Saturday 17 March 2007

[Saint Seiya Mythology] The 88 Saints of Athena

In an attempt to gather all the information we know about the saints of Athena from the modern era, their rank and their protecting constellation, I am putting together a simple table to summarise what is known from all official sources.

I added a simple colour coding to find a historical review of the constellations:
-> Ptolemy's Constellations.


-> Additions by Johann Bayer (1603).

-> Additions by Jakob Bartsch (1624) & Tycho Brahé (a few years later).

-> Additions by Johannes Hevelius (~1690).

-> Additions by Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille (1763).

ConstellationEnglish nameName of SaintRank
Ursa MajorThe Great BearGekiBronze
Canes VenaticiThe Hunting DogsAsterionSilver
Leo MinorThe Little LionBanBronze
Ursa MinorThe Little Bear-Unknown
DracoDragonShiryuBronze
CassiopeiaCassiopeia-Unknown
CepheusCepheusDaidalos (manga) / Albior (Anime)Silver
CameleopardalisThe Giraffe-Unknown
LacertaThe LizardMistySilver
BoötesThe Herdsman-Unknown
Corona BorealisThe Northern Crown-Unknown
Coma BerenicesThe Hair of Berenice-Unknown
LeoThe LionAioliaGold
CancerThe CrabDeathmaskGold
SextansThe Sextant-Unknown
VirgoThe VirginShakaGold
LibraThe ScalesDohkoGold
HydraThe HydraIchiBronze
CorvusThe CrowJamianSilver
CraterThe Cup-Silver
LyraThe LyreOrphéeSilver
CygnusThe SwanHyogaBronze
AquilaThe EagleMarineSilver
ScutumThe Shield-Unknown
SagittaThe ArrowTremi (manga) / Ptolemy (anime)Silver
VulpeculaThe Fox-Unknown
DelphinusThe Dolphin-Unknown
EquuleusThe Foal-Unknown
HerculesHeraclesAlgethiSilver
OphiuchusThe Serpent HolderShainaSilver
SerpensThe Snake-Unknown
ScorpiusThe ScorpionMiloGold
SagittariusThe ArcherAiolosGold
Corona AustralisThe Southern Crown-Unknown
AndromedaAndromedaShunBronze
TriangulumThe TriangleNoesisSilver
AriesThe RamGold
PerseusPerseusArgolSilver
PegasusThe Winged HorseSeiyaBronze
PiscesThe FishesAphroditeGold
CapricornusThe CapricornShuraGold
AquariusThe Water BearerCamusGold
Piscis AustralisThe Southern Fish-Unknown
CetusThe WhaleMozesSilver
EridanusThe River-Unknown
FornaxThe Furnace-Unknown
OrionThe Hunter-Unknown
Canis MajorThe Great DogSiriusSilver
Canis MinorThe Little Dog-Unknown
MonocerosThe UnicornJabuBronze
LepusThe Hare-Unknown
ColumbaThe Dove-Unknown
TaurusThe BullAldebaranGold
GeminiThe TwinsSaga / KanonGold
AurigaThe CharioteerCapellaSilver
LynxThe LynxRetsuBronze
CarinaThe Keel-Unknown
VelaThe Sails of Argo-Unknown
PyxisThe Mariner's Compass-Unknown
AntliaThe Pump-Unknown
PictorThe Painter-Unknown
VolansThe Flying (Fish)-Unknown
PuppisThe Poop Deck-Unknown
CentaurusThe CentaurBabelSilver
Crux AustralisThe Southern Cross-Unknown
Triangulum AustraleThe Southern Triangle-Unknown
CircinusThe Compass-Unknown
AraThe Altar-Silver
TelescopiumThe Telescope-Unknown
NormaThe Level-Unknown
LupusThe WolfNachiBronze
GrusThe CraneYuzuriha (Lost Canvas)Silver
PhoenixThe PhoenixIkkiBronze
TucanaThe Toucan-Unknown
PavoThe PeacockShiva (anime only)Silver
IndusThe American Indian-Unknown
MicroscopiumThe Microscope-Unknown
SculptorThe Sculptor-Unknown
HorologiumThe Clock-Unknown
CaelumThe Sculptor's Chisel-Bronze
DoradoThe Swordfish-Unknown
ReticulumThe Reticle-Unknown
HydrusThe Male Hydra-Unknown
MensaThe Table-Unknown
ChamaeleonThe ChameleonJuneBronze
MuscaThe FlyDioSilver
ApusThe Bird of Paradise-Unknown
OctansThe Octant-Unknown

Obviously, not all constellations are known. Many of the ones listed here were added to the sky charts in the 17th and 18th centuries by various scientists and so it is unlikely that those modern constallations would correspond to the protective stars of the ancient Saints of Athena. And while Marco Albiero and other fanartists have tried to imagine what the cloth of the Microscope or the Clock would be, other officially unassigned constellations such as the River or the American Indian are hard to imagine as cloths, nevermind placing them in a context mostly centered around Greek Mythology...

Addendum: After investigating Wikipedia, it turns out there are known constellations which are no longer in use. Let's add this list to this entry and see if we can place a few saints in there:
AntinousAntinous-Unknown
Argo NavisThe Ship Argo-Unknown
CerberusCerberusDanteSilver
Custos MessiumKeeper of Harvests-Unknown
FelisCat-Unknown
Federici HonoresFrederick's Honours-Unknown
GallusRooster-Unknown
Globus AerostaticusHot Air Balloon-Unknown
Lochium FunisLog Line-Unknown
Machina ElectricaThe Electricity Generator-Unknown
MalusMast-Unknown
Mons MaenalusMount Mainalo-Unknown
Musca BorealisThe Northern Fly-Unknown
NoctuaThe Owl-Unknown
Officina TypographicaThe Printshop-Unknown
PhoenicopterusThe Flamingo (now Grus)-Unknown
PolophylaxGuardian of the Pole-Unknown
Psalterium GeorgiiGeorge's Psaltery-Unknown
Quadrans MuralisMural Quandrant-Unknown
Ramus PomiferApple-Bearing branch-Unknown
Robur CarolinumCharles' Oak-Unknown
Sceptrum BrandenburgicumScepter of Brandenburg-Unknown
Sceptrum et Manus IustitiaeScepter of Hand of Justice-Unknown
SolariumSundial-Unknown
Tarandus vel RangiferReindeer-Unknown
Taurus PoniatoviiPoniatowski's Bull-Unknown
Telescopium HerscheliiHerschel's Telescope-Unknown
TestudoTortoise-Unknown
TigrisThe River Tigris-Unknown
Triangulum MinorThe Lesser Triangle-Unknown
Turdus SolitariusSolitary Thrush-Unknown
VespaWasp-Unknown


All in all, only one official character fit in the list. Though personally I would think the Owl and The Scepter of the Hand of Justice would make perfect saints. The majority are just silly Victorian inventions to please other people it seems. Ah well...

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