5. The instruments for causing action are many. An oak club is formidable, while the goad of a shepherd is less so. Hevelius has drawn neither a club nor a goad, but something else - though presumably with a similar effect, causing action. His Charioteer is down on his knees, whatever that means. His right knee is defined by κ and this star is rising immediately before the instrument of action. The ψ-stars are following, and in between κ and the ψ-stars is located his instrument for action. There is no prominent star here, in the Auriga constellation, which could help us understand. But Canopus is rising at this time, and also stars in Gemini and in Canis Major. We can look at the other illustrations for clues. In Urania's Mirror the 'whip' is missing, but the 'κ object' is there:
"With his right hand he grasps the reins of a chariot ..." (http://www.ianridpath.com/ startales/auriga.htm) it is stated in the text accompanying the picture of Bode:
But I think the best way to show the meaning was done by Philippe La Hire (cfr Linda Hall's website):
His instrument of action indicates where the solstitial colure is located. And the 'κ object' of the Charioteer (as e.g. in Urania's Mirror) is possibly an illustration of some kind of 'curb bit' for horses, similar to this ancient one:
It should then be in the mouth of a horse, but the horse is not there. |