Page:Star Lore Of All Ages, 1911.pdf/514

386 represented James the Less, and Weigel regarded these stars as the Portuguese Towers.

The very ancient Sphinx of Egypt, the Riddle of the Ages, is thought by some to be a representation of Virgo's head on the body of Leo.

"Astrologically speaking," says Proctor, "Virgo is the joy of Mercury. Its natives (those born between the dates Aug. 22d and Sept. 23d), are of moderate stature, seldom handsome, slender but compact, thrifty and ingenious. It governs the abdomen, and reigns over Turkey, Greece, Mesopotamia, Crete, Jerusalem, Paris, Lyons, etc. It is a feminine sign and generally unfortunate. The cornflower is the significant flower and jasper the precious stone."

The constellation is noteworthy because of the great number of nebulæ found in this region of the heavens. The space embraced by the stars β, η, γ, δ Virginis, and Denebola in Leo, has been called "the Field of the Nebulæ." Sir William Herschel found here no less than 323 of these mysterious objects, which later search has increased to five hundred. This region of the sky was known to the Arabs as "the Kennel Corner of the Barking Dogs."

The beautiful white first magnitude star "Spica," α Virginis, is the most noted star in the constellation. It indicates the wheat ear which the Virgin holds in her left hand, and also signifies "the Ear of Wheat." The Arabs called it "the Solitary, the Defenceless, or Unarmed One," possibly because of its isolated position in the sky. They also knew it as "the Calf of the Lion," or "the Shin Bone of the Lion," Leo being much greater in extent in ancient times than is indicated by modern charts.

Spica forms with Denebola, Cor Caroli, and Arcturus the well-known figure of "the Diamond of Virgo."

Allen tells us that the Hindus knew this star as "Bright," figuring it as a Lamp, or Pearl, while the Chinese called it "the Horn" or "Spike." At one time in Egypt it was known as "the Lute Bearer."

In the Euphratean star list it bears the titles, "the Star