The Apollo Line

THE line of Apollo is a vertical line rising.

• If long it rises from the upper part of the Mount of Moon
• If short it rises higher in the hand, running toward the Mount of Apollo

It sometimes ends high on that Mount, and sometimes not reaching to it.

It is also called:

• the line of the Sun
• the line of Brilliancy

To it has been ascribed the gift of great artistic talents, wealth, and fame.

Whenever a good line of Apollo was seen, it has been customary to “gush” about the wonderful talent the subject possessed for art, music, the stage, and various other artistic callings, of which perhaps no idea had previously entered his mind.

Often a subject especially well fitted to be a good housewife has been made to feel indignant towards her parents by some well meaning palmist because alleged latent talents were not discovered and developed. Many such have been told that the world was the loser because they have never entered their proper sphere.

Sometimes, these great talents have been ascribed to people who were color blind or musically deaf, and both palmist and client have wondered at the failure of a good line of Apollo to give the proper indication.

This has not been entirely the fault of practitioners, for such interpretations have been sanctioned by the best authors. In many cases conscientious students have dropped the use of the line entirely, deeming it unreliable and misleading.

This is certainly true of it according to its present understanding, and it had much better be dropped than used as extravagantly as it has been in the past.

The line of Apollo, running as it does to the Mount of that name, emphasizes the Apollonian traits and qualifications.

The Apollonian is brilliant, consequently the line of Apollo indicates brilliancy, and the subject who has it should shine in art and artistic callings" Such is the reasoning from which the present interpretation of the line was derived, and it would be good reasoning if one factor had not been forgotten.

The Apollonian has many sides to his character; there are good, bad, and indifferent subjects of this type. He also moves in one of the three worlds, the mental, practical, or material, in any of which he may be brilliant and successful, and in any of which he may secure fame or wealth.

But if an Apollonian who is built to shine in the material world has a good line of Apollo, and you tell him he is a great artist, you have placed him out of his sphere, and made an error which counts against the accuracy of the science of Palmistry.

If this same subject had been told that he was brilliant in the world of material matters, perhaps a successful gamester, an owner of racehorses, a leading butcher, or foremost in other callings in which some Apollonians engage with success, the estimate would have been correct.

It is the reading of a line of Apollo as always indicating wealth and fame derived from artistic pursuits that has impaired its usefulness and successful application.

It is the attempt to make the line of Brilliancy always indicate brilliancy in art, which is only one of the directions it may take, and the disregard for the fact that a subject may be brilliant in many directions, that has made the reading of the line of Apollo so inaccurate. The line of Apollo, like all other lines, can only be successfully used when it is made to fit the subject.

It is only accurate when the subject has first been understood and the line has been applied to him, and it never has been and never will be accurate when the attempt is made to force every subject to fit the line.

No better name has ever been given this line than the Line of Capability. This name expresses in a nutshell the idca which should be applied to the line.

It indicates a capability or possibility of accomplishing a great deal, the field in which the capability will best operate to be shown by Chirognomy, indicating the forces behind, which will direct the ability into some calling which produces results. A good line of Apollo is undoubtedly an indication of the possession of the characteristics of the Apollonian, who makes friends, money, and reputation more easily than any other type.

But in reading the qualities of the line be sure that you have placed the subject in his proper world, after which you can successfully apply the brilliancy indicated by the line to the affairs of that world. You will not find a great number of really fine Apollo lines, though you will see a good many of some value; but by far the greatest number of hands examined will have no Apollo line at all.

The presence of a fine line of Apollo is an indication that the subject has been endowed with exceptional talents for getting on in the world, and if other parts of the hand be good, he most surely will do so. The line of Apollo must be estimated continually in the light of the Chirognomic development of the subject.

A fine line of Apollo is ruined by:

• a flabby hand
• a weak thumb
• a poor Head line
• poor Mounts of Mars, Jupiter, Mercury, and Venus, or
• other deficiencies

The absence of a line of Apollo does not necessarily indicate that a subject will be unsuccessful, for, as in the case of an absent line of Saturn, the qualities that make “self-made men” may exert themselves, and produce even greater results than come from the brilliant talents which a fine line of Apollo indicates.

In most cases, people with good Apollo lines rely too much upon their talents, and not enough on the industry and perseverance that should be expended in developing them.

