AURIGA (THE CHARIOTEER)

Thou hast loosened the necks of thine horses, and goaded their flanks with affright,

To the race of a course that we know not, on ways that are hid from our sight.

As a wind through the darkness the wheels of their chariot are whirled,

And the light of its passage is night on the face of the world. -A. C. SWINBURNE.

AURIGA AND GEMINI

RISING at the same season of year with Aldebaran and the Pleiades, and just before Castor and Pollux, is another first magnitude star-Capella, the Goat, which is between Orion and Polaris, and can easily be found by its brightness. The constellation to which it belongs is known as Auriga, the Charioteer, and has come from such remote ages that its myth has become confused. The figure is represented as "a mighty man seated on the milky way." In his right hand is a whip. His right foot rests upon El Nath, which is the tip of Taurus's horn, and common to both constellations. On Auriga's left arm rests the Goat, with Capella in its heart. Capella is a tremendous sun, and, according to Professor Newcomb, is about one hundred and twenty times greater than our sun in actual magnitude.

About half-way between Sirius and the Pointers you will find the bright twin stars, Castor and Pollux, in the constellation of the Twins, or Gemini. They come up in the East about the same time as Betelgeuse and Rigel, but are much farther north. In May and June Castor and Pollux are especially attractive, as they hang low in the northwest, shining out from a glowing sunset sky.

In the constellation charts, Pollux is the Beta and Castor the Alpha, although Pollux is the brighter of the two. It is thought that Castor may have been the

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*See p. 255.

brighter three hundred years ago, and that it is losing its brilliancy as it recedes from us. Then, too, Pollux is coming towards us; so it is growing brighter.

The twin brothers, Castor and Pollux, distinguished themselves in hunting. Castor was a mortal, but Pollux was the son of a god. One day Castor was slain in a combat. Pollux in his grief implored Jupiter to allow him to die also, that he might be with his brother. Jupiter was so touched that he permitted Castor to return to life, if Pollux would spend half of his time in Hades. Later they were translated to the sky, where their bright stars, one in the forehead of each, can be seen shining close together.

The Romans were very partial to the "Great Twin Brethren," and believed that they often led their legions on to success in wars. They built temples to them, and had great feasts in their honor. The sailors also considered the sign of The Twins as an assurance of fair weather and a successful voyage, not infrequently naming their ships after them. St. Paul tells us in Acts xxviii, 11, "After three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux."

TO CASTOR AND POLLUX

A translation from Homer which shows what the old Greeks thought of Castor and Pollux.

SING the Twins of Jove, mild Pollux, void of blame, And steel-subduing Castor, heirs of fame.

These are the Powers who earth-born mortals save And ships, whose, flight is swift along the wave.

When wintry tempests o'er the savage sea

Are raging, and the sailors tremblingly

Call on the Twins of Jove with prayer and vow,
Gathered in fear upon the lofty prow,

And sacrifice with snow-white lambs, the wind
And the huge billow bursting close behind
Even then beneath the weltering waters bear
The staggering ship, they suddenly appear,
On yellow wings rushing athwart the sky,
And lull the blasts in mute tranquillity,

And strew the waves on the white Ocean's bed,
Fair omen of the voyage; from toil and dread
The sailors rest, rejoicing in the sight,

And plow the quiet sea in safe delight.

-SHELLEY (Adapted).

THE BATTLE OF LAKE REGILLUS

A Lay Sung at the Feast in Honor of Castor and Pollux.

I

Ho, trumpets, sound a war-note!

Ho, lictors, clear the way!

The Knights will ride, in all their pride,

Along the streets to-day.

To-day the doors and windows
Are hung with garlands all,
From Castor in the Forum,
To Mars without the wall.
Each Knight is robed in purple,
With olive each is crowned;

A gallant war-horse under each

Paws haughtily the ground. While flows the Yellow River, While stands the Sacred Hill, The proud Ides of Quintilis

Shall have such honor still. Gay are the Martian Kalends: December's Nones are gay:

But the proud Ides, when the squadron rides, Shall be Rome's whitest day.

II

Unto the Great Twin Brethren
We keep this solemn feast.
Swift, swift, the Great Twin Brethren
Came spurring from the east.
They came o'er wild Parthenius

Tossing in waves of pine,

O'er Cirrha's dome, o'er Adria's foam,

O'er purple Apennine,

From where with flutes and dances

Their ancient mansion rings,

In lordly Lacedaemon,

The city of two kings,
To where, by Lake Regillus,
Under the Porcian height,
All in the lands of Tusculum,
Was fought the glorious fight.

III

Now on the place of slaughter
Are cots and sheepfolds seen,