Bootes

 

The Mythology of Bootes

In Greek, Bootes means “the ploughman”. He was a farmer in ancient Greece. Back then, there weren’t enough people to work in the fields. There wasn’t enough food for everyone, and people were hungry. Every day, Bootes dug up the soil in his fields to make rows for his crops. It was backbreaking work. “Surely,” he thought, “there is an easier way!” That night, Bootes stayed up after everyone was asleep, thinking about how to make tilling his field easier. After sketching several ideas, he settled on one and got to work making it. The next morning when it was time to till his field, he used his new invention, the wagon and plow. He was able to finish his fields faster and easier than ever before. When the neighboring farmers heard about Bootes’ new invention, they lined up for miles to ask him to make them one. The farmers were able to plow their fields and produce more food, so there was enough for everyone. To this day, the wagon and plow are essential tools for farmers. Because of his creativity and ingenuity, he was placed in the stars.

Boötes is traditionally depicted as a herdsman with two hunting dogs with a chain and a club in his other hand. 

In the sky, Boötes follows Ursa Major around the pole. In one story, the constellation represents a ploughman driving the oxen in the Ursa major constellation, followed by his two dogs, Asterion and Chara (represented by the constellation Canes Venatici  ; the hunting dogs )  

The ploughman’s oxen are tied to  the polar axis and their movement  keeps the skies in constant rotation.

In Hindu Mythology ,it's name is Bhootap & the two dogs are Sham & Shabal of God Yam.

How was it?

Next will see another Nakshatra with another story.

Till then bye...

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