XXVI. Ὑδροχόου
Οὗτος δοκεῖ κεκλῆσθαι ἀπὸ τῆς πράξεως Ὑδροχόος. ἔχων γὰρ ἔστηκεν οἰνοχόην καὶ ἔκχυσιν πολλὴν ποιεῖται ὑγροῦ. λέγουσι δέ τινες αὐτὸν εἶναι τὸν Γανυμήδην, ἱκανὸν ὑπολαμβάνοντες σημεῖον εἶναι τὸ ἐσχηματίσθαι τὸ εἴδωλον οὕτως ὥσπερ ἂν οἰνοχόον χέειν. ἐπάγονται δὲ καὶ τὸν ποιητὴν μάρτυρα, διὰ τὸ λέγειν αὐτὸν ὡς ἀνεκομίσθη οὗτος πρὸς τὸν Δία κάλλει ὑπερενέγκας ἵνα οἰνοχοῇ, ἄξιον κρινάντων αὐτὸν τῶν θεῶν, καὶ ὅτι τέτευχεν ἀθανασίαν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἄγνωστον οὖσαν· ἡ δὲ γινομένη ἔκχυσις εἰκάζεται τῷ νέκταρι ὃ καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν θεῶν πίνεται, εἰς μαρτύριον τῆς εἰρημένης πόσεως τῶν θεῶν ὑπολαμβάνοντες τοῦτο εἶναι.
Ἔχει δ’ ἀστέρας ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἀμαυροὺς βʹ, ἐφ’ ἑκατέρων ὤμων αʹ, ἀμφοτέρους μεγάλους, ἐφ’ ἑκατέρῳ ἀγκῶνι αʹ, ἐπ’ ἄκρας χειρὸς δεξιᾶς λαμπρὸν αʹ, ἐφ’ ἑκατέρου μαστοῦ αʹ, ὑπὸ τοὺς μαστοὺς ἑκατέρωθεν αʹ, ⟨ἐπ’⟩ ἀριστεροῦ ἰσχίου αʹ, ⟨ἐφ’⟩ ἑκατέρου γόνατος αʹ, ⟨ἐπὶ⟩ δεξιᾶς κνήμης αʹ, ἐφ’ ἑκατέρῳ ποδὶ αʹ· ⟨τοὺς πάντας ιϛʹ⟩· ἡ δὲ ἔκχυσις τοῦ ὕδατός ἐστιν ἐξ ἀστέρων λαʹ ἔχουσα ἀστέρας βʹ, οἵ εἰσι λαμπροί.
26. Of the Water-Pourer
This one is thought to be called Hydrochoos (Water-Pourer) from his action. For he stands holding a wine-jug and pours out a great quantity of liquid. Some say he is Ganymede, taking as sufficient evidence that the figure is shaped just as one would pour wine. They bring the poet in as witness, because he says that this one was carried up to Zeus, surpassing in beauty, to serve as cupbearer, the gods judging him worthy, and that he has obtained immortality, which is unknown to human beings; the outpouring that occurs is likened to the nectar which is also drunk by the gods, and they take this to be a testimony to the drinking of the gods mentioned.
It has stars: on the head 2 faint ones, on each shoulder 1, both large, on each elbow 1, on the tip of the right hand 1 bright one, on each breast 1, below the breasts on each side 1, ⟨on⟩ the left hip 1, ⟨on⟩ each knee 1, ⟨on⟩ the right shin 1, on each foot 1; ⟨16 in all⟩; the outpouring of the water is made of 31 stars, having 2 stars which are bright.
XXVII. Αἰγόκερω
Οὗτός ἐστι τῷ εἴδει ὅμοιος τῷ Αἰγίπανι· ἐξ ἐκείνου δὲ γέγονεν· ἔχει δὲ θηρίου τὰ κάτω μέρη καὶ κέρατα ἐπὶ τῇ κεφαλῇ· ἐτιμήθη δὲ διὰ τὸ σύντροφον εἶναι τῷ Διί, καθάπερ Ἐπιμενίδης ὁ τὰ Κρητικὰ ἱστορῶν φησιν, ὅτι ἐν τῇ Ἴδῃ συνῆν αὐτῷ, ὅτε ἐπὶ τοὺς Τιτᾶνας ἐστράτευσεν. οὗτος δὲ δοκεῖ εὑρεῖν τὸν κόχλον, ἐν ᾧ τοὺς συμμάχους καθώπλισε διὰ τὸ τοῦ ἤχου Πανικὸν καλούμενον, ὃ οἱ Τιτᾶνες ἔφυγον· παραλαβὼν δὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν ⟨ὁ Ζεὺς⟩ ἐν τοῖς ἄστροις αὐτὸν ἔθηκε καὶ τὴν αἶγα τὴν μητέρα. διὰ δὲ τὸν κόχλον ⟨εὑρεῖν⟩ ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ παράσημον ἔχει ἰχθύος ⟨οὐράν⟩.
