of most from the true Pole but 3 degrees 30 minutes The Arabians call it Alrukaba And of the Scythians it is said to be an Iron nail and is worshipped by them as a God The two Stars that are in the shoulders of the Bear are called the Guards of the Spanish word Guardare which is to behold because they are diligently to be looked unto in regard of their singular use which they have in Navigation The reason why this Constellation was brought into the Heavens is diversly set down and first in this manner Saturn having received of the Oracle that one of his Sons should banish him out of his Kingdom determined with himself to kill all the Men-children that he should beget whereupon he gave command to Ops his Wife being then great that she should shew him the Child so soon as ever it was born But she bringing forth Jupiter and being greatly delighted with his hair gave the Child unto two Nymphs of Creet dwelling in the Mount Dicte whereof this was one and was called Cynosura the other was Helice Jupiter after that according to the Oracle he had bereft his Father of his Kingdom in recompence of their pains and curtesy translated them both into the Heavens and made of them two Constellations the lesser Bear and the greater Bear Other-some say that it was Arcas the son of Calisto and they tell the Tale on this manner Calisto a Nymph of singular Beauty Daughter to Lycaon King of Arcadia induced by the great desire she had of hunting became a follower of the Goddess Diana After this Jupiter being enamoured with her Beauty and out of hope by reason of her profession to win her love in his own person counterfeited the shape of Diana lay with Calista and got her with Child of whom was born a Son which was called Arcas Diana or rather Juno being very much offended herewith turned Calisto into a Bear Arcas her Son at the age of fifteen hunting in the Woods by chance lighted on his Mother in the shape of a Bear who knowing her Son Arcas stood still that he might come near unto her and not be afraid but he fearing the shape of so cruel a Beast bent his Bow of purpose to have slain her whereupon Jupiter to prevent the mischief translated them both into Heaven and of them made two several Constellations unto the Lesser Bear there belongs but one Star unformed 2. VRSA MAJOR the Greater Bear called also of the Greeks Arctos and Helice consisteth of 27 Stars Among the which those seven that are in the hinder part and tail of the Bear are most observed the Latines call them Plaustrum and of our met they are called Charles Wayn because the Stars do stand in such sort that the three which are in the taiâ— resemble the Horses and the other four which are in the flank of the Bear stand after a manner like the Wheels of a wagon or Chariot and they are supposed by some to be greater than the Sun The reason of the translation of this Constellation into the Heaven is at large set down in the other Constellationâ— and therefore needs not here to be repeated This Constellation was first invented by Nauplius the Father of Palamedes the Greek and in great use among the Grecians and this is to be noted both in this and the former Constellation that they never set under the Horizon in any part of Europe which though it falâ— out by reason of their scituation in the Heavens Yeâ— the Poets say that it came to pass through the displeasure and hatred of Juno who for that she was by Calisto made a Cuckquean and they notwithstanding as she took it in despight of her ' were Translated into Heaven requested her brother Neptune that hâ— should never suffer those Stars to set within hiâ— Kingdom To which request Neptune condescendedâ— so that in all Europe they never come near unto thâ— Sea or touch the Horizon If any one marvel thaâ— seeing she hath the form of a Bear she should have a tail so long imagine that Jupiter fearing to come too nigh unto her teeth laid hold on her tail and thereby drew her up into Heaven so that she of her self being very weighty and the distance from the Earth to the Heaven very great there was great likelyhood that her tail must stretch The Unformed Stars belonging to this Constellation are Eight 3. DRACO the Dragon of some named the Serpent of others the Snake by the Arabians Aben and by Junctinus Florentinus Vrago because he windeth his tail round about the Ecliptick Pole it containeth 31 Stars This was the Dragon that kept the Golden Apples in the Orchard of the Hesperides now thought to be the Islands of Cape de Virde and for his diligence and watchfulness was afterwards Translated into Heaven Yet others say that he came into Heaven by this occasion when Minerva withstood the Gyants fighting against the Gods they to terrifie her threw at her a mighty Dragon but she catching him in her hands