Capricornus
One of the 88 IAU constellations.
Etymology and History
The Greek constellation ...
Origin of Constellation
Babylonian
Greco-Roman
Aratus
Capricorn lies ahead and lower down, where the powerful sun turns back. [287] In that month I hope you will not be surged about by the sea through taking to open waters. Neither by day can you make much headway, for the days pass most swiftly then, [290] nor in your terror by night will the dawn come soon, however much you cry out. It is then that the dread southerlies strike, when the sun meets up with Capricorn; then the icy cold from Zeus is more cruel to the freezing sailor. But for that matter [295] the sea surges under the stem all the year long; and we, like diving shearwaters, often sit gazing round the ocean from our ships, turning our eyes towards the beaches; but the surf there is still far off, and only a little timber keeps death away. (Kidd 1997)
Eratosthenes
Ovid, Fasti 1
[651] When that is over, thou wilt quit Capricorn, O Phoebus, and wilt take thy course through the sign of the youth who carries water (Aquarius). (James George Frazer 1931)
Hipparchus
Hyginus, Astronomica
This sign resembles Aegipan, whom Jupiter wished to be put among the constellations because he was nourished with him, just as he put the goat nurse we have mentioned before. He, first, as Eratosthenes says, when Jupiter attacked the Titans, is said to have cast into the enemy the fear that is called panikos. The lower part of his body has fish formation, because he hurled shellfish against the enemy, too, instead of stones. Egyptian priests and some poets say that once when many gods had assembled in Egypt, suddenly Typhon, an exceedingly fierce monster and deadly enemy of the gods, came to that place. Terrified by him, they changed their shapes into other forms: Mercury became an ibis, Apollo, the bird that is called Thracian, Diana, a cat. For this reason they say the Egyptians do not permit these creatures to be injured, because they are called representations of gods. At this same time, they say, Pan cast himself into the river, making the lower part of his body a fish, and the rest a goat, and thus escaped from Typhon. Jove, admiring his shrewdness, put his likeness among the constellations. (Mary Ward 1960)
Geminos
Almagest Αἰγόκερως.
| id | Greek (Heiberg 1898) | English (Toomer 1984) | ident. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Αἰγόκερω ἀστερισμός. | Constellation of Capricornus | ||
| 1 | ὁ τῶν ἐν τῷ ἐπομένῳ κέρατι γ’ ὁ βόρειος. | The northernmost of' the 3 stars in the rear horn | alf1 + alf2 Cap |
| 2 | ὁ μέσος αὐτῶν | The middle one of these | nu Cap |
| 3 | ὁ νότιος τῶν τριῶη. | The southernmost of the three | bet Cap |
| 4 | ὁ ἐπ’ ἄκρου τοῦ ἠγουμένου κέρατος | The star on the tip of the advance horn | xi1 + xi2 Cap |
| 5 | τῶν ἐν τῷ ῥόγχει γ' ὁ φότιος. | The star on the tip of the advance horn | omi Cap |
| 6 | τῶν λοιπῶν β’ ὁ ἠχούμενος. | The more advanced of the other two | pi Cap |
| ὁ ἑπόμενος αὐτῶν. | The rearmost of these | rho Cap | |
| ὁ τῶν ἡ προηγούμενος ὑπὸ τὸν δεξιὸυ ὀφθαλμόν. | The star in advance of the [above] 3, under the right eye | sig Cap | |
| τῶν ἐν τῷ τραχήλῳ β ὁ βορειότερος | The northernmost of the 2 stars in the neck | tau Cap | |
| ὁ νοτιώτερος αὐτῶν | The southernmost of them | ups Cap | |
| ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀριστεροῦ κεκαμμένον γόνατος. | The star on the left, doubled-up knee | ome Cap | |
| ὁ ὑπὸ τὸ δεξιὸν γονάτιοη. | The star under the right knee | psi Cap | |
| ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀριστεροῦ ὅμου. | The star on the left shoulder | 24 Cap | |
| τῶν ὑπὸ τὴν κοιλίαυ συνεχῶν β’ ὁ ἠγούμενος | The more advanced of the 2 stars close tagether under the belly | zet Cap | |
| ὁ ἐπόμενος αὐτῶν. | The rcarmost of these | 36 Cap | |
| τῶν ἐν μέσῳ τῷ σώματι γ’ ὁ ἐπόμενος | Thc rearmost of the 3 stars in the middle of the body | phi Cap | |
| τῶν λοιπῶν καὶ ἠγουμένωυ β ὁ νοτιώτερος. | The southernmost of the other, advance 2 | chi Cap | |
| ὁ βορειότερος αὐτῶν. | The northernmost of them | eta Cap | |
| τῶν ἐν τῷ νώτῳ β’ ὁ προηγούμευος. | The more advanced of the 2 stars in thc back | tet Cap | |
| ὁ ἐπόμενος αὐτῶν | The rearmost of them | iot Cap | |
| τῶν ἐν τῇ νοτίῳ ἀκάνθη β ὁ προηγούμενος. | The more advanced of the 2 stars in thc southern spine | eps Cap | |
| ὁ ἐπόμενος αὐτῶν | The rcannost of them | kap Cap | |
| τῶν ἐν τῷ παρούρῳ ῇ ὁ προηγούμενος. | The more advanced ofthe 2 stars in the section [ofthe body] next to the tail | gam Cap | |
| ὁ ἐπόμενος αὐτῶν | Thc rearmost of them | del Cap | |
| τῶν ἐπὶ τοῦ βορείου μέρους τῆς οὐρᾶς δ ὁ προηγούμενος. | Tbc most advanccd of the 4 stars on thc northern portion of the tail | 42 Cap | |
| τῶν λοιπῶν γ’ ὁ τότιος | The southernmost of the other 3 | mu Cap | |
| ὁ μέσος αὐτῶν | Thc midd!e one of thcsc | lam Cap | |
| ὁ βόρειος αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπ’ ἄκρου τοῦ οὐραίου, | The northernmost of them, on the end of the tail-lin | 46 Cap | |
| ἀστέρες κη, ὥν γ’ μεγέθους ὅ, δ’ ὅ, ε θ,ς ς. | 28 stars, 4 of the third rnagnitude, 9 of the fourth, 9 of the fifth, 6 of the sixth |
Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation
Mythology
Weblinks
References
