Cynosura (nymph)
InGreek mythology,Cynosura(Ancient Greek:Κυνοσούρα,romanized:Kunosoúra,lit. 'dog's tail'κυνός οὐρά,pronounced[kynosǔːraː]) is the name of anIdaeanOreadnymphfrom the islandCretewho brought up a youngZeusduring his early years when he hid from his fatherCronus,and ended up among the stars.[1]
Mythology[edit]
Along with fellow nymphHelice,Cynosura put the infantZeusin a cave and nurtured him inIda,inCrete,[2][3]while theDictaeanCuretesdeceived Cronus so he would not devour his son.[4][5]One day, Cronus happened to visit Crete, so Zeus hid the nymphs by transforming them both into bears, as he changed his shape into that of a dragon, in order to go undetected by Cronus.[6][7]Eventually, after he became king of the gods, he honoured his two nurses by placing them both in the sky as constellations, and Cynosura becameUrsa Minor,[8]which was a common name for the constellation in Ancient Greece.[9]The most common origin myth for the two bear constellations, however, was that ofCallisto,a follower ofArtemis,and her sonArcas.[5]
The origin of the word "Cynosura" / "dog's tail" is unknown, as it does not connect to the theme of the constellation, and no other constellation fitting the description exists. It has been argued that the derivation from the word for dog is false.[9]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Smith,s.v.Κυνοσούρα
- ^pseudo-Eratosthenes,CatasterismiUrsa Minor
- ^Hard 2015,pp.8-9.
- ^Aratus of Soli,Phaenomena35
- ^abServius,Commentary on Virgil's Georgics1.246
- ^Scholiaon theOdyssey5.272Archived2023-01-03 at theWayback Machine
- ^Sider 2017,p.118.
- ^Hyginus,Astronomica2.2.1
- ^abAllen 1899,pp.447–448.
Bibliography[edit]
- Allen, Richard Hinckley (1899).Star-names and their meanings.New York, Leipzig: G.E. Stechert.
- A. W. Mair, G. R. Mair (1921).Callimachus, Lycophron, Aratus. Hymns and Epigrams. Lycophron: Alexandra. Aratus: Phaenomena.Vol.Loeb Classical Library129.Cambridge,MA:Harvard University Press.
- Gaius Julius Hyginus,Astronomica from The Myths of Hyginustranslated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies.Online version at the Topos Text Project.
- Hard, Robin (2015).Constellation Myths: With Aratus's 'Phaenomena'.Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0-19-871698-3.
- Maurus Servius Honoratus,In Vergilii carmina comentarii. Servii Grammatici qui feruntur in Vergilii carmina commentarii;recensuerunt Georgius Thilo et Hermannus Hagen. Georgius Thilo. Leipzig. B. G. Teubner. 1881.Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
- Sider, David (2017).Hellenistic Poetry: A Selection.University of Michigan Press.ISBN9780472053131.
- Smith, William,ADictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology,London. John Murray: printed by Spottiswoode and Co., New-Street Square and Parliament Street, 1873.
External links[edit]
 | This article relating toGreek mythologyis astub.You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |