Vox stellarum: part thirteen — Pisces

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

Introduction

In the penultimate part of our survey of the hidden message of the stars we turn our attention to the Constellation and Sign of Pisces — the Twelfth Gate of the Zodiac. This is the third and last of the three Signs concerned with Consummation, the other two being Capricorn and Aquarius. The Twelfth Gate of the Zodiac is the portal through which pass the saviours of mankind, both known and unknown. Howsoever modest or grand their mission may be, each and every one of them is blest with the gift of illumination which is the watchword of this twelfth Sign.

In our accompanying Afterword we train our metaphorical telescope on the extra-zodiacal constellations of Andromeda, Piscis Austrinus or the Southern Fish and Triangulum. Although we discussed Andromeda and Triangulum in part one during our exploration of the Perseus Family, now is the time to say a little more about them and the neighbouring ancient asterism of Piscis Austrinus. 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 Pisces we would like to say something about Horus — the archetypal Saviour — whose mission it is to illuminate the minds of mankind with the One Light of Truth, so that they might shake off the leaden chains that bind them to Earth and be liberated from the bonds of illusion.

Proem: Horus, the Archetypal Saviour

"Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me." (Hosea 13:4)

In part three of our investigation (Taurus) we briefly discussed the so-called 'Fall of Man,' and how it is written in the starry firmament. We would remind you that we were not talking about the Biblical Fall, but of the true Fall of the Higher Mind into incarnation on Earth. That Fall is best illustrated by a careful study of the constellation of Scorpio which, you will recall, is the central Sign of the Third Division of the Zodiac, that of Judgement. If we look at the pictures of this constellation to be found in star maps (such as those used throughout this investigation) the whole story of the Fall unfolds itself. We reproduced two such maps — depicting Ophiuchus, the Serpent Bearer — in our Afterword to part nine. Therein we see the Serpent Bearer holding in his hands Serpens, the Serpent and treading on the Scorpion. Later in that Afterword we reproduced two pictures of Hercules planting his foot on the head of Draco or the Dragon. But these pictures show only a portion of the great drama unfolded in the Heavens, for the Scorpion, Altar and Scales are missing from the canvas. The whole is a most complicated and significant picture indeed, full of deep meaning and concealing many occult truths. In these figures of the Serpent Bearer (Ophiuchus), the Serpent, the Scorpion, Hercules, and the Dragon, there is sufficient material for a large book. We can but touch on the various meanings here, but we urge all our sincere readers to make a deep study of these pictures as they are found in the star maps of the constellations. In this way they will have a chance to decipher some of the most profound histories of the universe, and especially of mankind, from its earliest beginnings.

The history of the many civilizations that have come and gone on this sorely-troubled Earth, as well as those yet to come, and of the Nations that comprise them, as well as their destiny, is written in the Stars. Some readers may think this is a large claim. Others may dismiss it as preposterous nonsense. That is their prerogative and we have no wish to change their minds — though we hope they will at least grant our thesis a fair hearing. Let us lift a corner of the veil and give you just one example of what we mean. If we look at a map of the constellation of Pisces we see the Two Fishes seeming to reach out to seize the Great Square of Pegasus, which we discussed in the previous part of this investigation. Above it is set the downward-pointing extra-Zodiacal constellation known as Triangulum. We shall have more to say about this asterism in our Afterword. Here we have a picture of the fall of the sea-girt continent of Atlantis. In Greek mythology Pegasus is said to have sprung fully formed from the Gorgon Medusa when she was beheaded by the hero Perseus. Readers familiar with Greek mythology will know that Medusa was one of the three Gorgons — the other two being Stheno and Euryale — who were described by Hesiod and Apollodorus as offspring of the sea-god Phorcys (also written 'Phorcus') and his sister Ceto.

In a genealogy found in Plato's Timaeus, Phorcys, Cronus and Rhea are said to be the eldest offspring of Oceanus and Tethys. Now, according to Greek Mythology, Oceanus was one of the Titans, the children of Uranus (the Sky) and Gaia (the Earth), the brother and husband of the Titaness Tethys, and the father of the river gods and the Oceanids, as well as being the great river which encircled the entire world. Here, as so often in Greek mythology, we have a mix-up of principles, owing to the loss of the hidden knowledge which formed part of the Mystery Teachings Greece inherited from ancient Egypt. As we have pointed out in several of our articles, these Teachings were imported in a fragmentary manner and only partially understood. All this is connected with the lost civilization of Atlantis and its destruction, both of which were known to Plato and others, but again, only partially and incompletely. The 'great river' is a concealed reference to the Milky Way, that great river of stars which dominates the night sky in the southern hemisphere. The Milky Way is all that we can see of part of our own galaxy, of which our Solar System of planets is an infinitesimal speck. The inhabitants of Atlantis might well be divided into two types — figured for the purposes of the allegory as the children of Uranus and Gaia — or we might say with greater applicability — Heaven and Hell. Indeed, Madame Blavatsky does so distinguish them in The Secret Doctrine when discussing the wars waged between the 'Sons of Light' and the 'Sons of Darkness'.

