Among the many traditional symbols related to Christmas, now mostly forgotten, there is a bound the constellation Cygnus.
For those who know a little starry sky, this constellation is usually associated with the summer period: in fact, its brightest star, Deneb - which is one of the stars with the highest absolute luminosity, if compared to its enormous distance from Earth - along with Altair (the brightest star in the constellation of 'Aquila ) and Vega (the brightest of Lira) form the so-called Summer Triangle , very visible from our latitudes more or less the zenith (the area of \u200b\u200bthe sky perpendicular to the observer) in precisely summer.
Well, as I said, but there is also another important association was made between this constellation in the Middle Ages and Christmas. Part of the Swan
is identified with the Northern Cross , so named to distinguish it from the equally famous Southern Cross . The first is visible only from the northern hemisphere, the second one from the southern hemisphere. The first takes the form of a Latin cross , the other Greek cross.
Because in these days of year end, the constellation of Cygnus shines conspicuously in the early evening in the West, in medieval times was recognized in the presence of this cross in the sky so clear as another of the unmistakable signs of the coming of Jesus to the world
To be sure, however, a symbolism that he wanted to correct the cross was placed to the east (as in summer), the cardinal point of the "birth" of the heavenly bodies par excellence .
In any case, the swan and its constellation symbols are also linked to a much more complex.
First we must consider that the source of this figure in the heavens is very ancient: the civilizations that lived in Mesopotamia and sees a group of stars in the form of a bird in flight, which the Greeks later called initially "Ornis" (ie, "bird"). In addition, pre-Christian Northern Europe, The swans were considered a symbol of the sun god: for the Celts were leading the solar boat in the ocean blue.
The Greek mythological tradition, however, tells us a myth in which Zeus, to win the reluctant nemesis, Aphrodite forced to turn into an eagle that would have followed in an attempt to predict, after he had transformed itself into a swan. Pretending to escape from this rapacious predator, the Swan that took refuge from Nemesis, softened and protected, if they pressed it to his chest. It was so quiet that she fell asleep holding it carelessly in his arms, and so Zeus-swan abused her and then run away. The men saw this swan flying so high in the sky and idly talk live in firmament. Zeus then took advantage and to avoid finding out the truth in heaven decided to put the figure of the swan with its wings spread, and close to chasing him, that of an accomplice eagle.
emblem of purity of conscience and moral integrity - because its plumage has a candor that is unique among birds and loves to attend only because the water is very clear - but also of courage, because it fears a clash (a bird is actually relatively "aggressive", especially when it is appropriate to defend itself or its territory), has been widely used in coats of arms in, as it represents the courage united beauty.
sometimes in coats of arms are two swans, facing each other with their necks entwined: they represent the loyalty (another important gift of a knight against his sovereign ...) because the swan is monogamous.
0 comments:
Post a Comment