This is why less talented plodders often produce greater results in life than their far more talented brethren.

If only the talents of a fine line of Apollo are coupled with energy, almost unlimited success is possible. It is absolutely incorrect to say that the absence of a line of Apollo indicates ill success in life, but it is true that the presence of this line makes success easier. It must be understood then that in the treatment of this line, when we use the word success, it applies to effort in the world in which the subject moves.

Remember that the proper world to which the line must be applied is determined by examination of the three worlds of the hand as a whole, and as shown by the three phalanges of the fingers.

The line of Apollo is like the Saturn line in that it does not give any health indications.

The effect of ill health may be seen as affecting the line, but the line itself will not give these indications. The length of the line determines the extent of its influence ; the longer the line the more it will sway the subject, and the shorter, the less important is it found to be.

A line of Apollo reaching from the wrist to the Mount indicates the possession of great talent, so great that it will continue to develop during the life of the subject, and he will achieve much (423).

If the line begins low and runs only a short distance, the subject has talents, but they will not be productive of great results (424).

If the line rises higher and covers the space between the Head and Heart lines, the special brilliancy of the subject will operate during the formative period of life, and will be of assistance in aiding him to pass this critical period with greater ease (425).

If the line runs on to the Mount, the subject will be well endowed with Apollonian characteristics, and in whichever world he moves will be brilliant and acquire reputation (426). Frequently the lines of Saturn and Apollo are interdependent, and in many cases one will be strong at a time when the other is weak.

In such an instance they operate upon each other as sister lines, and one repairs the damage to the other (427). The presence of a good line of Apollo with the Saturn line absent will compensate for the loss of that line. If the line of Apollo be present, then disappears, and afterwards begins again, the talents of the subject during the period covered by the break in the line are simply latent (428). The period of life covered by this break can be read according to the scale laid down in Chapter 4 (The Age Of The Subject).

There may be a special cause why the line vanishes for a time, as ill health may render inoperative even the most brilliant talents. With such a break look for defects in the other lines and Mounts which may account for it.

If during this period the Life line be in any way defective, delicate health is against the operation of the subject’s talents (429). If at the age indicated by this space in the Apollo line, the Head line be defective, the mental power of the subject is weakened, and he cannot give the attention necessary to make his affairs successful (430).

Similar defects seen in other portions of the hand, whether connected by chance lines to the space in the Apollo line or not, show something which has for the time being impeded the career of the subject, by suspending the operation of his strongest talents. To be regarded as a true line of Apollo, the line must begin more or less low in the hand, directly under the Mount and finger of Apollo.

A line coming from the Life line and ending on the Mount of Apollo, while it will largely have the effect of the Apollo line, is still not, properly speaking, that line, but is a chance line, showing success of the subject arising from the same set of qualities which makes the Apollo line indicate fortunate conditions (431).

To avoid possible confusion, it is best to limit the Apollo line to a line wholly under the Mount, and if necessity arises to read such a line as is indicated in No. 431, read it as a chance line from the Life line to the Mount of Apollo, and not as the Apollo line. Use everything for what it really is, and do not get into the habit of calling all sorts of chance lines, Apollo lines. In like manner read a line rising from the Saturn line and ending on the Mount of Apollo as a branch of the Saturn line, adding greatly to the success of the career, rather than call it the Apollo line (432).

When the line of Apollo rises from the top of the Mount of Moon near the percussion (433), it indicates imagination and the power of language; to a line so rising we should, if the mental world be strongest, say that the subject will achieve success as an author. If the tips be conic and fingers smooth, he will love poetry.

If his fingers are knotty or square, he will write history, epic poems, historical novels, or works of that nature.

If the Mount of Mars be large, he will write of battles and heroes. If Venus be large, he will move the heart and bring tears to the eye, so near to nature and human sympathy will be his productions. If Saturn be high, he will write on chemistry, physics, or scientific subjects, and often on history.

This subject will also be a great writer of uncanny stories. Basing your estimate upon Chirognomy you can thus locate the special direction in which the line will bring success. If a line of Apollo rises from a good Upper Mount of Mars, the subject will, by the display of calmness, resignation, resistance, and the fact that he does not allow himself to become discouraged, achieve success and reputation; the world in which he will operate to be located Chirog-nomically (434).

