Sunday, April 19, 2009

Term Paper Topic:The Significance fo Callisto as a Constellation







Ovid's tale of Callisto and Arcas is only the beginning of the story of the Great Bear in the heavens. The constellation known as Callisto houses one of the most widely used astrological navigational bearings, the Big Dipper. Along with the constant celestial reminder of Callisto's tale, her sad story repeats itself almost daily in every culture arounf the world.
The constellation know as Callisto is the third largest of the eighty-eight recognized constellations and is visible in the Northern night sky all year round. Within this massive constellation begins the stars that form the Big Dipper. The Big Dipper has been the navigational backbone for everyone from ancient sailors crossing inhoispitable seas to the cowboys of the American West driving their herds across the vast grassy plains of an uninhabited land. It si even possible to tell the time in the night sky by observing the Big Dipper and referring to the Polaris Star Clock ( Check: Polaris Star Clock Assembly). All of this is possible from following the stars that lead off of the tail of the great bear who will forever watch over and guide those forget what they have remembered and need to find there way home. The tragic story of how the constellation, Callisto came to be is mostly known to those who have read mythology and Ovid's fabulous tales. However, some have claimed that there is no bear outlined in the hevenly stars of the Northern skies. Then there is also no explanatin for how some Native American tribes: Algonquin, Iroquois, Illinois and possibly others have also identified this same grouping of stars with a gigantic bear in their ancient writings and records.
Callisto's story is one that we have become desensitized to through modern media. Her story is the past that possesses the present every time you turn on the news and hear of a lover's triangle being resolved with the murder of the mistress at the hands of the wife. It is as though the mistress had forgotten to remember to resist the advances of the ever charming god, Jupiter or as he may be known today: Tom, Bob, Larry, Mr. Harris etc... This tragic story is told on almost every other episode of "48 Hours" andversions of lust ending in the murder of the innocent light up the marquis. All the while Callisto silently watches and must wonderwhy we insist on repeating her tragedy over and over again.
What are the chances that the transmigration of Callisto's tortured soul to the starry heavens could have affected so many over the ages? When you gaze into the zodiac and the great constellations try to remember what you have forgotten about their stories. And when you feel lost, take a moment to search the night sky and let Callisto help you find your way home.

1 comment:

  1. it seems to me that you have a little too much personal bias in your comments --- 'she protests too much' ---- when does the innocent become the ???mistress??? sounds screwed up to me----
    also, "advances of the ever charming god" -- sounds a little delusional if you ask me--- what about the "advances and luring behavior" of the mistress --- knowing full well the "god" is married.... wouldn't that immediately make the mistress a willing and cognisant participant. I would suggest the "wife" is the innocent in this whole scenerio. No way is the god or mistress innocent at all!!
    KG

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