ASTRO FORECAST: OCTOBER 15th—25th, 2026

Antinous is a Moon God. He is, of course, many other things and he wears many hats. But one of the ways he was worshiped in Antiquity was as ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD.

His worshipers looked skyward and saw His beautiful face perpetually turned towards the Earth. The Man in the Moon was actually the Blessed Boy in the Moon for the ancient priests and worshipers of Antinous. Swiftest and most youthful of all the Zodiacal deities, Antinous speeds through an entire year's worth of Astrological signs in just 28 days.

ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD represents our deepest personal needs, our basic habits and reactions, and our unconscious gay selves. Where Hadrian the Sun acts, Antinous the Moon REACTS. How do we instinctively react or respond to problems? What do we feel we need for a sense of security? Look to ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD for answers.

ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD is both our inner boy child and our inner lover. His ever changing phases, as he sweeps past all the other Planets in all the Signs, make us at turns responsive, receptive, and reflective. Eternally youthful, ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD represents our childlike spontaneous and instinctual reactions.

ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD beams down on us to make us imaginative, creative, intuitive, sentimental, adaptable, introspective, and protective. On the negative side, and depending on where he is in the Zodiac, he can make us moody, restless, and irrational.

Antinous Astrology Forecast

---

OCTOBER 15th
to 25th, 2026

---

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15th, 2026

This week, the LGBTQIA spiritual revolution gets a big boost when Pluto turns direct after having been Retrograde (going "backwards" as seen from Earth) since 7th May 2026. Moving "forward" again helps to heal past transgressions and bring closure. Pluto is in innovative Aquarius for the first time since the French and American revolutions and remains in revolution-minded Aquarius for the next 20 years. Full details here about PLUTO IN AQUARIUS.

FRI-SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16th-17th, 2026

This weekend, ambitious Mars forms a positive trine aspect with industrious Saturn to give you the drive you need to push forward projects which have been stalled in recent weeks. It's now or never. Trust Mars to give you the determination. Trust Saturn to give you the cautious determination.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18th, 2026

This weekend, we come to the CAPRICORN FIRST QUARTER MOON. In Antinous Moon Magic, we call this the MERCHANT MOON which offers you an opportunity to reap the benefits of your hard work — and find new opportunities for material advancement.

MON-TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19th-20th, 2026

This week, Venus square Pluto creates an explosive situation for interpersonal relationships. It begins at the breakfast table over corn flakes when you say you want to go shopping and your alpha-male boyfriend starts in saying that it's typical of you to go off and spend money and waste time while he has to clean the house. Next thing you know, the two of you have been screaming at each other for hours. Remember that astrology is a tool to master such situations. Venus-square-Pluto is a golden opportunity to rediscover the things you love about your lover. Okay, so he's a bitch-on-wheels. So what? He's your bitch-on-wheels and the two of you love each other. Make a stab at helping him clean the house — and sneak online and buy needless stuff on eBay when he's not looking.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21st, 2026

This week last meteors that Antinous saw before he died in October of 130 AD! Go outside tonight and look up and see one of the great wonders of the October heavens ... when the ORIONIDS meteor showers reach their peak this week! Every year in late October, our planet passes through debris left behind by Halley's Comet, and some of that debris turns into meteors. You see up to 20 meteors an hour in the Northern Hemisphere, or up to 40 an hour in the Southern Hemisphere. Orion shoots his love arrows into your heart!

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22nd, 2026

This week, Sun opposition Chiron means your self-confidence and patience may be a bit strained right now, stretched by the urge to break free of chronic constraints. Motivation and self-esteem may seem to sag and suffer from old problems that you thought were resolved. This is probably because you are seeing "the flaws in the system" that are preventing you from getting the results you want. It will help to take a fresh approach to your situation. You may need to let go of what you think the results "should be" or how they should come to you. Be open to getting what you want in a different form than you were expecting. You may have to work extra hard for results now, especially if it means having to find a different route to success. If it seems like a door of opportunity has closed, look for an unexpected advantage or hidden alternative. This could allow you to tap into other opportunities that wouldn't have been possible otherwise.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23rd, 2026

This weekend you discover the warrior goddess within your heart ... when the Sun aligns in conjunction with Venus ... both in equality-seeking Libra. You fight for your beliefs ... no one can defeat you.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24th, 2026

This weekend Mercury does an about-face and goes "backwards" as seen from Earth until November 13th. This RETROGRADE MERCURY phase is a time of confusion in communications and commerce. About three times each year, Mercury the communications wizard turns into Mercury the fast-talking con man. This is the RETROGRADE MERCURY phase, and it lasts about three weeks. RETROGRADE MERCURY will be serving up glitches and snafus in communications, computers, transport, travel and social media. If you are buying a new mobile phone, be sure to read the fine print about hidden costs. Planning to move into a new apartment? Check the kitchen and bathroom for tell-tale signs of mold before signing the lease. Remember over the next three weeks that MERCURY wants you to play his sly game to win — not to be a whining victim. Make him proud of the way you play his game!

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25th, 2026

This weekend retrograde Venus slips "backwards" out of suspicious Scorpio and re-enters lovely laid-back Libra to stay until December 4th, 2026. As this new cycle takes hold in your life, romance and social interaction take on a greater importance for you. Harmonious ties to others are what you yearn for; refinement and elegance are what you seek. The ideal partnership, the perfect balance, the highest standards of truth and beauty — these are some of the things that quicken your pulse now.

SNEAK PREVIEW OF NEXT WEEK:

Another exciting week lies ahead between October 26th and November 1st, 2026, when we come to the TAURUS FULL MOON. That is the lunar phase which, in Antinous Moon Magic, is called the HADRIAN's VILLA MOON. This is a way for Antinous the Gay God to help you find your spiritual home, the celestial palace you have made for yourself. This Moon is aimed at helping you focus and center your spiritual heart ... More details next time ....

THE LAST METEORS ANTINOUS SAW: THE ORIONIDS REACH THEIR PEAK TONIGHT

THE last meteors that Antinous saw before he died in October of 130 AD! Go outside tonight and look up and see one of the great wonders of the October heavens ... when the Orionids meteor shower reach their peak tonight! Every year in late October, our planet passes through debris left behind by Halley's Comet, and some of that debris turns into meteors. You see up to 20 meteors an hour in the Northern Hemisphere, or up to 40 an hour in the Southern Hemisphere.

THE TRIPOD MOON OF ANTINOUS THE LIBRA NEW MOON OF INDECISION

TONIGHT's Libra New Moon is the Lunar Phase we call the TRIPOD MOON in Antinous Moon Magic in honor of the clouds of incense with which three-footed incense braziers filled the Ancient Temples of Antinous.

The clouds of incense created a sacred other-worldly atmosphere of intoxication and purification.

By its burning, incense symbolized the zeal of the followers of Antinous, its sweet fragrance echoed the "scent of sanctity" believed to be exuded by the Most Great and Good God.

Its rising smoke symbolized the ascent of prayers to Antinous. 

Also, incense creates a cloud, which is another symbol for the altered state of the Divine. Incense blocks out everyday concerns of the rational mind and opens the heart to the Divine. Your soul is flooded by so many impressions that rational thought becomes clouded.

