UMa star chart (IAU and Sky & Telescope)

One of the 88 IAU constellations.

Etymology and History

The Greek constellation ...

Origin of Constellation

Babylonian

Greco-Roman

Aratos

Two poles terminate it at the two ends; [25] but one is not visible, while the opposite one in the north is high above the horizon. On either side of it two Bears wheel in unison, and so they are called the Wagons. They keep their heads for ever pointing to each other’s loins, and for ever they move with shoulders leading, [30] aligned towards the shoulders, but in opposite directions. If the tale is true, these Bears ascended to the sky from Crete by the will of great Zeus, because when he was a child then in fragrant Lyctus near Mount Ida, they deposited him in a cave and tended him for the year, [35] while the Curetes of Dicte kept Cronus deceived. Now one of the Bears men call Cynosura by name, the other Helice. Helice is the one by which Greek men at sea judge the course to steer their ships, while Phoenicians cross the sea relying on the other. [40] Now the one is clear and easy to identify, Helice, being visible in all its grandeur as soon as night begins; the other is slight, yet a better guide to sailors, for it revolves entirely in a smaller circle: so by it the Sidonians sail the straightest course.

(Kidd 1997)

Eratosthenes

Var. 1. Hesiod says that she is the daughter of Lycaon; she lived in Arcadia and had chosen to spend her time in the mountains, in the company of Artemis, hunting wild beasts. Violated by Zeus, she stayed with the goddess, without the latter but later her secret was discovered when, shortly before secret was discovered when, shortly before giving birth, Artemis saw her taking a bath. The goddess, furious the goddess angrily changed her into a beast, and thus changed into a bear, she gave birth to Arcas. While she was in the mountains, she was chased hunted by goatherds and delivered her cub to Lycaon. Later, she was tempted to enter the inviolable sanctuary of Zeus, because she was unaware of the law concerning it. Her own son Arcas and the Arcadians pursued her there pursued her there and were on the point of executing her for breaking the law in question, when Zeus, because of the bond to her, removed her from the pursuers and placed her among the constellations. In view of her adventure, the god gave her the name ‘Bear ’. She has seven dull stars on her head, two on each of her ears, one shining star on her shoulders, one on her chest, two on her foreleg, one shining on her back, one shining on the belly, two on the hind legs, two on the tip of the leg and three on the tail. In all, twenty-four.

Var. 2: Hesiod tells us that the Great Bear is the daughter of Lycaon; she lived in Arcadia and had chosen to hunt in the mountains in the mountains, in the company of Artemis, to hunt wild beasts. Violated by Zeus, she began by her misadventure from Artemis, but when she was about to give, the goddess saw her taking a bath. The goddess was furious, changed her into a beast, and in this state she gave birth to a bear who was named Arcas. Amphis, the comic poet, says that Zeus took the guise of Artemis and went to the mountain and, during a common hunt, raped her. In time, her belly swelled up, but when she was questioned she said that the one responsible for her misfortune was none other than Artemis. The goddess was furious and turned her into a beast. While she was in the mountains, she was chased by goatherds, and handed over with her young to Lycaon. Later, she was tempted to enter the inviolable sanctuary of Zeus, because she was unaware of the law that concerned him. Her own son Arcas and the Arcadians pursued her there, and both she and her son were about to be put to death for having broken the law in question, when Zeus, on account of the bond which united him to them, placed her among the constellations, naming her ‘Bear’ because of her adventure. She has seven stars on her head, two on each of her ears, one on the shoulder ... a bright one, two on the hind leg, and three on the tail.

The tale reflects the female initiation rites led by the goddess Artemis. The bathing scene is an expression of the stripping ritual (ἐκδυσία) that marks the end of a maiden's innocence. The anecdote of blaming a goddess for fathership might stem from a comedia, just to entertain the audience.

Hyginus, Astronomica

We begin, then as we said above, with the Great Bear. Hesiod says she is named Callisto, daughter of Lycaon, who ruled in Arcadia. Out of her zeal for hunting she joined Diana, and was greatly loved by the goddess because of their similar temperaments. Later, when made pregnant by Jove, she feared to tell the truth to Diana. But she couldn’t conceal it long, for as her womb grew heavier near the time of her delivery, when she was refreshing her tired body in a stream, Diana realized she had not preserved her virginity. In keeping with her deep distrust, the goddess inflicted no light punishment. Taking away her maiden features, she changed her into the form of a bear, called arktos in Greek . In this form she bore Arcas.

But as Amphis, writer of comedies, says, Jupiter, assuming the form of Diana, followed the girl as if to aid her in hunting, and embraced her when out of sight of the rest. Questioned by Diana as to the reason for her swollen form, she replied that it was the goddess’ fault, and because of this reply, Diana changed her into the shape we mentioned above. When wandering like a wild beast in the forest, she was caught by certain Aetolians and brought into Arcadia to King Lycaon along with her son as a gift, and there, in ignorance of the law, she is said to have rushed into the temple of Jove Lycaeus. Her son at once followed her, and the Arcadians in pursuit were trying to kill them, when Jupiter, mindful of his indiscretion, rescued her and placed her and her son among the constellations. He named her Arctos, and her son Arctophylax. About him we shall speak later.

Some, too, have said that when Callisto was embraced by Jove, Juno in anger turned her into a bear; then, when she met Diana hunting, she was killed by her, and later, on being recognized, was placed among the stars.

But others say that when Jupiter was pursuing Callisto in the woods, Juno, suspecting what had happened, hurried there so that she could say she had caught him openly. But Jove, the more easily to conceal his fault, left her changed to bear form. Juno, then, finding a bear instead of a girl in that place, pointed her out for Diana, who was hunting, to kill. Jove was distressed to see this, and put in the sky the likeness of a bear represented with stars.

This constellation, as many have stated, does not set, and those who desire some reason for this fact say that Tethys, wife of Ocean, refuses to receive her when the other stars come there to their setting, because Tethys was the nurse of Juno, in whose bed Callisto was a concubine.

Araethus of Tegea, however, writer of histories, says that she wasn’t Callisto, but Megisto, and wasn’t the daughter of Lycaon, but of Ceteus, and so granddaughter of Lycaon. He says, too, that Ceteus himself was called the Kneeler. The other details agree with what has been said above. All this is shown to have taken place on the Arcadian mountain Nonacris. (Mary Ward 1960)

Hipparchus

Geminos

Almagest Ἄρκτος μεγάλη.

Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

Greek Mythology

Star Names

al-Ẓibā’, «°les Gazelles°» (CC BY Roland Laffitte 2024)

al-Ẓibā’, « les Gazelles » (CC BY Roland Laffitte 2024)

al-Ẓibā’ in Roland Laffitte, Le ciel des Arabes, p. 112-113.

Weblinks

• Ridpath, Ian, “Star Tales: online edition”.

References

• References (general)
• References (Babylonian)
• References (ancient Greco-Roman)
• References (medieval)