Bonatti's 146 Considerations

 Thanks to Claude Sonnet 4.6

Here is a structured overview of all 146 Considerations, organized from most foundational/critical to more specific/supplementary:

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Bonatti's 146 Considerations — By Thematic Priority

Note: Bonatti never explicitly ranks these by importance. The ordering below reflects the internal weight he gives each topic, the emphasis of scholars like Benjamin Dykes and William Lilly, and how foundational each consideration is to all the others.

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Tier 1 — The Foundations (Must Check First)

These considerations govern whether a chart is valid to judge at all, and set up the framework for everything else.

1. #1 — What moves a person to ask a question (three motions: mental, celestial, volitional)
2. #2 — How the querent should approach an astrologer (sincerity, proper intent)
3. #7 — Four (plus three) ways the astrologer is prone to error (radicality, proper time, etc.)
4. #19 / #62 — Whether the Moon is Void of Course (impediment to all things)
5. #5 — The 17 ways the Moon is afflicted (the most extensive single treatment of the Moon)
6. #6 — The 10 ways other planets are debilitated
7. #9 — The 21 modes of secret and manifest helpers and hinderers (called a "secret of secrets")
8. #70 — The lord of the prenatal syzygy (new/full moon) in the angles — Bonatti calls this a hidden secret astrologers overlook to their great loss
9. #3 / #4 — The 16 ways planets operate on inferiors (perfection, collection, translation, reception, void of course, etc.)

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Tier 2 — The Moon's Condition and Motion

The Moon is Bonatti's single most emphasized planet. She is called the "school-mistress of all things" and mediator between the planets.

10. #20 — Whether the Moon or significator is joined to a planet, and whether there is reception
11. #21 — From what planet the Moon separates (what is past)
12. #22 — To what planet the Moon is currently joined (the present)
13. #23 — To what planet the Moon next applies (what is to come)
14. #75 — Whether the Moon is afflicted by any planet
15. #76 — From what planet the Moon separates, and to what she joins (translation of past to future)
16. #29 — Whether the Moon is joined to any planet to the minute (present state of things)
17. #88 — The planet the Moon separates from and the next she joins (within 51 minutes)
18. #64 — Whether the Moon is in Cancer, Taurus, Sagittarius, or Pisces (strong positions)
19. #63 — Whether the Moon is far from infortunes and near fortunes
20. #61 — Whether lord of Ascendant or Moon is with Dragon's Head or Tail
21. #87 — The Novenary of the Moon
22. #89 — The Duodenary of the Moon

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Tier 3 — Significator Condition

These check the state of the planet(s) signifying the querent and the matter inquired about.

23. #16 — Whether the significator is afflicted by an infortune
24. #17 — Whether the significator is free from affliction (a fortune casting beams on it)
25. #25 — Whether the significator is retrograde or stationary
26. #26 — Whether in second station (going direct)
27. #27 — Whether the infortunes are significators
28. #28 — Whether the significator is slow of course
29. #39 — Whether the significator is in reception
30. #44 — Whether the significator is in its own dignities (infortune restrained)
31. #46 — Whether the significator is fortune or infortune, and in its light/hayz
32. #47 — Whether the significator is in its proper light (diurnal/nocturnal)
33. #51 — Whether the significator is cadent from an angle or Ascendant with no dignities
34. #53 — Whether the significator is under the Sun's beams
35. #54 — Whether a superior is 12° from the Sun (fortified)
36. #55 — Whether the significator is peregrine
37. #58 — Whether the significator is firmly settled in its sign (past 1°–5° of a sign)
38. #59 — Whether the significator is within 15° behind the angle cusp
39. #81 — Whether the significator is in an angle, succedent, or cadent house
40. #94 — Whether the significator of the matter is cadent, retrograde, or ill-conditioned

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Tier 4 — Fortunes and Infortunes in Interaction

