Neeti Ray over at ASTROLOGY EXPRESSED is undergoing A Labor of Love in the third degree in order to determine what it is in the horoscope that incidates aptitude for astrology. I opened my yap about the possible influence of fixed stars so I have to back it up now.

"Fixed stars have a prominent part in traditional astrology: Ptolemy in the first book of  Tetrabiblos lists them without giving any meaning, but we have several alternative sources for them, Manilius and Firmicus in the Latin world,  Anonymous of 379 and two chapters from Liber Hermetis  in the late Antiquity, and in the Middle Age and Renaissance was well known Albumasar’s chapter about paranatellonta .

"In the previous post we saw as Salome’s story, the story of a woman who asked the head of a prophet in a gold plate in order to satisfy her lust of power can be easily connected with Algol and its representation in Art, especially in Decadent  

"As it is next in order to recount the natures of the fixed stars with reference to their special powers, we shall set forth their observed characters in an exposition like that of the natures of the planets, and in the first place those of the ones that occupy the figures in the zodiac itself.

The stars in the head of Aries, then, have an effect like the power of Mars and Saturn, mingled; those in the mouth like Mercury's power and moderately like Saturn's; those in the hind foot like that of Mars, and those in the tail like that of Venus.

"When we open the section on primary directions in William Lilly's Christian Astrology we can see directions to fixed stars. If primary directions designated as 'exotics' in modern astrological practice, then primary directions to fixed stars could be considered to be the 'exotics' of 'exotics'. Nevertheless, primary directions to fixed stars are not unusual in astrological tradition.

"What hogwash!" he said, only he used a different word. "When you screw up your life, you blame astrology, like you had no choice because you were born at a certain time. It's all your own fault anyway." Now he was smiling. "The reason I do drugs and can't keep my fly zipped isn't because of any stars! Like my old man knocked up my mother when Scorpio was Rising and because of that I'm going to jail?

"On each of the constellation pages under the subheading "Speculation on the meaning of this celestial feature", the symbolism and etymology of the name of the constellation is explored.
This study is based on the belief that each constellation has its own unique clusters of related concepts, and that the etymology of the name and associated key words of a constellation will express the essence of what the constellation means."

"Born in August 1792, Shelley was the eldest son of a Member of Parliament and grew up in a family with strong political ties. He was educated at Eton and then at University College, Oxford. During his late teens he developed a tendency to stand against authority and, though frail and sensitive of disposition, aired his controversial views with the utmost of confidence. His interests were wide and varied, including philosophy, astronomy, alchemy and the occult, while his independence of thought led to an intense dislike for the rigours of Christianity.

"In 750 BC, the full-bodied image of Medusa in Greece is a central piece on their oldest surviving temple, that of Artemis, one of their oldest gods. She is the Lady of the Beasts who carries with her memories of Crete and Angolia ... Soon the holy image of the gorgon Medusa as an ancient symbol of female power and wisdom became totally unacceptable. By the 6th c. BC her rites were disrupted, her sanctuaries invaded, the sacred groves cut down, her priestesses were violated and her image defiled. Her images, (as well as women) are mastered and domesticated.