Charles's Wain
From All Skies Encyclopaedia
a Norse or old Germanic asterism in Ursa Major, English term[1].
Concordance, Etymology, History
- Middle English: charleswen, Charles' (Charlemagne's) wain, probably reinterpreted from
- Old English carles wægn or wǣn, churl's wain: carl, churl (from Old Norse karl) + wægn, wain
- cf. wegh (To go, transport in a vehicle. Oldest form *weg̑h‑, becoming *wegh‑ in centum languages.)[1]
- Evidence from Dutch[2] seems to suggest that it had been Wotan's Wagon
- Folk etymology connects the star Arcturus with Arthur and Charles's Wain with Charlemagne.
The Biblical Book of Job (38:31) mentions seven stars:
Can you bind the chains of the Seven Stars or loosen the belt of Orion?
Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the She-Bear and her cubs?
Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set their dominion over the earth?
Can you command the clouds so that a flood of water covers you?
Can you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
Mythology
Weblinks
Reference
- References (general)
- References (early modern)
- Ian Ridpath's website (Star Tales )
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers.
- ↑ Grimm, Jacob (1882-88) Teutonic Mythology, Internet Archive
