Page:The Music of the Spheres.djvu/89

 represented on his star square it is sometimes said that the remainder is hidden behind the rocks to which Andromeda is chained. The reason that artists so often draw Pegasus beside the hero Perseus must be that they take the astronomical picture instead of the mythological version of the story as a basis for their theme, although his unnatural position of being upside down is studiously ignored;—even the ancient poets refrained from comment upon this point.

Mr. Clark, in "Astronomy from a Dipper," aptly remarks that "the square suggests a boxstall in which a horse could be kept rather than a portion of a great flying horse." There is certainly "more truth than poetry" in this idea and just about all of the constellations look most like "what they are not." Not possessing the vivid imagery of the Greeks, most of us must be content with looking at the bright Square which marks the place of the great Winged Horse in the darkness.

It will be recalled that when Perseus swooped down and cut the head off the Gorgon, its life-blood crimsoned the foam on the sea. Neptune, seeing this, spun it into silver with the wind and waves, and formed, in a moment, the wondrous horse.

Born full-grown, gifted with immortal life and blessed with incredible speed, Pegasus lifted his silvery wings and sprang toward the clouds. He then rushed headlong toward Mount Helicon where he flew about the mountain, alighted in its sacred groves, and was petted by the Muses.

According to all accounts the hoofs of this beautiful creature must have possessed not only miraculous strength but also some of the properties of a divining-rod, for, when thirsty, all that he needs must do was to strike his magic hoof upon the ground and up would spout a fountain or a spring—crystal clear and delightfully cool.