Ἔχει δ’ ἀστέρας ἐφ’ ἑκατέρου κέρατος αʹ, ⟨ἐπὶ τοῦ μυκτῆρος αʹ⟩ λαμπρόν, ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς βʹ, ⟨ὑπὸ⟩ τράχηλον αʹ, ⟨ἐπὶ⟩ στήθους βʹ, ⟨ἐπ’⟩ ἐμπροσθίου ποδὸς αʹ, ⟨ἐπ’ ἄκρου ποδὸς αʹ, ἐπὶ⟩ ῥάχεως ζʹ, ⟨ἐπὶ⟩ γαστρὸς εʹ, ⟨ἐπ’⟩ οὐρᾶς βʹ λαμπρούς· τοὺς πάντας κδʹ.
27. Of the Goat-Horned One
This one is like Aegipan in appearance and came into being from him; it has the lower parts of a beast and horns on its head. He was honoured because he was the foster-brother of Zeus, as Epimenides, who wrote the Cretan history, says, that he was with him on Ida when [Zeus] campaigned against the Titans. This one seems to have discovered the shell with which he armed the allies, because of the sound called panic, from which the Titans fled; Zeus, having taken over the rule, set him among the stars, and the goat, his mother. Because of the shell, ⟨he discovered it⟩ in the sea, he has as distinguishing mark ⟨the tail⟩ of a fish.
It has stars: on each horn 1, ⟨on the nostril 1⟩ bright, on the head 2, ⟨below⟩ the neck 1, ⟨on⟩ the breast 2, ⟨on⟩ the front foot 1, ⟨on the tip of the foot 1, on⟩ the spine 7, ⟨on⟩ the belly 5, ⟨on⟩ the tail 2 bright ones; 24 in all.
XXVIII. Τοξότου
Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Τοξότης, ὃν οἱ πλεῖστοι λέγουσι Κένταυρον εἶναι, ἕτεροι δ’ οὔ φασι διὰ τὸ μὴ τετρασκελῆ αὐτὸν ὁρᾶσθαι, ἀλλ’ ἑστηκότα καὶ τοξεύοντα· Κενταύρων δὲ οὐδεὶς τόξῳ κέχρηται· οὗτος δ’ ἀνὴρ ὢν σκέλη ἔχει ἵππου καὶ κέρκον καθάπερ οἱ Σάτυροι· διόπερ αὐτοῖς ἀπίθανον ἐδόκει εἶναι, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον Κρότον τὸν Εὐφήμης τῆς Μουσῶν τροφοῦ υἱόν· οἰκεῖν δ’ αὐτὸν καὶ διαιτᾶσθαι ἐν τῷ Ἑλικῶνι· ὃν καὶ αἱ Μοῦσαι τὴν τοξείαν εὑράμενον τὴν τροφὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀγρίων ἔχειν ἐποίησαν, καθάπερ φησὶ Σωσίθεος· συμμίσγοντα δὲ ταῖς Μούσαις καὶ ἀκούοντα αὐτῶν ἐπισημασίαις ἐπαινέσαι κρότον ποιοῦντα· τὸ γὰρ τῆς φωνῆς ἀσαφὲς ἦν ὑπὸ ἑνὸς κρότου σημαινόμενον, ὅθεν ὁρῶντες τοῦτον καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι ἔπραττον τὸ αὐτό· διόπερ αἱ Μοῦσαι δόξης χάριν τυχοῦσαι τῇ τούτου βουλήσει ἠξίωσαν τὸν Δία ἐπιφανῆ αὐτὸν ποιῆσαι ὅσιον ὄντα, καὶ οὕτως ἐν τοῖς ἄστροις ἐτέθη τῇ τῶν χειρῶν χρήσει, τὴν τοξείαν προσλαβὼν σύσσημον· ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἔμεινεν ἡ ἐκείνου πρᾶξις· ὃ ἔστι καὶ ⟨τὸ⟩ πλοῖον αὐτοῦ μαρτύριον ὅτι ἔσται σαφὴς οὐ μόνον τοῖς ἐν χέρσῳ ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἐν πελάγει. διόπερ οἱ γράφοντες αὐτὸν Κένταυρον διαμαρτάνουσιν.
