Vox stellarum: part two — Aries

The Voice of the Stars: the testament of the Zodiac unveiled

Introduction

In this new investigation in thirteen parts we aim to reconcile Astrology with its lost sibling — Astronomy — and so attempt to restore something of the Wisdom they embodied when they were one, unified Science. If you have not read part one and the Afterword to it, we suggest that you do so before continuing, otherwise you will not obtain a complete understanding of the subjects under discussion.

In this second part we begin our study of the twelve Zodiacal constellations together with their corresponding Sun-signs, something which, to the best of our knowledge has never been attempted before. In our second Afterword in the Sidebar we continue our journey through the extra-Zodiacal constellations which lie above and below the ecliptic — the astronomical term for the apparent path that the Sun, Moon, and planets take through the stars as viewed from Earth. As we explained in part one, the Zodiacal Signs — the so-called Sun-signs which are the subject of 'horoscope' columns in newspapers and magazines — are not the same as the Zodiacal Constellations they are named after. If the distinction is still not quite clear to you, please re-read the section 'The Zodiac explained' in part one.

As we also explained in part one, the testament of the Zodiac is the greatest story ever written. It is the story of the birth of man as well as the story of the birth of the Kosmos — the microcosm and macrocosm. These two grand themes of anthropogenesis and cosmogenesis form the subject of H. P. Blavatsky's masterwork — The Secret Doctrine. In volume two, she shows that the testament is also the oldest story ever written. "...whereas the Egyptians have on their Zodiacs irrefutable proofs of records having embraced more than three-and-a-half sidereal years — or about 87,000 years — the Hindu calculations cover nearly thirty-three such years, or 850,000 years."

The famous Zodiac of Dendera, also written Denderah (shown above), is a bas relief depicting the twelve Signs of the Zodiac which once formed the ceiling of the Temple of Hathor. The original was unceremoniously ripped from its ancient site in 1821 by Napoleon's engineers during his occupation of Egypt. It was subsequently shipped to the Louvre, in Paris, where it can still be seen today. Controversy has surrounded the date of this ancient planisphere ever since its discovery by Dominique-Vivant Denon, the artist who accompanied the army of Napoleon. One of France’s leading Egyptologists horrified the Church by suggesting that the Zodiac was over 16,000 years old. Astronomers and mathematicians soon became embroiled in the controversy. Joseph Fourier, now famous for the scientific equations that bear his name, who had travelled to Egypt with Napoleon added to the uproar by confirming the Zodiac’s great antiquity. This did not go down well with the devout Christians of the time who, wedded to the dogma that the Earth had been created in 4004 B.C., rose up in their wrath to refute this sacrilegious blasphemy. When additions to the temple were found to have been made by the Emperor Tiberius the 'experts' of the day confidently announced that the planisphere was constructed during the Graeco-Roman period and the Church heaved a collective sigh of relief!

But the controversy did not end there. Later astronomers who studied the planisphere quickly discovered that the arrangement of the constellations and especially the solstice between Gemini-Cancer suggested a date of about 650 B.C., not between 14 to 37 A.D., which coincided with the reign of Tiberius. Today, the controversy continues unabated, although the orthodox view promulgated by Wikipedia is that the Dendera Zodiac was constructed no earlier than 50 B.C. Unfortunately, this flatly contradicts the testimony of Herodotus who was assured by the priests he interviewed during his time in Egypt that the Pole of the Earth and the Pole of the Ecliptic had formerly coincided. That is to say, a time when the present inclination of the Earth's axis ('pole of the Earth') to the ecliptic was zero degrees, not 23 degrees 26 minutes, as it is at the present day. This confirms Madame Blavatsky's statement that the records of the ancient Egyptian astronomers went back much further than a mere 2,000 years. Our regular readers will recall we discussed all this in our investigation of so-called 'Climate Change', published in June 2023. It is impossible to say how long ago the Earth’s axis was perpendicular to the ecliptic, but the phenomena of precession proves that it must have occurred in the past and will re-occur again in the future.

Proem: the Zodiac and the Bible

Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. Psalms 102:25

"And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb."

