Page:Star Lore Of All Ages, 1911.pdf/169

Rh with its two stars of any prominence, it would take a fertile imagination to descry the figure of a canine; but when we realise its importance as a warning sign set in the sky for all to observe, then we perceive the significance and appropriateness of the title of the constellation.

Horace, in his celebrated ode to Mæcenas, accredits to Procyon the fiery nature attributed by all to Sirius. He writes:

a line which Mr, Gladstone translates:

Both Sirius and Procyon seem to have conveyed to the ancients the idea of scorching fire and great heat which the dog days at present suggest to us.

Allen tells us that Procyon was "the star of the crossing of the water-dog," mentioned in the Euphratean cylinders and that the natives of the Hervey Islands regarded Procyon as their goddess Vena.

Mrs. Martin referring to Procyon writes: "It is in fact a most beautiful star, and is only the sixth in order of brightness among the stars seen in our latitude. It is very distinctly individual, being the only one among the beautiful winter group that is lightly tinged with yellow. It is one of the Sirian class of stars, but is somewhat further developed than Sirius, and is beginning to have the golden tint which signifies that it is approaching the time of life into which Capella and the sun are well passed."

Al-Sufi, the noted Arabian astronomer, in his Description of the Fixed Stars, written in the 10th century , relates the following legend concerning the two Dog Stars: "Al-abûr (Sirius) and Al-gumaïsâ (Procyon) were two sisters of Suhail (Canopus). Canopus married Rigel, and soon after, having killed his wife, fled toward the South Pole, fearing the anger of his sisters. Sirius followed him