+----------------+---------------+--------------------+ | Northern | Zodiacal | Southern | +----------------+---------------+--------------------+ | Cassiopeia | Aries | Eridanus | | Auriga | Taurus | Orion | | Cepheus | Gemini | Canis major | | Ursa minor | Cancer | Argo | | Ursa major | Leo | Hydra Crater | | Booetes | Virgo | Corvus | | Serpentarius | Libra | Centaurus | | Hercules | Scorpio | Lupus | | Lyra | Sagittarius | Ara | | Aquila | Capricornus | ? | | Pegasus | Aquarius | Piscis australis | | Andromeda | Pisces | Cetus | +----------------+---------------+--------------------+ The Phoenicians--a race dominated by the spirit of commercial enterprise--appear to have studied the stars more especially with respect to their service to navigators; according to Homer "the stars were sent by Zeus as portents for mariners." But all their truly astronomical writings are lost, and only by a somewhat speculative piecing together of scattered evidences can an estimate of their knowledge be formed. The inter-relations of the Phoenicians with the early Hellenes were frequent and far-reaching, and in the Greek presentation of the legends concerning constellations a distinct Phoenician, and in turn Euphratean, element appears. One of the earliest examples of Greek literature extant, the _Theogonia_ of Hesiod (c. 800 B.C.), appears to be a curious blending of Hellenic and Phoenician thought. Although not an astronomical work, several constellation subjects are introduced. In the same author's _Works and Days_, a treatise which is a sort of shepherd's calendar, there are distinct references to the Pleiades, Hyades, Orion, Sirius and Arcturus. It cannot be argued, however, that these were the only stars and constellations named in his time; the omission proves nothing. The same is true of the Homeric epics wherein the Pleiades, Hyades, Ursa major, Orion and Booetes are mentioned, and also of the stars and constellations mentioned in Job. Further support is given to the view that, in the main, the constellations were transmitted to the Greeks by the Phoenicians from Euphratean sources in the fact that Thales, the earliest Greek astronomer of any note, was of Phoenician descent. According to Callimachus he taught the Greeks to steer by Ursa minor instead of Ursa major; and other astronomical observations are assigned to him. But his writings are lost, as is also the case with those of Phocus the Samian, and the history of astronomy by Eudemus, the pupil of Aristotle; hence the paucity of our knowledge of Thales's astronomical learning.