Page:The Indian Antiquary, Vol. 4-1875.djvu/164

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Mat, 1875.] THE LUNAR MANSIONS OF THE MTHAMMADAXS. 131 being the same as between the c^^Lr* Shortb of the first mansion. Among the Arabs the mansion is called Jaj-**£,ji Zeraa 1 mabsut, /., . stretched arm (here foreleg) of the Lion, with the star Itegulus—a European corruption from s » J^j Bijl, fooi (not Rigel in the foot of Orion), i.) distinguish it from the t^j^a *ji Zeria' makbuz of Canis major, in which Siriue is situated. VtU. ijv Nasrat, called also ^-» iff cftif An f aliased, noseof tho lion; two small stars in Cancer, called the two nostrils ; they have between them a nebulous star which is by some called the lair of Leo ; but the Greeks are said to have named these two little stars the two asses, and the nebula between them their manger (Prresepe). IX. **_jh Tnrfat, i.e. the eye ; this is X Leonis, with the outsider f . X «**^?- Jabhat, /.-'. forehead of the lion; properly y Leonis, spelt in European eataloinus Al Gieba, is the name of this mansion, widen consists of four stars forming an irregular quadrangle. 511'

    • ■ tjiS Znbarafc; two stars between the

shoulders of the lion, i.e. 8 and 6 Leonis. XII. Sjj^ Alsarfat. According to some this is Cor Leonis, and according to others "t^i Zeaebor, the tail — spelt Denib in European star- maps; some call it also **1j* Hulbat, bristles or hairs, viz. at the end of tho tail, but some stars in Ursa Major are also called by this latter name. XIII. y* A" wwa. The u wow- wow* 1 of dogs. stars in a curve from north to south, where they present the appearance of the letter Lam J : tbey are on the breast of Virgo, and the Arabs say they are dogs barking after the lion. XIV. Jy^l i~n*~ Sem:tk alla'ziil. This is Sptca Virginia, which before the translation of Ptolemy's Almagest by the Arabs was considered to be on the two legs of Leo, but after that all the translators agreed to call it ^Ui*- Sunbulat, the Sheaf, and the whole constellation (which is the sixth of the Zodiac) the Virgin. Gut XV. ji£ Ghafr: Young wild kid, the stars d, i, K , on the foot of Virgo; bat, according to eome, only two star,?. XVI. ,^ibj Zubani. The name of this mansion is no donbt Persian, designating " the tongue" of the scales; now, how is in the pans, and consists of a and (3 Librae ; often they are designated by the dual cj^j Zubunian or ^ b .j Zubinetan. XVIL i»l Eklilor^Jf Efcer, /.e. diadem, consists of three bright stars on the head of Scorpio, forming a somewhat curved line. XVIII. v >Jl ^ Kalb ala'krab, Cor Scorpionis, a red twinkling star ; before it id another smaller star, and also after it, three forming a somewhat curved line. XIX. ily* Shulat, meaning the erect tail of the Scorpion, and consisting of X and v Scor- pionis, in the sting of the scorpion. XX. fiW Na'aim, i.e. ostriches, consisting of four bright stars forming a quadrangle in the constellation Sagittarius; but the Arabs compared the Milky Way to a river, and these stars to ostriches coming to drink water. They were formerly called *jj j*ibu NaYiuu vAred, i.e. arriving ostriches, whilst four other stars, opposite to them and likewise forming a quad- rangle, were called J J ^ fi I* Na'aim sftder, i»e. ches returning from the water. s'-i XXI. £*« Baldat, the region, &c. This is said to bo a tract of the sky without any stars, and to liave therefore been compared to a desert, as well as to the interval between the two eyebrowa of a man, which is likewise called TJatdat, This mansion consists of six stars called Si **-killadat — a necklace, forming a curve on the western border of this area situated between the pil«i NaiLim and the f-loJl **<• Sa'd al- sabih, i.e. the 20th and the 22ad mansions. XXII. £10*1 *** Sa'd al-?abih ; Sa'd, slayer. Two stars close to each other, — they are not bright, — and near them is a third ; the Arabs say that this is the sheep which Sa'd slays . These three Btars are all on the head of Capri- cornu3. ttt m* ' XXIII. & **- Sa'd bala, Sa'd has swal- lowed. Two stars on the left hand of Aquarius, and between them a third.