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acceptance of a myth seems to depend not upon a single argument but upon the convergence of a number of meanings and reasons in the same symbol。 But certainly the fact mentioned above is curious； and its importance is accentuated by the following considerations。
In the Temple of Denderah in Egypt； and on the inside of the dome； there is or WAS an elaborate circular representation of the Northern hemisphere of the sky and the Zodiac。＇1＇ Here Virgo the constellation is represented； as in our star…maps； by a woman with a spike of corn in her hand （Spica）。 But on the margin close by there is an annotating and explicatory figurea figure of Isis with the infant Horus in her arms； and quite resembling in style the Christian Madonna and Child； except that she is sitting and the child is on her knee。 This seems to show thatwhatever other nations may have done in associating Virgo with Demeter； Ceres； Diana＇2＇ etc。the Egyptians made no doubt of the constellation's connection with Isis and Horus。 But it is well known as a matter of history that the worship of Isis and Horus descended in the early Christian centuries to Alexandria； where it took the form of the worship of the Virgin Mary and the infant Savior； and so passed into the European ceremonial。 We have therefore the Virgin Mary connected by linear succession and descent with that remote Zodiacal cluster in the sky！ Also it may be mentioned that on the Arabian and Persian globes of Abenezra and Abuazar a Virgin and Child are figured in connection with the same constellation。＇3＇
＇1＇ Carefully described and mapped by Dupuis； see op。 cit。
＇2＇ For the harvest…festival of Diana； the Virgin； and her parallelism with the Virgin Mary； see The Golden Bough； vol。 i； 14 and ii； 121。
＇3＇ See F。 Nork； Der Mystagog （Leipzig； 1838）。
A curious confirmation of the same astronomical connection is afforded by the Roman Catholic Calendar。 For if this be consulted it will be found that the festival of the Assumption of the Virgin is placed on the 15th August； while the festival of the Birth of the Virgin is dated the 8th September。 I have already pointed out that the stars； ； and of Virgo are almost exactly on the Ecliptic； or Sun's path through the sky； and a brief reference to the Zodiacal signs and the star…maps will show that the Sun each year enters the sign of Virgo about the first…mentioned date； and leaves it about the second date。 At the present day the Zodiacal signs （owing to precession） have shifted some distance from the constellations of the same name。 But at the time when the Zodiac was constituted and these names were given； the first date obviously would signalize the actual disappearance of the cluster Virgo in the Sun's raysi。 e。 the Assumption of the Virgin into the glory of the Godwhile the second date would signalize the reappearance of the constellation or the Birth of the Virgin。 The Church of Notre Dame at Paris is supposed to be on the original site of a Temple of Isis； and it is said （but I have not been able to verify this myself） that one of the side entrancesthat； namely； on the left in entering from the North （cloister） sideis figured with the signs of the Zodiac EXCEPT that the sign Virgo is replaced by the figure of the Madonna and Child。
So strange is the scripture of the sky！ Innumerable legends and customs connect the rebirth of the Sun with a Virgin parturition。 Dr。 J。 G。 Frazer in his Part IV of The Golden Bough＇1＇ says： 〃If we may trust the evidence of an obscure scholiast the Greeks ＇in the worship of Mithras at Rome＇ used to celebrate the birth of the luminary by a midnight service； coming out of the inner shrines and crying； 'The Virgin has brought forth！ The light is waxing！' （