Comet Lore: Halley's Comet in History and AstronomyEmerson, Edwin
History
Comet Lore: Halley's Comet in History and Astronomy
Emerson, Edwin
Comets; Halley's comet
All Europe and the former Roman Empire were in such dire confusion
during this period that no records of this year, either astronomic
or historical, have come down to us. Messrs. Cowell and Crommelin,
however, have computed astronomically that the Comet must have appeared
during this year. All we know is that Italy and the Latin World were
overrun by ravaging Slavonian hordes from Hungary, who made all the
country run with blood.
530
Of the Comet this year, likewise, there is no astronomic record. All we
know is that the appearance of a Comet is noted in European chronicles.
It was followed by a virulent outbreak of the black plague.
In the legendary history of Merlin, the ancient British seer, it is
stated that on the appearance of a Comet this year he prophesied that
Uter, brother of Ambrosius, on the death of the latter, should rule the
kingdom; that a ray from the Comet which pointed toward Gaul presaged
a son who should be born to him and who should be great in power; and
that the ray “that goes toward Ireland represents a daughter, of whom
thou shalt be the father, and her sons and grandsons shall reign over
all the Britons.” These prophecies all came true.
451
The Comet which appeared over Europe this year has been proven by
Laugier to have been Halley’s Comet.
It was seen in France just before the monster battle on the Catalaunian
Fields (Châlons-sur-Marne), when Aetius, the last of the Romans,
together with King Theoderic and his Goths, stemmed the tide of Hunnish
invasion led by Attila, the “Scourge of God.”
Theoderic, together with 148,000 warriors on both sides, were slain in
this tremendous fight, which alone saved Europe from Tartar savagery.
373
Chinese annals of this year record a Comet seen in the northern
constellation of Ophiuchus in October. This year marks the beginning
of the tremendous migration of peoples, which started in Mongolia and
Tartary, and crossing the Volga gradually overflowed all the known
world, like a huge human deluge.
295
The appearance of a Comet this year (identified by Hind with Halley’s)
was followed by a bloody rebellion of the ancient Britons against the
Romans, and by another rebellion against Rome by the Egyptians. These
patriotic uprisings of the people were suppressed with fire and sword
and both countries ran with blood.
218
The Chinese catalogue of Ma-tuan-lin records a Comet with a path
exactly analogous with the orbit of Halley’s Comet computed for that
year by Hind. In the Chinese record the Comet is described as “pointed
and bright.” Its coming was connected with the death of Emperor Ween-te
directly afterward, and the Civil Wars between various claimants to the
throne of the Celestial Empire, which then rent China asunder.
Dion Cassius, the Roman historian, describes the Comet of this year as
“a very fearful star with a tail stretching from the West towards the
East.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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