History of the star: A blue star in the tail of the Lion, Leo. Denebola — sometimes Deneb — is the modern name for this star, abbreviated from Al Dhanab al Asad (1), "the Lion's Tail", the Greek Denebalecid and Denebaleced; Chilmead, as Deneb Alased; and Schickard, as Dhanbol-asadi. Riccioli omitted the first syllable of the original, and called the star Nebolellesed, Nebollassid "of the Nubian astrologers,". Elsewhere it is Nebu-lasit and Alesit; Denebalezeth and the very appropriate Dafira, from the similar Arabic term for the tuft of coarse hair at the end of the tail in which the star lies. Deneb Aleet, Al Aktab al Asad, the "Viscera [internal organs] of the Lion", or Al Katab, a "Small Saddle".

It marked the Arabic 10th mansil, Al Sarfah, the "Changer", i.e. of the weather, Al Biruni wrote of it; "The heat turns away when it rises, and the cold turns away when it disappears."

Other titles were; Asumpha, Serpha, Mutatrix.

With the 4th-magnitude Fl. 93, it constituted the Hindu 10th nakshatra, Uttara Phalguni, Al Biruni said that Hindu astronomers claimed that the great scientific attainments of Varaha Mihira were due to his birthday having coincided with the entrance of the moon into Uttara Phalguni.

In Babylonian astronomy it marked the 17th ecliptic constellation, Zibbat A., "the Tail of the Lion", although Epping gives this with considerable doubt as to its correctness. Other Euphratean titles are said to have been Lamash, the "Colossus"; Sa, "Blue", the Assyrian Samu; and Mikid-isati, the "Burning of Fire", which may be a reference to the hot season of the year when the sun is near it.

The Sogdians and Khorasmians had a similar conception of it, as shown in their titles Widhu and Widhayu, "the Burning One". The Persians called it Avdem, the "One in the Tail".

In India, it was said to be the Star of the Goddess Bahu, "the Creating Mother".

With theta (Coxa), it was the Coptic Asphulia, perhaps the "Tail";

With Arcturus and Spica, it forms a large equilateral triangle, as also another similar with Arcturus and Cor Caroli, these, united at their bases, constituting the celebrated Diamond of Virgo.

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

The astrological influences of the constellation: The Lion is associated with the Hebrew letter Kaph and the 11th Tarot Trump "Strength". (Robson*).

The astrological influences of the constellation given by Manilius:

"Who can doubt the nature of the monstrous Lion, and the pursuits he prescribes for those born beneath his sign? The lion ever devises fresh fights and fresh warfare on animals, and lives on spoil and pillaging of flocks. The sons of the Lion are filled with the urge to adorn their proud portals with pelts and to hang up on their walls the captured prey, to bring the peace of terror to the woods, and to live upon plunder. There are those whose like bent is not checked by the city-gates, but they swagger about in the heart of the capital with droves of beasts ; they display mangled limbs at the shop-front, slaughter to meet the demands of luxury, and count it gain to kill. Their temper is equally prone to fitful wrath and ready withdrawal, and guileless are the sentiments of their honest hearts" [Manilius, Astronomica, 1st century AD, p.237.]

The 'Tail of the Lion' has a Uranian nature and it is supposed that, in mundane horoscopes, major catastrophes are triggered off by it. Depending on the position and aspect to other stellar bodies in a personal cosmogram, either preferment or fall are credited to this star. Found on the Ascendant and especially in company with Mercury, a quarrelsome nature, with a liking for legal action is attributed to Denebola. It could also mean that this star is the cause of very exciting events. Badly placed in a map, with Mercury or Uranus, mental diseases - and those mostly incurable ones - are indicated. Fine aspects however, will further work connected with matters of reform and progress. (Fixed Stars and Their Interpretation, Elsbeth Ebertin, 1923) 

If rising: Riches, preferment and good fortune attended by many dangers and anxieties through own folly, benefits seldom last, trouble and sickness. (Robson*).

With Sun: Honor ad preferment with danger, public disgrace and finally ruin, disease, fevers and acute ailments, death by suicide. (Robson*).

With Moon: Honor and preferment among the vulgar but final disgrace and ruin, violent disease of vital organ, blindness and injuries to the eyes, accidents, losses through servants, domestic quarrels, temporary separation from marriage partner If at the same time Saturn or Mars is with Algol, death by sentence. (Robson*).

With Mercury: Many losses through agents or servants and through writings, bad for gain, loss of one of the family through malignant or contagious disease. (Robson*).

With Venus: Strong passions, led astray early in life, ruined through love affairs. (Robson*).

With Mars: Bitter, vindictive, cruel, unpopular, loss of position and public disgrace. (Robson*).

With Jupiter: Pride, hypocrisy, disappointed life, troubles abroad or through relatives, secret enemies, danger of imprisonment or death by sentence. (Robson*).

With Saturn: Critical, always complaining, many enemies, loss through servants and thieves, unfortunate life, domestic sorrow, wife afflicted or children mentally unsound or deformed. (Robson*).

With Uranus: Subject to fits, idiotic, insane, and sometimes violent, sharp and cunning, may commit murder during insanity, confined in asylum, death often by suicide. (Robson*).

With Neptune: Disagreeable, ingenious, clever, sarcastic, bitter in speech, domestic quarrels, accidents and sickness in early life, death in middle age by an accident or lingering illness. (Robson*).

References

Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology