DENEB KAITOS (DIFDA)

Fixed star:  DENEB KAITOS  Difda
Constellation:  Beta (β) Cetus
Longitude 1900:  01ARI11 Longitude 2000:  02ARI35
Declination 1900:  -18.32′ Declination 2000:  -17.59′
Right ascension:  00h 43m Latitude:  -20.47′
Spectral class:  K0 Magnitude:  2.2

The history of the star: Deneb Kaitos

from p.163 of Star Names, Richard Hinckley Allen, 1889.
[A scanned copy can be viewed on this webpage

Beta (β) Cetus, Deneb Kaitos, is a star in the tail of the Whale, or Sea Monster.

“The other ‘neath the dusky Monster’s tail.”
Brown’s Aratus

Deneb KaitosDeneb Kaitos is from the Arabian Al Dhanab al Kaitos al Janubiyy, the Tail of the Whale towards the South, i.e. the Southern Branch of the Tail. The 14th century Greco-Persian astronomer Chrysococca synonymously had (Greek) Oura tou Kaiton (tail of the whale or sea monster), arbitrarily formed from the Arabic; and the Alfonsine Tables of 1521 called it Denebcaiton

Very differently it was the Arabs’ Al Difdi al Thani, the Second Frog, that we see in the present Difda (Arabic word difda, means “frog”), Latinized as Rana Secunda, Latin for “Second Frog”, the star Fomalhaut in Piscis Austrinus being Arabic Al Difdi’ al Awwal, the First Frog.

In China it was Too Sze Kung, Superintendent of Earthworks.

Although below it in lettering, this star is now brighter than alpha (α Menkar), yet both were registered gamma (γ) — i.e. of the 3d magnitude (γ Kaffaljidhma) — by the second-century Greek astronomer Ptolemy.

One third of the way towards beta (β) Andromeda (Mirach) is a group of unnamed stars from which the English astronomer Smyth (1788-1865) said that a new asterism, Testudo, was proposed.

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

The astrological influences of the constellation Cetus

Legend: Cetus represents the sea monster or whale sent by Neptune to devour Andromeda (see Andromeda). [Robson, p.38.]

Influences: According to Ptolemy this constellation is like Saturn. It is said to cause laziness and idleness, but to confer an emotional and charitable nature, with the ability to command, especially in war. Makes one amiable, prudent, happy by sea and land, and helps to recover lost goods. [Robson, p.38.]

The astrological influences of the constellation Cetus given by Manilius:

“As the last portion of the Fishes (Pisces) rises, appears the constellation of the Whale, pursuing Andromeda in heaven as on the sea. This monster enlists its sons [those influenced astrologically by Cetus] in an onslaught on the deep and a butchery of scaly creatures; theirs will be a passion for ensnaring the deep with nets spread wide and for straitening the sea with bonds; they will confine in spacious prisons seals which deem themselves as safe as in the open sea and shackle them fast in fetters; the unwary tunny they will draw along in a network of meshes. Their capture is not the end, the fish struggle against their bonds, meet a new assault, and suffer death by the knife, and the sea is dyed, mixed with blood of its own. Furthermore, when the victims lie dead along the shore, a second slaughter is perpetrated on the first; the fish are torn into pieces, and a single body is divided to serve separate ends. One part is better if its juices [sauce] are given up, another if they are retained. In the one case a valuable fluid is discharged, which yields the choicest part of the blood, flavored with salt, it imparts a relish to the palate. In the other case all the pieces of the decaying carcass are blended together and merge their shapes until every distinguishing feature has been lost, they provide food with a condiment of general use. Or when, presenting the very likeness of the dark-hued sea, a shoal of the scaly creatures has come to a stop and cannot move for their numbers, they are surrounded and drawn from the water by a huge drag-net, and fill large tanks and wine-vats, their common endowment of liquid is exuded upon each other, for their inward parts melt and issue forth as a stream of decomposition.

“Moreover, such men [those astrologically influenced by Cetus] will be able to fill great salt-pans, to evaporate the sea, and to extract the sea’s venom [salt], they prepare a wide expanse of hardened ground and surround it with firm walls, next conduct therein waters channeled from the nearby sea and then deny them exit by closing sluice-gates, so the floor holds in the waves and begins to glisten as the water is drained off by the sun. When the sea’s dry element has collected, Ocean’s white locks (salt) are shorn for use at table, and huge mounds are made of the solid foam; and the poison of the deep, which prevents the use of sea-water, vitiating it with a  taste, they commute to life-giving salt and render a source of health.” [Manilius, Astronomica, 1st century AD, book 5, p.353, 355.]

The astrological influences of the star Deneb Kaitos

Note: This star, Deneb Kaitos, β Cetus, is listed as Difda in Robson’s book Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology

According to Ptolemy it is of the nature of Saturn; and, to Alvidas, of Mars, Saturn and Mercury. It causes self-destruction by brute force, sickness, disgrace, misfortune and compulsory change. [Robson, p.162.]

Inhibitions and restraints in every way, psychologically and physically. [Fixed Stars and Their Interpretation, Elsbeth Ebertin, 1928, p.12.]

With Sun: Mental disturbance, some loss keenly felt, accidents such as burns, scalds and cuts [Robson].

With Moon: Pioneer, reckless, headstrong, violent temper, many quarrels. [Robson, p.162.]

With Mercury: Active mind, writer or speaker upon subjects of public welfare, seeks to enact laws of benefit to the community, favorable for social affairs. [Robson, p.162.]

With Venus: Reserved, passionate, many secret love affairs. [Robson, p.162.]

With Mars: Passionate, violent, subject to accidents and injuries to the head, fevers, disgrace and ruin through own acts. [Robson, p.162.]

With Jupiter: High legal or ecclesiastical position, but danger of reversal, treachery from secret enemies, loss through speculation. [Robson, p.163.]

With Saturn: Impure mind, worry, secret wrongdoing, inharmonious environment. [Robson, p.163.]

With Uranus: Quick mind, but slow expression, many losses especially in Mercurial matters, restless, much travel, rarely remains long in one place, much energy, but accomplishes little, mind temporarily unbalanced, bad for love affairs and marriage, ailments affecting the kidneys or veins in the small of the back, peculiar death, probably alone in a forest or desert. [Robson, p.163.]

With Neptune: Disagreeable, fixed opinions, mechanical and inventive ability, peculiar religious ideas, very zealous, domestic disagreements, sorrow caused through some secret, trouble through children, disagreement with or separation from parent, harm through anonymous letters, loss through mercurial affairs and fire, death often by fire.[Robson, p.163.]

References:

Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology, Vivian E. Robson, 1923].