One way of looking at the four figures of Ophiuchus, Scorpio, Hercules, and Draco is that here we see the promised Saviour, whether we call him Horus, Christ or by any other name, bruising the Serpent's head, while the Serpent wounds his heel. The Deliverer has humbled Himself and laid aside His Majesty in Heaven, for He kneels, and the Crown (Corona Borealis) is not upon His head but cast behind him. From another perspective we see Him as Horus, the Avenger of His father, Osiris, with his vanquished enemy (Apap) lying crushed and helpless in His mighty hands. In yet another form, He tramples the same enemy beneath His feet. If we translate this drama into human terms, it depicts the Higher Mind holding in check the lower; Ophiuchus being the Higher Mind, and Scorpio the lower. For, remember, Ophiuchus is the Serpent Bearer, not the Serpent, which he holds in his hands and has under his complete control. In the same manner, the Higher Mind holds the lower in its hands, figured in the Heavens as the Serpent, making it helpless and under his will, yet not killing it. But when we regard Hercules as the Kneeler, who is bitten in the heel by the Serpent, we see in this a figure of the Higher Mind which gives way to the lower, so the lower mind shall injure it, and the Self has to kneel down to the Earth, and even to the hellish realms below the Earth and cannot rise from his lowly position. We thus behold the entire drama of Victory and Defeat portrayed in the Heavens for anyone to see, though there are few indeed who understand the allegory. We may further interpret these allegorical pictures as applying to the civilization of Atlantis, which, from its pre-eminent position as the light of the world fell into darkness and was ultimately destroyed in a series of volcanic eruptions and watery submersions.

The drama of the war between the two minds is faithfully described in Revelation 20:1-2, in which we may read: "And I saw an angel come down from heaven...and he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years..." Is not every Higher Self an Angel? That Angel must fall, or descend, and lay hold on the Devil of the lower mind, and tame it, as we have said so often in so many of our articles. There are many more explanations of these celestial pictures than the few we have explored. Each is correct in its own way, though quite different, and all are connected, individual threads if you will, in the vast tapestry which is the Testament of the Zodiac. Hence, it is always wrong to cling dogmatically to only one explanation, to the exclusion of all others. That way lies confusion, not truth, as we have also pointed out in our many articles. Heavenly Wisdom is like a great Ocean, full of unknown treasures, and each fisherman nets his own pearls. But this does not mean that his own catch exhausts the Deep of all the other jewels of enlightenment!

We said in our Afterword to part ten when we discussed the constellation crux that the emblem of the cross can be traced back into the very depths of the unfathomable past. We also said, quoting Theon of Smyrna and The Golden Star, that the fourth initiation is always a crucifixion. This, of course, is not to be interpreted literally. Crucifixion from an occult point of view is to be understood symbolically and allegorically, as we may read in The Golden Star.

"The Fourth Initiation is always a crucifixion, for it seems as if all friends forsake the Initiate for a time, and he stands alone in his grief; but this part of the path is also his glorification — when in the midst of traitors, who twist his every word and distort his every act; when all good things are taken from him, and all his beloved ones desert him; when a shower of abuse descends upon him, and his holiness is despised and rejected; and when he even wavers in his own inner belief in the Love of his Father in Heaven, and seems to be cut off from all Divine Inspiration and comfort — when, in spite of all these tribulations, he still keeps his faith and turns to God, then comes the moment in which he is truly glorified, and the Father stretches out a loving hand which raises up the sufferer and translates him from the path of blindness and despair to that of Sight and Bliss. The agony of the Cross has then become the beatification of the Higher Mind and Soul, and a choir of jubilation resounds and echoes in all the Heavens, for the Initiate has learned to stand apart from all external things and conditions, and he knows triumphantly that he is One with the Logos and that all else is illusion and temptation. The Cross has been conquered and the shining Pathway stretches straight before him and continues for all Eternity, leading from Glory to Glory."

We would add that crucifixion does not apply exclusively to Christian religious iconography. For there have been (and will be) many saviours of mankind, all founded more or less on the ancient Egyptian archetype of Horus. In confirmation of this we submit the example of the figure of the crucifixion shown in The Round Towers of Ireland. We mentioned this in our Afterword to part ten of this investigation, but will now say a little more about this remarkable figuration. In this little-known book the Irish classicist, Henry O'Brien (1808-1853) reproduces a most unusual depiction of the crucifixion which we show at larger size at left. He tells us that the distinctive kilt or philibeg worn by the figure was unknown among the Welsh and Irish. Nor, he contends, is it a Celtic costume either, but belonged to the Tuatha-Dé-Danaan, an advanced race that ruled Ireland many thousands of years ago but is considered 'mythical' by most modern authorities. The fact that the ancient annals of Ireland depict the Tuatha Dé Danann as great kings, queens, wise druids, accomplished bards, mighty warriors, heroes and healers possessed of supernatural powers is sufficient proof in our eyes that they are no more 'mythical' than the civilization of ancient Troy. All the best 'experts' considered Troy to be a myth invented by Homer until the German archaeologist, Heinrich Schliemann (1822-1890) proved them wrong by excavating the ruins. This effigy, O'Brien argues, could not have been intended for the Christian Saviour, as it is lacking both the appellation INRI common to such figures or the Jewish crown of thorns. In place of these the figure is wearing the ancient crown of Persian Royalty similar to those worn during the Achaemenid Empire (550-330 B.C.). O'Brien contends that the figure represents Gautama Buddha, but it might equally well represent any great Initiate who has passed through the mystical Fourth Initiation which, as we stated above when quoting from The Golden Star, is always a crucifixion, figuratively speaking. Incidentally, there is a remarkable similarity between the word 'Iran' for Persia, and 'Erin' for Ireland. This coincidence is reinforced by the fact that Iran in the Pahlavi language means 'Sacred land', or 'land of believers', and 'Irin' was the Sacred Island of the Tuatha-Dé-Danaan. This raises an interesting speculation about the possible origin of this mysterious race. Were they perhaps some roaming remnants of part of the population of Atlantis, who arrived in Ireland at some time in the remote past? We do not know, but here is food for thought, and our guess is at least as good as any of the other thousands of guesses about the actual origin of the Tuatha-Dé-Danaan.

