Understanding Mars in Libra: Is Detriment Really That Bad? w/ Christopher Renstrom

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The True Meaning of Mars in Detriment

On Today’s Episode You’ll learn…
🌑 About the Sun Uranus Square and the New Moon Uranus Square, symbolizing unexpected upheavals and emotional blind spots that may lead to sudden changes in your life.
🌒 How the Mars Uranus Trine can transform potential catastrophes into opportunities, representing courage and the ability to turn challenging situations into blessings in disguise.
🌓 The intriguing and eccentric nature of Uranus, the planet of unexpected changes, and how its unique characteristics have made it a symbol of revolution and wild energy in astrology.

🌟 Explore the mysteries of the stars with Astrologer Connect, your premier source for quality astrology readings.

You can now access Astrologer Connect to unlock the secrets of the cosmos and gain insight into your life’s journey. Visit astrologyhub.com/astrologerconnect and discover how Astrology can transform your life today.

Transcript

[00:00:00] Mars enters the Zodiac sign of Libra this week, next on Horoscope Highlights.

Intro

Hi, I'm Michael A. Bryan. Your astrology chart holds the key to finding personal fulfillment. When you were born, the universe cast a promise of what is yours and no one can take that away from you. I can't wait to share more in the fulfillment workshop of the Health, Wealth, and Fulfillment Workshop series.

In this workshop, we learn to decipher the universe's promise to you and how you can fully lean into that to lead a much more fulfilling life. Join me at astrologyhub. com slash bryanworkshop.

Hello, my name is Christopher Renstrom, and I'm your weekly horoscope columnist here on Astrology Hub. And this week, I wanted to talk to you [00:01:00] about Mars, entering the zodiac sign of Libra on August 27th.

Planetary Dignity of Mars

Now Mars is said to be in detriment in the zodiac sign of Libra and sometimes that leaves people scratching their heads wondering Mars is in detriment in the zodiac What does that mean?

Okay, basically There is something which is called planetary dignities in astrology Essentially what it does is that it outlines the exclusive group of zodiac signs where planets change their intensity of power. They either raise the level of their power or they are diminished in the level of their power according to the zodiac sign that is assigned a dignity to that particular planet.

Now, uh, planetary dignities we all pretty much know of in terms of a planet ruling a sign. Mars, for instance, rules the zodiac signs of Aries and Scorpio. And so it's said that when Mars is [00:02:00] in the zodiac sign of Aries or Scorpio, Mars is in domicile, meaning at home. So Mars, if you have Mars in the zodiac sign of Aries and Scorpio, does quite well.

It gets to go and do the things that Mars wants to do, which is essentially go after and get the things that you want in life. Mars function in an astrological chart is to fight for what you want. Basically, it's the planet that's going to make you come first. Okay, so if you have a very strong Mars in an astrological chart, we often think of having a strong Mars in an astrological chart as either being passionate sexually or domineering or very combative and, and, and getting into fights and fisticuffs and rows and all those sorts of things.

And to an extent, That is what Mars does, but Mars doesn't do it just because it doesn't have anything better to do with its life. What Mars does is that it will go after the [00:03:00] things that you want in life. So if, for instance, you're like, I'd really like to have that job, make that salary, get to that place in life where, where I don't have to worry about expenses.

Well, if you say that to your Mars, and if Mars is of that ilk, Mars will go and make sure that you get those things. It will drive you with great motivation. It will push you through the tough times. And it will make sure that you get what you want without apology, even if that means snatching a prize out of someone else's hand in the last possible minute.

Mars fights, and Mars fights to win. So, does it dominate? Yes, it dominates. Like, a lion dominates an African plain. It's the animal at the top of the food chain. It basically dominates or goes after the things that it wants. But that doesn't make a lion, for instance, uh, invulnerable. It still has to deal with things like hyenas, which are always [00:04:00] laughing and cackling in the dark, and going after its prey.

So, so, so Mars is really about fighting for what you want and protecting what you want. But a little bit more than that, it gives you the freedom, more than the freedom, it gives you the desire to put yourself out there. First to say this is what matters most to me, and I'm going to go for it, which is a way that we often think of those things.

And so Mars will do this. It can do it kindly. It can do it ruthlessly. It can do it directly, or it can do it Surreptitiously, by taking an indirect route, throwing people off its, its trail, uh, by circling around or leading them on all sorts of paths and byways and, and alternate routes and things until people have given up trying to follow it or have gotten lost and then Mars can backtrack and go after what it wants and target it and, and, and get the prize or seize that [00:05:00] goal or, or get the love interest.

Okay, so Mars isn't just brute force. Remember, Mars is going to have 12 different expressions according to the zodiac sign that it's traveling through.

Some signs it's seen as being stronger and efficient and getting what it wants, and in some signs it's said to be weaker, although I have yet to see that be the case. So Mars is in domicile, meaning at home, in the zodiac signs of Aries and Scorpio. Uh, therefore, uh, Mars is in detriment, meaning not at home, in the zodiac signs of Taurus and…

Libra. Now, why is Mars in detriment in the zodiac signs of Taurus and Libra? Well, at first, one would say, well, any planet is in detriment in the sign that is opposite than the one that is in domicile, at home, or the sign that it rules. Okay, so one would be like, okay, Uh, Mars is at home in [00:06:00] Aries, so it's, oh, in detriment in Libra, because that's opposite Aries.

