Hyginus: DE ASTRONOMIA LIBRI QVATTUOR

Sed quoniam quae nobis de terrae positione dicenda fuerunt, et sphaeram totam definivimus, nunc quae in ea signa sint singillatim nominabimus. E quibus igitur primum duas Arctos et Draconem, deinde Arctophylaca cum Corona dicemus et eum, qui Engonasin vocatur; exinde Lyram cum Olore et Cepheo et eius uxore Cassiepia filiaque eius Andromeda et genero Perseo. Dicemus etiam protinus Aurigam, a Graecis Heniochum appellatum, Ophiuchum praeterea cum aquila et sagitta parvoque delphine, inde equum dicemus eo sidere, quod Deltoton vocatur.

But since we have spoken of the position of the earth, and have defined the entire sphere, now we will name the signs in it one by one. Of these first we will speak of the two Arctos and Draco, then Arctophylax with the Corona and him who is called Engonasin; next the Lyra with the Swan and Cepheus and his wife Cassiopeia and his daughter Andromeda and son‑in‑law Perseus. We will also forthwith name the Auriga, called Heniochus by the Greeks, moreover Ophiuchus with the Eagle and the little Sagitta and the little Dolphin; then the Horse at that constellation which is called Deltoton.

His corporibus enumeratis, ad duodecim signa perveniemus. Ea sunt haec: Aries, Taurus, Gemini; deinde Cancer cum Leone et Virgine; praeterea Libra, dimidia pars Scorpionis et ipse Scorpius cum Sagittario et Capricorno; Aquarius autem cum Piscibus reliquas habet partes. His enumeratis, suo ordine est Cetus cum Eridano flumine et Lepore; deinde Orion cum Cane et eo signo, quod Procyon vocatur.

Having enumerated these bodies, we come to the 12 signs. They are these: Aries, Taurus, Gemini; then Cancer with Leo and Virgo; furthermore Libra, half a part of Scorpius and Scorpius itself with Sagittarius and Capricorn; Aquarius, however, has the remaining parts with Pisces. Those enumerated, in their order are Cetus with the river Eridanus and Lepus; then Orion with the Dog and that sign which is called Procyon.

Praeterea est Argo cum Centauro et Ara; deinde Hydra cum Pisce qui notius vocatur. Horum omnium non inutile videtur historias proponere, quae certe aut utilitatem ad scientiam, aut iucunditatem ad delectationem adferent lectori.

Moreover there is Argo with the Centaur and the Altar; then Hydra with the Fish commonly called Notius. Of all these it does not seem useless to set forth the histories, which certainly will bring either utility to knowledge or delight as pleasure to the reader.

I. Igitur, ut supra diximus, initium nobis est Arctos maxima. Hanc autem Hesiodus ait esse Callisto nomine, Lycaonis filiam, eius qui in Arcadia regnavit; eamque studio venationis inductam, ad Dianam se applicuisse, a qua non mediocriter esse dilectam propter utriusque consimilem naturam. Postea autem ab Iove compressam veritam Dianae suum dicere eventum.

1. Therefore, as we said above, our beginning is the greatest Bear. Hesiod moreover says this to be Callisto by name, the daughter of Lycaon, he who reigned in Arcadia; and she, induced by a zeal for hunting, attached herself to Diana, by whom she was not moderately beloved on account of a nature similar in both. But afterwards, having been pressed (ravished) by Jove, fearing Diana she declared the event to her.

Quod diutius celare non potuit; nam iam utero ingravescente, prope diem partus in flumine corpus exercitatione defessum cum recrearet, a Diana cognita est non conservasse virginitatem. Cui deo pro magnitudine suspicionis non minorem retribuit poenam. Erepta enim facie virginali, in ursae speciem est conversa, quae Graece arktos appellatur.

Which could not be hidden any longer; for now, her womb growing heavy, when, near the day of childbirth, she refreshed her body in the river, wearied by exertion, she was known by Diana to have not preserved her virginity. To that goddess, because of the greatness of the suspicion, she returned a punishment no less. For, her virginal face having been taken away, she was turned into the likeness of a she-bear, which in Greek is called arktos.

In ea figura corporis Arcada procreavit. Sed ut ait Amphis comoediarum scriptor, Iuppiter simulatus effigiem Dianae, cum virginem venantem ut adiuvans persequeretur, amotam a conspectu ceterarum compressit. Quae rogata a Diana quid ei accidisset, quod tam grandi utero videretur, illius peccato id evenisse dixit.

In that bodily shape she bore an Arcadian. But, as Amphis the comic writer says, Jupiter, having assumed the likeness of Diana, when, pretending to help, he pursued the maiden while hunting, removed her from the sight of the others and overpowered her. When asked by Diana what had happened to her, that she should appear with so large a womb, she said that it had come about by that god’s sin.

Itaque propter eius responsum, in quam figuram supra diximus, eam Diana convertit. Quae cum in silva ut fera vagaretur, a quibusdam Aetolorum capta, ad Lycaonem pro munere in Arcadiam cum filio est deducta ibique dicitur inscia legis in Iovis Lycaei templum se coniecisse; quam confestim filius est secutus. Itaque cum eos Arcades insecuti interficere conarentur, Iuppiter memor peccati ereptam Callisto cum filio intere sidera collocavit, eamque Arctum, filium autem Arctophylaca nominavit, de quo posterius dicemus.

Therefore, on account of that response, Diana transformed her into the shape we have mentioned above. And when, wandering in the wood like a beast, she was seized by some of the Aetolians, she was led with her son as a present to Lycaon into Arcadia, and there, ignorant of the law, she is said to have thrown herself into the temple of Iuppiter Lycaeus; which her son immediately followed. So when the Arcadians, having pursued them, sought to slay them, Iuppiter, mindful of the crime, snatched up Callisto with her son and placed them among the stars, calling her Arctum and naming the son Arctophylaca, of whom we shall speak later.

Nonnulli etiam duxerunt, cum Callisto ab Iove essset compressa, Iunonem indignatam in ursam eam convertisse; quam Dianae venanti obviam factam, ab ea interfectam, et postea cognitam inter sidera collocatam. Sed alii dicunt, cum Callisto Iuppiter esset in silva persecutus, Iunonem suspicatam id quod evenit, contendisse, ut eum manifesto diceret deprehendisse. Iovem autem, quo facilius suum peccatum tegeretur, in ursae speciem conversam reliquisse.

Some moreover have held that, when Callisto had been violated by Jupiter, Juno, indignant, turned her into a she-bear; which, having been encountered by Diana while hunting, was slain by her, and afterward, when known, was placed among the stars. But others say that, when Jupiter had pursued Callisto in the wood, Juno, suspecting what had happened, hastened so as to proclaim openly that she had caught him in the act. Jupiter, however, so that his sin might more easily be concealed, left her transformed into the form of a she-bear.

Iunonem autem in eo loco pro virgine ursam invenisse; quam Dianae venanti, ut eam interficeret, demonstrasse. Quod factum ut perspiceretur, Iovem aegre tulisse; effigiem ursae stellis figuratam constituisse.

But Juno found in that place a bear instead of the maiden; she pointed it out to Diana as she hunted, so that she might kill it. When this came to light, Jove took it badly; he set up the effigy of the bear fashioned in the stars.

Hoc signum, ut complures dixere, non occidit. Et qui volunt aliqua de causa esse institutum, negant Tethyn Oceani uxorem id recipere, cum reliqua sidera perveniant in occasum, quod Tethys Iunonis sit nutrix, cui Callisto succubuerit ut paelex.

This sign, as many have said, does not set. And those who hold that it was instituted for some particular cause deny that Tethys, wife of Oceanus, would receive it when the remaining stars go down to the west, because Tethys is Juno’s nurse, to whom Callisto had succumbed as a concubine.

Araethus autem Tegeates historiarum scriptor non Callisto, sed Megisto dicit appellatam, et non Lycaonis, sed Cetei filiam, Lycaonis neptem; praeterea Cetea ipsum Engonasin nominari. Reliqua autem superioribus conveniunt. Quae res in Nonacri monte Arcadiae gesta demonstratur.

Araethus the Tegeate, writer of histories, says she was called not Callisto but Megiste, and not the daughter of Lycaon but of Ceteus, a niece of Lycaon; moreover Cetea herself is called Engonasin. The remaining matters agree with the foregoing. This event is shown to have taken place on Mount Nonacris in Arcadia.

II. ARCTUS MINOR. Hanc Aglaosthenes qui Naxica conscripsit, ait Cynosuram esse, unam de Iovis nutricibus ex Idaeis nymphis; ab eius quoque nomine in urbe quae Histoe vocatur, a Nicostrato et sodalibus constituta, et portum qui ibi est, et agri maiorem partem Cynosuram appellatam. Hanc autem inter Curetas fuisse, qui Iovis fuerunt administri. Nonnulli etiam Helicen et Cynosuram nymphas fuisse Iovis nutrices dicunt; et hac re etiam pro beneficio in mundo collocatas, et utrasque Arctos appellatas esse, quas nostri Septemtriones dixerunt.

2. ARCTUS MINOR. This Aglaosthenes, who composed the Naxica, says that Cynosura is Cynosura, one of Jupiter’s nurses among the Idaean nymphs; from her name also the city called Histoe, founded by Nicostratus and his companions, and the harbour there, and the greater part of the land were called Cynosura. He says moreover that she was among the Curetes, who were attendants of Jupiter. Some likewise say that Helice and Cynosura were nymphs who nursed Jupiter; and for this service placed in the world and both were called Arcti, which our Septentriones named.

Sed maiorem Arctum complures plaustri similem dixerunt, et amaxan Graeci appellaverunt; cuius haec memoriae prodita est causa. In initio qui sidera perviderunt et numerum stellarum in unaquaque specie corporis constituerunt, non Arctum, sed Plaustrum nominaverunt quod ex VII stellis duae quae pares et maxime in uno loco viderentur, pro bubus haberentur, reliquae autem V figuram plaustri similarent. Itaque et quod proximum huic est signum Booten nominari voluerunt, de quo posterius plura dicemus.

But many called the greater Arctus like a plaustrum (wagon), and the Greeks called it amaxan; and this is the reason preserved for that memory. At the first, those who observed the stars and fixed the number of stars in each sort of body named it not Arctus but Plaustrum, because of the seven stars two, which equal and especially seen in one place, were taken for oxen, while the remaining five resembled the figure of a wagon. And therefore they wished the sign nearest to this to be called Booten, of whom we will say more later.

Aratus quidem non hac re Booten, nec illud Plaustrum dicit appellari, sed quod Arctus videatur ut plaustrum circa polum, qui boreus appellatur, versari, et Bootes agitare eam dicatur. In quo non mediocriter videtur errare. Postea enim, de VII stellis ut Parmeniscus ait, V et XX sunt a quibusdam astrologis constitutae, ut ursae species, non VII stellarum perficeretur.

Aratus indeed does not say that Booten is called by this, nor that that Plaustrum is named, but that the Arctus seems to turn about the pole, which is called the north, like a wagon, and Bootes is said to drive it. In this he appears to err not a little. For afterwards, concerning the 7 stars, as Parmeniscus says, 5 and 20 were by some astrologers constituted, so that a kind or species of bear would be made, and not a completion of 7 stars.

Itaque et ille, qui antea plaustrum sequens Bootes appellabatur, Arctophylax est dictus, et isdem temporibus quibus Homerus fuit, haec Arctos est appellata. De VII trionibus ille enim dicit, hanc utroque nomine et Arctum et Plaustrum appellari; Booten autem nusquam meminit Arctophylaca nominari. Incidit etiam compluribus erratio, quibus de causis minor Arctos Phoenice appelletur, et illi qui hanc observant, verius et diligentius navigare dicantur; quare, si haec sit certior quam maior, non omnes hanc observent.

And likewise that one who formerly was called Bootes because he followed the Plaustrum is named Arctophylax, and in the same times in which Homer lived this was called Arctos. For concerning the seven oxen he says that this is called by both names, both Arctos and Plaustrum; but he nowhere mentions Bootes being named Arctophylax. An error has also befallen many, by reason of which the lesser Arctos is said to be called in Phoenician, and those who observe this are said to sail more truly and more diligently; therefore, if this is more certain than the greater, not all observe it.

Qui non intelligere videntur, de qua historia sit profecta ratio, ut Phoenice appelletur. Thales enim Milesius, qui diligenter de his rebus exquisivit et hanc primus Arctum appellavit, natione fuit Phoenix, ut Herodotus dicit. Igitur omnes qui Peloponnesum incolunt, priore utuntur Arcto.

Those who do not seem to understand from what history this account proceeds, that it should be called Phoenice. For Thales of Miletus, who diligently inquired into these matters and first called this Arctus, was by nation a Phoenician, as Herodotus says. Therefore all who inhabit the Peloponnesus use the earlier Arctus.

Phoenices autem quam a suo inventore acceperunt, observant, et hanc studiosius perspiciendo diligentius navigare existimantur, et vere eam ab inventoris genere Phoenicen appellant.

The Phoenicians, however, observe it as they received it from their own inventor, and by scrutinizing this more eagerly are thought to navigate more diligently, and rightly call it Phoenice from the stock of the inventor.

III. SERPENS. Hic vasto corpore ostenditur inter duas Arctos collocatus. Qui dicitur aurea mala Hesperidum custodisse et ab Hercule interfectus, ab Iunone inter sidera collocatus, quod illius opera Hercules ad eum est profectus.Qui hortum Iunonis tueri solitus existimatur.

3. SERPENT. Here is depicted a serpent of vast body placed between the two Arctics. He is said to have guarded the golden apples of the Hesperides and to have been slain by Hercules, placed by Juno among the stars because by that deed Hercules proceeded to it. He is thought to have been accustomed to watch Juno’s garden.

Ait enim Pherecydes, Iunonem cum duceret Iuppiter uxorem, Terram venisse ferentem aurea mala cum ramis. Quae Iunonem admiratam, petisse a Terra, ut in suis hortis sereret, qui erant usque ad Atlantem montem. Cuius filiae cum saepius de arboribus mala decerperent, Iuno dicitur hunc ibi custodem posuisse; hoc etiam signi erit, quod in sideribus supra eum draconem Herculis simulacrum ostenditur, ut Eratosthenes demonstrat; quare quosvis licet intellegere hinc maxime draconem dici.

For Pherecydes says that when Jupiter was leading Juno as his wife, Earth came bearing golden apples on branches. Juno, admiring these, asked Earth that she plant them in her gardens, which reached as far as the Atlas mountain. When her daughters repeatedly plucked the fruits from the trees, Juno is said to have placed this one there as guardian; this will also be a token, that in the constellations above him the dragon and the image of Hercules are shown together, as Eratosthenes demonstrates; wherefore one may understand that from here especially he is called a dragon.

Nonnulli etiam dixerunt hunc draconem a gigantibus Minervae obiectum esse, cum eos oppugnaret; Minervam autem arreptum draconem contortum ad sidera iecisse, et ad ipsum axem caeli fixisse. Itaque adhuc eum implicato corpore videri, ut nuper ad sidera perlatum.

Some have also said that this dragon was hurled at Minerva by the giants when she attacked them; but Minerva, having seized the dragon, is said to have cast the twisted beast to the stars and fixed it to the very axle of the heavens. Thus even now he is seen with his body entwined, as if recently borne up to the stars.

IV. ARCTOPHYLAX. De hoc fertur ut sit Arcas nomine, Callistus et Iovis filius, quem dicitur Lycaon, cum Iuppiter ad eum in hospitium venisset, cum alia carne concisum pro epulis apposuisse. Studebat enim scire, si deus esset, qui suum hospitium desideraret; quo facto non minore poena est affectus. Nam statim Iuppiter, mensa proiecta, domum eius fulmine incendit; ipsum autem in lupi figuram convertit.

CHAPTER 4. ARCTOPHYLAX. It is said of him that he is Arcas by name, Callistus and son of Jupiter, whom Lycaon is said, when Jupiter had come to him as a guest, to have set before him for a feast meat cut from another. For he was eager to learn whether he was a god who sought his hospitality; this done, he suffered no lesser punishment. For immediately Jupiter, the table thrown down, set his house on fire with a thunderbolt; and he himself he turned into the form of a wolf.

At pueri membra collecta et composita in unum dedit cuidam Aetolorum alendum. Qui adulescens factus in silvis cum venaretur, inscius vidit matrem in ursae speciem conversam; quam interficere cogitans persecutus est in Iovis Lycaei templum, quo ei qui accessisset, mors poena erat Arcadum lege. Itaque cum utrumque necesse esset interfici, Iuppiter eorum misertus, ereptos inter sidera collocavit, ut ante diximus.

But the boy, his limbs gathered and fitted into one, he gave to a certain Aetolian to be reared. Who, having become an adolescent and hunting in the woods, unknowingly saw his mother changed into the guise of a she-bear; thinking to kill her he pursued her into the temple of Jupiter Lycaeus, into which whoever entered, by the law of the Arcadians, met death as punishment. Therefore, since one or the other had necessarily to be slain, Jupiter, pitying them, snatched them up and set them among the stars, as we said above.

Hic autem e facto sequens Ursam perspicitur, et Arctum servans Arctophylax est appellatus. Nonnulli hunc Icarum Erigones patrem dixerunt, cui propter iustitiam et pietatem existimatur Liber pater vinum et vitem et uvam tradidisse, ut ostenderet hominibus, quomodo sereretur, et quid ex eo nasceretur; et cum esset natum, quomodo id uti oporteret. Qui cum sevisset vitem, et diligentissime administrando floridam falce fecisset, dicitur hircus in vineam se coniecisse, et quae ibi tenerrima folia videret, decerpsisse.

But hereafter from the deed the Bear is seen, and guarding the Arctus he is called Arctophylax. Some called him the father of Icarus and Erigones, to whom, on account of his justice and pietas, Liber pater is thought to have handed over wine and the vine and the grape, that he might show men how it should be sown and what would be born from it; and when it had been grown, how it ought to be used. After he had planted the vine, and by most diligent tending had made it flourish with the pruning-sickle, it is said that a he-goat cast itself into the vineyard and plucked off the most tender leaves it there saw.

Quo facto Icarum irato animo tulisse eumque interfecisse, et ex pelle eius utrem fecisse, ac vento plenum praeligasse, et in medium proiecisse suosque sodales circum eum saltare coegisse. Itaque Eratosthenes ait: Ikarion posi prota peri tragon orchesanto. Alii dicunt Icarum, cum a Libero patre vinum accepisset, statim utres plenos in plaustrum inposuisse; hac re etiam Booten appellatum.

When this had been done, Icarus, in an angry mood, carried him off and killed him, and from his skin made a wineskin, and, having filled it with wind, inflated it and cast it into the midst, and forced his companions to dance around him. And Eratosthenes says: "Ikarion posi prota peri tragon orchesanto" — which may be rendered that Ikarion was set forward for the goat-song of the chorus. Others say that Icarus, when he had received wine from his father Liber, at once set the full wineskins upon a wagon; by this deed he was also called Boötes.

Qui cum perambulans Atticorum fines, pastoribus ostenderet, nonnulli eorum aviditate pleni, novo genere potionis inducti, somno consopiuntur, atque alius aliam se in partem reiciunt. Ut semimortua membra iactantes, alia ac decebat loquebantur, reliqui eorum arbitrati venenum ab Icaro datum pastoribus, ut eorum pecora abigeret in suos fines, Icarum interfectum in puteum deiecerunt, sed ut alii demonstrant secundum arborem quandam defoderunt. Qui autem obdormierant, experrecti cum se numquam melius quiesse faterentur, ac requirerent Icarum, ut pro beneficio munerarentur, interfectores eius animi conscientia permoti, statim se fugae mandaverunt et in insulam Ceorum pervenerant; a quibus ut hospites recepti, domicilia sibi constituerunt.

