About this star:

A golden red star situated on the left knee of Bootes, the 4th brightest in the sky.

Arcturus, a Roman title, takes its name from its nearness to the sky Bears, Big and Little Bears, Ursa Major, and Ursa Minor. From Arktouros or Arctophilax, "the Bear Guard" and also called "the Bear Watcher".

The "Herdsman", or "driver of oxen" are other titles.

It was famous with the seamen of early days and as a calender sign regulated their annual festival by its movements in relation to the sun. But its influence always was dreaded, as is seen in Aratos writings. Its acronycal rising (the latest rising visible at sunset) fixed the date of the husbandmen's Lustratio frugum; and allusions were made to its character as unfavorably affecting the farmer's work; "When moist Arcturus clouds the sky". Other contemporary authors confirmed this stormy reputation, while all classical calendar's gave the dates of its risings and settings.

An Egyptian astronomical calendar of the 15th century BC, associates it with the star Antares in the immense sky figure Menat; and Lockyer claims it as one of the objects of worship in Nile temples, as it was in the temple of Venus at Ancona in Italy.

In India it was the 13th nakshatra, Svati, "the Good Goer", or perhaps "Sword", but figured as a Coral Bead, Gem, or Pearl; and known there also as Nishtya, "Outcast", possibly from its remote northern situation far outside of the zodiac, whence, from its brilliancy, it was taken to complete the series of Hindu asterisms.

The Arabs knew Arcturus as Al Simak al Ramih *, sometimes translated the "Leg of the Lance-bearer", and again, perhaps more correctly, the "Lofty Lance-bearer".

Another Arabic name; Al Haris al Sama, the "Keeper of Heaven," perhaps came from the star's early visibility in the twilight owing to its great northern declination, as though on the lookout for the safety and proper deportment of his lesser stellar companions, and so "Patriarch Mentor of the Train." This subsequently became Al Haris al Simak, "the Keeper of Simak", probably referring to Spica, "the Unarmed One".

From the Arabic title came various forms: Al Bamec, Aramec, Aremeah, Ascimec, Azimech, and Azimeth, Somech haramach, Aramakh, Kheturus.

Al Biruni mentioned Arcturus as the Second Calf of the Lion, the early Asad (Lion) in early Arabian astronomy; Spica being the First Calf.

The Greeks had a word meaning "Javelin-bearer", while Bayer had Gladius, Kolanza, and Pugio, all applied to Arcturus, which probably marked in some early drawing the "Sword", "Lance", or "Dagger" in the Hunter's (Orion) hand. Similarly it took the title Alkameluz of the whole constellation.

It has been identified with the Chaldaeans' Papsukal, "the Guardian Messenger", the divinity of their 10th month Tibitu.

On the Euphrates it was the Shepherd of the Heavenly Flock, or the Shepherd of the Life of Heaven, undoubtedly the Sib-zi-anna of the inscriptions; the star eta (Mufrid) being often included in this, and thus making one of the several pairs of Euphratean Twin Stars.

Another title was Audiens, which seems unintelligible unless the word be a misprint for Audens, the "Bold One".

With others it was Arturig and Ariture, or the Carlwaynesterre from the early confusion in applying the title Arcturus to Charles' Wain as well as to Bootes and its lucida.

Astrologically the star brought riches and honor to those born under it. (Allen).

Bootes is the cultivator or Ploughman who drives the Bears, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor around the Pole Star, Polaris. The bears, tied to the Polar Axis, are pulling a plough behind them, tilling the heavenly fields "in order that the rotations of the heavens should never cease".

Manilius 1st century AD writes "they will be kings under kings and ministers of state, and be charged with the guardianship of the people, custodianship of great houses and treasures, who confine their business to the care of another's home so that the wealth of monarchs and temple finances will be in their keeping".

Any type of occupation that requires planning is influenced by Bootes. These people are the driving force behind government and large corporations. They are the planners and designers, the movers and shakers, who "make the world go round". Bootes symbolizes the elder, the sage, the wise old man who is interested in principles and underlying causes, theories, ideologies, and how the past effects the future. (Conservative) politicians, economists, draftsmen, architects, designers of all kinds.

This constellation is associated with the Hermit in the Tarot cards.

