Star Lore Of All Ages/Introduction

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New York, London: G. P. Putnam's Sons

4111369Star Lore Of All Ages — Introduction1911William Tyler Olcott
Introduction

There are many persons who are familiar with the bright stars and constellations of these northern latitudes who are unaware of the beautiful myths and legends that time and fancy have woven about them.

As even a meagre knowledge of star lore has added greatly to the writer's pleasure in the study of the stars, and has served to render their appearance full of suggestion, he has been interested in collecting for this volume a portion of that varied history of the heavens that has been presented in terms imaginative by the peoples of all ages. Those who admire the beauty of the stars may learn to love them by reason of the literary and legendary associations recalled by their appearance.

Much that appears in these pages has been published from time to time in books on popular astronomy of comparatively recent date, but to the writer's knowledge no comprehensive story has as yet been presented of the constellations, and of the stars they contain.

In the compilation of this volume, the purpose has been to include all matter pertinent to the subject, in order that the history of the constellations, as known and as written by all nations in every age, might be arranged in convenient form for the benefit of those who only know the stars by sight.

A further aim has been to revive an interest in the mythology that twines about the stars. It has seemed but right that this wealth of star lore, buried deep in the treasury of the past, should once more see the light, and add its increased charm and interest to those who scan the skies.

Such a history must ever serve to keep bright the memory of the earliest times, and fanciful though the constellation figures seem, our stars bear the same names that were given to them in the very dawn of civilisation.

In conclusion, it is hoped that the history of the heavens here set forth will awaken fresh interest in the stars, and will secure for them the attention that is their just due on the part of all lovers of the beautiful.

W. T. O.

Norwich, Conn, January, 1911.

And all the signs through which Night whirls her car,
From belted Orion back to Orion and his dauntless Hound,
And all Poseidon's, all high Zeus's stars,
Bear on their beams true messages to man.
Poste's Translation of Aratoa,

ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE

(Michelangelo).

Frontispiece

National Museum, Naples.

12

(Berlin).

22
26

Museum of Vatican, Rome.

32

Painting by Rubens. Gallery of the Prado, Madrid.

46

Painting by George Frederick Watts.

48

From Piers's "Inscriptions of the Nile Monuments."

56

From Piers's "Inscriptions of the Nile Monuments."

68
69

National Museum, Naples.

74
84
100
102

National Museum, Palermo.

110

Acropolis Museum, Athens.

116

Statue at Villa Albani.

148

Painting by George Frederick Watts.

150

National Gallery, London.

152

Nationa! Museum, Rome.

154

National Museum Naples.

166

Painting by George Frederick Watts.

172

National Museum, Naples.

180

Vatican Museum, Rome.

186
190

Painting by Max Klepper.

196
202
204

National Museum, Naples.

210
214

Painting by Lagrénée. Museum of the Louvre, Paris.

216

Villa Albani, Rome.

220
222

Uffizi Gallery at Florence.

224

Villa Albani, Rome.

258

Gallery of the Prado, Madrid.

260
264

Museum of Vatican, Rome.

270

In the Ducal Palace, Venice.

278

Capitoline Museum, Rome.

280
282

Harvard College Observatory.

286
292

Painting by Rubens.

302

Bronze by Cellini at Florence.

304
310

Painting by Veronese. In the Ducal Palace, Venice.

338

National Museum, Palermo.

352
362

In the Vatican, Rome.

384
388

Painting by Rubens. Gallery of the Prado, Madrid.

394
396

Painting by Elihu Vedder.

408

By Randolph Rogers.

420

(Bruce 24-inch Telescope.) Courtesy of Prof. E. C. Pickering.

424
432

Bronze Bust in National Museum, Naples.

434

BIBLIOGRAPHY

In the compilation of this volume the author hereby acknowledges his indebtedness to the following publications for much valuable information.

Star-Names and their Meanings Richard H. Allen
Starland Sir Robert S. Ball
Influence of the Stars Rosa Baughan
A History of Astronomy Arthur Berry
Astronomical Myths J. F. Blake
Stellar Theology Robert Brown, Jun.
Primitive Constellations
Geography of the Heavens Elijah H. Burritt
The Story of the Stars George F. Chambers
The System of the Stars Agnes M. Clerke
The Sidereal Heavens Thomas Dick
Star Lore J. A. Farrer
Metrical Pieces N. L. Frothingham
Astronomical Essays James E. Gore
How to Know the Heavens Eward Irving
Astronomy of the Ancients Sir George C. Lewis
Dawn of Astronomy Sir Joseph Norman Lockyer
Star-Gazing
The Friendly Stars Martha Evans Martin
The Astronomy of the Bible E. W. Maunder
The Children's Book of Stars Geraldine E. Mitton
The Stars Simon Newcomb
Astronomy of Paradise Lost T. N. Orchard
Familiar Talks on Astronomy W. H. Parker
History of the Heavens The Abbé Pluche
Ancient Calendars and Constellations E. M. Plunket
The Stars in Song and Legend J. G. Porter
The Storyland of Stars Mara L. Pratt
Stories of Starland Mary Proctor
Myths and Marvels of Astronomy Richard A. Proctor
The Flowers of the Sky
The Expanse of Heaven
Handbook of the Stars N. J. Rolfe
Astronomy of the Old Testament Giovanni Schiaparelli
Curiosities of the Sky Garret P. Serviss
Pleasures of the Telescope
Astronomy with the Naked Eye
Astronomy with an Opera-Glass
New Astronomy David P. Todd
Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes Rev. T. W. Webb
History of the Inductive Sciences William Whewell
Oriental and Linguistic Studies William D. Whitney
Journal of American Folk-Lore
American Oriental Society's Journal
Memoirs of the London Anthropological Society
Popular Astronomy
The Works of John Playfair