Hercules - Revision history

Sushoff: /* Medieval and Early Modern Europe */

2026-06-20T10:58:58Z

Medieval and Early Modern Europe

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 === Medieval and Early Modern Europe ===
 [[File:Ramus+Cerberus Senex.JPG|thumb|Ramus et Cerberus in Senex (1721/2), thanks to [https://crouchrarebooks.com/ Daniel Crouch] and Ian Ridpath.]]
 Traditionally, this hero carries a lion's skin and a club. Yet, in Early Modern Europe, all sorts of variants occured: instead of the skin that was supposed to protect him, he then was depicted with branches of apples or instead of branches with a three-headed snake in his hand.

Sushoff: /* Eratosthenes */

2026-06-12T05:37:55Z

Eratosthenes

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:37, 12 June 2026
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	===== Eratosthenes =====		===== Eratosthenes =====
	<blockquote>'''Var. 1 (Τοῦ ἐν γόρασιν):''' It appears to be Heracles trampling the Serpent underfoot. The hero can be clearly seen brandishing his club and wrapped in his lion skin. It is said that, on his quest for the golden apples, he killed the snake that had been placed there as a guardian. Hera had placed it there precisely so that it would confront Heracles. This is why, once this extremely perilous task had been completed, Zeus deemed the ordeal worthy of remembrance and placed the image among the constellations. On one side is the snake, raising its head; on the other, Heracles, trampling it underfoot, immobilising it under one knee while crushing its head with his other foot, brandishing his club in his right hand as if he were about to strike it, while his left arm is wrapped in his lion's skin. He has a shining star on his head, one on his right arm, one on each shoulder, one on his left elbow, one at the end of his arm, one on each side -the brightest being the one on the left flank-, two on the right thigh, one on the bent knee, two on the calf, one on the foot, one above the the right hand, called ‘the Mace’, and four on the lion's skin. In all, nineteen. </blockquote><blockquote>'''Var. 2 (Τοῦ ἐν γόρασιν):''' It shows Heracles trampling underfoot the Serpent. One <distinguishes clearly> the hero's posture, protected by his lion skin. It is said that he <set out> in search of the golden apples, and killed <the snake> which had been put there as a guard, at the cost of many difficulties. For the snake had a great many different voices, was of exceptional size, of impressive strength, and sleep had no hold on it. <...> This Heracles has a star on his head, one on his arm, one shining on each shoulder, one on his left elbow <...>, one on his calf, <one> under his right hand called ‘the Mace’. Thirteen in all. </blockquote>~~la la la~~		Pamias and Zucker (2013,<ref>Pamìas, Jordi und Zucker, Arnaud (2013). Ératosthènes de Cyrène: Catastérrismes, Belles Lettres, Paris</ref> 14-16). <blockquote></blockquote><blockquote>'''Var. 1 (Τοῦ ἐν γόρασιν):''' It appears to be Heracles trampling the Serpent underfoot. The hero can be clearly seen brandishing his club and wrapped in his lion skin. It is said that, on his quest for the golden apples, he killed the snake that had been placed there as a guardian. Hera had placed it there precisely so that it would confront Heracles. This is why, once this extremely perilous task had been completed, Zeus deemed the ordeal worthy of remembrance and placed the image among the constellations. On one side is the snake, raising its head; on the other, Heracles, trampling it underfoot, immobilising it under one knee while crushing its head with his other foot, brandishing his club in his right hand as if he were about to strike it, while his left arm is wrapped in his lion's skin. He has a shining star on his head, one on his right arm, one on each shoulder, one on his left elbow, one at the end of his arm, one on each side -the brightest being the one on the left flank-, two on the right thigh, one on the bent knee, two on the calf, one on the foot, one above the the right hand, called ‘the Mace’, and four on the lion's skin. In all, nineteen. </blockquote><blockquote>'''Var. 2 (Τοῦ ἐν γόρασιν):''' It shows Heracles trampling underfoot the Serpent. One <distinguishes clearly> the hero's posture, protected by his lion skin. It is said that he <set out> in search of the golden apples, and killed <the snake> which had been put there as a guard, at the cost of many difficulties. For the snake had a great many different voices, was of exceptional size, of impressive strength, and sleep had no hold on it. <...> This Heracles has a star on his head, one on his arm, one shining on each shoulder, one on his left elbow <...>, one on his calf, <one> under his right hand called ‘the Mace’. Thirteen in all. </blockquote>Note that the constellation is called The Kneeler and the hero's proper name is only explained in mythology.