(Revelation 21:10-14)

These five verses from the Book of Revelation, also known as the Apocalypse of John, are a faithful depiction of the Zodiac. The starry firmament may with every justification be regarded as 'that great city' which John calls the 'holy Jerusalem'. For there can be no greater 'city' than the vast universe itself. Of course 'Jerusalem' has other esoteric meanings too, but to discuss them would take us too far away from our subject. But a few words about Revelation may not be out of place here. This book is at one and the same time the most sublime part of the New Testament and the least understood. Those who know somewhat of the Wisdom Teachings of ancient Egypt, will recognise that the book is purely Egyptian in thought and colour, though slightly tinged here and there with early Christian hues. To those who know the rich meaning of its symbolical phrases and allegorical themes it is truly one of the greatest esoteric books we possess. But for the intellectual reader wedded to a literal interpretation of sacred writ, the book is and will ever remain an incomprehensible enigma. We shall have more to say about this in the subsequent parts of this investigation.

Hence Revelation as it appears in all the modern revisions is a dark mystery which none can understand, the Christian clergy least of all. Some idea of the depth of the Church's ignorance of this sublime book may be gathered from the following 'interpretation' found at random on the Internet. "Although its visions often seem bizarre to the Western reader, fortunately the book provides a number of clues for its own interpretation; e.g., stars are angels, lamp stands are churches...the 'great prostitute' is Babylon, and the heavenly Jerusalem is the wife of the Lamb." If you think it would be hard to find a more witless statement than this, you should prepare yourself for a shock as there is worse to come! Generally speaking, the Church views Revelation in four distinct ways: preteristically, historically, poetically and futuristically. The Preteristic view is that Revelation doesn’t predict anything. It simply employs symbolism (the aforementioned 'lamp stands' and 'whore') to describe historical events from the first century A.D. The notion that 'Babylon' represents Rome and the 'whore' it's rulers, is an example of this viewpoint. From the Historical perspective the book is a rolling panorama of the history of the Christian Church. If you think this is especially silly, the Poetical view may convince you otherwise! Those who hold this opinion believe that Revelation consists of imagery and symbols intended to encourage and comfort persecuted Christians during the early days of the Church. Finally, we come to the Futuristic view, which takes the position that Revelation is an essentially eschatological text describing events yet to come, in other words, the end of times, or Armageddon if you like.

You will have noted that these four views — the preteristic, the historical, the poetical and the futuristic — are concerned solely with the history, doctrines and dogmas of the Christian Church. This at once flies in the face of the facts presented by Dr E. V. Kenealy in his Book of God — the Apocalypse of Adam Oannes, reviewed on our books pages. We quote from Vol. I, Book IV, page 228 et seq: "The Apocalypse is said to have been written about A.D. 95...yet we are asked to believe that some years after, there were seven bishops in seven flourishing churches, in seven chief cities of Asia: and that they all recognized a right in John to be their guide and patriarch; he then being without any crime, an exile in a desert island [Patmos, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea] where he could get no materials for writing, and from which under the vigilant guardianship of Roman soldiers, he could have no means of transmitting his pastoral epistles, to those for whom God especially designed them. All this is as incredible as transubstantiation." For the benefit of those unfamiliar with the doctrine of transubstantiation, it is the belief that the bread and wine consumed during the Eucharist are transformed into the actual, physical body and blood of Jesus. Kenealy adds: "The 85th edition of the Apostolic Canons, which are supposed to belong to the 4th century, does not mention the Apocalypse among the apostolic writings." Kenealy goes on to cite one historical source after another, proving quite conclusively that the book antedated the establishment of the Christian Church by many millennia.

The reason we mention these details is to reinforce two important facts. Firstly, that the book has nothing to do with the Christian Church, its history or doctrine. Secondly that the book is not understood by either the Church or Biblical scholars. Christian theologians — past and present — having been reared on the specious beliefs and interpretations of the rulers of the Church itself, stand utterly helpless before the deep enigmas presented by the illuminated mind of the original author, whoever he was. We would add that the critical and exegetical questions connected with the inner meaning of the text began to be discussed as early as the second and third centuries of our era. Today they continue to be debated with as much earnestness as ever — but in vain, for who within or outside the Church has the sacred Keys wherewith to unlock this treasure-house of Beauty and Light? We say this in case any of our readers have, or may, take up the study of Revelation, and turn away from its luminous pages in frustration and deep disappointment. That would be a very great shame for we know of no other sacred texts in which so much occult knowledge is concealed, as anyone who takes the time and trouble to study Kenealy's version of the book will quickly realize. Before we analyse the five verses from Chapter 21 with which we began this Proem, we would emphasise that almost the whole of Revelation is allegorical.

