Hence, as the number of warning-stars was certainly very restricted, they—or, rather, the goddesses which typified them—had different names in almost every nome. Hence Egyptian mythology should be, as it is in fact, full of synonyms; each local name being liable to be brought into prominence at some time or another, owing to adventitious circumstances relating either to dynasties or the popularity of some particular shrine.
Applying this test of symbolism, we find in the case of Hathor that the symbolism was double.
The Denderah Hathor was connected with the hippopotamus, while at Thebes Mut was represented by a hippopotamus.
CAPITAL, WITH MASKS OF HATHOR WITH COWS' EARS.
Now this symbol of the hippopotamus helps us greatly, because it allows evidence to be gathered from a consideration of the old constellations. I do not think it is saying too much to remark that among these the attention of the North Egyptians was almost exclusively confined to the circumpolar ones. Further, the mean latitude being, say, 25°, the circumpolar region was a restricted one; 50° in diameter, instead of over 100°, as with us. But not quite exclusively, for to them in later times, as to us now, the Great Bear and Orion were the two most prominent constellations in the heavens; for them, as for us, they typified the northern and southern regions of the sky.
There can be no question that the chief ancient constellation in the north was the Great Bear, or, as it was then pictured, the Thigh (Mesχet). After this came the Hippopotamus. I had come to the conclusion that this had been replaced on our maps by part of Draco before I found that Brugsch and Parthey had expressed the same opinion.
The female hippopotamus typified Taurt, the wife of Set (represented by a jackal with erected tail, or hippopotamus), and one of the most ordinary forms of Hathor is a hippopotamus. There is evidence that the star we are considering, γ Draconis, occupied the place of the head or the mythical head-gear.
Here, then, in the actual symbolism of Hathor we find γ Draconis as distinctly pointed to as by the orientation of the temples.
