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Art. VIII.—On the Origin of the Ancient Northern Constellation-figures
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 March 2011
Extract
Amongst the most remarkable instances of the result of careful observation and systematized thought which Western Asia has given to the world at large, are the Signs of the Zodiac, and the ancient extra-zodiacal constellation-figures, northern and southern; and by ‘ancient’ I mean those which have been enshrined for all future time in the Phainomena of Aratos. Of the Twelve Signs I shall only speak incidentally. It is now many years since Ideler and Guigniaut, contrary to the views of Letronne, arrived at the correct conclusion that the Signs of the Zodiac came, with so much else of archaic thought and civilization, from, the Euphrates Valley; and, having firmly established themselves in Hellenic usage, were afterwards carried by Greek conquerors as far as India in the east and Egypt in the south. But, although modern research has supplied an immense amount of material for the purpose, it is remarkable that the classic work of Ideler still gives the best account of the constellation-figures and their various stars. Surely, then, it is time that an effort was made to utilize in a connected form some at least of the results of subsequent investigation; and, although the inquiry, like all such, is progressive, and, like all researches into the ancient and archaic past, is beset with numerous difficulties, yet the principles to be applied and the general outlines of the subject are clear and distinct.
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References
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page 208 note 1 It is satisfactory to find that . MrFarnell, L. R., in his important work The Cults of the Greek States, 1896Google Scholar, is sound on this point. Aphroditê, he declares, “was originally an Oriental [by which he evidently means ‘non-Aryan’] divinity” (ii, 618). The attempt of Professor Hommel to explain the name—Istar—Ashtoret—Athtoret—Aphtoret—Aphrotet—'Aφροδτη—he regards as ‘ingenious,’ “but philological analogies are wanting.”
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page 220 note 2 A doubtful line in the Theogonia describes her as “having a very lovely form” (πολυήρατον εἷδος ἓχουσα,1. 908), but it is noticeable that πολυήρατος was also at times understood as meaning ‘deeply accursed.’ This might, from a Greek standpoint, be supposed to refer to the fall and degraded shape of the goddess.
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page 222 note 2 The etymology of Κρνος is generally regarded as unknown. In The Great Dionysiak Myth, ii, 127, when considering the god at length, I explained Kronos as = Karnos, Karneios, and connected the word with the As. Karnu, Heb. Kerên, ‘horn’ (cl Ashtereth Karnaim), as also meaning ‘power.’ In Sanchouniathôn, ‘Kronos’ is regarded as a translation of 
(“the Powerful”). The transposing of the Rho was archaic (cf. Paus., III, xiii, 3); thus the Sem. Karkôm=Gk. Κρκος We have only to compare the accounts of Kronos in Sanchouniathôn with those in the Boiôtian Hêsiod to see the hopelessness of attempting to make him a purely Greek divinity. MrFarnell, well says he is “one of the figures of a lost and defeated religion” (Cults of the Greek States, i. 25)Google Scholar.
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page 224 note 1 Laiard, Vide, Culte de Mithra, pl. xliv, 3aGoogle Scholar. Another Asiatic instance given by Laiard (pi. xliii, 27) shows a winged Demi-horse, in fact the exact constellation-figure of Aratos.
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page 225 note 2 Cf. Od., xii, 81, where the Cave of Skyllê is to front “towards the west, to Erebos.”
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page 225 note 4 Really “the Clusterers” (vide , R. B. Jun, The Heavenly Display, p. 9)Google Scholar.
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