41. #11 — What the infortunes (Saturn, Mars) signify
42. #12 — What the fortunes (Jupiter, Venus) signify
43. #13 — What the Sun signifies (fortune except by conjunction)
44. #14 — Mercury and Moon take on signification of planets joined to them
45. #15 — General ways planets imprint good or ill
46. #32 — If an infortune is significator, its condition
47. #33 — If an infortune significator is joined to another infortune
48. #34 — If infortune is lord of Ascendant and in Ascendant, direct and strong
49. #35 — Whether an infortune is in signs like its own nature
50. #36 — Whether fortunes behold the infortunes with trine or sextile
51. #37 — Whether infortunes behold fortune significators by opposition or square
52. #38 — Whether fortune significators are cadent and retrograde
53. #40 — Whether an infortune is peregrine
54. #41 — Whether an infortune significator is in its own house, exaltation, or dignities
55. #42 — Whether a fortune significator is in a house with no lordly dignity
56. #43 — Whether both fortunes and infortunes are ill-placed (combust, etc.)
57. #45 — Whether infortunes are in angles of the Ascendant
58. #48 — Whether Jupiter beholds an infortune significator (Jupiter overcomes Saturn's malice; Venus overcomes Mars)
59. #49 — Whether one infortune significator is joined to another
60. #50 — Whether lord of Ascendant or Moon is afflicted by infortunes; whether a fortune aspects them

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Tier 5 — Chart Structure and Houses

61. #8 — The 30 considerations to keep in mind (16 Moon impediments, 10 planet impediments, 4 planetary joys)
62. #18 — Whether a planet is in the angles of an infortune (square/opposition by sign)
63. #24 — Whether the significator is in its detriment/fall
64. #30 — Whether significator or Moon is past 29° of a sign
65. #31 — Whether a planet applying to conjunction will change signs first
66. #57 — Whether the significator is in the 8th house
67. #60 — Whether the significator is in a fixed, common, or moveable sign
68. #65 — Whether the lord of the 7th is afflicted
69. #66 — Whether a fortune has dignity in the place threatened by infortunes
70. #67 — Whether an eclipse is near the significator (within 12°)
71. #68 — In sickness questions, whether the 7th house and its lord are free (physician and medicine)
72. #69 — Whether significators of Ascendant and the matter are of equal strength
73. #71 — Where the significator falls in the figure (timing by house position)
74. #72 — If a journey question, and Moon is afflicted
75. #77 — Whether lord of Ascendant or Moon is in opposition to its own house
76. #78 — The house signifying the matter inquired about
77. #79 — Whether significator or Moon is joined to fortunes or infortunes
78. #80 — How the significator is placed from its own house
79. #82 — Whether the significator receives virtue from a planet
80. #83 — Whether fortunes and infortunes are equally strong (no certain judgment)
81. #84 — Whether fortunes or infortunes are strongest overall
82. #85 — Whether Part of Fortune falls well or ill
83. #86 — Whether an infortune beholds the significator while retrograde, cadent, peregrine, and in contrary signs (absolute, unavoidable ruin)
84. #90 — Whether lord of Sun's house, Moon's house, and Ascendant are all oriental and in angles mutually beholding (greatest possible good)
85. #91 — Whether Mars is in any angle, especially in fixed signs or with Scorpio rising
86. #92 — In death questions, whether the lord of the 8th or significator of death applies to the native's significator
87. #93 — Whether Saturn is in the house of the thing inquired after (severe difficulty)
88. #95 — Whether planets signifying the matter are mutually joined
89. #96 — Whether significator and Moon are both in angles (if both past 25° from angles, the matter will not be accomplished)
90. #97 — In what climate the question is received (ascensions differ by region)
91. #98 — Whether the perfection is by conjunction, aspect, or translation of light (who intermediates)
92. #99 — Whether fixed stars confirm or frustrate what the planets show (Bonatti lists specific malefic fixed stars by sign)
93. #100 — Fixed stars that assist and promote accomplishment (benefic fixed stars by sign)

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Tier 6 — Natal and Specific Life Matters

From consideration 101 onward, Bonatti moves increasingly toward natal and specific topical questions.