Nothing is to be taken literally, least of all the 'woman clothed with the Sun' which we mentioned in our investigation of the 'Doomsday' and 'Rapture' prophecies connected with the entrance of the Sun into the zodiacal sign of Libra in September 2017. The first thing we note in the verses quoted is that the writer separates the twelve gates into four divisions of three Signs, so preserving in a hidden manner the ancient division of the Zodiac into four distinct sections, each with it's own special meaning, which we discussed with you in part one. Note too, that twelve angels preside over each of the twelve gates, corresponding to the Heavenly Rulers of the twelve Zodiacal Signs. We are told that the 'names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel' are written upon the gates of the city. Could there be a clearer reference to the Twelve Signs of the Zodiac? Many astrologers and occultists have attempted to correlate these twelve tribes with the Signs of the Zodiac, but we know of none who have ever succeeded in doing so convincingly. Perhaps the most famous of these attempts was that made by the 19th century occultist and self-confessed 'magus', Samuel MacGregor Mathers, one of the founders of the occult society known as The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.

Mathers correlated the Tribe of Simeon with Pisces. Genesis 49:7 tells us that "Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations." The sons and daughters of Pisces may have many vices, but cruelty is not among them. Mathers did rather better with the Tribe of Dan, which he correlated with Scorpio. The Bible tells us that "Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward." But Mathers wins no prizes for this comparison as even the most amateur of astrologers can see that it is a perfect description of the lower type of Scorpio subject. It is worth pointing out that Mathers did not invent his correlations. He obtained his ideas from the 19th century Freemason, Albert Pike who, in his Masonic opus, Morals and Dogma (1871) published a table of correspondences which is identical to Mathers' own scheme.

Albert Pike wrote "There is an astonishing coincidence between the characteristics assigned by Jacob to his sons, and those of the signs of the Zodiac, or the planets that have their domicile in those signs." There we must leave this interesting question and consider the final verse in our quotation which, you will recall, reads: "And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." The 'twelve foundations' need no explanation, for they refer to the Twelve Signs of the Zodiac — the 'foundation' of the universe — previously discussed. But what of the 'twelve apostles' of the Lamb'? If we regard the 'Lamb' as the Messenger or Herald of God — however we may think of that Divine Principle — then His 'apostles' are those who spread His Message of Life, Light and Life. A message that may be delivered in one of twelve different ways corresponding to the qualities and characteristics of each Sign of the Zodiac, or a testament in twelve parts if you like, which together make up the complete testimony of the Zodiac which is the subject of this investigation. So, without further ado, let us consider the first part of that Heavenly Scroll — the constellation and Sign of Aries, or the Ram.

ARIES, the Ram: the Warrior or Pioneer

Aries, the Ram, together with the Goat associated with Capricorn, are the only two zootypes among the twelve Zodiacal Signs which are sacrificed. Aries is also known among astrologers as the Sign of the Warrior or Pioneer whilst Capricorn — the tenth Sign — is known as the Priest or Ambassador. There is a close connection between these two callings and their respective Signs, just as there is between the numbers 1 and 10, the latter being the completion of what is shadowed forth by the former. The Decad, or number 10, as we discussed in our article on the sacred science of numbers, meant 'all complete' or fully accomplished' with the Pythagoreans. In conformity with the occult significance of the number one, it is the Ram, as we discussed in part one, which leads the First Division of our Testament. It is the foundation stone on which the entire Zodiac rests, while Capricorn the Goat, leads the Fourth Division which is concerned with Consummation. The Messenger of God who, as the Lamb, was metaphorically slain in Aries, is now become the Priest who leads His flock to Eternal Life in Capricorn. In Aries, the soul descends to Earth to begin its long pilgrimage of incarnations. In Capricorn it ascends again to freedom, laden with the wisdom it has garnered during it's passage through the intermediate Signs from Taurus to Sagittarius. We must also remember that in Revelation, from which we quoted in our Proem, the slain Lamb is seen seated upon the Throne from which the living waters flow. And in Leviticus, chapter 16, two goats are mentioned, of which one was slain, whilst the other was offered to God alive, thus expressing the occult truth of life arising out of death. We shall return to this important point later on.