We discussed the story of Horus in our three-part investigation of the Egyptian Book of the Dead, wherein we saw that, together with Set, he represents the eternal strife between the Higher and lower minds as the type of the universal figure of the Saviour. For unless the Higher Mind comes to the rescue of the lower mind, the latter is doomed to fade out with the death of the body. Eventually, every man or woman must obtain the victory over their lower nature or be doomed to follow it into darkness as you can read in our story of the Jihadi and the Jinn. This constitutes the triumph of Horus over Set in the Egyptian Mythos. In avenging the death of his father Osiris at the hands of Set, Horus symbolizes the power of the Higher Mind to redeem itself from ignorance and illusion and so obtain liberation from the bonds of matter. The historical Jesus was called Ichthys, meaning the 'fish' by his early followers, and the stylised symbol of a fish is still used to represent him by the Christian Church today. Moreover, it is in Pisces, more than any other Sign, that we find the figure of the Saviour of Man depicted in the Tapestry of the Zodiac, as we shall now see.

Pisces, the Fishes. The Saviour

The constellation of Pisces has long been represented by two fishes. But why two fishes? And why is one horizontal and the other perpendicular? The answer is found in the eternal strife between our old friends — the Higher and lower minds. The upper fish pointing upwards to the Circumpolar Heaven beautifully illustrates the longing of the Higher Mind for a better world; a world where light and love and joy are the watchwords, while the other fish, (standing for the lower mind) keeping to the narrow horizon, represents those who are content with their earthly lot and seek no higher reality. The band that unites these two fishes has always formed a separate constellation. The sixth century Arabian poet Antarah frequently mentions it as being distinct from the Sign with which it is so closely connected. Its ancient Egyptian name was U-or, which means 'He cometh', an apt designation for the ever-coming Saviour and Prince of Peace, who comes to put a stop to the elemental war between Horus and Set — emblematic of the strife between the Higher and lower minds, and free both from the chains of illusion. In most planispheres the ends of the band are fastened securely round the tail of both fishes. Moreover, this band is fastened to the neck of Cetus, the sea monster, while immediately above is seen a woman chained as a captive. As we told you in the Afterword to part one these figurations both tell the same story, and, indeed, all are required to reveal the complete mystery. The fishes are bound to Cetus while Andromeda, whom we also discussed in part one, is bound by chains. But the Deliverer of both is near. Cepheus, the Crowned King — the Redeemer — is seen coming quickly to release them from the chains that bind them to Earth.

The constellation of Pisces is a curious group of stars whose members are dim, scattered, and don't form a distinctive asterism. The two figures of the Fishes are widely separated from each other with one lying next to the figure of Andromeda and the other near to Aquarius and Pegasus. Neither fish is brightly illuminated; only three of the stars in the constellation appear slightly brighter than the 4th magnitude. The ancient astronomer Aratus said of them:

"Ever one is higher than the other, and louder hears the fresh rush of the North wind. From both there stretch, as it were, chains, whereby their tails on either side are joined. The meeting chains are knit by a single beautiful and great star, which is called the Knot of the Tails. Let the left shoulder of Andromeda be thy guide to the northern fish, for it is very near to it."

Ptolemy defined the nature of the stars in the head of the Southern Fish as of the nature of Mercury and Saturn; those in the body like Jupiter and Mercury; those in the tail and southern cord like Saturn and Venus; those in the northern cord like Saturn and Jupiter; and the bright star on the bond like Mars and Mercury. How much truth there is in these associations we would not like to say; the astrologers among our readers will no doubt have their own ideas about this. What we can say, as we shall explore more fully later on, is that the two fish represent the two minds of man, each pulling in a different and opposite direction.

The star marking the knot of the band of Pisces is Alpha Piscium or Alrisha (also written Alresha and Al Rescha), derived from the Arabic ar-Risha, meaning 'the cord'. Though it was recorded as being especially brilliant in classical times, it is today listed as a fourth magnitude binary star of pale green and blue. Yet it remains one of the brightest stars in the constellation. It is worth pointing out at this point in our survey that the triple conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, which occurred around this star in 7 B.C., gave rise to speculation that it was the biblical 'star of Bethlehem' that proclaimed the birth of Christ. Awareness that the vernal point was slipping from Aries to Pisces would have given astrologers of the time reasons to look for celestial confirmation of the advent of a new age, and the natural symbolism of a knot, tying together cords that are straining in opposite directions, would reinforce this idea. Although Alrisha is still considered the primary star of the constellation of Pisces, it is no longer the brightest. Eta Piscium, or Alpherg, has that distinction today. Its name derives from the Arabic Al Pharg, meaning 'pouring point of water'. This is a double star in the northern section of the cord.

