Cattan’s company
Cattan’s company

Cattan’s company

Geomantic company has become sidelined in recent years due to the belief that it represents people or places connected to the querant or quested.  However, when looking at the meaning in Christopher Cattan’s Geomancie we see a much simpler association which brings some interesting results for sequences of figures we see in charts.

Firstly,  a company is formed by two figures next to each other.  But they must be created between the first and second house, Third and Fourth House, Fifth and Sixth House, Seventh and Eighth house, Ninth and Tenth House and eleventh and twelfth. So it is an easy mistake to make when you see the sixth and seventh house comprising identical figures to assume that a company has been made when it has not been.

Cattan says that there are four types of company – company simple, company demi-simple, company compound and company of point.   If a company is made, then that figure can be tracked in the chart and treated like another signifier (of either the querent or quested depending on what it formed the company). Modern Geomancers have chosen to see this as another party or partner which brings about the question’s result. This might be possible, but Cattan does not mention it directly or in his examples.

Company simple

Company simple is when two identical figures are next to each other. So Rubeus in the first and second house or Laetitia in the seventh and eighth.  Cattan says that doubles the figure’s power for good or evil.  Rubeus in the first and second house would signify substantial evil to the querent, while Laetitia in the seventh and eighth would bring considerable joy and happiness to a wife.  Adding these two figures would create Populus, showing how powerful the situation is.

Company demi-simple

This company is harder to spot because it requires a knowledge of the meanings of the figures. It is when two figures in a company share an element or planet such as Laetitia and Aquistio, both Jupiter. However, they are not in complete agreement and create a situation where there is some slight discord or difficulty to the querent or quested, but the result is good or bad depending on the figures involved. Cattan gives an example in a love reading where  Aquistio companions with Laetitia (which is Jupiter  retrograde)  which goes to the eighth house into the company of Fortuna Major. This means that the couple would be married presumably after some adventure.

Company compound

Company compound is when two figures are reversals of the other are bought together.

Cattan only mentions Aquistio and Admissio, where the interaction forms the figure Via which means a sudden increase or decrease.  Fortuna Minor and Fortuna Major forms Via which suggests a similar violent change. Cattan says that while the company is terrible, it is impossible to tell if it will be good or bad for the question (which still depends on the other figures).  In this case, I would read it as a sudden unpleasant change. He does not say if this applies to other reversed figures such as Cauda and Caput Draconis, which would create a figure of Carcer. If it is meant, it would mean that there would be a sudden beginning or ending (depending which figure is the querent or quested) which results in limits, delays or restrictions. Caput Draconis in the first house in companionship with Cauda in the second could mean that the quested makes a new beginning and suddenly ends something else. This inadvertidly creates a restriction or delay to the new beginning.

Company of point

Company of point is when the figures’ fire (top)  lines match, such as Fortuna Major and Aquistio which both have two dots. Cattan said that you add these two figures together to create a third which explains the company’s impact on the question.  If a question is about a business rival and Fortuna Major accompanied with Acquisitio in the eighth house, it adds up to Caput Draconis. This suggests that they are strong and about to embark on some form of expansion.  Technically it is possible to have a company of point between other lines or elements. The line of fire means spirit, the line of air means mind, the line of water means emotions and the line of earth is material.  Cattan hints at this without making it clear.  In the above example, there is a company of point with the earth element, which suggests a material impact.  The line of spirit is more important from a fate perspective and I would tend only to look at the other lines if the fire lines matched, but that is only me. Another thing that could be important is if the line is ordered (two dots) or chaotic (one dot).  Ordered means that things are settled and are slowly decaying, while Chaotic suggests movement and a new course of action.  In the above example, the business rival has finished its planning and is beginning to make a material start.