The ancient Euphratean name for Aries was Ku, which means 'to sit down', 'seat', 'bondage', 'prince', and 'service'. Which of these is the most appropriate interpretation? In the picture revealed to us in the stars of the night sky, the Ram, as well as the Bull, is depicted in a lowly posture. This is in keeping with the condemnation and death of the Messenger of God, especially when it refers to God's Son, whether known as Jesus, or by any other names. Aratus, the ancient Greek poet, describes Taurus as "the horned Bull, fallen near the Driver's feet" and speaks of Aries as "the Ram along the circle stretched at length." And yet the Ram was also called "the leader and Prince of the Signs" in keeping with his position as the Opener of the Year as the first of the twelve Signs of the Zodiac. The Chinese, on the other hand, have a tradition which asserts that the pre-eminence of the Ram is accounted for by its position at the centre of the heavens at the creation of the world. In the Hymn to Ra which we analysed in part two of our investigation of the ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead, the Ram is called "the greatest of the creatures." The star Aries was called in Akkadian Dilkur, or "the proclaimer of the Dawn." It would be difficult to find a better name for the Day of Creation, when "there was Light".

In the ancient Akkadian Calendar, the month Aries was called Bara-ziggar, or the sacrifice of righteousness. Bar, the first word of the month's name, is used for both 'sacrifice' and 'altar' in Akkadian. Interestingly, the name of the month exactly opposite to the first in the circle of the Zodiac — the seventh month — was called Tul-ku by the Akkadians, meaning 'the holy altar'. The seventh month, as many of you will know, corresponds to Libra in the Zodiac. And the Scales of Libra, as we saw in part one, stand for Judgement, the 'altar' upon which we are all laid to test our worthiness. As we shall see more and more as we proceed with our survey of the stars things which are opposite to one another in the circle of the Zodiac are related; the latter symbolising the blossoming of what began in the former.

For a period lasting some two thousand years and ending two hundred years or so after the birth of Christ, Aries was the constellation in which the first day of spring fell. In astrology, the Zodiacal Sign Aries commences on or about 21st of March and ends on or about 20th April. We say "on or about" because these dates vary by a day or so for the reasons given in our explanation of the phenomena of precession in part one. Precession is also the reason why the first day of spring — marked by the spring equinox — no longer falls in the constellation Aries, but rather in Pisces. It will not be until some 570 years hence that it will fall in Aquarius. So much for the so-called 'Age of Aquarius' heralded with such fanfare in the 1960s and 70's. Even today, there are many astrologers who firmly believe that we are already in the Aquarian Age. Which goes to show, as we pointed out long ago in our article about Astrology, that all too many of them are woefully ignorant of even the basics of Astronomy. This sorry misconception is almost entirely dependent on the assumption that the birth of Jesus heralded the beginning of the Piscean Age. The problem with this notion is that it flies in the face of the awkward fact of the cycle of precession. This cycle describes the gradual shift in the orientation of the Earth's axis of rotation in a recurring cycle of approximately 25,920 years. Now, 25,920 divided by 12 (the number of the Signs of the Zodiac) equals 2160. Even if we conjecture that the Age of Pisces began on or about the time of the supposed birth of Jesus, the Aquarian Age cannot arrive until around 2160 A.D. Personally, we blame this silly myth on the pop musical Hair that opened in 1968 in the United States and featured the popular song Aquarius. This contained the following verses:

"When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
The age of Aquarius
Aquarius!
Aquarius!

Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revelation
And the mind's true liberation
Aquarius!
Aquarius!

We leave it to our readers to decide whether or not the optimistic predictions expressed in this sentimental song accurately reflect the state of the world in the 1960's, never mind today! This digression will not be without some purpose if it persuades just one reader to pay less attention to the prophets of poppycock who still spout similar nonsense today and rather more to the Ancient Wisdom we have tried to put before you during the past twelve years. Now back to our survey of Aries and its place in the grand Testament of the Zodiac.