Okay, uh, Mars is at home and comfortable in Scorpio, uh, so then it's, oh, it's in detriment in the zodiac sign of Taurus. That's one way of remembering it. An easy way to remember it when dealing with Mars is Mars is in detriment in the Venus ruled signs, uh, Venus rules the signs of Taurus and Libra, as, uh, Venus…

is in domicile and Taurus and Libra, and Venus is in detriment in the Mars ruled signs, which are the zodiac signs of, uh, Aries and Scorpio. Um, so astrology was saying pretty early on that men are from Mars and women are from Venus. Okay, that's, that's understood. But what astrology was saying even more than that is that men and women live, think, and behave very differently, from one another.

They are not of the same. They are very different, uh, [00:07:00] hence the term opposite sex, okay? Um, and so the battle of the sexes, the opposition of the sexes, these are, this is a sort of story that's told interestingly, uh, with the rulerships of Mars and Venus. So, so, so that's, that's something that astrology, as I said before, established early on, but it isn't gender specific.

I've seen Venus very powerful, regardless of what the gender of the chart is and the same thing with Mars. And they will behave in a very Venusian fashion and they will behave in a very Mars like fashion. And it is not exclusive to the genders, uh, but with rulerships. It's, it's an easy way to remember.

Mars is in detriment in the Venus ruled signs. And so Mars is exalted, most celebrated in the zodiac sign of Capricorn. And it is in fall, uh, has the most difficult time in the zodiac sign of Cancer. What's interesting about that [00:08:00] is that, uh, Mars is, a malefic planet. So it's, uh, Exalted in a malefic ruled sign, Capricorn.

Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, the other malefic, and it is fall, in fall, in the zodiac sign of Cancer, which is ruled by the moon. So Mars has difficulty in, uh, feminine planet ruled signs. And I put the quotation marks like that because again, I don't want to make it gender specific. Um, but it's interesting that Mars has the most difficulty in, um, A moon ruled sign and the two Venus ruled signs.

This is this is what was established and being brought about. So what does that mean that Mars is having difficulty or that Mars is in detriment in a Venus ruled sign? Well, if you think about it. Uh, that begins to already answer itself. Uh, Mars is going to have difficulty in a Venus ruled sign because Venus is all about sharing and pairing and partnering and [00:09:00] Mars is the opposite of those things.

Mars doesn't share. Mars doesn't like to partner. Mars doesn't like to share. Mars doesn't really like to care. Uh, that makes Mars weak. It makes Mars soft and Mars doesn't like that. Okay, so, uh, Mars is uncomfortable in Taurus because Taurus is a very pastoral sign, uh, and there can be with Taurians.

Uh, Taurus famously, uh, is very hard to anger. I mean, once you anger a Taurus, you wave that red flag or you bring up that, you know, incendiary remark enough times and a Taurus will see red and charge. But for the most part, Taurus the bull, Taurus representing cattle, is connected to pastoral life, farming, and yielding crops and, and, and, and, and creating, uh, uh, life and growth, uh, which is the opposite of the domain that, uh, Mars rules.

Mars is being named after the Greek god of war, [00:10:00] which is all about burning to the ground, or pillaging, or conquering. Okay, so Mars isn't going to be comfortable in the zodiac sign of Taurus because this is a very peaceful type of sign. And Mars is not going to be comfortable in the zodiac sign of Libra because Mars doesn't want to be married or partnered with anyone.

Okay, and this is what makes, uh, uh, Mars and Libra so uncomfortable for the people born with Mars and Libra.

Libra, Marriage & Partnership

Libra, as we know, is the zodiac sign of Marriage. Okay. Uh, nowadays partnership is the word that's used with, with Libra, but it's really marriage. And the idea with, uh, Libra being connected to the zodiac sign of marriage is that marriage was a partnership that was agreed upon originally between two families.

Um, and until recently, most marriages, uh, in the world were arranged. It wasn't really about who you fell in love with. [00:11:00] Um, it might be, uh, it could very well be an arranged marriage, uh, with a great, uh, age gap between the two, uh, spouses, uh, particularly in political, uh, situations. Or it could be an arranged marriage in which, um, one family is tying its fortunes, its literal fortunes, to another.

The, um, husband brings the estate. And the wife brings the dowry. So it's the idea of a partnership which is legally recognized. Okay, and that of course invokes the scales. Uh, you can live with someone, you can love someone, you can, you know, never get married in life and have a wonderful relationship, and that's wonderful.

But if there are ever situations in which the legal status of your relationship is challenged, like for instance, one partner is hospitalized, um, your, you become reminded very quickly, uh, that your relationship is not recognized by the law and there [00:12:00] can be restrictions that are immediately imposed dealing with that.

So marriages, uh, took a lot to get into. And until Henry VIII, they, uh, pretty much, uh, took a lot of difficulty to get out of, uh, with Henry VIII, we have the introduction of divorce into Europe, or at least European royalty, and so, but even with a divorce, uh, with the, ending of the marriage, it can be very costly, and it can be very expensive, and there are legal bonds, okay, so a marriage is a formally recognized relationship by the law and it involves a contract.

This is what also lends Libra to the idea of business partnerships. Anyone that you enter into a signed contract, a signed document with is a Libran relationship. Okay. Um, and, and these are the concerns that if you have planets in Libra that are going to be coming up as motifs in your life. So we have the image of the [00:13:00] scale, scale representing a court of law.

Justice that it's that it's associated with Libra. We think of it as balance and harmony and those sorts of things. It's really more about the assignment of value. The scales aren't so much about balancing things as they are balancing things in order to determine the value of an object or the value of a piece of property or a value of, of, of merchandise.

