Page:The Music of the Spheres.djvu/183

 Still another legend describes the attempt of Æsculapius, famous physician and son of Apollo, to restore Orion to life. This attempt so angered Jupiter, due to the influence of Pluto, who had become irritated by the physician's power to detain a soul after it had started for the Kingdom under the ground, that Jupiter sent one of his thunderbolts and annihilated Æsculapius, otherwise his brother's realms might in time have become depopulated. Apollo, in fury, shot the one-eyed Cyclops who had furnished the thunderbolts, and then sought Jupiter, as had his sister, and requested him to place the physician in the sky and light him up with everlasting stars, for this was the second son that he had killed with a thunderbolt and he was feeling rather badly about it. Jupiter, having no objection to this, kindly granted the request, and it is believed by many that the physician is represented by Ophiuchus, a huge sky figure whose head rests next to that of Hercules.

When Orion was placed in the sky, he was allowed to bring along his lion's skin, which hangs on his arm, his sword, which swings from his girdle, his great club, which he flourishes above his head, and his two dogs, who watch his battle with the red-eyed Bull.

Taurus, the Bull, is easily recognized by his V-shaped face and the red glare of the star which marks his eye. This angry creature charges with lowered head, his golden horns just above the Hunter, who defends himself with his club now decked with glittering star-points and forces the Bull to back before him all the way across the sky.

A first glimpse of the Hunter and the Bull may be obtained in the east about midnight during late October although it is more