Page:Star Lore Of All Ages, 1911.pdf/144

92 the Arabs as "Acubens," meaning "the Claws," and marks the Crab's southern claw. It culminates at 9 , March 18th.

The two fourth magnitude stars north and south of the Manger, γ and δ Cancri, were called by the Greeks "the Aselli," the asses feeding at the manger. The Arabs knew them by the same name.

Bailey, in his Mystic of 1858, calls them "the Aselline Starlets." The Chaldaic name for the ass may be translated "muddiness," and Burritt thinks that this alludes to the discolouring of the Nile, which river was rising when the sun entered Cancer. Pliny wrote: "Sunt in Signo Cancri duæ stellæ parvæ, aselli appellati." In astrology these stars were portents of violent death to such as came under their influence. They are said to be of a burning nature, and to give great indications of violent and severe accidents by fire.

The star ζ Cancri is a ternary or triple star. Two of the stars can be seen with a small telescope. I quote Allen's reference to this star: "This is a system of great interest to astronomers, from the singular change in colour, the probable existence of a fourth and invisible component, and for the short period of orbital revolution—sixty years—of the two closer stars."

The symbol of the sign &#x264B;&#xFE0E; probably denotes the claws of the Crab. It is also referred to the Aselli.