Sirius
Canis Major |
"Things are as they are. Looking out into it the universe at night, we make no comparisons between right and wrong stars, nor between well and badly arranged constellations." — Alan Watts
天狼星的英文正統名稱來自於拉丁語Sīrius,又來自古希臘語Σείριος(Seirios是「熱烈」或「炎熱的天氣」之意),[14]但是這古希臘詞也可能在希臘古風時期之前從某處發展過來。[80]最早發現使用這個名稱要追溯到公元前7世紀赫西俄德的詩作《工作與時日》中。[80]天狼星還有另外超過50個編號和名稱。[53]在阿拉伯語裏,天狼星被稱爲الشعرى(拼音:al-ši『rā或al-shira,中文:「首領」),[81]英文的另一稱謂Aschere就從其而來。在梵語裏,天狼星是Mrgavyadha(「獵鹿者」)或Lubdhaka(「獵人」)。當被稱作Mrgavyadha時,天狼星代表樓陀羅(濕婆);[82][83]稱作Scandinavia時,天狼星就被視爲Lokabrenna(「Loki放下的火」或「Loki的火炬」),日本土語稱之爲青星(Aoboshi)。在中世紀的占星術裏,天狼星是一顆Behenian fixed star,[84] associated with beryl and juniper. Its kabbalistic symbol File:Agrippa1531 Canismaior.png was listed by Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa.[85]
天狼星在許多的文化上都有特別的意義,特別是代表狗。事實上,他是大犬座中最明亮的星,在口語上最常被稱為"犬星"。他也是傳統的獵戶神話中的狗:古希臘人認為天狼星的光芒對狗有不良的影響,使它們反常的出現夏季熱("犬日"):它們過度的喘氣導致過份的乾燥和置身疾病的危險中。在極端的例子中,口吐白沫的狗也許有狂犬病,可能導致被咬的人受到傳染和死亡[20]。古羅馬人知道這些日子是三伏日並稱這顆星是小犬(Canicula)。在中國天文學,這顆星稱為天狼星(拼音:Tiānláng;日語羅馬字:Tenrō;韓語:천랑;韓語羅馬字表記法:Cheonlang)[86],在中國的星官是井宿。在更遠處,許多北美洲的原住民也將天狼星與狗連結在一起;在西南方的原住民Seri和托赫諾奧哈姆族註記這顆星是跟隨著綿羊山的狗,黑足稱之為'狗臉',柴羅基族將天狼星和心宿二配成一對,做為靈魂之路兩端的看守犬。內布拉斯加的波尼族有幾種聯想;狼族視它為'狼星',而其他的部落認為是'郊狼星'。到了更北方的阿拉斯加白令海峽的Inuit稱這顆星為'月之犬'[87]。 有些文化將這顆星與弓和箭聯繫在一起。古代的中國人將之與船尾座和大犬座結合想像成橫跨在南天的一把大弓,在這種組合下,箭頭正對著天狼星。相似的組合也出現魏在埃及丹德拉(Dendera)的哈索爾神廟壁畫上,沙特女神(Satis)將她的箭畫在牛頭人身的女神哈索爾(天狼星)之上。在後期的波斯文化,這顆星稱為Tir,並且被當成一支箭[88]。
至晚十時,維城夏季遲降的夜幕逐漸低垂,在柴可夫斯基《1812序曲》壯麗歡快的樂聲中砲聲隆隆,璀璨的煙火從海中升起,沉黯的夜空中忽然爆出各色燦爛的 火花,數萬觀眾歡聲雷動,接著樂團與觀眾在蘇格蘭風笛的導引下齊唱聖曲〈(上帝的)奇異恩典〉(Amazing Grace),為一年一度的盛會畫下句點。
巧合的是,慧遠的英文名字正好叫Grace,在學校中同學和老師就常常叫她作Amazing Grace。
Amazing Grace
A popular hymn.
Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!
Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
We have already come;
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.
Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!
Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
We have already come;
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.
Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.
John Newton, Olney Hymns, 1779
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