The Legend of Lyra Lyra: possessor of one of the brightest stars in the northern skies, Lyra has usually been represented as a musical instrument. The Persians knew it as the lyre of Zurah, the Arabs as the Cymbal. In Bohemia it was called the Violin of the Sky. The Britons called it King Arthur's Harp. Its bright star, Vega, appears along the celestial line of stars that have been or will be the north celestial pole star. Vega's name means Swooping Eagle or Vulture. The constellation is located near the representation of Orpheus who played the Lyre so beautifully.
Greece: the lyre was invented by the god Apollo who used a turtle shell strung with strips of cow gut. The lyre was given by the god to Orpheus whose beautiful music could tame wild animals and move trees and stones to emotion. The most famous story concerning Orpheus revolves around his young wife Eurydice. She was chased by Aristaeus, a beekeeper, who was trying to kidnap and rape her. Eurydice was bitten on the ankle by a snake and died. Orpheus descended to the realm of the dead to retrieve his beloved's soul. His song and music charmed the beast Cerberus, the boatman Charon and the denizens of the underworld. Persephone agreed to release the soul of his wife if Orpheus agreed to walk in front of her and take it on faith that she was following him. Just as he reached the light of the world Orpheus turned to see if Eurydice was behind him and she disappeared in a puff of smoke. She was not yet past the gates of Hades. Zeus placed his lyre in the sky as a tribute to lost love after Orpheus' death. See the Greek legends of Cygnus.
India: the twentieth lunar station called Abhijit, the Victorious One. The constellation is really not near enough to the course of the moon to be considered a lunar station but exception was made because of the bright star Vega.
China: the bright star Vega was the heavenly representation of the beautiful, young weaver She-niu, separated from her shepherd lover by the Milky Way. See the Chinese legend of Aquila.Back to the Constellations
