Vox stellarum: part eleven — Capricorn

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

Introduction

In part eleven of our survey of the hidden message of the stars we turn our attention to the Constellation and Sign of Capricorn — the Tenth Gate of the Zodiac. This is the first of the three Signs concerned with Consummation. The other two being Aquarius and Pisces, which we will discuss in the next two parts of this investigation. The Tenth Gate of the Zodiac is the portal through which passes the Priest and Philosopher, whether he or she is known as such, or completely unknown, or, as in many cases, remains quite unaware of their high calling.

In our accompanying Afterword we train our metaphorical telescope on the extra-zodiacal constellations of Aquila, Sagitta or the Arrow, and Delphinus or the Dolphin. Our principal aim, however, remains to reconcile Astrology with its lost sibling — Astronomy, so that we might restore something of the Wisdom they embodied when they were one, unified Science. If you have not read the previous parts of this investigation or our afterwords to them, please do so before continuing, or you will not obtain a complete understanding of the many subjects under discussion. Before we take up the study of Capricorn we would like to say something about the enigmatic emblem of the Goat-Fish that is associated with this Sign.

Proem: Adam-Oannes

"Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter." Revelation 1:19

One figure more than any other embodies the essential quality of Capricorn, and that is Oannes, or the mythical Man-Fish. It is Oannes who is the origin of the Goat-Fish which has remained the classical zootype of Capricorn since Babylonian times. We mentioned Oannes in part two of our investigation in connection with the history, doctrines and dogmas of the Christian Church. Therein we told you on the authority of Dr E. V. Kenealy that the Book of Revelation antedated the establishment of the Christian Church by many millennia. Kenealy wrote that the compiler of this sacred text — also known as the Apocalypse — was not the Apostle John, but Adam Oannes, also known as Chaudama in India. The ancient Siamese (modern Thais) called him Sommona-Chadàm, meaning the First Divine Messenger of Heaven.

In the Babylonian bas-relief shown at left Oannes carries a richly decorated bag containing the Apocalypse in his left hand. His right hand is upraised in the act of presenting a pine cone — an emblem of immortality and enlightenment since the earliest times — signifying the nature and scope of his mission to mankind. Pine cones were also symbolic of the Generative Power of the Great Mother, the Holy Spouse of God, from whom every Messenger claimed descent. Oannes' wrists are adorned with bracelets bearing the disc of the Sun, all emblematic of the solar power he represents. The hilts of two daggers are visible in his belt, signifying that the True Teacher comes to slay the twin evils of ignorance and envy which bar the way to Truth. The head of a fish crowns his head dress; its body falls over his shoulders, terminating just below his waist. A feathered cloak, indicative of the First Divine Messenger's Heavenly origins, completes the rich symbolism of this bas-relief.

The 2nd century B.C. Greek historian, Apollodorus, has left us a good description of the First Messenger. This is taken from the account of Berosus, a 3rd century B.C., Babylonian astronomer and priest. "The whole body of the Being was like that of a Fish, and had, under a fish’s head, another head, and also feet below, similar to those of a Man, subjoined to the Fish’s tail. His voice, too, and language was articulate and human. This Being, in the day time, used to converse with men, but took no food at that season; and he gave them an insight into letters and science and every kind of art. He taught them to construct houses, to found temples, to compile laws, and explained to them the principles of geometrical knowledge. He made them distinguish the seeds of the earth, and shewed them how to collect fruits. When the Sun set, it was the custom of this Being to plunge again into the sea, and abide all the night in the deep."

John Temple, in his analysis of some parables from the NT gospels, cited a slightly different version of Berosus' account based upon the writings of the Christian historian and polemicist, Eusebius (ca. 263 - 339 A.D.), who stated: "In the first year there appeared out of the Red Sea at a place near the confines of Babylonia, an Immortal Living Creature whose name was Oannes. His body was like that of a man-headed fish like Vishnu in the Matsyavatara. He had also feet like a man, which proceeded from the fish's tail, and a human voice, according to the picture of him which was preserved to the time of Berosus. This Living Creature conversed with men in the day time without eating anything; he communicated the knowledge of letters, arts, and sciences: he taught men to dwell together in cities: to erect temples: to introduce laws, and instructed them in geometry: he likewise shewed them how to gather seeds and fruits, and, in short, imparted to mankind whatever was necessary and convenient for a civilised life. When the sun set, this Living Creature retired into the sea again, and stayed there in the night, being of the amphibious kind. This Oannes did not deliver his instructions by word of mouth only, but wrote of the Origin of things."

