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From Bullinger's "Witness of the Stars":


SERPENS and OPHIUCHUS

The struggle with the enemy

Serpens (the Serpent)
Ophiuchus (the Serpent Holder)

Here, Serpens, the serpent, is seen struggling vainly in the powerful grasp of the man who is named O-phi-u-chus. In Latin he is called Serpentarius. He is at one and the same moment shown to be seizing the serpent with his two hands, and treading on the very heart of the scorpion, marked by the deep red star Antares (wounding). "

" There are no less than 134 stars in these two constellations. Two are of the 2nd magnitude, fourteen of the 3rd, thirteen of the 4th, etc.

The brightest star in the Serpent, a (in the neck), is named Unuk, which means encompassing. another Hebrew name is Alyah, the accursed. From this is Al Hay (Arabic), the reptile. The next brightest star is b (in the jaw), named, in Arabic, Cheleb, or Chelbalrai, the serpent enfolding. The Greek name, Ophiuchus, is itself from the Hebrew and Arabic name Afeichus, which means the serpent held. The brightest star in Ophiuchus, a (in the head), is called Ras al Hagus (Arabic), the head of him who holds.

Other Hebrew names of stars, not identified, are Triophas, treading under foot; Saiph (in the foot * of Ophiuchus), bruised; Carnebus, the wounding; Megeros, contending. In the Zodiac of Denderah we have a throned human figure, called Api-bau, the chief who cometh. He has a hawk's head to show that he is the enemy of the serpent, which is called Khu, and means ruled or enemy.

* In 1604 a new star appeared in the eastern foot of Ophiuchus, but disappeared again in 1605. "

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