The Libra New Moon symbolizes those situations in which you find it hard to make decisions, you cannot pick an item from a menu because "it all looks so good" so you let others decide for you. This Lunar Phase is important in showing you how to "clear away the clouds" so that clear decision-making is possible.

Each Lunar Phase represents a Divine Spirit or Archetype. The Spirit of the Tripod Moon is the Spirit of Vapors and Clouds. This Spirit is intangible, hard to grasp, impossible to pin down. It is a Will-O'-the-Wisp. This Spirit is amorphous and formless, only vaguely discernible like the ectoplasm of a ghost.

It does not have its head in the clouds, but rather it is the clouds themselves. This Spirit has trouble making decisions, not because it  cannot see any options, but rather because it can see every option and the ramifications of every decision. This Spirit has problems seeing clearly precisely because it see too much.

The keywords during this Lunar Phase are: Clouded thinking. Confusion. Distraction. Indecision. Doubts. Angst. Worries. Altered Consciousness. Smoke Screen. Haziness. Fog.

Meditation, rituals, smudge ceremonies and especially aromatherapy carried out during this Lunar Phase help to "clear the fog" about making important decisions as well as cleansing and purifying yourself and your sacred environment.

ASTRO FORECAST: OCTOBER 8th—18th, 2026

Antinous is a Moon God. He is, of course, many other things and he wears many hats. But one of the ways he was worshiped in Antiquity was as ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD.

His worshipers looked skyward and saw His beautiful face perpetually turned towards the Earth. The Man in the Moon was actually the Blessed Boy in the Moon for the ancient priests and worshipers of Antinous. Swiftest and most youthful of all the Zodiacal deities, Antinous speeds through an entire year's worth of Astrological signs in just 28 days.

ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD represents our deepest personal needs, our basic habits and reactions, and our unconscious gay selves. Where Hadrian the Sun acts, Antinous the Moon REACTS. How do we instinctively react or respond to problems? What do we feel we need for a sense of security? Look to ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD for answers.

ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD is both our inner boy child and our inner lover. His ever changing phases, as he sweeps past all the other Planets in all the Signs, make us at turns responsive, receptive, and reflective. Eternally youthful, ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD represents our childlike spontaneous and instinctual reactions.

ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD beams down on us to make us imaginative, creative, intuitive, sentimental, adaptable, introspective, and protective. On the negative side, and depending on where he is in the Zodiac, he can make us moody, restless, and irrational.

Antinous Astrology Forecast

---

OCTOBER 8th to 18th, 2026

---

THURS-FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8th-9th, 2026

This week, romance is in the air when Mercury conjunction Venus causes sparks to fly. Because Venus is Retrograde right now, you may get a message from an old flame who rekindles desires you thought were long extinguished.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10th, 2026

This weekend, we come to the LIBRA NEW MOON... the Lunar Phase we call the TRIPOD MOON in Antinous Moon Magic in honor of the clouds of incense with which three-footed incense braziers filled the Ancient Temples of Antinous. The clouds of incense created a sacred other-worldly atmosphere of intoxication and purification ... but made rational decision-making difficult. If you are having trouble "seeing the fog", the Libra New Moon will show you where the confusion lies.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11th, 2026

This weekend, Venus and Mars are in a 90-degree right angle to each other, causing chaos in love relationships. This is the astrological textbook recipe for a relationship in which tempers are always hot, the love is always hot, passions are always hot and in which you are fighting violently with each other one moment — and then violently making love the next moment.

MON-WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12th-14th, 2026

This week, the Sun forms a sextile with lucky Jupiter. This is the sort of day that the Latin expression "Carpe Diem" (Seize the Day) was created for. Be sure to buy a lottery ticket ... and be sure to share the winnings with everybody around you.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15th, 2026

This week, the LGBTQIA spiritual revolution gets a big boost when Pluto turns direct after having been Retrograde (going "backwards" as seen from Earth) since 7th May 2026. Moving "forward" again helps to heal past transgressions and bring closure. Pluto is in innovative Aquarius for the first time since the French and American revolutions and remains in revolution-minded Aquarius for the next 20 years. Full details here about PLUTO IN AQUARIUS.

FRI-SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16th-17th, 2026

This weekend, ambitious Mars forms a positive trine aspect with industrious Saturn to give you the drive you need to push forward projects which have been stalled in recent weeks. It's now or never. Trust Mars to give you the determination. Trust Saturn to give you the cautious determination.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18th, 2026

This weekend, we come to the CAPRICORN FIRST QUARTER MOON. In Antinous Moon Magic, we call this the MERCHANT MOON which offers you an opportunity to reap the benefits of your hard work — and find new opportunities for material advancement.

SNEAK PREVIEW OF NEXT WEEK:

Another exciting week lies ahead between October 19th and 25th, 2026, when we come to the TAURUS FULL MOON. That is the lunar phase which, in Antinous Moon Magic, is called the HADRIAN's VILLA MOON. This is a way for Antinous the Gay God to help you find your spiritual home, the celestial palace you have made for yourself. This Moon is aimed at helping you focus and center your spiritual heart ... More details next time ....

WE RAISE A TOAST TO ANTINOUS AT THE AURA PLACIDUS WINE FESTIVAL

OCTOBER 5th is Aura Placidus, the autumnal feast of Dionysus, deity of liberation and ecstatic transcendence over death as symbolized by divine intoxication. 

Aura Placidus means "gentle breeze" and today is a day to simply enjoy a day of rest. 

For Dionysus, it was a day of rest after the gathering of the grapes and preparing them for fermentation ... and maybe having a taste or two, just to see how it was getting on.

The Aura Placidus was celebrated with singing, dancing and games ... and with much feasting and drinking.

Antinous traditionally has been identified with Dionysus "Twice Born" of mortal woman and divine radiance. 

Antinous/Dionysus reminds you that you are HOMOTHEOSIS ... Gay Man Godliness Becoming the Same in Divine Radiance.

Today we take a break, sit back, and toast Antinous/Dionysus the divine liberator!

ASTRO FORECAST: OCTOBER 1st—11th, 2026

Antinous is a Moon God. He is, of course, many other things and he wears many hats. But one of the ways he was worshiped in Antiquity was as ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD.

His worshipers looked skyward and saw His beautiful face perpetually turned towards the Earth. The Man in the Moon was actually the Blessed Boy in the Moon for the ancient priests and worshipers of Antinous. Swiftest and most youthful of all the Zodiacal deities, Antinous speeds through an entire year's worth of Astrological signs in just 28 days.

ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD represents our deepest personal needs, our basic habits and reactions, and our unconscious gay selves. Where Hadrian the Sun acts, Antinous the Moon REACTS. How do we instinctively react or respond to problems? What do we feel we need for a sense of security? Look to ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD for answers.

ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD is both our inner boy child and our inner lover. His ever changing phases, as he sweeps past all the other Planets in all the Signs, make us at turns responsive, receptive, and reflective. Eternally youthful, ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD represents our childlike spontaneous and instinctual reactions.

ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD beams down on us to make us imaginative, creative, intuitive, sentimental, adaptable, introspective, and protective. On the negative side, and depending on where he is in the Zodiac, he can make us moody, restless, and irrational.

Antinous Astrology Forecast

---

OCTOBER 1st to 11th, 2026

---

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1st, 2026

This week, Mercury is at right angles to both Mars and Pluto. Some astrologers say this is when people sharpen their swords, but we prefer to say it is when people sharpen their tongues to use as weapons! Remember that lovely line from "The Importance of Being Earnest" by Oscar Wilde (who is a Saint of Antinous, by the way): "On an occasion of this kind it becomes more than a moral duty to speak one's mind. It becomes a pleasure." This is an aspect which encourages people to say vicious and intentionally hurtful things. People are overly persnickety and bitchy and downright mean. You'll be amazed how true this is.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2nd, 2026

This week, powerful energies are at play when Mars is in a 120-degree trine aspect to dreamy Pisces Neptune even as the War God is in 180-degree opposition to revolution-minded Pluto. Imagine yourself barreling down a freeway at high speed ... and suddenly being enveloped in a fog bank which cuts visibility to zero. If you don't reduce speed immediately, you are bound for disaster. Mars is the fast sports car thundering down the highway ... and Neptune is the fog bank ... and Hades (Pluto) is in the driver's seat. This astrological configuration spells trouble for people who proceed full speed through life without any regard to their surroundings. They will come a cropper this week. However, this Mars/Neptune trine configuration is excellent for people who have latent intuitive, artistic or spiritual talents ... like Antinous-Dionysus. Mars invigorates and enlivens these talents. So the answer is: Proceed with caution, but keep your eyes open for brilliant new opportunities and insights which otherwise would have flashed past you unseen at high speed.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3rd, 2026

This weekend, ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD is at right angles to the Sun. This is the Cancer Third Quarter Moon, which is the DISCORDIA MOON in Antinous Moon Magic ... The goddess Discordia can be a powerful friend ... or deadly foe. Many gay men have assertiveness problems. On a gay spiritual level, the Discordia Moon shines its light on problem areas where you need to stand up and assert yourself. Anger is one of the most cathartic emotions, and it can also be a very effective cleanser of the emotional system. However, when it becomes a habit, it actually loses its power to transform and becomes an obstacle to growth. Meditations and rituals during the Discordia Moon can help you in identifying the role anger plays in your life and restoring it to its proper function so that it can bring new energy and expansiveness to your emotional life.

Also this weekend, Scorpio Venus stops and turns around. An ex-lover will call or visit you in the next 40 days ... Venus goes "Retrograde" (backwards) from October 3rd until November 14th. Retrograde Scorpio Venus is emotionally passionate, suspicious and distrustful ... this is a good time to review, reassess, and revive your relationships ... and that means it may be time to end some career or personal relationships. Retrograde Scorpio Venus is nostalgic for "the good old days" ... so you can expect to hear from old friends and ex-lovers. You may not have seen them for years, and suddenly they show up on your doorstep ... and the two of you have a wonderful time reviving old memories ... and possibly reconciling old differences. In fact, Retrograde Venus periods are often characterized by old lovers getting back together and re-marrying.

SUN-MONDAY, OCTOBER 4th-5th, 2026

This week, we come to our annual reality check with the Sun in 180-degree opposition to Saturn. The result is that Saturn floods you with doubts and caution while the Sun showers you with over-confidence and over-optimism. You find yourself wanting desperately to achieve long-stalled goals ... but you are plagued by doubts and insecurities. You crave recognition, but you find it difficult to cope with praise. And because Saturn is retrograde, problems from the past come back to haunt you.

TUES-FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6th-9th, 2026

This week, romance is in the air when Mercury conjunction Venus causes sparks to fly. Because Venus is Retrograde right now, you may get a message from an old flame who rekindles desires you thought were long extinguished.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10th, 2026

This weekend, we come to the LIBRA NEW MOON... the Lunar Phase we call the TRIPOD MOON in Antinous Moon Magic in honor of the clouds of incense with which three-footed incense braziers filled the Ancient Temples of Antinous. The clouds of incense created a sacred other-worldly atmosphere of intoxication and purification ... but made rational decision-making difficult. If you are having trouble "seeing the fog", the Libra New Moon will show you where the confusion lies.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11th, 2026

This weekend, Venus and Mars are in a 90-degree right angle to each other, causing chaos in love relationships. This is the astrological textbook recipe for a relationship in which tempers are always hot, the love is always hot, passions are always hot and in which you are fighting violently with each other one moment — and then violently making love the next moment.

SNEAK PREVIEW OF NEXT WEEK:

Another exciting week lies ahead between October 12th and 18th, 2026, when we come to the CAPRICORN FIRST QUARTER MOON. In Antinous Moon Magic, we call this the MERCHANT MOON which offers you an opportunity to reap the benefits of your hard work — and find new opportunities for material advancement ... More details next time ....

METEOR GLASS FOR THE LIGHTNING MOON By Our Crystal Therapy Adviser Martin Campbell

THE Aries Full Moon ... the "Lightning Moon" in Antinous Moon Magic ... ushers in a period of potentially intense and/or sudden change.

Tonight's Lightning Moon is special because it is also a Super Moon and a Total Lunar Eclipse ... the first time a Super Total Eclipse has occurred in three decades. 

So, I recommend the following:

Moonstone - this is absolutely the best crystal at this time. It helps accepting change as part of a cycle of moon phases. 

Bloodstone - helps you to act in the present moment, and deal with change. It is also meant to help you control the weather!

Clear Calcite - Helps you accept new beginnings.

Aqua Aura - my favourite suggestion for this lunar cycle. (Photo at right.) It is clear quartz crystal fired in an oven with gold dust. So not dissimilar to being struck by gold lightning! The process creates a magical blue crystal. 

Friends of mine comment on the 'point' I often wear with a deep blue Iolite mounted in silver with it (one of the attributes of Iolite is supporting the body in improving physical health). 

Aqua Aura creates space for something new to come into your life. Of course, being 'created' by man made processes may mean that some people get sniffy about it! 

I usually only recommend crystals that are readily available. The above are all readily available although the Aqua Auras can be expensive.

As this is an unusual moon, however, I thought it might be interesting to mention two other crystals which are ‘striking’ in that they came about via massive strikes on the earth. Not from lightening though…

Moldavite – Thousands of years ago a huge meteorite struck earth in Europe. The impact site is now covered by regions of Moldova, the Czech Republic and Germany. 

The intense heat of the impact turned the trees, soil and rocks into a deep green "glass" tektite crystal called Moldavite which was scattered for many miles around the impact crater. Most of the central crater has now been mined of the tonnes of Moldavite it once contained.  It is much harder to find the crystals blown many miles away from that central point. So Moldavite can be very expensive – especially the delicate, tree-like, ones found in the Czech region of Besednice.

Due to its origins, Moldavite is ‘high vibrational’. Its energies flow at a level of vibration above virtually all other crystals. It will put you in touch with your higher self and ‘higher’ beings – especially if placed over your third eye. Be careful though! Many people can’t cope with the sudden head rush that Moldavites can create. I have brain damage so find I can’t go near them – especially the Besednice ones. I get very disorientated. My partner loves them so I always carry grounding crystals in case I come to near him if he is using one!