	===== Hipparchus =====		===== Hipparchus =====

YoulaAzkarrula: /* Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation */

2026-06-04T05:54:04Z

Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:54, 4 June 2026
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	File:1822 - Alexander Jamieson - Corona Borealis, Hercules and Cerberus and Lyra.jpg\|Hercules in Jamieson (1822)		File:1822 - Alexander Jamieson - Corona Borealis, Hercules and Cerberus and Lyra.jpg\|Hercules in Jamieson (1822)
	File:Sidney Hall - Urania's Mirror - Hercules and Corona Borealis.jpg\|Hercules in Hall (1825)		File:Sidney Hall - Urania's Mirror - Hercules and Corona Borealis.jpg\|Hercules in Hall (1825)
			File:H.A. Rey's stick figure stellarium-038.png\|(1952) H.A. Rey's stick figure of Hercules
			File:O. Hlad's stick figure stellarium-038.png\|(1988) O. Hlad's stick figure of Hercules
	</gallery>		</gallery>

YoulaAzkarrula at 02:04, 24 May 2026

2026-05-24T02:04:31Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:04, 24 May 2026
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	[[Category:Almagest]]		[[Category:Almagest]]
	[[Category:Mesopotamian]]		[[Category:Mesopotamian]]
	[[Category:West Asian]]		[[Category:West Asian]] [[Category:Asian]]
	[[Category:Modern]]		[[Category:Modern]]
	[[Category:88 IAU-Constellations]]		[[Category:88 IAU-Constellations]] [[Category:Her]]
	[[Category:European]]		[[Category:European]]

IanRidpath: /* Almagest Ἐγγόνασι. */ Typos

2026-05-20T12:55:36Z

Almagest Ἐγγόνασι.: Typos

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:55, 20 May 2026
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	\|		\|
	\|χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἀστέρες κη, ὧν γ’ μεγέθουςξ, δ’ ὕ, εβ,ς γ		\|χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἀστέρες κη, ὧν γ’ μεγέθουςξ, δ’ ὕ, εβ,ς γ
	\|Not counting the latter, 28 stars, 6 of the third ~~magmtude~~, 17 of the fourth, 2 of the fifth, 3 of the sixth		\|{Not counting the latter, 28 stars, 6 of the third magnitude, 17 of the fourth, 2 of the fifth, 3 of the sixth}
	\|		\|
	\|-		\|-

IanRidpath: /* Weblinks */ Added Warburg link

2026-05-20T08:23:38Z

Weblinks: Added Warburg link

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:23, 20 May 2026
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	==Weblinks==		==Weblinks==
			* [https://iconographic.warburg.sas.ac.uk/category/vpc-taxonomy-017044 Warburg Institute Iconographic Database – Hercules]
	*

	==References==		==References==

Sushoff at 12:30, 19 May 2026

2026-05-19T12:30:32Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:30, 19 May 2026
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	[[Category:88 IAU-Constellations]]		[[Category:88 IAU-Constellations]]
	[[Category:European]]		[[Category:European]]
	~~[[Category:4work]]~~

Sushoff at 12:24, 27 February 2026

2026-02-27T12:24:10Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:24, 27 February 2026
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	The peculiar position and orientation of the figure raises the suspicion that it is older and perhaps not of Greek origin. There is a hypothesis that a Babylonian mythical creature may have stood here. However, this could only apply to the northern parts of Hercules and only to very early periods, i.e. the Sumerian culture. There is no trace of such a creature in the Babylonian MUL.APIN of the late 2nd millennium, and the Babylonian constellation Canis Major was always located in the southern parts of Hercules.		The peculiar position and orientation of the figure raises the suspicion that it is older and perhaps not of Greek origin. There is a hypothesis that a Babylonian mythical creature may have stood here. However, this could only apply to the northern parts of Hercules and only to very early periods, i.e. the Sumerian culture. There is no trace of such a creature in the Babylonian MUL.APIN of the late 2nd millennium, and the Babylonian constellation Canis Major was always located in the southern parts of Hercules.
	===Origin of Constellation===		===Origin of Constellation===
	In Greek, the figure is simply called “the kneeling man” and is initially unnamed: Aratos calls it the inscrutable image and knows neither the name of the man whose hardship forces him to his knees nor the reason why he is hanging upside down. Compared to all other constellations, whose heads point north, this figure is surprisingly rotated 180° and its head is next to that of the Serpent Bearer.		<ref>Hoffmann, Susanne M. Wie der Löwe an den Himmel kam. Franckh Kosmos Verlag, Stuttgart 2021</ref>In Greek, the figure is simply called “the kneeling man” and is initially unnamed: Aratos calls it the inscrutable image and knows neither the name of the man whose hardship forces him to his knees nor the reason why he is hanging upside down. Compared to all other constellations, whose heads point north, this figure is surprisingly rotated 180° and its head is next to that of the Serpent Bearer.