If we combine these two versions it is not difficult to discover the occult truths they conceal. The 'first year' means the First Messenger. The 'Red Sea' refers to the 'sea' of the Astral Fire described in Vision Six of The Golden Star. We are all 'Immortal Living Creatures' in our Higher Minds. One of the earliest and most sacred symbols of Jesus was Ichthys, the Greek word for fish. Jesus further told his disciples that he would make them 'fishers of men." One of the most important figurations of Horus In the Egyptian mythos was that of Sebek-Horus, the Great Crocodile or Man-Fish. We are told that Oannes 'also had feet like a man', as we can see in the bas-relief shown above, signifying that the First Messenger was a mortal man though possessed of great wisdom. We next learn that Oannes had a 'human voice.' This could mean many things. It might reinforce the fact of the Messenger's humanity, or it may mean he taught orally, like Jesus. Or again that his mission was for all mankind, not a select few. The latter seems the most likely interpretation given what Eusebius tells us, namely that Oannes 'imparted to mankind whatever was necessary and convenient for a civilised life'.

What are we to make of the Messenger not eating when he 'conversed with men in the day time'? Some scholarly nitwit will probably come along in future (if he hasn't already done so) and tell us in all seriousness that it is a reminder not to talk when one's mouth is full! The true meaning of this rather odd statement was explained by John Temple in the article we referred to earlier. In it he quotes the words of Jesus who, when exhorted by his disciples to eat, replied: "...I have meat to eat that ye know not of" (John 4:32). That 'meat' was the 'Bread of Heaven'. Later, Jesus says: "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work." The same must have been said by Oannes thousands, possibly millions of years earlier. Once we know the kind of 'sea' Oannes came from, his return to it when the Sun set to remain there all night is perfectly explicable. It refers to the cycles of sleep and waking which we discussed in our article about occult evolutionary cycles. When Oannes' mission had been fulfilled, he departed back into the 'deep' whence he had come. Thereafter a new Cycle commenced and his work was continued by his successor, the Second Divine Messenger, Enoch. According to Dr Kenealy, Adam Oannes flourished around 4,800 B.C. For the reasons we gave in our review of The Apocalypse of Adam Oannes we think this is rather unlikely. Much of the information imparted in Revelation refers to the destruction of Atlantis which we know occurred long before this date. What we are certain of is that Revelation is the most wonderful Book ever written. We told you in part two that it is at one and the same time the most sublime part of the New Testament and the least understood. We also said that the book contains a vast amount of information about the Zodiac; too much to even begin to analyse in this investigation though we hope to say a little more in the final part when we sum up all that we have learned.

It was the First Messenger's task to reveal the whole history of mankind on Earth from his own time to the present day and a little beyond. This he did in language which, even in the mutilated state we have it now, is hoary with the music of antiquity; speaking to the within in sublime accents of beauty, pathos and wonderment. Adam Oannes' magnificent oration begins with the command of the Most High to write his Visions in a book and "send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia." Here we see the grubby finger marks of priestly interpolation. The 'churches' mentioned have nothing whatsoever to do with the Christian religion, but refer to the seven types of Man, each partaking of the nature of one of the Seven Rulers born of the Great Mother we discussed in our Proem on the Seven Pole Stars in part three. These seven stars are mentioned in chapter 1, verse 16 of Revelation, together with the "seven golden candlesticks," which mean the same and are the same. Some readers may have wondered at the time why we discussed these stars at such length. Now, they will know the reasons, or we hope so, or we have been wasting our time and their patience in attempting to unveil something of the rich meaning of the Testament of the Zodiac! This is also the reason why we keep repeatedly urging our readers to read every part of this investigation, and re-read them if necessary, if they truly wish to obtain a complete understanding of the whole, magnificent tapestry.

