XVII. Ἀνδρομέδας
Αὕτη κεῖται ἐν τοῖς ἄστροις διὰ τὴν Ἀθηνᾶν, τῶν Περσέως ἄθλων ὑπόμνημα, διατεταμένη τὰς χεῖρας, ὡς καὶ προετέθη τῷ κήτει· ἀνθ’ ὧν σωθεῖσα ὑπὸ τοῦ Περσέως οὐχ εἵλετο τῷ πατρὶ συμμένειν οὐδὲ τῇ μητρί, ἀλλ’ αὐθαίρετος εἰς τὸ Ἄργος ἀπῆλθε μετ’ ἐκείνου, εὐγενές τι φρονήσασα. λέγει δὲ καὶ Εὐριπίδης σαφῶς ἐν τῷ περὶ αὐτῆς γεγραμμένῳ δράματι.
Ἔχει δὲ ἀστέρας ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς λαμπρὸν αʹ, ἐφ’ ἑκατέρου ὤμου αʹ, [⟨ἐπὶ⟩ δεξιοῦ ποδὸς βʹ, ⟨ἐπ’⟩ ἀριστεροῦ αʹ], ἐπὶ τοῦ δεξιοῦ ἀγκῶνος αʹ, ἐπ’ ἄκρας τῆς χειρὸς αʹ, ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀριστεροῦ ἀγκῶνος [αʹ, ἐπὶ τοῦ δεξιοῦ] λαμπρὸν αʹ, ⟨ἐπὶ βραχίονος αʹ, ἐπὶ τῆς χειρὸς αʹ⟩, ἐπὶ τῆς ζώνης γʹ, ὑπὲρ τὴν ζώνην δʹ, ἐφ’ ἑκατέρου γόνατος λαμπρὸν αʹ, ἐπὶ τοῦ δεξιοῦ ποδὸς βʹ, ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀριστεροῦ αʹ· ⟨τοὺς πάντας κʹ⟩.
17. Of Andromeda
She is placed among the stars because of Athena, as a reminder of the labours of Perseus, with her arms stretched out as she was set out for the sea monster; in return for which, being saved by Perseus, she did not choose to stay with her father or her mother but of her own free will went with him to Argos, thinking something noble. Euripides also says this clearly in the play written about her.
It has stars: on the head 1 bright one, on each shoulder 1, [⟨on⟩ the right foot 2, ⟨on⟩ the left 1], on the right elbow 1, on the tip of the hand 1, on the left elbow [1, on the right] 1 bright one, ⟨on the upper arm 1, on the hand 1⟩, on the belt 3, above the belt 4, on each knee 1 bright one, on the right foot 2, on the left 1; ⟨20 in all⟩.
XVIII. Ἵππου
Τούτου μόνον τὰ ἔμπροσθεν φαίνεται ἕως ὀμφαλοῦ. Ἄρατος μὲν οὖν φησι τὸν ἐπὶ Ἑλικῶνος εἶναι ποιήσαντα κρήνην τῇ ὁπλῇ, ἀφ’ οὗ καλεῖσθαι Ἵππου κρήνην· ἄλλοι δὲ τὸν Πήγασόν εἶναί φασι τὸν εἰς τὰ ἄστρα ἀναπτάντα ὕστερον τῆς Βελλεροφόντου πτώσεως· διὰ δὲ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν πτέρυγας ἀπίθανον δοκεῖ τισι ποιεῖν τὸν λόγον. Εὐριπίδης δέ φησιν ἐν Μελανίππῃ Ἵππην εἶναι τὴν τοῦ Χείρωνος θυγατέρα, ὑπ’ Αἰόλου δὲ ἀπατηθεῖσαν φθαρῆναι καὶ διὰ τὸν ὄγκον τῆς γαστρὸς φυγεῖν εἰς τὰ ὄρη, κἀκεῖ ὠδινούσης αὐτῆς τὸν πατέρα ἐλθεῖν κατὰ ζήτησιν, τὴν δ’ εὔξασθαι καταλαμβανομένην πρὸς τὸ μὴ γνωσθῆναι μεταμορφωθῆναι καὶ γενέσθαι ἵππον. διὰ γοῦν τὴν εὐσέβειαν αὐτῆς τε καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑπ’ Ἀρτέμιδος εἰς τὰ ἄστρα τεθῆναι, ὅθεν τῷ Κενταύρῳ οὐχ ὁρατή ἐστιν· Χείρων γὰρ λέγεται εἶναι ἐκεῖνος. τὰ δὲ ὀπίσθια μέρη αὐτῆς ἀφανῆ ἐστι πρὸς τὸ μὴ γινώσκεσθαι θήλειαν οὖσαν.