	Eratosthenes, on the other hand, states that the kneeling figure is Heracles. This is justified by its proximity to the snake (our constellation Draco), because Heracles' struggle for the apples of the Hesperides is linked to the myth surrounding this snake. The celestial figure presses its knee onto the snake (dragon) and steps on its head with its foot.		Eratosthenes, on the other hand, states that the kneeling figure is Heracles. This is justified by its proximity to the snake (our constellation Draco), because Heracles' struggle for the apples of the Hesperides is linked to the myth surrounding this snake. The celestial figure presses its knee onto the snake (dragon) and steps on its head with its foot.

Sushoff: /* Origin of Constellation */

2026-02-24T19:06:44Z

Origin of Constellation

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:06, 24 February 2026
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	----		----
	[[File:Hercules IAU.svg\|alt=star chart\|thumb\|Her star chart (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine, Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg).]]		[[File:Hercules IAU.svg\|alt=star chart\|thumb\|Her star chart (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine, Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg).]]
	One of the [[:Category:88_IAU-Constellations\|88 IAU constellations]].		One of the [[:Category:88_IAU-Constellations\|88 IAU constellations]]. The name of the modern constellation is Latinised from Greek "Herakles", a hero in ancient mythology. As the image of the constellation appears strangely turned upside down for the northern observer looking southwards, the image likely has a foreign origin. Possible remote Sumerian sources have been considered, but a comprehensive transformation history with archaeological proof and historical evidence is yet to be written.

	==Etymology and History==		==Etymology and History==
			On modern star charts, Heracles is depicted with a lion's skin and club, as described by Eratosthenes. Sometimes the club is entwined by a snake with several dog heads: this is one of the representations of the hellhound Cerberus – in ancient times usually a multi-headed dog, but sometimes also depicted with a snake's tail. According to ancient myth, Heracles fights with it and brings the defeated creature to the upper world as a trophy. In Bayer's Uranometria (1603), Hercules appears to be carrying a wooden branch: this is likely to be monkshood, the poisonous herb that, according to legend, was created when the saliva of the hellhound dripped onto the earth.

	The peculiar position and orientation of the figure raises the suspicion that it is older and perhaps not of Greek origin. There is a hypothesis that a Babylonian mythical creature may have stood here. However, this could only apply to the northern parts of Hercules and only to very early periods, i.e. the Sumerian culture. There is no trace of such a creature in the Babylonian MUL.APIN of the late 2nd millennium, and the Babylonian constellation Canis Major was always located in the southern parts of Hercules.		The peculiar position and orientation of the figure raises the suspicion that it is older and perhaps not of Greek origin. There is a hypothesis that a Babylonian mythical creature may have stood here. However, this could only apply to the northern parts of Hercules and only to very early periods, i.e. the Sumerian culture. There is no trace of such a creature in the Babylonian MUL.APIN of the late 2nd millennium, and the Babylonian constellation Canis Major was always located in the southern parts of Hercules.
	===Origin of Constellation===		===Origin of Constellation===
			In Greek, the figure is simply called “the kneeling man” and is initially unnamed: Aratos calls it the inscrutable image and knows neither the name of the man whose hardship forces him to his knees nor the reason why he is hanging upside down. Compared to all other constellations, whose heads point north, this figure is surprisingly rotated 180° and its head is next to that of the Serpent Bearer.

			Eratosthenes, on the other hand, states that the kneeling figure is Heracles. This is justified by its proximity to the snake (our constellation Draco), because Heracles' struggle for the apples of the Hesperides is linked to the myth surrounding this snake. The celestial figure presses its knee onto the snake (dragon) and steps on its head with its foot.

			The peculiar position and orientation of the figure raises the suspicion that it is older and perhaps not of Greek origin. There is a hypothesis that a Babylonian mythical creature may have stood here. However, this could only apply to the northern parts of Hercules and only to very early epochs, i.e., Sumerian culture. There is no trace of such a creature in the Babylonian MUL.APIN from the end of the 2nd millennium, and the southern parts of Hercules have always been home to the Babylonian constellation Canis Major.

	==== Babylonian ====		==== Babylonian ====

Sushoff: /* Hipparchus */

2026-02-23T16:47:01Z

Hipparchus

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:47, 23 February 2026
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	===== Hipparchus =====		===== Hipparchus =====

	====== Rising (Lib II Cap V ~~§10~~) ======		====== Rising (Lib II Cap V §3) ======
	<blockquote>The Rising of ...</blockquote>		<blockquote>The Rising of ...</blockquote>
	{\| class="wikitable"		{\| class="wikitable"
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	\|}		\|}

	====== Setting (Lib II Cap VI ~~§10~~) ======		====== Setting (Lib II Cap VI §3) ======
	{\| class="wikitable"		{\| class="wikitable"
	!		!