Page:The Music of the Spheres.djvu/283

 Freya, the wife of Wodan. The day of Saturnus, retained under this name in some northern tongues, became a langardage, or a bathing day, in others. As for the months—October and February were names derived from Roman festivals; a horse named October was sacrificed to the War-god Mars during this month, while February derived its name from the Roman festival Februalia, from februare, to purify. April, meaning Aprilis, from aperire to open, obtained its name because it was the season when the buds began to open. September (septem, seven), November (novem, nine), and December (decern, ten) were the 7th, 9th and 10th months of the year of the Roman calendar when the year consisted of 10 months. January was named after Janus, the porter with the double head which enabled him to look back into the past and forward into the future; May after Maia, one of the Pleiades; and June, after Juno, Queen of the gods and the Goddess of Marriage. Quintilis, the 5th month of the Roman year, which began in March, was named July in honor of Julius Cæsar, while the 6th month, which was originally styled Sextilis, received its present name, August, from the Emperor Augustus.

Although Jupiter is the largest planet and Mars the most interesting planet, the planet Saturn, as seen through a large telescope, is the most uniquely beautiful creation that man has ever beheld. The spectacle of a huge silvery ball surrounded by an equally huge and silvery ring suddenly disclosed in the midst of the darkness, is such an astounding surprise that one can never forget the strange sensations experienced when first beholding it.

Saturn moves very slowly through the sky, traveling on the