History of the star: A pale yellow star in the neck of the Eagle, Aquila. Altair is from a part of the Arabic name for the constellation Aquila. Altair has called "The King of Birds", "The Rising One", "The Star of Mighty Virtue", the "Armor-bearing Bird of Jove" (Jove is the Roman Jupiter or Greek Zeus), in this god's conflict with the giants. The English called it "The Flying Grype".

Also called "The Wounding"; a title signifying torture, referring to the story of the eagle "which preyed on the liver of Prometheus".

Variations of Altair were Althair, Athair, Attair, Atair; Alcair, Alchayr, and Alcar.

It is supposed to be the Euphratean Idxu, the Eagle, or Erigu, "the Powerful Bird".

It was thought to be the Persian Muni, "the Bird"; the Sogdian Shad Mashir, and the Khorasmian Sadmasij, "the Noble Falcon".

Zend, or Zoroastrian religion, knew Altair as Vanant, "the Western Quarter of the heavens", which earlier had been marked by our Corvus.

With beta (Alshain) and gamma (Tarazed) it constituted the twenty-first Hindu nakshatra Sravana, the "Ear", and probably was at first so drawn, although also known as Crona, "Lame", or as Acvattha, "the Sacred Fig Tree", Vishnu being regent of the asterism; these stars representing the Three Footsteps with which that god strode through the heavens, a Trident being the symbol

In astrology Altair was a mischief-maker, and portended danger from reptiles.

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

Influences of the 21st Hindu Moon Mansion: cunning, active, bold, truthful, virtuous, religious and skilful. With Moon transiting here at birth native will be rich, learned, famous, and have a good wife. (Robson*)

Antinous is now taken as part of this constellation. It lies just south of Altair in Aquila. No astrological influence was suggested for this constellation by the ancients, but it seems to have been associated with the ideas of passion, love and friendship, for certain of its components stars were named Alkhalimain or Al Halilain, the "Two Friends", by the Arabs, and the Kabalists associated it with the Hebrew letter Vau and the 6th Tarot Trump "The Lovers." It has also been said to give a love of swimming, and to be connected with certain sex irregularities [homosexuality], the latter probably being greatest in that part of the constellation lying in Capricorn. [Altair is said to be included and those stars south of Altair are; beta (Alshain), gamma (Tarazed),  iota, eta and lamda]. (Robson*).

The astrological influences of the constellation given by Manilius:

"The Eagle, soars to the heights, the bird of mighty Jupiter carrying thunderbolts, it is a bird worthy of Jupiter and the sky, which it furnishes with awful armaments. This bird brings back the thunderbolts which Jupiter has flung and fights in the service of heaven. He that is born on earth in the hour of its rising, will grow up bent on spoil and plunder, won even with bloodshed; he will draw no line between peace and war, between citizen and foe, and when he is short of men to kill he will engage in butchery of beast. He is a law unto himself, and rushes violently wherever his fancy takes him; in his eyes to show contempt for everything merits praise. Yet, should perchance his aggressiveness be enlisted in a righteous cause, depravity will turn into virtue, and he will succeed in bringing wars to a conclusion and enriching his country with glorious triumphs. And, since the Eagle does not wield, but supplies weapons, seeing that it brings back and restores to Jupiter the fires and bolts he has hurled, in time of war such a man will be the aide of a king or of some mighty general, and his strength will render them important service". [Astronomica, Manilius, 1st century AD, book 5, p.341.].

The general astrological influences of the star: It confers a bold, confident, valiant, unyielding, ambitious and liberal nature, great and sudden but ephemeral wealth, and a position of command, makes its natives guilty of bloodshed, and gives danger from reptiles. (Robson*).

Associated with immoderate ambition. (Larousse Encyclopedia of Astrology).

Tied up with benefic stellar bodies, Altair is credited with bestowing hardiness, courage and generosity, especially if on the Ascendant. If Mercury and Moon are positioned here, this will make people as bold as brass and foolhardy in order to assert themselves. Near the upper Meridian (MC) and in good aspect, Altair promises rise in life and honors. The native tries with sincere conviction to reach out for his aims with utmost will power. He will avoid nothing in order to achieve them. Altair is good for advancement of lawyers and military men. (Fixed Stars and Their Interpretation, Elsbeth Ebertin, 1923)

With Sun: Public honor, notoriety, favors from superiors, many friends and some envious ones who cause trouble through writings, some ill-health and losses, danger of bites from venomous animals. (Robson*).

With Moon: Interest in a strange or ancient discovery, disappointment and loss over property and gain, some profit and preferment, friends become enemies, trouble through companies or public affairs, difficulties through or misfortune to children. (Robson*).

With Mercury: Many difficulties, misfortunes, and strange experiences. Disappointment on long journeys, bad for partnership, loss of a relative under strange circumstances. (Robson*).

With Venus: Unfavorable for love affairs. Strange and peculiar attractions, bad for children and gain, losses through friends. (Robson*).

With Mars: Sharp mind, trouble through friends, society and companies but eventual gain. (Robson*).

With Jupiter: Real or pretended religious zeal, hypocrisy, trouble through legal and church matters, and with relatives, bad for gain, disappointment over inheritance. (Robson*).

With Saturn: Sorrow and disappointment, mental disturbance necessitating asylum or hospital treatment and probably death there, separation from family or parents, danger of accident involving inability to work or lifelong affliction. (Robson*).

With Uranus: Cautions, spiritual, sensitive, sympathetic though sometimes abrupt, just, idealistic, interested in occultism but skeptical in religion reverence for early memories, disappointments throughout life, good mind, considerable gain, faithful literary friends of a Gemini type, some domestic affliction, natural death at a very advanced age. (Robson*).

With Neptune: Over-sensitive, distasteful environment, high ideals, mystic, drifts without personal effort, secret enemies and trouble through occultism, domestic disharmony, sudden and unexpected death. (Robson*).

References

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