Feb.4] PROCEEDINGS. [1890.
Line31, Star No.XXVI.Kakkab Gir - tab | D.P. Is - kha - ra tam- tim
The-Starof-t he-Scorpion.\ The-goddess Iskhara of-the-sea.
Weherereturnto the Scorpion, the Star in question being X
(Lcsath,' sting,') andv Scorpionis, X being describedby Ptolemy as
"the hindermost of the two in the sting,"and forming with t
Scorpionis,the 19th Arabianmoon-station. In Scorpio, as in Taurus,
the stars of the constellation stronglysuggestthe Sign, but this is
quite exceptional; in almost all instances the stars of a constel
lationhavebeenadjustedto a previously-conceived figure. Iskhara
is identical withIstar,and,the latter goddessbeingprimarilylunar,
Iskhara, "the mistress of mankind,"* is, suitably enough, "the
goddessof the sea." TheKakkab Girtabappearson the fragment
of the circular planisphereS. 162, nowin the British Museum,and
"which once contained the names of the twelve monthswiththe
signs of the Zodiac whichruled overthem." It is connected with
"the8th month."
Line 32. «f <£IH < «f A -<S^ I
D.P. Sar-ur u D.P. Sar - gas
The- Director-of-Fireandthe-Dircctor-of-Sacrifice.
Thesetwogodsare elsewhere foundtogether,and Mr. Pinches
suggestedto me that Sarurmeans"the Directorof fire," as "ur =
araru,to burn " ; Mr. Bertin regardsur as being the Assyrian kalbu
'dog,'in which caseSar-ur= " the Leader of the Dog." I think that
thesetwo,whichare elsewhere described as " double stars" (i.e.,
starsclosetogether),are names for X and v Scorpionis, thatis, for
Girtab; and we obtain fromAratosa very possible explanationof
what may be the meaning of the title "Leader of the Dog" as
appliedto Girtab. The poettellsthe old legend howOrion (the
Sun)insultedArtemis(theMoon),whereuponshe sent the Scorpion
(Darkness),whichslewhim ; and says,whenspeaking of the Signs
of the Zodiac andtheirparanatellons:—
" The River's windingswhenthe Scorpion comes,
In the full flowing deepwill straightway fall ;
AndgreatOridn,two,his advent fears."
- W.A.I. IV, 58-9, Col. IV, I, ap. Sayce.
201