Sagittarius is the ninth sign of the zodiac, the Archer. The Latin sagittarius means “archer,” a direct translation of the Greek toxotēs. The symbol ♐ represents an arrow drawn in a bow.

Position on the Tree of Life

Sagittarius rules Path 25, which connects the Sephirah Netzach (Victory, Sphere of Venus) and the Sephirah Yesod (Foundation, Sphere of Luna). This Path is the twenty-fifth on the Tree of Life, part of the minor arcana of the Tarot correspondences, linking the emotional and aesthetic sphere of Netzach with the astral foundation of Yesod.

Astrological and Planetary Correspondence

Sagittarius is a Mutable Fire sign, domiciled by Jupiter. As a Fire sign, it expresses the principle of expansion, aspiration, and directed energy—the arrow in flight. Jupiter, its planetary ruler, imbues it with benevolence, luck, and philosophical reach. In the zodiacal wheel, Sagittarius opposes Gemini and squares Pisces and Virgo. Its keyword is “I Aspire.” In the system of Liber 777, the sign is also linked to the Hebrew letter Samekh, the Tarot trumps of Art (Temperance), and the number 25.

Historical Context

The constellation Sagittarius has been recognized since at least the Babylonian period, where it was identified with the god Pabilsag, a centaur-like archer. The Greeks adopted the figure as Chiron, the wise centaur who taught Achilles and Asclepius, placing him among the stars. The Roman poet Manilius describes the sign in his Astronomica as one that produces hunters, soldiers, and those who aim at high goals. In medieval and Renaissance astrology, Sagittarius governs the thighs and is associated with the body’s movements and journeys. In the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, from which Crowley drew much of 777, Sagittarius receives elaborate correspondences: its Tarot card is Atu XIV (Temperance) under the title Art, its incense is lign-aloes, its plant is the leek, and its magical weapon is the arrow. The Qabalistic attribution of Samekh (meaning “prop” or “support”) reinforces the archer’s stance—balanced yet ready to release.

In Liber 777, at Column VI (English of Col. VI) for Row VII, Sagittarius is listed directly. This placement serves as a standard reference for the sign’s fundamental meaning: the archer’s directed fire, the aspiration toward the higher, and the synthesis of animal impulse (the centaur’s body) with spiritual aim (the arrow).