In its course through the hand the line of Apollo must run toward the Mount of Apollo, for it is the effect of the qualities of this type which give to the line its meaning and its name.

There is a constant danger of reading chance lines as the Apollo line, and to avoid doing this the rule must be fixed that while in its course through the hand the Apollo line may slightly deflect, may stop at any point, throw out branches, or be met, strengthened, or crossed by chance lines, the general direction of the line itself must be from the Mount of Moon to the Mount of Apollo.

Any line which cannot possibly be thus specifically classed as the line of Apollo, must be read as another line. This will increase accuracy; for only thus can a line have its proper meaning, and the erroneous readings which are constantly given to supposed Apollo lines will be avoided.

Most mistakes with the line come from an enthusiasm due to the fact that the influence of an Apollo line is known to be so beneficial, that practitioners are tempted to overestimate the success of their clients. This is especially true because praise is what gives greatest satisfaction and is what clients are most anxious to hear.

Clients agree with the reader when told of brilliancy, wonderful perception, latent talents, etc.

Everyone will say he has always thought this was the case, but was never quite sure of it before.

Palmists who have a pleasant story to tell, get the most clients, and this being known to professionals, leads to a system of flattery totally out of proportion to the subject.

Most of this is referred to supposed lines of Apollo for corroboration.

Our effort here is to reach the facts only, that we may deal with the line just as it deserves, and in order to do this we must limit ourselves to the consideration of the lines whose course between the Mounts of the Moon and Apollo mark them unmistakably as Apollo lines.

The best line is that which is deep and well cut (435).

This gives in the highest degree the beneficial qualities of the line, indicates success and reputation, and gives to a subject creative power in whatever world he operates.

He is not one who is merely fond of color, painting, and art, but has the creative power which will enable him to produce work of merit. It distinguishes the real artist from the lover of, or dabbler in art, and when the first phalanges of the fingers, especially if that of Apollo, be longest, and a long deep Apollo line cuts the hand, your client is entitled to be told that in the artistic world he may achieve fame. With proper combinations this line is also seen in the hands of celebrated literary men and women. If the second phalanx of the finger be longest, with the first well developed, he will still be the artist, but will also have the ability to make money from his talents.

This subject is successful in the business world, and even his money-making is done in an artistic way. In using the word “artist,” do not understand that it means only a painter of pictures.

It may mean a poet, an actor, a singer, or refer to any other of the artistic callings. On all sides of his character, the Apollonian loves beauty, and whatever is pleasing to the eye or sense. If the third phalanx be longest, especially if it be thick, and a deep line of Apollo is seen, the subject is not an artist, for he will like chromos better than the old masterpieces, will love high colors, flashy dressing, and will seek to display his taste on all occasions, much to the amusement of people of true artistic feelings, whose society he affects. Such subjects are always money-makers.

These 3 illustrations show the method of applying a deep line to the three worlds of the finger, by giving an intense interpretation to the line, based upon the quality of the subject.

A thin line of Apollo (436) will decrease the intensity of the reading. The subject will not have the great creative power of the deep line.

If an artist, he will be more guided by the effects produced by other artists, and, whether the mental, business, or material worlds rule, he will achieve less celebrity and make less money. If a line be broad and shallow (437) it will show that little of the Apollonian power is left.

The subject will like pretty things, will be fond of artists, will affect a little bohemianism, but will avoid attempting any productions himself. If the hand be coarse in its development, the taste will be for showy things, and little refinement will be indicated.

If the band be refined, the subject will dress in taste, will have an eye for harmony in colorings, his home will be tastefully furnished, and he may do a little dabbling in writing or painting.

From this class come the army of literary and art copyists. A chained line of Apollo (438) will indicate an utter lack of artistic talent, although the subject may be impressed with his own knowledge on matters of art, most of which is incorrect. These subjects do not realize their shallowness and most of their effort is expended in talk.

In dealing with these lines, apply each one to the subject according to the world in which he moves, and give its defective operation to the affairs of that world. Color in the line of Apollo is not an important consideration, for this line does not bear upon the health of the subject. To a pink colored line give a better estimate of strength than one which is white or yellow.

This is as far as color will be considered as affecting the line of Apollo.