Split

Formally speaking, the astrological chart is a presentation of the state of the solar system in geocentric coordinates [a two-dimensional projection of the solar system onto the plane of ecliptic]. In simpler words, it is a picture of the sky visible from the Earth surface – exactly as we observe the world with our own eyes.

We are placed on the Earth, in the middle of the chart, and the Sun with planets move around through the signs of the zodiac. The inner planets, Mercury and Venus, cannot move far from the Sun in the chart - especially the closest to Sun Mercury. This is why it is common to see Mercury in the same sign as Sun – but sometimes they “split”, occupying adjacent zodiacal signs. What does the split cause?

Since the Sun is a general significator of personality and the Mercury is a significator of thinking and speech, when they are “together”, in the same sign, “word” and “action” are united. Native thinks and acts as a unit. When they are placed in the adjacent signs, which always have different nature (humour, or temperament quality) there appears a difference. Mercury speaks this, and Sun does that.

How does it manifest in real life? A good example is Karl Marx. In his chart, Sun is in Taurus, and Mercury is in own sign Gemini. Moon is in Taurus too, thus making his Taurean Sun-personality more solid and accented, which is useful for our exercise. Mercury is very strong, it signifies a prolific thinker who could analyse the entire world historically, politically, and economically. I do not consider Marxism here, I just speak about the productivity of this intellect.

What about the split? Here are the quotes:

Frederick Lessner, meeting of the Communist League in December 1847: "Marx was a born leader of the people. His speech was brief, convincing and compelling in its logic. He never said a superfluous word; every sentence contained an idea and every idea was an essential link in the chain of his argument."

Prussian police agent, report on Karl Marx in 1852: "In the whole apartment there is not one clean and solid piece of furniture. Everything is broken. There is a chair with only three legs. In private life he is extremely disorderly… and a bad host. He leads a real gypsy existence. Washing, grooming and changing his linen are things he does rarely. He has no fixed times for going to sleep and waking up. He often stays up all night, and then lies down fully clothed on the sofa at midday and sleeps till evening."

Otto Ruhle (Karl Marx: His Life and Works, The Viking Press, New York, 1929): "...countless instances have been given to show how hopelessly ineffectual Marx was in the domain of domestic economy. Throughout life, he was hard up. He was ridiculously ineffectual in his endeavours to cope with the economic needs of his household and his family; and his incapacity in monetary matters involved him in an endless series of struggles and catastrophes. He was always in debt; was incessantly being dunned by creditors, persecuted by usurers, drained by bloodsuckers. Half his household goods were always at the pawnshop. His budget defied all attempts to set it in order. His bankruptcy was chronic. The thousands upon thousands which Engels handed over to him, melted away in his fingers like snow."