Ἔχει δ’ ἀστέρας ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς βʹ, ἐπὶ τοῦ τόξου βʹ, ἐπὶ τῆς ἀκίδος βʹ, ἐπὶ τοῦ δεξιοῦ ἀγκῶνος αʹ, ⟨ἐπ’⟩ ἄκρας χειρὸς αʹ, ἐπὶ τῆς κοιλίας λαμπρὸν αʹ, ⟨ἐπὶ⟩ ῥάχεως βʹ, ⟨ἐπὶ⟩ κέρκου αʹ, ἐπ’ ἐμπροσθίου γόνατος αʹ, ἐφ’ ὁπλῆς αʹ, ⟨ἐπ’ ὀπισθίου γόνατος αʹ⟩· τοὺς πάντας ιεʹ· τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς ζʹ ἀστέρας ὑπὸ τὸ σκέλος· ὅμοιοι δέ εἰσι τῶν ὀπισθίων μὴ δεικνυμένων ὅλων φανερῶν.
28. Of the Archer
This is the Archer, whom most people say is a Centaur; others say he is not, because he is not seen on four legs but standing and shooting, and no Centaur has ever used a bow. This one, though a man, has the legs of a horse and a tail, like the Satyrs; so they thought it unlikely that he was a Centaur, and said that he was rather Crotus, the son of Eupheme, the nurse of the Muses. He lived and spent his time on Helicon, and the Muses, when he had invented archery, made him get his food from wild animals, as Sositheus says. Associating with the Muses and listening to them, he applauded their performances by making a clap (krotos); for the vagueness of the voice was marked by a single clap, and seeing this the others did the same. Therefore the Muses, who had gained glory by his wish [?], asked Zeus to make him conspicuous, since he was a pious man, and so he was set among the stars for the use of his hands, having archery as his emblem. Among human beings his action remained; ⟨the⟩ ship is also a witness to him [?], that he will be clearly seen not only by those on land but also by those at sea. Therefore those who depict him as a Centaur are mistaken.
It has stars: on the head 2, on the bow 2, on the arrowhead 2, on the right elbow 1, ⟨on⟩ the tip of the hand 1, on the belly 1 bright one, ⟨on⟩ the spine 2, ⟨on⟩ the tail 1, on the front knee 1, on the hoof 1, ⟨on the hind knee 1⟩; 15 in all; the other 7 stars are under the leg; they are alike, the hind parts not being entirely visible.
XXIX. Ὀϊστοῦ
Τοῦτο τὸ βέλος ἐστὶ τοξικόν, ὃ φασιν εἶναι Ἀπόλλωνος, ᾧ τε δὴ τοὺς Κύκλωπας τῷ Διὶ κεραυνὸν ἐργασαμένους ἀπέκτεινε δι’ Ἀσκληπιόν· ἔκρυψε δὲ αὐτὸ ἐν Ὑπερβορείοις οὗ καὶ ὁ ναὸς ὁ πτέρινος. λέγεται δὲ πρότερον ἀπενηνέχθαι ὅτε τοῦ φόνου αὐτὸν ὁ Ζεὺς ἀπέλυσε καὶ ἐπαύσατο τῆς παρὰ Ἀδμήτῳ λατρείας, περὶ ἧς λέγει Εὐριπίδης ἐν τῇ Ἀλκήστιδι. δοκεῖ δὲ τότε ἀνακομισθῆναι ὁ ὀϊστὸς μετὰ τῆς καρποφόρου Δήμητρος διὰ τοῦ ἀέρος· ἦν δὲ ὑπερμεγέθης, ὡς Ἡρακλείδης ὁ Ποντικὸς φησιν ἐν τῷ περὶ δικαιοσύνης· ὅθεν εἰς τὰ ἄστρα τέθεικε τὸ βέλος ὁ Ἀπόλλων εἰς ὑπόμνημα ἑαυτοῦ μάχης καταστερίσας.
Ἔχει δὲ ἀστέρας ἐπὶ τοῦ ἄκρου αʹ, κατὰ τὸ μέσον αʹ ἀμαυρόν, ἐπὶ τοῦ χηλώματος βʹ· εὐσημότατος δ’ ἐστὶν ὁ εἷς· οἱ πάντες δʹ.
29. Of the Arrow
This is the arrow, weapon of the bow, which they say is Apollo's, with which he killed the Cyclopes who had made the thunderbolt for Zeus, because of Asclepius; he hid it among the Hyperboreans, where the winged temple is. It is said that it had been carried off there earlier, when Zeus released him from the pollution of the killing and he ended his servitude with Admetus, about which Euripides speaks in the Alcestis. The arrow is thought to have been brought back then, together with fruitful Demeter, through the air; it was of enormous size, as Heraclides of Pontus says in his work On Justice; whence Apollo placed the weapon among the stars as a reminder of his own fight, making it a constellation.
It has stars: on the tip 1, in the middle 1 faint one, on the notch 2; one of them is the most conspicuous; 4 in all.
Cite This Text