"when the snail, in fear of the Pleiades, climbs up the young plants, sharpen your sickle for the harvest--" "At the rising of the Atlas-born Pleiades begin harvesting but plowing when they set." "When Atlas-born, the Pleiad stars arise Before the sun above the dawning skies, 'Tis time to reap; and when they sink below The mom-illumined west, 'tis time to sow." The rising of Orion an hour and a half later was also a sign from heaven that the season for threshing had arrived. "Forget not when Orion first appears To make your servants thresh the sacred ears." But when the giant is in midheaven it is time for vintage. At this time Orion has backed the Bull pretty far over in the west and the Greeks watch the frightened Pleiades drop into the sea. It is now a dangerous time for small crafts to venture forth. "When the Pleiades, fleeing the mighty strength of Orion, fall into the murky sea" make the boats secure for the sailing season is over. "The Pleiads and Hiads make the seasons, The Dogstarre maketh the heat of Sommer." --1507, _Golding De Mornay._ Yet the people around the Mediterranean were not the only ones who considered the importance of these stars. Spence in "Myths of Mexico and Peru" tells with what trepidation the ancient Mexican people watched, every period of 52 years, the passage of these stars across the zenith. "With the conclusion of each period of fifty-two years a terrible dread came upon the Mexicans that the world would come to an end. A stated period of time had expired, a period which was regarded as fixed by divine command, and it had been ordained that on the completion of one of those series of fifty-two years earthly time would cease and the universe be demolished. The Mexicans then abandoned themselves to utmost prostration and the wicked went about in terrible fear. As the first day of the fifty-third year dawned the people narrowly observed the Pleiades, for if they passed the zenith, time would proceed and the world would become respited." Perhaps the reason for periodical recurrence of this fear lay in the old Mexican tradition that the world was once destroyed when the Pleiades culminated at midnight. Poets in all lands have sung the praises of the Pleiad stars. Probably the most quoted are those from Tennyson's "Locksley Hall." These are so truly beautiful that one almost involuntarily repeats them whenever the huge giant Orion or this lovely star group comes into view. "Many a night from yonder ivied casement, ere I went to rest Did I look on great Orion sloping slowly to the west. "Many a night I saw the Pleiads, rising through the mellow shade, Glitter like a swarm of fire-flies tangled in a silver braid." And Bayard Taylor speaks of "The stars that once were mortal in their love, And by their love are made immortal now, Cluster like golden bees upon thy mane."