Who, while walking through the Attic bounds, showed [it] to the shepherds, some of whom, full of avidity and induced by a new kind of potion, fell asleep, and one cast himself to one side and another to another. Tossing about their half-dead limbs, they spoke other things as befitted; the rest of them, thinking that a poison had been given by Icarus to the shepherds so that he might drive their flocks into his own territories, cast Icarus, slain, into a well, but as others relate, they buried him beneath a certain tree. Those, however, who had fallen asleep, when awakened and confessing that they had never rested better, and seeking out Icarus to reward him for his kindness, the consciences of his killers being moved, straightway entrusted themselves to flight and reached the island of Ceos; by whom, received as guests, they established dwellings for themselves.

At Erigone Icari filia, permota desiderio parentis, cum eum non redire videret ac persequi conaretur, canis Icari, cui Maera fuit nomen, ululans tu videretur obitum domini lacrimare, rediit ad Erigonen. Cui non minimam cogitatae mortis suspicionem ostendit; neque enim puella timida suspicari debebat nisi patrem interfectum, qui tot dies ac menses abesset. At canis vestem eius tenens dentibus, perducit ad cadaver.

To Erigone, daughter of Icarus, stirred by longing for her parent, when she saw that he did not return and tried to pursue him, the dog of Icarus, whose name was Maera, howling as if to bewail the death of his master, returned to Erigone. This showed her no small suspicion of a contrived death; for the timid girl ought to suspect nothing else, since her father had been absent so many days and months. But the dog, holding his garment in its teeth, conducted her to the corpse.

Quod filia simul ut vidit, desperata spe, solitudine ac pauperie oppressa, multis miserata lacrimis in eadem arbore, sub qua parens sepultus videbatur, suspendio sibi mortem conscivit; cui canis mortuae spiritu suo parentavit. Nonnulli enim hunc ini puteum se deiecisse dixerunt, Anigrum nomine; quare postea neminem ex eo puteo bibisse memoriae tradiderunt. Quorum casum Iuppiter miseratus, in astris corpora eorum deformavit.

As soon as his daughter saw this, despairing of hope and oppressed by solitude and poverty, having bewailed him with many tears on the same tree under which her parent seemed buried, she hanged herself and resolved death for herself; the dog ministered to her with the breath of the dead. For some said that they had cast themselves into a certain well called Anigrum; wherefore afterward they handed down in memory that no one ever drank from that well. Whose fate Jupiter, having pitied, transformed their bodies into the stars.

Itaque complures Icarum Booten, Erigonen Virginem nominaverunt, de qua posteriusdicemus; canem autem sua appellatione et specie Caniculam dixerunt. Quae a Graecis, quod ante maiorem Canem exoritur, Procyon appellatur. Alii hos a Libero patre figuratos inter sidera dicunt.

Therefore many called Booten the Icaruses, and Erigone the Virgin — of whom we shall speak later; and they called the dog by its own appellation and aspect Canicula. Which by the Greeks is called Procyon, because it rises before the greater Dog. Others say that these were fashioned by Liber the father and placed among the stars.

Interim cum in finibus Atheniensium multae virgines sine causa suspendio sibi mortem consciscerent, quod Erigone moriens fuerat precata, ut eodem leto filiae Atheniensium adficerentur, quo ipsa foret obitura, nisi Icari mortem persecuti et eum forent ulti; itaque cum id evenisset, ut ante diximus, petentibus eis Apollo dedit responsum, si vellent eventu liberari, satisfacerent Erigonae. Qui quod ea se suspenderat, instituerunt uti tabula interposita pendentes funibus se iactarent, ut qui pendens vento movetur. Quod sacrificium sollemne instituerunt.

Meanwhile, when in the territory of the Athenians many maidens, for no cause, chose death by hanging for themselves — because Erigone, dying, had prayed that the daughters of the Athenians be stricken with the same death by which she herself would perish, unless they pursued Icarus’s death and avenged him — and when that had happened, as we said before, Apollo gave an answer to those asking him: that if they wished to be delivered by the event, they should make satisfaction to Erigone. Because she had hanged herself, they instituted that, with a plank interposed, they should cast themselves while suspended by ropes, like one who, hanging, is moved by the wind. They established this rite as a solemn sacrifice.

Itaque et privatim et publice faciunt, et id aletidos appellant, quod eam patrem persequentem cum cane, ut ignotam et solitariam oportebat, mendicam appellabant, quas Graeci aletidas nominant. Praeterea Canicula exoriens aestu Ceorum loca et agros fructibus orbabat et ipsos morbo adfectos poenas Icaro cum dolore sufferre cogebat, quod latrones recepissent. Quorum rex Aristaeus Apollinis et Cyrenes filius, Actaeonis pater, petiit a parente, quo facto calamitate civitatem posset liberare.

Therefore they do it both privately and publicly, and they call it aletidos, because they were calling her a beggar as befitted one pursued by her father with a dog, unknown and solitary, which the Greeks name aletidas. Moreover the Canicula, rising with heat, was depriving the lands and fields of Ceos of their fruits, and was forcing even those stricken by disease to endure punishments because they had harbored thieves. Their king Aristaeus, son of Apollo and Cyrene, father of Actaeon, begged of his parent that, by this having been done, he might be able to free the city from the calamity.

Quem deus iubet multis hostiis expiare Icari mortem, et ab Iove petere, ut, quo tempore Canicula exoriretur, dies XL ventum daret, qui aestum Caniculae mederetur. Quod iussum Aristaeus confecit et ab Iove impetravit ut etesiae flarent, quas nonnulli etesias dixerunt, quod quotannis certo tempore exoriuntur (etos enim Graece annus est Latine); nonnulli etiam aetesias appellaverunt, quod expostulatae sunt ab Iove et ita concessae. Sed de hoc in medio relinquetur, ne nos omnia praeripuisse existimemur.

Whom the god orders to expiate Icarus’s death with many sacrifices, and to beseech Jove that, at the time when the Canicula should rise, he grant a period of 40 days of wind, which would mend the heat of the Canicula. This command Aristaeus fulfilled and obtained from Jove that the etesiae should blow, which some called etesias, because they rise every year at a fixed season (for etos in Greek is year in Latin); others moreover called them aetesias, because they were demanded of Jove and thus granted. But on this point we will leave off in the middle, lest we seem to have anticipated everything.

Sed ut ad propositum revertamur, Hermippus qui de sideribus scripsit, ait Cererem cum Iasione Thusci filio concubuisse, quamobrem fulmine percussum conplures cum Homero dixerunt. Ex his, ut Petellides Gnosius historiarum scriptor demonstrat, nascuntur filii duo, Philomelus et Plutus; quos negant inter se convenisse. Nam Plutum, qui ditior fuerit, nihil fratri suo de bonis concessisse; Philomelum autem necessario adductum, quodcumque habuerit ex eo boves duos emisse, et ipsum primum plaustrum fabricatum esse.

But that I may return to the matter proposed, Hermippus, who wrote concerning the stars, says that Ceres lay with Iasion, son of Tuscus, wherefore, struck by lightning, many have said this together with Homer. From these, as Petellides Gnosius, writer of histories, demonstrates, two sons were born, Philomelus and Plutus; whom they assert did not agree with one another. For Plutus, who proved the richer, conceded nothing of the goods to his brother; whereas Philomelus, necessarily compelled, with whatever he had from him bought two oxen, and himself had the first wagon made.

Itaque arando et colendo agros ex eo se aluisse; cuius matrem inventa miratam, ut arantem eum inter sidera constituisse et Booten appellasse. Ex hoc autem Parianta demonstrant natum, qui de suo nomine Parios et oppidum Parion appellavit.

And so, by ploughing and cultivating the fields, they say they were nourished by him; his mother, when found, wondered that she had set him ploughing among the stars and had called him Bootes. From this, moreover, they show Parianta to have been born, who from his own name called Parios and the town Parion.

V. CORONA. Haec existimatur Ariadnes fuisse a Libero patre inter sidera collocata. Dicitur enim in insula Dia cum Ariadne Libero nuberet, hanc primum coronam muneri accepisse a Venere et Horis, cum omnes dei in eius nuptiis dona conferrent. Sed ut ait qui Cretica conscripsit, quo tempore Liber ad Minoa venit, cogitans Ariadnen comprimere, hanc coronam ei muneri dedit; qua delectata, non recusavit condicionem.

V. CORONA. This is thought to have been Ariadne’s, placed among the stars by her father Liber. For it is said that on the island of Dia, when Ariadne was to wed Liber, she first received this crown as a gift from Venus and the Horæ, when all the gods at her nuptials brought gifts. But, as he who wrote the Cretica relates, at the time when Liber came to Minos, intending to overpower Ariadne, he gave this crown to her as a present; delighted by which, she did not refuse the condition.

Dicitur etiam a Vulcano facta ex auro et indicis gemmis, per quas Theseus existimatur de tenebris labyrinthi ad lucem venisse; quod aurum et gemmae in obscuro fulgorem luminis efficiebant.

It is also said to have been made by Vulcan of gold and Indian gems, by which Theseus is reckoned to have come from the darkness of the labyrinth into the light; for the gold and gems produced a brightness of light in the dark.

Qui autem Argolica conscripserunt, hac afferunt causam. Quod Liber cum impetrasset a parente, ut Semelam matrem ab inferis reduceret, et quaerens ad eos descensionem, ad Argivorum fines pervenisset, obviam ei quendam factum nomine Hypolipnum, hominem dignum huius saeculi, qui petenti Libero descensionem monstraret. Hunc autem cum vidisset Hypolipnus puerum aetate miranda corporis pulchritudine reliquis praestantem, mercedem petisse ab eo, quae sine detrimento eius daretur.

But those who composed the Argolica bring this cause. That when Liber had obtained from his parent that he might lead Semele the mother back from the underworld, and seeking to descend to them had come to the borders of the Argives, a certain man met him by the name of Hypolipnus, a man worthy of this age, who showed the descent to the petitioner Liber. And when Hypolipnus had seen this boy, remarkable in youth and surpassing the rest in the wonderful beauty of his body, he asked a reward from him, one that would be given without detriment to him.

Liberum autem matris cupidum, si eam reduxisset, iurasse quod vellet se facturum; ita tamen, quod deus homini non pudenti iuraret. Quo Hypolipnus descensum monstravit. Igitur cum Liber ad eum locum venisset et vellet descendere, coronam quam a Venere muneri acceperat, deposuit in eo loco, qui Stephanos est a facto appellatus; noluit enim secum ferre, ne inmortale donum mortuorum tactu coinquinaretur.

But Liber, desirous of his mother, if he had restored her, had sworn that he would do whatever she wished; yet so, that a god should not swear to a man who is not ashamed. At this Hypolipnus pointed out the descent. Now when Hypolipnus had seen this boy, remarkable in years and surpassing the rest in the beauty of his body, he demanded of him a reward that would be given without injury to him. Therefore when Liber had come to that place and wished to descend, he laid down the crown which he had received as a gift from Venus in that spot, which from the deed was called Stephanos; for he would not carry it with him, lest the immortal gift be defiled by the touch of the dead.

Qui cum matrem incolumem reduxisset, coronam dicitur inter astra collocasse, ut aeterna memoria nominis afficeretur.

Who, when he had brought his mother back unharmed, is said to have placed the crown among the stars, that the eternal memory of his name might be endowed.

Alii dicunt hanc coronam Thesei esse, et hac re propter eum collocatam. Nam qui in astris dicitur Engonasin, is Theseus esse existimatur, de quo posterius plura dicemus. Dicitur enim, cum Theseus Cretam ad Minoa cum VII virginibus et sex pueris venisset, Minoa de virginibus Eriboeam quandam nomine, candore corporis inductum, comprimere voluisse.

Others say that this crown is Theseus’s, and placed there on his account. For he who is called Engonasin in the stars is thought to be Theseus, about whom we will say more later. It is said that, when Theseus came to Crete to Minos with 7 maidens and six boys, Minos wished, concerning the maidens, to subdue a certain one named Eriboea, adorned with the whiteness of her body.

Quod Theseus se passurum negavit, ut qui Neptuni filius esset et valeret contra tyrannum pro virginis incolumitate disceptare; itaque cum iam non de puella, sed de genere Thesei controversia facta esset, utrum is Neptuni filius esset necne, dicitur Minos anulum aureum de digito sibi detraxisse et in mare proiecisse. Quem referre iubet Thesea, si vellet se credi Neptuni filium esse; se enim ex Iove procreatum facile posse declarare. Itaque comprecatus patrem petiit aliquid signi, ut satisfaceret se ex eo natum; statimque tonitrum et fulgorem caeli indicium significationis fecisse.

He denied that he would endure it, as one who was a son of Neptune and was strong enough to contend with the tyrant for the virgin’s safety; and so, when the controversy had become no longer about the girl but about the lineage of Theseus, whether he was the son of Neptune or not, it is said that Minos drew a golden ring from his finger and cast it into the sea. He ordered that Theseus bring it back, if he wished to be believed the son of Neptune; for he could easily declare himself to have been begotten by Jove. Therefore he prayed to his father and begged some sign that he was born from him; and immediately thunder and the lightning of heaven made an indication of assent.

Simili de causa Theseus, sine ulla precatione aut religione parentis, in mare se proiecit. Quem confestim delphinum magna multitudo mari provoluta, lenissimis fluctibus ad Nereidas perduxit; a quibus anulum Minois, et a Thetide coronam, quam nuptiis a Venere muneri acceperat, retulit, compluribus lucentem gemmis. Alii autem a Neptuni uxore accepisse dicunt coronam, quam Ariadnae Theseus dono dicitur dedisse, cum ei propter virtutem et animi magnitudinem uxor esset concessa; hanc autem post Ariadnes mortem Liberum inter sidera collocasse.

For a similar reason Theseus, without any prayer or religious observance to his parent, flung himself into the sea. He was at once borne up by a great multitude of dolphins, and, on the gentlest of waves, was led to the Nereids; from whom he returned Minos’s ring and the crown of Thetis, which she had received as a nuptial gift from Venus, shining with many gems. Others, however, say that he received the crown from Neptune’s wife, which Theseus is said to have given to Ariadne as a gift, she having been granted to him as a wife on account of her virtue and greatness of spirit; and this crown, after Ariadne’s death, Liber placed among the stars.

VI. ENGONASIN. Hunc Eratosthenes Herculem dicit, supra draconem collocatum, de quo ante diximus, eumque paratum ut ad decertandum, sinistra manu pellem leonis, dextra clavam tenentem. Conatur interficere draconem Hesperidum custodem, qui numquam oculos operuisse somno coactus existimatur, quo magis custos adpositus esse demonstratur. Se quo etiam Panyasis in Heraclea dicit.

6. ENGONASIN. Eratosthenes calls this Hercules, placed above the dragon of which we spoke before, and ready for contest, holding the lion’s pelt in his left hand and a club in his right. He attempts to kill the dragon, guardian of the Hesperides, who is thought never to have been compelled to close his eyes in sleep, which rather demonstrates that he was set there as a guard. Panyasis likewise says the same in his Heraclea.

Horum igitur pugnam Iuppiter admiratus, inter astra constituit. Habet enim draco caput erectum, Hercules autem dextro genu nixus, sinistro pede capitis eius dextram partem obprimere conatur; dextra manu sublata ut feriens, sinistra proiecta cum pelle leonis, ut cum maxime dimicans apparet. Etsi quis sit hic negat Aratus posse quemquam demonstrare, tamen conabimur demonstrare, ut aliquid verisimile dicamus.

Jupiter, admiring this combat, therefore placed it among the stars. For the dragon has its head erect, and Hercules, leaning on his right knee, with his left foot strives to press down the right part of its head; his right hand raised as if striking, his left thrust forward with the lion’s skin, so that he appears to be most fiercely contending. Although someone may say that Aratus cannot demonstrate who this is, nevertheless we will try to show, that we may speak something plausible.

Araethus autem, ut ante diximus, hunc Cetea Lycaonis filium, Megistus patrem, dicit; qui videtur, ut lamentans filiam in ursae figuram conversam, genu nixus palmas diversas tendere ad caelum, ut eam sibi dii restituant. Hegesianax autem Thesea dixit esse, qui Troezene saxum extollere videtur, quod existimatur Aegeus sub eo ellopium ensem posuisse, et Aethrae Thesei matri praedixisse, ne ante eum Athenas mitteret, quam sua virtute lapide sublato, potuisset gladium patri referre. Itaque niti videtur, ut quam altissime possit, lapidem extollat.

Araethus, however, as we said before, calls this one Ceteus, son of Lycaon, Megistus the father; who appears, lamenting that his daughter has been changed into the form of a bear, kneeling and stretching his palms in different directions toward heaven, that the gods may restore her to him. Hegesianax, however, said it was Theseus, who seems to be lifting a stone at Troezen, which is thought that Aegeus placed under it the sword of Elops, and had foretold to Aethra, mother of Theseus, that she should not send him to Athens before, by his own virtue having lifted the stone, he could carry the sword back to his father. Therefore he seems to strain so as to raise the stone as high as he can.

Hac etiam de causa nonnulli lyram, quae proxima ei signo est collocata, Thesei esse dixerunt, quod ut eruditus omni genere artium, lyram quoque didicisse videbatur. Idque et Anacreon dicit:

For this reason some have said that the lyre, which is placed next to that sign, is Theseus’s, because, being erudite in every kind of art, he also seemed to have learned the lyre. And Anacreon says this too:

agchou d'Aigeideo Theseos esti lyre.

and close at hand is the lyre of Aegeidean Theseus.

Alii autem Thamyrim a Musis excaecatum, ut supplicem ad genua iacentem dicunt; alii Orphea a Thraciis mulieribus interfici, quod viderit Liberi patris initia. Aeschylus autem in fabula, quae inscribitur Prometheus lyomenos, Herculem ait esse, non cum dracone, sed cum Liguribus depugnantem. Dicit enim, quo tempore Hercules ab Geryone boves abduxerit, iter fecisse per Ligurum fines; quos conatos ab eo pecus abducere, manus contulisse et complures eorum sagittis confixisse.

Others, however, say that Thamyris was blinded by the Muses, lying as a suppliant at their knees; others that Orpheus was slain by Thracian women because he had seen the initiatory rites of Father Liber. Aeschylus, moreover, in the drama entitled Prometheus Lyomenos, says that Hercules fought not with the dragon but with the Ligurians. For he relates that, at the time when Hercules had driven off the cattle from Geryon, he passed through the bounds of the Ligurians; and when they attempted to carry the herd away from him, he laid hands on them and slew many of them with arrows.

Sed postquam Herculi tela defecerint, multitudine barbarorum et inopia armorum defessum, se ingeniculasse, multis iam vulneribus acceptis. Iovem autem misertum filii, curasse, ut circa eum magna lapidum copia esset; quibus se Herculem defendisse et hostes fugasse. Itaque Iovem similitudinem pugnantis inter sidera constituisse.

But after Hercules’ weapons had failed, exhausted by the multitude of barbarians and by a scarcity of arms, he had knelt down, having already received many wounds. Jupiter, however, pitying his son, cared that about him there should be a great store of stones; with which Hercules defended himself and put the enemies to flight. And so Jupiter set the likeness of the fighter among the stars.

Hunc etiam nonnulli Ixiona brachiis vinctis esse dixerunt, quod vim Iunoni voluerit adferre; alii Promethea in monte Caucaso vinctum.

Some even said that this man was Ixion, bound with his arms, because he had wished to offer violence to Juno; others (said) Prometheus bound on Mount Caucasus.