threw him presently up into Heaven and placed him there as a memorial of that her resistance Others would have it to be the Serpent Python whom Apollo slew after the Deluge 4. CEPHEVS containeth in him 11 Stars and hath two unformed This was a King of the Aethiopians and Husband unto Cassiopeia and Father of Andromeda whom Perseus married He was taken up into Heaven with his Wife and Daughter for the good Deeds of Perseus his Son in Law that he and his whole stock might be had in remembrance for ever The Star which is in his right shoulder is called by the Arabians Alderahiemin i. e. his right Arm. 5. BOOTES the driver of the Oxen for so I suppose the name to signifie rather than an Herdsman for he hath not his name because he hath the care of any Cattel but only because he is supposed to drive Charles his Wain which is drawn by 3 Oxen he is also called Arctophilax the keeper of the Bear as tho' the care of her were committed to him This Constellation consisteth of 22 Stars Some will have Bootes to be Arcas the Son of her who before was turned into the Great Bear and they tell the Tale thus Lycaon the Father of Calisto receiving Jupiter into his house as a Guest took Arcas his Daughters Son and cut him in pieces and among other Services set him before Jupiter to be eaten for by this means he thought to prove if his Guest were a God as he pretended to be Jupiter perceiving this heinous fact overthrew the Table fired the house with lightning and turned Lycaon into a Wolf but gathering setting together again the limbs of the child he committed him to a Nimph of Aetolia to be kept Arcas afterwards coming to mans estate and hunting in the Woods lighted at un-awares upon his Mother transformed by Juno into the shape of a Bear whom he pursued into the Temple of Jupiter Lycaeus whereunto by
the Law of the Arcadians it was death for any man to come For as much therefore as they must of likelihood be both slain Calisto by her Son and he by the Law Jupiter to avoid this mischief of meer pity took them both up into Heaven Unto this Constellation belongeth but one Star unformed and it is between the legs of Bootes and by the Grecians it is called Arcturus because of all the stars near the great Bear named Arctos this star is first seen near her tail in the evening The Poetical invention is thus Icarus the Father of Erigone having received of the God Bacchus a Flagon of Wine to declare how good it was for mortal men travelled therewith into the Territoires of Athens and there began to carouse with certain shepheards they being greatly delighted with the pleasantness of the wine being a new kind of Liquor began to draw so hard at it that er'e they left off they were past one and thirty and in the end were fain to lay their heads to rest But coming unto themselves again and finding their brains scarce in good temper they kil'd Icarus thinking indeed that he had either poysoned them or at the least-wise made their brains intoxicate Erigone was ready to dye for grief and so was Mera her little dog But Jupiter to allay their grief placed her Father in Heaven between the legs of Arctophilax 6. CORONA BOREA the Northern Garland consisteth of Eight Stars yet Ovid saith that it hath nine This was the Garland that Venus gave unto Ariadne when she was Married unto Bacchus in the Isle Naxus after that Theseus had forsaken her which garland Bacchus placed in the Heaven as a token of his love Novidius will have it to be the Crown of the Virgin Mary 7. ENGON ASIS This Constellation hath the name because it is expressed under the shape of a man kneeling upon the one knee and is therefore by the Latines called Ingeniculum It containeth 29 Stars and wanteth a proper Name because of the great diversity of Opinions concerning the same For some will have it to be Hercules that mighty Conqueror who for his 12 Labours was thought worthy to be placed in the Heaven and nigh unto the Dragon whom he overcame Others tell the tale thus That when the Tytans fought against the Gods they for fear of the Gyants ran all unto the one side of the Heaven whereupon the Heaven was ready to have fallen had not Hercules together with Atlas set his neck unto it and stayed the fall and for his Desert he was placed in Heaven 8. LYRA the Harp it containeth 10 Stars whereof thus goeth the Fable The River Nilus swelling above his banks over-flowed the Country of Egypt after the fall whereof there were left in the fields divers kinds of living things and amongst the rest a Tortoise Mercury after the flesh thereof was consumed the sinews still remaining found the same and striking it he made it yield a certain sound whereupon he made an Harp like unto it having Three strings and gave it unto Orpheus the Son of Cassiopea This Harp was of