth or hidden things, and a generosity that is intense and total or not given at all.

With Jupiter in Taurus abundance is sought in the tangible, and astrologers read a fortune that grows steadily and a generosity expressed in comfort and material good. The tradition notes faith in the reliable, a talent for increase through patience, and pleasure taken openly in plenty.

With Jupiter in the ninth house it occupies a domain close to its own nature, and astrologers read a strong drive toward meaning, learning and the far horizon. The tradition notes broad philosophical and religious interests, benefit through travel and higher study, and a generous, questing faith.

In Pisces Jupiter rules by the older reckoning, and the tradition reads its benevolence turned inward and universal - faith, compassion and imagination without limit, and fortune found in giving, mercy and the spiritual. Astrologers note a generous, sympathetic nature and a growth measured less in gain than in what is surrendered.

In Sagittarius Jupiter rules its own sign, and the tradition reads its nature undiluted - a strong drive toward meaning, faith and the far horizon, and fortune found in travel, learning and belief. Astrologers note broad optimism, generosity of spirit, and a life enlarged by the pursuit of a larger truth.

Ame-no-Minakanushi is the first kami named in the Kojiki, a remote and inactive presence at the centre of heaven. The Jupiter pairing rests on that primacy alone and is modern; Japanese calls Thursday Mokuyobi, wood day.

Amun reaches Jupiter through the Greek equation of him with Zeus, which produced the oracle of Zeus Ammon at Siwa that Alexander consulted. The Egyptians' own name for Jupiter was a form of Horus, not Amun.

Brihaspati is preceptor of the gods and the most benefic of the grahas, holding Jupiter as Zeus does in the Greek scheme. His weekday Guruvara corresponds to dies Iovis and to Thursday, by the same route of transmission.

The Dagda is the good god, a club-wielding father figure with a cauldron of plenty. Roman interpretatio did pair a Gaulish thunderer with Jupiter, but that was usually Taranis, so the Dagda assignment is a modern comparative choice.

Jupiter Optimus Maximus, head of the Capitoline triad, supplied the surviving name by way of the Greek identification with Zeus and the Babylonian one with Marduk. Rank, not any observed trait, drives the whole chain.

Marduk, sovereign of the Babylonian pantheon after the Enuma Elish, took the largest and most stately of the wandering stars. The Greeks mapped Zeus onto the same body, and the Roman name Jupiter preserves the rank rather than the character.

Jupiter is Suixing, the Year Star, because its twelve year orbit divides the sky into twelve year stations. Tai Sui is the counter-Jupiter of that reckoning, personified into a deity whose annual position must still be avoided.

Tezcatlipoca, the smoking mirror, is a sovereign but capricious god associated with night, sorcery and the Great Bear rather than with Jupiter. The pairing follows rank alone and is a modern comparative assignment.

Thor took dies Iovis and gave English Thursday, matched to Jupiter as thunderer rather than as sovereign. The Romans looked for the wielder of thunder rather than the head of the pantheon, which is why Odin was not chosen here.

Zeus received the planet the Babylonians had given to Marduk, sovereign matched to sovereign. Ptolemy reads it as temperate and beneficent, which suits Zeus as guarantor of order rather than as the thunderer of myth.