Voltaire (1694 – 1778)

“It does not require great art, or magnificently trained eloquence, to prove that Christians should tolerate each other. I, however, am going further: I say that we should regard all men as our brothers…without doubt; are we not all children of the same father and creatures of the same God?”

~ Voltaire

Time for the next in my zodiacal series of Philosophers, and we now come to Scorpio, for which I have chosen Voltaire (full name François-Marie Arouet), a critic and satirist.   How far does a philosopher’s work reflect their Sunsign, and overall birthchart, I continue to ask…?

Birth Chart

Voltaire’s birth is generally taken to be 21st November 1694.  However, he claimed an illegitimate birth for 20th February that year.  I have used the official birth date and time, whilst bearing in mind the latter.  The November date seems very fitting character-wise, and I have checked out the major events in his life against both charts, and the transits for the November date are more relevant and revealing, too.

For the November birth date we have an individual who had half his planets (5) in the Fixed signs of strong will.  Scorpio is renowned for its “sting” (not compulsory) and certainly his reputation for incisive with and prolifically productive drive go with this sign.

Sun in Scorpio could therefore be scathing.  Sun square Jupiter in his chart, is scathing with a philosophical twist; and Sun trine Pluto scathing with a philosophical twist, while trying to make a profound point!

His Moon and Midheaven in Aquarius was forward thinking, and the Moon sextile the Sun meant that his conscious mind was aligned with his subconscious.

Mercury was in Sagittarius (with Mars, Descendant, North Node and Saturn) – the Philosopher’s sign.  Mercury was conjunct Mars in his birth chart, The Critic Archetype, and in Sagittarius, Philosophical Critique.  Mercury exactly opposite Uranus, again forward thinking, capable of lightning thought, and not afraid to be controversial – he was almost reckless in this, which led him into hot water.

Jupiter exactly trine the North Node spelled success in a karmic mission as a Philosopher.  Jupiter’s positioning in his chart sextile the Gemini Ascendant and in the 3rd House denoted success in Writing (literature).  Jupiter is enhanced by being conjunct his I.C. (security point) in creative Leo, and exactly conjunct the Part of Fortune, making for a rich vein of inner security and success in writing.

Uranus, ruler of his Moon and Midheaven sign, was conjunct his Ascendant, from the 12th House side – a revolutionary, progressive energy, liking to shock.  It trines his Midheaven, so is a strong feature of his career path, and in the nature of Uranus brought sudden changes of fortune.

Life and Career

Voltaire played a key part in the philosophical movement known as the Enlightenment, or Age of Reason, which led to the American (1776) and French (1789) Revolutions.  He died in 1778, so did not live to see La Revolution happen in his own homeland.

Voltaire was born in Paris in 1694 with the name François-Marie Arouet.  He was the youngest of five children – this is reflected in his birthchart as Jupiter exactly conjunct the Part of Fortune in his 3rd House of Siblings.  He was educated at a Jesuit college, where he studied Latin, theology and rhetoric.  His father wanted him to be a lawyer like himself, but Voltaire set his heart on writing as a career.

Poetry was his first medium, and one indication that the Piscean birth chart may have validity, for poetry is in that domain.  In his book “A Very Short Introduction to Voltaire”, Nicholas Cronk writes:

“The Moderns were notably hostile to verse, which they saw as an old-fashioned form of expression that needlessly complicated the clear and logical communication of ideas, and in this respect, Voltaire aligned himself clearly with the Ancients who were staunch defenders of poetry.”  His first published book was a poetic work.

His father tried to deflect the path of the writer, and in his early 20s sent him out  into society as secretary to the French Ambassador in the Netherlands, where Voltaire’s natal exact Mercury opposition to Uranus began to get him into hot water; he became involved in a scandalous affair, and produced writings criticizing the royal  family, and was imprisoned in the Bastille on 16th May 1717 (when Neptune, for incarceration, was opposite his natal Venus).  He stayed there for a year, in a windowless cell with ten-foot-thick walls, and when he emerged (with the freedom of transiting Uranus trine his natal Moon) he decided to change his name.

From then on, he used the nom de plume Voltaire, and soon he found success as a playwright, his play Oedipe opening in mid-November 1718.  Voltaire was involved in many genres of writing throughout his life, but Nicholas Cronk sees him primarily as a man of the theatre and a performer.  A taste for emotional drama is shown in his natal opposition of the Moon and Pluto.