Among the Arabs, Aries was known as Al Hamal, the Sheep; and Hamal is also the name of the constellation’s brightest star. Aries has also been connected to the great god of ancient Thebes, Amen or Amun who was often represented with ram's horns. Gerald Massey, whose writings we have referred to in many previous articles, suggested that when joined with the Sun in the character of Amen-Ra he represents the one and only God, the three-in-one as Father, Mother and Son combined. This seems eminently reasonable to us, especially as the great temple to Amen-Ra at Thebes is approached through an avenue of gigantic ram-headed sphinxes. The name Aries is Latin, while the Greeks knew the constellation as Krios or Crius, meaning the Ram.

As we explained in the Proem to part one of our investigation, Each Sign possesses certain characteristics and has certain lessons to teach us. We also said that the journey through the Zodiac is not a simple passage from Aries to Pisces. Each Sign is a gateway through which we enter this world. But next time we may enter through a different gateway. Or we may pass through the same one several times, or skip one or more gateways. It all depends on where we are upon our individual evolutionary path; what we have learned and what we still need to learn; what we have gained and what we have lost, as well as what we have done or left undone during previous lives on Earth. But whichever gateway we enter, we come under the sway of one of the Four Divisions it falls within. To recap, these divisions are: Foundation, Resurrection, Judgement and Consummation, and each contains three Signs. Aries is the first part or Sign of the First Division, that of Foundation. Hence it is concerned with beginnings of all kinds, both literally and metaphorically. Among astrologers Aries is known as the Warrior or Pioneer. It is a cardinal, fiery Sign ruled by the planet Mars. 'Cardinal' in this sense means leading, initiatory, innovative, all characteristics associated with the sons and daughters of Aries. Isabelle M. Pagan, whose seminal analysis of the Twelve Signs of the Zodiac — From Pioneer to Poet — we reviewed and recommended in our article about Astrology, had this to say about the evolved Arietian: "He is the Captain, the Leader, the Pioneer among men; going out in sympathy to new thought, rapidly assimilating fresh ideas, always in the van of progress in whatever kind of work — intellectual, artistic or practical — he may take up." Of course, a 'leader' and 'pioneer' may do harm as well as good. Not all innovation is necessarily beneficial or desirable. As we said in part one, each Sign has its positive and negative sides which influence us for good or ill. There is no such thing as either unalloyed good or absolute evil in our Testament.

In the ancient world the intelligence associated with Mars was looked upon as the God of War, an essentially masculine power, ardent, active, energetic and fearless. The old classic myths which describe his characteristics represent him as peculiarly liable to err, especially when acting on his own initiative. He rushes into things recklessly, without examining the justice or even the effect and consequences of his actions; and he very frequently gets things very wrong. The Arietian may as readily become a first-rate agitator on behalf of the mob as a warrior for Peace. This is why we said just now that a 'pioneer' may do harm as well as good. The #MeToo social media phenomenon is a good example of the best and worst traits of this Sign. Indeed, the attitude of the stereotypical Arietian has often been described by astrologers as "Me first." We further learn from Greek mythology that whenever Mars is firmly opposed by one of the other deities he comes off worst. The reason being that the haphazard employment of energy, which is the primitive form of warfare, is always ineffectual, but if Wisdom should undertake to take a hand in the matter, all may be well. Here we have an oblique but nonetheless important hint that unless the superior wisdom of the Higher Mind guides our actions, the lower mind will win the day with results more or less dire. Hence, the positive qualities of courage, hope and unbounded enthusiasm which are the quintessence of the evolved Arietian may manifest as fear, recklessness and fanaticism in the primitive specimens of this Sign.

Before we conclude our survey of Aries, it is important to make clear that the degree to which the characteristics of the Sign are present in any individual born under it, with it emphasised in their birth chart, or with it rising at their birth, varies enormously. In addition each of us is constantly bombarded with the influence of all Twelve Signs which will modify these traits to a greater or lesser extent. An Arietian may have all the power, courage, intelligence, and stubbornness of this Sign, or he or she may not. It follows from this that there must be 'weak-willed' Arians, for example, or stupid ones, or cowardly ones. Or, on the other hand, they may have the true Arietian traits in excess. We should also remember the well-known astrological aphorism that 'the wise man rules his stars; the fool obeys them.' This hints at the dual nature of man; partially cursed by his lower mind and partially blest by his Higher Mind. But...and here is the snag, dear reader...in most of us it is the lower mind which has the upper hand. Even when it doesn't, it will still influence its better half for ill. The great lesson this part of the Zodiac has to teach those born under, or influenced by Aries, is Courage. For without courage even the smallest of difficulties cannot be overcome. To which must be added hope and action too. For those who give way to despair sink under their own burdens whilst the lazy who choose idleness over action hit it every time!

