The Constellation
Crater |
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Mythology and History |
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The Cup. |
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On day the Sun-god, Apollo, sent his pet raven down to Earth
to bring the thirsty god a cup of fresh water. Apollo's sacred raven
was not a very dependable bird. On arriving at the spring the raven
saw that a fig tree was just beginning to bear fruit. |
"What matter if I wait only a few days until
the fruit ripens?" the raven asked itself. And it waited. When
the fruit ripened the raven then stayed several more days eating the fruit
until it was all gone. He then filled the cup with fresh spring water
but realized that his master would be angry for the long delay. Then
he noticed a water-serpent nearby and grasped it in his claws. So
with cup in mouth and serpent dangling from his claws, the raven flew up
to Heaven. He explained to Apollo that the serpent had attacked him
and that is what caused the delay.
Apollo was not taken in by the lie.
And he was so angry with the bird that he flung him, cup and serpent out
of Heaven. Today we see them together in the sky as Crater, the Cup,
and Corvus, the Raven, perched on the serpent's back. This myth gave
rise to two alternate manes for Corvus as a constellation: Avis
Ficarius, or "the Fig Bird," and Emansor, or "One Who Lingers
Too Long."
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