VII. LYRA intere sidera constituta est hac, ut Eratosthenes ait, de causa, quod initio a Mercurio facta de testudine, Orpheo est tradita, qui Calliopes et Oeagri filius, eius rei maxime studiosus fuit. Itaque existimatur suo artificio feras etiam ad se audiendum adlicuisse.

7. LYRA was likewise set among the stars for this reason, as Eratosthenes says, because originally made by Mercury from a tortoise, it was handed down to Orpheus, who, the son of Calliope and Oeagrus, was most devoted to that art. And thus it is believed that by his skill he even enticed wild beasts to listen to him.

Qui querens uxoris Eurydices mortem, ad inferos descendisse existimatur, et ibi deorum progeniem suo carmine laudasse, praeter Liberum patrem; hunc enim oblivione ductus praetermisit, ut Oeneus in sacrificio Dianam. Postea igitur Orpheus, ut complures dixerunt, in Olympo monte, qui Macedoniam dividit a Thracia, sed ut Eratosthenes ait, Pangaeo sedens, cum cantu delectaretur, dicitur ei Liber obiecisse Bacchas, quae corpus eius discerperent interfecti. Sed alii dicunt, quod initia Liberi sit speculatus, id ei accidisse; Musas autem collecta membra sepulturae mandasse, et lyram quo maxime potuerunt beneficio, illius memoriae causa figuratam stellis inter sidera constituisse Apollinis et Iovis voluntate.

Who, lamenting the death of his wife Eurydice, is thought to have descended to the underworld, and there to have praised the progeny of the gods in his song, all except Liber the father; for, led by oblivion, he passed him over, as Oeneus did Diana in a sacrifice. Later therefore Orpheus, as many said, on Mount Olympus, which divides Macedonia from Thrace, but as Eratosthenes says, sitting on Pangaeus, while he delighted with song, it is said that Liber set Bacchae upon him, who tore his body to pieces, having slain him. But others say that because he had spied the mysteries/initiations of Liber this befell him; and that the Muses, having collected his limbs, committed them to burial, and that they, by the favor they could bestow, fashioned his lyre in remembrance and placed it among the stars between the constellations by the will of Apollo and Jove.

Quorum Orpheus Apollinem maxime laudarat, Iuppiter autem filiae beneficium concessit. Alii autem dicunt Mercurium, cum primum lyram fecisset in Cyllene monte Arcadiae, septem chordas instituisse ex Atlantidum numero, quod Maia una ex illarum numero esset, quae Mercurii est mater. Deinde postea cum Apollinis boves abegisset, deprehensus ab eo, quo sibi facilius ignosceret, petenti Apollini, ut liceret dicere se invenisse lyram, concessit, et ab eo virgulam quandam muneri accepit.

Of whom Orpheus had most praised Apollo, and Jupiter granted a benefit to the daughter. Others, however, say that Mercury, when he first made the lyre on Mount Cyllene in Arcadia, set seven strings from the number of the Atlantides, because Maia was one of that number who is Mercury’s mother. Then later, when he had driven off Apollo’s cattle, being seized by him — by whom he might the more easily be forgiven — and asking Apollo that it be allowed to say he had found the lyre, Apollo granted this, and he received from him a certain rod as a gift.

Quam manu tenens Mercurius, cum proficisceretur in Arcadiam et vidisset duos dracones inter se coniuncto corpore alium alium appetere, ut qui dimicare inter se viderentur, virgulam inter utrumque subiecit; itaque discesserunt. Quo facto, eam virgulam pacis causa dixit esse constitutam. Nonnulli etiam cum faciunt caduceos, duos dracones implicatos virgula faciunt, quod initium Mercurio fuerat pacis.

Holding it in his hand, Mercury, as he was setting out for Arcadia and had seen two dragons with their bodies joined attacking one another as though they were to fight, thrust the rod between them; and so they separated. After this he declared that rod to have been appointed for the sake of peace. Some likewise, when they make caducei, fashion two dragons entwined about the rod, because the origin of the caduceus for Mercury was peace.

Eius exemplo et athleticis et in reliquis eiusmodi certationibus virgula utuntur. Sed ut ad propositum revertamur, Apollo lyra accepta dicitur Orphea docuisse, et postquam ipse citharam invenerit, illi lyram concessisse. Nonnulli etiam dixerunt Venerem cum Proserpina ad iudicium Iovis venisse, cui earum Adonim concederet.

By his example they use the rod in athletics and in other contests of that kind. But to return to the matter proposed, Apollo, having received the lyre, is said to have taught Orpheus, and after he himself had invented the cithara, to have granted the lyre to him. Some also said that Venus, with Proserpina, came to the judgment of Jupiter, to whom she assigned Adonis.

Quibus Calliopen ab Iove datam iudicem, quae Musa Orphei est mater; itaque iudicasse, uti dimidiam partem anni earum unaquaeque possideret. Venerem autem indignatam, quod non sibi proprium concessisset, obiecisse omnibus quae in Thracia essent mulieribus, ut Orphea amore inductae ita sibi quaeque appeterent, ut membra discerperent. Cuius caput in mare de monte perlatum, fluctibus in insulam Lesbum est reiectum; quod ab his sublatum et sepulturae est mandatum.

To these Calliope, given by Jove as judge and who is the Muse and mother of Orpheus, judged that each of them should possess half a year. But Venus, indignant that the prize had not been granted to her, laid upon all the women who were in Thrace that, led by love for Orpheus, they should so vie for him for her as to rend his limbs. His head, carried from the mountain into the sea, was cast by the waves upon the island of Lesbos; it was taken up by them and committed to burial.

Pro quo beneficio ad musicam artem ingeniosissimi existimantur esse. Lyra autem a Musis, ut ante diximus, inter astra constituta est. Nonnulli aiunt, quod Orpheus primus puerilem amorem induxerit, mulieribus visum contumeliam fecisse; hac re ab his interfectum.

For this favor they are reckoned most ingenious in the art of music. The lyre, however, by the Muses, as we said before, was placed among the stars. Some say that Orpheus first introduced boyish love, which seemed an affront to the women; for this reason he was slain by them.

VIII. OLOR. Hunc Graeci cygnum appellant; quem conplures, propter ignotam illis historiam, communi genere avium ornin appellaverunt. De quo haec memoriae prodi est causa.

CHAPTER 8. SWAN. The Greeks call this a cygnum; which many, on account of that history being unknown to them, called by the common genus of birds ornin. Concerning which this is set forth for the sake of memory.

Iuppiter cum, amore inductus, Nemesin diligere coepisset neque ab ea ut secum concumberet impetrare potuisset, hac cogitatione amore est liberatus. Iubet enim Venerem aquilae simulatam se sequi; ipse in olorem conversus ut aquilam fugiens ad Nemesin confugit et in eius gremio se collocavit. Quem Nemesis non aspernata, amplexum tenens somno est consopita; quam dormientem Iuppiter compressit.

Jupiter, having been led by love, began to cherish Nemesis, and since he could not obtain that she lie with him, he was freed from this anxiety by a stratagem of love. For he ordered Venus, having feigned herself an eagle, to follow him; he himself, turned into a swan, fleeing like the eagle, fled to Nemesis and placed himself in her lap. Nemesis, not having scorned him, holding the embraced one, was lulled by sleep; and Jupiter, with her asleep, pressed her.

Ipse autem avolavit, et quod ab hominibus alte volans caelo videbatur, inter sidera dictus est esse constitutus. Quod ne falsum diceretur, Iuppiter e facto eum volantem et aquilam consequentem locavit in mundo. Nemesis autem, ut quae avium generi esset iuncta, mensibus actis, ovum procreavit.

He himself flew away, and that which, flying high, seemed to men to be in the sky was said to have been established among the stars. So that this might not be called false, Jupiter, from the fact, placed him flying and the eagle following him in the world. Nemesis, however, as one joined to the bird kind, after the months had passed, produced an egg.

Quod Mercurius auferens detulit Spartam et Ledae sedenti in gremium proiecit; eo quo nascitur Helena, ceteras specie corporis praestans, quam Leda suam filiam nominavit. Alii autem cum Leda Iovem concubuisse in olorem conversum dixerunt; de quo in medio relinquemus.

Which Mercury, carrying her off, brought her to Sparta and cast her into the lap of Leda as she sat; from whom Helen was born, surpassing the others in the beauty of her body, whom Leda named her daughter. Others, however, said that Jupiter had lain with Leda having been turned into a swan; of whom we will leave in the middle.

IX. CEPHEUS. Hunc Euripides cum ceteris Phoenicis filium Aethiopum regem esse demonstravit, Andromedae patrem, quam ceto propositam notissimae historiae dixerunt. Hanc autem Perseum a periculo liberatam uxorem duxisse. Itaque ut totum genus eorum perpetuo maneret, ipsum quoque Cephea inter sidera superiores numerasse.

9. CEPHEUS. Euripides, with others, showed him to be the son of Phoenice and king of the Ethiopians, the father of Andromeda, whom, offered to the sea-monster, they called the most famous tale. They also say that Perseus, having freed her from danger, took her as his wife. And so, that their whole race might remain perpetually, they also reckoned Cepheus himself among the higher stars.

X. CASSIEPIA. De hac Euripides et Sophocles et alii complures dixerunt, ut gloriata sit se forma Nereidas praestare. Pro quo facto inter sidera sedens in siliquastro constituta est. Quae propter impietatem, vertente se mundo, resupinato capite ferri videtur.

10. CASSIEPIA. Of this Euripides and Sophocles and many others have spoken, that she, boasting, surpassed the Nereids in beauty. For that deed she was placed among the stars, set in a shell. Which, on account of her impiety, with the world having turned, seems to be borne with her head thrown back.

XI. ANDROMEDA. Haec dicitur Minervae beneficio inter sidera collocata, propter Persei virtutem, quod eam ceto propositam periculo liberarat. Nec enim ab ea minorem animi benevolentiam pro beneficio accepit. Nam neque pater Cepheus, neque Cassiepia mater ab ea potuerunt impetrare, quin parentes ac patriam relinquens Persea sequeretur.

11. ANDROMEDA. She is said to have been placed among the stars by the favour of Minerva, on account of Perseus’s virtue, because he had freed her when set forth to the danger of the cetus. Nor did she feel any lesser benevolence of mind toward her benefactor for the benefit received. For neither father Cepheus nor mother Cassiepia could obtain from her that Perseus should not follow; rather, Perseus followed, leaving his parents and his native land.

Sed de hac Euripides hoc eodem nomine fabulam commodissime scribit.

But concerning this Euripides most aptly writes a play of the very same name.

XII. PERSEUS. Hic nobilitatis causa et quod inusitato genere concubitionis esset natus, ad sidera dicitur pervenisse. Qui missus a Polydecte Magnetis filio ad Gorgonas, a Mercurio, qui eum dilexisse existimatur, talaria et petasum accepit; praeterea galeam, qua indutus ex adverso non poterat videri.

12. PERSEUS. This one, for the sake of his nobility and because he had been born of an unusual kind of concubition, is said to have reached the stars. He, sent by Polydectes, son of Magnes, to the Gorgons, received from Mercury — who is thought to have loved him — the talaria and the petasus; moreover a helmet, by which, when donned, he could not be seen from the front.

Itaque Graeci Aidos galeam dixerunt esse, non ut quidam inscientissime interpretantur, eum Orci galeam usum; quae res nemini docto potest probari. Fertur etiam a Vulcano falcem accepisse ex adamante factam, qua Medusam Gorgona interfecit; quod factum nemo conscripsit. Sed ut ait Aeschylus tragoediarum scriptor in Phorcisi, Graeae fuerunt Gorgonum custodes; de quibus in primo libro Genealogiarum scripsimus.

Therefore the Greeks said that Aidos was a helmet, not—as some most ignorantly interpret—that it was used as the helmet of Orcus; a thing which can be approved by no learned man. It is also reported that he received from Vulcan a sickle made of adamant, with which he killed Medusa the Gorgon; a deed which no one has recorded. But as Aeschylus, writer of tragedies, says in Phorcis, the Graeae were the guardians of the Gorgons; about whom we wrote in the first book of Genealogies.

Quae utraeque uno oculo usae existimantur, et ita suo quaeque tempore accepto oculo vigilias egisse. Hunc Perseus, una earum tradente, exceptum in paludem Tritonidam proiecit. Itaque custodibus excaecatis, facile Gorgonam somno consopitam interfecit.

Both of them are thought to have used a single eye, and thus, each having received the eye in her own time, to have kept vigil. Perseus, one of them handing this over, having taken it, cast it into the Tritonian marsh. And so, with the guardians blinded, he easily slew the Gorgon, her having been lulled into sleep.

Cuius caput Minerva in pectore dicitur habere collocatum. Euhemerus quidem Gorgonam a Minerva dicit interfectam; de quo alio tempore plura dicemus.

Whose head Minerva is said to have placed upon her breast. Euhemerus indeed says that the Gorgon was slain by Minerva; concerning whom at another time we will tell more.

XIII. HENIOCHUS. Hunc nos aurigam Latine dicimus, nomine Erichthonium, ut Eratosthenes monstrat. Quem Iuppiter cum vidisset primum inter homines equos quadrigis iunxisse, admiratus est ingenium hominis ad Solis inventa accessisse, quod is princeps quadrigis inter deos est usus.

CHAPTER 13. HENIOCHUS. We call this aurigam charioteer in Latin, by the name Erichthonius, as Eratosthenes shows. Whom Jupiter, when he saw that he first among men had yoked horses to a quadriga, admired that the ingenuity of man had approached the inventions of the Sun, since he is foremost in the use of chariots among the gods.

Sed Erichthonius et quadrigas, ut ante diximus, et sacrificia Minervae et templum in arce Atheniensium primus instituit. De cuius progenie Euripides ita dicit: Vulcanum Minervae pulchritudine corporis inductum, petisse ab ea, uti sibi nuberet, neque impetrasse; et coepisse Minervam sese occultare in eo loco, qui propter Vulcani amorem Hephaestius est appellatus. Quo persecutum Vulcanum, ferunt coepisse ei vim afferre, et cum plenus cupiditatis ad eam ut complexui se applicaret, repulsus effudit in terram voluptatem.

But Erichthonius was the first, as we said above, to institute both quadrigas and sacrifices to Minerva and a temple on the Athenian citadel. Of whose progeny Euripides says thus: that Vulcan, led on by Minerva’s bodily beauty, begged of her that she marry him, and did not obtain it; and that he began to hide himself in that place which, on account of Vulcan’s love, is called Hephaestius. When Vulcan pursued her thither, they say he began to use force against her, and when, full of desire, he sought to apply himself to her in embrace, being repulsed he poured out his pleasure upon the earth.

Quo Minerva, pudore permota, pede pulverem iniecit. Ex hoc autem nascitur Erichthonius anguis, qui ex terra et eorum dissensione nomen possedit. Eum dicitur Minerva in cistula quadam ut mysteria contectum, ad Erechthei filias detulisse et his dedisse servandum; quibus interdixit, ne cistulam aperirent.

Whereupon Minerva, moved by modesty, cast dust with her foot. From this, however, was born Erichthonius the serpent, who derived his name from the earth and from their dissension. It is said that Minerva, having wrapped him as a mystery in a certain cistula, brought him to the daughters of Erechtheus and gave him to them to be kept; to whom she forbade that they open the cistula.

Sed ut hominum est natura cupida, ut eo magis appetant, quo interdicatur saepius, virgines cistam aperuerunt et anguem viderunt. Quo facto, insania a Minerva iniecta, de arce Atheniensium se praecipitaverunt. Anguis autem ad Minervae clipeum confugit et ab ea est educatus.

But as is human nature—desirous, and the more they long for what is forbidden the oftener it is interdicted—the maidens opened the casket and saw the serpent. When this was done, madness, cast upon them by Minerva, seized them, and they hurled themselves from the citadel of the Athenians. The serpent, however, fled for refuge to Minerva’s shield and was brought forth by her.

Alii autem anguina tantum crura habuisse Erichthonium dixerunt, eumque primo tempore adulescentiae ludos Minervae Panathenaea fecisse et ipsum quadrigis cucurrisse; pro quibus factis inter sidera dicitur collocatus. Nonnulli etiam, qui de sideribus scripserunt, hunc natione Argeum, Orsilochum nomine, primum quadrigarum inventorem esse dixerunt et pro inventione siderum locum possedisse. Alii autem hunc Mercurii filium ex Clytia natum, nomine Myrtilum, Oenomai aurigam definierunt, cuius post notam omnibus mortem parens corpus in mundo constituisse existimatur.

Others, however, said that Erichthonius had only serpentine legs, and that in the first season of his youth he celebrated the games of Minerva, the Panathenaea, and himself ran in chariots; for these deeds he is said to have been placed among the stars. Some also, who wrote about the constellations, said that this man was Argive by nation, named Orsilochus, the first inventor of the quadriga, and that for the invention of the chariot he obtained a place among the stars. Others, however, defined him as a son of Mercury, born of Clytia, named Myrtilus, the charioteer of Oenomaus, whose death, afterwards known to all by a token, is thought to have left the parent’s body established in the world.

Huius in numero sinistro Capra instare, et in manu sinistra Haedi videntur formati; de quibus nonnulli ita dicunt: Olenum quendam fuisse Vulcani filium; ex hoc duas nymphas Aega et Helicen natas, quae Iovis fuerunt nutrices. Alii autem etiam ab his urbes quasdam appellari dixerunt, et Olenon in Aulide, Helicen autem in Peloponneso, et [Aegam in] Haemonia ibi nominari, de quibus Homerus in Iliadis secundo dicit. Parmeniscus autem ait Melissea quendam fuisse Cretae regem; ad eius filias Iovem nutriendum esse delatum.

In his left number a Goat is said to stand, and on the left hand the Kids (Haedi) appear formed; of whom some say thus: that one Olenus had been a son of Vulcan; from him two nymphs, Aega and Helice, were born, who were nurses of Jove. Others again said that certain cities were named from these, Olenus in Aulis, Helice in the Peloponnese, and [Aegam in] Haemonia to be called there, of which Homer speaks in the second book of the Iliad. Parmeniscus, however, says that Melisseus was a certain king of Crete; that Jove was carried to be nourished by his daughters.

Quae quod lac non habuerint, capram ei admisisse, Amaltheam nomine, quae eum dicitur educasse. Hanc autem geminos haedos solitam esse procreare et fere eo tempore peperisse, quo Iuppiter nutriendus est adlatus. Itaque propter beneficium matris et haedos quoque dicitur inter sidera collocasse.

Because they had no milk, they admitted to him a she-goat, named Amalthea, who is said to have reared him. This she-goat moreover was wont to produce twin kids and almost at that time gave birth to them, when Jupiter was brought to be nursed. Therefore, on account of the kindness of the nurse and of the kids, he is said also to have placed them among the stars.

Hos autem haedos Cleostratus Tenedius dicitur primus inter sidera ostendisse. Musaeus autem dicit Iovem nutritum a Themide et Amalthea nympha; quibus eum mater Ops tradidisse existimatur. Amaltheam autem habuisse capram quandam ut in deliciis, quae Iovem dicitur aluisse.

These kids, however, Cleostratus Tenedius is said to have first shown among the stars. Musaeus, on the other hand, says that Jupiter was nursed by Themis and the nymph Amalthea; to whom his mother Ops is thought to have entrusted him. Amalthea is said moreover to have had a certain goat as a delight, which nourished Jupiter.

Nonnulli etiam Aega Solis filiam dixerunt, multis candore corporis praestantem, cui contrarius pulchritudinis horribilis aspectus exsistebat. Quo Titanes perterriti petierunt a Terra, ut eius corpus obscuraret; quam Terra specu quodam celasse dicitur in insula Creta. Quae postea Iovis fuisse nutrix, ut ante ostendimus, demonstratur.