such excellent sound that Trees Stones Fowls and Wild Beasts are said to follow the sound thereof After such time therefore that Orpheus was slain by the Women of Thrace the Muses by the good leave of Jupiter and at the request of Apollo placed this Harp in Heaven Novidius will have it to be the Harp of David where by he pacified the Evil spirit of Saul This Constellation was afterwards called Vultur Cadens the falling Grype and Falco the Falcon or Timpanum the Timbrel 9. OLOR or Cygnus the Swan called of the Chaldaeans Adigege it hath 17 Stars of this Constellation the Poets Fable in this manner Jupiter being overtaken with the love of Laeda the wife of Tyndarus King of Oebabia and knowing no honester way to accomplish his desire procured Venus to turn her self into an Eagle and himselfe he turned into the shape of a Swan Flying therefore from the Eagle as from his natural Enemy that earnestly pursued him he lighted of purpose in the lap of Laeda and as it were for his more safety crept into her bosom The Woman not knowing who it was under that shape but holding as she thought the Swan fast in her arms fell asleep In the mean while Jupiter enjoyed his pleasure and having obtained that he came for betook him again unto his wings and in memorial of his purpose attained under that form he placed the Swan among the Stars Ovid calleth this Constellation Milvius the Kite and telleth the Tale thus The Earth being greatly offended with Jupiter because he had driven Saturn his Father out of his kingdom brought forth a monstrous Bull which in his hinder parts was like a Serpent and was afterwards called the Fatal Bull because the Destinies had thus decreed that whosoever could slay him and offer up his Entrails upon an Altar should overcome the eternal Gods Briareus that mighty Gyant and ancient enemy of the Gods overcame the Bull and was ready to have offered up his Entrails according to the decree of the Destinies but Jupiter fearing the event commanded the Fowls of the Air to snatch them away which although to their power they endeavour'd yet there was none of them found so forward and apt to that action as the Kite and for that cause he was accordingly rewarded with a place in Heaven Some call this Constellation Orvis that is the Bird others call it Vultur Volans the Flying Grype It is called Gallina the Hen. Unto this Constellation do belong two unformed Stars 10. CASSIOPEIA She consisteth of 13 Stars This was the Wife of Cepheus and the mother of Andromeda whom Perseus married and for his sake was translated into Heaven as some write others say that her beauty being singular she waxed so proud that she preferred her self before the Nereides which were the Nymphs of the Sea for which cause unto her disgrace the example of all others that in Pride of their hearts would advance themselves above their betters she was placed in the Heaven with her head as it were downwards so that in the revolution the Heavens she seemeth to be carried head-long 11. PERSEVS he hath 26 Stars This was the Son of Jupiter whom he in the likeness of a Golden-shower begat upon Danae the daughter of Acrisius This Perseus coming unto mans estate and being furnished with the Sword Hat and Wings of his brother Mercury and the Shield of his Sister Minerva was sent by his foster-Foster-father Polidectes to kill the Monster Medusa whom he slew and cutting off her head carried it away with him But as he was hasting homewards flying in the Air he espied Andromeda the daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopea for the pride of her mother bound with a Chain unto a Rock by the Sea side there to be devoured by a Whale Perseus taking notice and pity of the case undertook to fight with the Monster
upon condition that Andromeda might be his Wife to be short he deliver'd Andromeda married her and returning homeward unto the Isle Seriphus he found there his Grand-father Acrisius whom by mischance and unadvisedly he slew with a quoit or as Ovid reporteth with the terrible sight the horrible head of Medusa not knowing that it was his Grand-father but afterwards understanding whom he had slain he pined away through extream sorrow whereupon Jupiter his father pitying his grief took him up into Heaven and there placed him in that form wherein he overcame Medusa with the Sword in one hand and the head of Medusa in the other and the wings of Mercury at his Heels This Constellation because of the unluckiness thereof is called by Astrologers Cacodaemon i. e. Vnlucky and Vnfortunate For as they say they have observed it that whatsoever is born under this Constellation having an evil aspect shall be stricken with Sword or lose his Head Novidius saith that it is David with Goliah his head in one hand and his Sword in the