Pisces marks the conclusion of our survey of the Twelve Signs of the Zodiac that began with Aries, but not of this investigation. In the next and final part we shall draw the many threads of our Tapestry together, leading to some remarkable discoveries and surprising conclusions which, to the best of our knowledge, have never been communicated before. In our accompanying Afterword we will train our metaphorical telescope on the ten planets of our Solar System. That survey too, will not be without its surprises! As we explained in our Proem to part eight, due to the astronomical phenomena of precession the sun no longer crosses the line of the vernal equinox in Aries, but for the past two thousand years or so has done so in the constellation Pisces. Here we must again remind you that the constellations are not the same as the Zodiacal Signs of the same name. Although the vernal equinox falls at the beginning of the Sign Aries around the 21 March each year this is no longer true of the constellation Aries. We explained this apparent contradiction in our introduction to the first part of our investigation — 'The Zodiac explained'. If you haven't read it, or have forgotten what we said we suggest that you revisit it to refresh your memory.

The classical myths and legends of all times and places contain a plethora of stories which claim to provide the origin of the figure of the two fishes used to represent the constellation of Pisces. These include the forms that Aphrodite and Eros took in fleeing when the gods were attacked by Typhon, the hundred-headed monster. Eratosthenes, on the other hand, relates that the mother fish (Piscis Austrinus) of two smaller fish (Pisces) rescued the goddess Derceto when she fell into a lake, and in gratitude translated all three fishes to the heavens. It is thought by some modern researchers that our Pisces may have been formed by the amalgamation of parts of three ancient Babylonian constellations: the Great Swallow, the Fish-Cord and the Lady of Heaven. The latter group of stars refers to the northern fish of Pisces combined with some of the stars of Andromeda and was called Anunitum, goddess of Akkad. Like Astarte she is also considered to be an equivalent of Ishtar or Innana. The western fish is believed to have been formed from stars of the tail of the Swallow together with stars from Pegasus. Perhaps as a consequence of this, some star maps show in the area of the sky we recognise as Pisces not two joined fish, but a single fish connected by a band or cord to a swallow. The Zodiac of Dendera shows an asterism known as 'The Field' lying between the two fish of Pisces which is thought to have been the ancient origin of the Square of Pegasus, as shown in the extract from the Dendera Zodiac at below left.

This figuration may also refer in a concealed manner to the two pilot fish which guide the Boat of the Sun in its passage through the underworld of Amenta described in the Egyptian Book of the Dead. A fish also plays a guiding role in the Hindu deluge myth wherein the progenitor of mankind, Manu, takes the place of the biblical Noah. Having discussed the role of the Saviour of Man in relation to the Sign of the Fishes, we now turn our attention to the Zodiacal Sign itself and what it portends for those born under its influence.

The mixture of Water with Mutability makes Pisces the most fluid and adaptable of all the Signs of the Zodiac. Combined with Negativity this leads to introversion and hidden depths of character that are hard to fathom. Whereas the Water of Cancer is the water of placid pools, rivulets and streams, and the Water of Scorpio the water of deep lakes and hot springs, the water of Pisces is the water of the sea, boundless and infinitely deep. Calm at times on the surface, yet capable of sudden change to the wildest of storms. It is inoffensive at first sight, but with subversive and often dangerous undercurrents, as befits Neptune, the generally accepted Ruler of this Sign. Here we must interject that the historical rulership of Jupiter is not to be discounted either. Jupiter brings expansion and joviality to Pisces just as it does to Sagittarius. The rulership of Neptune, the dreamer and the seeker after the intangible, brings an emotional and idealistic side to the nature while Jovian expansiveness manifests as extremism and an aversion to restriction and limitation. The Two Fishes of Pisces are a clear representation of man's dual nature, partly sanctified by the Divine Soul, and partly cursed by the base instincts of the lower mind and body. The 'band' that connects them holds both minds securely together until death parts them, and each pulls in different directions. Hence the Piscean almost invariably finds difficulty in life. He is pulled two ways, and if he is of a mystical or spiritual bent, as many are, the struggle may be a long and difficult one. It is for this reason that Pisceans often hide their true meaning and true feelings. Confronted with danger, the fish hides. The Watery nature of the Sign is often seen in the floods of tears which spring easily to Piscean eyes. As we said in our Proem, this Sign is intimately connected with the life and work of the Saviour principle.

The singular correspondences between Virgo (the opposite Sign) with its sheaf of corn and Pisces with its fishes, will be obvious to the occult student if they recall the Biblical parable of the loaves and fishes which John Temple analysed in his investigation of the sayings of the Saviour in the New Testament. The Feet are traditionally associated by astrologers with Pisces. This too is not without its occult significance. The feet are the last and most lowly parts of the body. They bear the weight of the whole. Experience shows that the Piscean is often ready to put himself last, to sacrifice position and advantage to help others. He often bears a burden for others, unobtrusively and patiently. This is shown in the Christian symbolism when Jesus abases Himself to wash the feet of His chosen disciples. Moreover, these were men whose work was to catch fish. All this is fraught with rich, occult symbolism, much of which John Temple unveiled in the aforementioned article.

The typical Piscean is essentially sensitive, emotional and intuitive, suffering from extremes of elation on the one hand and the darkest depression on the other. The Germans have a saying about this taken from Goethe's play Egmont which runs: "Himmelhoch jauchzend, zum Tode betrübt," which roughly translated means "elevated to heavenly joy, fallen to deathly sorrow." A good friend of the writer was fond of quoting this phrase which was adopted as a proverb among European intellectuals possessed of what is known as the 'Romantic temperament'. Needless to add that friend was a Piscean with all the virtues and vices of that Sign; virtues and vices which we shall now examine by analysing the character of those born under its influence.

