From The Alpha and the Omega - Volume III
by Jim A. Cornwell, Copyright © July 20, 2002, all rights reserved "Volume III - The Fifth Month - Constellation Names for Crater"
In the Fifth Month - Leo.

Crater, the Cup [of wrath poured out].
The constellation name for Crater:

• It is noteworthy that this cup is fixed right on the back of the Serpent (Hydra).
  
  
• The a star and the b star of this constellation make up the base of the cup are also part of the Serpent constellation Hydra.
  
  
• Latin crater, mixing bowl, crater from Greek krater, mixing vessel or a wide, two-handled bowl used in ancient Greece and Rome for mixing wine and water.
  • Allen states: The Romans additionally knew it as Urna, Calix, or Scyphus, and, poetically, as Poculum, the Cup, variously, of Apollo, Bacchus, Hercules, Achilles, Dido, Demophoon, and Medea; its association with this last bringing it into the long list of Argonautic constellations.
  
  
• Crater appears on the Meridian on April 25.
  
  
• Crater is the cup carried by Corvus the crow to Apollo.    (See the full story under Corvus.)    It is also said to be the cup of nectar drunk by the Olympian gods.
  
  
• Some see the young beautiful Ganymede, who was taken to Olympus by Zeus to serve as the gods' cupbearer, but the constellation is no longer recognized as such.
  
  
• Cup - "The Cup of Wrath."
  • Hebrew kowç, koce, or kos, from an unused root meaning to hold together, a cup (as a container), often fig. a lot (as if a potion), also some unclean bird, probably an owl (perhaps from the cup-like cavity of its eye), cup, (small) owl.
    • Allen states: Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord's hand.    But any connection here would seem doubtful, although the Jews knew it as Cos, a Cup.
    • In the star names of Crater, we find that a Alkes or Alkes', which is Arabic for "wine cup," or "cup."
      • Arabic Al-Ka's, "The cup."
      • Rolleston claims "Hebrew and Arabic, Al Ches, the cup."
      • In "The Witness of the Stars," by E.W. Bullinger, page 168 "Al Ches (a) the Cup."
      • Allen states: In early Arabia it was Al Ma’laf, the Stall, — a later title there for the Praesaepe of Cancer; but when the astronomy of the Desert came under Greek influence it was Al Batiyah, the Persian Badiye, and the Al Batinah of Al Achsasi, all signifying an earthen vessel for storing wine.
            Another title, Al Kas, a Shallow Basin, — Alhas in the Alfonsine lists, — has since been turned into Alker and Elkis; but Scaliger's suggestion of Alkes generally has been adopted, although now applied to the star alpha (Alkes).    These same Tables Latinized it as Patera, and as Vas, or Vas aquarium.
  • Sumerian gal, gal: n., a large cup, adj., big, large, great.
  • Other sources of cup in the Bible.
    • "Cup of salvation" (Psalm 116:13 the drink offering which was part of the thank offering in Num. 15:3-5).
    • "cup of thanksgiving" (1 Cor. 10:16 'cup of blessing' offer in the Passover, part of the Lord's Supper.).
    • "cup of the Lord" (10:21 'cup of devils' a feast to idols, in contrast to.).
      • The opposing view is:
        • "cup of his wrath" (Isaiah 51:17, 22).
        • "cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling" (Zech. 12:2).
        • "cup of ruin and desolation" (Ezek. 23:33).
  
  
• Wine Cup or Cup of Wrath from the Holy Bible.
  • Psalm 11:6 "Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible temptest: this shall be the portion of their cup [figure for God's wrath]."
  • Psalm 75:8 "For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup [God's wrath], and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of earth shall wring them out, and drink them."
    
  • Revelation 14:8 "And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."    14:9 "And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,"    14:10 "The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:"    14:11 "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name."    14:19 "And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God."    14:20 "And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs."
    
