Constellation Myths, with Aratus's "Phaenomena"

Description

Translated with an Introduction and Notes by Robin Hard. ERATOSTHENES of Cyrene (c. 285 – c. 194 BC) was a leading scholar, scientist, and poet of the Hellenistic era, who became the third director of the great library at Alexandria, and achieved notable distinction as a geographer. He compiled a comprehensive handbook of astral mythology, the 'Catasterisms', by collecting constellation myths from the previous tradition, altering and improving them as he thought fit, and devising new myths where it was necessary or desirable. This genre of myth, in which stories were put forward to explain how persons, creatures, and things had come to be set in the sky as constellations, was developed at a relatively late period, mainly from the fifth century onward, and the canon became largely fixed after Eratosthenes established his synthesis in the third century. Although his compendium has not survived, much is recorded of its contents in the later summaries translated in this volume, and it was the main source, directly or indirectly, for the astral myths recounted by Hyginus. GAIUS JULIUS HYGINUS (c.64 BC – AD 17) was appointed by Augustus to be director of the Palatine library, and a prolific author who wrote about a wide variety of subjects. Two surviving works are ascribed to him, the Fabulae, a collection of tales from Greek myth, and the 'Astronomy', an elementary guide to astronomy which contains the fullest surviving collection of constellation myths. Whether or not the 'Astronomy' was actually written by Hyginus, it is invaluable for what it records of the astral myths in the Eratosthenian tradition. ARATUS of SOLOI (c. 310 – c. 240 BC) was born in Asia Minor, studied at Athens under the Stoic philosopher Zeno, among others, and received an invitation in 276 to come to the Macedonian court, where he wrote his astronomical poem, the 'Phaenomena', which is his only surviving work. It contains, among other things, a full account of the Greek picture of the sky, in which all the constellations are described in due succession. The constellations we recognize today were first mapped by the ancient Greeks, who arranged the stars into patterns for that purpose. In the third century BC Eratosthenes compiled a handbook of astral mythology in which the constellations were associated with figures from legend, and myths were provided to explain how each person, creature, or object came to be placed in the sky. Thus we can see Heracles killing the Dragon, and Perseus slaying the sea-monster to save Andromeda; Orion chases the seven maidens transformed by Zeus into the Pleiades, and Aries, the golden ram, is identified flying up to the heavens. This translation brings together the later summaries from Eratosthenes' lost handbook with a guide to astronomy compiled by Hyginus, librarian to Augustus. Together with Aratus's astronomical poem the Phaenomena, these texts provide a complete collection of Greek astral myths; imaginative and picturesque, they also offer an intriguing insight into ancient science and culture. Introduction Greek and Latin Forms of Names Table of Ptolemaic Constellations Note on Organization Note on the Texts and Translation Maps of the Northern and Southern Skies THE MYTHOLOGICAL NARRATIVES 1–4. CONSTELLATIONS OF THE ARCTIC CIRCLE 1. Ursa Major, the Great Bear 2. Ursa Minor, the Little Bear 3. Draco, the Dragon 4. Cepheus 5–13. CONSTELLATIONS BETWEEN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE AND THE SUMMER TROPIC 5. Perseus 6. Andromeda 7. Cassiopeia, known in the ancient world as Cassiepeia 8. Cygnus, the Swan, originally known as the Bird 9. Lyra, the Lyre 10. Hercules, originally known as Engonasin, the Kneeler 11. Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown, originally known as the Crown 12. Bootes, the Oxherd, also known as Arctophylax, the Bear-guard 13. Auriga, the Charioteer; with the associated star-group of the Goat and Kids 14–20. CONSTELLATIONS BETWEEN THE SUMMER TROPIC AND THE EQUATOR 14. Triangulum, the Triangle, also known in the ancient world as Deltoton 15. Pegasus, originally known as the Horse 16. Sagitta, the Arrow 17. Aquila, the Eagle 18–19. Ophiuchus, the Serpent-bearer, and the Serpent 20. Canis Minor, the Little Dog, known to the Greeks as Procyon 21–32. CONSTELLATIONS OF THE ZODIAC 21. Cancer, the Crab; with the associated star-group of the Asses 22. Leo, the Lion; with the neighbouring constellation of Coma Berenices, Berenice’s Hair 23. Virgo, the Maiden 24–25. Scorpius, the Scorpion, and the Claws (or Libra, the Scales) 26. Sagittarius, the Archer 27. Capricornus, Capricorn 28. Aquarius, the Water-pourer 29. Pisces, the Fishes 30. Taurus, the Bull; with the associated star-clusters of the Pleiades and Hyades 31. Aries, the Ram 32. Gemini, the Twins 33–39. CONSTELLATIONS BETWEEN THE EQUATOR AND THE WINTER TROPIC 33. Orion 34. Cetus, the Sea-monster 35. Delphinus, the Dolphin 36, 37, 38. Hydra, the Water-snake, with Crater, the Bowl, and Corvus, the Crow 39. Canis Major, the Great Dog 40–46. CONSTELLATIONS BETWEEN THE WINTER TROPIC AND THE ANTARCTIC CIRCLE 40. Ara, the Altar 41, 42. Centaurus, the Centaur, and Lupus, the Wolf, originally known as the Beast 43. Lepus, the Hare 44. Argo 45. Eridanus 46. Piscis Austrinus, the Southern Fish 47–50. THE MILKY CIRCLE, PLANETS, AND CONSTELLATIONS OF LATE ORIGIN 47. The Planets 48. The Milky Circle 49. Equuleus, the Foal 50. Corona Australis, the Southern Crown ARATUS, 'PHAENOMENA' I. The Constellations II. Measuring of Time through Observation of the Heavens III. Weather Signs Appendix: Extracts from Geminos, Introduction to the 'Phaenomena' Explanatory Notes Index