''Sapiens dominabitur astris'' (

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

for "The wise one will rule through the stars," but popularly taken to mean "The wise one will rule the stars") is a Latin

maxim Maxim or Maksim may refer to: Entertainment *Maxim (magazine), ''Maxim'' (magazine), an international men's magazine ** Maxim (Australia), ''Maxim'' (Australia), the Australian edition ** Maxim (India), ''Maxim'' (India), the Indian edition *Maxim ...

initially used in astrology, theology, philosophy and literature from the late 13th to late 17th centuries. The phrase has been traditionally attributed to Greco-Roman scientist

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; , ; ; – 160s/170s AD) was a Greco-Roman mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were important to later Byzantine science, Byzant ...

, but modern scholarship views it as a compilation from two later sources. Presently, the phrase is featured on the emblem of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine.

History

The phrase began to be used in the late 13th century by both astrologers and their detractors. To astrologers, the phrase meant the mastery of astrological knowledge to predict destiny while for others it implied allegiance to Christian belief on

free will Free will is generally understood as the capacity or ability of people to (a) choice, choose between different possible courses of Action (philosophy), action, (b) exercise control over their actions in a way that is necessary for moral respon ...

and dominance of

reason Reason is the capacity of consciously applying logic by drawing valid conclusions from new or existing information, with the aim of seeking the truth. It is associated with such characteristically human activities as philosophy, religion, scien ...

over

fatalism Fatalism is a belief and philosophical doctrine which considers the entire universe as a deterministic system and stresses the subjugation of all events, actions, and behaviors to fate or destiny, which is commonly associated with the cons ...

and

superstition A superstition is any belief or practice considered by non-practitioners to be irrational or supernatural, attributed to fate or magic (supernatural), magic, perceived supernatural influence, or fear of that which is unknown. It is commonly app ...

. Modern scholarship views the phrase as being likely derived from the pseudo-Ptolemaic work '' Centiloquium'' and passages from the introduction to the '' Introductorium maius in astrologiam'' (''Kitāb al-mudkhal al-kabīr'') by the Islamic astrologer Abu Ma'shar al-Balkhi. Both works were translated into Latin in the 1130s, making them available to most Western scholars of the time. One passage of the ''Centiloquium'' stated that "a skillful person acquainted with the nature of the stars is enabled to avert many of their effects and to prepare himself for those effects before they arrive", while another passage stated that "a sagacious mind improves the operation of the heavens, as a skillful farmer, by cultivation, improves nature". Al-Balkhi, in turn, mentioned "the benefit to the wise masters of stars through foreknowledge of the power of the conditions of the stars in this world which is evident to them". While the phrase uses the word ''astrum'' for "star", which is

synonymous A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means precisely or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are a ...

with ''stella'', in an astronomical and astrological context the word ''sidus'' (plural ''sidera'') has been used more often. Online translations seem to favor the interpretation of ''astris'' as a dative noun with a direct-object meaning (as in "to rule the stars," "to master the stars"), but the original context and intent favor its interpretation as an instrumental ablative ("to rule through the stars," "to rule by means of the stars," "to rule with the stars"). It is through astrologers' knowledge of the cycles and repetitions of the celestial ecosystem that they are able to put themselves in command of the forces and effects these movements exert.

Modern usage

In 2016, ''sapiens dominabitur astris'' appeared on the new emblem of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine. The phrase was chosen during the

Russo-Ukrainian War The Russo-Ukrainian War began in February 2014 and is ongoing. Following Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity, Russia Russian occupation of Crimea, occupied and Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, annexed Crimea from Ukraine. It then ...

in response to the Russian military intelligence's motto "above us only stars".

References

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History

Modern usage

References

See also