There is not a single statement in Revelation that does not have a hidden meaning. The example of 'churches' just cited being one such blind. The greatest stumbling-block to understanding this sublime book is that it must not be read literally, but symbolically and allegorically. Even if much remains unclear to you, the descriptions of the Heavens and the great Angels who dwell there are inexhaustible in their richness and quite unsurpassed in any book. Nor are there any errors in Adam Oannes' visions, such as we find in the works of even the most inspired writers, such as those of Jacob Boehme and Swedenborg. The great work that Kenealy did in reconstructing The Apocalypse of Adam Oannes is of outstanding merit. If we compare the Apocalypse with the works of any great poet we cannot fail to conclude that not even Homer, Dante or Milton have been able to approach it in beauty and splendour, sublimity or loveliness. Hence it was destroyed, after first being ignored, because it was hated for its Light and feared because of the wisdom which enabled Kenealy, in his great vision and inspiration, to restore the Revelations of the First Divine Messenger. Fortunately for posterity the present generation of seekers after truth can once again read the sublime message of Adam Oannes in the three part PDF edition of Kenealy's book we have published, free of the despoliations of priest-ridden obfuscation, bigotry and distracting dogma. The enterprising publisher of Astral Conversations and John Temple's Search for Truth — Aula Lucis — intends to reprint the entire trilogy of Dr E. V. Kenealy's books, commencing with The Book of Fo in 2026. This will mark the first time this book has been re-printed since it was first published nearly 150 years ago.

Capricorn, the Goat-Fish. The Priest or Philosopher

The constellation of Capricorn was represented by the ancients as a composite creature: half goat and half fish, signifying the daily death and rebirth of the Sun. The selfsame symbolism was preserved by the ancient Egyptians who tracked the Sun’s path each night through the underworld of Amenta. Temu, or the Night-Sun sunk down in the West, into the darkness of the great deep or into the vast ocean of night, before emerging again in the East as the God Ra to proclaim the new day. As such the symbolism of the goat-fish or sea-goat stood for both night and day as phases in the sun’s journey, providing us with the keynote of the Zodiacal Sign of Capricorn which is INSPIRATION, or Light out of Darkness.

At the winter solstice the Sun reaches its lowest point on the ecliptic, the Tropic of Capricorn. There the Sun turns and starts to climb, rising up towards the northern hemisphere. From then on it rises higher in the sky each day. This turning point in what appears to be an annual falling and rising of the Sun was called by the ancient astronomers the cave of the rising and its nocturnal sign Capricorn, the solar goat, represented the sun rising up from the great deep of the underworld.

Esoterically, the constellations of Cancer and Capricorn are said to represent the gates of men and of the gods. Cancer, the Gate of Men, symbolises the portal by which souls enter into human bodies. The opposite constellation is Capricorn, the Gate of the Gods through which the souls of liberated men depart the Earth after death. We stress 'liberated' because that which men call death is occultly an awakening, as from a dream, and for most a return to the conditions of life they knew before they came to Earth; and conversely, entry of the soul into a body on Earth is a kind of imprisonment, a forgetting, a sleep, as Plato and others taught. For the Egyptians life on Earth was followed by life in Amenta, which in turn was followed, at least for those who belonged there, with life in Sekhet Hetepet — the 'Fields of Peace' — or the higher Heaven.

As opposites in the circle of the Zodiac, Cancer and Capricorn complete and compliment one another. Cancer, as we saw in part five, is the foremost Sign of the Second Division of the Zodiac — that of Resurrection, while Capricorn is the foremost Sign of the fourth and last Division of the Zodiac, that of Consummation. This final division follows close on that of the Judgement Signs, Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius which come before it. Here, as we said in part one, at the closing of the Great Circle of the Zodiac, life touches death. It began with death; it ends with life. The first division was as full of death as the last is full of life. The Lamb who was metaphorically slain in Aries, is now become the Shepherd who leads His flock to Eternal Life in the Spirit. The image of living water, which pervades the whole of the fourth Division, and only this division, is therefore most appropriate. The fish seen in Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces, indicate the Sea of the Aether, which is the Living Waters mentioned in the Bible.