Pisces is the most sensitive of all the Water signs. Cancer comes a close second while Scorpio conceals its sensitivity under a mask of indifferent gravitas. Pisceans reflect what they see; taking the shape of whatever conditions they are 'poured' into. This is noticeable in the way the typical Fish depends on others for "shaping" or support. Such sensitive impressionability has its dangers. At best, it bestows the ability to receive inspiration from the highest realms of poetry, art and music, at worst it produces the liar, cheat, coward and scoundrel. In this connection it cannot be denied that nearly every one who comes under the influence of Neptune — whether natally, or by prominence or aspect in their birth chart — is in danger of being an utterly fantastic person without any control over their imagination. It is for this reason that traditionally (and rightly so in our view) Neptune was not regarded as a 'good' planet, but an evil one. On the other hand it is only fair to say that it is possible for a person to come under a very strong influence of Neptune and reach the highest possible status as a poet, artist or writer that any one can reach whilst still in the flesh. But then they must be persons of genius who are strong enough to resist the fanciful vibrations coming from the planet, make them their own, master them completely, and balance the fantasy with wisdom and truth. Then we get a truly great personage, such as John Milton, Dante or Gustave Doré, to mention a few at random. In Milton's horoscope Neptune is in the 'Midheaven', whilst in Doré’s birth-map, it is in conjunction with the Sun in Capricorn. Dante’s precise date of birth is not known, so we can say no more about Neptune in his case. Nonetheless, the light, beauty and inspiration all three have given to the world bear the unmistakable stamp of the higher Neptunian. But such individuals are few and far between, and we cannot take them as examples to prove a rule; on the contrary, they disprove the rule appertaining to the deleterious effects Neptune has on its subjects.

Hence, unless the mind has been trained to express the mystical messages coming from the higher octave of Neptune, little use can be made of them. Every great painter, poet, musician or writer worthy of the name knows that their best work is done in moments of such inspiration. It is for this reason that Pisces, Neptune, and/or an emphasis on the Twelfth House, or strong aspects to the planet, are often found in the charts of such people. This applies also to workers in material ways such as scientists who, in a dream receive the solution to a problem which has long eluded them. A further extension of this power is seen when a psychic medium or so-called 'channeler' allows themselves to be controlled by conditions and entities of which they have no certain knowledge. Here we see the lower influence of Neptune at work.

The call of the intangible brings the Piscean into touch with all that is mystical and beautiful that is not of this earth. More practical folk who lack this sensitivity may use phrases such as "up in the clouds," and "away with the fairies," to dismiss and disparage these tendencies. The same predilection for the mystical and intangible infuses the close, personal relationships of Pisceans with an emotional intensity felt by no other Sign, though the two other Water Signs of Cancer and Scorpio come close. He or she becomes lost in an ecstatic dream of love, and is not very clear-minded about it! Pisceans may make a poetical, lyrical lover but very rarely a practical one. The desire to rise from the material trammels of mundane life may result in nothing but escapism from personal and financial responsibilities. Fish, as the anglers among our readers will testify, can be very slippery customers indeed! It is for this reason that Pisces has been called the Sign of "one's own undoing."

The strength of the evolved Piscean lies in their ideals and aspirations rather than in their actions. They have little or no worldly ambition, care nothing for rank or place of power; seldom succeed in making any money, and rarely accumulate it. Frankly, this is one of the many virtues of the Sign! Another is indifference to the restrictions and limitations in this earthly life, allowing the Higher Self the freedom to dream and to grow according to the laws of spiritual, rather than material evolution. Thus, many people born under this Sign, or who have it or the twelfth house accentuated in their birth maps, isolate themselves voluntarily within the limits of house, studio or garden, avoiding the society of their fellowmen and woman, far away from anything resembling interference, competition, rivalry and strife. The primitive Piscean, on the other hand, is almost invariably a burden and anxiety to their friends and family. Lacking the spur of worldly ambition, and even, at times, the rudimentary desire to be self-sufficient and independent, they drift aimlessly through life, always waiting vaguely for someone or something to galvanise them into action, and incapable of using their discrimination when the prompt comes. Like a rudderless boat they drift on a sea of sensations, caught by every passing current and driven by every changeful wind that blows. The mystical yearning for completion which infuses the aspirations of the evolved type, becomes a craving for creature comforts; for emotional excitement and, too often, for stimulants — alcohol or drugs, or both. Over-indulgence in these inevitably leads to depression, nervous breakdown, to delusions, delirium and even insanity.

The evolved Piscean is pure, passionless and very loving; but in the primitive specimens these virtues become unaccountable adorations and antipathies which they make no attempt to control. On the one hand they revel in the emotional exercise of a devotion that is positively abject — the classical 'doormat' syndrome, or on the other, they shrink with shuddering repulsion from some apparently harmless and innocent fellow creature. As they are invariably more or less psychic and intuitional, even when not actually mediumistic, they may become the victim of all manner of delusions and hallucinations. On the other hand, as we saw earlier when we mentioned Dante, Milton and Gustave Doré, those who feel the divine afflatus, and whose works have in them a touch of what is called inspiration, are responding to the influence of Neptune at its highest and best. An example of the primitive Piscean in fiction is found in Sybill Trelawney, the excitable Professor of Divination at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry depicted in the Harry Potter canon. If we seem to be continually harping on the Harry Potter books in this investigation, it is simply because they afford us such a clear and perceptive picture of the different Zodiacal types. If we take almost any character in the books and, having ascertained their birth date as kindly supplied by their creator — J. K. Rowling — we invariably find they exemplify the characteristics of the Sun Sign they were born under. Hermione Granger, whom we mentioned in part seven, or Severus Snape, whom we mentioned in part eleven, both fit their respective Sun Signs of Virgo and Capricorn.

