Cook, Arthur B.: Zeus: a study in ancient religion (Band 1): Zeus god of the bright sky (Cambridge, 1914)

760 Zeus transformed into a Star

However that may be, Ptolemy assigns to Jupiter the epithet that best
defines his kind of influence by describing it as "temperate" (evKparov e^ei to

TTOlTjTlKOV TTjS cWa^teOOs).1.'

(d) Zeus transformed into a Star.

A tradition fathered upon Clement of Rome2 and cited also by
Tzetzes3 says that Zeus transformed himself into a star, when he
begot Kastor and Polydeukes. We are reminded of the passage
in the Iliad, which tells how Zeus sent Athena like a meteorite
from heaven to earth :

And even as crook-witted Kronos' son
Sendeth a star-—a sign to manners
Or some broad host of men—-a brilliant star,
Wherefrom springs many a spark, like unto that
Pallas Athene darted down to earth4.

This may be no more than a simile. But in the Hymn to the
Pythian Apollon we have a case of actual metamorphosis. Apollon,
having reached Krisa on board a vessel manned by Cretans from
Knossos, leapt ashore—

Like to a star at midday, and therefrom

Flew many a spark, and lo the light reached heaven5.

It is, then, possible that the tradition with regard to Zeus was not
merely a late invention. Nevertheless it is reasonable to suppose,
with O. Gruppe6, that it was motived by the frequent association of
the Dioskouroi with stars.

(e) The Dioskouroi as Stars.

On the original significance of the Dioskouroi this is not the
place to dilate7. My concern is merely with their epiphany as stars.

females. See, below (ch. vii), Jupiter's "winds that fertilise" invoked to fix his vxpwpa
in Cancer.

1 This is the traditional refrain: Sub Jove temperies et nunquam turbidus aer (Lucan.,
Phars., x, 207). The meteorological influence of Jupiter tempering the cold in winter,
the heat in summer—rabidos et temperat aestus (German., Arat. Progn., iv, n). Before
the time of Ptolemy Pliny had written of Jupiter's position between Mars and Saturn
interjectum ambobus ex utroque temperari Jovem salutaremque fieri (Plin., ii, § 34), and
Pliny was copying Cicero (above, p. 95, 2 [Cic. de nat. deor. 2. 119, cp. Vitr. 9. 1. 16]).
All this seemed reasonable enough, and no further evidence was demanded.

2 Clem. Rom. horn. 5. 13 (ii. 184 Migne) Nepecrei rrj rod QearLov, rfj Kal Af)8a vopia-
deicrrj, ktjkvos 7/ XV" ytvbfxevos (sc. 6 Zeus) 'EAeVr/z> ereKvucraTo, Kal avdis, darr/p yevopevos,
Kdaropa Kal HoXvdevKrju e^ecprjvev.

3 Tzetz. in Lyk. Al. 88 <ev> aXAots 8e tl<tlv edpov icrTopiKois on 6 Zeds aarpip (aartpi
codicum classis ii) duacrdeis nal ptyeis Arjda Kaaropa Kal TLo\vde6K7}v yevva, varepov 8e
outws, ws 'e<pripev, rr)y 'EXe^r/i'.

4 II. 4. 75 ff. 5 H. Ap. 441 f.
(i Gruppe Gr. Myth. Pel. p. 727 it. 7.

7 Neither am I the right man to do so. My learned and brilliant friend Dr J. Rendel