As we saw earlier, the symbols of the goat and the fish have been identified with the same mythical beings — the fish-gods Dagon and Oannes — since very ancient times. The goat-headed Egyptian god was Nun, who presided over the abyss of primeval waters, and is thought by some to have provided the model for the biblical Noah. The Greeks named the constellation Aigokeros, which meant goat-horned, and associated it with Pan. One of many Greek accounts tells how the Earth sent Typhon (Egyptian Set) to destroy the gods. In order to escape the monster the gods fled into Egypt and transformed themselves into various creatures. Pan hid himself in the Nile, turning his lower body into a fish. It was said by some that he, together with Hermes, helped to heal and restore the debilitated Zeus after his initial defeat by Typhon, and in gratitude Zeus transferred him to the heavens as the constellation we know as Capricornus. Individual named stars in this constellation include Algedi, from the Arabic aljady, meaning goat or kid, which marks the right horn. Some of the individual stars appear to signify the sacrifice of goats which took place among the Arab nations at the heliacal rising of Capricorn. These include Al Sa'd al Dhabih, the Lucky One of the Slaughterers.

The ruler of Capricorn is Saturn or Chronos; a deity who is said by the classical writers to have reigned during the Golden Age. This period has been described as the happiest this world has ever known; when men lived like gods, free from toil and care, and from all the weaknesses of old age; when death came kindly and gently, like a sleep, and the earth brought forth abundantly without cultivation — a description suggestive of the early chapters of the book of Genesis. The end of this reign is associated with the rebellion of the three sons of Chronos, who are said to have divided his kingdom among them. It is highly significant that this ancient God is not spoken of as dead and gone. He reigns still — in the background — dwelling, some say, in Tartarus; but, according to others, in the Islands of the Blest, where he assists Rhadamanthus in deciding the fate of departed heroes; for Time tries all men. His temples were few and his worship simple and severe in character. In some places human sacrifices were offered by his priests, but in later days various animals were substituted. The worship of Chronos was never widespread or popular in Greece; but in Italy his representative, Saturn, had special honours paid to him, notably at the time of the Saturnalia, when the woollen bands which bound the feet of his image were undone, and seven days were passed in feasting and jollification. Every man offered up a sacrifice in honour of the God. The schools were closed, and gifts were bestowed, especially in the form of toys for the children. Caste distinctions were temporarily abolished. Slaves sat at table with their masters. No punishments were inflicted, and freedom of speech was unchecked. All of these things, be it noted, were associated with the setting free of Saturn from his normal condition of bondage, typified by the aforementioned woollen bands. This festival was held in December, at the time when the Sun enters the sign of Capricorn; and has been retained by the Christian Church in a modified form as the festival of Christmas, when Peace and Goodwill are the watchwords of all.

As there are two types of goat, so there are two types of Capricornian. In the countries where astrology was first established, the goat is a domestic animal, a sad-looking creature kept to provide milk. The rope to which it is tied testifies to the limitation to which it is subject. If free, it is stopped from making its way through the surrounding hedges of its field by the wooden cross bars on its neck. It has nothing to do but eat what it can find and give its milk. Many a Capricornian has this sad, long face and seems to spend his life in a very limited sphere, debarred from wider enjoyments, strictly keeping to the main purpose of life, which is the provision of food and shelter by practical and sensible work. He never ceases his efforts to "get somewhere," but actually goes round the same stake on the same rope for ever. However, the mountain goat or antelope is a very different animal. Gaily leaping from crag to crag, he mounts higher and higher in his search for what is good. This other type of Capricornian constantly aspires to higher and higher positions, ambitious to get to the top in whatever sphere of activity he has chosen.

The evolved Capricornian takes life earnestly and is generally an enthusiastic upholder of tradition and authority. When fully developed he has a fine historic sense which gives him a keen interest in the past, and a profound understanding of the problems of the present. He frequently treads the path of scholarship, and very often shines in diplomacy or in some kind of work which involves acting as an intermediary between those whose interests or theories clash. The keynote of this Sign — Inspiration — gives us the two main elements which are always to be found in connection with its highest manifestation in humanity, namely noble ambition, and an extraordinary power of adaptability to environment. The first of these qualities results in abnormal industry and the second makes the son or daughter of Capricorn peculiarly fitted to overcome obstacles and circumvent opposition in pursuit of their goals.