Okay, so that's the association with, with Libra and the scales, determining the value, judging the value. And it comes from really Anubis, uh, the Egyptian god of the dead, placing the, uh, soul of a deceased person in the scale opposite a feather. and to see how it balanced. If the soul was heavier, then it was seen as corrupt and evil and thrown into the gaping mouth of that hippopotamus god.

Uh, what's his face? Uh, but anyway, uh, or, or if it balanced with the feather, it was seen as righteous and it was, uh, it was sent to, uh, [00:14:00] play with the other pharaohs and the Elysian fields or whatever passed for Elysian fields in ancient Egypt. Okay. But that's really the origin of Libra. That's the first time that Libra really appears, um, as as a, as a symbol.

Um, and again, what's interesting about Libra is that it is the only Zodiac sign that's not an animal. It's not a creature. All the other Zodiac signs are animals or creatures. In fact, Zodiac, the root word of Zodiac is zo, where we get the word zoo. Okay. So it meant a band of animals or a band of creatures.

And the only image that wasn't that was Libra. Libra was an instrument. It was an instrument that symbolized civilization, okay? And so the scales, law, and things that determine the value of things in an economy, was seen as civilization. The other image that's associated to Libra that I thought was really interesting, I learned it just a few months ago in Renaissance astrology, is the yoke, okay?

The two oxen that are yoked together, okay? And so this was [00:15:00] also seen as Libra. So you can see in the glyph either the handle that's holding the scales, or you can actually see a yoke, um, which is also in the glyph of Libra, so it's two people yoked together in partnership or in marriage.

Mars in Libra

Mars doesn't like this, uh, because Mars doesn't want to rely on anyone else.

Um, people can rely on Mars, that's okay, but Mars doesn't want to rely on anyone else, and Mars doesn't want to do things like negotiate or, or, or reach a compromise or, or to hear the other side of the story and sort of come to an impartial judgment. You know, Mars is like, you know, you hit me and I hit you back, you know, or, or you offend me and I offend you back or you do me wrong and I get revenge.

Okay. So Mars is really eye for an eye, tooth, tooth for a tooth and, and poke for a poke. Okay. And, and so Mars, Mars. [00:16:00] is, is aggressive. And I, again, as I said, wants to dominate. It wants to be the best. Actually, Mars really wants to be the first. Okay. Um, and so that's, what's important to it. So the idea of like sharing or being partnered with someone or listening to somebody else's point of view, this is not what Mars, uh, signed up for.

And so Mars isn't, uh, Mars is about as friendly, or Comfortable. Let's go with the word comfortable. Mars is as comfortable in the zodiac sign of Libra as a tomboy would be in a Disney princess dress. It's just not having anything to do with it. And so, um, what happens… is that you basically, you know, the traditional understanding of Mars and Libra would be trouble or difficulty or conflict in marriage.

Okay. That's an easy read of it. Um, and, and that could be the case, but what really sort of underscored it [00:17:00] was conflict or difficulty in a marriage, but you have to make the marriage work. Okay. Um, you have to make that partnership. work. Okay, because people can have conflict in a relationship and leave it.

But Mars in Libra either has difficulty in finding that relationship, or once it's in a relationship, even if it doesn't work out, it is somehow bound legally or by honor or by guilt or by, principle to, uh, to continue to be linked to that partner. So at some point, even if the two people can't stand each other, which happened in a lot of arranged marriages, you find a way to make that work.

And this is the great challenge of Mars and Libra, which is finding a way to make it work. So, basically, um, Mars in Libra has really powerful negative reactions to anything Libran, [00:18:00] like I said, but, you know, things like, it will apologize for things that, that, it's like, why the hell did I apologize for that?

It will relent on things in which it's like, why did I back off of that? I should have just, like, pushed through. It will yield the field knowing full well. that that wasn't the right thing to do. And so there's a lot of, um, questioning, self doubt, you know, head hitting, like, I was such a numbskull, why did I agree to that?

You know, um, anytime it gets close to maybe severing a tie, it will actually walk it back. Um, so, so there's a lot of, um, working against its nature and then resenting it. Like any Planet in a zodiac sign, there's a higher purpose to it. And the higher purpose, of course, uh, to Mars and Libra is to build bridges, don't burn them, and to learn how to play nicely with others.

The Scarlett Pimpernel

Um, the, [00:19:00] the, a story that comes to mind, it actually is a 1972 made for TV movie that I absolutely fell in love with, when I first saw it, uh, is, It's, it's from the 1903 book by, uh, the Baroness Ozzie, um, which was called The Scarlet Pimpernel. Um, and I, I, I saw the 1972 made for TV version. There's, there's a wonderful one with, um, uh, Merle Oberon and, um, oh, his name escapes me.

He's, he's, uh, plays Ashley in Gone with the Wind. Um, but, uh, and it's great. It's wonderful. But the one that I really love is the 1972 made for TV version. Uh, it was Scarlett Pimpernell is basically the first superhero, okay? Um, and, and, and it's interesting, to say that. In fact, Stan Lee, who was the creator of Marvel Comics, actually, uh, credits.

The Scarlet Pimpernel,[00:20:00] and says the Scarlet Pimpernel is the first, is the first superhero. Not because the Scarlet Pimpernel has superpowers, he doesn't, but the Scarlet Pimpernel introduced the idea of the secret identity. Okay, um, it's the story of Sir Percy Blakeney.

Who is, uh, living at the time of the French Revolution. Actually, uh, the, the story takes place right after the first few years of the French Revolution have passed. And now they're into the Reign of Terror. Um, so the first few years of the, of the French Revolution, which begins in 1787, is about overthrowing, uh, Um, the king, King Louis the 16th, um, and imprisoning him and, and, and celebrating citizens and democracy in France.

And, and that's the utopian vision until someone like wheels out the guillotine and then everything goes to hell in a handbasket or at least people's heads did. So, so, uh, what happens is what begins as an [00:21:00] overthrow of a government. Uh, very quickly, with the erasing of the nobility and the aristocracy, uh, becomes mob rule.

Uh, that's kind of a general telling of the, of the French Revolution's transition into the reign of terror. And so anyone of nobility was being imprisoned and then taken in front of the guillotine. And guillotine, if you're not familiar with it, uh, is this, uh, uh, freestanding or tall standing blade, which was several feet high, which when released, would fall down on a person's head, which was being cradled, uh, in, in some sort of lock.

Actually, it's kind of a yoke. But, uh, the head was cradled here and the blade came down and it killed the person instantly by beheading them. Uh, the irony of the guillotine is that it was created. As a humane way of exercising the, uh, death penalty, uh, because beheadings were very awkward and very [00:22:00] clumsy and not very well done.

And so the fellow who invented it, uh, really, uh, it came out of the moment. you know, good intentions, which was to create an instant death through an instant clean, uh, cutting of the head from the body, which then rolled down into a basket, um, and was carted off. Um, so you had at this point of the reign of terror, any aristocrat, any noble woman, noble lady, Children, um, who were being rounded up and put into prisons and put into wagons and they were taken to the guillotine and they were then decapitated.

So that's the, that's, that's the setting of the adventure. So, uh, Sir Percy Blakeney. Um, is this fop, you know, this, this British aristocratic fop, what would later become in the Victorian age a dandy, you know, someone who, you know, like was, you know, particularly about his nails and had a little, uh, I don't know, little, little [00:23:00] eyeglass that he waved around and wore foppy little collars and things like this.

And, um, and, and was really ridiculous, uh, but nevertheless very amusing, and, and, and, and very wry, and, and, and very witty, and so people enjoyed him, and he's part of British society, and, uh, British society, of course, is horrified by what's going across, the, water in France, um, and, and with, with the execution of the nobility, in fact, all of Europe, uh, Uh, and this is about 1789.

I think all of Europe at this time is, is horrified about what's going on in France and kings and noble men and ladies and aristocrats of other nations are very afraid that that revolution might spread to their country and people would lead a revolt. And so, you know, everyone's very wary of France and they've kind of like want nothing to do with France.

Although Britain was, uh, helping to secret out, [00:24:00] aristocracy from France, uh, to Britain where they could be, uh, uh, free. And so, um, so, so, so this is the setup for the Scarlet Pimpernel. So Sir Percy Blakeney is this foppish English gentleman, you know, who whenever he's surprised by something is like, sink me.

That's what he says, you know, it's kind of like zones. So, you know, whenever like, Oh, did you hear about what happens for Blakely? And it's like, sink me. I never would have realized such a thing, you know? And so he's just perfectly ridiculous, but he's married to, this beautiful, uh, wife, and her name, uh, is Marguerite.

So, so Sir Blakely is married to, uh, this beautiful wife whose name is Marguerite Blakely, uh, but her, uh, maiden name was Marguerite Saint Just. And so Marguerite is French. Sir Blakely is very British, and he is aristocratic, and Marguerite is French. And, uh, Marguerite was not from the nobility and [00:25:00] Marguerite was not from the aristocracy.

Um, Marguerite was an actress in the, in the, uh, in, in French theater. And so, uh, she might have hobnobbed with the, uh, nobility. But she was not a member of the nobility. And of course, being an actress at that time was probably made fun of, or at least had lots, lots of lecherous passes made at her and things like this.

So she is no great. Um, friend of the aristocrats and, um, and that becomes even more so when, um, when there's an incident that involves her brother and the, uh, Marquis de Saint Cyr. Um, at this point, uh, Marguerite, uh, is already married to Sir Blakely. He fell in love with her and he pursued her and, and she was charmed by him and, and, but also realized that she had to make a good marriage match.

Uh, she's an actress. Uh, the French revolution is just beginning. [00:26:00] Um, she needs to get out of Paris and, um, you know, not. Because she's an aristocrat, she's not, but because things are going crazy. And so, she's wooed by Sir Blakely, and, uh, she accepts him, you know, um, because basically, he's not bad looking on the eyes, but he's also dull and stupid and foppish and silly, and so she can, she can sort of manipulate him, is what she has in mind.

So, she marries Sir Blakely. And they have actually a really lovely marriage. They're really enjoying one another's company and things like that, except for this one incident that takes place. Um, in the early days of the French Revolution, following their marriage, um, Marguerite took revenge upon the Marquis de Saint Cyr.

Now, the Marquis de Saint Cyr is an aristocrat, and so an aristocrat in France at that time could basically be like, well, I guess the nearest analogy would be a white slave plantation owner in the American South. during that [00:27:00] period of time. Um, the, the, the, you know, in, in the states, they were slaves and, and in Europe, basically peasants were a rough equivalent of that.

Anyone who was lower in class than the aristocracy, could be beaten, could be treated, um, shamelessly. They could be beaten, they could be seduced, they could be, um, thrown into prison. You really had no rights. And so, even though Marguerite isn't really a peasant stock, she is lower in social status than the Marquis.

And so, when her brother, Marguerite's brother, had fallen in love with the Marquis's daughter, and they were gonna make plans to run away with each other, you know, they were so very much in love, uh, the Marquis… Libra, uh, sensing that this was going to be a disastrous match and has nothing to do with it, had his valets Take her brother out of a coach and beat him almost within an inch of his life to make sure that he did not approach his daughter again.

[00:28:00] Marguerite never forgot this, and Marguerite never forgave this. And so, um, when she finds out that during the revolution the Marquis is in secret correspondence with Austria, maybe perhaps planning to overthrow the Republic, which is now in the ascendancy in France, She's like, aha, I'll get that son of a bitch.

Okay. And, and so she exposes the correspondence of the Marquis, uh, to get back at him. It's a, it's a, it's a Mar it's a Mars moment of spite and, and, and, and revenge. Okay. Very, very Scorpio. Mars ruled Scorpio. It's a very Mars moment of, of, of revenge. I'm going to get back at you for having beaten and humiliated my brother.

Um, and so she does. Uh, but she was thinking it would just be public humiliation. She had no idea that the result would be the Marquis and his [00:29:00] entire family being arrested, taken to prison, marched to the guillotine, and then beheaded. Uh, she had no idea that it was going to go that far. Um, Mars doesn't really, think that far ahead.

And so, and so she had no idea that it was going to go that far, and so she is ashamed, um, and she feels awful about it. But what immediately happens with her husband, uh, Sir Percival Blakeney, Mr. Sinkme, um, is that he becomes very detached and very cold. towards her. And, um, and, and so their marriage really goes on ice.

Um, he becomes more foppish and ridiculous in company, you know, um, uh, regaling tales and making social observations and critiques. And she's like, I married a fop. Okay. And she's like, becomes more sarcastic and more cutting. And so, um, and so basically, uh, [00:30:00] their, their marriage falls into a state of advanced Disrepair.

Um, so there's, um, there's a figure that everyone knows about, in France. There's a figure that everyone knows about in London. There's a figure that everybody knows about in Europe. A man, uh, or they think it's a man, someone who goes by the name of the Scarlet Pimpernel. And the Scarlet Pimpernel is this unknown secret agent, really, who goes and rescues aristocrats, and from the guillotine in France and secrets them over to London.

Um, And so he's the talk, Scarlet Pimpernel is the talk of high society. Everyone is like, who could the Scarlet Pimpernel be? I wonder who, who next, what other daring adventure the Scarlet Pimpernel will go on? Who else will be rescued from Madame Milotine, [00:31:00] which is the nickname for the blade. And so, um, Sir Percival Blakely, um, you know, one night at a, you know, a party that he and Marguerite are throwing, um, says, I have composed a poem, you know, and so all the lords and ladies are like, Oh, Sir Percival Blakely has composed a poem.

Who is it about? And he's like, You'll never guess. And they're like, um, Marie Antoinette. And he's like, no, it's about the Scarlet Pimpernel. And they're like, oh, and the ladies immediately like sit in front because all the ladies are in love with the Scarlet Pimpernel. They have no idea what the Scarlet Pimpernel looks like or who he is or where he comes from.

But you know, these dashing adventures, these last minute rescues in love with the Scarlet Pimpernel

and even Marguerite. Even Marguerite has developed, um, [00:32:00] a, a, a reluctant admiration. She's no great friend of the aristocrats, but at the same time she feels very guilty about what her actions brought about, and, and she is seeing the suffering and the carnage that's going on in her beloved France, and she cannot abide by it.

So, Sir, Sir Percy. You know, says one moment and they're like, you know, and he turns around and he's got, um, okay, I don't have it here, but he has like, um, one little glass and he turns around, you know, and says, the Scarlet Pimpernel by Sir Percival Blakely Baronet. And immediately everyone's like, Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.

And he's like, that's just the title. And they're like, Oh my God. So he begins his poem. They seek him here. They seek him there. The Frenchies [00:33:00] seek him everywhere. Is he in heaven or is he in hell? That damned elusive Pimpernel. And everyone's like, Oh, Shakespeare! Revisited! They applaud his poem and he's like, would you like to hear it again?

And they're like, yes! And Marguerite's like, no. But everyone's like, let's hear it again! And so he's like, toddling away, you know, about, um, about the Scarlet Pimpernel and the secret identity and all these things. And everyone's clapping, you know, so much entranced, so much amused. Um, and at that moment, Marguerite who's just like, my husband is so embarrassing, um, gets up and, and she makes polite smiles and things like this and she leaves to the other end of the party and, um, she is, uh, confronted.

By this fellow named [00:34:00] the evil, Citizen Chauvelin, Citizen Chauvelin, who's played by Ian McCollum and actually an early, um, and actually a very early appearance on made for TV films, uh, it's, uh, it's, it's Anthony Andrews. For Brides Had Revisited, who plays, um, Sir Percival Blakely, and it's Jane Seymour, who's Marguerite, and she's fabulous.

And Ian McCullen, uh, in an early appearance, plays the evil citizen Chauvelin. And so Chauvelin, um, takes Marguerite aside and says, May I have a moment with you? And she's like, Yes. You know, what's, what's this about? And he's like, um, you know, they have pleasant repartee and things like that. They always have pleasant repartee.

And, and then all of a sudden it takes a darker tone, the conversation. And he presents to her. a letter that he is in possession of that identifies Marguerite's brother. Remember, he was the one who was like beaten up by the Marquis. Um, it identifies Marguerite's brother as one of a network of secret [00:35:00] agents in the employ of the Scarlet Pimpernel.

Now, obviously, Scarlet Pimpernel is one person, you know, who can't go and, you know, rescue all these people by himself, but he has a network of secret agents. I think it's like 19 or something like that, who go and, and set up these, uh, uh, stations that, that the people can. Uh, escape through, um, not unlike, uh, like an underground railroad or, uh, the escape routes that, uh, the Jews were taking during the Holocaust or what happened even following Vietnam, the fall of Vietnam and, um, and Afghanistan, you know, these are people who are working anonymously to help people get out of the country who are being oppressed.

Um, or whose lives are in danger. And so Marguerite's brother is part of this network, um, who are in the employ of the Scarlet Pimpernel. And, uh, Chauvelin, who is a citizen based clearly on Robespierre, uh, or, or, um, [00:36:00] who's the fellow from Les Miserables is, is that, um, uh, is it Javert, I think, um, you know, he's this kind of like hounding figure.

Um. He, he says, you know, this letter identifies your brother and, and, and I'm going to have him arrested immediately. And she's like, Oh no, no, no, you can't. And, and he's like, well, I will, but you can forestall that if you become a spy for me. And she's like, well, what do you want? And he's like, I want information as to the next rendezvous point of the Scarlet Pimpernel and his secret agents.

Um, if you can help me secure that information, I will, you know, I, I will not prosecute your brother. And she's like, well, how am I supposed to secure that information? I'm not like a spy or anything like that. And she's like, and he says, I see that Sir Andrew is at this party tonight. And Sir Andrew is another, you know, baronet or another noble British [00:37:00] person who's got a Downton Abbey estate or something like that.

And so, um, and she's like, well, What do you know about Sir Andrew? And, and, uh, Shaolin says, well, he's in on it. So what I want you to do is shadow Sir Andrew, um, who will undoubtedly be contacted by someone, perhaps with a note. And I want you to get that information, because I know that this rendezvous is coming up soon and he will be past this note soon.

And I want that information. You get that information for me and your brother lives. You don't and your brother dies. And so she's like in this moment of like, you know, despair and it's a predicament. And so, um, she, she decides, okay, I've got to go and track this. And she thinks for a moment, well, maybe I should sell.

I should tell Percy, you know, and then she's like, he's such a fop and such a silly, ridiculous person. Like he could be, he's so useless. I'm not, I'm not going to tell him anything. I'll, I'll [00:38:00] take this upon myself. And so she meets up with Sir Andrew, you know, they're in the same social circles and they meet at the opera and she sees him being passed a note and he looks at it and he looks, you know, and immediately, you know, secrets it and maybe puts it in his glove or something like this.

Um, No, I think women do that. Men go in the waistcoat. Anyway, um, he just secrets the note. somewhere. And she's like, hmm, the note. And so she comes up and she starts flirting with, with, uh, uh, Sir Andrew and making light conversation and being all kinds of witty. And she's like, Oh, I see. You've got a little note that's been passed to you.

Is it perhaps from a female admirer? And he's like, no, madam, you know, I'm well past that age or anything along those lines. It was like, really, I think you've got a secret liaison that's going on. And she's like, madam, you know, that's something that happens in France and it's lovely. And that's why the British.

Envy France all the time. We don't have liaisons here. And she's like, are you sure? You know, and he's like, Oh, you know, and she's like, let me take a look. And she sort of [00:39:00] grabs it out of his hand. He's like, madam, you know, and she looks at it very quickly. You know, she's playing hard to get. She looks at it very quickly and she sees exactly what the, what the site is.

It's it's off it's in Cali and she knows exactly where it is. She's from France. And so she passes the note and she's like, no harm, Donnie's like. No harm done, you know, and she's like, all right, so she's got the information and she passes that on to shove land. Um, and so she, knows that, um, okay, it will be the Scarlet Pimpernel who's in trouble, but it won't be her brother.

Um, and so she has saved him and shove land, you know, assures her that that that is indeed the case. And so, um, the party ends and, you know, uh, Sir Percy's like, you know, or, or the opera ends and they're coming back and Sir Percy's like, Oh, I saw that you were busy with, uh, Sir Andrew. And she's like, Oh, you know, I accused him of a love affair and I don't think he's having one.

And, uh, you know, Sir Percy's like, sink me, you know, in the carriage back. And so he's like, [00:40:00] my dear, I must leave tonight, you know, and she's like, not one of your Inferno business trips. He's always taking these business trips and he's like, yes, I have to see you to my estates or something like that. And she's like, oh, well, you know, goodbye.

And she's, you know, happy to be rid of him, but she can't stand the sight of him. And so, um, you know, it's that evening and Marguerite having this penchant for, I don't know. Other people's correspondence or something along these lines, um, happens to be in Sir Percival's study. And, and, you know, um, she, she's kind of going through papers or paper falls to the floor or something along these lines.

And she looks at it and she realizes my husband is the Scarlet Pimpernel, you know, because it has in it, uh, the directions. And she realizes, oh my God, Percy's the Pimpernel. He's the person who's been rescuing all the, he's the person that He's the person that I've set up to be killed, you know, [00:41:00] and, and she realizes it in, in a horror stricken moment and, and she's, I have to go to France.

Okay, so she, so she immediately, I don't know, sails for France, everyone sails for France, everyone's going to France, and, and they're going to a little hut in Cali, and, Chauvelin's going there to catch the Scarlet Pimpernel red handed with the refugees that he's trying to secret off to England.

