As Robert Temple points out in "The Sirius Mystery" (p. 254, 1998 edition), Plutarch wrote that the Phasis River was once named 'Arcturus' [Plutarch, "Of the Names of Rivers and Mountains and of such Things as are to be found therein"].

Arcturus is, of course, the name of the fourth-brightest star in the night sky, a bright RED giant in the constellation Bootes. I believe the conventional definition of 'Arcturus,' ('the Bear Ward') to be incorrect.

A simpler definition is that it means 'Arc-Taurus' because it is about 6 months out of 'phase' with the constellation Taurus. That is, when Taurus is rising, Arc-Taurus is setting.

Taurus, the solar symbol, is also related to the word 'Turu' which according to H. Blavatsky, means the perfected man, or Christ spirit (ie. risen Christ). Arcturus then, would symbolize the Christ spirit buried in matter. Blavatsky also points out that the ancient Hebrews called the star Arcturus by the name 'Ash' which in Hebrew means 'Fire' [Ash spelled 'AS', the root of the name of the continent of Asia].
The word 'Phasis' itself means 'appearance' as in the 'first appearance' of the waxing cresent of the new moon. The term has become synonymous with 'New Moon.'
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