Some even said Aega to be the daughter of Sol, excelling in the whiteness of her body, to whom, contrary to that beauty, a horrid aspect existed. By this the Titans, terrified, begged of Terra that she obscure her body; whom Terra is said to have hidden in a certain cave on the island of Crete. Which afterwards is shown, as we have demonstrated above, to have been nurse of Iovis.

Sed cum Iuppiter fidens adulescentia, bellum contra Titanas appararet, responsum est ei, si vincere vellet, ut aigos pelle tectus et capite Gorgonis bellum administraret, quam aegida Graeci appellaverunt. Itaque facto eo, quod supra declaravimus, Iuppiter Titanas superans regnum est adeptus, et reliqua ossa aigos caprina pelle contecta, anima donavit et stellis figuratam memoriae commendavit; et postea, quibus ipse vicerat tectus, Minervae concessit. Euhemerus ait Aega quandam fuisse Panos uxorem; eam ab Iove compressam peperisse, quem viri sui Panos diceret filium; itaque puerum Aegipana, Iovem autem Aegiochum appellatum.

But when Jupiter, confident in youth, prepared war against the Titans, he was told that if he wished to win he should conduct the war clad in aigos goat-skin and with the head of the Gorgon on his brow — which the Greeks called the aegis. And so, having done that which we above set forth, Jupiter, conquering the Titans, obtained the kingdom, and he gave life to the remaining bones covered by the aigos goat-skin, and entrusted them to the stars as a memorial; and afterward he granted those whom he had thus conquered, clad as they were, to Minerva. Euhemerus says that Aega was once the wife of Pan; that she, having been embraced by Jove, bore a son whom her husband Pan called his own; therefore the boy was called Aegipanes, but Jove called him Aegiochus.

Qui, quod eum diligebat plurimum, inter astra caprae figuram memoriae causa collocavit.

Who, because he most dearly cherished her, placed the figure of the goat among the stars for the sake of memory.

XIV. OPHIUCHUS, qui apud nostros scriptores Anguitenens est dictus, supraScorpionem constituitur, tenens manibus anguem medium corpus eius implicantem. Hunc complures Carnabonta nomine dixerunt Getarum, qui suunt in Thracia, regem fuisse; qui eodem tempore rerum est potitus, quo primum semina frugum mortalibus tradita esse existimantur.

14. OPHIUCHUS, who among our writers is called Anguitenens, is placed above the Scorpion, holding with his hands a snake that entwines his mid-body. Many called this one Carnabonta by name, saying he had been king of the Getae, who are in Thrace; who obtained mastery of things at the same time when the seeds of the crops are thought to have first been handed down to mortals.

Ceres enim cum sua beneficia largiretur hominibus, Triptolemum, cuius ipsa fuerat nutrix, in curru draconum collocatum (qui primus omnium una rota dicitur usus, ne cursu moraretur) iussit omnium nationum agros circumeuntem semina partiri, quo facilius ipsi posterique eorum a fero victu segregarentur. Qui cum pervenisset ad eum, quem supra diximus Getarum regem, ab eo primum hospitaliter acceptus, deinde non ut beneficus advena et innocens, sed ut crudelissimus hostis insidiis captus, aliorum paratus producere, suam paene perdidit vitam. Carnabontis enim iussu cum draco unus eorum esset interfectus, ne cum Triptolemus sensisset insidias sibi parari, curru praesidium sibi constituere speraret, Ceres eo venisse et ereptum adulescenti currum, dracone altero subiecto, reddidisse, regem pro coepto maleficio poena non mediocri adfecisse narratur.

For when Ceres was bestowing her benefits upon men, she placed Triptolemus, whom she herself had nursed, in a chariot of dragons (which is said to have been the first ever to use a single wheel, lest it be delayed in its course) and commanded him to traverse the fields of all nations distributing seeds, so that by this means they and their posterity might be separated from a savage mode of life. But when he came to the man we above named the king of the Getae, having first been received hospitably by him, he was afterwards, not treated as a beneficent stranger and innocent, but captured by the treachery of a most cruel enemy; prepared by others to be led forth, he nearly lost his life. For by Carnabontes’ command one of those dragons was slain, so that when Triptolemus should perceive plots being laid against him he might hope to set up a defence for himself with the chariot; and it is told that Ceres, coming there and snatching back the chariot for the youth with another dragon put under it, punished the king for his attempted wickedness with no slight penalty.

Hegesianax enim dicit, Cererem memoriae hominum causa ita Carnabonta sideribus figurasse, manibus tenentem draconem ut interficere existimetur. Qui ita vixerat acerbe, ut iucundissimam sibi conscisceret mortem. Alii autem Herculem esse demonstrant, in Lydia apud flumen Sagarim anguem interficientem, qui te homines conplures interficiebat et ripam frugibus orbabat.

Hegesianax indeed says that Ceres, for the sake of the memory of men, thus portrayed Carnabonta among the stars, holding a dracon in his hands as though about to be slain. He had lived so harshly that he chose for himself a most pleasant death. Others, however, identify him as Hercules, killing a snake in Lydia by the river Sagarus, who was slaying many men and robbing the riverbank of its fruits.

Pro quo facto ab Omphala, quae ibi regnabat, multis ornatum muneribus Argos remissum, ab Iove autem propter fortitudinem inter sidera collocatum. Nonnulli etiam Triiopan Thessalorum regem dixerunt esse; qui cum suum domicilium tegere conaretur, Cereris ab antiquis collocatum diruit templum. Pro quo facto a Cerere fame obiecta, numquam postea frugibus ullis saturari potuisse existimantur.

For this deed, by Omphale, who reigned there, he was sent back to Argos richly adorned with many gifts, and by Jove, on account of his strength, was placed among the stars. Some also said that he was Triopas, king of the Thessalians; who, when he attempted to roof his domicile, razed a temple anciently dedicated to Ceres. For this deed he is thought to have been afflicted by Ceres with famine, and never afterward to have been able to be sated with any fruits.

Novissime prope ad terminum vitae dracone obiecto, mala plurima perpessus, aliquando mortem adeptus, inter astra Cereris voluntate est constitutus. Itaque adhuc videtur eum draco circumplexus aeterna merentem adficere poena. Polyzelus autem Rhodius hunc Phorbanta nomine demonstrat, qui Rhodiis auxilio maximo fuisse demonstratur.

Finally, near the end of his life, having been set upon by a dragon and having suffered very many evils, he at length met death and was placed among the stars by the will of Ceres. Thus even now the dragon, having entwined him, seems to visit him with an eternal, deserved punishment. Polyzelus the Rhodian, however, identifies him by the name Phorbanta, who is shown to have rendered the Rhodians the greatest assistance.

Nam cum eorum insulam, serpentium multitudine occupatam, cives Ophiussam appellassent, et in ea multitudine ferarum draco fuisset ingenti magnitudine, qui plurimos eorum interfecisset, et patria deinque deserta carere coepisset, dicitur Phorbas Triopae filius ex Hiscilla Myrmidonis filia natus, eo tempestate delatus, omnes feras et eum draconem interfecisse. Qui cum maxime Apollini dilectus esset, locatus inter sidera dicitur, ut interficiens draconem laudis et memoriae causa videretur. Itaque Rhodii quotienscumque longius a litore prodeunt classe, prius sacrificant Phorbantis adventu, ut talis eventus inopinatae virtutis accidat civibus, qualis inscium Phorbanta futurae laudis ad sidera gloriae pertulit casus.

For when they had called their island Ophiussa, occupied by a multitude of serpents, and in that multitude of beasts there was a dragon of enormous magnitude, which had killed very many of them, and the homeland then, having been deserted, began to lack inhabitants, it is said that Phorbas, son of Triops, born of Hiscilla the daughter of Myrmidon, being brought there at that time, slew all the beasts and that dragon. Who, since he was especially beloved by Apollo, is said to have been placed among the stars, that by slaying the dragon he might be seen for the sake of praise and memory. And so the Rhodians, whenever they put out from the shore with the fleet for a long voyage, first sacrifice at Phorbantes’ arrival, that such an event of unexpected valor may befall the citizens as the fortune brought Phorbas, unknowing of his future praise, to the stars of glory.

Complures etiam astrologi hunc Aesculapium finxerunt, quem Iuppiter Apollinis causa inter astra collocavit. Aesculapius enim cum esset inter homines, et medicina ceteris praestaret, ut non satis ei videretur hominum dolores levare, nisi etiam mortuos revocaret ad vitam, novissime fertur Hippolytum, quod iniquitate novercae et inscientia parentis erat interfectus, sanasse, ita uti Eratosthenes dicit. Nonnulli Glaucum Minoos filium eius opera revixisse dixerunt; pro quo, ut peccato, Iovem domum eius fulmine incendisse, ipsum autem propter artificium et Apollinem eius patrem inter sidera anguem tenentem constituisse.

Many astrologers also fabricated this Aesculapius, whom Jupiter placed among the stars for Apollo’s sake. For when Aesculapius was among men and excelled others in medicine, since it did not seem enough to him to relieve men’s pains unless he also recalled the dead to life, he is said lastly to have healed Hippolytus, who had been killed by the wickedness of his stepmother and by his father’s ignorance, as Eratosthenes relates. Some said that Glaucus, son of Minos, had been revived by his arts; for this sin, it is said, Jupiter burned his house with a thunderbolt, and, because of his craft, set him among the stars as a serpent, together with his father Apollo.

Ut quidam dixerunt, de hac causa anguem dicitur tenere. Quod cum Glaucum cogeretur sanare, conclusus quodam loco secreto, bacillum tenens manu, cum quid ageret cogitaret, dicitur anguis ad bacillum eius adrepsisse; quem Aesculapius mente commotus interfecit, bacillo fugientem feriens saepius. Postea fertur alter anguis eodem venisse, ore ferens herbam, et in caput eius inposuisse; quo facto, utrosque loco fugisse; quare Aesculapium usum eadem herba et Glaucum revixisse.

As some have said, on this account he is said to hold a serpent. Now when Glaucus was constrained to heal, shut up in a certain secret place, holding a staff in his hand, and pondering what he should do, a snake is said to have crept to his staff; Aesculapius, moved in mind, killed it, striking the fleeing creature often with his staff. Afterwards another snake is said to have come to the same place, bearing a herb in its mouth, and to have laid it upon his head; when this was done both fled the place; wherefore Aesculapius employed the same herb and Glaucus was revived.

Itaque anguis et in Aesculapii tutela et in astris dicitur collocatus. Qua consuetudine ducti posteri eius tradiderunt reliquis, ut medici anguibus uterentur.

And so the snake is said to have been set both in the tutelage of Aesculapius and among the stars. By that custom his posterity handed it down to the rest, so that physicians might make use of snakes.

XV. SAGITTA. Hanc unam de Herculis telis esse demonstrant, qua aquilam dicitur interfecisse, quae Promethei iocinera fertur exedisse; de quo pluribus dicere non inutile videtur. Antiqui cum maxima caerimonia deorum inmortalium sacrificia administrarent, soliti sunt totas hostias in sacrorum consumere flamma. Itaque cum propter sumptus magnitudinem sacrificia pauperibus non optingerent, Prometheus, qui propter excellentiam ingenii miram homines finxisse existimatur, recusatione dicitur ab Iove impetrasse, ut partem hostiae in ignem coicerent, partem in suo consumerent victu; idque postea consuetudo firmavit.

15. ARROW. They show this one to be among Hercules’ weapons, with which he is said to have slain the eagle that is reported to have devoured Prometheus’ dainties; about which it does not seem useless to say more. The ancients, when they administered sacrifices to the immortal gods with the greatest ceremony, were wont to consume whole victims in the flame of the sacred rites. Therefore, since by reason of the magnitude of the expense the sacrifices did not come to the poor, Prometheus, who because of the excellence of his genius is thought to have fashioned men wondrously, is said, by way of refusal, to have obtained from Jove that part of the victim should be cast into the fire and part consumed for their own sustenance; and this custom afterwards confirmed itself.

Quod cum facile a deo, non ut homine avaro impetrasset, ipse Prometheus immolat tauros duos. Quorum primum iocinera cum in ara posuisset, reliquam carnem ex utroque taurum in unum compositam corio bubulo contexit; ossa autem quaecumque fuerunt, reliqua pelle contecta in medio collocavit et Iovi fecit potestatem, ut quam vellet eorum sumeret partem. Iuppiter autem, etsi non pro divina fecit cogitatione, neque ut deum decebat, omnia qui debuit ante providere, sed (quoniam credere instituimus historiis) deceptus a Prometheo, utrumque putans esse taurum, delegit ossa pro sua dimidia parte.

When he had thus easily obtained this from the god, not as one would from a stingy man, Prometheus himself sacrificed two bulls. Having placed the entrails of the first on the altar, he wove the remaining flesh from both bulls together into one and wrapped it in an ox-hide; and the bones, whatever they were, covered with the remaining hide, he placed in the middle and gave to Jove the power to take whichever part he wished. Jupiter, however, although he did not act from divine forethought, nor as befitted a god who ought to have foreseen all things beforehand, but (since we are accustomed to trust the historians) deceived by Prometheus, thinking each to be a bull, chose the bones for his half.

Itaque post ea in sollemnibus et religiosis sacrificiis carne hostiarum consumpta reliquias, quae pars fuit deorum, igni comburunt. Sed ut ad propositum revertamur, Iuppiter cum factum rescisset, animo permoto mortalibus eripuit ignem, ne Promethei gratia plus deorum potestate valeret, neve carnis usus utilis hominibus videretur, cum coqui non posset. Prometheus autem consuetus insidiari, sua opera ereptum mortalibus ignem restituere cogitabat.

And so after these things, in the solemn and religious sacrifices, the flesh of the victims having been consumed, the remnants, which were the gods’ portion, were burned in the fire. But to return to the point, when Jupiter learned what had been done, his mind disturbed, he snatched fire away from mortals, lest by Prometheus’s favor they should prevail beyond the power of the gods, or lest the use of cooked flesh prove useful to men, since they could not cook. Prometheus, however, accustomed to contrive, conceived the thought of restoring to mortals the fire that had been taken away by his own art.

Itaque ceteris remotis, devenit ad Iovis ignem; quo deminuto et in ferulam coniecto, laetus, ut volare non currere videretur, **? ferulam iactans, ne spiritus interclusus vaporibus extingueret in angustia lumen. Itaque homines adhuc plerumque, qui laetitiae fiunt nuntii, celerrime veniunt. Praeterea in certatione ludorum cursoribus instituerunt ex Promethei similitudine, ut currerent lampadem iactantes.

Therefore, the others being put aside, he came to Jupiter’s fire; this, diminished and cast into a ferula (staff), he, joyful so that he seemed to fly rather than run, **? tossing the staff, lest the breath, shut in by vapors, extinguish the light in the narrowness. Thus men even now for the most part who are made heralds of joy come very swiftly. Moreover, in the contests of the games they instituted for the runners, in imitation of Prometheus, that they run hurling a lampade (lamp/torch).

Pro quo Iuppiter facto mortalibus parem gratiam referens, mulierem tradidit his, quam a Vulcano factam deorum voluntas omni munere donavit; itaque Pandora est appellata. Prometheum autem in monte Scythiae nomine Caucaso ferrea catena vinxit; quem alligatum ad triginta milia annorum Aeschylus tragoediarum scriptor ait. Praeterea admisit ei aquilam, quae assidue noctu renascentia iocinera exesset.

For which thing Jupiter, by that deed restoring equal grace to mortals, delivered to them a woman, whom Vulcan had made and the will of the gods endowed with every gift; and so she was called Pandora. But he bound Prometheus on the Scythian mountain called Caucasus with an iron chain; Aeschylus, writer of tragedies, says that, bound, he endured for thirty thousand years. Moreover he appointed for him an eagle, which constantly by night, renewing itself, devoured his liver.

Hanc autem aquilam nonnulli ex Typhone et Echidna natam, alii ex Terra et Tartaro, complures Vulcani factam manibus demonstrant, animamque ei ab Iove traditam dicunt.

This eagle, however, some say was born of Typhon and Echidna, others of Earth and Tartarus; many point to it as made by Vulcan’s hands, and say that its soul was handed to it by Jove.

Sed de eius solutione haec memoriae prodita est causa. Cum Iuppiter Thetidis conubium pulchritudine corporis inductus peteret, neque a virgine timida impetraret, neque ea re minus efficere cogitaret, illo tempore Parcae feruntur cecinisse fata, quae perfici natura voluit rerum. Dixerunt enim, quicumque Thetidis fuisset maritus, eius filium patria fore laude clariorem; quod Prometheus non voluntate, sed necessitudine vigilans, auditum Iovi renuntiat.

But concerning his release this cause has been handed down to memory. When Jupiter, induced by the beauty of her body, sought the marriage of Thetis, and neither from the timid maiden did he obtain his request nor did he cease to attempt it on that account, at that time it is related that the Parcae sang the fates which nature willed to accomplish for things. For they said that whoever should be husband to Thetis, his son would be more illustrious in native renown; which Prometheus, not by will but by the necessity of vigilance, having heard, reported back to Jupiter.

Qui veritus id, quod ipse Saturno patri fecisset in simili causa, ne patrio regno privaretur, coactus destitit Thetin velle ducere uxorem, et Prometheo pro beneficio meritam retulit gratiam eumque vinculis liberavit. Neque id, quod fuerat iuratus, remisit, vacuum omni alligatione futurum; sed memoriae causa ex utraque re, hoc est lapide et ferro, digitum sibi vinciri iussit. Qua consuetudine homines usi, quo satisfacere Prometheo viderentur, anulos lapide et ferro conclusos habere coeperunt.

He, fearing what he himself had done to his father Saturn in a like case, and lest he be deprived of the paternal kingdom, was compelled to desist from wishing to take Thetis as his wife, and restored to Prometheus the grace deserved for the service and freed him from his bonds. Nor did he relax that which had been sworn — that he would be free from every attachment; but for the sake of memory of both matters, namely stone and iron, he ordered a finger to be bound to him. By this custom men, so far as they seemed to satisfy Prometheus, began to wear rings closed with stone and iron.

Nonnulli etiam coronam habuisse dixerunt, ut se victorem inpune peccasse diceret. Itaque homines in maxima laetitia victoriisque coronas habere instituerunt; id exercitationibus et conviviis perspicere licebit. Sed potius ad initium causae et interitum aquilae revertamur.

Some also said that he had a crown, so that he might be said to have sinned as victor unpunished. Therefore people, in greatest joy and at victories, instituted wearing crowns; this may be seen in exercises and at banquets. But rather let us return to the beginning of the cause and to the death of the eagle.

Hercules missus ab Eurystheo ad Hesperidum mala, nescius viae devenit ad Promethea, quem in Caucaso monte vinctum fuisse supra ostendimus. A quo via demonstrata, victor iam ad eum iter facere contendit, ut et draconem, de quo ante diximus, interfectum diceret, et gratiam pro beneficio referret. Nam confestim honorem quem potuit, reddidit merenti qua dimissa, homines instituerunt, ut hostiis immolatis iocinera consumerent in deorum altaribus, ut exsaturare eos pro visceribus Promethei viderentur.

Hercules, sent by Eurystheus for the apples of the Hesperides, ignorant of the route, arrived at Prometheus, whom we have above shown to have been bound on Mount Caucasus. From him the way being shown, the victor now hastened to make the journey to him, both to say that the dragon, of which we spoke above, had been slain, and to render thanks for the benefit. For immediately he gave back the honour he could to the deserving one, and for that having been granted men established that, with victims slain, they would consume jocina on the altars of the gods, so that they might seem to appease themselves instead of the entrails of Prometheus.