Oswald Wirth in The Tarot of the Magicians portrays this character:

Depicted wearing a cloak with a hood that covers him from head to feet; except for his face and hands he is completely undercover. Held up in his right hand is a lighted lantern, a walking stick in his left, with a serpent on the ground nearby. With his cane he taps and sounds out the earth as he advances slowly. Rather than kill the serpent he casts a spell on it so that it twirls around his stick suggesting that he works along with the lower energies. The lantern penetrates and searches out and reveals the inner quality of things.

The hermit is the master who works on the drawing board, where he casts the exact plan of the intended construction. Before taking form everything pre-exists as an abstract concept, as an intention, he represents the mysterious artisan, the drawn-up plan, the scaffold without which no vital construction could be made, the prototype putting the stamp of the species on the individual, the astral body of the occultist. He is the master capable of directing the work of others and of discerning what is in the embryo in the sphere of human development.

The Tarot of Bologna replaces the Hermit by a winged Patriarch who walks with difficulty, bent over two crutches, from his belt hangs a purse which contains the heritage of the past. He reminds one of Saturn, god of Time seen as the eternal continuation always on the move to conquer the future which he imperceptibly unfolds from the past. (The Tarot of the Magicians 1927 by Oswald Wirth).

The winged Patriarch mentioned above who walks with difficulty, bent over two crutches can manifest through Bootes in the aging disease progeria, and all types of conditions that require the use of canes, crutches, or wheelchairs.

Influence of the constellation:

"It is said to give prosperity from work, strong desires, a tendency to excess, a fondness for rural pursuits, together with some liking for occultism. The Kabbalists associate it with the Hebrew letter Teth and the 9th Tarot Trump, The Hermit". (Robson).

Influence of the star:

It gives riches, honors, high renown, self-determination and prosperity by navigation and voyages. (Robson).

Its influence was always dreaded in mundane astrology, being unfavorable to the farmer's work. However, when rising in a natal chart it indicates an individual who will be loyal to his friends, guarding their secrets in faithful silence. Such a native will be confidante to heads of state or be entrusted with public funds, but when setting and aspected by Saturn and Mercury the native may betray his trust and end in disgrace. (Noonan).

It has a reputation for achieving "justice through power", it therefore makes the natives belligerent and quarrelsome, especially if attached to Mars or Jupiter by conjunction. A really go-ahead and enterprising spirit is here the rule as indicated by Jupiter-Mars. Lasting success if further good aspects are present. If critically aspected, the good influence will be hampered or made into a real handicap. If involved in legal action, such a native could lose all. (Between Spica and Arcturus there is only a minor difference in longitude but a very large difference in latitude. A blend of mutual influences is frequently given. Although Spica is very much larger and will dominate, it may get more positive character by its blending with Arcturus). (Ebertin).

If Rising : Good fortune, with many cares and anxieties through own folly. (Robson).

If culminating: High office under Government, great profit and reputation. If at the same time with Sun, Moon or Jupiter, ample fortune and great honor. (Robson).

With Sun: Success through slow and patient plodding, friends among clergy, favorable for gain and for dealing with the public and lawyers. (Robson).

With Moon: New friends, business success, good judgment, domestic harmony. If with Mars also, danger of death by suffocation. (Robson).

With Mercury: Sober, industrious, popular, inclined to be religious, somewhat extravagant but well-off, help through friends, holds position of trust in large company or corporation, or receives promotion under direction, favorable for health and domestic affairs. (Robson).

With Venus: Popular, gifts and favors from friends, some false friends of own sex. (Robson).

With Mars: Popular, many friends, considerable gain but does not save owing to extravagance. If in 1st, 7th, 9th, 10th or 11th houses and the Moon is at the same time with Pollux, danger of death by suffocation. (Robson).

With Jupiter: Benefits from legal and church matters, influential position, danger of hypocrisy gain through foreign affairs or shipping. (Robson).

With Saturn: Honest, selfish, inclined to be mean, shrewd in business, materialistic, favorable for gain and speculation and for domestic matters, but early difficulty in married life, favorable for children but disagreement with one of them. (Robson).

With Uranus: Favorable for work entailing quick buying and selling and for dealing with the public, associated with antiques or ancient matters and given to forming collections, associated with art science or literature, official position in some club or society, favorable for gain, benefits from friends. favorable for marriage and children and benefit through both, natural death abroad. (Robson).

With Neptune: Ingenious, business instincts, changeable, and loss through this means, mediumistic and rather negative, associated with societies as an official, loss and misfortune in middle age which hastens death, favorable for friendship, partnership, marriage and success, greatly dependent upon advice of marriage partner. (Robson).