And, and she's going to stop him, um, but Percy doesn't know that she's coming. Percy doesn't know that she knows that he's the Scarlet Pimpernel and that she, that he's been disguised himself. all of this time. And so, uh, they, they, they all come together. She shrieks out at a particular moment where, uh, uh, Percy's able to make his escape or the, or the network is saved and the soldiers are foiled, something like that.

Um, and, and so, Chauvelin is left, you know, without his prize. Uh, the French soldiers are befuddled, you know, because they can't get the refugees. [00:42:00] Uh, the Scarlet Pimpernel has. Has secreted the men on a boat or the refugees on a boat and gotten them safely to England and left, you know, his famous calling card, which is just a card with a red flower on it, which is a Pimpernel.

And, and that's what he leaves at the site of every rescue. That's how he gets his name. And so, um, the brother is saved and Marguerite. and Percival are reunited this time with Marguerite knowing that he's the Scarlet Pimpernel and she's full of apologies and full of shame and she's like of course that's why you were called to me after the, uh, deaths of the Marquis family, um, and he was like I was cold to you because I didn't know if you could be trusted, you know, um, I understand that it wasn't your intention that they'd be sent to the guillotine, they were, but I didn't know if you could be trusted, um, if you weren't perhaps Thank you.

you know, um, [00:43:00] anti aristocratic and, and on the side of the Republic. And if you would have given me away and she's like, darling, darling, I would never have given you away. And he's like, darling, for years I played the fault, but I'm really manly man. Let's embrace and kiss. And so they embrace and kiss them.

That's the story.

Tying it All Together

Now, what's fascinating about this, and how it plays into the Mars in Libra is, first of all, what you have with Scarlet Pimpernel, as I referred to before, uh, is the origin of the secret identity. Okay, um, Zorro has a secret identity, you know, his, his, you know, he's, he's a fop by day, Zorro the blade by night.

Um, this lens itself comes down to Superman. You know, Superman, the man of steel, is, is meek and mild mannered Clark Kent who runs at the sight of anything frightening. And Lois Lane, the cub reporter, you know, is like, oh, Clark, you know, you're so whatever. And, um, Even [00:44:00] Batman is, you know, the vengeful hero at night, you know, punishing criminals and fighting all sorts of elaborate rogues.

Um, but during the day he's playboy Bruce Wayne, you know, who, you know, loves the ladies and leaves them hanging type of thing. Um, so this idea of a sort of silly secret identity, which is really a cover identity, um, is actually very Mars in Libra. In other words, there's more that's going on than meets the eye.

Now, for Libras, what they can expect with Mars transiting their sun right now is actually a very, um, Mars emphasis in their life. They're going to become more… demanding, more decisive, more commanding of, of, of situations. And this will also benefit the air signs, Gemini, um, and Aquarius as well. And the fire signs that will create a sort of nice camaraderie where it can get in trouble is with Aries because Mars will be opposite in [00:45:00] Libra.

Um, and also Scorpio, as well as there can be some difficulty with the water and the earth signs. But I want to get back to this idea of this secret identity. By the way, um, the Baroness Emma Ozzie, okay, who's the creator of the Scarlet Pimpernel, and it goes on to become serialized, and there's several books, um, is herself a Libra.

And, uh, the Baroness Ozzie, uh, who's the creator of the Scarlet Pimpernel, also has Mars. in Libra, uh, which is conjunct the North Node. She was born on September 23rd, 1865, in Hives, Hungary. And what's interesting about her life story, and the, even the story of Marguerite, uh, in the novel, is like, like Marguerite, She, um, comes from Hungary, which was going through a lot of revolution and change, uh, at the time she becomes, uh, a young adult, and she migrates to England, um, and even though she's born into nobility, that doesn't really translate [00:46:00] in England, um, and she marries an English fellow, um, and in fact, They write a play, which is the Scarlet Pimpernel, it makes them all this money, and she goes on and writes the books and goes on and on and on, but what you see reflected in her and Marguerite's story is the idea of living in a foreign land, who do you owe your allegiance to, the country you came from or to your spouse, you know, which is really the dialogue and the difference between Moon and Venus, you know, and it happens in many marriages.

Who do you own your allegiance to? The family that you come from, like Marguerite, the country you come from, or the family. It's her brother who she's protecting, or to your spouse. Um, and, and so that's the difference between the Moon and Venus in astrology. Moon will always side with bloodlines. Venus will always side with the people outside the bloodlines, okay, because Venus is wanting to get away from family and raise her rank in society through marriage or [00:47:00] through business alliances or alliances or anything along those lines.

So what's kind of interesting is this idea of the secret identity, the, the deceit. Um, which is something that I've seen come up sometimes in complaints, uh, with people with Mars and Libra, either it's complaints about them, or it's complaints about the spouse, that the, the, it's hard to get to know the spouse, is the spouse really this person, or they believed these things about the spouse, only to discover that there was a whole other side to the spouse that they didn't know before, so that's something that seems to you.

be sort of ingrained or caught up with the Mars and Libra, you know, the idea of like, who am I marrying? You know, I thought you were this person. Um, and then I end up discovering you're, you're someone else altogether. Or it can be this idea of being partnered with someone who's silly or foppy or, or, or, or all these sorts of things.

[00:48:00] And that it's, uh, this person is impossible to take seriously, um, only to discover that there's a more serious side to the person. Um, what's also interesting when you really look at the marriage of Sir Percival and Marguerite is that it is a troubled marriage, um, which has. been based on deceit and unforgiveness.

