Ancient Skies: Constellation Mythology of the Greeks

Ancient Skies: Constellation Mythology of the Greeks PDF

Author: David Weston Marshall

Publisher: The Countryman Press

Published: 2018-08-07

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 1682682129

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

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.

Constellation Myths

Constellation Myths PDF

Author: Eratosthenes

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 257

ISBN-13: 0198716982

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

"First published as an Oxford world's classics paperback, 2015."--Verso of title page.

Star Myths of the Greeks and Romans

Star Myths of the Greeks and Romans PDF

Author: Theony Condos

Publisher: Red Wheel/Weiser

Published: 1997-01-01

Total Pages: 253

ISBN-13: 1609256786

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

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.

Heroes of the Night Sky

Heroes of the Night Sky PDF

Author: Tom Kindley

Publisher: Cicada

Published: 2016-07-18

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781908714329

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Recounts the Greek myths behind the names of such constellations as the Great Bear, Andromeda, and Orion.

The Mythology of the Night Sky

The Mythology of the Night Sky PDF

Author: David E. Falkner

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2011-08-28

Total Pages: 249

ISBN-13: 1461401372

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

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.

Greek Nymphs

Greek Nymphs PDF

Author: Jennifer Larson

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2001-06-28

Total Pages: 392

ISBN-13: 0198028687

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Greek Nymphs: Myths, Cult, Lore is the first comprehensive study of the nymph in the ancient Greek world. This well-illustrated book examines nymphs as both religious and mythopoetic figures, tracing their development and significance in Greek culture from Homer through the Hellenistic period. Drawing upon a broad range of literary and archaeological evidence, Jennifer Larson discusses sexually powerful nymphs in ancient and modern Greek folklore, the use of dolls representing nymphs in the socialization of girls, the phenomenon of nympholepsy, the nymphs' relations with other deities in the Greek pantheon, and the nymphs' role in mythic narratives of city-founding and colonization. The book includes a survey of the evidence for myths and cults of the nymphs arranged by geographical region, and a special section of the worship of nymphs in caves throughout the Greek world.

Planetary Systems from the Ancient Greeks to Kepler

Planetary Systems from the Ancient Greeks to Kepler PDF

Author: Theodor S. Jacobsen

Publisher: University of Washington Press

Published: 2018-03-23

Total Pages: 274

ISBN-13: 0295997591

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

In Planetary Systems from the Ancient Greeks, Theodor S. Kepler seeks to present a bird’s-eye view of the astronomical nature of the work of Newton’s predecessors. Rather than dwelling only on the influence of each thinker’s great ideas, Jacobsen tracks the actual details of their development by investigating the various systems involved and how they were used. As such, this book is an attempt to describe the specific processes through which (pre-Newtonian) astronomers derived a knowledge of the cosmos by observing the heavens and trying out detailed models to account for their observations. Planetary Systems from the Ancient Greeks contributes to scholarship on historical astronomy by offering an approach between that of popular, exact astronomical information and formal, fully referenced scholarly investigation. Each chapter is organized around a key astronomer (Eudoxus, Hipparchus, Ptolemy, Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, and Kepler) and offers relevant biographical introduction, exposition of the astronomical system, and assessment of their contributions. As Jacobsen suggests, the present elementary study of these historical astronomical systems also yields valuable insights for visualizing the salient facts of general astronomy.

Star Tales

Star Tales PDF

Author: Ian Ridpath

Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand

Published: 2018-01-01

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 0718894782

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

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.

A Companion to Greek Mythology

A Companion to Greek Mythology PDF

Author: Ken Dowden

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2011-03-21

Total Pages: 672

ISBN-13: 1444396935

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

A Companion to Greek Mythology presents a series of essays that explore the phenomenon of Greek myth from its origins in shared Indo-European story patterns and the Greeks’ contacts with their Eastern Mediterranean neighbours through its development as a shared language and thought-system for the Greco-Roman world. Features essays from a prestigious international team of literary experts Includes coverage of Greek myth’s intersection with history, philosophy and religion Introduces readers to topics in mythology that are often inaccessible to non-specialists Addresses the Hellenistic and Roman periods as well as Archaic and Classical Greece

Sky Mythology

Sky Mythology PDF

Author: Anderson Ngundam

Publisher:

Published: 2021-05-18

Total Pages: 441

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Soth Cloudline, a war veteran turned explorer-for-hire, runs the family's intergalactic exploration and tour guide business with his siblings, Aurel and Plate. When a nine-year-old girl shows up at his doorstep with an unconventional request to recover a 500-year-old heirloom, Soth is hesitant. But her possession of an old personal item that once belonged to him forces him to reconsider. His quest takes him across the Star Rise Galaxy and beyond.