For the benefit of those benighted souls who have not read the Harry Potter books (but may be encouraged to do so by our frequent recommendation of them), we should explain that Sybill feigns a cultivated and dramatic manner which conceals a rather timid and emotionally unstable nature. She especially relishes impressing her more gullible students with spine-tingling predictions of doom and disaster. Despite such psychical theatrics, Sybill does have very rare flashes of genuine clairvoyance. Unfortunately, she can never remember them afterwards! Painfully conscious of her low status among the academic staff (who are almost all more talented than she is), Sybill spends most of her time holed up in her hot and stuffy tower sanctuary accessible only by ladder and trapdoor. Hence, it is not altogether surprising that she develops an inordinate fondness for cooking sherry — a Piscean weakness she tries to hide by concealing the empty bottles in the aptly named 'Room of Requirement.' This remarkable chamber within the school has the special property of becoming whatever the witch or wizard fortunate enough to know of its existence — and importantly, its location within the castle — desires. In Sybill Trelawney's case this would seem to be a singularly unusual bottle bank! One could not paint a clearer picture of the primitive Piscean and their vices. This proves that although J. K. Rowling may not be a professional astrologer, she has done her astrological homework very thoroughly indeed.

NOW READ THE FINAL PART OF THIS INVESTIGATION

In the Proem to part fourteen we discuss the Milky Way — the river of stars which marks one of the spiral arms of our Galaxy. This is followed by an exploration the occult significance of the Twelve Gates of the Zodiac. In our concomitant Afterword we survey the ten — not nine — planets of our Solar System.

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Constellations

Part thirteen: Andromeda, Piscis Austrinus or the Southern Fish and Triangulum.

In our thirteenth Afterword we explore the extra-zodiacal constellations of Andromeda, Piscis Austrinus or the Southern Fish and Triangulum. Although, as we explained in our introduction, we have previously discussed two of these constellations before, now is the time to say a little more about all three of them.

As we learnt in our Afterword to part one of this investigation, ANDROMEDA is the archetypal 'damsel in distress'. We find her depicted in countless fairy-tales, myths and legends from every corner of the globe from the remotest times until today. In medieval romances she was rescued from imprisonment, often from the tower of a castle, by a virtuous knight, with or without a white charger.

However, there are similar elements present in the fairy-tale of Rapunzel recorded by the Brothers Grimm, itself an adaptation of many earlier versions such as the Neapolitan tale, Petrosinella, collected in 1634 by Giambattista Basile in Italian. In both versions, the hapless maiden is locked up in an inaccessible tower in a wood from which she is eventually rescued.

We find the same motif in Persian stories, in the Indian epic accounts of Sita and Rama, as well as countless similar examples in stories from around the world. Indeed, the rescue of the maiden in peril, with and without the ubiquitous tower (or white horse), has become a familiar theme in almost every culture. Some scholars believe that it should be traced back to the ancient Greek myth of Andromeda and Perseus. We think this is unlikely as the theme is so universal and the variations of the tale so widespread, that its origins must predate even the earliest Greek civilization.

No matter where, when or how these tales originated, the twin theme of the hero who slays the monster and the damsel in distress, have exerted considerable influence over the imagination of mankind and continue to do so today. Hence, it is not surprising that there is no shortage of theories which attempt to explain them. As we said in our Afterword to part one, the least plausible explanation from the occult point of view is the prosaic suggestion that the events surrounding the sacrificial chaining of Andromeda to a rock simply record the ritualistic practices of a superstitious people hoping to calm a stormy sea which was ravaging the coast.

Equally superficial meanings have been sought in the historical records of one nation battling heroically with the marauding forces of another, and its eventual victory over the metaphorical invading 'monster' threatening its shores. We approach closer to the occult meaning of the Greek myth when we read that Andromeda is sometimes said to represent the Moon, surrounded by the ocean of Space, while Perseus represents the light of the all-conquering Sun. The monster of darkness who was figured as Aapap in ancient Egypt — the evil dragon of drought — ever seeks to devour and destroy the Light, just as the Moon forever pursues the Sun — a myth as timeless as it is universal.

In Greek mythology, Andromeda is the daughter of Cepheus, the king of Aethiopia, and his wife, queen Cassiopeia. The queen was so proud of her daughter's beauty that she boasted it surpassed even that of the nymphs of the sea. Such arrogance naturally offended the gods, who released floods in retribution and threatened to destroy the kingdom. Cepheus ordered that Andromeda be chained to a rock by the sea in the hope that her penance would appease the wrath of the sea-monster Cetus.

The Hero Perseus finds her on his return from his quest to decapitate Medusa, and brings her back to Greece to marry her and let her reign as his queen. Perseus shows the head of Medusa to Cetus, which so terrifies the sea monster that he is turned to stone and is prevented from terrorising the coast any longer. The 1st century Roman astrologer Manilius saw in this figuration a metaphor for imprisonment and execution. He believed that those born at the rising of the constellation would imprison others or profit from captivity or execution. He wrote:

"The man whose birth coincides with the rising of Andromeda will prove merciless, a dispenser of punishment, a warder of dungeons. From the same constellation comes the figure of the executioner, ready to take money for a speedy death and the rites of the funeral pyre."