  • Revelation 16:1 "And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth."
    • Vial.
      • Hebrew pak, pak, from Heb. pakah, paw-kaw', a primary root to pour, run out, thus a flask (from which liquid may flow), box, vial.
  • First poured out his vial upon the earth, which caused sores upon the men, which had the mark of the beast and worshipped his image.
  • Second angel poured out his vial upon the sea and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.
  • Third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters and they became blood.
  • Fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
  • Fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast and his kingdom was full of darkness and they gnawed their tongues for pain,
  • Sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates and the water thereof was dried up to prepare the way of the kings of the east.
  • And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.    For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
  • Revelation 16:16 "And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon."    16:17 "And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done."    16:18 "And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great."    16:19 "And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath."
  
  
• Revelation 18:1 "And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory."    18:2 "And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird."    18:3 "For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies."    18:4 "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."    18:5 "For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities."    18:6 "Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double."    18:7 "How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow."    18:8 "Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her."    18:9 "And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,"    18:10 "Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come."
  
  
• Akkadian Lut-Tsirna, "The Bowl of the Snake."
  • Bowl.
    • Hebrew mizraq, miz-rawk'; Hebrew çephel, say'-fel; Hebrew gullah, gool-law'.
  • Allen states: Hewitt also identifies it with "the Akkadians' Mummu Tiamut, the chaos of the sea, the mother of heaven and earth, and the child of Tiamut, the mother (mut) of living things (tia)"; but all this better suits Corvus.
  
  
• Early Greeks called it Kantha-ros, or Goblet of Apollo.
  • Goblet.
    • Hebrew gebiya, gheb-ee'-ah, a goblet, by analogy the calyx of a flower, house cup, pot.
  • Richard H. Allen states: In early Greek days it represented the Kantharos, or Goblet, of Apollo, but universally was called Krater, which in our transliterated title obtained with all Latins, Cicero writing it Cratera; while Manilius described it as gratus Iaccho Crater (Iaccho is Bacchus, Greek Dionysus), so using the mystic, poetical name often applied to Bacchus.    In ancient manuscripts it appears as Creter.    The Greeks also called it Kalpe a Cinerary Urn; Argeion, Ugreion, and Ugria, a Water-bucket.
  
  
• Vessel.
  • Hebrew keliy, kel-ee', from Heb. kalah, kaw-law', a primary root to end, to cease, be finished, perish, complete, prepare, consume, thus something prepared, i.e. any, apparatus (as an implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon), tool, vessel, ware, weapon.
  • Hebrew nebel, neh'-bel, or nay'-bel, from Heb. nabel, naw-bale', a primary root to wilt, gen. to fall away, fail, to be foolish or wicked, to despise, disgrace; hence a vase, pitcher, vessel.
  • Greek skeuos.
  • Greek poterion, pot-ay'-ree-on, a drinking vessel, fig. a lot or fate.
  • Sumerian dug: earthen pot; jar; vessel.
    • Sumerian dug-a-nag-nag: water drinking vessel ('vessel' + 'water' + reduplicated 'to drink').
    • Sumerian dug-níg-nag: drinking vessel ('vessel' + 'object' + 'to drink').
  • Sumerian NI-KUŠ-NÍGIN: a vessel.
    • Sumerian níg-bàn-da: a measuring vessel ('thing' + 'junior').
    • Sumerian ^dugti-lim-da: a vessel ('lives' + 'thousand' + 'with').
    • Sumerian kír: a large vessel; beer keg.
  
  
• Through the serpent the curse originally came into the world.
  • Accursed is the world for his sake, the Lord told us back in Genesis.    Because of Satan, this curse has come into this world.    This curse, the reverse of "to bless," which has so plagued the world over the centuries, is now to be poured out upon Satan and upon all of his followers as a divine judgment.    (Note: see Genesis 3:14 and information on Hydra.)
  • Curse.
    • Hebrew 'alah, aw-law', to adjure, imprecate, an imprecation, curse, execration, oath, swearing.
    • Hebrew 'arar, aw-rar', to execrate, bitterly curse.
    • Hebrew me'erah.
    • Hebrew qelalah, kel-aw-law', from Heb. qalal, kaw-lal', vilification, cursed, cursing.
    • Greek katapa.
  