NOW READ PART THREE

In the next part of this investigation we discuss the constellation of Taurus, the Bull, and the Zodiacal Sign associated with it. In our third Afterword we explore the extra-zodiacal constellations of Ursa Minor and Major — commonly known as the Little and Great Bears — and Draco the Dragon.

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Constellations

Part two: Hydra, Corvus, Crater.

In the thirteen afterwords accompanying this investigation we shall explore some of the extra-zodiacal constellations and groups of stars. That is to say those which lie outside the narrow band of the ecliptic as discussed in the second section of part one of our investigation under the subheading 'The Zodiac explained'.

In part one we told you about the Perseus Family which include several constellations associated with the Greek Perseus myth. If you have not read this Afterword now is the time to do so or you will not obtain a complete understanding of this vital part of the Testament of the Zodiac.

The next constellations to fall under our lens are Hydra, Corvus and Crater, also known as the Water Serpent, the Crow and the Cup. Hydra, the Latin word for 'Water Snake', is the largest constellation in the night sky. It extends for more than 100 degrees from east to west, beneath the Virgin, the Lion, and the Crab. Its head is just south of the constellation Cancer and its tail lies between Centaurus and Libra. Hydra contains 60 stars; one of the 2nd magnitude, three of the 3rd, twelve of the 4th, and was first catalogued by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century B.C.

These three adjacent constellations feature in an interesting tale that goes back at least to the time of Eratosthenes in the third century B.C. According to the Roman poet Ovid, the God Apollo was about to make a sacrifice to Zeus and sent a crow to fetch water from a running spring. The crow flew off with a cup in its claws until it came to a fig tree laden with unripe fruit. Ignoring the God's orders, the crow waited several days for the fruit to ripen, by which time Apollo had been forced to find an alternative source of water.

After eating its fill of the delicious fruit, the crow, like any wily politician, sought an alibi to excuse its failure. Spotting a water-snake sporting in a nearby spring, it snatched it in its claws and returned with it to Apollo, blaming the serpent for blocking the spring. But Apollo, being a God, was not so easily deceived. He saw through the lie immediately and condemned the crow to a life of thirst, which may explain the rasping call of this noisy bird. Apollo then hurled the crow, the cup, and the water-snake into in the sky where they remain to this day as a permanent memorial of the event.

If we look at ancient star maps we see that the crow is depicted pecking at the water snake's coils, as though attempting to move it so as to reach the cup to drink. The cup, usually represented as a magnificent double-handed chalice of the type known in Greece as a krater, is shown tilted towards the crow but tantalizingly just out of the thirsty bird's reach.

The water-snake also features in another legend, as the creature slain by Heracles, the greatest of the Greek heroes, known to the Romans and in the modern West as Hercules. We shall have much to say about Heracles — the Divine Protector of mankind — later in this investigation.

These details, as we shall see, all hint at the hidden meaning of this tale which, like many, but not all, myths, conceal certain occult truths, laws and facts. Although the constellation Hydra is now thought of as self-contained, in ancient times its stars were considered together with those of Corvus and Crater. Hydra is sometimes depicted as a great sea-snake; at others as a many-headed monster dwelling in or near water. Despite these variations there is no doubt that it represents the evil dragon of chaos, drought and darkness known in Egypt as the monster Apap, also written Apep, Aapep and Apophis, which the Greeks knew as Typhon.

Here we have the clue to the hidden meaning of the myth. Hydra, or the water-snake stands for matter which obstructs and restricts access to, and operation of, Spirit. The crow typifies the lost human soul (Higher Mind) which, having descended from on high, and being seduced by the luscious fruits of material life, loses its way and so fails to reach the living water of the Spirit represented by the spring.

