Originally published June 2004
A major event this summer is the Olympics Games in Athens and the speculation on whether the facilities would be complete by the scheduled start of the games.
Greece is an ancient, perhaps the most ancient, country but it’s most recent incarnation – the start of modern democracy in 1974 – shows clearly the stresses and strains the Greeks have been under.
Not only is the state having a Saturn return but Saturn is in Cancer, conjunct the Ascendant and Mercury. All the pressure (Saturn) of demonstrating that you are capable of planning a major event (Saturn), demonstrating that you are a modern nation (Saturn conj Saturn conj Ascendant) and communicating all this to the world who doesn’t want to listen (Saturn conjunct Mercury conjunct transiting Saturn).
Chart for Mars conjunct Saturn May 2004
Saturn stationed at 13 Cancer and was conjunct Mars at 11 Cancer earlier in the year. This was around the time when international speculation was at its height that the games would not go ahead as the building work was no where near finished. Perhaps Mars joining Saturn at this time provided the push that was needed to finish in time? It may not have been pleasant but it certainly spurred them into action. Saturn rules the seventh house and it was perhaps too easy to see the gloom rather than the adhearance to the timetable – also Saturn – which would finish in time but with little margin for error.