Libyan Gold/Libyan Glass Tektite - Thousands of years ago a huge meteorite struck earth in north Africa. The impact site is now covered by regions of Libya and Egypt. The intense heat of the impact turned the desert sands into a yellow ‘glass’ tektite crystal called Libyan Gold or Libyan Glass.

I usually just refer to it as Libyan Glass. 

These crystals can be very beautifully and jewellers can turn them into amazing pieces to wear. 

The Egyptian pharaohs sought out chunks of Libyan Glass to adorn their jewellery – they also knew of its magical attributes… Libyan Glass was said the bring the sun god – the Aten - to earth.

The Aten was the god who the heretical pharaoh Akhenaten worshipped and tried to make all Egyptians worship. 

It is interesting, therefore, that his son Tutankhamum (under whom Egypt was returned to its old gods) has a Libyan Glass scarab beetle carved as the central piece to the strings of jewels lain across his chest for burial (photo at the top of this entry).

Libyan Glass will help protect you on any journey, physical or spiritual. It will also help you to put the past behind you, to separate you from any negativity you have previously experienced. It is also high vibrational but the energy is smoother, less dramatic. I love it and have several pieces including a spear probably a thousand years old.

Love and Light until next week,

MARTIN

MARTIN CAMPBELL is an author living in Britain who is adept at Antinous Moon Magic in its special forms of pendulum, card reading and crystal magic. He is the author of THE LOVE GOD, a historical novel tracing the life of Antinous from the moment his tousle-haired head emerges from his mother's womb under auspicious stars in Asia Minor to the moment his head sinks beneath the swirling waters of the Nile on a starry evening in Egypt.

ASTRO FORECAST: SEPTEMBER 24th—OCTOBER 4th, 2026

Antinous is a Moon God. He is, of course, many other things and he wears many hats. But one of the ways he was worshiped in Antiquity was as ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD.

His worshipers looked skyward and saw His beautiful face perpetually turned towards the Earth. The Man in the Moon was actually the Blessed Boy in the Moon for the ancient priests and worshipers of Antinous. Swiftest and most youthful of all the Zodiacal deities, Antinous speeds through an entire year's worth of Astrological signs in just 28 days.

ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD represents our deepest personal needs, our basic habits and reactions, and our unconscious gay selves. Where Hadrian the Sun acts, Antinous the Moon REACTS. How do we instinctively react or respond to problems? What do we feel we need for a sense of security? Look to ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD for answers.

ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD is both our inner boy child and our inner lover. His ever changing phases, as he sweeps past all the other Planets in all the Signs, make us at turns responsive, receptive, and reflective. Eternally youthful, ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD represents our childlike spontaneous and instinctual reactions.

ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD beams down on us to make us imaginative, creative, intuitive, sentimental, adaptable, introspective, and protective. On the negative side, and depending on where he is in the Zodiac, he can make us moody, restless, and irrational.

Antinous Astrology Forecast

---

SEPTEMBER 24th to OCTOBER 4th, 2026

---

THURS-FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24th-25th, 2026

This week, meditation and astral travel are enhanced by the Libra Sun and Aries Neptune and Aquarius Pluto. The Sun is in 180-degree opposition to Neptune. By Sacred Synchronicity, the Sun is also in a positively profound trine with Pluto and the Star of Antinous that enables you to get down and dirty and show what is really inside of you ... deep ... down ... inside. This is a good time to grow beyond yourself ... shed your old shy image the way a snake sheds its skin ... and present your shining inner self to the world. Meanwhile, Sun opposition Neptune enhances your ability to lift the veil between the worlds and to perceive spirits in other realms. You can also receive messages from the beyond and communicate more effectively with your higher self and with spirit guides during this profoundly spiritual configurations. Because Neptune is retrograde (going "backwards" as seen from Earth) you can delve into past-life incarnations.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26th, 2026

This weekend, we come to the ARIES FULL MOON which amps up the tension levels 100 percent! Be careful: In Antinous Moon Magic we call this the LIGHTNING MOON for the bolt of lightning which nearly killed Hadrian and Antinous atop Mount Cassius at the autumnal Solstice of the year 129 AD. The LIGHTNING MOON is the most impetuous and accident-prone moon of the year.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27th, 2026

Do you have a broken heart? This weekend spiritual healing energies get a sudden and dramatic boost when Mars forms a 90-degree square aspect with CHIRON IN ARIES. This is a good time for health checkups and treatment ... also, you can expect a positive and expansive outlook, which can benefit your well-being at this time. You may be more open-minded with regard to experiencing new things, which will allow healing of your mind, body, and spirit. For instance, you could seek higher understanding and meaning in your life through a guide, mentor, or spiritual person or increase your inner knowledge by means of educational processes, religion, or meditative practices during this period. An urge to travel to far-away places (real or imaginary) may also be experienced. You may discover new perspectives on your beliefs, faith, and sense of hope. Restoring peace and harmony in your personal life and relationships is possible now through your interest in healing your own wounds, as well as extending compassion and generosity to others.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28th, 2026

This week, Mars enters Leo, to stay there until November 25th, 2026. In this period, you will feel very invigorated, with loads of energy to do just about anything. The planet Mars thrives in Leo, so it is a good period for getting lots of things done, even quickly solving problems that used to be just too much. Mars passes through Leo every year and a half, so it's not a life-changing thing. But Mars truly enjoys this period of endless energy and heightened capacity. Make the most of it!

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29th, 2026

This week, the Sun forms a positive trine aspect with Uranus which blows in a breath of fresh air which rejuvenates and invigorates you and encourages you to act first and ask questions later.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30th, 2026

This week, Mercury in the last degree of Libra is in 180-degree opposition with CHIRON IN ARIES to enable you to give voice to any pain in your life before Mercury leaves Cancer and plunges into the murky depths of Scorpio where he transforms into canine-headed Hermanubis to sniff out dark mysteries with his keen nose and hear whispered secrets with his powerful ears. On the global level, you can expect public revelations of dark secrets during the coming weeks. And on the personal level, you can expect to see which of your friends are faithful and will stick by you when the chips are down ... and which ones will back off and just leave you standing there alone. Now is the time to talk about all of those shadows and skeletons hiding in the closet. They will be crawling out and rearing their head regardless, so why not work with them so they don't work against you?

