The Sky Library · Mansion 19 of 28
Al Shaulah
Ash-Shaulah · The Sting
Span21°25′43″ Scorpio – 4°17′09″ Sagittarius (tropical)
Determinant starsShaula (Lambda Scorpii) and Lesath (Upsilon Scorpii), the raised tip of the Scorpion's tail
The lifted sting, patient above the gate of a city.
The raised sting of the Scorpion. Agrippa lists it as Allatha or Achala, by others Hycula or Axala, and gives it wholly to conquest and expulsion, a mansion of rout rather than rescue.
The Spirit of the Mansion
the square of Jupiter, 34 in every line
a small fire keeps the sill; on the far side, the pin at the heart of the plate answers a touch
Agrippa and the Picatrix transmit different names for the mansion spirits; both are given.
What the number square means
The grid is a kamea, one of the planetary magic squares from Agrippa's second book; every planet has one, from Saturn's three by three to the Moon's nine by nine. In a true square every row, every column, and both diagonals add to the same number, and Jupiter's adds to 34 in every line. Count any line and see. Practitioners engraved these on talismans as the planet's signature written in number, and the gilded cell marks this mansion's own number.
Elections in this mansion
- the besieging of cities and taking of towns
- driving men from their places
Contraries
Brings destruction to seamen and perdition to captives.
The sidereal frame: this sky also belongs to Mula .