other The unformed Stars belonging unto this Constellation are three 12. AVRIGA the Wagoner or Carter he consisteth of 14 Stars the Arabians call him Alaiot the Greeks Heniochus i. e. a man holding a bridle in his hand and so is he pictur'd Eratostenes affirmeth him to be Ericthonius King of Athens the son of Vulcan who having most deformed feet devised first the use of the Waggon or Chariot and joyned horses together to draw the same to the end that he sitting therein might the better conceal his deformities For which invention Jupiter translated him into the Heavens In this Constellation there are two other particular Constellations to be noted whereof the one consisteth but of one Star alone which is in the left-shoulder of Auriga and is called Hircus or Capra the Goat the Arabians call it Alhajoth The other consisteth of 2 little Stars a little beneath the others standing as it were in the hand of Auriga this Constellation is called Haedi the Kids The tale is thus Saturn as you heard before had received of the Oracle that one of his Sons should put him out of his Kingdom whereupon he determined to devour them all Ops by stealth conveyed away Jupiter and sent him to Melissus King of Crete to be nourished Melissus having 2 daughters Amalthaea and Melissa committed Jupiter unto their Nursery Amalthaea had a Goat that gave suck unto 2 Kids so that by the milk of this Goat she nourished Jupiter very well To requite this her care and courtesie Jupiter after he had put his Father out of his Kingdom translated her Goat and her two Kids into Heaven and in remembrance of the Nurse the Goat is called Capra Amalthaea Novidius saith that when Christ was born and his birth made manifest by the Angels unto the Shepherds one of them brought with him for a Present a Goat and two young Kids which in token of his good will were placed in Heaven 13. OPHIVCVS or SERPENTARIVS That is the Serpent bearer This Constellation hath no proper name but is thus entituled because he holdeth a Serpent in his hands It containeth 24 Stars Some say that it is Hercules and report the Tale on this manner Juno being a great enemy to Hercules sent two Snakes to kill him as he lay sleeping in his Cradle but Hercules being a lusty Child for Jupiter had spent two days in begetting him without much ado strangled them both In memorial of so strange an event Jupiter placed him in the Heavens with a Serpent in his hands 14. SERPENS the Serpent of Ophiuchus which consisteth of 18 Stars Some say that it is one of the Serpents that should have slain Hercules in his Cradle Novidius saith it is the Viper that bit Paul by the hand Others deliver the Tale in these words Glaucus the son of Minos King of Crete was by misfortune drowned in a Barrel of Honey Minas his Father craved the help of Aesculapius the Physician and that he might be driven perforce to help the Child he shut him up in a secret place together with the dead Carcass whiles Esculapius stood in a great maze with himself what were best to be done upon a sudden there came a Serpent creeping towards him the which Serpent he slew with the Staff which he had in his hand After this there came another Serpent in bringing in his mouth a certain herb which he laid upon the head of the dead Serpent whereby he restored him unto life again Esculapius using the same herb wrought the same effect upon Glaucus Whereupon after that Esculapius whom some affirm to be Ophiucus was placed in the Heaven and the Serpent with him 15. SAGITA or Telum the Arrow or Dart. This was that Arrow wherewith Hercules slew the Eagle or Grype that fed upon the Liver of Prometheus being tyed with Chains to the top of Mount Caucasus and in memorial of that deed was translated into Heaven Others will have it to be one of those Arrows which Hercules at his death gave unto Phyloctetes upon which the Destiny of Troy did depend The whole Constellation containeth five Stars 16. AQVILA the Eagle which is called Vultur Volans the flying Grype It hath in it 9 Stars The Poetical reason of this Constellation is this Jupiter transforming himself into the form of an Eagle took Ganimedes the Trojan Boy whom he greatly loved up into Heaven and therefore in sign thereof because by that means he performed his purpose he placed the figure of the Eagle in Heaven There belong unto this Constellation 6 Stars before time unformed but now brought into the Constellation of Antinous But whereupon that name should come I know not except it were that some man devised it there to curry favour with the Emperour Adrian who loved one Antinous Bithynicus so well that he builded a Temple in his honour at Mantinea 17. DELPHINVS the Dolphin it containeth 10 Stars yet Ovid in his second Book de Fastis saith that it hath but nine Neither