Ptolemy associated Andromeda with those who die by crucifixion, while William Lilly linked it with death by hanging or decapitation when prominently placed with Mars. In contradiction to these rather morbid and gloomy prognostications, Andromeda is generally considered to be a fortunate constellation, the stars of which are said to possess the nature of Venus, in conformity with the personal attributes of the beautiful princess herself.

Some stars in Andromeda were once considered to form parts of the neighbouring constellation of Pegasus, and this is reflected in the ancient Arabic nomenclature. For example, the name of the brightest star Alpheratz originally represented The Horse's Belly to them, although later they followed the Greek nomenclature and called it the Head of the Chained Woman. Alpheratz is said to have a very fortunate influence in nativities and is renowned for attributing honour, harmony, popularity and wealth. The same star together with Scheat, Markab and Algenib, forms the Great Square of Pegasus.

Mirach, yellow in colour, is a slightly less brilliant 2nd magnitude star situated near the top of the left thigh. It takes its name from the Arabic Mizar meaning 'Girdle'. Its influence is said to be upon domestic matters and it is reported to give a happy marriage, a love of home and personal beauty. Almach, on the other hand, is a double star, situated on the left foot of Andromeda. The origin of its name has not been positively identified but it is thought to be from an Arabic phrase meaning 'the Woman's Foot'. This is another 2nd magnitude star, said to be connected with eminence and honour and is especially noted for its magnificent colours of orange, emerald and blue.

Vertex, the star cluster to the north of Andromeda's head, has a far less fortunate reputation. It is listed by Ptolemy as of the nature of Mars and the Moon, and like all nebulous clusters, is associated with weakness and a potential for blindness. Vertex is actually a galaxy, called 'the Andromeda Galaxy' by astronomers. It is the only separate galaxy visible to the naked eye; and is over 2 million light years away from us.

The perceptive reader will have noticed that none of these stars form the celestial image of a woman chained. But this is true of most of the constellations we have explored in these afterwords. The possible reasons for this fall outside the scope of our investigation, but we may speculate that the ancients saw more clearly, or perhaps more deeply, than we do!

The constellation of Andromeda is nearly circumpolar, so it can be observed at most times of the year by observers in the northern hemisphere. But the best time to view it from the UK is from the months of September to February. Alpheratz, Mirach and Almach can be seen as three bright stars that appear to make a circular line around Cassiopeia. Alpheratz was once part of the constellation Pegasus, so it may also be recognised as the northeast corner of the Great Square of that constellation. On dark, clear nights, Vertex can be seen as a cloudy spot just above Andromeda. The Sun crosses the star Alpheratz around 4th April, Vertex around 17th April, Mirach around 20th April, and Almach around 5th May each year. This corresponds to the passage of the Sun through the Zodiacal Signs of Aries and Taurus.

We cannot end this survey without making mention of the Andromeda Galaxy, catalogued as M31 and NGC 224. It is visible to the naked eye and lies above and to the right of the star Mirach. It was almost certainly known to ancient Egyptian and Babylonian astronomers, and may be represented by an enigmatic figure within a sphere close to the constellation of Pisces in the Dendera Zodiac. Now, this is speculation on our part, but not without some foundation.

The Andromeda Galaxy is our nearest Galactic neighbour. It is thought to be roughly the same size and of similar composition to our own Milky Way Galaxy. Some astronomers believe that it is on a collision course with us, and that it will eventually merge with our Galaxy in 'about' five billion years. Others believe that there is only a 50-50 chance of a collision, while yet others are just as firmly convinced that the two galaxies will never collide. So much for 'exact' science!

Occult Science, on the other hand, tells us that five billion years is a little longer than the Hindu time period of a Kalpa, which is equal to 4,320,000,000 years (4.32 billion years). This corresponds to only one day in the life of Brahma. However, as Brahma's full lifespan is more than 311 trillion years, (a Maha-Kalpa), five billion years is the mere blink of an eye in Cosmic terms.

Such collisions are thought to be relatively common, but as the writer devoutly hopes not to be here or anywhere remotely near here in five billion years (and wishes the same for his appreciative readers); there is not a lot to be worried about!

PISCIS AUSTRINUS or the Southern Fish is usually depicted in star maps swimming at the feet of Aquarius, where it swallows up the water poured from the urn of the Water Carrier. Eratosthenes called Piscis Austrinus the Great Fish and said that it was the parent of the two fish known as Pisces. The only bright star in the constellation is Formalhaut, a name derived from the Arabic Fum al Hut meaning the fish's mouth. It has always been an important star and was one of the four Royal Stars of the ancients, the nature and significance of which we discussed in our Proem to part 12.

Formalhaut is a bluish star which, according to Ptolemy, exerts an influence similar to that of Venus and Mercury. Although it is generally considered beneficial and associated with eminence, fortune, and power, if afflicted by aspect or position is said to have the potential to portend significant disaster. It is often linked with a destiny towards occult or spiritual aims and activities.

Fish have always had a special significance in the mystical iconography of all nations and fish and fishes are mentioned no less than 68 times in the Bible. The Mesopotamian god Oannes, or the mythical Man-Fish, who formed the subject of our Proem to part 11, is the origin of the zootype associated with Capricorn. As we said then, he is the mythical teacher of wisdom par excellence who first revealed the history and fate of Atlantis to the present generations of mankind in the book known to us as Revelation.

The Celtic hero Fionn mac Cumhaill is said to have acquired his magical abilities by accidentally sucking his thumb after it had rested upon the mysterious Salmon of Knowledge. In this way he acquired the power of Divination. Whenever he wished to know any particular thing, he had only to suck his thumb, and the whole chain of futurity would be presented to his mind.

