Hi all
Seeing that not much people knows about the mythologies of the 88 constellations, i will post one or two constellations' myths here everyday. Hope you guys enjoy it like i do!
Each myth is Greek version unless stated otherwise.
Charlie
Mythologies of Constellations
Mythologies of Constellations
Last edited by Grievous on Mon Oct 13, 2003 2:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The gentle light of a distant galaxy
must needs pour into mine eye.
Or i shall with bent and turned,
fall me down, distraught..To die.
must needs pour into mine eye.
Or i shall with bent and turned,
fall me down, distraught..To die.
Andromeda
Also know as the Chained Maiden.
One of the only three women within the classical northen mythologies. Andromeda, Cassiopeia and Virgo are representations of the Earth Mother in her three stages, youth, maturity and old age.
Andromeda was one of the earliest constellations to be named, probably dating back to the ancient civilizations of the Tigris-Euphrates region.
Cepheus was King of Æthiopia (not present day Ethiopia), and the beautiful Cassiopeia was his Queen. Soon after their marriage, Cassiopeia bore her husband a daughter, Andromeda. Cassiopeia was vain and boastful. So great was her beauty and that of Andromeda, she said, that it surpassed even that of Nereids (the Sea-goddess).
When Nereids overheard Cassiopeia she became very jealous. She complained to Poseidon, God of the Sea, and demanded that Cassiopeia be punished. Poseidon agreed and summoned a terrible sea-monster, Cetus. "Go to the coast of Cassiopeia's land," Poseidon directed, "and lay waste to the land, and kill the people, and kill the cattle."
Cetus, in the form of a monstrous whale, set upon his mission of destruction and began the slaughter, working his way up and down the coast. The frightened people gathered and pleaded to their king to save them. Cepheus consulted an oracle--one with magical powers who could communicate with the gods when men sought their advice. The oracle told Cepheus that there was only one way to stop the slaughter: "You must offer your daughter Andromeda as a sacrifice." She was to be chained to the rocks on the coast and left for Cetus to devour. He made the bitter choice of sacrificing Andromeda, whereupon she was chained to the rocks and abandoned to await Cetus.
When Cetus discovered the prize awaiting him, he left off his wholesale destruction of the land and began swimming toward the ledge where Andromeda was chained. But then a distant figure appeared in the sky. It was Perseus, the brave son of Zeus and Danae, just returning from a journey during which he had succeeded in killing the dreaded Medusa.
It was when Perseus was flow over the coast of Æthiopia that he noticed Andromeda chained to the rocks by the sea, and not far away he could see Cetus rapidly nearing her. Down he swept to the girl's side. "Why are you thus bound?" he asked, overwhelmed by Andromeda's beauty. Andromeda told him the story of her boastful mother and the advice the oracle had given her father.
Perseus quickly turned to Cepheus and said: "I can save your daughter from the sea-monster, but for my reward I demand Andromeda's hand in marriage, and a kingdom." Cepheus promised Perseus that he would have what he asked for, whereupon Perseus unsheathed his sword and leapt into the air to the attack. One thrust of his sword found a soft spot between the armored scales of the monster. Wounded, it twisted over on its side. Perseus then inflicted another deep cut, and another. Blood now colored the water red and soaked Perseus' winged shoes. Fearful of losing his ability to fly, he settled on a rock near the shore and waited for the sea-monster to attack again. As it did, Perseus' sword plunged deeply into the monster's evil heart.
Joyful beyond words, Cepheus and Cassiopeia led Perseus and Andromeda to their house, where a great feast and celebration were prepared. Perseus and Andromeda were married and led a long, happy life together. There first-born son, Peres, is said to have given rise to those people who became known as Persian. Andromeda is the great grandmother of Hercules. When Perseus and Andromeda died, they were given honored places among the stars by the goddess Athena. Cetus, the sea-monster, was there waiting for them and forever chases Andromeda around the sky, but Perseus continues to guard her well. Meanwhile Cepheus and Cassiopeia had died and were likewise given honored places among the stars by Poseidon.
Mespotamia version: She represents the goddess Istar as she is chained to a rock while Marduk prepares to do battle with her ally, Tiamat.
Also know as the Chained Maiden.
One of the only three women within the classical northen mythologies. Andromeda, Cassiopeia and Virgo are representations of the Earth Mother in her three stages, youth, maturity and old age.
Andromeda was one of the earliest constellations to be named, probably dating back to the ancient civilizations of the Tigris-Euphrates region.
Cepheus was King of Æthiopia (not present day Ethiopia), and the beautiful Cassiopeia was his Queen. Soon after their marriage, Cassiopeia bore her husband a daughter, Andromeda. Cassiopeia was vain and boastful. So great was her beauty and that of Andromeda, she said, that it surpassed even that of Nereids (the Sea-goddess).
When Nereids overheard Cassiopeia she became very jealous. She complained to Poseidon, God of the Sea, and demanded that Cassiopeia be punished. Poseidon agreed and summoned a terrible sea-monster, Cetus. "Go to the coast of Cassiopeia's land," Poseidon directed, "and lay waste to the land, and kill the people, and kill the cattle."
Cetus, in the form of a monstrous whale, set upon his mission of destruction and began the slaughter, working his way up and down the coast. The frightened people gathered and pleaded to their king to save them. Cepheus consulted an oracle--one with magical powers who could communicate with the gods when men sought their advice. The oracle told Cepheus that there was only one way to stop the slaughter: "You must offer your daughter Andromeda as a sacrifice." She was to be chained to the rocks on the coast and left for Cetus to devour. He made the bitter choice of sacrificing Andromeda, whereupon she was chained to the rocks and abandoned to await Cetus.
When Cetus discovered the prize awaiting him, he left off his wholesale destruction of the land and began swimming toward the ledge where Andromeda was chained. But then a distant figure appeared in the sky. It was Perseus, the brave son of Zeus and Danae, just returning from a journey during which he had succeeded in killing the dreaded Medusa.
It was when Perseus was flow over the coast of Æthiopia that he noticed Andromeda chained to the rocks by the sea, and not far away he could see Cetus rapidly nearing her. Down he swept to the girl's side. "Why are you thus bound?" he asked, overwhelmed by Andromeda's beauty. Andromeda told him the story of her boastful mother and the advice the oracle had given her father.
Perseus quickly turned to Cepheus and said: "I can save your daughter from the sea-monster, but for my reward I demand Andromeda's hand in marriage, and a kingdom." Cepheus promised Perseus that he would have what he asked for, whereupon Perseus unsheathed his sword and leapt into the air to the attack. One thrust of his sword found a soft spot between the armored scales of the monster. Wounded, it twisted over on its side. Perseus then inflicted another deep cut, and another. Blood now colored the water red and soaked Perseus' winged shoes. Fearful of losing his ability to fly, he settled on a rock near the shore and waited for the sea-monster to attack again. As it did, Perseus' sword plunged deeply into the monster's evil heart.
Joyful beyond words, Cepheus and Cassiopeia led Perseus and Andromeda to their house, where a great feast and celebration were prepared. Perseus and Andromeda were married and led a long, happy life together. There first-born son, Peres, is said to have given rise to those people who became known as Persian. Andromeda is the great grandmother of Hercules. When Perseus and Andromeda died, they were given honored places among the stars by the goddess Athena. Cetus, the sea-monster, was there waiting for them and forever chases Andromeda around the sky, but Perseus continues to guard her well. Meanwhile Cepheus and Cassiopeia had died and were likewise given honored places among the stars by Poseidon.
Mespotamia version: She represents the goddess Istar as she is chained to a rock while Marduk prepares to do battle with her ally, Tiamat.
The gentle light of a distant galaxy
must needs pour into mine eye.
Or i shall with bent and turned,
fall me down, distraught..To die.
must needs pour into mine eye.
Or i shall with bent and turned,
fall me down, distraught..To die.
haha.. no need la... i give u an URL
http://www.abcgallery.com/mythindex.html
go there and see.. got quite alot.. dunno got all the 88 anot..
http://www.abcgallery.com/mythindex.html
go there and see.. got quite alot.. dunno got all the 88 anot..
*~Stars AND Clear Sky always~*
Leslie
*Owner of Antares 93mm Achromat Refractor*
-10.11.03-
*Owner of Takahashi SKY 90 Fluorite Doublet Apochromat Refractor*
-25.03.06-
Leslie
*Owner of Antares 93mm Achromat Refractor*
-10.11.03-
*Owner of Takahashi SKY 90 Fluorite Doublet Apochromat Refractor*
-25.03.06-
Antlia - the air pump
The stars of Antlia are so faint that the ancient stargazers did not bother to name them. Antlia is one of many constellations introduced by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the mid eighteenth century (Before that, there were 48 constellations then), designed to fill in the southern hemisphere. The constellation commemorates the air pump, which had been recently invented by Robert Boyle. Boyle used his air-compressing pump to lead to the understanding of the laws of gas behavior and laws of thermodynamics. It takes some imagination to find a "pump" here, not surprising given the small selection of stars. Lacaille originally called this constellation Antlia Pneumatics (Imagine how we are gonna pronounce that!).
The stars of Antlia are so faint that the ancient stargazers did not bother to name them. Antlia is one of many constellations introduced by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the mid eighteenth century (Before that, there were 48 constellations then), designed to fill in the southern hemisphere. The constellation commemorates the air pump, which had been recently invented by Robert Boyle. Boyle used his air-compressing pump to lead to the understanding of the laws of gas behavior and laws of thermodynamics. It takes some imagination to find a "pump" here, not surprising given the small selection of stars. Lacaille originally called this constellation Antlia Pneumatics (Imagine how we are gonna pronounce that!).
The gentle light of a distant galaxy
must needs pour into mine eye.
Or i shall with bent and turned,
fall me down, distraught..To die.
must needs pour into mine eye.
Or i shall with bent and turned,
fall me down, distraught..To die.
Nvm la, if you can find other versions of the mythologies, do tell me! So far, i've found Greek (the dominant), India, Hindu, Mesopotamia, China, Egypt, 17th Century Christian, Assyria, Arabic, Australian Aborigines, Shawnee, Aztecs, Celtics, Mayans, Basques of northern Spain.IceAngel wrote:ooh.. ok.. sorry..
Will apperaciate if anyone can point me to where i can find Mayan and Aztec versions!
Charlie
The gentle light of a distant galaxy
must needs pour into mine eye.
Or i shall with bent and turned,
fall me down, distraught..To die.
must needs pour into mine eye.
Or i shall with bent and turned,
fall me down, distraught..To die.