did the ancient Astronomers attribute unto it any more according to the number of the Muses because of all other Fishes the Dolphin is said to be delighted with Musick The Tale goeth thus concerning this Constellation When Neptune the God of the Sea greatly desired to match with Amphitrite she being very modest and shame-faced hid her self whereupon he sent many messengers to seek her out among whom the Dolphin by his good hap did first find her and perswaded her also to match with Neptune For which his good and trusty service Neptune placed him in the Heavens Others say that when Bacchus had transformed the Marriners that would have betrayed him into Dolphins he placed one of them in Heaven that it might be a lesson for others to take heed how they carried any one out of his way contrary both to his desire and their own promise Novidius referreth this Constellation unto the Fish that saved Jonas from drowning
which unity doth breed 14. CORONA AUSTRINA the South Garland it hath 13 Stars Some say that it is some trifling Garland which Sagittarius was wont to wear but he cast it away from him in jest and therefore it was placed between his legs others call it the Wheel of Ixon whereupon he was tormented for that great discourtesie he would have offered unto Juno thinking indeed to have gotten up her Belly but Jupiter seeing the impudency of the man tumbled him out of Heaven where by the license of the gods he was sometimes admitted as a guest into Hell there to be continually tormented upon a Wheel The Figure of which Wheel was afterwards placed in Heaven to teach men to take heed how they be too saucie to make such courteous proffers unto other mens wives The Greeks call this Constellation by the name of Vraniscus because of the Figure thereof For it representeth the palate or roof of the mouth which they call Vraniscus 15. The last is PISCIS AUSTRINUS or Notius the South Fish which comprehendeth 11 Stars besides that which is in the mouth thereof belonging to the water which runneth from Aquarius and is called by the Arabians Fomahant The reason why this Fish was placed in the Heaven is uncertain yet some affirm that the daughter of Venus going into a water to wash her self was suddenly transformed into a Fish the which Fish was afterwards translated into Heaven The unformed Stars belonging unto this Constellation are six Thus much concerning the Constellation of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres now follow the Poetical Stories of the Zodiacal Constellations Thirdly Of the Zodiacal Constellations 1. ARIES the Ram it is called by the Greeks Criot it containeth in it 13 Stars which were brought into this Constellation by Thyestes the son of Pelops and brother of Aâ—reus This is the Ram upon which Phrâ—xus and Hâ—lle his sister the children of Athamas did sit when they fled from their step-mother Ino over the Sea of Hellespont which Ram was afterwards for his good service translated to Heaven ven by Jupiter Others say that it was that Ram which brought Bacchus unto the spring of water when through drought he was likely to have perished in the desert of Lybia Novidius will have this to be the Ram which Abraham offered up instead of his Son Isaac The Star that is first in the head of the Ram is that from whence our later Astronomers do account the Longitude of all the rest and it is distant from the head of Aries in the tenth Sphere 27 degrees 53 minutes The unformed Stars belonging unto this Constellation are five 2. TAVRVS the Bull which consisteth of 23 Stars This was translated into Heaven in memorial of the Rape committed by Jupiter on Europa the daughter of Agenor King of Sidon whom Jupiter in the likeness of a white Bull stole away and transported into Candia Others say That it was Io the daughter of Inacus whom Jupiter loved and turned into the form of a Cow to the intent that Juno coming at unawares should not perceive what a part he had played Jupiter afterward in memorial of that crafty conveyance placed that Figure in Heaven The reason why the Poets name not certainly whether it be a Cow or a Bull is because it wanteth the hinder parts yet of the most of them it is called a Bull. In the Neck of the Bull there are certain Stars standing together in a cluster which are commonly called the seven Stars although there can hardly be discerned any more than six these are reported to be the seven daughters of Atlas called Atlantiades whereof 6 had company with the immortal Gods but the 7 th whose name was Merope being married unto Sysiphus a mortal man did therefore withdraw and hide her self as being ashamed that she was not so fortunate in matching herself as her sisters were Some say that that star which is wanting is Electra eldest Daughter of Atlas and