It is noteworthy that the crow was sacred to Apollo, who changed himself into this bird to flee from the monster Typhon when that monster threatened the gods. In another story, related by Ovid in his Metamorphoses, the crow was once snow-white like a dove, but the bird brought news to Apollo that his love, Coronis, had been unfaithful. Apollo in his anger cursed the crow, turning it forever black. Here we have a concealed reference to the fact that the Higher Mind may turn to the darkness as well as the Light.

This myth neatly encapsulates our Testament which is nothing more nor less than the search for the Water of Life — the Spirit that vivifies and regenerates. There are many stages in this search which begins when the soul first enters into incarnation on Earth and only ends when, after much travail, it is finally liberated from the bonds of matter, to dwell once more — metaphorically speaking — among the starry Host of Heaven.

Our spiritual warrior whom we first encounter in the Sign of Aries is ever threatened and sometimes wounded in his contest with the so-called sea-monster but he eventually prevails; spirit triumphs over matter. The Greeks were only the latest in a long line of peoples to enshrine this part of the Testament in their myths.

The Babylonian hero Gilgamesh sets out to discover eternal life and finds a miraculous plant of immortality growing at the bottom of the sea. He plucks it, but leaves it unguarded, and it is stolen by a water snake. Later, he slays the monster, known as Humbaba or Hum-ba-ba.

In Egypt Apap was overthrown by Horus; in India the terrible serpent Dhritarashtra was slain by Krishna; in Babylonia, Tiamat, the primordial goddess of the sea, was overcome by Marduk; while in Norse mythology, the god Thor battles Jörmungandr, an enormous sea serpent which encircles the Earth, also known as the Midgard Serpent, and eventually slays the wicked monster.

Earlier, we mentioned that Hydra also features in another legend, as the creature slain by Heracles, also known as Hercules, in the second of his Twelve Labours. The lair of the fierce monster was the lake of Lerna, said to be the entrance to the Underworld; and the serpent served there as its formidable guardian. Its breath and blood were poisonous and even its scent was deadly. The Hydra possessed many heads and each time one was lost it was replaced by two more.

In one version of the myth it had nine heads, one of which was immortal. After slaying the monster Heracles buried its immortal ninth head under a huge stone. We shall revisit this myth when we come to discuss the constellation Hercules, for it has much to tell us about the hidden message written in the stars.

But what of Crater, the Cup? Is it not an apt metaphor for the mixing bowl of earthly life? Both good and evil are poured into that capacious, yet restrictive receptacle, a reflection below of that greater cup above, the very Kosmos itself in which the warring elements struggle for supremacy and the waters of Space boil, that spiritual gold may be distilled from the seething contents of the celestial cauldron. The stars which mark the bottom of the Cup form part of the body of Hydra, the Water Serpent.

We have now learned that from the very beginning of manifestation, whether of the macrocosm — the Kosmos — or the microcosm — man, two opposing powers emerge. The expansive, radiating powers of creative Light; and the restrictive powers of darkness which ever seek to limit and obscure the Light. These two opposing powers ever contend for supremacy, in man, as in the wider and greater Kosmos.

The former is represented as the archetypal Hero in the Testament of the Zodiac. Whether figured as Heracles, Horus, Krishna, Mithras or St George, he fights the monster of darkness, variously personified as Apap, Tiamat, or Hydra the sea-monster.

This perennial story of the Light and its containment or occultation is a theme that reoccurs in every time and clime. It has been conveyed in countless ways in myth and legend. In this part of the Zodiac, it is expressed in the rich symbolism of Hydra, Corvus and Crater.

Corvus the Crow or Raven is no pretty songbird. Its glossy feathers, black as pitch, speak not of Light but of the Night from which Day emerges. The raven is a symbol of the pre-cosmic darkness which was upon the face of the deep mentioned in Genesis. But viewed from another perspective Corvus is also the raven that Noah sent from the ark in search of land.

Some connect the raven with Nepthys, the wife of Set; and her sister Isis, with the dove. In the Egyptian Mythos these two sisters in the form of two hawks guarded the mummy of Osiris.

As we learned earlier, Apollo also sent forth the raven, but in his case the object of the search was the Water of Life. In Norse myths the raven was associated with all aspects of life and death. In one phase of the mythos the bird was regarded as a messenger with the power of speech and the freedom to fly between the realms of night and day.

Here again, we have a concealed reference to the Higher Mind or Self of man. That Self has the power to speak words of Light or utter words of darkness; to bless or to curse. With this power comes the freedom to rise or fall; to reach for the stars or descend into the pit.