The symbol of the Goat ascending the mountain is a very appropriate one; for it is always depicted as steadily following the upward path. Every experienced climber knows that the beaten track is the safest road for those who desire to travel far, and that the attractive short cut is generally a snare and a delusion. Our Capricornian climber scarcely gives the latter a glance. His reverence and admiration for those who have preceded him, and have already attained the heights on which his own soul is set, is tremendous. At times he may pause for a breathing space and look backwards, remembering with gratitude the resting-places and the guidance given in the earlier part of his journey, but the climbing is speedily resumed and continued until the goal is reached. After which the ambition simply becomes more inclusive, and embracing the careers of others, finds more and more scope as the years of the long full life go on. Those who feel critical of such methods of attainment and are inclined to reserve their appreciation for work that is daring, experimental and original, should remember that experiment may be carried too far. The tendency of some people to use the words "traditional" and "conventional" as terms of abuse, is wholly unjustifiable. If a conventional method happens to be a good one, it is folly to reject it; and to abolish all tradition and start afresh in any department of human activity — in building, engineering and in all technical handicrafts, as well as in poetry, music, philosophy, art and religion — would involve a colossal waste of time and energy. He who cannot learn from his predecessors is wanting in intelligence. The unfortunate individual who cannot do this is hopelessly handicapped in the battle of life, and in extreme cases must be classed as an imbecile; so that without some power of responding to the regularising discipline and limiting influence of Saturn, not one of us could accomplish anything worthwhile in life.

We have described the Capricornian at his very best and most successful; but there is naturally another side to the picture, and it is not a pleasant one! In stark contrast to the complete and well-balanced development of the whole nature — mental, emotional and physical — the primitive type exhibits boundless ambition and cold-bloodedness unmitigated by any redeeming qualities. As in the previous parts of this investigation, we look to the characters in the Harry Potter books for examples, and find them in Voldermort (aka Tom Riddle) and Severus Snape. The former was born on 31 December and the latter on 9 January according to J. K. Rowling. When Professor Dumbledore first encounters Tom Riddle, the young wizard already displays the assertiveness and hunger for power that is to characterise his future career as the 'Dark Lord'. One of the most significant driving forces behind Voldermort's actions in the books is his overwhelming dread of death and loss of power — classic Saturnian fears. One of his most dangerous traits was his total lack of empathy. He was incapable of understanding or valuing the emotions of others, which allowed him to commit the foulest atrocities without the slightest prickings of remorse. Voldermort had no compunction in killing his own followers if they showed any sign of betrayal or weakness. The chilling atmosphere of fear and distrust this attitude fostered within his inner circle is another Saturnian trait that influenced his actions.

The determination and ambition associated with this Sign is well illustrated by Severus Snape's pursuit of the Defence Against the Dark Arts position within Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He knew what he wanted and pursued it relentlessly. Despite Albus Dumbledore's rejection, Snape did not give up. He continued his efforts, stepping in as a substitute when Professor Lupin was absent, and eventually achieved his goal later in the books. Snape also consistently displayed the practical intelligence and hardworking nature of Capricornians, proving that he was not only skilled in magic but also adept at navigating complex situations in a thoroughly practical manner. His ability to serve the diametrically opposed aims of Voldermort and Dumbledore is a perfect illustration of this skill. Another key trait of Capricornians is their independence. They prefer to rely on themselves rather than on others. This self-sufficiency, combined with their sense of responsibility and practicality, enabled Snape to succeed on his own, even when faced with adversity. As is often the case with even evolved Capricornians, Snape struggled to forgive and forget. Mockery was torture to him and he never forgot a slight. His disdain for Harry Potter stemmed from years of resentment towards James Potter and his friends. The bullying Snape endured, including being humiliated in front of Lily Evans whom he admired and later loved, also made it difficult for him to let go of his animosity towards those who had mocked him. One of the most notable traits of Capricornians is their unswerving loyalty to their nearest and dearest. Snape's loyalty, though often hidden beneath a mask of sneering disinterest, remained steadfast to those whom he considered allies, such as the Order of the Phoenix, and his love for Lily.

