Antares is the brightest star in the constellation
Scorpio and is also known as Cor Scorpionis,
"the heart of the Scorpion". Antares means similar to or rival of Mars. Richard Allen,
Star-Names and their Meanings [1899] (Dover, 1963, page 365.
Ptolemy says that Antares is of the nature of Mars
and to a lesser extent Jupiter. Tetrabiblos
Bk. I, Chapter 9 (Loeb, 1940) page 51.
Agrippa says that, "Under the Heart of Scorpio they
made the image of a man armed, and with a coat of mail, or the figure of a scorpion;
it giveth understanding and memory, it maketh a good colour, and aideth against
evil spirits, and driveth them away, and bindeth them."
Three Books of Occult Philosophy Bk. II, Chapter 47,
(Tyson ed.) pages 395-6.
So onto our talisman.
Agrippa discusses the construction of rings using
astrological magic and his instructions are applicable to talismans as well,
"When any star ascends fortunately,
with the fortunate aspect or conjunction of the Moon,
We must take a stone, and herb that is under
that star, and make
a ring of that metal that is suitable to this star and fasten the stone, putting
the herb, or root under it;
Not omitting the inscriptions of images, names and
characters, also the proper suffumigations..."
Three Books of Occult Philosophy Bk. I, Chapter 47, (Tyson ed.) page 140.
On February 28, 2003 at 1:25 am EST (+5)
in Washington, D.C. 38 N 55, 77 W 03, Antares, located at 9 degrees
and 46 minutes of Sagittarius is rising. We note that
the Moon is applying to a sextile of Antares.
Agrippa says of the fixed stars,
"The thirteenth is called the Heart of the Scorpion, under which, amongst stones,
is the sardonius, and amethyst; amongst plants long aristolochy and saffron."
Three Books of Occult Philosophy Bk. I, Chapter 32, (Tyson ed.) page 99.