Ἔχει δὲ ἀστέρας ἐπὶ τοῦ ῥύγχους βʹ ἀμαυρούς, ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αʹ, ἐπὶ τῆς σιαγόνος αʹ, ἐφ’ ἑκατέρῳ ὠτίῳ ἀμαυρὸν αʹ, ἐπὶ τῷ τραχήλῳ δʹ, ὧν τὸν πρὸς τῇ κεφαλῇ λαμπρότερον, ἐπὶ τοῦ ὤμου αʹ, ⟨ἐπὶ⟩ στήθους αʹ, ἐπὶ ῥάχεως αʹ, ἐπ’ ὀμφαλοῦ ἔσχατον αʹ λαμπρόν, ἐπ’ ἐμπροσθίων γονάτων βʹ, ἐφ’ ἑκατέρας ὁπλῆς αʹ· ⟨τοὺς πάντας ιηʹ⟩.
18. Of the Horse
Only the front part of this one appears, as far as the navel. Aratus says that it is the one on Helicon which made the spring with its hoof, from which it is called the Horse's Spring; others say that it is Pegasus, who flew up to the stars after the fall of Bellerophon; but because it has no wings, some think the story improbable. Euripides says in the Melanippe that Hippe was the daughter of Cheiron, and that, deceived and seduced by Aeolus, and fleeing to the mountains because of the swelling of her belly, and when she was in labour there, her father came looking for her; and, caught, she prayed that she might not be recognised, was changed, and became a horse. Because of her piety and her father's she was set among the stars by Artemis, so that she is not visible to the Centaur; for he is said to be Cheiron. The hind parts of her are invisible, so that she may not be known to be female.
It has stars: on the snout 2 faint ones, on the head 1, on the jaw 1, on each ear 1 faint one, on the neck 4, of which the one next to the head is brighter, on the shoulder 1, ⟨on⟩ the breast 1, on the spine 1, on the navel 1, the last one bright, on the front knees 2, on each hoof 1; ⟨18 in all⟩.
XIX. Κριοῦ
Οὗτος ὁ Φρίξον διακομίσας καὶ Ἕλλην· ἄφθιτος δὲ ὢν ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς ὑπὸ Νεφέλης τῆς μητρός· εἶχε δὲ χρυσῆν δοράν, ὡς Ἡσίοδος καὶ Φερεκύδης εἰρήκασιν· διακομίζων δ’ αὐτοὺς κατὰ τὸ στενότατον τοῦ πελάγους, τοῦ ἀπ’ ἐκείνης κληθέντος Ἑλλησπόντου, ἔρριψεν αὐτὴν [καὶ τὸ κέρας ἀπολέσας] — Ποσειδῶν δὲ σώζει τὴν Ἕλλην καὶ μιχθεὶς ἐγέννησεν ἐξ αὐτῆς παῖδα ὀνόματι Παίονα —, τὸν δὲ Φρίξον εἰς τὸν Εὔξεινον πόντον σωθέντα πρὸς Αἰήτην διεκόμισεν· ᾧ καὶ ἐκδὺς ἔδωκε τὴν χρυσῆν δοράν, ὅπως μνημόσυνον ἔχῃ· αὐτὸς δὲ εἰς τὰ ἄστρα ἀπῆλθεν· ὅθεν ἀμαυρότερον φαίνεται.
Ἔχει δ’ ἀστέρας ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αʹ, ἐπὶ τῶν μυκτήρων γʹ, ἐπὶ τοῦ τραχήλου βʹ, ⟨ἐπ’⟩ ἄκρου ἐμπροσθίου ποδὸς λαμπρὸν αʹ, ⟨ἐπὶ⟩ ῥάχεως δʹ, ⟨ἐπὶ⟩ κέρκου αʹ, ὑπὸ τὴν κοιλίαν γʹ, ἐπὶ τοῦ ἰσχίου αʹ, ἐπ’ ἄκρου ὀπισθίου ποδὸς αʹ· τοὺς πάντας ιζʹ.
