| CASTOR | |
| Alpha Gemini | |
| 18CAN51. | 20CAN14. |
| +32.06'. | +31.53'. |
| 07h34m. | +10.05'. |
| AA. | 1.57. |
History of the star: Castor is a binary, 1.57 and 3.7, bright white and pale white, in Gemini. The mortal Twin famous for his skill in taming and managing horses, the Northern Twin (western). (The immortal Twin is Pollux the Boxer).
Together they were "the Two Gods of Sparta", Dioscuri in Rome, Didymi, also Amphion and Zethus, Antiope's sons, who, as Homer wrote, were "Founders of Thebes, and men of mighty name". In India they Acvini, the Ashwins, or "Horsemen", they were also called Apollo (Castor) and Hercules (Pollux).
Castor was Ovid's Eques, the "Horseman of the Twins", and the mortal one as being the son of Tyndarus, in later Greek days it was Apollo [until toward the Christian era this name for the god of day was the title of the planet Mercury when morning star, - As morning and evening star in Egypt it was Set and Horus; in India, Buddha and Rauhinya; and in Greece ..."the Lovely One, and …"the Sparkling One". ].
Afelar, Aphellon, Aphellan, Apullum, Aphellar, Avellar; Avelar, Anelar, Anhelar; a title for Castor with many variations.
Caesius had the synonymous Phoebus, and also cited Theseus, but this should rather be applied to beta as another title of the original Hercules.
When the Arabians adopted the Greek figures they designated this star as Al Ras al Taum al Mukaddim, the "Head of the Foremost Twin"; but, according to Al Tizini, the early and indigenous term was Al Awwal al Dhira', the "First in the Paw" or "Forearm" referring to an enormous early Lion (Leo), the "Outstretched Forearm" of which alpha and beta marked as Al Dhira' al Mabsutat. This extended still further over Gemini, the other, the Contracted one, Al Makbudah, running into Canis Minor. The rest of this monstrosity included Cancer, part of our Leo, Bootes, Virgo, and Corvus.
As marking lunar stations; they have been identified with the Akkadian Supa, "Lustrous"; the Coptic Pimafl, the "Forearm"; the Persian Taraha, the Sogdian Ghamb, and the Khorasmian Jiray, — these last three titles signifying the "Two Stars". The Egyptian Copts knew it as "the Forearm of the Nile"; from Gihon, a name for that river.
The Babylonians used Castor to mark their 11th ecliptic constellation, Mash-mashu-Mahru, the "Western One of the Twins"; while with Pollux the two constituted Mas-tab-ba-gal-gal, the "Great Twins".
In Assyria they were Mas-mas and Tuamu, the Twins. As an object of veneration Castor was Tur-us-mal-ma?, the "Son of the Supreme Temple".
They were the Hindu 5th nakshatra, Punarvarsu, "the Two Good Again"; Aditi, the sky goddess, mother of the Adityas, being the presiding divinity, and beta marking the junction with Pushya, the next nakshatra.
In astrology, everywhere, Castor has been a portent of mischief and violence.
[Star
Names, Their
Lore and Meaning, Richard Hinchley Allen, 1889].
Castor and Pollux marked the 5th Arabic Manzil (Moon Mansion) Al Dhira, The Forearm.
Influences of the 5th Manzil: Favorable for gain and friendship and for lovers, and destroys magistracies. [Influences: The district under jurisdiction of a magistrate. With Moon transiting here; travel and take medicine]. (Robson*).
The astrological influences of the constellation: "Ptolemy makes the following observations; the stars in the feet of Gemini have an influence similar to that of Mercury, and moderately to that of Venus; the bright stars in the thighs are like Saturn. It is said to cause trouble and disgrace, sickness, loss of fortune, affliction and danger to the knees. By the Cabalists it is associated with the Hebrew letter Qoph and the 19th Tarot Trump, The Sun". (Robson*).