More controversy was to follow: A member of a powerful family, Rohan, challenged him over his name change, and Voltaire called for a duel.  But the response of the family was to call for him to again be imprisoned in the Bastille.  Voltaire pleaded with the authorities to send him instead into exile in England, and they accepted.  Thus he spent two years in England, and met prominent thinkers and writers.  He was a great fan of Shakespeare, especially in relation to his own aspirations as a playwright.  Among his friends and acquaintances were Alexander Pope, Jonathan Swift, Isaac Newton’s niece, and Sarah Duchess of Marlborough.  He was particularly taken with Newton and his science, and helped spread the rumour about Newton and the apple which fell, the reported source being Newton’s niece.

He spent two and a half years in England, and admired the country’s political set-up.  Later in life he reflected:

“If ever I smell of a resurrection, or come a second time on earth, I will pray God to make me born in England, the land of liberty.”

On his return, he made a wise financial investment, which set him up well for the future.  Again, this accords with his natal chart which has Pluto in the financial 2nd House (finances on large scale changes) opposite the Moon (ruler of the 2nd) in the 8th House of investments.  Scorpio too is a sign which is gifted in these areas.  He learned to master the world of publishing and editors, and constantly put out material in philosophy, scriptwriting, poetry and existing forms of literature.

Relationship

A major turning point in his personal life took place in 1733, when he met the Marquise Emilie du Chatelet, a mathematician.  This was a serious relationship, spanning 16 years, despite her being married.  They came to an arrangement whereby she and Voltaire would live together at a chateau in Cirey.  Her husband sometimes came to stay.  Voltaire and his paramour did scientific experiments there and encouraged each other in their work.  Between them, they amassed 21,000 books.  Their synastry was strong: her Sun conjunct his North Node, clearest indication of a karmic relationship; her Mercury was sextile his Venus (happy communication) and her Mars was sextile his Jupiter/Part of Fortune (she could fire his enthusiasm).

Whether it was the influence of this relationship, or a natural learning of the dangers of his natal Mercury-Uranus exact opposition, it was apparently around this time that he began to learn to avoid confrontation with the authorities.  Astrologically this may have been around the time of his Uranus Opposition, a recognized cycle of turning a corner.

Religion

Religion and metaphysics was one of the areas they continued researched together.  Voltaire was known to be against the Catholic church, and was a staunch critic of the institution.  But he did speak a lot of God, in a more universal vision.  He is frequently referred to as a “Deist”.  This was a belief in God, but in a more natural sense, divorced from the biblical picture.  Personal reason was the guiding light.  Later in life, he adopted a form of Spinozism, a more pantheistic view, after the 17th Century philosopher Spinoza.  Voltaire wanted to free the state of France from its religious stranglehold, and argued for a separation of church and state.  Above all, his creed was religious tolerance for all.

His firm views on the matter led eventually to his later work “Candide”, a novel of 1759, which remains his defining work.

Candide

Voltaire was deeply offended by the religious theories of the German philosopher Leibniz, who propounded the doctrine of Optimism.  The Synastry between the two philosophers is most interesting: their Mercuries were opposed (literally, opposed thinking); Leibniz’ Mercury was conjunct Voltaire’s Uranus (Voltaire wanting to transform Leibniz’s thinking); plus Leibniz’ Uranus, the disruptor, square Voltaire’s Jupiter/Part of Fortune – Voltaire went to town on his irritation.

In the short, fast-paced and easy to read novel “Candide”, the philosopher is represented by the character Pangloss, a German professor, the guru of the central and naïve character “Candide” who undertakes a hero’s journey and blindly adheres to Optimism throughout earthquakes, battlefields, poverty, heartbreak and multiple catastrophes, even unto the end.

I studied “Candide” at A Level French, my 17-year old self taking it fairly superficially I admit!  I was pretty appalled by what Candide had to live through.

The book was triggered by the Lisbon earthquake of 1755 which killed over 40,000 people.  Voltaire’s argument was the question of how God could allow all that suffering, and how, as Leibniz put it “all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds”.

Many of the ills experienced, I venture to say, are a result of “man’s inhumanity to man” and not suffering imposed or allowed by God.  It is more difficult or complex to argue about His/or Her involvement in natural disasters (too much for the scope of this particular blog).

Cronk writes: “Voltaire’s real mockery is reserved for those human beings who deny their essential humanity by clinging to beliefs which are demonstrably harmful and rationally unprovable”.

Finally, with such a strong Jupiter in his chart, you can’t ignore Voltaire’s comic side.  Again from Cronk, speaking of this side of the work, we have the comment: “The zany and surreal qualities of its bitter-sweet comedy seem to speak to all cultures and to all periods”.  The comedy is almost slapstick in nature, and definitely absurd.  The ultimate advice in the book is to cultivate your own garden.

