The Last Word of Antares

Constellation: Scorpius (The Scorpion)
Mood: Sleepy

Now that I am back again to Beirut and to work, here's hoping I will find some good time to update this blog more frequently.

Scorpius. My favorite constellation that I have decided to attribute to the worst moment for Lebanon in quite a good time. What makes the look of this constellation appealing is that it’s instantly recognizable in the late Spring/Summer seasons skies, because of its shape.
It’s one of the constellations that actually resemble the figure it was assigned.

Mythically speaking, there is a great tale as to why Scorpius and the great hunter Orion (undoubtedly the unsurpassed constellation in terms of looks of all 88 constellations) never meet at night.

According to the Greek mythology, Orion, the son of the Sea god Poseidon was a strong and attractive Greek Hunter. Because no woman was able to resist to his strength and beauty, Apollo (the Sun god) sent a scorpion to sting him.
Zeus (the god of the gods) sent both the animal and the hunter to the sky as constellations, ensuring that the scorpion never hurts Orion again. This is why we can never see both during the same night for the Scorpion appears in the Summer while Orion reigns in the Winter skies.

Astronomically, there is a conspicuous star in this constellation, Antares, a flaming first magnitude red giant, striking to the naked eye. Ant-Ares means before Ares, Ares being the Greek god of the War.

And war, here we come again. Scorpius (the latin name given to the constellation) was a majestic constellation in the July skies. July, the month in which the war erupted in Lebanon between Israel and Hizbullah. But while Scorpius’ remaining time in our evening sky is limited (fading before the fall when Orion will show up), Antares hasn’t spoken its last word.

Will the war take another shape after the reported peculiar ceasefire? The Syrians, with their malevolent president and former ruler over Lebanon Bashar Al-Assad wants another civil war in order to retake possession over the country and amass new fortunes. Hezbollah will not disarm anytime soon for he still has some of its men held in Israeli prisons, as well as a piece of land that is disputed between the Israelis, the Syrians and the Lebanese, that it wants to liberate. As for the Israelis, they will always use their “right to defend themselves” from any attack.

So what happens next? Israel is being criticized over its chaotic management of the war but has Mr. Bush on its side no matter what. Hezbollah is assuming victory, the first of an Arab group (and subsequently country) over Israel. And Syria is protected by Iran whose president is claiming to assault any country in case Syria is attacked.

And Lebanon in all of this?
Floating. Where to? Maybe the darkness in which Scorpius will fall into in September before showing up again next Spring. Will it take that long to rebuild (hence reemerge)? First we’ll have to ask if the war is over. And then let Antares mutter its last sentences.