The astrological influences of the constellation given by Manilius:
"The arms to shoulders joined are accounted to the Twins" [Manilius p.119]
From the Twins come less laborious callings and a more agreeable way of life, provided by varied song
and voices of harmonious tone, slender pipes, the melodies inborn in
strings and the words fitted thereto : those so endowed find even
work a pleasure. They would banish the arms of war, the trumpet's
call, and the gloom of old age : theirs is a life of ease and
unfading youth spent in the arms of love. They also discover paths
to the skies, complete a survey of the heavens with numbers and
measurements, and outstrip the flight of the stars: nature
yields to their genius, which it serves in all things. So many are
the accomplishments of which the Twins are fruitful. [Manilius,
Astronomica
The general astrological influences of the star: According to Ptolemy it is of the nature of Mercury; to Wilson, Simmonite and Pearce, of Mars, Venus and Saturn; and, to Alvidas, of the Moon, Mars and Uranus. It gives distinction, a keen intellect, success in law and many travels, fondness for horses, sudden fame and honor but often followed by loss of fortune and disgrace, sickness, trouble and great affliction. Its natives are said to be mischievous and prone to violence. (Robson*).
Associated with guile and duplicity. (Larousse Encyclopedia of Astrology).
Castor has specific associations with breaking an arm or leg and this may
come from the Ptolemaic classification of Castor as a Mercury star, which is
much associated with the limbs generally. Castor is also noted in natal
astrology for proneness to mental breakdowns and neurotic distress. People with
this star prominent and well aspected are exceptionally gifted intellectually.
Where these geniuses often need help is in not letting their concern for others
go 'over the top'. (The Living Stars
Castor is influenced by Mercury and has a blend of Jupiter in it. Linked with
the Moon or Mercury, it has the effect of such people being blessed with a good
nature and fine morals. It is also supposed to convey refined manners. A
conjunction with the Sun or Mars will make for energetic characteristics and a
certain tendency for satire and cynicism, depending on the position of Mercury
or Mars in the chart as a whole. (Fixed Stars and Their Interpretation
If rising: Blindness, bad eyes, injuries to the face, disgrace, stabs (operations can be substituted for blows, stabs, wounds), wounds, imprisonment.
(Robson*).With Sun: Prominence in occult matters, government work dealing with foreign affairs, serious accidents, blows, stabs, shooting, shipwreck, injuries to the face, blindness, disease, violent fevers, evil disposition, rape or murder committed or suffered, imprisonment, banishment, decapitation.
(Robson*).With Moon: Timid, sensitive, lacks confidence, occult interest and psychic ability, blindness, in juries to face, disgrace, stabs, wounds (operations nowadays), imprisonment.
(Robson*).With Mercury: Remarkable psychic powers entailing criticism and ridicule but eventual prominence, unfavorable for gain.
(Robson*).With Venus: Strange and peculiar life, many extreme ups and downs, unfavorable for marriage.
(Robson*).With Mars: Evil disposition, much travel, aimless life, many ups and downs.
(Robson*).With Jupiter: Philosophical and occult interests, loss through law, speculation or travel, danger of judicial sentence.
(Robson*).With Saturn: Timid, distrustful, eccentric, original mind but difficulty in expression, better writer than speaker, considerable intellectual powers, fond of detail, prejudiced against popular opinions, unfavorable for marriage, peculiar domestic conditions, early sickness of children, gain at end of life through hard work.
(Robson*).With Uranus: Conscientious, sensitive, impressionable, great psychic power entailing much public criticism, desirous of pleasing all, favorable for marriage and gain, few, if any, children but harmonious relations with them, loss in early life of the parent of opposite sex to native.
(Robson*).With Neptune: Emotional, romantic, fond of pleasure and amusement, connected with or notoriety through watery matters, occult interests, theatrical work and acting, especially in parts where no speaking is required, many removals and journeys, some domestic disharmony or separation, marries too young especially if female, good for gain but loss through friends and speculation, trouble. through one or more of the children, death through some Cancer ailment.
(Robson*).References
*(Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology