Michel de Montaigne – a Pluto in Aquarius sage

Coping with overwhelming crisis in a time of chaotic uncertainty and constant diverse conflicts requires the ability to stand back from the melee. Either taking a historical perspective – ‘we have lived through worse before’ and ‘this too will pass because it always has done.’ Or going inwards – ‘if you can’t sort the world’s problems you can sort yourself.’

  Attention is being drawn to the writings of Renaissance philosopher Michel de Montaigne, born as Pluto moved into Aquarius in 1533, a time when the Reformation upended Europe, Cortés conquered New Spain, civil war engulfed France and Suleiman the Magnificent brought Islam to the gates of Vienna.

“He who fears he shall suffer, already suffers what he fears.”

  His essays promoted the idea that man must discover his own nature in order to live with others in peace and dignity.  His approach made him a favourite with Virginia Woolf, Friedrich Nietzsche, Gore Vidal and Lord Byron.

  He was born 28 February 1533 JC 11.30 am Chateau de Montaigne, France, and had his Pisces Sun in his 10^th house conjunct Neptune in late Pisces. His Pluto in Aquarius was in his 8^th conjunct Mars and widely Venus, all square his Taurus Moon. Such a powerful 8^th house tied into his Moon would not make him easy to live with but would bring him influence. His Mercury in Aquarius was in his communicative and optimistic 9^th house sextile Jupiter; with his Jupiter in turn in a hopeful square to Neptune. He also had Saturn conjunct Uranus sitting on his Cancer Ascendant which at best made him an original thinker though it could give him a tendency to obstinacy.  

QUOTES:

“My life has been full of terrible misfortunes most of which never happened.”

“The value of life lies not in the length of days, but in the use we make of them… Whether you find satisfaction in life depends not on your tale of years, but on your will.”

“Lend yourself to others, but give yourself to yourself.”

“I know well what I am fleeing from but not what I am in search of.”

“He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak.”

“Nothing is so firmly believed as what we least know.”

“There is no passion so contagious as that of fear.”

“Not being able to govern events, I govern myself.”

“I prefer the company of peasants because they have not been educated sufficiently to reason incorrectly.”

“The most certain sign of wisdom is cheerfulness.”

“The truth of these days is not that which really is, but what every man persuades another man to believe.”