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1st, 2026

This week, Mercury is at right angles to both Mars and Pluto. Some astrologers say this is when people sharpen their swords, but we prefer to say it is when people sharpen their tongues to use as weapons! Remember that lovely line from "The Importance of Being Earnest" by Oscar Wilde (who is a Saint of Antinous, by the way): "On an occasion of this kind it becomes more than a moral duty to speak one's mind. It becomes a pleasure." This is an aspect which encourages people to say vicious and intentionally hurtful things. People are overly persnickety and bitchy and downright mean. You'll be amazed how true this is.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2nd, 2026

This week, powerful energies are at play when Mars is in a 120-degree trine aspect to dreamy Pisces Neptune even as the War God is in 180-degree opposition to revolution-minded Pluto. Imagine yourself barreling down a freeway at high speed ... and suddenly being enveloped in a fog bank which cuts visibility to zero. If you don't reduce speed immediately, you are bound for disaster. Mars is the fast sports car thundering down the highway ... and Neptune is the fog bank ... and Hades (Pluto) is in the driver's seat. This astrological configuration spells trouble for people who proceed full speed through life without any regard to their surroundings. They will come a cropper this week. However, this Mars/Neptune trine configuration is excellent for people who have latent intuitive, artistic or spiritual talents ... like Antinous-Dionysus. Mars invigorates and enlivens these talents. So the answer is: Proceed with caution, but keep your eyes open for brilliant new opportunities and insights which otherwise would have flashed past you unseen at high speed.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3rd, 2026

This weekend, ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD is at right angles to the Sun. This is the Cancer Third Quarter Moon, which is the DISCORDIA MOON in Antinous Moon Magic ... The goddess Discordia can be a powerful friend ... or deadly foe. Many gay men have assertiveness problems. On a gay spiritual level, the Discordia Moon shines its light on problem areas where you need to stand up and assert yourself. Anger is one of the most cathartic emotions, and it can also be a very effective cleanser of the emotional system. However, when it becomes a habit, it actually loses its power to transform and becomes an obstacle to growth. Meditations and rituals during the Discordia Moon can help you in identifying the role anger plays in your life and restoring it to its proper function so that it can bring new energy and expansiveness to your emotional life.

Also this weekend, Scorpio Venus stops and turns around. An ex-lover will call or visit you in the next 40 days ... Venus goes "Retrograde" (backwards) from October 3rd until November 14th. Retrograde Scorpio Venus is emotionally passionate, suspicious and distrustful ... this is a good time to review, reassess, and revive your relationships ... and that means it may be time to end some career or personal relationships. Retrograde Scorpio Venus is nostalgic for "the good old days" ... so you can expect to hear from old friends and ex-lovers. You may not have seen them for years, and suddenly they show up on your doorstep ... and the two of you have a wonderful time reviving old memories ... and possibly reconciling old differences. In fact, Retrograde Venus periods are often characterized by old lovers getting back together and re-marrying.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4th, 2026

This week, we come to our annual reality check with the Sun in 180-degree opposition to Saturn. The result is that Saturn floods you with doubts and caution while the Sun showers you with over-confidence and over-optimism. You find yourself wanting desperately to achieve long-stalled goals ... but you are plagued by doubts and insecurities. You crave recognition, but you find it difficult to cope with praise. And because Saturn is retrograde, problems from the past come back to haunt you.

SNEAK PREVIEW OF NEXT WEEK:

Another exciting week lies ahead between October 5th and 11th, 2026, when we come to the LIBRA NEW MOON... the Lunar Phase we call the TRIPOD MOON in Antinous Moon Magic in honor of the clouds of incense with which three-footed incense braziers filled the Ancient Temples of Antinous. The clouds of incense created a sacred other-worldly atmosphere of intoxication and purification ... but made rational decision-making difficult. If you are having trouble "seeing the fog", the Libra New Moon will show you where the confusion lies ... More details next time ....

ASTRO FORECAST: SEPTEMBER 17th—27th, 2026

Antinous is a Moon God. He is, of course, many other things and he wears many hats. But one of the ways he was worshiped in Antiquity was as ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD.

His worshipers looked skyward and saw His beautiful face perpetually turned towards the Earth. The Man in the Moon was actually the Blessed Boy in the Moon for the ancient priests and worshipers of Antinous. Swiftest and most youthful of all the Zodiacal deities, Antinous speeds through an entire year's worth of Astrological signs in just 28 days.

ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD represents our deepest personal needs, our basic habits and reactions, and our unconscious gay selves. Where Hadrian the Sun acts, Antinous the Moon REACTS. How do we instinctively react or respond to problems? What do we feel we need for a sense of security? Look to ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD for answers.

ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD is both our inner boy child and our inner lover. His ever changing phases, as he sweeps past all the other Planets in all the Signs, make us at turns responsive, receptive, and reflective. Eternally youthful, ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD represents our childlike spontaneous and instinctual reactions.

ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD beams down on us to make us imaginative, creative, intuitive, sentimental, adaptable, introspective, and protective. On the negative side, and depending on where he is in the Zodiac, he can make us moody, restless, and irrational.

Antinous Astrology Forecast

---

SEPTEMBER 17th
to 27th, 2026

---

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17th, 2026

Chiron the cosmic healer, which is "Retrograde" (moving "backwards" as seen from Earth), slips backwards out of Taurus and re-enters Aries, and will stay there until 17th February 2027. ARIES CHIRON brings with it a cycle in which we will be improving our confidence, including body image. These are sensitive topics that can have a big effect on us. Personal and health problems that were hindering our progress are about to be revised and resolved. We will be learning to assert ourselves and focus on our needs in healthy doses without feeling guilty in the process. This transit emphasizes the concept that healing begins within oneself.

FRI-SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18th-20th, 2026

This week, we come to the Sagittarius First Quarter Moon, which we call the EQUESTRIAN MOON in Antinous Moon Magic ... the Lunar Phase we associate with spiritual movement and progress, astral travel and astral projection ... On the material level, this Lunar Phase is excellent for making travel plans and for carrying out rituals for a safe journey with bountiful spiritual rewards ... or at least for washing that vehicle of yours.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21st, 2026

This week, don't believe much of anything you hear when Mercury forms a chatty sextile aspect with Jupiter. Mercury loves to tell tales and Jupiter loves to exaggerate.

TUES-WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22nd-23rd, 2026

The Equinox is here! Some people call it the time of balance, but we call it the eye of the storm ... the moment of peace and calm before winds blow from the opposite direction ... The days are becoming longer and spring is on the way ... for friends of Antinous the Gay God​ in the Southern Hemisphere. Yet the days are becoming shorter for Antinous friends in the Northern Hemisphere ... The Equinox occurs when the Sun enters Libra on September 22nd or 23rd, depending on where you live on this planet of ours. That is the odd thing about the Equinox ... It is the same moment ... But the clock on the wall shows 23 different hours, depending on where we live on this Blue Marble of ours ... For Antinous, of course, all moments in time are NOW and all positions in space are HERE ... in your gay spiritual heart in the eye of the storm.

