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A review by dee9401
Constellation Myths: With Aratus's Phaenomena by Hyginus, Aratus, Eratosthenes
4.0
A fun and fast read that has found a place on my reference shelf for future use. I loved reading the summaries of the astronomical myths by Eratosthenes, the 3rd director of the Great Library at Alexandria. Sadly, his writings are lost, but two sets of summaries of his work survive and give us insight into the myths surrounding the constellations. Hyginus also wrote on astronomy and myths, using Eratosthenes as his primary source but also drawing from other places. The introduction was great, as they often are in these Oxford World's Classics editions.
One neat fact regarding one of my favorite constellations, Orion, talks about its relationship with the constellation Scorpios. "Since the Scorpion rises as Orion sets, it could be imagined that Orion is being pursued by it, and it was this thought that inspired the myth in which he was said to have been killed by a huge scorpion, which was sent against him by Earth or perhaps by Artemis" (p. xii). This process was called catasterism, by which people or things were set in the sky as constellations (p. xii).
Another neat technique described was using the twelve constellations of the zodiac to determine how much time has elapsed at night. "For since six signs of the zodiac rise each night, and six set irrespective of the time of year, this enables the observer to form an accurate estimate of the stages of the night" (p. xxii).
The book also covers the five planets the Greek knew that they thought of as wandering stars. Their name derivations are so cool. The Brilliant (Phainon) was said to be Zeus (Jupiter to the Romans). The second was The Radiant (Phaethon) and it takes its name from Helios or Cronos (Saturn). The third was Ares (Mars), the fourth Aphrodite (Venus) and lastly, Hermes (Mercury) (pp. 130-132).
The Milky Way has its own amazing origin mythology. It was called Galaxia (the milky circle). "It was not possible for sons of Zeus to have any share in the honours of the sky unless they had been suckled at Hera's breast; and that is why Hermes, so they say, brought Heracles along after his birth and placed him at Hera's breast, for him to be suckled at it; but when Hera became aware of it, she thrust him away, and the rest of her milk spilled out accordingly to make up the milky circle" (p. 133).
One neat fact regarding one of my favorite constellations, Orion, talks about its relationship with the constellation Scorpios. "Since the Scorpion rises as Orion sets, it could be imagined that Orion is being pursued by it, and it was this thought that inspired the myth in which he was said to have been killed by a huge scorpion, which was sent against him by Earth or perhaps by Artemis" (p. xii). This process was called catasterism, by which people or things were set in the sky as constellations (p. xii).
Another neat technique described was using the twelve constellations of the zodiac to determine how much time has elapsed at night. "For since six signs of the zodiac rise each night, and six set irrespective of the time of year, this enables the observer to form an accurate estimate of the stages of the night" (p. xxii).
The book also covers the five planets the Greek knew that they thought of as wandering stars. Their name derivations are so cool. The Brilliant (Phainon) was said to be Zeus (Jupiter to the Romans). The second was The Radiant (Phaethon) and it takes its name from Helios or Cronos (Saturn). The third was Ares (Mars), the fourth Aphrodite (Venus) and lastly, Hermes (Mercury) (pp. 130-132).
The Milky Way has its own amazing origin mythology. It was called Galaxia (the milky circle). "It was not possible for sons of Zeus to have any share in the honours of the sky unless they had been suckled at Hera's breast; and that is why Hermes, so they say, brought Heracles along after his birth and placed him at Hera's breast, for him to be suckled at it; but when Hera became aware of it, she thrust him away, and the rest of her milk spilled out accordingly to make up the milky circle" (p. 133).