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| Invention of the Lyre; Allegorizing the Appearance and Position of the Stars; Origin of the Phœnicians; The Logos Identified by Aratus with the Constellation Canis; Influence of Canis on Fertility and Life Generally.
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Chapter
XLVIII.—Invention of the Lyre; Allegorizing the Appearance and
Position of the Stars; Origin of the Phœnicians; The Logos
Identified by Aratus with the Constellation Canis; Influence of Canis
on Fertility and Life Generally.
And (Aratus) says that (the constellations) Lyra and
Corona have been placed on both sides near him,—now I mean
Engonasis,—but that he bends the knee, and stretches forth both
hands, as if making a confession of sin. And that the lyre is a
musical instrument fashioned by Logos while still altogether an infant,
and that Logos is the same as he who is denominated Mercury among the
Greeks. And Aratus, with regard to the construction of the lyre,
observes:—
“Then, further, also near the
cradle,297
| 297
“Pierced it through,” i.e., bored the holes for the
strings, or, in other words, constructed the instrument. The
Latin version in Buhle’s edition of Aratus is ad cunam
(cunabulam) compegit, i.e., he fastened the strings into the shell
of the tortoise near his bed. The tortoise is mentioned by Aratus
in the first part of the line, which fact removes the obscurity of the
passage as quoted by Hippolytus. The general tradition
corresponds with this, in representing Mercury on the shores of the
Nile forming a lyre out of a dried tortoise. The word translated
bed might be also rendered fan, which was used as a cradle, its size
and construction being suitable. [See note, p. 46,
infra.] |
Hermes pierced it through, and said, Call it
Lyre.”298
| 298
Arat., Phænom., v. 268. |
It consists of seven strings, signifying by these seven
strings the entire harmony and construction of the world as it is
melodiously constituted. For in six days the world was made, and
(the Creator) rested on the seventh. If, then, says (Aratus),
Adam, acknowledging (his guilt) and guarding the head of the Beast,
according to the commandment of the Deity, will imitate Lyra, that is,
obey the Logos of God, that is, submit to the law, he will receive
Corona that is situated near him. If, however, he neglect his
duty, he shall be hurled downwards in company with the Beast that lies
underneath, and shall have, he says, his portion with the Beast.
And Engonasis seems on both sides to extend his hands, and on one to
touch Lyra, and on the other Corona—and this is his
confession;—so that it is possible to distinguish him by means of
this (sidereal) configuration itself. But Corona nevertheless is
plotted against, and forcibly drawn away by another beast, a smaller
Dragon, which is the offspring of him who is guarded by the
foot299
| 299
Or, “son of” (see Arat., Phænom., v.
70). | of
Engonasis. A man also stands firmly grasping with both hands, and
dragging towards the space behind the Serpent from Corona; and he does
not permit the Beast to touch Corona. though making a violent effort to
do so. And Aratus styles him Anguitenens, because he restrains
the impetuosity of the Serpent in his attempt to reach Corona.
But Logos, he says, is he who, in the figure of a man, hinders the
Beast from reaching Corona, commiserating him who is being plotted
against by the Dragon and his offspring simultaneously.
These (constellations), “The Bears,”
however, he says, are two hebdomads, composed of seven stars, images of
two creations. For the first creation, he affirms, is that
according to Adam in labours, this is he who is seen “on his
knees” (Engonasis). The second creation, however, is that
according to Christ, by which we are regenerated; and this is
Anguitenens, who struggles against the Beast, and hinders him from
reaching Corona, which is reserved for the man. But “The
Great Bear” is, he says, Helice,300
| 300 The
Abbe Cruice considers that these interpretations, as well as what
follows, are taken not from a Greek writer, but a Jewish heretic.
No Greek, he supposes, would write, as is stated lower down, that the
Greeks were a Phœnician colony. The Jewish heresies were
impregnated by these silly doctrines about the stars (see Epiphan.,
Adv. Hæres., lib. i. De Pharisæis). | symbol of a mighty world towards which the
Greeks steer their course, that is, for which they are being
disciplined. And, wafted by the waves of life, they follow
onwards, (having in prospect) some such revolving world or discipline
or wisdom which conducts those back that follow in pursuit of such a
world. For the term Helice seems to signify a certain circling
and revolution towards the same points. There is likewise a
certain other “Small Bear” (Cynosuris), as it were some
image of the second creation—that formed according to God.
For few, he says, there are that journey by the narrow path.301
But they assert that Cynosuris is
narrow, towards which Aratus302
| 302
Arat., Phænom., v. 44. |
says that the Sidonians navigate. But Aratus has
spoken partly of the Sidonians, (but means) the Phœnicians, on
account of the existence of the admirable wisdom of the
Phœnicians. The Greeks, however, assert that they are
Phœnicians, who have migrated from (the shores of) the Red Sea
into this country where they even at present dwell, for this is the
opinion of Herodotus.303
Now Cynosura, he says, is this
(lesser) Bear, the second creation; the one of limited dimensions, the
narrow way, and not Helice. For he does not lead them back, but
guides forward by a straight path, those that follow him being (the
tail) of Canis. For Canis is the Logos,304
| 304 Or,
“for creation is the Logos” (see Arat.,
Phænom., v. 332 et seq.). | partly guarding and preserving the flock,
that is plotted against by the wolves; and partly like a dog, hunting
the beasts from the creation, and destroying them; and partly producing
all things, and being what they express by the name “Cyon”
(Canis), that is, generator. Hence it is said, Aratus has spoken
of the rising of Canis, expressing himself thus: “When,
however, Canis has risen, no longer do the crops miss.”
This is what he says: Plants that have been put into the earth up
to the period of Canis’ rising, frequently, though not having
struck root, are yet covered with a profusion of leaves, and afford
indications to spectators that they will be productive, and that they
appear full of life, (though in reality) not having vitality in
themselves from the root. But when the rising of Canis takes
place, the living are separated from the dead by Canis; for whatsoever
plants have not taken root, really undergo putrefaction. This
Canis, therefore, he says, as being a certain divine Logos, has been
appointed judge of quick and dead. And as (the influence of)
Canis is observable in the vegetable productions of this world, so in
plants of celestial growth—in men—is beheld the (power of
the) Logos. From some such cause, then, Cynosura, the second
creation, is set in the firmament as an image of a creation by the
Logos. The Dragon, however, in the centre reclines between the
two creations, preventing a transition of whatever things are from the
great creation to the small creation; and in guarding those that are
fixed in the (great) creation, as for instance Engonasis, observing (at
the same time) how and in what manner each is constituted in the small
creation. And (the Dragon) himself is watched at the head, he
says, by Anguitenens. This image, he affirms, is fixed in heaven,
being a certain wisdom to those capable of discerning it. If,
however, this is obscure, by means of some other image, he says the
creation teaches (men) to philosophize, in regard to which Aratus has
expressed himself thus:—
“Neither of Cepheus Iasidas are we the
wretched brood.”305
| 305
Arat., Phænom., v. 179. | E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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