THURS-FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24th-25th, 2026

This week, meditation and astral travel are enhanced by the Libra Sun and Aries Neptune and by Aquarius Pluto. The Sun is in 180-degree opposition to Neptune. By Sacred Synchronicity, the Sun is also in a positively profound trine with Pluto and the Star of Antinous that enables you to get down and dirty and show what is really inside of you ... deep ... down ... inside. This is a good time to grow beyond yourself ... shed your old shy image the way a snake sheds its skin ... and present your shining inner self to the world. Meanwhile, Sun opposition Neptune enhances your ability to lift the veil between the worlds and to perceive spirits in other realms. You can also receive messages from the beyond and communicate more effectively with your higher self and with spirit guides during this profoundly spiritual configurations. Because Neptune is retrograde (going "backwards" as seen from Earth) you can delve into past-life incarnations.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26th, 2026

This weekend, we come to the ARIES FULL MOON which amps up the tension levels 100 percent! Be careful: In Antinous Moon Magic we call this the LIGHTNING MOON for the bolt of lightning which nearly killed Hadrian and Antinous atop Mount Cassius at the autumnal Solstice of the year 129 AD. The LIGHTNING MOON is the most impetuous and accident-prone moon of the year.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27th, 2026

Do you have a broken heart? This weekend spiritual healing energies get a sudden and dramatic boost when Mars forms a 90-degree square aspect with CHIRON IN ARIES. This is a good time for health checkups and treatment ... also, you can expect a positive and expansive outlook, which can benefit your well-being at this time. You may be more open-minded with regard to experiencing new things, which will allow healing of your mind, body, and spirit. For instance, you could seek higher understanding and meaning in your life through a guide, mentor, or spiritual person or increase your inner knowledge by means of educational processes, religion, or meditative practices during this period. An urge to travel to far-away places (real or imaginary) may also be experienced. You may discover new perspectives on your beliefs, faith, and sense of hope. Restoring peace and harmony in your personal life and relationships is possible now through your interest in healing your own wounds, as well as extending compassion and generosity to others.

SNEAK PREVIEW OF NEXT WEEK:

Another exciting week lies ahead between September 28th and October 4th, 2026, when ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD is at right angles to the Sun. This is the Cancer Third Quarter Moon, which is the DISCORDIA MOON in Antinous Moon Magic ... The goddess Discordia can be a powerful friend ... or deadly foe. Many gay men have assertiveness problems. On a gay spiritual level, the Discordia Moon shines its light on problem areas where you need to stand up and assert yourself. Anger is one of the most cathartic emotions, and it can also be a very effective cleanser of the emotional system. However, when it becomes a habit, it actually loses its power to transform and becomes an obstacle to growth. Meditations and rituals during the Discordia Moon can help you in identifying the role anger plays in your life and restoring it to its proper function so that it can bring new energy and expansiveness to your emotional life ... More details next time ....

RUN LIKE PHEIDIPPIDES JUST DON'T DIE LIKE PHEIDIPPIDES

ON September 12, 490 BC, 10,000 Greeks use superior tactics to push 100,000 Persians back into the sea at the Battle of Marathon Bay ... forever changing the course of Western Civilization.

Though outnumbered 10 to 1, the Greeks won thanks to their new tactics.

Instead of individual soldiers fighting one-to-one duels, the Greeks rolled out their "phalanx" battle line of Hoplite soldiers who fought as one impenetrable unit.

The Battle of Marathon was a watershed in the Greco-Persian wars, showing the Greeks that the Persians could be beaten; the eventual Greek triumph in these wars can be seen to begin at Marathon. 

The battle also showed the Greeks that they were able to win battles without the Spartans, as they had heavily relied on Sparta previously. 

This win was largely due to the Athenians, and Marathon raised Greek esteem of them. Since the following two hundred years saw the rise of the Classical Greek civilization, which has been enduringly influential in western society, the Battle of Marathon is a pivotal moment in history.

The battle is perhaps now more famous as the inspiration for the marathon race. 

Although thought to be historically inaccurate, the legend of the Greek messenger Pheidippides running to Athens with news of the victory became the inspiration for this athletic event, introduced at the 1896 Athens Olympics, and originally run between Marathon and Athens.

Pheidippides was a professional "hemerodrome" (foot courier) who was sent to Sparta to request help when the Persians landed at Marathon, Greece. 

He ran 240 km (150 mi) in two days. Thanks to him, the Persians were defeated. 

He then ran the 40 km (26 mi) from the battlefield near Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory over Persia in the Battle of Marathon (490 BC) with the words "Chairete, nikomen!" ("Rejoice, we are victorious!") ... before collapsing and dying ... uttering "Cairete" (Rejoice) with his final rasping gasp of breath.

Image at top of entry: "Man Runs First Marathon To Bring News of Greek Victory Over Persia" painting by Tom Lovell (1909–97)

ASTRO FORECAST: SEPTEMBER 10th—20th, 2026

Antinous is a Moon God. He is, of course, many other things and he wears many hats. But one of the ways he was worshiped in Antiquity was as ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD.

His worshipers looked skyward and saw His beautiful face perpetually turned towards the Earth. The Man in the Moon was actually the Blessed Boy in the Moon for the ancient priests and worshipers of Antinous. Swiftest and most youthful of all the Zodiacal deities, Antinous speeds through an entire year's worth of Astrological signs in just 28 days.

ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD represents our deepest personal needs, our basic habits and reactions, and our unconscious gay selves. Where Hadrian the Sun acts, Antinous the Moon REACTS. How do we instinctively react or respond to problems? What do we feel we need for a sense of security? Look to ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD for answers.

ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD is both our inner boy child and our inner lover. His ever changing phases, as he sweeps past all the other Planets in all the Signs, make us at turns responsive, receptive, and reflective. Eternally youthful, ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD represents our childlike spontaneous and instinctual reactions.

ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD beams down on us to make us imaginative, creative, intuitive, sentimental, adaptable, introspective, and protective. On the negative side, and depending on where he is in the Zodiac, he can make us moody, restless, and irrational.

Antinous Astrology Forecast

---

SEPTEMBER 10th
to 20th, 2026

---

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10th, 2026

This week, Uranus the planet of revolutionary change stops dead in its tracks (as seen from Earth) and goes Retrograde (backwards) for the next five months. Even when going forward, Uranus shakes things up. When URANUS TURNS RETROGRADE it still shakes things up for us, but it starts to do so in a very pushy way. It pushes us to dig deep and really face the problems and the roadblocks that have impeded progress. It forces us to re-evaluate our values and our priorities.

If we've been turning a blind eye to a problem, Uranus retrograde will put that problem in our face, front and center, and make it impossible to ignore. If we've been too willing to settle and reluctant to venture from our comfort zones, Uranus will shake us out of it like you shake ants out of a picnic blanket.

Uranus sparks awakenings and inspires us to challenge what we accept as the norm, but when it goes retrograde it forces us to do so through an overhaul.

While Uranus is in retrograde, on a personal level, you may find Uranus forces you to re-evaluate your life — what you've accepted, what you've settled for, the choices you have made. If you've been mindlessly heading down the wrong path, Uranus retrograde gives you the proverbial slap in the face to bring you back to your senses — the kind of slap that stings, but for which you are grateful. After something happens, you may find yourself wondering, "what am I doing? Why am I doing this?" That's the planet's influence on you while in retrograde.

As a society, you'll find Uranus retrograde is when there is unrest and that brings attention to things we've let slide for far too long. More people begin to rethink the direction we've been taking, challenge convention and advocate for change.

You can really use Uranus retrograde to your advantage. It is an ideal time to reflect on your life. Examine your past in relation to your future, and if there is an "Aha!" moment to be had, Uranus retrograde can help you find it.

Have you fallen into bad patterns of thought or behavior? Have you trapped yourself in a lifestyle or job that hasn't really been working for you, but you stuck with it because it was easier than changing? Uranus retrograde is going to make you see what brought you to where you are, face your fears and take you out of your comfort zone, ultimately guiding you to the realization that there are better paths to take.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11th, 2026

Overnight Thursday-Friday, we come to the Virgo New Moon, which is the lunar phase in Antinous Moon Magic we call the PLOTINA MOON in honor of Emperor Trajan's wife, the Empress Plotina, who lobbied on Hadrian's behalf, ensuring he would be Hadrian's successor ... The Spirit of the Plotina Moon is the Spirit of the Crone, the Wise Woman, the White Witch, the Great Mother Isis ... But "she" is a Spirit Guide who transcends gender — she is the ancient gay wizard in your soul. This New Moon signals the beginning of the last third of the calendar year. It is time to start wrapping up your projects for this year ... and making good on those bold and ambitious New Year's Resolutions.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12th, 2026

This weekend, Mercury opposite Neptune brings mental confusion and the potential for relationship problems due to miscommunication. Your perception of reality is clouded due to an inability to filter out the background noise or useless information. You are hearing and seeing the truth but also a lot of garbage and it is nearly impossible to tell the difference. This is a bad time for making important decisions, making plans or doing any detailed mental work. Business deals should be avoided and put off signing contracts if you can. If not, then make sure you get the advice of a professional in the field or someone you really trust.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13th, 2026

This weekend, the Sun and Mars cause unrest. Sun sextile Mars encourages people to believe they can do anything ... and get away with anything. On the negative side, people run amok and even the weather can be more than usually unpredictable and destructive. On the positive side, however, you might accidentally run into the new love of your life ... while running for shelter.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14th, 2026

This week, you can expect surprise tidings from the other dimensions when Mercury is in a very conducive karmic-healing trine to Uranus. Mercury-trine-Uranus always creates optimal energies for breaking down encrusted old structures and for mentally visualizing bold new solutions. Because Uranus is Retrograde, the emphasis is on the past. Retrograde Uranus opens the portals of Time and Space and Mercury enables you to go through those portals to engage in healing magic involving your own past, or past-life incarnations. Even if you do not work any magic, you can definitely count on receiving a message involving someone or something from the past.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15th, 2026

This week, Venus square Pluto creates an explosive situation for interpersonal relationships. It begins at the breakfast table over corn flakes when you say you want to go shopping and your alpha-male boyfriend starts in saying that it's typical of you to go off and spend money and waste time while he has to clean the house. Next thing you know, the two of you have been screaming at each other for hours. Remember that astrology is a tool to master such situations. Venus-square-Pluto is a golden opportunity to rediscover the things you love about your lover. Okay, so he's a bitch-on-wheels. So what? He's your bitch-on-wheels and the two of you love each other. Make a stab at helping him clean the house — and sneak online and buy needless stuff on eBay when he's not looking.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16th, 2026

This week, Mercury-opposition-Saturn brings serious thinking and conversation, but also negativity and sadness. Poor self-esteem can lead to communication difficulties and isolation. There is the possibility of some bad news or very challenging situations arising, especially if you have been neglectful in some way earlier. However, it is likely that you will be seeing the worst in every situation. This is not a day for making important decisions, especially about relationships. Also avoid signing contracts or making big investments. You may have a critical eye can are liable to make mistakes.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17th, 2026

Chiron the cosmic healer, which is "Retrograde" (moving "backwards" as seen from Earth), slips backwards out of Taurus and re-enters Aries, and will stay there until 17th February 2027. ARIES CHIRON brings with it a cycle in which we will be improving our confidence, including body image. These are sensitive topics that can have a big effect on us. Personal and health problems that were hindering our progress are about to be revised and resolved. We will be learning to assert ourselves and focus on our needs in healthy doses without feeling guilty in the process. This transit emphasizes the concept that healing begins within oneself.

FRI-SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18th-20th, 2026

This week, we come to the Sagittarius First Quarter Moon, which we call the EQUESTRIAN MOON in Antinous Moon Magic ... the Lunar Phase we associate with spiritual movement and progress, astral travel and astral projection ... On the material level, this Lunar Phase is excellent for making travel plans and for carrying out rituals for a safe journey with bountiful spiritual rewards ... or at least for washing that vehicle of yours.

SNEAK PREVIEW OF NEXT WEEK:

Another exciting week lies ahead between September 21st and 27th, 2026, when we come to the ARIES FULL MOON which amps up the tension levels 100 percent! Be careful: In Antinous Moon Magic we call this the LIGHTNING MOON for the bolt of lightning which nearly killed Hadrian and Antinous atop Mount Cassius at the autumnal Solstice of the year 129 AD. The LIGHTNING MOON is the most impetuous and accident-prone moon of the year ... More details next time ....

ROMULUS SHRINE TO JUPITER LOCATED AT BASE OF PALATINE IN ROME

IN the old Roman calendar, September was the seventh month of the year in counting March as the first. Among the festivals observed in September were several honoring Jupiter. 

He was hailed as the chief of the gods and had many epithets as a result.

As Jupiter Optimus Maximus, he occupied the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus on the Capitoline hill with the goddesses Juno and Minerva. With them, he received a Lectisternium (September 13) and the Ludi Romani  (September 5-19). 

He was honored with festivals as Jupiter Liber and Jupiter Fulminator (September 1) and as Jupiter Stator (September 5).

Jupiter Stator is the hand of Jupiter giving Roman troops their unstoppable force.

Romulus built a temple to Jupiter Stator at the foot of the Palatine Hill, Italian archaeologists say.

The ruins of the shrine to Jupiter Stator (Jupiter the Stayer), believed to date to 750 BC, were found by a Rome University team led by Andrea Carandini.

"We believe this is the temple that legend says Romulus erected to the king of the gods after the Romans held their ground against the furious Sabines fighting to get their women back after the famous Rape (abduction)," Carandini said in the Archeologia Viva (Living Archaeology) journal.

Historians have always been intrigued by ancient references to the temple, but never knew precisely where it was located or what it looked like. The lithograph above is a fanciful 19th Century idea of its possible appearance.

According to myth, Romulus founded Rome in 753 BC and the wifeless first generation of Roman men raided nearby Sabine tribes for their womenfolk, an event that has been illustrated in art down the centuries.

Carandini added: "It is also noteworthy that the temple appears to be shoring up the Palatine, as if in defence".

Rome's great and good including imperial families lived on the Palatine, overlooking the Forum.

Long after its legendary institution by Romulus, the cult of Jupiter the Stayer fueled Roman troops in battle, forging the irresistible military might that conquered most of the ancient known world.

In the article in Archeologia Viva, Carandini's team said they might also have discovered the ruins of the last Palatine house Julius Caesar lived in - the one he left on the Ides of March, 44BC, on his way to death in the Senate.

THE ANTINOUS MOON OF CONSOLATION THE GEMINI THIRD QUARTER MOON

TONIGHT's Gemini Third Quarter Moon is the lunar phase of serendipitous good fortune which we call the CONSOLATION MOON in Antinous Moon Magic.

Each Lunar Phase represents a Divine Spirit or Archetype. The Spirit of the Consolation Moon is the Spirit of the proverbial Cloud with a Silver Lining.

This Spirit calms and soothes and says it will all be better ...  and manages to work minor miracles which do in fact make things better.