  
• Egyptian/Coptic:
  • On Denderah Zodiac below the middle section of Leo, Crater is known as Her-ua, the great enemy.    Crater is seen as a woman with a plumed headdress, whom is sitting on a chair holding up vials in each hand, in preparation for something.    One source claims that its (Crater) 13 stars are (the number of apostasy) representing judgment.    This an awkward statement for a constellation that has 5 stars in its base and 4 other stars forming the cup shape, totaling 9 stars.
    • In "The Witness of the Stars," by E.W. Bullinger, page 163-164 "The Denderah picture exhibits all four in one.    The Lion is presented treading down the Serpent.    The Bird of prey is also perched upon it, while below is a plumed female figure (Crater) holding out two cups, answering to Crater, the cup of wrath."
    • In "The Witness of the Stars," by E.W. Bullinger, page 164 "The woman's name is Her-ua, great enemy, referring to the great enemy for which her two cups are prepared and intended."
  • In "The Witness of the Stars," by E.W. Bullinger, page 167-168 "Crater is the cup on the body of Hydra."
    • The cup of wrath is poured out on him.
  • One source states, "The vials of Aquarius are the vials held by the mother (Crater) under the Lion (Leo)."
    • Note that the opposite of Leo is Aquarius and the mention of vials. Crater is seen under Leo, the opposite of Aquarius.
    • In his work “BABYLONIAN STAR-LORE: An Illustrated Guide to the Star-lore and Constellations of Ancient Babylonia,” by Gavin White in his exerts claims, " Behind the Sirian group of symbols, we find the figure of an enthroned goddess holding a pair of vases aloft.    On the Square Zodiac streams of water can be seen flowing from her vases.
          This is, arguably, a depiction of the Babylonian constellation called the Star of Eridu.    Although we have little direct knowledge concerning its celestial image, we do know that it was held sacred to Enki, the wise god of the waters, who lived in the freshwater Abyss below the earth.    Enki’s sacred city of Eridu, after which the star was named, was reputedly the oldest city in the world.    It was located in the southern marshlands of Mesopotamia, and was the site of his principle temple – ‘the House of the Abyss’, which was built on an island set in the midst of a lagoon.
          The Star of Eridu obviously has very strong associations to water, a fact that may have led it to become closely allied to the Great One, our Aquarius, in Babylonian astrology.    The linkage is so strong that there is reason to believe that both constellations were depicted in a similar manner – as human figures holding overflowing vases.    As such the Dendera figure is very compatible with what we know concerning the Star of Eridu.    We should also add that the Greek constellation of Eridanus, which obviously derives its name from the Babylonian figure, was depicted among the stars as a winding river."
          White's image of enthroned goddess holding a pair of vases aloft is seen on page 44 shown here compared to the Round Denderah image and the Square image was damaged and not applicable, where he claims "The Star of Eridu is similarly concerned with the return of the rains.    But unlike the Raven, which symbolizes the heaven sent rains the Star of Eridu stresses the increase in water levels now found in the rivers and irrigation canals.    Her overflowing vases represent the waters of springs and rivers returning to full strength after their summer subsidence."
  
  
• Other names for Crater: Bad'iye (Persian), Al Batiyah, Bat'inah, Elkis', Al Kas, Malleph'ori, Al Sharasif (stars).
  • Allen states: In early Arabia it was Al Ma’laf, the Stall, — a later title there for the Praesaepe of Cancer; but when the astronomy of the Desert came under Greek influence it was Al Batiyah, the Persian Badiye, and the Al Batinah of Al Achsasi, all signifying an earthen vessel for storing wine.
        Another title, Al Kas, a Shallow Basin, — Alhas in the Alfonsine lists, — has since been turned into Alker and Elkis; but Scaliger's suggestion of Alkes generally has been adopted, although now applied to the star alpha (Alkes).    These same Tables Latinized it as Patera, and as Vas, or Vas aquarium.
        Riccioli's strange Elvarad and Pharmaz I cannot trace to their origin.
  • Allen: The Romans additionally knew it as Urna, Calix, or Scyphus, and, poetically, as Poculum, the Cup, variously, of Apollo, Bacchus, Hercules, Achilles, Dido, Demophoon, and Medea; its association with this last bringing it into the long list of Argonautic constellations.
  • Seen as the French Coupe, the German Becher, and the Italian Tazza.

See Star Names of Crater.

---

    This file was updated on July 15, 2008, and March 30, 2010.

Return to the Table of Contents or the Zodiac of Denderah