The realms of night and day are open to all who seek them. Many fly to the darkness; few to the Light, but all have the freedom to choose. Many more drift in the twilight, never attaining quite to either night or day. Yet others fly constantly back and forth, from night to day and back again, like bewildered moths.

And the rulers of the vast starry constellations watch and wait; wait and pray, none knowing which way erring man may turn, sending forth their rays; dark rays as well as light, that we may profit from the lessons the Testament of the Zodiac has to teach us as we journey through the Twelve Houses that circle around the Earth.

There is a most interesting allegory about the raven and the Norse god Odin. He is said to have possessed two of these birds, which perched upon his shoulders, one upon the left and one upon the right. They were named Huginn (thought) and Muninn (memory). In an Icelandic manuscript from the 18th century reproduced above, Huginn is seated on Odin's right shoulder and Muninn on his left.

Does this suggest anything to you? We hope so, for here again we have a concealed reference to our old friends — the Higher and lower minds. Our regular readers may recall that in part two of our investigation of the ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead, we mentioned that the left shoulder of Osiris represented the Ka or lower mind in the Egyptian mystery plays, just as the right shoulder represented the Higher Mind.

This allegory is not unique to Norse mythology. In Islam two angels called Raqib and Atid reside on the shoulders of human beings to record their good and bad deeds. The same belief is found in Japanese Buddhism where two beings — Domyo and Dosho — serve the same function. The idea that the devil sits on our left shoulder whispering evil counsel while an angel of God sits upon our right shoulder imparting good thoughts was common throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. This superstition later found it's way into Hollywood movies such as Angel on My Shoulder released in 1946.

In the Norse version of this myth, Huginn and Muninn fly all over the world, bringing back knowledge to Odin. The birds are released at dawn and return at dusk, i.e., at the beginning and end of each incarnation. This is not a bad allegory for the experience both minds gain during each new incarnation, so adding to the store of Wisdom retained by the Soul, here represented by Odin.

In a poem preserved in the Prose Edda Odin worries that Huginn may not come back, yet is still more anxious for the return of Muninn. If we regard Huginn as a representation of the Higher Mind and Muninn of the lower mind, this uncovers another rich layer of meaning in the myth.

For, as we can read in such books as Symphonie Fantastique by J Michaud PhD, the return of the human soul (Higher Mind in our terminology) to the Source from which it emerged to commence its long series of incarnations on Earth is by no means guaranteed. Many souls lose their way. Many more tarry on the way. Some turn to the darkness.

The emancipation of the lower mind is still more problematical as those of our readers who have struggled to control it and curtail its worst impulses, will know only too well. No wonder Odin is even more anxious for the return of the raven Muninn.

Some readers may object that we are reading too much into this myth, but if we consider all the elements we have discussed, does it seem likely that whoever first constructed the tale went to so much trouble to include so many details merely to provide a pretty puzzle for future scholars?

We are thinking here of the orthodox 'scholarly' interpretations of the myth which you can find on Wikipedia and similar websites. One eminent academic believes that Odin and his two ravens "reflects a biological symbiosis in which one organism typically shores up some weakness or deficiency of the other(s). Odin the father of all humans and gods, though in human form was imperfect by himself..."

We will spare you the rest of this opinionated scholar's speculations which are on a par with the equally inane interpretation of the Berlin Papyrus 3024 which we discussed in our investigation of this enigmatical ancient Egyptian eschatological text. We prefer to regard the tale of Odin and Huginn and Muninn as a genuine fragment of the Mystery Teachings which, as we have pointed out in several articles were invariably encoded in myths and legends, the better to preserve their hidden meaning.

All of which goes to show not only what profound secrets are concealed under the symbols of the extra-zodiacal constellations of Hydra, Corvus and Crater, but how much the ancients knew about the occult constitution of man which they carefully concealed in such myths as that of Odin and his two ravens.

In our next Afterword we explore the rich symbolism of the lesser and greater bears — more commonly known as Ursa Minor and Ursa Major — as well as Draco, the Dragon, a truly vast constellation which coils around the celestial pole. Meanwhile, we hope that this second chapter of the testament of the Zodiac has given you much food for thought.

occult mysteries