This is the Spirit of the little things in life that make one smile ... a chance encounter, a pleasant discovery, a little something that brightens one's day.

This Spirit cannot solve all problems, but it can offer rest and refreshment and a word of encouragement and a kiss which invigorates and restores faith.

It is called the Consolation Moon because it is the Lunar Archetypal energy of serendipity and fortuitous misadventures. You win the Silver Medal (but not the Gold). You win $20 in the lottery (but not the jackpot of $20 million).

You open an email from an online bank expecting bad news ... but instead you find that your old Aunt Minnie has transferred a little money to you. 

Or you suddenly find $50 in an old wallet.

We associate this Lunar Phase with Antinous/Eleusis as depicted in the statue at the top of this entry. 

We remember the initiation of Antinous into the Eleusinian Mysteries in Greece at the outset of Emperor Hadrian's Imperial Tour of the Eastern Provinces.

It represents the spiritual illumination which Antinous received during the initiation ceremonies in the dark labyrinth ... his personal assurance that he could triumph over death, that death is not the end.

Meditations and rituals tonight should focus on finding ways to change a dire situation into a more positive one ... or turning a seemingly coincidental encounter into a serendipitous opportunity for gain.

IT'S CINNABAR FOR THE CONSOLATION MOON By Our Crystal Meditation Advisor Martin Campbell

OUR inimitable astrology expert Hernestus has advised me that tonight is the Antinous Consolation Moon (Gemini Third Quarter Moon).  

It is the lunar phase of small gifts - count your blessings even if they are small.

We can get complacent. We are surrounded by so much comfort, good health, friendship, family and social stability. 

We forget that so many gay people would be unbelievably grateful for such things in parts of the world where they are poor, persecuted or worse.

We must be thankful for all the blessings in our lives however small. 

If you would like to meditate holding a crystal to help you to count your blessings then I would suggest using:

1. CINNABAR - These crystals (top of page) help you to accept everything just as it is.

2. CELESTITE  - They attract good fortune and trust in the infinite wisdom of the divine to meet your desires.

Love and Light,

MARTIN

To get more advice from Martin Campbell and to find out how to contact him CLICK HERE.

DID ANTINOUS AND HADRIAN VISIT THIS SANCTUARY OF PAN/FAUNUS?

EXPERTS in Israel have discovered what may turn out to be a sanctuary to the god Pan/Faunus which may have been seen by Antinous and Hadrian during their trip through the Eastern Provinces.

Archaeologists unearthed a gateway in the city of Hippos where they discovered a large and rare mask of Greek God Pan. 

The mask is an extraordinary find and suggests the ancient sanctuary was dedicated to the Greek God Pan.

According to experts, bronze masks of this size are extremely rare and usually do not depict Pan or any of the other Greek or Roman mythological images.

University of Haifa archaeologist Michael Eisenberg led a team that unearthed a 1.8-meter-tall (6-foot-tall) Roman gate near a stone building where the mask was found, leading him to speculate that the gate might have led to a sanctuary dedicated to Pan. 

"The mask, and now the gate in which it was embedded, are continuing to fire our imaginations," Eisenberg says. 

"The worship of Pan sometimes included ceremonies involving drinking, sacrifices and ecstatic rituals, including nudity and sex. This worship usually took place outside the city walls, in caves and other natural settings." 

The possible sanctuary was located near the city gates and was constructed sometime during the reign of Hadrian, who was emperor from 117 AD to 138 AD. 

Hadrian and Antinous traveled through the area in 129-130 AD.

Hippos-Sussita is located about 2 km east of the Sea of Galilee in the Sussita National Park of the National Parks Authority.

In recent years, the mysteries of Hippos-Sussita have been revealing their secrets in an extraordinary way.

In 2011, scientists found an ancient sculpture of Hercules. Two years later a basalt tombstone with a sculpture of the deceased’s bust was uncovered. 

Now there is a new surprise: the only finding of a bronze mask of unnatural size, in the form of the god Pan/Faunus.

In Greek mythology, Pan was the god of the wild, hunting and companion of the nymphs. He was depicted as being half human, while having the legs and horns of a goat, just like a faun. 

His Roman counterpart was Faunus and he was in many ways similar to Herne the Hunter, the horned god and lord of the forest in British mythology.

Until now it was thought there were no temples attributed to Pan, but he was rather worshipped in natural settings such as caves.

A more thorough cleaning in the lab, revealed strands of a goat beard, long pointed ears, and other characteristics that led Dr. Eisenberg to identify the mask as depicting a Pan/Faunus/Satyr.

"Now that the whole gate has been exposed, we not only have better information for dating the mask, but also a clue to its function," Eisenberg said in a statement. "Are we looking at a gate that led to the sanctuary of the god Pan or one of the rustic gods?"

Pan is the son of Antinous .. not "our" Antinous, but "Antinous the Suitor" of Homer's Odyssey and Iliad.

At the online Temple of Antinous, our own ANTONIUS SUBIA  explains the esoteric reason for the connection between Antinous and Pan.  He notes that there are two deities named Pan ... the Great Pan who is "all things" ... and the lesser Pan who is the cloven-footed goat-horned god. 

The "Little Pan" is the son of Antinous ... not OUR Antinous, but rather the Antinous of Greek mythology who was slain by Odysseus for having hit on his wife Penelope while Odysseus was off on his Odyssey.

Two different Pans. Two different Antinouses.

It gets a little confusing.

But Antonius suggests there is a clue to the names ... he says it is because they all came from the same place. Antonius points out that it was in August of the year 128 that Hadrian and Antinous traveled through the Peloponnesus and visited the home of Antinous's ancestors in Arcadia, at the city of Mantineia. 

Here is how Antonius explains the Pan-Pan and Antinous-Antinous connection at the online TEMPLE OF ANTINOUS:

"This is an important first event for Antinous as it represents his return to the place of the origin of his blood, which is the source of his mysterious name. Mantineia was to become the fourth most sacred city of the religion of Antinous, honoring Our God with a Temple and Sacred Games. The Queen who founded the city was named Antinoea, she was led to the site of the city by a serpent or dragon. 

"While in the city, Antinous and Hadrian pay homage at the grave of Epaminondas, the great Theban general who defeated the Spartans in the battle of Mantineia, but died after shortly after the victory from his wounds. The battle was won because of the courage of the Sacred Band, also known as the Army of Lovers, a corps of 300 homosexual lovers. Mantineia is the home of the prophetess Diotima, who was the teacher of Socrates, from whom he learned his philosophy of Love, particularly the mysteries of Venus Urania, which is a metaphor for gay love. 

"And Mantineia is the birthplace of the horned god Pan, son of Penelope and 'Antinous the Suitor.' The patron deity of Mantineia, and of all Arcadia is the Great God Pan. There are two gods named Pan, the Great Pan, who is all things, and the Little Pan, who is the son of 'Antinous the Suitor.' 

"We dedicate ourselves to the dual nature of Pan, the most ancient faith of Antinous, the goat-horned god, who follows in the train of Dionysus, and is the King of Satyrs. We seek to understand that within our Antinous is the nature of the Great Cosmic Pan, and also the Little Cloven-hoofed Pan of Mantineia."