According to Hesiod there were five Hyads: 176. 187. 66 ..νύμφαι Χαρίτεσσιν ὁμοῖαι, Φαισύλη, ἠδὲ Κορωνίς, ἐϋστεφανός τε Κλέεια, PAGE 40. · · συνεληλάμενοι δὲ φέρονται· Ἀλλ ̓ ἀεὶ Ταῦρος προφερέστερος Ηνίοχοιο The beast before him to the west descends- The correctness of this statement of Aratus is best seen by consulting the celestial globe. It may here be observed that in any reference to the sphere, the latitude of Athens, which was 38° north, must be adopted. 179. PAGE 40. Ουδ' ἄρα Κηφῆος μογερόν γένος Ιασίδαο 189. Unhappy CEPHEUS, though of race divine! The story of Cepheus and his family supply no less than six constellations to the celestial globe: that is to say, the Greek poets have appropriated so many of the figures on the ancient sphere to their history: Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Perseus, Pegasus, and Cetus. The following is the poetical version of it: Cepheus king of Æthiopia had a daughter, Andromeda, by his wife Cassiopeia. Neptune sent a sea-monster, Cetus, to ravage his country, because Cassiopeia had boasted herself fairer than the Nereides. An oracle of Jupiter declared that nothing could appease the resentment of Neptune, unless Andromeda was exposed to the sea-monster. She was accordingly chained naked to a rock; but, as the monster was going to devour her, Perseus returned from the conquest of the Gorgons on the winged horse Pegasus, destroyed the monster, rescued Andromeda, and for his reward obtained her in marriage. The story divested of its poetical embellishments is this: Some commander of a ship, named "the Cetus," "the Whale," or 66 Great Fish," "* was about to carry away Andromeda, the daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia, when Perseus arrived from an expedition against the Gorgons in his ship "Pegasus," "the Flying Horse," and engaging in a naval contest with his rival, overcame him, delivered Andromeda, and as a reward for his gallantry obtained her in marriage. According to Pliny (Bk. 5. Ch. 21.) the scene of this adventure lay at Joppa in Judea. PAGE 40. 186. Αὐτὰρ ἀπὸ ζώνης ὀλίγον κε μεταβλέψειας 195. Near to the studded girdle of his waist Lies the huge coil of Draco's speckled breast. On our modern globes it is the second, and not the first coil of Draco, which is placed near the waist of Cepheus. PAGE 41. 192. Οἵηνδὲ κληῒδι θύρην ἔντοσθ ̓ ἀραρυίαν 201. Δικλίδ ̓ ἐπιπλήσσοντες ἀνακρούουσιν ὀχῆες, When the bifolding door the warder bars, * "Navis Kτos dicta quæ (πpoτoμnv) protomen ceti in prorâ præferebat ἡ κητόπρωρος. Eædem naves κητίδες et κητῆναι dicebantur. (Hofm.) “ Κητηνη, πλοῖον μέγα ὡς κῆτος.” (Hesych.) Virgil adopts "PRISTIS," the Latin of Kros, for the name of one of his ships: "Velocem Mnestheus agit acri remige PRISTIN." (Æn. v. 116.) The Scholiasts, Germanicus, Festus Avienus, and with them Scaliger and Salmasius, consider that the poet alludes to the Laconian key. Huetius maintains that it is not the Laconian key, but a more ancient one in the form of a sickle; such as Homer gives to Penelope, évкаμτéа «λŋída, according to Eustathius "Speπavocion," "sickle-shaped;" and he confirms his opinion by a figure. 205. Near, young ANDROMEDA, more splendid far. The description of Andromeda, and of her deliverance from the sea-monster by Perseus, is one of the most beautiful passages in the Astronomicon of Manillius: "Hanc quondam pœnæ dirorum culpa parentum Incubuit pontus, timuit Maurusia tellus. Virginis et vivæ rapitur sine funere funus. Atque ipsi metuunt montes, scopulique ruentem. Quæ tua tunc fuerat facies? quam fugit in auras Emicat, ac toto sublimis corpore fertur. Sed quantum illa subit, seque ejaculata profundo est, Nec cedit tamen illa viro, sed sævit in auras (Lib. v. 540-611.) Ovid represents Andromeda as of a dark complexion : “Candida si non sum, placuit Cepheia Perseo Andromede, patriæ fusca colore suæ." (Sapp. ad Phaon.) Manillius describes her as fair, "nivea cervice." |