4. Hêsiod of Ascra

Ancilla to the Pre-Socratic Philosophers, by Kathleen Freeman, [1948], at sacred-texts.com

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4. HÊSIOD OF ASCRA

Hêsiod of Ascra flourished probably in the eighth century B.C.

Apart from his Theogony and Works and Days, another poem called Astrologia or Astronomia was sometimes attributed to him by ancient authors. This poem was probably written in the sixth century B.C.

1. Mortals call them the Pleiads.

2. The stormy Pleiads are setting.

3. Then vanish the Pleiads.

4. (The morning setting of the Pleiads coincides with the autumnal equinox, according to Epimenides).

5. The Hyades: They are Nymphs like the Graces: Phaesylê and Corônis and fair-garlanded Cleeia, lovely Phaeô and Eudôrê of the long robe, whom the tribes of men on earth call Hyades.

6. (The Great Bear: a daughter of Lycaon in Arcadia chose the life of a huntress with Artemis on the mountains. Being seduced by Zeus, she continued, undetected by the goddess, until the latter discovered her pregnancy on seeing her bathing, and changed her into a bear. She bore the so-called Areas. When on the mountain she was hunted by goatherds and handed over to Lycaon with her baby. Later she was believed to have set foot in the sacred precinct of Zeus in ignorance of the law; being pursued by her own son and about to be killed, she was saved by Zeus and placed among the stars.

(Boôtês: he is said to be Areas son of Zeus and Callistô. When Zeus had seduced her, Lycaon served him with a dish of the infant's flesh.

(Callistô was one of the Nymphs).

7. (Ôrion: son of Minô and Poseidon, was granted by his father the power of walking on the waves. While in Chios he seduced Meropê, and was blinded and expelled by her father Oenopiôn. He went to Lemnos, where Hephaestus in pity gave him a guide, Cêdalion; carrying him on his shoulders, Orion went eastwards until his blindness was cured by the sun. He then returned to seek vengeance on Oenopiôn, but the latter was hidden underground by his people. Baulked in his search, Orion went to Crete and gave himself up to hunting, with Artemis and Leto. He threatened to 

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kill all the animals on earth, but Gê in anger sent a huge serpent whose sting killed him. Zeus at the request of Artemis and Leto placed him among the stars for his valour).

8. (Straits of Messina: Orion, after the sea had opened up, piled up the headland of Pelôris on the Sicilian side and made the precinct of Poseidon, which was particularly revered by the inhabitants. Orion then crossed to Euboea and settled there).