History of the star: Among the stars of Cancer is a small grouping called the Aselli, or Asses and along with Praesaepe (M44) the Beehive or Manger, form a mini constellation in their own right, which appears on the back of the Crab’s shell. Popularly this configuration was also known as the "Manger", or "Crib" in which Christ was born - (it has been suggested that this is because Cancer was the "Gate of Man"). They were the Northern and the Southern Ass Colt, the Ovot, or Asses, of Ptolemy and the Greeks; the Aselli, or Asini, of the Latins, and now popularly known as The Donkeys. Other names were "A Resting Place", "Ending of a stop", "The Aselline Starlets". 

The Arabians similarly knew them as the Two Asses and called this star "the Mare Ass" (female donkey). 

A Greek myth tells us that these asses were ridden by Bacchus and Vulcan in the war between the Olympians and the Titans. The braying of these animals, aided and added to the gods shouts, frightened a group of fierce giants who were coming to avenge their brothers, the Titans, to such a degree, that they fled the scene of battle. The asses were placed in the heavens flanking the mysterious glow called the Manger or Beehive  - M44 (Praesaepe) to make sure they never lack food.
Manilius alludes to these outstretched stars as a Yoke.

Gamma (Asellus Borealis), delta (Asellus Australis), eta, and theta were the Persian lunar station Avra-k, the Cloud, and the Coptic Ermelia, Nurturing.

In this constellation, with some slight variations as to boundaries at different times in Hindu astronomy, — gamma (Asellus Borealis) and delta (Asellus Australis) – the Aselli - always being included and occasionally eta, theta, and Praesaepe, — was located the 6th nakshatra Pushya, "Flower", or Tishiya, "Auspicious", with Brihaspati, the priest and teacher of the gods, as presiding divinity. It was sometimes figured as a "Crescent", and again as the "head of an Arrow"; it was also called Sidhaya, "Prosperous".

The Arabic manzil Al Nathrah, the Gap in the hair under the muzzle of the supposed immense ancient Lion that the Arabs had here, was chiefly formed by Praesaepe; but later gamma (Asellus Borealis) and delta (Asellus Australis) – the Aselli - were sometimes included, when it was Al Himarain, the Two Asses, a title adopted from the Greeks. The Arabs also knew it as Al Fnm al Asad and as Al Anf al Asad, the Mouth, and the Muzzle, of the Lion, both referring to the early figure.

Inconspicuous though it be, the Babylonians used delta to mark their 13th ecliptic constellation Arku-sha-nangaru-sha-shutu, the Southeast Star in the Crab; and Brown says that the Aselli, with eta, theta, and Praesaepe, were the Akkadian Gu-shir-kes-da, the "Yoke of the Enclosure".

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

The astrological influences of the constellation: The Crab is associated with the Hebrew letter Tzaddi and the 18th Tarot Trump "The Moon". (Robson*).

The astrological influences of the constellation given by Manilius:

Shining at the hinge of the year by the blazing turning-point which when recalled the Sun rounds in his course on high, the Crab occupies a joint of heaven and bends back the length of day. Of a grasping spirit and unwilling to give itself in service the Crab distributes many kinds of gain, and skill in making profits; he enables a man to carry his investment of foreign merchandise from city to city and, with an eye on steep rises in the price of corn, to risk his money upon sea-winds; to sell the world's produce to the world, to establish commercial ties between so many unknown lands, to search out under foreign skies fresh sources of gain, and from the high price of his goods to amass sudden wealth. With heaven's favour he also sells seasons of idleness at rates of interest to his liking, wishing the swift passage of time to add to the principal. His is a shrewd nature, and he is ready to fight for his profits. [Astronomica, Manilius, 1st century AD, book 4, p.235.]

The two Asellus correspond to the Sun and Mars, both these fixed stars are therefore to count as a positive influence, if in conjunction with the Ascendant, MC or stellar bodies of the same character, but especially if grouped with the Sun or Mars. These people will have an aggressive nature and will not take insults easily. They may, by their own lack of caution, or by being dare-devils, put their life in danger and they will not hesitate to use brutal and violent means. When the Asellus are with the Ascendant danger by large animals (horses, bulls) may exist. (Fixed Stars and Their Interpretation, Elsbeth Ebertin, 1923)

The patient donkey is a lovable creature, but it can be very self-willed and unco-operative indeed, at times of its own choosing. The Aselli (this star and the other donkey Asellus Borealis) display all the moodiness of Cancer at its most negative, while in Leo. A conjunction with the Moon, Mercury, Venus or Neptune, well aspected, will often reveal the poet, painter, musician unusually gifted, composer, psychic 'medium' or astrologer. In all cases too, there is a patience for which the donkey is respected, a quality necessary for all really reliable psychism. Perhaps when the donkey is being stubborn, he is seeing something in the path which his impatient master cannot or will not see.(The Living Stars, Dr. Eric Morse).

Aselli rising: Burning fevers, bad eyes, blindness of left eye, injuries by beasts, quarrels, slander from low women or vulgar persons, martial preferment. (Robson*).

Aselli culminating: Disgrace and ruin, often violent death. (Robson*).

Aselli Sun: Blows, stabs, serious accidents, shoot ting, shipwreck, beheading, hanging, murderer or murdered, violent fevers, danger of fire, disgrace and imprisonment. (Robson*).

Asellus Australis with Sun: Unfavorable for dealing with the public and influential people trouble in business. (Robson*).

Aselli Moon: Inflammatory fever, pains in the head, blindness. (Robson*).

Asellus Australis with Moon: Ill-health, defective sight, hearing or speech; bad for business affairs, loss of friends and trouble through enemies. (Robson*).

According to Vehlow, the Chinese gave this group of stars (the Manger or Beehive and the Asses) the name 'The Spirit of the Ancestors' and were of the opinion that if conjunct the Moon, they would have peculiar experiences with the realms of the dead. (Ebertin).

Asellus Australis with Mercury: Mental affliction. Difficulties brought about by children. Much worry and disappointment. Bad for success in spite of help from friends. Loss by fire of valuable papers. (Robson*).

With Venus: Trouble through friends, unfavorable for love and marriage, enmity of women, too fond of pleasure and society. (Robson*).

With Mars: Energy, courage, misapplied powers, little success, public disfavor. (Robson*).

With Jupiter: Legal and ecclesiastical troubles, hypocrisy, dishonesty, false friends, danger of imprisonment. (Robson*).

With Saturn: Untrustworthy, dishonorable, low morality, bad habits formed early in life. (Robson*).

With Uranus: Seeks applause, suffers from own mistakes, seldom sees own faults, official positions of short duration, downfall brought about by enemies, self-seeking, or ruin through speculation, bad for gain and domestic matters, danger of accident causing lingering death. (Robson*).

With Neptune: Ambitious but indolent; if male, handsome, pleasant and affable and a lady's man; if female, rather masculine in appearance and character; many love affairs causing general suffering, losses through speculation, unmerited favors from friends, advantageous marriage but domestic disharmony, fevers and violent diseases, sometimes causing death in infancy. (Robson*).

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