Ut Eratosthenes autem de Sagitta demonstrat, hac Apollo Cyclopas interfecit, qui fulmen Iovi fecerunt, quo Aesculapium interfectum complures dixerunt. Hanc autem sagittam in Hyperboreo monte Apollinem defodisse. Cum autem Iuppiter ignoverit filio, ipsam sagittam vento ad Apollinem perlatam cum frugibus, quae eo tempore nascebantur.

As Eratosthenes, however, demonstrates concerning the Arrow, with this Apollo killed the Cyclops who forged the thunderbolt for Jupiter, by which, they say, Aesculapius was killed. They say that Apollo buried this very arrow on the Hyperborean mountain. But when Jupiter forgave his son, the same arrow was borne by the wind back to Apollo together with the fruits that were then ripening.

Hanc igitur ob causam inter sidera demonstrant.

They therefore, for this reason, set it among the stars.

XVI. AQUILA. Haec est quae dicitur Ganymedem rapuisse et amanti Iovi tradidisse; hanc etiam Iuppiter primus ex avium genere sibi delegisse existimatur. Quae sola tradita est memoriae contra solis exorientis radios contendere volare.

CHAPTER 16. EAGLE. This is the one that is said to have snatched up Ganymede and delivered him to the loving Jupiter; this eagle is also thought to have been first assigned by Jupiter to himself from the genus of birds. It alone is said to have been committed to memory as daring to strive to fly against the rays of the rising sun.

Itaque supra Aquarium volare videtur; hunc enim conplures Ganymedem esse finxerunt. Nonnulli etiam dixerunt Meropem quendam fuisse, qui Coum insulam tenuerit regno, et a filiae nomine Coon et homines ipsos a se Meropas appellaret. Hunc autem habuisse uxorem quandam nomine Ethemeam, genere nympharum procreatam.

Therefore it seems to fly above Aquarius; for several have imagined this to be Ganymedes. Some also said that there was a certain Merops, who held the island of Cos in sovereignty, and that from his daughter's name Coon he called it Coon, and that he named the men themselves Meropes after himself. But that he had a certain wife named Ethemea, sprung from the race of the nymphs.

Quae cum desierit colere Dianam, ab ea sagittis figi coepit. Tandem a Proserpina vivam ad inferos abreptam esse. Meropem autem desiderio uxoris permotum, mortem sibi consciscere voluisse; Iunonem autem misertam eius in aquilam corpus eius convertisse et inter sidera constituisse, ne, si hominis effigie eum constitueret, hominis memoriam tenens, coniugis desiderio moveretur.

When she ceased to worship Diana, she began to be pierced by arrows from her. Finally she was snatched alive to the lower world by Proserpina. Merops, however, stirred by longing for his wife, desired to bring about his own death; and Juno, pitying him, transformed his body into an eagle and set him among the stars, lest, if she had placed him in the likeness of a man, retaining the memory of a man, he should be moved by longing for his spouse.

Aglaosthenes autem qui Naxica scripsit, ait Iovem Crete subreptum Naxum delatum et ibi esse nutritum. Qui postquam pervenerit ad virilem aetatem et voluerit bello lacessere Titanas, sacrificanti ei aquilam auspicatam; quo auspicio usum esse et eam inter astra collocasse. Nonnulli etiam dixerunt Mercurium, alii autem Anapladem pulchritudine Veneris inductum in amorem incidisse; et cum ei copia non fieret, animo, ut contumelia accepta, defecisse.

Aglaosthenes, who wrote Naxica, says that Jupiter was stolen away to Crete, carried to Naxos and there nurtured. When he had come to manly age and wished to provoke the Titans to war, an eagle was sacrificed to him as an auspice; by that auspice he was favored and placed her among the stars. Some also said it was Mercury, while others that Anapladus, led into love by the beauty of Venus, fell into passion; and when he did not prevail in attainment, he failed in spirit, as if wounded by an affront.

Iovem autem misertum eius, cum Venus in Acheloo flumine corpus ablueret, misisse aquilam, quae soccum eius in Amythaoniam Aegyptiorum delatum Mercurio traderet; quem persequens Venus ad cupientem sui pervenit. Qui copia facta, pro beneficio aquilam in mundo locavit.

But Jupiter, pitying her, when Venus was washing her body in the river Acheloüs, sent an eagle which should deliver her soccus, having been borne to Amythaonian Egypt, to Mercury; Venus, pursuing him, came upon the one who desired her. When opportunity was afforded, for the benefit received she set the eagle in the heavens.

XVII. DELPHIN. Hic qua de causa sit inter astra collocatus, Eratosthenes ita cum ceteris dicit: Neptunum, quo tempore voluerit Amphitriten ducere uxorem, et illa cupiens conservare virginitatem fugerit ad Atlanta, complures eam quaesitum dimisisse, in his et Delphina quendam nomine. Qui pervagatus insulas, aliquando ad virginem pervenit eique persuasit, ut nuberet Neptuno, et ipse nuptias eorum administravit.

CHAPTER 17. DELPHIN. Concerning why he was placed among the stars, Eratosthenes says like the others: Neptune, at the time when he desired to take Amphitrite as wife, and she, wishing to preserve her virginity, fled to Atlas; many sent out to seek her, among them one named Delphin. He, having wandered the isles, at one time came upon the virgin and persuaded her to wed Neptune, and himself officiated at their marriage.

Pro quo facto inter sidera Delphini effigiem collocavit. Et hoc amplius. Qui Neptuno simulacra faciunt, delphinum aut in manu, aut sub pede eius constituere videmus; quod Neptuno gratissimum esse arbitrantur.

For this deed he placed the image of the Dolphin among the stars. And moreover this: those who make statues of Neptune we see place a dolphin either in his hand or beneath his foot; which they judge to be most pleasing to Neptune.

Aglaosthenes autem, qui Naxica conscripsit, Tyrrhenos ait fuisse quosdam navicularios, qui puerum etiam Liberum patrem receptum, ut Naxum cum suis comitibus travectum redderent nutricibus nymphis; a quibus eum nutritum et nostri in progenie deorum et complures Graeci dixerunt. Sed ut ad propositum revertamur, navicularii spe praedae inducti, navem avertere voluerunt. Quod Liber suspicatus, comites suos iubet symphoniam canere; quo sonitu inaudito Tyrrheni cum usque adeo delectarentur, ut etiam in saltationibus essent occupati cupiditate, se in mare inscii proiecerunt et ibi delphini sunt facti.

Aglaosthenes, moreover, who compiled the Naxica, says that there were certain Tyrrhenian shipmen who received the boy called Liber as if a foster-father, in order to convey Naxus with his companions back to the nurse-nymphs; by whom he was nourished, and many Greeks said him to be of our line in the progeny of the gods. But to return to the matter in hand, the shipmen, led on by hope of booty, wished to divert the ship. Which Liber, suspecting this, ordered his companions to play a symphony; by whose sound, unheard before, the Tyrrhenians were so delighted that, even being occupied with desire in their dances, they unwittingly threw themselves into the sea and there were made dolphins.

Quorum cogitationem cum Liber memoriae hominum tradere voluisset, unius effigiem inter sidera collocavit. Alii autem dicunt hunc esse delphina, qui Ariona citharoedum ex Siculo mari Taenarum travexit. Qui cum ceteros artificio praestaret et circum insulas quaestus causa vagaretur, servuli eius arbitrati plus in perfidiosa libertate commodi, quam in placida servitute esse, cogitare coeperunt, ut domino in pelagus proiecto, bona inter se partirentur.

When Liber wished to hand down to the memory of men the thought of them, he placed the effigy of one among the stars. Others, however, say that this is the dolphin who conveyed Arion the citharist from the Sicilian sea to Taenarum. He, since he surpassed the others in craft and wandered about the islands for the sake of gain, his attendants, having judged that they were more comfortable in perfidious liberty than in peaceful servitude, began to plot that, the master being cast into the sea, they might divide his goods among themselves.

Qui cum cogitationem eorum sensisset, petiit, non ut dominus a servis et innocens ab improbis, sed ut parens a filiis, ut se liceret ornare, qua saepe vicerat veste, quoniam nemo esset alius, qui ut ipse suum questu prosequeretur eventum. Quod cum inpetrasset, cithara sumpta, suam coepit deflere mortem; quo sonitu ducti delphines e toto mari pronatant ad Arionis cantum. Itaque deorum immortalium potestate invocata, super eos se deiecit; quorum unus Ariona exceptum pertulit ad Taenarium litus.

Who, when he perceived their design, begged—not as a lord from slaves and innocent from knaves, but as a parent from his sons—that he be permitted to adorn himself with the robe in which he had often prevailed, since there was no other who would, like himself, accompany his fate with lamentation. When he had obtained this, having taken up his cithara, he began to bewail his death; by whose sound the dolphins of the whole sea, drawn together, sprang forward to Arion’s song. And so, invoking the power of the immortal gods, he cast himself upon them; one of which, having received Arion, bore him to the Taenarian shore.

Cuius memoriae causa quae ibi statua statuta est Arionis, in ea delphini simulacrum adfixum videtur; pro qua re inter sidera ab antiquis astrologis est figuratum. Servi autem, qui se putabant servitute elapsos, tempestate Taenarum perducti, a domino conprehensi, non mediocri supplicio sunt affecti.

For the sake of whose memory the statue of Arion set up there appears with the simulacrum of a dolphin attached to it; for this reason among the stars he was figured by the ancient astrologers. But the servants, who thought themselves escaped from servitude and, having been carried by the storm to Taenarum, were seized by their master, were visited with not inconsiderable punishment.

XVII. EQUUS. Hunc Aratus et alii complures Pegasum, Neptuni et Medusae Gorgonis filium dixerunt; qui in Helicone Boeotiae monte ungula feriens saxum, fontem aperuit, qui ex eius nomine Hippocrene est appellatus. Alii dicunt, quo tempore Bellerophontes ad Proetum Abantis filium, Argiorum regem, devenerit, Antiam regis uxorem hospitis amore inductam, petisse ab eo, uti sibi copiam faceret, promittens ei coniugis regnum.

CHAPTER 17. HORSE. Aratus and many others called this Pegasus, the son of Neptune and of Medusa the Gorgon; who, striking a rock with his hoof on Helicon, a Boeotian mount, opened a spring, which from his name is called Hippocrene. Others say that, at the time when Bellerophon came to Proetus, son of Abas, king of the Argives, Antia, the king’s wife, led by love for the guest, entreated him to make opportunity for her, promising him the king’s realm.

Quod cum impetrare non potuisset, verita ne se ad regem criminaretur, occupat: eum sibi vim adferre voluisse Proeto dicit. Qui quod eum dilexerat, noluit ipse supplicium sumere, sed quod ei Pegasum equum esse sciebat, mittit eum ad Iobatem, Antiae patrem, quam alii Stheneboeam dixerunt, ut ille filiae pudicitiam defendens, Bellerophontem obiceret Chimaerae, quae eo tempore Lyciorum agros flamma vastabat. Unde victor effugiens, post fontis inventionem cum ad caelum contenderet evolare, neque longe iam abesset, despiciens ad terram, timore permotus decidit ibique perisse dicitur.

When she could not obtain this, fearing lest she be accused to the king, she preempts: she says that Proetus had wished to do violence to her. He, because he had loved him, would not himself take the punishment, but knowing that Pegasus was the horse of Bellerophon, sent him to Iobates, father of Antia (whom others called Stheneboea), that he, defending his daughter's pudicity, might cast Bellerophon to the Chimaera, which at that time was devastating the fields of the Lycians with flame. Whence the victor, fleeing, after the discovery of the spring, when he strove to fly up to the heavens — and was not yet far off — looking down at the earth, seized by fear, fell and is said to have perished there.

Equus autem subvolasse et inter sidera ab Iove constitutus existimatur. Alii non criminatum ab Antia, sed ne saepius audiret quod nollet, aut precibus eius moveretur, profugisse Argis dixerunt. Euripides autem in Melanippa Melanippen, Chironis Centauri filiam, Thetin antea appellatam dicit.

The horse, however, is thought to have flown up and to have been set among the stars by Jove. Others say that he fled from Argos not because Antia accused him, but because he did not wish to hear her often, or to be moved by her prayers. Euripides, however, in Melanippa says that Melanippe, the daughter of Chiron the Centaur, was formerly called Thetin.

Quae cum aleretur in monte Pelio, et studium in venando maximum haberet, quodam tempore ab Aeolo Hellenis filio Iovis nepote persuasam concepisse; cumque iam partus adpropinquaret, profugisse in silvam, ne patri, cum virginem speraret, nepotem procreasse videretur. Itaque cum parens eam persequeretur, dicitur petisse a deorum potestate, ne pariens a patre conspiceretur. Quae deorum voluntate postquam peperit, in equam conversa, inter astra constituta.

She, who was nourished on Mount Pelion and had the greatest zeal for hunting, is said at a certain time to have been persuaded and conceived by Aeolus, son of Hellen, grandson of Jove; and when the birth was now drawing near, she fled into the wood, lest she, who hoped to remain a virgin, seem to have brought forth a grandson to her father. And so when her parent pursued her, she is said to have begged from the power of the gods that the mother giving birth not be seen by the father. Which, after by the will of the gods she had borne, having been turned into a mare, was set among the stars.

Nonnulli eam vatem dixerunt fuisse; sed quod deorum consilia hominibus sit enuntiare solita, in equam esse conversam. Callimachus autem ait, quod desierit venari et colere Dianam, in quam supra diximus speciem, eam Dianam convertisse. Haec dicitur etiam hac re non esse in conspectu Centauri, quem Chirona esse nonnulli dixerunt, et etiam dimidiam apparere, quod noluerit sciri se feminam esse.

Some have said that she had been a vates (prophetess); but because she was wont to announce the counsels of the gods to men, she was turned into a mare. Callimachus, however, says that because she ceased to hunt and to worship Diana — into whose guise we above described her — he transformed her into that Diana. She is also said by this circumstance not to be in the sight of the Centaur whom some called Chiron, and even to appear half (a mare), because she would not have it known that she was a woman.

XIX. DELTOTON. Hoc sidus quod ut littera est Graeca in triangulo posita, itaque appellatur. Quod Mercurius supra caput Arietis statuisse existimatur ideo, ut obscuritas Arietis huius splendore, quo loco esset, significaretur, et Iovis nomine Graece Dios primam litteram deformaret.

XIX. DELTOTON. This star, which is placed in a triangle like a Greek letter, is thus called. Mercury is thought to have set it above the head of Aries for the reason that the obscurity of Aries might be indicated by the brilliance of this as to the place it occupied, and that, by the name of Jupiter in Greek, Dios, it would mar the first letter.

Nonnulli Aegypti positionem; alii, qua Nilus terminaret Aethiopiam et Aegyptum dixerunt. Alii Siciliam figuratam putaverunt; alii, quod orbem terrarum superiores trifariam diviserunt, tres angulos esse constitutos dixerunt.

Some held it to be the position of Egypt; others said it marked where the Nile bounded Ethiopia and Egypt. Others thought Sicily to be figured; others, because the higher ones divided the orb of lands threefold, said that three angles were constituted.

XX. ARIES. Hic existimatur esse, qui Phrixum et Hellen transtulisse dictus est per Hellespontum. Quem Hesiodus et Pherecydes ait habuisse auream pellem; de qua alibi plura dicemus. Sed Hellen decidisse in Hellespontum, et a Neptuno conpressam Paeona procreasse conplures, nonnulli Edonum dixerunt.

20. ARIES. This is thought to be the one who is said to have borne Phrixus and Hellen across the Hellespont. Whom Hesiod and Pherecydes say had a golden pelt (aurea pellem); of which elsewhere we will say more. But many have said that Helle fell into the Hellespont, and that Paeona, having been embraced by Neptune, bore children, some calling her one of the Edones.

Praeterea Phrixum incolumem ad Aeetam pervenisse, arietem Iovi inmolasse, pellem in templo fixisse et arietis ipsius effigiem ab Nube inter sidera constitutam, habere tempus anni, quo frumentum seritur; quod id Ino tostum severit ante, quae maxime fugae fuit causa. Eratosthenes ait arietem ipsum sibi pellem auream detraxisse et Phrixo memoriae causa dedisse, ipsum ad sidera peruenisse, quare, ut supra diximus, obscurius videatur. Hunc autem nonnulli dixerunt in oppido Orchomeno, quod est in Boeotia, natum; alii in Salonum Thessaliae finibus procreatum.

Furthermore, that Phrixus arrived safe at Aeetes, sacrificed the ram to Jupiter, fastened the pelt in the temple, and that the image of the ram itself was set by Nube among the stars, has a time of year attached to it — namely, when grain is sown; which pelt Ino had beforehand scorched, and this was the chief cause of the flight. Eratosthenes says that the ram itself tore off its golden pelt for his sake and gave it to Phrixus as a memorial, and that it itself reached the stars, wherefore, as we said above, it appears the more obscure. Some, however, said that he was born in the town Orchomenus, which is in Boeotia; others that he was procreated in Salonum within the bounds of Thessaly.

Alii dicunt Crethea et Athamantem cum aliis conpluribus Aeoli filios fuisse; nonnulli etiam Athamantis filium Salmonea esse Aeoli nepotem dixerunt. Crethea autem habuisse Demodicen uxorem, quam alii Biadicen dixerunt. Hanc autem Phrixi Athamantis filii corpore inductam in amorem incidisse, neque ab eo, ut sibi copiam faceret, inpetrare potuisse.

Others say that Crethea and Athamas, with many others, were children of Aeolus; some even said that the son of Athamas, Salmonea, was a grandson of Aeolus. Crethea, moreover, is said to have had Demodice for a wife, whom others called Biadice. This woman, having put on the body of Phrixus, son of Athamas, fell into love with him, and was unable to obtain from him the favour that would have given her access.

Itaque necessario coactam, criminari eum ad Crethea coepisse, quod diceret ab eo vim sibi pene allatam, et horum similia mulierum consuetudine dixisse. Quo facto Crethea ut uxoris adamantem et regem decebat, permotum, Athamanti ut de eo supplicium sumeret persuasisse. Nubem autem interuenisse, et ereptum Phrixum et Hellen eius sororem in ariete inposuisse et per Hellespontum quam longissime possent profugere iussisse.

Therefore, compelled of necessity, she began to accuse him to Crethea, saying that he had almost done violence to her, and uttered such things in the manner of women. When this was done, Crethea, moved as befitted a wife and a king, persuaded Athamas to take vengeance on him. But Nube intervened, snatched up Phrixus and set Helle his sister upon the ram, and ordered them to flee by the Hellespont as far as they could.

Hellen decidisse et ibi debitum naturae reddidisse, et ex eius nomine Hellespontum appellatum. Phrixum Colchos peruenisse et, ut ante diximus, arietis interfecti pellem in templo fixisse. Ipsum autem a Mercurio.

Hellen fell and there paid the debt of nature, and from his name the Hellespont was called. Phrixus reached Colchis and, as we said before, fixed the skin of the ram slain in a temple. He himself, however, by Mercury.

Ad Athamantem esse reductum, qui patri satisfecerit, eum innocentia confisum profugisse. Hermippus autem dicit, quo tempore Liber Africam oppugnaverit, devenisse cum exercitu in eum locum, qui propter multitudinem pulueris Ammodes est appellatus. Itaque cum in maximum periculum devenisset, quod iter necessario faciendum esse videbat, accessit eo, ut aquae maxima penuria esset; quo facto exercitus ad defectionem maximam venire cogebatur.

That he had been brought back to Athamas, who had satisfied his father; trusting in his innocence, he fled. Hermippus, however, says that at the time when Liber had attacked Africa he arrived with an army at that place which, on account of the multitude of dust, was called Ammodes. Thus, when he had come into the greatest peril—because he saw the march must necessarily be made—it came about that there was a very great scarcity of water; this having occurred, the army was compelled to fall into the greatest defection.

Qui dum quid agerent cogitant, aries quidam fortuitu ad milites seorsum errans peruenit; quos cum vidisset, fuga praesidium sibi paravit. Milites autem, qui eum fuerant conspicati, etsi puluere et aestu pressi vix progrediebantur, tamen ut praedam ex flamma petentes, arietem sequi coeperunt usque ad eum locum, qui Iovis Hammonis postea templo constituto est appellatus. Quo cum peruenissent, arietem quem secuti fuerant, nusquam inuenire potuerunt; sed quod magis his fuerat optandum, aquae magnam copiam in eo loco nacti sunt, recuperatisque corporibus Libero statim nuntiaverunt.

While they were considering what to do, a certain ram, wandering apart from the soldiers by chance, came upon them; and when they saw him he made for himself a refuge by flight. The soldiers, however, who had caught sight of him, although pressed by dust and heat and scarcely able to move forward, yet, seeking spoil from the flames, began to follow the ram as far as that place which afterwards, when a temple was established, was called of Jupiter Ammon. When they had come there, they were nowhere able to find the ram they had followed; but what was more desired by them, they found a great abundance of water in that place, and, their bodies recovered, they at once reported it to Liber.

qui gavisus ad eos fines exercitum deduxit et Iovis Hammonis templum cum arietinis cornibus simulacro facto constituit. Arietem inter sidera figuravit, ita ut cum sol in eius foret signo, omnia nascentia recrearentur, quae veris tempore fiunt, hac re maxime, quod illius fuga Liberi recreavit exercitum. Praeterea XII signorum principem voluit esse, quod illius optimus exercitui fuerat ductor.

who, rejoicing, led the army to those borders and founded a temple of Jupiter Ammon with a simulacrum made with ram’s horns. He fashioned the ram among the stars, so that when the sun was in its sign all things that are born would be renewed, those that occur in the springtime; this above all, because by that flight Liber restored the army. Moreover he wished it to be the chief of the 12 signs, because its best had been the leader of the army.

Sed de Hammonis simulacro Leon, qui res Aegyptias conscripsit, ait: Cum Liber Aegyptum et reliquos fines regno teneret et omnia primus hominibus ostendisse diceretur, Hammonem quendam ex Africa venisse et pecoris multitudinem ad Liberum adduxisse, quo facilius et eius gratia uteretur et aliquid primus inuenisse diceretur. Itaque pro beneficio ei Liber existimatur agrum dedisse, qui est contra Thebas Aegyptias; et qui simulacra faciunt Hammonis, capite cornuto instituunt, ut homines memoria teneant eum primum pecus ostendisse. Qui autem Libero factum voluerunt adsignare, quod non petierit ab Hammone, sed ultro ad eum sit adductum, simulacra illi cornuta faciunt et arietem memoriae causa inter sidera fixum dicunt.

But concerning the image of Hammon Leon, who wrote the Egyptian affairs, says: When Liber held Egypt and the remaining frontiers in his rule and was said to have first shown all things to men, a certain Hammon came from Africa and brought a multitude of cattle to Liber, so that he might the more easily make use of his favor and be said to have been the first to discover something. Therefore it is supposed that Liber granted him land as a benefaction, which lies opposite the Egyptian Thebes; and those who make images of Hammon set him up with a horned head, so that men may retain in memory that he first showed cattle. But those who wished to assign to Liber a deed which he did not seek from Hammon, but was brought to him of his own accord, make him horned images and say that a ram was fixed among the stars for the sake of memory.

XXI. TAURUS. Hic dicitur inter astra esse constitutus, quod Europam incolumem transuexerit Cretam, ut Euripides dicit. Nonnulli aiunt, cum Io in bovem sit conuersa, ut Iuppiter ei satisfacere videretur, inter sidera constituisse, quod eius prior pars appareat ut tauri, sed reliquum corpus obscurius videatur.

21. TAURUS. This one is said to have been set among the stars because he transported Europa unharmed to Crete, as Euripides says. Some say that, when Io was turned into a cow, so that Jupiter might seem to make satisfaction to her, he placed her among the constellations, so that her anterior part appears as a bull, but the remaining body appears darker.

Spectat autem ad exortum solis; cuius oris effigiem quae continent stellae, Hyades appellantur. Has autem Pherecydes Atheniensis Liberi nutrices esse demonstrat, numero septem, quas etiam antea nymphas Dodonidas appellatas. Harum nomina sunt haec: Ambrosia, Eudora, Pedile, Coronis, Polyxo, Phyto, Thyone.

It faces the sunrise; the figures of whose face that the stars contain are called the Hyades. Pherecydes of Athens moreover shows these to be the nurses of Liber, seven in number, whom formerly were also called the Dodonian nymphs. Their names are these: Ambrosia, Eudora, Pedile, Coronis, Polyxo, Phyto, Thyone.

Hae dicuntur a Lycurgo fugatae et praeter Ambrosiam omnes ad Thetim profugatae, ut ait Asclepiades. Sed ut Pherecydes dicit, ad Thebas Liberum perlatum Inoni tradiderunt. Quam ob causam ab Iove his gratia est relata, quod inter sidera sunt constitutae.

These are said to have been driven off by Lycurgus and, except Ambrosia, all fled to Thetis, as Asclepiades relates. But, as Pherecydes says, they delivered Liber, borne to Thebes, into the charge of Ino. For this cause they were restored to favour by Jupiter, because they are set among the stars.

Pliades autem appellatae sunt, ut ait Musaeus, quod ex Atlante et Aethra Oceani filia sint filiae XV procreatae, quarum V Hyades appellatas demonstrat, quod earum Hyas fuerit frater, a sororibus plurimum dilectus. Qui cum venans a leone esset interfectus, quinque, de quibus supra diximus, lamentationibus assiduis permotae, dicuntur interisse; quare eas, quod plurimum de eius morte laborarent, Hyadas appellatas. Reliquas autem decem sorores deliberasse de sororum morte et earum septem mortem sibi conscisse; quare quod plures idem senserint, Pliadas dictas.

The Pleiades, however, are so called, as Musaeus says, because from Atlas and Aethra, daughter of Ocean, fifteen daughters were born, of whom he shows five to be called the Hyades, because their brother Hyas was greatly beloved by his sisters. Who, when hunting, was killed by a lion; the five, of whom we spoke above, moved by continual lamentations, are said to have perished; wherefore those, because they labored most over his death, were called Hyades. But the remaining ten sisters resolved on the death of the sisters and seven of them consented to die for them; consequently, because many felt the same, they were called the Pleiades.

Alexander autem Hyadas ait dictas, quod Hyantis et Boetiae sint filiae; Pliadas autem, quod ex Plione Oceani et Atlante sint natae. Hae numero septem dicuntur, sed nemo amplius VI potest videre; cuius causa proditur haec, quod de septem sex cum immortalibus concubuerint, tres cum Iove, duae cum Neptuno, una cum Marte, reliquia autem Sisyphi fuisse uxor demonstratur. Quarum ex Electra et Iove Dardanum, ex Maia Mercurium, ex Taygete Lacedaemona procreatum; ex Alyone autem et Neptuno Hyriea, ex Celaeno Lycum et Nyctea natum.

Alexander, however, says they are called Hyades because they are daughters of Hyas and Boeotia; and Pliades, because they were born from Plione, daughter of Oceanus and Atlas. These are said to be seven in number, but no one can see more than six; the reason for which is reported to be this: of the seven six lay with immortals — three with Jove, two with Neptune, one with Mars, and the remaining one is shown to have been the wife of Sisyphus. Of these, from Electra and Jove was Dardanus; from Maia, Mercury; from Taygete was born a Lacedaemon; from Alyone and Neptune came Hyriea; and from Celaeno were born Lycus and Nyctea.

Martem autem ex Sterope Oenomaum procreasse, quam alii Oenomai uxorem dixerunt. Meropen autem Sisypho nuptam Glaucum genuisse, quem complures Bellerophontis patrem esse dixerunt. Quare propter reliquas eius sorores inter sidera constitutam; sed quod homini nupserit, stellam eius obscuratam.

But Mars is said to have been begotten by Sterope from Oenomaus — whom others say was Oenomaus’s wife. Merope, however, married to Sisyphus, bore Glaucus, whom many declared to be the father of Bellerophon. Therefore she was placed among the stars because of her remaining sisters; but because she married a mortal, her star is obscured.

Alii dicunt Electram non apparere ideo, quod Pliades existimentur choream ducere stellis; sed postquam Troia sit capta, et progenies eius quae a Dardano fuerit, sit eversa, dolore permotam ab his se removisse, et in circulo qui arcticus dicitur, constitisse, ex quo tam longo tempore lamentantem capillo passo videri; itaque e facto Cometen esse appellatam. Sed has Pliadas antiqui astrologi seorsum a Tauro deformaverunt, ut ante diximus, Pliones et Atlantis filias. Quae cum per Boetiam cum puellis iter faceret, Oriona comitatum voluisse ei vim afferre; illam fugere coepisse, Oriona autem secutum esse annos VII neque invenire potuisse.

Others say Electra does not appear for this reason, because the Pleiades are thought to lead the dance of the stars; but after Troy was taken, and her progeny that was from Dardanus was overthrown, moved by grief she removed herself from them and took her stand in the circle called the Arctic, whence for so long a time she is seen lamenting with her hair dishevelled; and so from that fact she is called Comet. But the ancient astrologers separated these Pleiades apart from Taurus, as we said before, as daughters of Plion and Atlas. When she was making a journey through Boeotia with the maidens, Orion is said to have wished to force an escort upon her; she began to flee, and Orion followed for 7 years and could not find her.

Iovem autem puellarum misertum, iter ad astra constituisse, et postea a nonnullis astrologis caudam Tauri appellatas. Itaque adhuc Orion fugientes eas ad occasum sequi videtur. Eas stellas nostri Vergilias appellaverunt, quod post ver exoriuntur, et hae quidem ampliorem ceteris habent honorem, quod earum signo exoriente aestas significatur, occidente autem hiems ostenditur, quod aliis non est traditum signis.

Jove, however, taking pity on the girls, set their journey to the stars, and later by some astrologers they were called the tail of Taurus. Thus even now Orion seems to pursue them fleeing toward the west. Our people called those stars Vergilias, because they rise after spring, and these indeed have a greater honor than the others, in that by their rising the sign of summer is indicated, and by their setting winter is shown, which is not ascribed to the other signs.

XXII. GEMINI. Hos conplures astrologi Castorem et Pollucem esse dixerunt; quos demonstrant omnium fratrum inter se amantissimos fuisse, quod neque de principatu contenderint, neque ullam rem sine communi consilio gesserint. Pro quibus officiis eorum Iuppiter notissima sidera eos constituisse existimatur.

CHAPTER 22. GEMINI. Many astrologers have said these to be Castor and Pollux; whom they show to have been the most loving of all brothers to one another, because they neither contended about the principate nor managed any affair without common counsel. For these services of theirs Jupiter is thought to have appointed them as very notable stars.

Neptunum autem pari consilio munerasse; nam equos quibus utuntur donavit et dedit potestatem naufragis saluti esse. Alii dixerunt Herculem esse et Apollinem; nonnulli etiam Triptolemum, quem supra diximus, et Iasiona a Cerere dilectos et ad sidera perlatos. Sed qui de Castore et Polluce dicunt, hoc amplius addunt, ut Castor in oppido Aphidnis sit occisus, quo tempore Lacedaemones cum Atheniensibus bellum gesserunt.

But Neptune, by the same counsel, bestowed gifts; for he gave the horses which they use and granted them the power to be a rescue in shipwrecks. Others said they were Hercules and Apollo; some even (said) Triptolemus, whom we mentioned above, and Iasion, beloved of Ceres and carried up to the stars. But those who speak of Castor and Pollux add this further, that Castor was slain in the town Aphidnis, at the time when the Lacedaemonians were waging war with the Athenians.

Alii autem, cum oppugnarent Spartam Lynceus et Idas, ibi perisse dixerunt. Pollucem ait Homerus concessisse fratri dimidiam vitam; itaque alternis diebus eorum quemque lucere.

Others, however, when Lynceus and Idas were attacking Sparta, said that they perished there. Homer says that Pollux granted to his brother a half-life; and so on alternate days each of them was to shine.

XXIII. CANCER dicitur Iunonis beneficio inter astra collocatus, quod, cum Hercules contra hydram Lernaeam constitisset, ex palude pedem eius mordicus arripuisset; quare Herculem permotum, eum interfecisse. Iunonem autem inter sidera constituisse, ut esset cum duodecim signis, quae maxime solis cursu continentur.

23. CANCER is said, by the benefit of Juno, to have been placed among the stars, because when Hercules stood against the Lernaean hydra, it had bitten off his foot from the marsh; wherefore, Hercules, moved, killed it. Juno, however, arranged it among the stars so that it might be with the twelve signs, which are most chiefly contained in the sun’s course.

In eius deformationis parte sunt quidam qui Asini appellantur, a Libero in testa Cancri duabus stellis omnino figurati. Liber enim ab Iunone furore obiecto, dicitur mente captus fugisse per Thesprotiam, cogitans ab Iovis Dodonaei oraculum pervenire, unde peteret responsum, quo facilius ad pristinum statum mentis perveniret. Sed cum venisset ad quandam paludem magnam, quam transire non posset, quibusdam asellis duobus obviam factis dicitur unum eorum deprehendisse et ita esse transvectus, ut omnino aquam non tetigerit.

In that part of its deformity are certain ones who are called Asses, depicted by Liber on the head of Cancer by two stars altogether. For Liber, struck by madness from Juno, is said, his mind seized, to have fled through Thesprotia, thinking to reach the Dodonaean oracle of Jove, whence he might seek an answer by which he would more easily return to his former state of mind. But when he came to a certain great marsh which he could not cross, two asses meeting him are said that he seized one of them and so was carried across, that he touched the water not at all.

Itaque cum venisset ad templum Iovis Dodonaei, statim dicitur furore liberatus asellis gratiam retulisse et inter sidera eos collocasse. Nonnulli etiam dixerunt asino illi, quo fuerit vectus, vocem humanam dedisse. Itaque eum postea cum Priapo contendisse de natura et victum ab eo interfectum.

Therefore when he had come to the temple of Dodonaean Jove, it is said that, immediately freed from madness, he returned grace to the asses and set them among the stars. Some also said that the very ass by which he had been carried gave a human voice. Therefore that ass afterward contended with Priapus concerning nature and, having been defeated, was killed by him.

Pro quo Liberum eius misertum in sideribus adnumerasse; et ut sciretur id pro deo, non homine timido, quia Iunonem fugerit, fecisse, supra Cancrum constituit, qui eius beneficio fuerat adfixus astris.

For this reason he, pitying Liber, counted him among the stars; and, that it might be known this was for a god and not for a timid man—because he had fled Juno—he set him above Cancrum (the Crab), which by his benefaction had been affixed to the stars.

Dicitur etiam alia historia de Asellis. Ut ait Eratosthenes, quo tempore Iuppiter, bello gigantibus indicto, ad eos oppugnandos omnes deos convocasset, venisse Liberum patrem, Vulcanum, Satyros, Silenos asellis vectos. Qui cum non longe ab hostibus abessent, dicuntur aselli pertimuisse, et ita pro se quisque magnum clamorem et inauditum gigantibus fecisse, ut omnes hostes eorum clamore in fugam se coniecerint et ita sint superati.

Another story is also told concerning the Aselli. As Eratosthenes says, at the time when Jupiter, the war against the giants having been declared, had summoned all the gods to attack them, Liber the father, Vulcan, the Satyrs, the Sileni came borne on asses. And because they were not far from the enemies, the asses are said to have been terrified, and so each, for his part, made a great and unheard-of clamour against the giants, that all their enemies, by that clamour, threw themselves into flight and were thus overcome.

Huic similis est historia de bucino Tritonis. Nam is quoque fertur, cum concham inventam excavasset, secum ad gigantas tulisse et ibi sonum quendam inauditum per concham misisse. Hostes autem veritos ne qua esset inmanis fera ab adversariis adducta, cuius esset ille mugitus, fugae se mandasse, et ita victos in hostium potestatem pervenisse.

Similar to this is the story of Triton’s bucina. For he too is said, when he had hollowed out a found shell, to have carried it with him to the giants and there to have sent a certain unheard-of sound through the shell. The enemies, however, fearing that some monstrous beast had been brought by their adversaries, of which that bellow would be, put themselves to flight, and thus, being routed, fell into the power of their foes.

XXIV. LEO. Hic dicitur ab Iove inter astra constitutus, quod omnium ferarum princeps esse existimatur. Nonnulli etiam hoc amplius dicunt, quod Herculis prima fuerit haec certatio, et quod eum inermis interfecerit.

24. LEO. He is said to have been set among the stars by Jove, because he is regarded as prince of all wild beasts. Some even say furthermore that this was the first contest of Hercules, and that he slew him unarmed.

De hoc et Pisandrus et complures alii scripserunt. Cuius supra simulacrum proxime Virginem sunt aliae VII stellae ad caudam Leonis in triangulo collocatae, quas crines Berenices esse Conon Samius mathematicus et Callimachus dicit. Cum Ptolomaeus Berenicen Ptolomaei et Arsinoes filiam sororem suam duxisset uxorem, et paucis post diebus Asiam oppugnatum profectus esset, vovisse Berenicen, si victor Ptolomaeus redisset, se crinem detonsuram; quo voto damnatam crinem in Veneris Arsinoes Zephyritidis posuisse templo, eumque postero die non comparuisse.

Many, among them Pisandrus and several others, have written about this. Above whose simulacrum, nearest the Virgin, seven other stars are placed in a triangle at the tail of the Lion, which Conon the Samian mathematician and Callimachus say are the crines of Berenice. When Ptolemaeus had taken Berenice, daughter of Ptolemaeus and Arsinoes his sister, as his wife, and a few days later had set out to attack Asia, Berenice vowed that, if Ptolemaeus returned victorious, she would cut off her hair; with that vow she deposited the vowed hair in the temple of Venus Arsinoes Zephyritidis, and it did not appear the next day.

Quod factum cum rex aegre ferret, Conon mathematicus ut ante diximus cupiens inire gratiam regis, dixit crinem inter sidera videri collocatum et quasdam vacuas a figura septem stellas ostendit, quas esse fingeret crinem. Hanc Berenicen nonnulli cum Callimacho dixerunt equos alere et ad Olympia mittere consuetam fuisse. Alii dicunt hoc amplius Ptolomaeum Berenices patrem, multitudine hostium perterritum, fuga salutem petisse; filiam autem saepe consuetam, insiluisse in equum, et reliquam exercitus copiam constituisse, et conplures hostium interfecisse, reliquos in fugam coniecisse; pro quo etiam Callimachus eam magnanimam dixit.

When this deed the king bore hard, Conon the mathematician, as we said before eager to enter the king’s favour, declared that he had seen the lock among the stars placed and showed certain seven stars void of figure which he imagined to be the lock. Some with Callimachus said that this Berenice was accustomed to nourish horses and to send them to Olympia. Others add this further, that Ptolemaeus, Berenice’s father, terrified by the multitude of enemies, sought safety by flight; but that his daughter, often practiced in leaping onto a horse, marshalled the remaining force of the army and slew many of the enemies, drove the rest into flight; for which Callimachus also called her magnanimous.

Eratosthenes autem dicit et virginibus Lesbiis dotem quam cuique relictam a parente nemo solverit, iussisse reddi, et inter eas constituisse petitionem.

Eratosthenes, moreover, says that he ordered the dowry of the Lesbian maidens — which had been left to each by a parent and which no one had paid — to be returned, and that he instituted a petition among them.

XXV. VIRGO. Hanc Hesiodus Iovis et Themidis filiam dicit; Aratus autem Astraei et Aurorae filiam existimari, quae eodem tempore fuerit cum aurea saecula hominum, et eorum principem fuisse demonstrat. Quam propter diligentiam et aequitatem Iustitiam appellatam; neque illo tempore ab hominibus exteras nationes bello lacessitas esse, neque navigio quemquam usum, sed agris colendis vitam agere consuesse.

25. VIRGO. Hesiod calls her the daughter of Jove and Themis; Aratus, however, judges her to be the daughter of Astraeus and Aurora, who was contemporaneous with the golden ages of men, and shows her to have been their leader. Because of her diligence and equity he is said to have named her Justice; and in that time foreign nations were not provoked to war by men, nor was there any use of ships, but they were wont to live by cultivating the fields.

Sed post eorum obitum qui sint nati, eos minus officiosos, magis avaros coepisse fieri, quare minus Iustitiam inter homines fuisse conversatam. Denique causam pervenisse usque eo, dum diceretur aeneum genus hominum natum. Itaque iam non potuisse pati amplius et ad sidera evolasse.

But after the death of those who had been born, the others began to become less officious, more avaricious, wherefore Justice was less conversant among men. Indeed the reason had come even to that point, that it was said a brazen (aeneum) race of men was born. And so they could no longer endure any longer and had soared up to the stars.

Sed hanc alii Fortunam, alii Cererem dixerunt, et hoc magis non convenit inter eos, quod caput eius nimium obscurum videtur. Nonnulli eam Erigonen Icari filiam dixerunt, de qua supra diximus. Alii autem Apollinis filiam ex Chrysothemi natam, et infantem Parthenon nomine appellatam; eamque, quod parva interierit, ab Apolline inter sidera collocatam.

But others called her Fortune, others Ceres, and this especially does not agree among them, because her head seems excessively obscure. Some called her Erigone, daughter of Icarus, of whom we spoke above. Others, however, [called her] the daughter of Apollo born of Chrysothemis, and the infant named Parthenon; and because she died young, Apollo set her among the stars.

XXVI. SCORPIUS. Hic propter magnitudinem membrorum in duo signa dividitur, quorum unius effigiem nostri Libram dixerunt. Sed omnino totum signum hac de causa statutum existimatur: quod Orion cum venaretur, et in eo exercitatissimum se esse confideret, dixisse etiam Dianae et Latonae se omnia, quae ex terra oriantur, interficere valere.

26. SCORPIUS. This sign, on account of the greatness of its members, is divided into two signs, the effigy of one of which our people called Libra. But the whole sign is generally thought to have been set for this reason: because Orion, when he was hunting, and confident that he was most practised in it, had even said to Diana and Latona that he was able to kill all things which rise from the earth.

Quare Terram permotam, Scorpionem misisse, qui eum interficere monstratur. Iovem autem utriusque animum admiratum, Scorpionem inter astra conlocasse, ut species eius hominibus documento esset, ne quis eorum aliqua re sibi confideret. Dianam autem propter studium Orionis petisse ab Iove, ut idem illi beneficium daret petenti, quod Terrae ultro tribuisset.

Wherefore the Earth, moved, sent the Scorpion, which is shown to kill him. But Jupiter, admiring the spirit of both, placed the Scorpion among the stars, that its form might be a lesson to men, lest any of them trust themselves in anything. And Diana, on account of her zeal for Orion, asked of Jupiter that he grant to him the same benefit he had of his own accord conferred upon the Earth.

Itaque eum ita constitutum, ut, cum Scorpius exoriatur, occidat Orion.

Therefore it was so ordained for him that, whenever Scorpius rises, it kills Orion.

XXVII. SAGITTARIUS. Hunc complures Centaurum esse dixerunt; alii autem hac de causa negaverunt, quod nemo Centaurus sagittis sit usus. Hic autem quaeritur, cur equinis cruribus sit deformatus et caudam habeat ut Satyri.

CHAPTER 27. SAGITTARIUS. Many have said that he is a Centaur; others, however, denied this for the reason that no Centaur made use of arrows. But here it is asked why he is deformed with equine legs and has a tail like the Satyrs.

Dicunt enim nonnulli hunc esse Crotum nomine, Euphemes Musarum nutricis filium. Ut ait Sositheus tragoediarum scriptor, eum domicilium in monte Helicone habuisse et cum Musis solitum delectari, nonnumquam etiam studio venationis exerceri. Itaque pro merita diligentia magnam laudem assecutum; nam et celerrimum in silvis et acutissimum in musis factum esse.

For some say that he is called Crotus, the son of Eupheme, nurse of the Muses. As Sositheus, writer of tragedies, says, that he had his dwelling on Mount Helicon and was wont to take delight with the Musae, and sometimes likewise was exercised in the pursuit of hunting by zeal. Therefore, for his merited diligence he obtained great praise; for he was made both most swift in the woods and most keen in the Muses.

Pro quo studio illius petisse Musas ab Iove, ut in aliquo astrorum numero eum deformaret. Itaque Iovem fecisse; et cum omnia illius artificia uno corpore vellet significare, crura eius equina fecisse, quod equo multum sit usus; et sagittas adiunxisse, ut ex his et acumen et celeritas eius videretur. Caudam satyricam in corpore fixisse, quod iam non minus hoc Croto Musae, quam Liber Satyris sit delectatus.

For this zeal of his he entreated the Muses from Jove, that they might make him deformed into some number among the stars. And Jove did so; and since he wished to signify all his arts in a single body, he made his legs equine, because he was much given to the horse; and he appended arrows, so that from these his acumen and celerity might be seen. He fastened a satyric tail to the body, because now the Muses were no less delighted with this Crotus than Liber with the Satyrs.

Ante huius pedes stellae sunt paucae et in rotundo deformatae, quas coronam eius ut ludentis abiectam nonnulli dixerunt.

Before his feet are a few stars, deformed into a circle, which some said to be his crown, cast off while he was playing.

XXVIII. CAPRICORNUS. Huius effigies similis est Aegipani. Quem Iuppiter, quod cum eo erat nutritus, in sideribus esse voluit, ut capram nutricem, de qua ante diximus.

28. CAPRICORNUS. The likeness of this is like the Aegipan. Whom Jupiter, because he had been nursed with him, wished to have in the stars, as the nursing she-goat, of whom we spoke above.

Hic etiam dicitur, cum Iuppiter Titanas obpugnaret, primus obiecisse hostibus timorem, qui panikos appellatur, ut ait Eratosthenes. Hac etiam de causa eius inferiorem partem piscis esse formationem, et quod muricibus hostes sit iaculatus pro lapidum iactatione. Aegyptii autem sacerdotes et nonnulli poetae dicunt, cum complures dii in Aegyptum convenissent, repente pervenisse eodem Typhona, acerrimum giganta et maxime deorum hostem.

It is also said here that when Jupiter was warring against the Titans he was the first to cast fear upon the enemies, which is called panikos, as Eratosthenes says. For this reason likewise the lower part of the fish is its formation, and that he hurled murex-shells at the enemies instead of the casting of stones. The Egyptian priests and some poets, however, say that when many gods had gathered in Egypt, Typhon suddenly arrived there, a most fierce giant and the greatest enemy of the gods.

Quo timore permotos in alias figuras se convertisse; Mercurium factum esse ibim, Apollinem autem, quae Threicia avis vocatur, Dianam aeluro similatam. Quibus de causis Aegyptios ea genera violari non sinere demonstrant, quod deorum imagines dicantur. Eodem tempore Pana dicunt in flumen se deiecisse et posteriorem partem corporis effigiem piscis, alteram autem hirci fecisse et ita a Typhone profugisse.

Moved by that fear they turned themselves into other figures; Mercury is said to have been made thus, Apollo, however, into what is called the Thracian bird, Diana like a cat. For these reasons the Egyptians show that they do not allow those kinds to be violated, because they are said to be images of the gods. At the same time they say that Pan threw himself into the river and made the posterior part of his body the likeness of a fish, the other part of a goat, and so fled from Typhon.

Cuius cogitatum Iovem admiratum, inter sidera effigiem eius fixisse.

Jupiter, admiring that cogitation, fixed his effigy among the stars.

XXIX. AQUARIUS. Hunc conplures Ganymedem esse dixerunt, quem Iuppiter propter pulchritudinem corporis ereptum parentibus, deorum ministrum fecisse existimatur. Itaque ostenditur ut aquam aquali infundens.

29. AQUARIUS. Many have said that this one is Ganymede, whom Jupiter, seized from his parents on account of the beauty of his body, is thought to have made a minister of the gods. And so he is shown pouring water, depicted as a water‑bearer.

Hegesianax autem Deucaliona dicit esse, quod eo regnante tanta vis aquae se a caelo profuderit, ut cataclysmus factus esse diceretur. Eubulus autem Cecropem demonstrat esse, antiquitatem generis commemorans et ostendens, antequam vinum traditum sit hominibus, aqua in sacrificiis deorum usos esse, et ante Cecropem regnasse quam vinum sit inventum.

Hegesianax, moreover, says that Deucalion was such, because in his reign so great a force of water poured down from the sky that it was said a cataclysm had occurred. Eubulus, however, shows that Cecropes existed, recalling the antiquity of the stock and demonstrating that, before wine was handed to men, water was used in the sacrifices of the gods, and that Cecrops reigned before wine was invented.

XXX. PISCES. Diognetus Erythraeus ait quodam tempore Venerem cum Cupidine filio in Syriam ad flumen Euphraten venisse. Eodem loco repente Typhona, de quo supra diximus, apparuisse; Venerem autem cum filio in flumen se proiecisse et ibi figuram piscium forma mutasse; quo facto, periculo esse liberatos.

30. PISCES. Diognetus Erythraeus says that at one time Venus with Cupid, her son, had come into Syria to the river Euphrates. In the same place suddenly Typhon, of whom we said above, appeared; but Venus with her son cast themselves into the river and there changed their figure into the form of fishes; this done, they were freed from danger.

Itaque postea Syros, qui in his locis sunt proximi, destitisse pisces edere, quod vereantur eos capere, ne simili causa aut deorum praesidia impugnare videantur, aut eos ipsos captare. Eratosthenes autem ex eo pisce natos hos dicit, de quo posterius dicemus.

Therefore afterwards the Syrians, who in those regions are nearest, ceased to eat fish, because they fear to seize them, lest for a like cause they seem to assault the guardians of the gods or to capture the gods themselves. Eratosthenes, however, says that those born from that fish are these, of whom we will speak later.

XXXI. CETUS. De hoc dicitur quod a Neptuno sit missus, ut Andromedam interficeret, de qua ante diximus; sed quod a Perseo sit interfectus, propter inmanitatem corporis et illius virtutem inter sidera conlocatum.

31. CETUS. Of this it is said that he was sent by Neptune to kill Andromeda, of whom we spoke above; but that he was slain by Perseus, and, on account of the monstrous bulk of his body and of that man's virtue, was placed among the stars.

XXXII. ERIDANUS. Hunc alii Nilum, complures etiam Oceanum esse dixerunt. Qui autem Nilum volunt vocari, propter magnitudinem eius et utilitatem aequissimum esse demonstrant, praeterea quod infra hunc quaedam stella sit, clarius ceteris lucens, nomine Canopos appellata.

32. ERIDANUS. Some have said this is the Nile, and many others the Ocean. But those who wish it to be called the Nile demonstrate that it is most fitting because of its magnitude and utility, moreover because beneath it there is a certain star, shining more clearly than the others, called by the name Canopus.

Canopos autem insula flumine adluitur Nilo.

Canopos, however, is an island washed by the river Nile.

XXXIII. LEPUS. Hic dicitur Orionis canem fugere venantis. Nam cum, ut oportebat, eum venatorem finxissent, voluerunt etiam significare aliqua de causa; itaque leporem ad pedes eius fugientem finxerunt.

33. LEPUS. Here the hare is said to be fleeing Orion’s dog, the hunter. For when, as was fitting, they had fashioned him as a hunter, they wished also to signify something of the cause; and so they fashioned the hare fleeing at his feet.

Quem nonnulli a Mercurio constitutum dixerunt, eique datum esse praeter cetera genera quadrupedum, ut alios pareret, alios haberet in ventre. Qui autem ab hac causa dissentiunt, negant tam nobilem et tam magnum venatorem, de quo et ante in Scorpionis signo diximus, oportere fingi leporem venari. Callimachum quoque accusari, quod cum Dianae scriberet laudes, eam leporum sanguine gaudere et eos venari dixisset.

Some say that he was established by Mercury, and that to him, besides the other kinds of quadrupeds, was given that he should both bear some and hold others in his womb. But those who dissent from this reason deny that so noble and so great a hunter — of whom, moreover, we spoke above in the sign of Scorpio — ought to be imagined hunting the hare. Callimachus too is accused, because when he wrote the praises of Diana he said that she delighted in the blood of hares and hunted them.

Itaque Oriona cum Tauro decertantem fecerunt.

Therefore they represented Orion contending with the Bull.

Leporis autem hanc historiam memoriae prodiderunt. Apud antiquos in insula Lero nullum leporem fuisse, sed ex eorum civitate adulescentium quendam, studio generis inductum, ab exteris finibus leporem feminam praegnantem attulisse et eius partum diligentissime ministrasse. Itaque cum peperisset, compluribus eius civitatis studium incidisse et partim pretio, partim beneficio mercatos omnes lepores alere coepisse.

They have handed down this story of the hare to memory. Among the ancients, on the island of Lero there was no hare; but one of the youths of their city, led by a zeal for the breed, brought from foreign borders a pregnant female hare and attended her delivery with the greatest diligence. And when she had given birth, the enthusiasm of many of that city arose, and having purchased the hares partly for price and partly by favor, they began to rear all the hares.

Ita non longo intervallo tantam multitudinem leporum procreatam, ut tota insula ab his occupata diceretur. Quibus cum ab hominibus nihil daretur, in semina eorum impetu facto omnia comederunt. Quo facto incolae calamitate adfecti, cum fame forent oppressi, communi consilio totius civitatis vix denique eos ex insula abegisse dicuntur.

Thus, in not a long interval so great a multitude of hares was bred that the whole island was said to be occupied by them. Since nothing was given to them by the people, they, making an attack upon their seed‑crops, ate everything. With this done the inhabitants, afflicted by calamity and oppressed by famine, by the common counsel of the whole city are said at last with difficulty to have driven them from the island.

Itaque postea leporis figuram in astris constituisse, ut homines meminissent nil esse tam exoptandum in vita, quin ex eo polus doloris quam laetitiae capere posterius cogerentur.

And so afterwards they set the figure of the hare among the stars, so that men would remember that nothing is so desirable in life but that from it, later, they would be compelled to take as great a portion of sorrow as of joy.

XXXIV. ORION. Hunc Hesiodus Neptuni filium dicit ex Euryale Minois filia natum; concessum autem ei, ut supra fluctus curreret ut in terra, quemadmodum Iphiclo datum dicitur, ut supra aristas curreret neque eas infringeret. Aristomachus autem dicit quendam Hyriea fuisse Thebis, Pindarus autem in insula Chio.

34. ORION. Hesiod calls this man a son of Neptune, born of Euryale, daughter of Minos; and it was granted to him that he should run above the waves as on land, just as it is said to have been given to Iphiclus, that he should run above the crests and not break them. Aristomachus, however, says that a certain Hyrieus was from Thebes, and Pindar from the island of Chios.

Hunc autem, cum Iovem et Mercurium hospitio recepisset, petisse ab his, ut sibi aliquid liberorum nasceretur. Itaque quo facilius petitum impetraret, bovem immolasse et his pro epulis adposuisse. Quod cum fecisset, poposcisse Iovem et Mercurium quod corium de bove foret detractum, et quod fecerant urinae in corium infudisse, et id sub terra poni iussisse.

Now when he had received Jupiter and Mercury as guests, he begged of them that some children be born to him. And so that he might more readily obtain what he asked, he sacrificed an ox and set it before them for a banquet. When he had done this, he demanded of Jupiter and Mercury that the hide be stripped from the ox, and that they pour their urine into the hide, and that it be ordered to be placed beneath the earth.

Ex quo postea natum puerum, quem Hyrieus e facto Uriona appellaret. Sed venustate et consuetudine factum est, ut Orion vocaretur. Hic dicitur Thebis Chium venisse et Oenopionis filiam Meropen per vinum cupiditate incensus conpressisse.

From whom afterward the boy was born, whom Hyrieus from the deed named Uriona. But by beauty and custom he became called Orion. He is said to have come from Thebes to Chios and, inflamed by desire through wine, to have overwhelmed Meropen, the daughter of Oenopion.

Pro quo facto ab Oenopione excaecatus et de insula eiectus existimatur Lemnum ad Vulcanum pervenisse et ab eo quendam ducem Cedaliona nomine accepisse. Quem collo ferens dicitur ad Solem venisse et ab eo sanatus, ut se ulcisceretur, Chium revertisse. Oenopiona autem a civibus sub terra custoditum esse.

For this deed he is said to have been blinded by Oenopion and driven from the island, to have come to Lemnos to Vulcan and received from him a certain guide named Cedalion. Bearing him upon his neck, he is said to have come to the Sun and to have been healed by him, and then to have returned to Chios in order to take vengeance. Oenopion, however, is said to have been kept underground by the citizens.

Quem postquam se invenire posse desperaret Orion, in insulam Cretam pervenisse, et ibi venari coepisse cum Diana, et ei polliceri quae supra diximus, et ita ad sidera pervenisse. Nonnulli autem aiunt Oriona cum Oenopione prope nimia coniunctum amicitia vixisse, et quod ei voluerit suum studium in venando probare, Dianae quoque pollicitum quae supra diximus; et ita interfectum. Alii dicunt cum Callimacho, cum Dianae vim voluerit adferre, ab ea sagittis esse confixum et ad sidera propter venandi consimile studium deformatum.

When Orion, despairing that he could find him, came to the island of Crete, there he began to hunt with Diana, and to her promise what we above related, and so he reached the stars. But some say that Orion had lived with Oenopion almost too closely joined in friendship, and that, because he wished to prove his ardor in hunting to him, he also promised to Diana what we above related; and thus was killed. Others say that with Callimachus, when he would bring force against Diana, he was pierced by her arrows and, because of his like zeal for hunting, was disfigured and sent to the stars.

Istrus autem dicit Oriona a Diana esse dilectum et paene factum, ut ei nupsisse existimaretur. Quod cum Apollo aegre ferret, et saepe eum obiurgans nihil egisset, natantis Orionis longe caput solum videri conspicatus, contendit cum Diana eam non posse sagittam mittere ad id, quod nigrum in mari videretur. Quae cum se vellet in eo studio maxime artificem dici, sagitta missa caput Orionis traiecit.

Istrus however says that Orion was beloved by Diana and was almost made such that he was thought to have married her. Which when Apollo bore with difficulty, and often rebuking him that he had done nothing, having observed only the head of Orion swimming seen far off, he contended with Diana that she could not send an arrow at that which appeared black in the sea. She, since she wished to be called most skilled in that pursuit, sent an arrow which pierced Orion’s head.

Itaque eum cum fluctus interfectum ad litus eiecisset, et se eum Diana percussisse plurimum doleret, multis eius obitum prosecuta lacrimis, inter sidera statuisse existimatur. Sed quae post mortem eius Diana fecerit, in eius historiis dicemus.

Therefore, when the waves had cast him ashore slain, and Diana was exceedingly grieved that she had struck him, having followed his death with many tears, she is thought to have set him among the stars. But what Diana did after his death we will relate in her histories.