Even in the most primitive Capricornian ambition is a splendid spur to activity, but to the eyes of onlookers it is often only recognisable in the form of gloomy discontent with present circumstances. That other source of Capricornian strength, adaptability, also has its unlovely side. To be all things to all men may be a splendid achievement, but constant courtesy and consideration for others requires constant self-control. If the nature is ignoble and the ambitions despicable, such pliancy may take very undesirable forms. Reverence for superiors at its lowest expression is apt to cause our Capricornian to succumb to cringing servility. There is also a danger in this "earthy" type, with its keen realisation of the use and value of experiences on the physical plane, that worldly success may be given a disproportionately large place, and that the methods by which wealth and position can be attained will not be too closely scrutinised. As we said earlier, Capricornians excel at any kind of mediation, hence are often found among middlemen or brokers. But not all such employment may be either honourable, decent or honest. What a man does is often less important than why and how he does it. Sadly, there are, and always have been, many individuals who are only too willing to make a comfortable living from the worst vices of their fellow creatures. There are many go-betweens who will do any kind of errand, however base, so long as it can be made to pay and pay well. The pimp and the arms dealer are examples familiar to all. We might regard such individuals as a kind of "ambassador" in their own way. Although the primitive Capricornian has none of the innate cruelty of the Scorpionian his ambition to make his way in the world may make him unscrupulous in his use of the tools he employs. While he may not rejoice that others are weaker than himself he may nonetheless acquiesce in the fact and use it to his advantage.

The religious life of the evolved Capricornian is the strongest and most important element in their nature, for when refined ambition is transmuted into aspiration, there is no limit to what may be accomplished. This type is peculiarly suited to the role of priest or philosopher, whether in actual fact or simply as a sympathetic listener, comforter and mentor. Full of wise sayings and practical advice they are well able to direct others. The endeavour to establish the laws of the Kingdom of Heaven upon earth is the aim of every true son or daughter of this Sign when he or she has attained to its heights. But it is the earth life they are mainly concerned with and responsible for, and it is consequently the secular priest rather than the hermit or monk that we find under the sway of Saturn. The recluse and the mystic properly belong to Pisces and are ill-fitted to cope with the problems of life in the towns and cities of the world; the very milieu in which the evolved Capricornian find themselves very much at home.

In the Proem to the next part of this investigation we shall tell you about the Four Royal Stars, and the constellation and Zodiacal Sign of Aquarius. In our concomitant Afterword we shall explore the occult meaning of the extra-zodiacal constellations of Pegasus, Cygnus or the Swan (including the Northern Cross) and Lyra or the Lyre.

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Constellations

Part Eleven: Aquila, Sagitta or the Arrow, and Delphinus or the Dolphin.

In our eleventh Afterword we explore the extra-zodiacal constellations of Aquila, Sagitta or the Arrow, and Delphinus or the Dolphin.

The history of the constellation of AQUILA, or the Eagle is especially interesting for two reasons. Firstly because we can trace it back very clearly to the earliest times, and secondly because the original Euphratean name — Alula, meaning the great spirit — has come down to us.

We may apply this name to either the Divine Soul or the Higher Mind, for both are 'great' spirits.

For the Sumerians and Babylonians Aquila was the symbol of the noonday sun, and in all probability the origin of our present constellation. A Euphratean uranographic stone dated to around 1200 B.C., figures a bird, known as the Eagle, which is supposed to represent the constellation of Aquila.

This constellation was called Aetos by the Greeks, meaning eagle. There are several explanations for the presence of this eagle in the sky. In Greek and Roman mythology, the eagle was the bird of Zeus, carrying (and retrieving) the thunderbolts which the wrathful god hurled at his enemies. But the eagle was involved in love as well as war.

According to one Greek myth, Aquila is the eagle that snatched up the beautiful Trojan boy Ganymede, son of King Tros, to become the cup-bearer of the gods on Olympus. Authorities such as the Roman poet Ovid say that Zeus turned himself into an eagle, whereas others say that the eagle was simply sent by Zeus.

The Romans knew this constellation as Aquila, and their poets called it "Jovis Ales" and "Jovis Nutrix," the "Bird" and the "Nurse of Jove." Ovid called it "Merops," King of the island of Cos, in the Archipelago, turned into the Eagle of the sky, and placed among the stars by Juno. Others thought it some Ethiopian king like Cepheus. The Hebrews call this constellation Neshr, meaning an eagle, falcon, or vulture. The Arabians called it Al-'Okab, probably their native black eagle.

From this it is clear, as we said earlier, that Aquila can stand for the Divine Soul or Higher Mind. We incline to the view that it represents the Higher Mind because it rises at the same time as Scorpio, the scorpion which in this case stands for the lower mind, the "monster of the dark which stings unto death."