Um, you know, Marguerite, Hasn't done any herself any favors by denouncing someone who's sent to the guillotine. Um, and at the same time, it's very clear that Sir Percival is using Marguerite as a cover in society. Marguerite is using part of his disguise, you know, he's, he's, he's married the most beautiful woman in England.

Um, the most fashionable, the most witty, the most educated, you know, she's, she's the toast of London, you know, everyone wants to be with Marguerite and this is his wife. And so at the same time, [00:49:00] she is the beard. She is the mouth. She is. She creates the marriage and the social appearance that he can hide behind and do these clandestine, um, affairs of, of secreting people out of this, uh, terror stricken, uh, state, uh, which is across the channel.

Um, and that what's interesting is that it is the discovery. That brings the two of them back together, um, even more than the plight, you know, it's, it's, the plight is the, is the plot line, you know, she discovers her husband's really the Scarlet Principle, Pimpernel goes and, you know, cries out at a moment of whatever, and, and everyone is saved, but It's, it's this um, it's this discovery of the deceit, you know, that for some reason doesn't result in like, I hate you, but [00:50:00] actually brings them closer.

You know, there's something very exciting. about it. Um, and so it brings up questions of manipulation. You know, he's clearly been manipulating her and has led her to believe that she's this scoundrel. At the same time, using her as the cover to get refugees out of France and into England. You know, it's for noble reasons.

Um, and of course she's like, you know, can you possibly forgive me? And he's like, oh yes, I will forgive you. Of course he can forgive her. He's been using her as like, you know, as, as, as a member, uh, uh, without her knowing it as a member of his secret operation. You know, so it's, it's a fascinating thing.

We're used to the idea of, of the two faces with Gemini, you know. Uh, we're used to the idea of the two faces with Gemini. Gemini is often accused of being two [00:51:00] faced, you know. Um, uh, but, but seeing the other side, the other face of Gemini. But in Libra is, you know, this, this idea of, you know, how Libra always wants to hear both sides of the story.

With Libra, you have the dual identity. You know, this, the, the public identity and then the secret identity, but you don't really know which one's the public and which one's the secret if you go back to the Clark Kenton Superman model, right? Uh, Clark Kent, it can be argued, is the secret identity, uh, but he's the public face of Superman that allows him to operate in the regular world and have a relationship with Lois, who seems to be the most clueless investigative and reporter on the planet.

Um, and then, uh. Or, or is Superman the secret identity, you know, but yet Superman's a very public figure and everyone doesn't know who he is, you know, so like Marguerite. Lois Lane, you know, is someone who, uh, finds herself in bungled situations where she's [00:52:00] finding out snippets of the truth, or she's being blackmailed, or she's in predicaments, and she's doing quick exchanges, uh, that she thinks are fair and right.

But then that only make the situation more perilous, you know, um, that's Superman through the 1940s and 50s, that's all Lois Lane does, uh, but, but, um, Marguerite is actually a much more admirable and cunning figure, um, but what's interesting is https: otter. ai Um, until the discovery, uh, Marguerite felt indebted to Percival.

Uh, you know, the marriage to him gets her out of, uh, France, which is going to hell in a hen basket. Um, but there's a cost to be, there's a price to be paid, and that price is living with a silly fop. But she's lived with this tremendous guilt about the marquee, uh, that she unintentionally sent to his death.

[00:53:00] And when he reveals, you know, of course I forgive you, well, at some point Marguerite's going to put two and two together and realized… how she was being used, but at the same time, Marguerite was using Sir Percival, you know, that's how she got out of France. That's how she gets herself established in society.

Um, she gains a great deal from the marriage. So there's this kind of using of one another that through the discovery of him being, you know, secretly the Scarlet Pimpernel, makes them partners. Okay, one might sort of say partners in crime a little bit, but it makes them partners. Uh, and this of course is, you know, with the serialized novels that follow the, they're kind of like the first detective couple, you know.

And this is interesting, uh, because Libra of course is right next to the zodiac sign of Scorpio. And I don't know if you know this or not, but Scorpio used to [00:54:00] be Libra and Scorpio. Okay, Libra wasn't its own zodiac sign for, for a couple of centuries there. It was reintroduced, um, and in fact, in Arabic astrology, the scales are still referred to as the claws of the scorpion, because what Julius Caesar did is that he cut off the scorpion.

There's a constellation named Scorpionis, and he cut off the claws to make the scales, um, distinct, and to reintroduce the month into the Roman, Roman year. Uh, and, and so, but Scorpio and Libra were originally together. And there's a lot of, uh, of a draw between these two signs. Uh, you see it with their relationships and things like that.

Many, many relationships of Scorpio Libra, uh, uh, partnering. And, uh, and so there's a kind of. fascination with each of them sort of having caught the other out, but then with the reveal becoming the true partners, the true part of this marriage. [00:55:00] And I wanted to share with that with you because I think it's a very interesting twist on this idea of Mars and Libra has to work with the partnership.

It's in, okay, it either can't leave it circumstantially or can't leave it because it won't, but they have to sort of work together in the partnership that it's in, um, that there can be elements of manipulation that take place, even deceit that take place. And then with the discoveries, it doesn't always end the marriage, but actually can bring it together.

So I always found that to be a rather fascinating twist to the story of Mars and Libra, and this kind of idea of enforced partnership. is something to keep in mind, not only romantically, but also business wise, because Libra does rule over business partnerships as well. So this kind of like enforced partnership, it's something to keep in mind, [00:56:00] um, as you address and probably readdress it during this period of time that Mars is in the Zodiac sign of Libra.

And that is from August 27th until October 11th.