day and night charts--and William Lilly concurred.) </div style> One way in which triplicity rulerships were used by earlier astrologers was to divide a person's life into three periods: early, middle, and late. The condition of the triplicity ruler that is in sect in the chart is evaluated when considering the tenor of the early part of life; the ruler out of sect is examined for the middle of life; and the last third of life is evaluated by looking at the condition of the participating triplicity ruler. "Participating" rulers were not used after the Hellenistic period. In medieval systems of astrology, each essential dignity was given a different weight. Domicile rulers were given 5 points of weight; exaltation rulers were given 4 points; and triplicity rulers were assigned 3 points of weight. This gives some idea of how much power medieval astrologers accorded to each essential dignity. Actual seasons Traditional astrology also organizes triplicities according to the actual season in which the zodiac rose. For example, Aries, Taurus, and Gemini appear during the spring season. The triplicities of seasonal elements in ancient astrology were the following: Spring - Aries - Taurus - Gemini (March 21 and June 21) Summer - Cancer - Leo - Virgo (June 22 and September 22) Autumn - Libra - Scorpio - Sagittarius (September 23 and December 21) Winter - Capricorn - Aquarius - Pisces (December 22 and March 20) In the southern hemisphere, it is reversed. Spring - Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius (September 23 and December 21) Summer - Capricorn - Aquarius - Pisces (December 22 and March 20) Autumn - Aries - Taurus - Gemini (March 21 and June 21) Winter - Cancer - Leo - Virgo (June 22 and September 22) See also Astrology and the classical elements Notes External links Western astrological signs