19. Of the Ram
This is the one that carried Phrixus across, and Helle; being imperishable, he was given to them by their mother Nephele. He had a golden fleece, as Hesiod and Pherecydes have said; but while carrying them across at the narrowest part of the sea, the one named after her, the Hellespont, he threw her off [and lost his horn] — Poseidon saves Helle and, lying with her, begot a son by her, named Paeon — and he carried Phrixus, saved, to the Euxine sea, to Aeetes; to whom, having stripped it off, he gave the golden fleece, so that he might have a memorial. He himself went to the stars; hence he appears rather faint.
It has stars: on the head 1, on the nostrils 3, on the neck 2, ⟨on⟩ the tip of the front foot 1 bright one, ⟨on⟩ the spine 4, ⟨on⟩ the tail 1, below the belly 3, on the hip 1, on the tip of the hind foot 1; 17 in all.
XX. Δελτωτοῦ
Τοῦτό ἐστιν ὑπὲρ μὲν τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῦ Κριοῦ κείμενον, λέγεται δὲ διὰ τὸ ἐκεῖνον ⟨ἀμαυρότερον⟩ εἶναι εὔσημον ἐπ’ αὐτοῦ γράμμα κεῖσθαι ἀπὸ Διὸς τὸ πρῶτον τοῦ ὀνόματος δι’ Ἑρμοῦ τεθέν, ὃς τὸν διάκοσμον τῶν ἄστρων ἐποιήσατο. φασὶ δέ τινες καὶ τὴν τῆς Αἰγύπτου θέσιν ἐκ τοῦ ἐν τοῖς ἄστροις εἶναι Δ, καὶ τὸν Νεῖλον τοιαύτην τὴν περιοχὴν ποιήσασθαι τῆς χώρας, ἅμα τε τὴν ἀσφάλειαν αὐτῇ ποριζόμενον, εἴς τε τὸν σπόρον εὐμαρεστέραν ποιούμενον καὶ εἰς τὴν τῶν καρπῶν ἀνακομιδὴν εὐκαιρίαν ὡρῶν εἰσαγόμενον.
Ἔχει δ’ ἀστέρας γʹ, ἐφ’ ἑκάστῃ τῶν γωνιῶν αʹ, λαμπροὺς τοὺς γʹ.
20. Of the Triangle
This lies above the head of the Ram; it is said that, because the Ram is fainter, a distinctive letter lies near it, the first of the name of Zeus, set there by Hermes, who made the arrangement of the stars. Some also say that the position of Egypt is due to the Delta [the letter] that is among the stars, and that the Nile made its enclosure of the country of such a shape, procuring at once safety for it, making it better suited to sowing, and bringing in, for the gathering of the crops, a favourable season of the year.
It has 3 stars, 1 on each of the corners, all 3 bright.
XXI. Ἰχθύων
Οὗτοί εἰσι τοῦ μεγάλου Ἰχθύος ἔγγονοι, περὶ οὗ τὴν ἱστορίαν ἀποδώσομεν σαφέστερον, ὅταν ἐπ’ αὐτὸν ἔλθωμεν· τούτων δὲ ἑκάτερος κεῖται ἐν ἑκατέρῳ μέρει διαλλάσσων· ὁ μὲν γὰρ βόρειος, ὁ δὲ νότιος καλεῖται· ἔχουσι δὲ σύνδεσμον ἕως τοῦ ἐμπροσθίου ποδὸς τοῦ Κριοῦ.
Ἔχουσι δ’ ἀστέρας ὁ μὲν βόρειος ιβʹ [καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ λινείου ιβʹ], ὁ δὲ νότιος ιεʹ· τὸ δὲ λίνον αὐτῶν ᾧ συνέχονται ἔχει ἀστέρας ἐπὶ τοῦ βορείου γʹ, ἐπὶ τοῦ νοτίου γʹ, πρὸς ἀνατολὰς γʹ, ἐπὶ τοῦ συνδέσμου γʹ· τοὺς πάντας ιβʹ· οἱ πάντες τῶν δύο Ἰχθύων καὶ τοῦ συνδέσμου ἀστέρες λθʹ.
21. Of the Fishes
These are the descendants of the great Fish, about whom we shall give a clearer account when we come to him. Each of them lies in a separate region, differing: for one is called the northern, the other the southern; and they have a band extending as far as the front foot of the Ram.
They have stars: the northern one 12 [and on the cord 12], the southern 15; their cord, by which they are held together, has stars: on the northern one 3, on the southern 3, towards the east 3, on the band 3; 12 in all; all the stars of the two Fishes and of the band are 39.
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