The Flight of the Dodonian Nymphs and the Identity of the Stella Fugata (Ov. Fast. 4.390)*

summary:

Ovid’s reference to the stella fugata in Fast. 4.390 is commonly interpreted as a description of stars departing from the sky at sunrise or possibly as a reference to the planet Venus. Astronomical terminology, astronomical placements for April 10 (the day on which the stella fugata appears), and the interplay among astronomical description, mythology, and narrative in the entry for this day suggest rather that the stella fugata is Aldebaran (α Tauri), the brightest star in the Hyades. This conclusion provides further evidence for the accuracy of astronomical allusions to the fixed constellations and stars in the Fasti.