94. #101 — Identifying the "cutter-off of life" (the killing planet)
95. #102 — How to find what the question signifies and from which significator
96. #103 — In what house the Part of Fortune falls (source of native's gain or loss)
97. #104 — Whether the significator is in the 7th from its own house (opposition to its lord)
98. #105 — Whether an unfortunate infortune is in the 7th (strife with spouse/partners)
99. #106 — Whether a well-placed fortune is in the 7th (happy in marriage but envied)
100. #107 — Whether Mars is in the 2nd or 10th (gain or loss through fire-trades)
101. #108 — Whether a planet beholds two houses (virtue lies where he has most dignity)
102. #109 — Whether lord of 5th is in the 7th afflicted (unhappiness at feasts)
103. #110 — Whether Scorpio ascends (unlikely to prosper in the Church)
104. #111 — Whether Dragon's Tail is in the 7th (prosperity to native, damage to enemies)
105. #112 — Whether Virgo ascends with Mercury well placed (success in medicine; failure in law)
106. #113 — Whether infortunes are in the 9th without dignity (unjust accusations)
107. #114 — Whether lord of 8th is a fortune in the 2nd (gain from the dead)
108. #115 — Whether the 8th or its lord is afflicted (difficulty with inheritance/death)
109. #116 — Which houses are afflicted
110. #117 — In which house the Dragon's Tail is (damage to things of that house)
111. #118 — In which house a fortune is well placed (benefit from that house's significations)
112. #119 — Whether lord of 2nd is in the 7th (gain from enemies or partners)
113. #120 — Whether lords of the 3rd–12th are in the 7th
114. #121 — Whether the Moon is in the 8th (evil signification)
115. #122 — Whether Part of Fortune is in the first 10° of the 4th house
116. #123 — Whether Sun and Moon are in conjunction (New Moon — specific effects)
117. #124 — Observing the significator of substance
118. #125 — What sign ascends (character and form of the native)
119. #126 — Whether Mercury is significator in a nativity
120. #127 — Whether the lord of the Ascendant at birth is an infortune
121. #128 — Whether the Ascendant is a sign resembling man (human signs)
122. #129 — Whether the Moon is in opposition to the Sun and with nebulous stars (blindness)
123. #130 — Whether the Moon is with Mercury (effect on mind and speech)
124. #131 — Whether in a man's nativity the luminaries are in masculine signs
125. #132 — Whether Mars is corporally joined to a fixed star of his own nature (violence)
126. #133 — Whether Gemini or Sagittarius ascend (specific physical and character effects)
127. #134 — Whether Mars and Venus are in the 6th (effects on servants and illness)
128. #135 — Whether lord of Ascendant, Moon, Jupiter, or Venus are in the Ascendant
129. #136 — Whether the Sun and Moon are in their exaltations
130. #137 — Whether Mercury is with Saturn (effects on intellect)
131. #138 — Whether in a nativity the two infortunes are in term of the 4th house (end of life)
132. #139 — In what house the Dragon's Tail is (harm to that house's matters)

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Tier 7 — Judgment Method and Fixed Star Gifts

133. #140 — Whether the significator is weak (general summary of weakness)
134. #141 — What gifts are bestowed by the fixed stars (extensive star-by-star treatment)
135. #142 — What gifts are bestowed by the planets (planetary gifts to the native)
136. #143 — The method of judging (synthesizing all factors)
137. #144 — When significators show their intent obscurely (how to proceed when the figure is unclear)
138. #145 — Whether in a diurnal nativity Cor Leonis (Regulus) is in the Ascendant (great fortune with a fall)
139. #146 — Who shall partake in dominion with the significators (co-significators and participation)

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The 7 Most Critical Considerations According to Internal Emphasis

If forced to identify Bonatti's own top priorities from his text, scholars generally point to these:

Priority	Consideration	Why
1st	#9	Called "a secret of secrets" — the 21 modes of helping and hindering
2nd	#5	The 17 afflictions of the Moon — most exhaustive single consideration
3rd	#70	The prenatal syzygy lord in angles — Bonatti calls it a "secret not well searched into" that causes great prejudice
4th	#19 / #62	Moon void of course — repeated twice for emphasis
5th	#75	Moon affliction overrides almost everything else
6th	#7	Conditions under which the astrologer will err (radicality)
7th	#86	Absolute inescapable ruin — the one case where even God may be the only remedy

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Bonatti concludes his proem by noting that while it is "impossible they should all happen or be observed altogether, yet they all deserve to be known, and without them an astrologer shall never be able to give true and perfect judgment." The full text was translated by Henry Coley (1676) and later edited with scholarly commentary by Benjamin Dykes (2007), which remains the authoritative modern edition.