Author: David Weston Marshall
Publisher: The Countryman Press
ISBN: 1682682129
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 301
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Book Description
Look to the sky and see the stories in the stars The stars and constellations are among the few remaining objects that appear to us just as they appeared to our distant ancestors. From anywhere on Earth, a person may view the celestial panorama simply by stepping outside at night and gazing upward. This non- fiction narrative presents the tales of the forty- eight classical constellations, compiled from literature spanning a thousand years from Homer (c. 800 BC) to Claudius Ptolemy (c. 150 AD). These age- old tales have captured the human imagination from ancient times to the present, and through them we can examine the early practical astronomy, philosophical speculation on the cosmos, and fundamental moral beliefs of much of Western civilization. Illustrations and star charts carefully reconstructed from ancient sources lend a visual element and immerse the reader in the world of ancient cosmology and constellation mapping. Through Marshall’s research and storytelling, Ancient Skies brings the belief systems of the classical world to shining life.
Author: Eratosthenes
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0198716982
Category : Literary Collections
Languages : en
Pages : 257
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Book Description
This translation brings together ancient classical texts derived from Eratosthenes' handbook of astral mythology, Hyginus' guide to astronomy, and Aratus's astronomical poem Phaenomena to provide a complete collection of Greek astral myths.
Author: Theony Condos
Publisher: Red Wheel/Weiser
ISBN: 1609256786
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 253
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Book Description
This A-to-Z reference offers in-depth information on the history and mythologies of the forty-eight classical constellations—with excerpts from ancient texts. The nightly appearance of the stars, their arrangement in the sky, their regular risings and settings through the course of the year, have been a source of endless wonder and speculation. But where did the constellations come from and what are the myths associated with them? Star Myths of the Greeks and Romans puts the answers at your fingertips. Included in this handbook are the only surviving works on the constellation myths that have come down to us from antiquity: an epitome of The Constellations of Eratosthenes —never before translated into English—and The Poetic Astronomy of Hyginus. Also provided are accurate and detailed commentaries on each constellation myth, and complete references for those who wish to dig deeper. This book is a comprehensive sourcework for anyone interested in astronomy or mythology—and an ideal resource for the occasional stargazer.
Author: Robin Kerod
Publisher: Wellfleet Press
ISBN: 157715228X
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 131
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Book Description
With an 18 x 24" landscape poster that charts some of the best-known constellations under which dreams are made, Tales of the Night Sky blends science, philosophy, and myth for the casual astronomer.
Author: Ian Ridpath
Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand
ISBN: 0718894782
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 226
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Book Description
Every night, a pageant of Greek mythology circles overhead. Perseus flies to the rescue of Andromeda, Orion faces the charge of the snorting Bull, and the ship of the Argonauts sails in search of the Golden Fleece. Constellations are the invention of human imagination, not of nature. They are an expression of the human desire to impress its own order upon the apparent chaos of the night sky. Modern science tells us that these twinkling points of light are glowing balls of gas, but the ancient Greeks, to whom we owe many of our constellations, knew nothing of this. Ian Ridpath, award-winning astronomy writer and popularizer, has been intrigued by the myths of the stars for many years. Star Tales is the first modern guide to combine all the fascinating myths in one book, illustrated with the beautiful and evocative engravings from two of the leading star atlases: Johann Bode’s Uranographia of 1801 and John Flamsteed’s Atlas Coelestis of 1729. This classic book, now in a revised and expanded edition, presents additional information on the constellations with new and enchanting illustrations. For anyone interested in the stars and classical mythology, for anyone who is an armchair astronomer, this is the perfect gift.
