William IX – Duke of Aquitaine (1071 – 1127)

I came across an article about the troubadours, yesterday. Today, I looked at the man who may have ‘invented’ the precursor to the sonnet, as the first Troubadour. While reading his story on Wikipedia, I think I may have finally found my true past life in the “High Middle Ages”.

The timing is slightly randomized. When I saw that his birth Ascendant might be close to my own, I tweaked the time slightly to see what the effect might be. (So, it’s not Gospel…)

The pivotal planet is Neptune @ 5° Gemini 18′. Let’s just call him a “mystical thinker”. The (double) Yod pointing at this planet is not affected by the time of day, so it’s real. And just so that we’re on the same page, here are the three inconjuncts in operation:

Sun Inconjunct Neptune

You are very sensitive to your environment and to the people around you. On one level of your being, you feel what is going on very acutely. Unfortunately your understanding often comes in terms that are very difficult to communicate to others, because their meaning is not clear in your own mind. Your greatest danger is in being exposed to negative people who are full of anger or depression or who act very harshly toward you and undermine your self-confidence. Your self-confidence has to be boosted at every conceivable opportunity, and it would be very destructive for you to be criticized sharply, unless the person has made it very clear that he or she loves you.

Jupiter Inconjunct Neptune

You are an idealist with very vivid dreams about how you want your life to be, and at certain times in your life you will follow those dreams with all your energy. But sometimes these idealistic dreams will let you down, because you are not concerned enough with what is real and possible. Your parents and other adults may pressure you to be more practical in your thinking, but you think they are just throwing cold water on your aspirations. Yet learning to handle the real world is a very important part of your development, because it is the only way you can avoid becoming bitter and disillusioned when your more impractical ideas have led you into disappointment. (The Crusades, anyone?)

Saturn Inconjunct Neptune

This aspect…can have a variety of effects, one of which may be difficulty in relating fantasy and imagination, on one hand, to reality, duty, obligation and work, on the other. Usually the reality, duty and work aspect of the combination is dominant, at least at first. Your imaginative side tends to be transformed into nervousness, fear and irrational anxieties. The most negative manifestation of this aspect is a feeling that you have to keep a tight lid on yourself and that if you look inside yourself too deeply, you will find only emptiness and disintegration. It is difficult for you to realize that this is not the truth about your inner self.

If you do not learn to confront your inner fears now, they may surface as chronic physical ailments, although that is not likely to be apparent early in life. If you can learn to release your creativity, you can avoid negative physical effects.

Pos de Chantar

Pos de chantar m’es pres talentz,
Farai un vers don sui dolenz:
Mais non serai obedienz,
En Peitau ni en Lemozi.

As the desire to sing takes hold of me,
I will make a song about my sorrow;
I will no longer be a servant of love
In Poitou nor in Limousin.

Qu’era m’en irai en eisil:
En gran paor, en grand peril,
En guerra laissarai mon fil,
E faran li mal siei vezi.

For now I will go into exile:
In great fear, in great peril,
In war, I will leave my son
And his people will harm him.

Lo departirs m’es aitan grieus
Del senhoratge de Peitieus!
En garda lais Folcon d’Angieus
Tota la terra e son cozi.

The departure from the realm
Of Poitiers is so difficult for me!
I leave Foucon of Angers in charge
Of all the land and of his cousin.

Si Folcos d’Angieus no.l socor,
E.l reis de cui ieu tenc m’onor,
Faran li mal tuit li pluzor,
Felon Gascon et Angevi.

If Foucon of Angers does not help him
And the king from whom I hold my realm,
Many people will bring him harm,
Treacherous Gascons and Angevins.

Si ben non es savis ni pros,
Cant ieu serai partiz de vos,
Vias l’auran tornat en jos,
Car lo veiran jov’ e mesqui.

If he is neither wise nor mighty
When I will have left you,
They will soon overthrow him
For they will see him young and weak.

Merce quier a mon compaignon
S’anc li fi tort qu’il m’o perdon;
Et ieu prec en Jesu del tron
Et en romans et en lati.

I seek mercy on my companion
If I have ever wronged him, may he pardon me,
And I pray to Jesus on the throne,
In French and in Latin.

De proeza e de joi fui,
Mais ara partem ambedui,
Et eu irai m’en a scellui
On tut peccador troban fi.

I have might and joy,
But now we all part,
And I go to the One
With whom all sinners find peace.

Mout ai estat cuendes e gais,
Mas Nostre Seigner no.l vol mais;
Ar non puesc plus soffrir lo fais,
Tant soi aprochatz de la fi.

I have been most jovial and joyful,
But our Lord wants that no more;
Now I can suffer this burden no longer
Since the end draws so near.

Tot ai guerpit quant amar sueill,
Cavalaria et orgueill;
E pos Dieu platz, tot o acueill,
E prec li que.m reteng’ am si.

I have left behind all that I once loved
Chivalry and pride;
And since it pleases God, I accept all that
And pray Him to retain me in His presence.

Toz mos amics prec a la mort
Que vengan tut e m onren fort,
Qu’eu ai avut joi e deport
Loing e pres et e mon aizi.

I pray all my friends, at my death
That they all come and give me great honor,
For I have known joy and pleasure
Far and near and in my realm.

Aissi guerpisc joi e deport
E vair e gris e sembeli.

Thus I renounce joy and pleasure
The brown, grey, and sable furs.