3. The black Ethiopean queen Cassiopeia and her daughter Andromeda maybe could be imagined to personify the pair of 'triangles', which in turn may represent the separated parts of the overturned 'square of earth':
However, the daughter is lying on her back waiting for the monster (who probably has swallowed the 'fire'). She is depicted not completely upside down as her mother, but instead seemingly in the process of being turned around (only her arms are 'fettered'). The top triangle is also on its way to be turned around, and therefore her mother Cassiopeia should rather represent the 'Old Field' - not to be tilled this year - than the top triangle. Mirach is in Urania's Mirror located in the lap of Andromeda. The strange constellation at top right is the now obsolete Gloria Frederici. Below is Bode's conception of it, and he named it Honores Friderici. According to Bode Andromeda seems to be stretching for it:
"In 1787 Bode formed, and in 1790 published in the 'Jahrbuch', this minor constellation as Friedrich's Ehre, - Frederick's Glory, Burrit's Gloria Frederica, and Miss Clerke's Gloria Frederici, - in honour of the great Frederick II of Prussia, who had died in 1786." (Allen) Its symmetric position on the other side and above Andromeda compared to the pair of triangles suggests a common story. |