The Salmon of Knowledge (Irish: An Bradán Feasa) belongs to the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. It is significant that the poet Finn Eces spent seven years fishing for this mysterious fish — a concealed reference to the time needed to learn the Lesser Mysteries in the Wisdom Schools of Egypt, which teachings were carried by Egyptian colonists to Britain and Ireland, as discussed in our article Egypt in England.

Christ's connection with fish as a type of the Divine Messenger in his role of the 'fisher of men', who teaches from, or in the boat, needs no elucidation as John Temple has discussed this in several of his articles. But long before the advent of the mythical Christ, that role was fulfilled by Horus who, as Gerald Massey explains, taught his followers from the Boat of Millions of Years. Sebek-Horus — the Great Fish — also figured in the Egyptian Mythos, in which guise the Teacher was represented as the crocodile-headed god who arose from the waters (astral world) to instruct men. This also explains why Ichthys, the fish, was a title of Jesus in Rome; why the primitive Christians were called Pisciculi, and why fish is still eaten as the sacrificial food on Friday and at Easter by devout Christians.

There is an interesting ancient custom in connection with fish which is well worth mentioning here. We find an oblique reference to it in the Gospel of Luke wherein we may read: "And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish and of an honeycomb" (Luke 24:42). Now, this was after the supposed resurrection of the Teacher on Earth which, as we learnt from John Temple's superb discourse on the historical Jesus and the mythical Christ, is pure fiction. The fact that the later Jewish teachers no longer understood the meaning of this custom can be seen in the Babylonian Talmud, when it is said that: "Thou shalt not have a son or disciple who burns his food publicly, like Jeschu ha-Notzri."

The solution to this mystery is found in the fact that the average Egyptian 'ate' his broiled fish as a token of his reincarnation in the next life. He or she, of course, was quite unaware of the true meaning; whilst the initiated priest, who understood the action of the burned fish, renounced further rebirth, by symbolically destroying by fire the next earthly body which he should have to inhabit were he born again in this world. And so the masses devour their fishes before their doors, whilst the priests burn them so that their essence (the Higher Mind) may be released, never having to return to Earth again.

We can find a further hidden reference to the eating of fish by the masses and the refraining from it by the priests, which here represent the evolved persons, in Homer, when he makes neither the Phaeacians of luxurious lives, nor the Othkesian islanders use fish, nor yet Odysseus' companions in the great Sea Voyage before they arrive at the last Strait. This sea voyage is similar to the voyage Horus makes in the Boat of Millions of Years when he crosses the Sea of the Aether on his way to the circumpolar heaven, together with his chosen companions.

It should be needless to add that no actual 'fish' will be eaten on the voyage to the higher realms of light figured by the Egyptians as the circumpolar heaven. Homer was probably well aware of the Egyptian Mythology and made good use of it in his writings, which are symbolical in every way, and therefore not understood by the majority of seekers so far as their concealed wisdom is concerned. As we explained in Spiritus Hermeticum, the shadow of the missing keys to the Mystery Language hangs heavily upon the minds and endeavours of all who try to decipher the true Teachings of Hermes.

Before we conclude our survey of the Southern Fish, we must not omit to say something about the 'honeycomb' mentioned in the verse from the Gospel of Luke we quoted earlier. Honey, as a substance created through the magical intervention of bees, symbolised immortality in ancient Egypt, and was associated with the resurrection of Osiris.

The ancient asterism of TRIANGULUM is a group of stars near to Andromeda located a little above and between Aries and Pisces. In ancient star maps it was depicted as two interlocking triangles, not one, as you can see in the star map of the constellation Aries which accompanied part two of this investigation.

It is believed to be one of the oldest extra-zodiacal constellations, and that its stars were brighter and more prominent in antiquity than they are today. This is very possible, even probable, and may explain why much attention was paid to it by the ancient Egyptian astronomers. Interestingly, Ptolemy wrote that the nature of the stars in the constellation was like Mercury. Now Mercury was associated with Thoth or Hermes from the earliest times in Egypt, and Thoth as we learned in our investigation of the Egyptian Book of the Dead, saved Horus from Set.

What is more, it so happens that in the Egyptian Mythos, Horus is designated in one guise as 'Horus of the Triangle'. Whether we regard this asterism as one triangle or two, its significance remains the same. Gerald Massey, whose remarkable researches we have referred to many times in this investigation, tells us that it is a figure of the tripartite division of the Ecliptic which describes the three seasons of the Egyptian year. He suggests that the wet season is represented by Horus, the windy season and of the equinoctial gales by Shu; and the season of dryness, or drought, by Set.

We have no quarrel with this very ingenious idea, but the occult meaning of this form of the triangle of Horus is that it represents the descending Higher Mind entering into human incarnation. As such it represents the descent of Spirit into Matter on Earth. But were the same inverted triangle placed in the hands of Set, for instance, then it would be a symbol of the descent of the Higher Mind into the nether worlds, or Hell. It would then become a symbol of Black Magic, or a symbol of death, or semi-death. We do not know if there ever was a 'Set of the Triangle' in ancient Egypt and Massey does not mention one in his books. Though we would not discount the possibility for, as Joan Grant tells us in some of her 'Far Memory' novels, there were some very evil periods in the long history of Egypt.

In our next and final Afterword we explore the occult nature of the ten planets of our Solar System. Meanwhile, we hope that you have enjoyed the thirteenth of our surveys of the hidden messages of the Stars.

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