The publication of the book in January 1759 shows Pluto exactly on Voltaire’s Descendant: he is fully confronting the shadow side of human nature, and with the North Node on his Chiron in Cancer in the 1st House (addressing the wound of his life).  So at the same time as he was writing a universally acknowledged “truth”, he was working out his own deepest psychology.

Death

In February 1778, having a presentiment of his death, he wrote: “I die adoring God, loving my friends, not hating my enemies, and detesting superstition.” He died on 30th May 1778, aged 83, with Pluto on his Moon, and Neptune square his Nodal Axis.

“Of all the thinkers of the 18th Century, it was surely Voltaire who was the most media-savvy.  His celebrity status meant that his books, and his message, reached over wider audiences.”

~ Nicholas Cronk

Aspects

Did you register Saturn entering Aries in the early hours of this morning?  There may have been some warning shots late last night as Mercury conjoined with Uranus, bringing some late shocks to the system, and perhaps urging us to let go of outworn habits and ideas from the Saturn in Pisces era (two and a half years’ worth).  Today with Saturn’s new positioning, we are brought into a huge dose of reality, and letting go of the unreality of Saturn in Pisces.  For Saturn-ruled Capricornians in particular, its placement in Aries will bring out the inner fighting spirit.  For Aries people, and depending where in Aries their natal Sun is, they will need to step up, take responsibility, and grow.  For the population in general, it is about personal growth, accountability and maturity.  Saturn, a slow planet, in Aries, the Mars-ruled fast-paced sign means that patience will be needed to adhere to a long project, and see it through (something that Aries-Mars doesn’t usually have the capacity to do). “Rome was not built in a day” may be one of the mottos of this two-to-three year period: the impatience of Aries polished by the stamina of Saturn.

All the rest of the features this week involve Mercury: therefore it is an important week for those born under the signs of Gemini and Virgo.

Tomorrow (Monday 26th), in the early hour of the day, Mercury enters its own sign of Gemini.  Geminians will be feeling even more Geminian than usual!  More talkative, more on the move, acting even more as a channel for their environment, and in many cases as a teacher.  Collectively, it will quicken our mentality and curiosity, and stimulate our communications during its stay in this sign, which lasts until 8th June.

A little later, but still in the early hours, Mercury will be sextile Saturn.  All this Mercurial activity could over-activate the brain when suffering insomnia, so try to make the time profitable in some way.  Thoughts and feelings can be channelled and harnessed into constructive plans and ideas.  Mental foundations can be laid, at least during waking hours!  You may have taken in all the facts for dealing with an issue or project, and are ready to put in serious and solid plans based on sober thinking. The aspect favours documentation and knuckling down to form-filling etc.  Geminis and Virgos have the chance to regain their balance, if they need to.  Progress can be made, including possibly for health related checks.

It could be a productive day, altogether, with another sextile in the evening: that of Mercury with Neptune, bringing a chance to refine your plans, and perhaps shift them to another level.  The earlier sextile being more concrete, can be built upon, and inspiration added.  This is a time of intense imagination, so it is helpful for creative dreaming in the night, and creative visualization in the day.  This aspect will assist you in refining your mindset and remaining mental clutter.  Our minds will be able to receive higher guidance more easily.  Delicate conversations and channelling will also be made easier.  If giving or receiving gifts, be open to non-material gifts.

There’s a chance of a new beginning on Tuesday (27th). With a New Moon at 6 degrees Gemini.  A fresh mental focus is possible.  You may have needed to review recent events, to let them go for the new month: mental decluttering. There’s a fresh outlook, new learning and progress in communications.  New initiatives in the travel industry may also be helpful.  The early bird catches the worm, in this respect.

In the afternoon Mercury trines Pluto, and as if you (especially Geminis and Virgos) haven’t been through enough learning this week (not necessarily too challenging, just on the go constantly), you are being called to do more soul-searching.  There could be positive outcomes to deep issues.  Mercury trine Pluto brings deep thought and psychological reflection, and earnest conversations.  Conversations could be life changing: the right word at the right time, striking home in the right place.

Finally, on Friday (30th) thoughts can clear and crystallize, with the Sun conjunct Mercury at 9 degrees Gemini.  That brings a touch of sparkle to your consciousness.  It is a good day to apply your mind with concentration and focus,  make important statements, and look to the future.  You may write or speak some memorable lines.  Look out for some telepathy, too!  If you’re a Geminian or Virgoan, even more so (i.e. with spades on) – you’ll be saying “What a week!”  For the rest of us, communication will be memorable this week.

The week in bullet points:

  • Today – a huge dose of reality
  • Tomorrow – busy minds; plans afoot; inspiration
  • Tuesday – new beginning; deepening thought
  • Friday – mental clarity
Date: May 25th, 2025 · Comments RSS · Tags: Philosophy