that therefore it is so dim because she could not abide to behold the destruction of Troy but at that time and ever since she hid her face The reason why they were taken up into Heaven was their great pity towards their Father whose mishap they bewailed with continual tears Others say that whereas they had vowed perpetual Virginity and were in danger to lose it by reason of Orion who greatly assailed them being overtaken with their love they requested Jupiter to stand their friend who translated them into Stars and placed them in that part of Heaven The Poets call them Pleiades because when they rise with the Sun the Mariners may commit themselves to the Sea Others will have them to be so termed a pluendo because they procure rain Others give them this name of the Greek word Cleiones because they be many in number they be also called Virgiliae because they rise with the Sun in the Spring time likewise Athoraiae because they stand so thick together Our men call them by the name of the seven Stars or Brood Hen. The Astronomers note this as a special thing concerning these stars that when the Moon and these Stars do meet together the eyes are not to be medled withal or cured if they before their reason is because they be of the nature of Mars and the Moon Moreover there be five stars in the face of the Bull representing the form of the Roman letter V whereof one which is the greatest is called the Bulls Eye They be called Hyades and were also the daughters of Atlas who so long bewailed the death of Hyas their Brother slain by a Lyon that they died for sorrow and were afterwards placed in Heaven for a memorial of that great love they bare to their Brother The ancient Romans call the Bulls Eye Parilicium or Palelicium of Pales their goddess whose feast they celebrated after the conjunction of this Star and the Sun The unformed Stars belonging unto this Constellation are eleven 3. GEMINI the Twins consisteth of 18 stars The Poets say they are Castor and Pollux the sons of Leda brethren most loving whom therefore Jupiter translated into Heaven Some say that one of them is Apollo and the other Hercules but the most affirm the former The unformed Stars of this Constellation are seven whereof one is called Tropus because it is placed next before the foot of Castor 4. CANCER the Crab it hath 9 Stars This is that Crab which bit Hercules by the heel as he fought with the Serpent Hydra in the Fen Lerna and for his forward service was placed in Heaven by Juno the utter enemy of Hercules In this Constellation there are Stars much spoken of by the Poets although they be but small whereof one is called the Crib other two are the two Asses whereof one was the Ass of Bacchus the other of Vulcan whereon they rode to Battel when as the Gyants made War with the Gods with whose braying and strange noise the Gyants were so scared
upon the sudden that they forsook the field and fled The Gods getting the Victory in triumphing manner translated both the Asses and their manger into Heaven The unformed Stars of this Constellation are four It is called animal Rerrogradum for when the Sun cometh into this Sign he maketh Retrogradation 5. LEO the Lyon it hath 27 Stars this is that Lion which Hercules overcame in the wood Nemaea and was placed in Heaven in remembrance of so notable a deed Novidius saith this was one of the Lyons that were in the den into which Daniel was cast and was therefore placed in Heaven because of all other he was most friendly unto Daniel In the breast of this Constellation is that notable great Star the light whereof is such as that therefore it is called by Astronomers Bazileus or Regulus i. e. the Viceroy or little King among the rest The unformed Stars belonging to the Lyon are eight whereof three make the Constellation which is now called Coma Berenices that is the hair of Berenice This Constellation was first found out and invented by Canon the Mathematician but described by Calimachus the Poet. The occasion of the story was this Ptolomeus Euergetes having married his sister Berenice was shortly after enforced to depart from her by reason of the Wars he had begun in Asia whereupon Berenice made this Vow that if he returned home again in safety she would offer up her hair in Venus Temple Ptolomy returned safe and Berenice according to her Vow cut off her hair and hung it up After certain days the hair was not to be found whereupon Ptolomy the King was greatly displeased but Canon to please the humor of the King and to curry favour with him perswaded him that Venus had conveyed the Hair into Heaven Canon attributeth seven Stars unto it but Ptolomy allotteth it but three because the other be insensible 6. VIRGO the Virgin it hath 26 Stars This is affirmed to be Justice which among all the Gods sometime living upon the Earth did last of all forsake the same because of the wickedness that began to multiply therein and chose this place for her seat in Heaven Others say that it was Astrea the daughter of Astreus one of the Gyants that were called Titans who fighting against the Gods Astraea took their parts against her own Father and was therefore after her death commended unto the Heavens and made one of the 12 Signs Others say that it was Origone the daughter of Icarius who for that her Father was slain by certain drunken men for very grief thereof hanged her self but Jupiter taking pity of the Virgin for her natural affection translated her into Heaven In her right wing there is one Star of special note which by the Astronomers is called Vindemiator i. e. the gatherer of Grapes This was Ampulos the son of a Satyr and a Nymph and greatly beloved of Bacchus unto whom in token of his love Bacchus gave a singular fair Vine planted at the foot of an Elm as the manner was in old time But Ampelos in Harvest gathering Grapes and taking little heed to his footing fell down out of the Vine and brake his neck Bacchus in memorial of his former affection translated him into Heaven and made him one of the principal Stars in this Constellation There is another great Star in the hand of the Virgin called of the Latines Spica of the Greeks Stachus of the Arabians Azimech i. e. the Ear of Corn whereby they signifie that when the Sun cometh to this Sign the Corn waxeth ripe Albumazar the Arabian and Novidius take this Constellation for the Virgin Mary The unformed Stars in this Constellation are six 7. LIBRA the Ballance it containeth eight Stars Cicero calleth Jugum the Yoke and here it is to be noted that the ancient Astronomers that first set down the number of the Constellations contained in the Zodiack did account but eleven therein so that the Sign which now is called Libra was heretofore called Chelai that is to say the Claws of the Scorpion which possesseth the space of two whole Signs But the latter Astronomers being desirous to have 12 Signs in the Zodiack called those eight whereof the Claws of the Scorpion do consist by the name of Libra not that there was any Poetical Fiction to induce them thereto but only moved by this reason because the Sun joyning with this Constellation the Day and the Night are of an equal length and are as it were equally poized in a pair of Ballances Yet as I remember some will have this to be the Ballance wherein Justice called also Astraea weighed the deeds of mortal men and therein presented them unto Jupiter It hath 9 unformed Stars appertaining unto it 8. SCORPIO the Scorpion called of the Arabians Alatrab of Cicero Nepa It consisteth of 21 Stars The Fiction is thus Orion the son of Hyreus greatly beloved of Diana was wont to make his boast that he was able to overcome what Beast soever was bred upon the Earth the Earth being moved with this speech brought forth the Scorpion whereby Orion was stung to death Jupiter thereupon at the request of the Earth translated both the Scorpion and Orion into Heaven to make it a lesson for ever for mortal men not to trust too much unto their own strength and to the end he might signify the great enmity between them he placed them so in Heaven that whensoever the one ariseth the other setteth and they are never both of them seen together above the Horizon at once Gulielmus Postellus will have it to be the Serpent which beguiled Eve in Paradise The unformed Stars about this Scorpion are three 9. SAGITTARIVS the Archer It hath 31 Stars Touching this Sign there are among the Poets many and sundry opinions Some say that it is Crocus the son of Paphene that was Nurse unto the Muses This Crocus was so forward in learning of the Liberal Sciences and in the practice of feats of Activity that the Muses entreated Jupiter that he might have a place in Heaven To whose request Jupiter inclining made him one of the 12 Signs And to the end that he might express the excellent qualities of the Man he made his hinder parts like unto a Horse thereby to signifie his singular knowledge in Horsemanship and by his Bow and Arrow he declared the sharpness of his Wit Whereupon the Astrologers have this conceit that he that is born under Sagittarius shall attain to the knowledge of many Arts and be of prompt wit and great courage Virgil affirmeth this to be Chiron the Centaur who for his singular Learning and Justice was made the Master of Achilles At which time Hercules coming to visit him for he had heard both of the worthiness of the School-master and of the great hopes of the Scholar brought with him his quiver of Arrows dipped in the blood of the Serpent Hydra but Chiron being desirous to see his shafts and not taking heed