The White Horse and its Rider

In Revelation, the first Horseman of the Apocalypse rides a White Horse, carries a bow and and arrow, and is given a crown: '...'And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer...''

The white horse and its rider (the first aspect of the horse-man) share an exact affinity with the zodiac House of Sagittarius. In the sky, Sagittarius is depicted turning back over his shoulder to shoot an arrow into the heart of Judas-Scorpio (the star Antares). This is a celestial reenactment of the rebirth of spring conquering death, and retribution against Scorpio for the kiss of death (slander) that Scorpio had previously imposed upon the rider during the previous fall. Antares is the heart of Scorpio and the star of death: thus the name Ant(i)-Ar(i)es: Against The Lamb.

A crown was given unto him... Constellation Corona Borealis - the Northern Crown - that sits above the head of the Serpent, constellation Serpens, that in turn sits above constellation Scorpio. Serpens is split into two non-contiguous parts, Serpens Caput (Serpent’s Head) to the west (Capricorn) and Serpens Cauda (Serpent’s Tail) to the east (Scorpio). Between these two halves lies the constellation of Ophiuchus the Serpent-Bearer (Sagittarius). 

Ophiuchus is overcomes the serpent at the end of the wheel of the zodiac... that is, he conquers the lower animal nature of his own flesh, that was accursed unto him by the scorpion's betrayal. Once he has done so, the new year commences, he takes his place as the white rider, slays the serpent, avenges Scorpio's betrayal and takes the crown. He rides on to conquer  within others, what he had previously conquered within himself: death from ignorance, in favor of eternal life through wisdom and righteousness of action.

Mark writes shortly after Jesus' resurrection: (Mark 16:15-18) of just this event: "...He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

Of course the Greeks perverted the true tradition a bit by remaking it into fables devoid of the underlying moral to the story. As Wikipedia notes: "The Greek Caduceus is the staff carried by Hermes in Greek mythology and consequently by Hermes Trismegistus in Greco-Egyptian mythology." "The Serpent Holder Ophiuchus is associated with Aescupalius, the noted healer of Greek legend. Aescupalius could cure the dying people and save the just died people." Nonetheless, the underlying theme remains: Ophiuchus - not Capricorn - is the true rider of the White Horse (Sagittarius), whom Mark speaks of in regards to handling serpents, attaining the crown and "healing the sick". His symbol - the Caduceus - is still used by medical professionals, although the true healing ascribed to Ophiuchus was his ability to conquer spiritual death (sin, ignorance).

In this manner, the last symbol of the zodiac goes on to become the first horseman: the first shall be the last. As 1 Corinthians 15: 25-26 attests: "For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death." All enemies under his feet... sounds like a hieroglyph: