The Centaur

The stars Alpha and Beta Centauri mark the forelegs of the centaur in the constellation Centaurus. They were sometimes called Hadar and Wazn, which together meant ground and weight. Since the front legs of a horse bear sixty to sixty-five percent of its weight, these names are appropriate.

The two names were not well differentiated as to which star was Hadar and which was Wazn, but Hadar finally stuck to Beta Centauri, while Alpha Centauri became just Rigil Kentaurus,  foot of the centaur.

There is more to be found in the names of these two stars. For Alpha Centauri, the Chaldean name Hadar means honor and majesty. Earlier, it had the name Toliman. This word refers to both the remote past and the future hereafter. In the Bible it is applied to the earth, the heavens, and God Himself. These two names for Alpha Centauri imply that Centaurus represents a being of longevity and eminence.

However, a quite different thought is found in Beta Centauri. The root of its name Wazn means bearing guilt. It also had another name, Agena. Agena in Latin refers to the star's position in the knee. But in Hebrew agena means to strike violently. These names imply that Centaurus represents a guilt-bearer who is struck down or wounded.

Pagan myths connect the centaur Chiron with this constellation. The stories surrounding that centaur are confused, but one element seems sure: Chiron willingly sacrificed his immortality to save another from death.

In long ages past, the idea associated with this constellation was of an immortal being who bore the guilt of another, giving his own life in exchange for that of the guilty. This is consistent with the promised seed in Virgo, and the price of the conflict in Libra.