Page:Star Lore Of All Ages, 1911.pdf/103

Rh Not only the Egyptians, but all the great civilised nations of the East, had traditions of a year beginning when the sun and moon entered the constellation Aries.

Jensen is of the opinion that Aries may have been first adopted into the zodiac by the Babylonians when its stars began to mark the vernal equinox. Plunket on the contrary, thinks that the choice of the constellation as Prince and Leader of the signs was made, not when its stars marked the spring equinox, but when they indicated the winter solstice. According to this view Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricornus marked the four seasons and the cardinal points in 6000

In the Rig- Veda, the first lunar station in the Indian series is named "Aswini." The two chief stars in the station are the twin stars as they may be called, β and γ Arietis. Joyous hymns were addressed to the twin heroes, the Aswins, which may properly be called New Year's hymns, composed in honour of these stars, whose appearance before sunrise heralded the approach of the great festival day of the Hindu New Year. Next to Agni and Soma, the twin deities named the Aswins are the most prominent in the Rig- Veda. They are celebrated in more than fifty entire hymns, while their name occurs more than four hundred times. These twin heroes of Hindu mythology correspond to the famous twins of Grecian mythology. Castor and Pollux.

The Arabs, whose first manzil or lunar station was formed by these same two stars, knew them as "the two tokens," that is to say of the opening year. They called the constellation Aries "Al-Hamal," the Sheep, while the early Hindus called it "Aja," and "Mesha."

The Hebrews called the constellation "Telì," and assigned it in their zodiac to either Simeon or Gad. Dr. Seiss, following Cæsius, regarded Aries as symbolising the Lamb of the World.

Aries, the April sign according to Hagar, was known in Peru as "the Market Moon" or "Kneeling Terrace."