Author: Gillian M. E. Alban
Publisher: Lexington Books
ISBN: 9780739104712
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 334
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Book Description
Gillian Alban meticulously pursues the Fairy Melusine snake-woman image through the plot and the poetry of A. S. Byatt's novel Possession, into medieval legend, and beyond into her antecedents in ancient myth. The book describes the erotically inspiring force of Melusine's love story and draws parallels with goddesses such as Lamia, Ishtar or Inanna, Isis, and Asherah. Mother, creator, and leader, the figure of Melusine was ultimately vilified and tellingly converted into the demon of patriarchal accounts, as seen in the examples of Lilith, Medusa, Scylla, and the serpent in the Garden. Alban deconstructs part of Genesis, including the roles of Adam and Eve and Cain's crime, and illuminates the Old Testament worship of the goddess Asherah alongside the male Yahweh. A forceful exploration of literature, history, and myth, this study sweeps away limiting assumptions about the female sex. Melusine the Serpent Goddess restores the dignity acknowledged to women of old, making a forceful statement about the power and creativity of women.
Author: Susanna Hislop
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0698197909
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 295
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Book Description
A beautifully illustrated Penguin Hardcover that invites readers to travel the night sky and discover the universe of stories in the stars To those who can decipher it, the night sky is alive with gods and goddesses, animals and mythical creatures—an endless carnival played out in shining constellations. Amidst this jet-black canvas pricked with white dots, a hunter leaps in pursuit with his dogs at his heels, a sea monster threatens a maiden in distress, and a pair of twins lives forever. In Stories in the Stars, writer and stargazer Susanna Hislop and international artist Hannah Waldron present an imaginative journey through the heavens. Leaping between centuries, cultures, and traditions, they explore each of the night sky’s eighty-eight constellations through gorgeous illustrations and vivid descriptions that will linger in readers’ minds long after they’ve closed the book and stepped outside on a starry night.
Author: Anita Ganeri
Publisher: Running Press Kids
ISBN: 0762495049
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 99
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Book Description
Share the wonder of the stars with this delightful storybook collection featuring constellation myths from around the world. For thousands of years people have looked up to the night sky and told stories about the stars. These epic tales tell of vengeful gods and goddesses, of monsters and heroes. Others try to make sense of the natural world, or unravel the mysterious forces of the universe. This stunning book brings together 23 of these legends from all over the world: from Ancient Greece to North America, Egypt, China, India, and the South Pacific. Written by award-winning author Anita Ganeri and with beautifully detailed artwork by illustrator Andy Wilx, this is a magical book to be treasured for generations to come.
Author: David E. Falkner
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1461401372
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 249
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Book Description
The Mythology of the Night Sky is intended primarily for amateur astronomers who would like to know the mythology behind the names of constellations and planets. It deals with the 48 constellations identified by the ancient Greek astronomer Ptolemy, as well as all the planets of our solar system and their moons, which are named after Roman gods. To assist practical observers the book gives the location and description of each constellation, including named stars and deep-sky objects. Readers are encouraged to observe and image the constellations for themselves, and there is a lot of practical information in this book to help them along the way. In addition to providing a detailed (and mostly Greek) mythology of the constellations and the vast soap opera that was part of the Ancient Greek pantheon, this book also addresses the planets of the Solar System, which are named after the Roman - not Greek - gods.
Author: Anthony Aveni
Publisher: Yale University Press
ISBN: 0300241283
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 207
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Book Description
Follow an epic animal race, a quest for a disembodied hand, and an emu egg hunt in constellation stories from diverse cultures We can see love, betrayal, and friendship in the heavens, if we know where to look. A world expert on cultural understandings of cosmology, Anthony Aveni provides an unconventional atlas of the night sky, introducing readers to tales beloved for generations. The constellations included are not only your typical Greek and Roman myths, but star patterns conceived by a host of cultures, non-Western and indigenous, ancient and contemporary. The sky has long served as a template for telling stories about the meaning of life. People have looked for likenesses between the domains of heaven and earth to help marry the unfamiliar above to the quotidian below. Perfect reading for all sky watchers and storytellers, this book is an essential complement to Western mythologies, showing how the confluence of the natural world and culture of heavenly observers can produce a variety of tales about the shapes in the sky.