XXXV. CANIS. Hic dicitur ab Iove custos Europae adpositus esse et ad Minoa pervenisse. Quem Procris Cephali uxor laborantem dicitur sanasse et pro eo beneficio canem muneri accepisse, quod illa studiosa fuerit venationis, et quod cani fuerat datum, ne ulla fera praeterire eum posset.

CHAPTER 35. DOG. He is said to have been set by Jove as the guardian of Europe and to have come to Minos. Procris, the wife of Cephalus, is said to have healed him when he was sick or laboring, and in return for that kindness to have received the dog as a gift, because she was eager for hunting, and because a charm had been given to the dog so that no wild beast could pass him by.

Post eius obitum canis ad Cephalum pervenit, quod Procris eius fuerat uxor. Quem ille ducens secum Thebas pervenit, ubi erat vulpes, cui datum dicebatur, ut omnes canes effugere posset. Itaque cum in unum pervenissent, Iuppiter nescius quid faceret, ut Istrus ait, utrosque in lapidem convertit.

After his death the dog came to Cephalus, whose wife had been Procris. That dog, leading it with him, reached Thebes, where there was a fox said to have been given so that it could put all dogs to flight. And so when they had come together, Jupiter, not knowing what to do, as Istrus says, turned both into stone.

Nonnulli hunc canem Orionis esse dixerunt, et quod studiosus fuerit venandi, cum eo canem quoque inter astra conlocatum; alii autem Icari canem esse dixerunt, de quo ante diximus. Quae multa proposita suos habent auctores.

Some have said that this dog is Orion’s, and that, because he was a zealous hunter, a dog likewise was set among the stars with him; others, however, said it was the dog of Icarus, of whom we spoke above. These many propositions have their own authors.

Sed canis habet in lingua stellam unam, quae ipsa Canis appellatur, in capite autem alteram, quam Isis suo nomine statuisse existimatur et Sirion appellasse propter flammae candorem, quod eiusmodi sit, ut prae ceteris lucere videatur. Itaque quo magis eam cognoscerent, Sirion appellasse.

But the dog has on its tongue one star, which itself is called Canis, and on its head another, which Isis is thought to have set under her own name and to have called Sirion because of the whiteness of flame, being of such a sort that it seems to shine before the others. And therefore, that they might recognize it the more, she named it Sirion.

XXXVI. PROCYON. Hic ante maiorem Canem exoriri videtur, sed a nonnullis Orionis esse existimatur. Hac etiam de causa Procyon est appellatus, sed isdem omnibus historiis quibus superior Canis annumeratur.

36. PROCYON. Here he seems to rise before the greater Dog, but by some he is thought to belong to Orion. For this same reason he is called Procyon, yet he is reckoned in the same histories in which the earlier Dog is counted.

XXXVII. ARGO. Hanc nonnulli propter celeritatem Graece dixerunt Argo appellatam; alii quod Argus eius fuerit inventor. Hanc autem primam in mari fuisse conplures dixerunt, et hac re maxime stellis esse figuratam.

37. ARGO. Some have said that this was called Argo in Greek on account of its celerity; others, that Argus was its inventor. Many moreover declared that this was the first upon the sea, and for this reason it has been especially figured among the stars.

Hanc navem factam Pindarus ait in Magnesiae oppido, cui Demetrias est nomen. Callimachus autem in isdem finibus ad Apollinis Actii templum, quod Argonautae proficiscentes statuisse existimantur in eo loco, qui Pagasae vocatur, ideo quod navis Argo ibi primum conpacta dicitur, quod est Graece pagasai. Homerus hunc eundem locum in Thessaliae finibus esse demonstrat; Aeschylus autem et nonnulli aiunt a Minerva quandam materiam loquentem eodem esse coniunctam.

Pindar says this ship was made in the town of Magnesia, which is named Demetrias. Callimachus, however, places it in the same region at the Actian temple of Apollo — which the Argonauts are thought to have set up at the spot called Pagasae — because the ship Argo is said to have first been constructed there, the Greek being pagasai. Homer shows this same place to be within the bounds of Thessaly; Aeschylus and some others, moreover, say that a certain speaking material of Minerva was joined to it.

Sed huius non tota effigies inter astra videtur; divisa enim est a puppi usque ad malum, significans, ne homines navibus fractis pertimescerent.

But the whole effigy of this is not seen among the stars; for it is divided from the stern to the mast, signifying that men should not be terrified by ships shattered.

XXXVIII. CENTAURUS. Hic dicitur nomine Chiron Saturni et Philyrae filius esse, qui non modo ceteros Centauros, sed homines quoque iustitia superasse. Aesculapium et Achillem nutrisse existimatur.

38. CENTAURUS. Here by the name Chiron is said to be the son of Saturn and Philyra, who not only surpassed the other Centaurs but men also in justice. He is thought to have reared Aesculapius and Achilles.

Pietate igitur et diligentia effecit, ut inter astra numeraretur. Apud hunc Hercules cum deverteretur et simul cum Chirone sedens sagittas consideraret, fertur una earum decidisse supra pedem Chironis et ita eum interfecisse. Alii autem dicunt Centaurum miratum, quod tam brevibus sagittis tam magna corpora Centaurorum interfecerit, ipsum contendere arcum conatum, itaque ex eius manu sagittam prolapsam in pedem eius incidisse.

By piety therefore and diligence he made that he be numbered among the stars. At his abode, when Hercules turned aside and, sitting with Chiron, was examining arrows, it is reported that one of them fell upon Chiron’s foot and so killed him. Others, however, say that the Centaur, wondering that so short arrows had slain the great bodies of the Centaurs, himself strove to bend his bow, and so a shaft having slipped from his hand struck his foot.

Pro qua re Iuppiter eius misertus inter sidera eum constituit cum hostia, quam supra aram tenens immolare videtur. Hunc alii Pholon esse Centaurum dixerunt, eum qui auspicio praeter ceteros plurimum valuisset; itaque ad Aram cum hostia venire Iovis voluntate figuratum.

For this reason Jupiter, moved with pity for him, set him among the stars with a hostia, which he is seen holding above an altar to immolate. Others said this Centaur was Pholus, the Centaur who had been most powerful by auspices beyond the others; and so, by the will of Jupiter, he was fashioned as coming to the Altar with a hostia.

XXXIX. ARA. In hac primum dii existimantur sacra et coniurationem fecisse, cum Titanas oppugnare conarentur; eam autem Cyclopas fecisse. Ab ea consuetudine homines dicuntur instituisse sibi, ut cum aliquam rem efficere cogitarent, prius sacrificarent, quam agere incepissent.

39. ARA. In this place first the gods are thought to have made sacred rites and a conjuration, when they were attempting to attack the Titans; and that the Cyclopes made it. From that custom men are said to have established for themselves that whenever they contemplated to bring about any thing, they should first sacrifice before they began to act.

XL. HYDRA. In qua Corvus insidere et Crater positus existimatur; de qua hanc habemus memoriae proditam causam. Corvus Apollinis tutela usus, eo sacrificante, missus ad fontem aquam puram petitum vidit arbores conplures ficorum inmaturas; eas exspectans dum maturescerent, in arbore quadam earum consedit. Itaque post aliquot dies coctis ficis, et a corvo compluribus earum comesis, exspectans Apollo corvum vidit cum cratere pleno volare festinantem.

40. HYDRA. In which the Raven is thought to have perched and the Crater to have been placed; of which we have this cause handed down to memory. The Raven, enjoying Apollo’s protection while he was sacrificing there, sent to a spring to fetch pure water and saw many fig-trees not yet ripe; waiting for them to ripen, he settled on one of those trees. Thus after several days, the figs having ripened and with many of them eaten by the raven, Apollo, waiting, saw the raven hastening to fly with the crater full.

Pro quo admisso eius dicitur, quod diu moratus sit, Apollo, qui coactus mora corvi alia aqua est usus, hac igitur ignominia eum adfecisse, ut quamdiu fici coquerentur, corvus bibere non possit, ideo quod guttur habeat pertusum illis diebus. Itaque cum vellet significare sitim corvi, inter sidera constituit cratera et supposuit hydram, quae corvum sitientem moraretur. Videtur enim rostro caudam eius extremam verberare, ut Istrus autem et complures tamquam sinat se ad crateram transire dixerunt Coronida Phlegyae filiam fuisse; hanc autem ex Apolline Aesculapiumprocreasse, sed postea Ischyn Elati filium cum ea concubuisse.

For this admitted thing it is said that Apollo, having been delayed long, being forced by the delay made use of a water other than the crow’s, and that this disgrace so affected him that, for as long as the figs were ripening, the crow could not drink, because his throat was pierced on those days. And so, when he wished to signify the crow’s thirst, he set a crater among the stars and placed beneath it a hydra, which would hinder the thirsty crow. For it seems to beat his extreme tail with its beak; and Istrus and many others said, as if she would permit herself to pass to the crater, that Coronis was the daughter of Phlegyas; that she, however, bore Aesculapius by Apollo, but afterwards Ischys, son of Elatus, lay with her.

Quod cum viderit corvus, Apollini nuntiasse; qui cum fuerit antea candidus, Apollinem pro incommodo nuntio eum nigrum fecisse et Ischyn sagittis confixisse.

When the crow saw this, it is said to have reported it to Apollo; who, though formerly white, made him black because of the untoward message, and Ischys pierced him with arrows.

De cratera autem hanc historiam Phylarchus scribit. In Chersoneso quae confinis est Troiae, ubi Protesilai sepulcrum statutum complures dixerunt, urbs Elaeusa nomine dicitur. In qua Demophon quidam cum regnaret, incidit eorum finibus repentina vastitas et civium interitio miranda.

Phylarchus writes this history concerning the crater. In the Chersonesus that borders Troy, where many said a tomb of Protesilaus had been set up, a city is said to be named Elaeusa. In it, when a certain Demophon was reigning, a sudden devastation and a marvelous destruction of the citizens befell their borders.

Qua re Demophonta permotum ferunt misisse ad Apollinis oraculum quaerentis remedium vastitatis. Responso autem dato, ut quotannis una de nobilium genere virgo diis penatibus eorum immolaretur. Demophon omnium filias praeter suas sorte ductas interficiebat, usque dum cuidam civium loco nobilissimo eorum nato perdoluit inceptum Demophontis.

Wherefore, they say, Demophon, moved, sent to the oracle of Apollo seeking a remedy for the devastation. And the response being given was that annually one maiden of the noble stock should be sacrificed to their household gods. Demophon put to death all the daughters, except his own, chosen by lot, until, when a son was born to a certain citizen of the most noble rank, people took pity on Demophon's undertaking.

Qui negare coepit de sua filia se passurum sortiri, nisi eodem regis filiae essent coniectae. Quo facto rex permotus, illius filiam sine sorte ductam interfecit. Quod Mastusius nomine, virginis pater, instanti tempore simulavit se patriae causa non aegre ferre factum (potuisset enim postea sorte ducta nihilominus interire); quod paulatim dies regi in oblivionem perduxit.

Who began to deny that his daughter would undergo being chosen by lot, unless the king’s daughters were cast by lot in the same way. When this was done, the king, moved, put to death that daughter who had been led away without lot. Which Mastusius by name, the virgin’s father, at the pressing time feigned that he did not take the deed ill for the sake of the patria (for he could afterward, his daughter having been chosen by lot, nonetheless perish); and day by day the matter passed into oblivion with the king.

Itaque cum se prope amicissimum regi virginis pater ostendisset, sollemne sacrificium se habere dixit, eumque et filias eius ad id conficiendum invitavit. Qui nihil aliter futurum suspicatus, filias ante misit, ut ipse occupatus in re civili postea veniret. Quod cum ex optato Mastusio accidisset, filias regis interfecit et sanguinem earum cum vino in cratera mixtum advenienti regi pro potione dari iussit.

Therefore, when he had shown himself almost a most intimate friend of the king, the maiden’s father said that he was holding a solemn sacrifice, and he invited him and his daughters to perform it. The king, suspecting nothing otherwise, sent the daughters ahead, so that he himself, occupied with a civic matter, would come later. When this occurred as Mastusius had wished, he killed the king’s daughters and ordered their blood, mixed with wine in a crater, to be given to the arriving king as a draught.

Qui cum filias desideraret, et quid his factum esset rescisset, Mastusium cum cratere in mare proici iussit. Quo facto maro, quo ille est proiectus, memoriae causa Mastusium mare vocatum est; portus autem adhuc Crater appellatur. Quem antiqui astrologi stellis deformarunt, ut homines meminissent maleficium neminem temere lucrari posse, neque oblivionem inimicitiarum fieri solere.

Who, when he longed for the daughters and learned what had been done to them, ordered Mastusius to be cast into the sea with the cratera. By which deed the sea, into which he was thrown, was for memory’s sake called the Mastusian Sea; the harbor, however, is even now called Crater. Which the ancient astrologers deformed with stars, so that men might remember that maleficence brings profit to no one rashly, nor is oblivion wont to make enmities vanish.

Nonnulli cum Eratosthene dicunt eum cratera esse, quo Icarus sit usus, cum hominibus ostenderet vinum; alii autem dicunt dolium esse, quo Mars ab Oto et Ephialte sit coniectus.

Some, with Eratosthenes, say that it is a cratera, which Icarus used when he showed wine to men; but others say that it is a dolium, into which Mars was hurled by Otus and Ephialtes.

XLI. PISCIS qui notius appellatur. Hic videtur ore aquam excipere a signo Aquarii.

41. PISCIS which is called the more famous. This one seems to take water into its mouth from the sign of Aquarius.

Qui laborantem quondam Isim servasse existimatur; pro quo beneficio simulacrum piscis et eius filiorum, de quibus ante diximus, inter astra constituit. Itaque Syri complures pisces non esitant et eorum simulacra inaurata pro diis penatibus colunt. De hoc et Ctesias scribit.

Who is thought to have once rescued the suffering Isis; for this benefit he set up the image of a fish and of his sons, of whom we spoke above, among the stars. Therefore many Syrians do not hesitate and worship fish and their gilded images as gods and penates. Ctesias also writes concerning this.

XLII. Reliquum est nobis disputare de stellis quinque, quas complures ut erraticas,o ita planetas Graeci dixerunt. Quarum una est Iovis, nomine Phaenon, quem Heraclides Ponticus ait, quo tempore Prometheus homines finxerit, hunc pulchritudine corporis reliquos praestantem fecisse; cumque supprimere cogitaret, neque Iovi ut ceteros redderet, Cupidinem Iovi nuntiasse. Quo facto missum Mercurium ad Phaenonem persuasisse, ut ad Iovem veniret et inmortalis fieret.

42. It remains for us to dispute concerning the five stars, which many called erratic, that is, the planets, by the Greeks. One of these belongs to Jove, named Phaenon, whom Heraclides Ponticus says, at the time when Prometheus fashioned men, he made surpassing the others in bodily beauty; and when he was thinking to suppress it, and not to restore it to Jove like the others, Cupid reported this to Jove. After this was done, Mercury was sent to Phaenon and persuaded him to come to Jove and to become immortal.

Itaque eum inter astra collocatum.

Thus he was placed among the stars.

Secunda stella dicitur Solis, quam alii Saturni dixerunt. Hanc Eratosthenes a Solis filio Phaethonta appellatam dicit. De quo complures scripserunt, ut patris inscienter curru vectus, incenderit terras; quo facto ab Iove fulmine percussus, in Eridanum deciderit et a Sole inter sidera sit perlatus.

The second star is said to belong to the Sun, which others called of Saturn. Eratosthenes says that this one was named Phaethon, the son of the Sun. About whom many have written that, having been unknowingly borne in his father's chariot, he set the lands on fire; and when this had been done, struck by a thunderbolt from Jove, he fell into the Eridanus and was borne by the Sun among the stars.

Tertia est stella Martis, quam alii Herculis dixerunt, Veneris sequens stellam hac, ut Eratosthenes ait, de causa. Quod Vulcanus cum uxorem Venerem duxisset, et propter eius observantiam Marti copia non fieret, ut nihil aliud adsequi videretur, nisi sua stella Veneris sidus persequi a Veneri impetravit. Itaque cum vehementer amore eum incenderet, significans e facto stellam Pyroenta appellavit.

The third is the star of Mars, which others called that of Hercules, following the star of Venus for this reason, as Eratosthenes says. Because Vulcan had taken Venus as his wife, and on account of her observance abundance did not come to Mars, so that he seemed to obtain nothing else, he obtained from Venus that his star should pursue the Venusian star. Therefore, since he inflamed him with violent love, naming it from the deed he called the star Pyroenta.

Quarta stella est Veneris, Lucifer nomine; quam nonnulli Iunonis esse dixerunt. Hanc eandem Hesperum appellari, multis traditum est historiis. Hic autem omnium siderum maximus esse videtur.

The fourth star is Venus’s, by the name Lucifer; which some have said belongs to Juno. The same is reported called Hesperus in many histories. This, however, seems to be the greatest of all the stars.

Nonnulli hunc Aurorae et Cephali filium dixerunt, pulchritudine multos praestantem. Ex qua re etiam cum Venere dicitur certasse, ut etiam Eratosthenes dicit eum hac de causa Veneris appellari, et exoriente sole et occidente videri. Quare, ut ante diximus, iure hunc et Luciferum et Hesperum nominatum.

Some have called him the son of Aurora and Cephalus, surpassing many in pulchritude. From this affair he is also said to have contended with Venus, and as Eratosthenes likewise says he for this reason is called Veneris, and is seen at the rising and the setting of the sun. Wherefore, as we said before, rightly he has been named both Lucifer and Hesperus.

Quinta stella est Mercurii, nomine Stilbon. Sed haec est brevis et clara. Haec autem Mercurio data existimatur, quod primus menses instituerit et perviderit siderum cursus.

The fifth star is Mercury’s, by name Stilbon. But this one is small and bright. It is thought to be given to Mercury, because he first instituted the months and discerned the courses of the stars.

Euhemerus autem Venerem primam ait sidera constituisse et Mercurio demonstrasse.

Euhemerus, however, said that Venus first established the stars and showed them to Mercury.

XLII. Praeterea ostenditur circulus quidam in sideribus, candido colore, quem lacteum esse nonnulli dixerunt. Eratosthenes enim dicit Mercurio infanti puero insciam Iunonem dedisse lacte; sed postquam rescierit eum Maiae filium esse, reiecisse eum ab se; ita lactis profusi splendorem inter sidera apparere. Alii dixerunt dormienti Iunoni Herculem suppositum, et experrectam id quod supra diximus fecisse.

42. Furthermore a certain circle is shown among the stars, of a bright/white colour, which some called milky. For Eratosthenes says that Juno, unaware, gave milk to the infant Mercury as a babe; but after she learned that he was Maia’s son, she cast him away from her; thus the abundant brightness of the milk appears among the stars. Others said that Hercules was laid to the sleeping Juno’s breast, and that when she awoke she did the thing which we said above.

Alii autem Herculem propter nimiam aviditatem multitudinem lactis adpetisse neque in ore continere potuisse: quod ex ore eius profusum, circulum significasse. Alii dicunt, quo tempore Ops Saturno lapidem pro partu attulit, iussisse ei lacte praebere. Quare cum pressisset mammam, profuso lacte circulum deformatum, quem supra demonstravimus.

Others, however, say that Hercules, through excessive avidity, seized at a multitude of milk and could not contain it in his mouth: which, poured forth from his mouth, signified the circle. Others say that, at the time when Ops brought to Saturn a stone in place of a birth, she commanded that milk be offered to her. Wherefore when she pressed the breast, with milk poured forth the deformed circle, which we have shown above.

Nos autem omnium corporum deformationem dicere instituimus.

We, however, have set ourselves to speak of the deformation of all bodies.