History of the star: Algol, the Demon, the Demon Star, and the Blinking Demon, from the Arabians' Ra’s al Ghul, the Demon's Head, is said to have been thus called from its rapid and wonderful variations; but I find no evidence of this, and that people probably took the title from Ptolemy. Al Ghul literally signifies a Mischief-maker, and the name still appears in the Ghoul of the Arabian Nights and of our day. It degenerated into the Alove often used some centuries ago for this star.

Ptolemy catalogued it as ton en gorgonio o lampros, "the bright one of those in the Gorgon's head," which Al Tizini followed in his Na’ir, for, with pi, rho, and omega, it made up that well-known group, itself being the Gorgonea prima; the Gorgonion of Chrysococca, Gorgoneum Caput of Vitruvius, Caput Gorgonis of Hyginus, and the Gorgonis Ora of Manilius.

With astronomical writers of three centuries ago Algol was Caput Larvae, the Spectre's Head. Hipparchos and Pliny made a separate constellation of the Gorgon stars as the Head of Medusa, this descending almost to our own day, al­though always connected with Perseus.

The Hebrews knew Algol as Rosh ha Satan, Satan's Head, Chilmead's Rosch hassatan, the Divels head; but also as Lilith [*1], Adam's legendary first wife, the nocturnal vampire from the lower world that reappeared in the demonology of the Middle Ages as the witch Lilis, one of the characters in Goethe's Walpurgis Nacht.

The Chinese gave it the gruesome title Tseih She, the Piled-up Corpses. {Page 333} Astrologers of course said that it was the most unfortunate, violent, and dangerous star in the heavens, and it certainly has been one of the best observed, as the most noteworthy variable in the northern sky. It "continues sensibly constant at 2.3 magnitude during 2½ days, then decreases, at first gradually, and afterward with increasing rapidity, to 3.5 magnitude"; its light oscillations occupying about nine hours; its total period being stated as 2 days 20 hours 48 minutes 55 seconds. Al Sufi, a good observer for his day, yet strangely making no allusion to its variability, called it a 2nd-magnitude; and the phenomenon was first scientifically noted by Montanari during several years preceding 1672. This was confirmed by Maraldi's observations of 1694, and, later, by those of the Saxon farmer Palitsch, [Palitsch also was famous for his discovery of Halley's comet on Christmas night, 1758.] but its approximate period seems to have been first announced by Goodricke in 1782, who even then advanced the theory of a dark companion revolving around it with immense velocity, which periodically cut off its light. This, reaffirmed by Pickering in 1880, was made certain by the spectroscope in the hands of Vogel of Potsdam in 1889. Chandler thinks that there must exist another invisible body larger than either Algol or its companion, around which both revolve in a period of 130 years; but Tisserand has shown that the phenomenon on which Chandler bases this opinion can be explained in a different and simpler way. Its name is used for the type indicating short-period variables whose changes may be explained by this theory of "eclipses." Of these seventeen are now known.

[*1] Allen notes at end of page 332: We are indebted to the Talmudists for this story, which probably originated in Babylonia; and they added that, after Adam had separated from Lilith and their demon children, Eve was created for him. Our Authorized Version renders the original word, in Isaiah xxxiv, 14, by "screech owl"; the Revised Version, by "night-monster"; Cheyne adopts the Hebrew Lilith in the Polychrome Bible; and Luther's Bible had Kobold, but this corresponded to the Scottish Brownie and the English "Robin Goodfellow," —  Shakespeare's "Puck." Saint Jerome's Vulgate translated it "Lamia," the Greek and Roman title for the fabled woman, beautiful above, but a serpent below, that Keats reproduced in his Lamia.

[Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning, Richard H. Allen, 1889.] 

The astrological influences of the constellation: It gives an intelligent, strong, bold and adventurous nature, but a tendency to lying. By the Kabalists it is associated with the Hebrew letter Lamed and the 12^th Tarot Trump, The Hanged Man. (Robson*).

The constellation is indicative of events effecting large numbers of people, especially those events caused by major meteorological phenomena. When prominent in a natal chart it is said to denote adventurous individuals, but also those who are less than honest in their dealings with others. (Fixed Stars and Judicial Astrology, George Noonan, 1990).

The general astrological influences of the star: It causes misfortune, violence, decapitation, hanging, electrocution and mob violence, and gives a dogged and violent nature that causes death to the native or others. It is the most evil star in the heavens. (Robson*).

Poor teeth. Brutality and violence. Arabic commanders in chief, in times of conquest, made it a point that no important battles were begun when the light of Algol was weak (Algol is an eclipsing binary - every 68 hours and 49 minutes the demon ‘blinks’ for roughly 8 hours as the dimmer star of the pair passes between the brighter and the earth). (Fixed Stars and Their Interpretation, Elsbeth Ebertin, 1923) 

If culminating: Murder, sudden death, beheading, prone to murder and mischief. If at the same time in conjunction with Sun, Moon or Jupiter, gives victory over others in war. (Robson*).

With the Hyleg and angular, decapitation or a murderer who meets with a violent death. (Robson*).

With Fortuna or its dispositor, poverty. (Robson*).

With Sun: Violent death or extreme sickness. If also in no aspect to a benefic, or there is no benefic in the 8th house, and the dispositor of the Sun in a day nativity or if the Moon in the night one is in square or opposition to Mars, the native will be beheaded; if the luminary culminate he will be maimed, mangled, wounded or torn to pieces alive; and if Mars is at the same time in Gemini or Pisces his hands or feet will be cut off. (Robson*).

With Moon: Violent death or extreme sickness. (Robson*).

With Mars: or if Mars be elevated above the luminaries when Algol is angular, the native will be a murderer who will come to an untimely end. The same is caused by Algol angular or with the hyleg. (Robson*).

With Mars or Saturn: and the Moon at the same time with Sadalmelik (2 Pisces), hanging or decapitation by royal command; if the Moon is with Denebola (20 Virgo), death by judicial sentence; and, if the Moon is with Alfard (26 Leo) death by water or poison. (Robson*).

References

*(Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology , Vivian E. Robson, 1923)