Here our Tapestry shows us the effect of the arrow of Sagitta in the form of the pierced, wounded, and falling Eagle, gasping in its dying struggle, a contest faithfully reproduced in verse 2 of Psalm 38. "For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore."

After this in verse 10, the psalmist adds: "My heart panteth, My strength faileth me: as for the light of Mine eyes it is gone from me." The names of the stars of Aquila all confirm this symbolism. The brightest of them — Altair— means "the wounding" in Arabic. Beta Aquilae found in the throat of the Eagle is called Al Shain, meaning "the bright" in Arabic. Gamma Aquilae is called Tarared, wounded, or torn, while Delta Aquilae (in the lower wing) is named Alcair, which means "the piercing." Epsilon Aquilae (in the tail), Arabic Al Okal, has the significant meaning "wounded in the heel."

The name of the constellation’s brightest star, Altair, comes from the Arabic al-nasr al-ta'ir, meaning 'flying eagle' or 'flying vulture' (the Arabic word nasr can mean either eagle or vulture). This name arises because Altair and its flanking stars Beta and Gamma Aquilae were visualised by the Arabs as an eagle (or vulture) with wings outstretched, soaring on high.

In China, these three stars were known as Hegu, a large battle drum – beating the drum was a signal for the army to attack. The line to the south formed by Theta and Eta Aquilae was Tianfu, the drumstick. Delta Aquilae and surrounding stars including Mu, Sigma, and Iota were Youqi, a banner flying on the right side of the drum, while Rho Aquilae and the stars of Sagitta to the north were another banner, Zuoqi, on the opposite side of the drum.

Altair and its attendant stars also had two other identifications. In one they were known as the Three Generals, the commanding officer in the centre flanked by two subordinates. In a popular Chinese folk tale, Altair represents a cowherd flanked by his two sons. The cowherd was separated by the Milky Way from his wife the weaving girl (the star Vega) and the two were allowed to meet only once a year, when magpies formed a bridge for them over the Milky Way.

Charming as these characteristics may be, they also conceal several occult truths. The 'battle drum' is an apt description for the attacks the lower mind mounts upon its adversary while the 'banner' stands for the message of Life and Light the Higher Mind strives — mostly in vain — to unfurl to its stubborn companion.

SAGITTA or the Arrow is the third-smallest constellation in the night sky. It has no stars brighter than the fourth magnitude, but was well-known to the Greeks and was included among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy in his Almagest. Aratus described it as 'alone, without a bow' since there is no sign of the archer who might have shot it. We shall come back to this significant omission a little later on.

Mesopotamian stargazers called Sirius the Arrow Star, while the Chinese figured a bow and arrow in the constellation Argo Navis; and which, incidentally, they thought was aimed at Sirius, figured by them as the Wolf. Some scholars have suggested that the stars we represent as Sagitta were figured in Babylon as the constellation of The Dead Man, a figure they imagined being held or carried in the talons of nearby Aquila, the Eagle. Likewise, some of our star maps place the Arrow in the talons of the same bird as it was said to be the armour bearer of Zeus.

There are at least three different stories to account for the arrow in the sky and its shooter. Eratosthenes said it was the projectile with which Apollo killed the Cyclopes because they made the thunderbolts of Zeus that struck down Apollo’s son, Asclepius. According to this story, Asclepius was a great healer with the power to raise the dead, but Zeus killed Asclepius when Hades, god of the Underworld, complained that Asclepius' activities were bad for business! Asclepius is commemorated in the constellation Ophiuchus, which our attentive readers will remember we discussed in our Afterword to part nine of this investigation.

Hyginus, on the other hand, in his survey of the heavens, De astronomia, said that Sagitta was one of the arrows with which Heracles killed the eagle that ate the liver of Prometheus, whose imprisonment we described and discussed in our investigation of Shelley's metaphysical drama Prometheus Unbound.

The myth of Prometheus relates how the Titan stole fire from Heaven, for which crime Zeus cruelly punished him by chaining him to a rock on Mount Caucasus. Each day an eagle ate his liver, but at night it grew again, only for the eagle to resume his feast the next morning. Heracles freed Prometheus from this eternal torture by dispatching the eagle with an arrow.

