Aratus of Soli was a third century BC didactic poet at the court of Antigonus Gonatas of Macedonia, where he wrote his famous astronomical poem ‘Phaenomena’ (Appearances). It describes the constellations and other celestial phenomena, while the latter section is chiefly concerned with weather lore. Aratus’ poem was extremely popular both in the Greek and Roman world, as demonstrated by the large number of commentaries and Latin translations. He enjoyed immense prestige among Hellenistic po...

'Athena seized the writhing serpent and hurled it into the sky, and fixed it to the very pole of the heavens.' The constellations we recognize today were first mapped by the ancient Greeks, who arranged the stars into patterns for that purpose. In the third century BC Eratosthenes compiled a handbook of astral mythology in which the constellations were associated with figures from legend, and myths were provided to explain how each person, creature, or object came to be pl...

An ancient Greek guide to the heavens, translated in a new accessible modern English edition.A poetic guide to the heavens, the Phaenomena of Aratus—dating from around 270 BCE—was widely known across the ancient world, second only in fame to the works of Homer. Beginning with an invocation to Zeus, the poem describes the constellations of the northern and southern skies, the celestial sphere, and weather signs. Aratus's vivid work offered a complete handbo...

After the Iliad and the Odyssey, the Phaenomena was the most widely read poem in the ancient world. Its fame was immediate. It was translated into Latin by Ovid and Cicero and quoted by St. Paul in the New Testament, and it was one of the few Greek poems translated into Arabic.Aratus’ Phaenomena is a didactic poem—a practical manual in verse that teaches the reader to identify constellations and predict weather. The poem also explains the relatio...

Micromegas is an inhabitant of the star Sirius, 120,000 feet tall and accompanied by a dwarf from Saturn who is 6000 feet tall. During a grand tour of the universe they visit Earth in 1737 and, using makeshift microscopes, they detect a boating party of tiny human philosophers.

Many have believed that Atlantis was a fiction created by Plato. Well Plato was not the first to write about it.We have found a very much earlier document. It was written in 9619 BC, about 9,250 years before Plato's writing.This ancient document is believed to be the oldest document that has survived almost intact down through the ages.Further, archeological finds and scientific evidence provide convincing proof that Atlantis really did exist; Atlantis was real....

An informative sidekick to Stan Shadick's annual award-winning Skywatchers calendars, Skywatcher's Companion presents fascinating stories for skywatchers of all ages.Discover the wonders of the night sky and learn how to find the star patterns that have inspired the myths and storytelling of great cultures of the past. Meet the gods and goddesses of Rome, Greece and Mesopotamia and see how they found their way into the many constellations that dominate the ever-changing no...

"Coelum Philosophorum" translates to "The Philosophers' Sky" or "The Philosophers' Heaven." It is one of the many alchemical treatises and writings attributed to Paracelsus, who was known for his unorthodox and revolutionary ideas in the fields of medicine and alchemy.As with many alchemical texts, "Coelum Philosophorum" contains symbolic language and allegorical references, making it challenging to interpret for modern readers. Alchemy, during Paracelsus's time, was not just a precursor t...

Why were Prometheus and Loki envisioned as chained to rocks? What was the Golden Calf? Why are mirrors believed to carry bad luck? How could anyone think that mortals like Perseus, Beowulf, and St. George actually fought dragons, since dragons don't exist? Strange though they sound, however, these "myths" did not begin as fiction.This absorbing book shows that myths originally transmitted real information about real events and observations, preserving the information sometimes for ...

A retelling of the classic myths and timeless tales by bestselling author Annette Giesecke that underlie the 88 named constellations in the night sky--from Andromeda to Orion to Ursa Major.Classical Mythology of the Constellations is a stargazer's guide to the wondrous stories of the gods, heroes, and monsters that populate the night sky. As long as humans have lived on Earth, they have gazed up at the starry sky with fascination and longing. For the ancie...

What star is that? Where is the Great Bear? A Walk through the Heavens is a beautiful and easy-to-use guide to the constellations of the northern hemisphere. By following the unique simplified maps, readers will be able to easily find and identify the constellations and the stars within them. Ancient myths and legends of the sky are retold, adding to the mystery of the stars. Written for the complete beginner, this practical guide introduces the patterns of the starry skies in a memorable ...

"A version that has been long awaited, and likely to become the new standard."—Washington PostOvid's epic poem—whose theme of change has resonated throughout the ages—is one of the most important texts of Western imagination, an inspiration from Dante's times to the present day, when writers such as Salman Rushdie and Italo Calvino have found a living source in Ovid's work. Charles Martin combines a close fidelity to Ovid's text with verse that catches the speed and liveli...