The Roman general Germanicus (15 B.C. - 19 A.D.) identified Sagitta as the arrow of Eros which kindled in Zeus his passion for the shepherd boy Ganymede, who is commemorated in the constellation Aquarius. According to Germanicus, the arrow is guarded in the sky by the eagle of Zeus – and Sagitta does indeed lie next to the constellation of the eagle, Aquila.

So who shot the arrow? The answer is simple and therefore not obvious! Each one of us is wounded by the arrows of our own misdirected desires and wrong attunements. Sagitta is not the Arrow of Sagittarius, for that has yet to leave the bow of the Archer. His arrow, as we saw in the previous part of this investigation, is aimed at the enemies of God, whereas this arrow is that which wounds the Saviour of Man spoken of by Isaiah.

"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:3-5).

The little constellation of DELPHINUS or the Dolphin lies in the region of the night sky alluded to as "the Sea." This is an apt description for nearby we find the other maritime creatures, Pisces, the Fishes; Capricorn, the Sea Goat; and Cetus, or the Whale.

At different times and by different peoples the stars we figure as Delphinus, or the Dolphin, have been known variously as Job’s Coffin, Christ’s Cross, Knife, Sheep, Rotten Gourd, Swine, Camel and many other products of the minds of the many kinds of men, both wise and not so wise. However, even if the stars in this part of the sky have not always and everywhere been depicted as a dolphin, they have been by some for a very long time, and it is in this form that they are best known to us in the West today.

In a Persian planisphere Delphinus seems to be depicted as a fish and a stream of water while the Dendera Zodiac has a vessel pouring out water. The ancient names connected with this constellation are Dalaph in Hebrew, meaning the pouring out of water; Scalooin (Arabic), meaning swift as the flow of water; and Rotaneb or Rotaneu (Syriac and Chaldee), meaning swiftly running water.

Such is the labyrinthine nature of the science of occult symbolism that the Dolphin has from time to time represented the son principle; and at other times the father principle. For some of the ancients it was an immortal essence born of the waters, but which combined or blended the qualities of its divine parents.

In the same way as the eagle was seen as the king of birds and so an apt symbol for the sun, the dolphin has been widely thought of as the king of fish, and has likewise been used to symbolise the same divine star. The sun rises from the deeps at dawn and plunges back into the depths at sunset, creating an arc from the eastern to the western horizon like, or so it was imagined, the arc of the leaping dolphin.

According to Plato, Atlantis was the chosen domain of Poseidon to whom Dolphins were sacred and considered as his messengers. Greek mythology records that Poseidon sent or perhaps took the form of a dolphin to pursue Amphitrite, Queen of the Sea, prior to their marriage. Also, the Greek Athena was sometimes depicted as having a dolphin on her shield.

Several of the stars of Delphinus formed the Chinese constellation Hugua, while Epsilon, Eta, Theta, Iota, and Kappa Delphini formed the neighbouring asterism of Baigua. These two Chinese constellations represented a pair of gourds, probably from the calabash vine or bottle-gourd plant. Calabash are a kind of melon, grown for food and for use as containers.

Hugua was said to be a hard, dried gourd, presumably intended as a container or scoop, whereas Baigua was described as an over-ripe or rotten gourd, evidently having gone off. So here we have two containers situated in that part of the night sky flanked by Pegasus — the winged horse — which we discussed in our Afterword to part one, and Sagitta.

Containers of what, or for what? You will recall that during our discussion of Adam-Oannes which was the subject of our Proem, we referred to the book he carries in his left hand. That book is the Apocalypse which contains more wisdom of the right sort than any other work we can think of. Hence we may say that the two gourds represent that wisdom.

Delphinus consists of a bright cluster of 18 stars, five of which are of the 3rd magnitude. It is always figured as a fish full of life, and always with the head upwards, just as the eagle is always depicted with the head downwards. The great peculiar characteristic of the dolphin is its rising up, leaping, and springing out of the sea. This again reminds us of Adam-Oannes. How all these stellar symbols and their hidden meanings link up! Coincidence? We think not!

In our next Afterword we will examine the extra-zodiacal constellations of Pegasus, Cygnus or the Swan (including the Northern Cross) and Lyra or the Lyre. Meanwhile, we hope that you have enjoyed the eleventh of our surveys of the hidden messages of the Stars.

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