Corvus

Folklore involving ravens and crows has intermingled over time. The word 'crow' might relate to a different constellation.

Corvus is from Latin corvus, Greek korax, related to Swedish korp, Old High German hraban, Old Norse hrafn. The words Corvus and Raven comes from the Indo-European root *ker-² 'Echoic root, base of various derivatives indicating loud noises or birds'. Derivatives: ring² (from Old English hringan, to resound, clink), retch (from Old English hraecan, to clear the throat, relating to the deep guttural croak of the raven), raven¹ (from Old English hraefn, raven, from Germanic *hrabnaz, raven), corbel, corbina, cormorant (literally, raven of the sea), corvine, Corvus, coracoid (korakias, chough), screech (from Old Norse skraekja, to shreik, from Germanic *skrekjan). [Pokorny 1. ker- 567. Watkins] The names Ingram (from Teutonic angil, 'angel', and hram, hramn, is a collateral form of hraban, 'raven'), Bertram (from beraht, 'bright', and hram, hramn, raven). Klein supplies the Indian word kos, 'the distance within which a man's shout can be heard'. A corbel is a likely place for a crow to perch, a bracket projecting from the face of a wall and generally used to support a cornice or arch. Ravens are found at the top of the highest peaks.

Corvus, the raven, was given a task by Apollo of keeping a watchful eye (or eavesdrop) on Apollo’s pregnant lover Coronis (her name might relate to crow or crown, one of the Hyades in Taurus is named Coronis). The bird reported back to Apollo the unwelcome news that she was having an affair with someone else. Apollo in anger cursed the raven, and its color changed from its former silver hue to the present black. Corona was killed by Apollo's sister Artemis. The unborn child of Coronis and Apollo was rescued and raised as Asclepius who is identified with Ophiuchus. 

In Norse mythology, the omniscient god Odin had a pair of ravens, Hugin ('Thoughtful' or 'Bold' - Hugo?) and Munin (remembrance). They flew around the world every day to learn of the day's news and then returned to Odin [1]. They sat on each of the god Odin's shoulders (maybe on the coracoid bones), and informed him of everything that happens in the world. There are examples from Germany, India, Siberia, Iceland, and elsewhere where people are advantaged by speaking with these birds or eavesdropping on the conversation of ravens [2].

These characteristics imply that these birds have something to do with; news, journalism, information, gossip.

Another story tells that Apollo sent a Raven to fetch water (Hydra) in the god's cup (Crater). The Raven got back late because he waited for some figs to ripen before returning (procrastinated). He brought back a water-snake (Hydra) along with the water-filled cup (Crater) and told Apollo that the Hydra, having kept the spring from flowing, had caused the delay. The god was not deceived by the lie and placed the Raven (Corvus), the Cup (Crater) and the Water-snake (Hydra) among the stars, where the Water-snake guards the water from the everlastingly thirsty Raven. Corvus now sits within sight of the Cup of water, but he can never drink. Ravens, crows, and rooks, go 'kraa kraa' [3]. The call of the crow is a nasal caw compared to the deep, guttural croak of the raven, although both species have extensive and varied vocal repertoires [4]. The cawing of the ravens or crows was heard as 'Cras! Cras!' by Latin speakers, and was thought to mean "Tomorrow! Tomorrow!" We get the word procrastination, 'postpone until the morrow', from Latin cras.

Morrigan was the Irish Celtic goddess who took the shape of a crow or raven, a triple goddess who flew over battles, screeching like a raven. She is often identified with the Welsh Morgan Le Fay, who was Queen Guinevere's lady in waiting and who betrayed the Queen's affair with Lancelot to King Arthur [5], similar to the raven informing Apollo of Coronis infidelity. The names Morrigan and Morgan resembles Old English morgen, morning, and relates semantically to Latin cras, meaning morning, or morrow. Morning comes from the indo-European root *mer-¹ 'To flicker; with derivatives referring to dim states of illumination'. Derivatives: mere¹ (from Latin merus, pure, unadulterated, 'unmixed wine'). Extended form *merk-; morn, morning, morrow, (these words from Old English morgen, morning), morgen (a Dutch unit of land area equal to 2.1 acres), morganatic (a legal marriage between a person of noble birth and a partner of lower rank, in which it is agreed that no titles or estates of the royal or noble partner are to be shared by the partner of inferior rank nor by any of the offspring of the marriage, from Old High German morgan, morning, from Germanic *murgana-). Possibly extended root *mergw-; murk (from Old English mirce, darkness, from Germanic *merkwia-, twilight). [Pokorny 2. mer- 733. Watkins] The first mammal may never be known, but Morganucodon (meaning Morgan's tooth), a 2-3 cm (1 inch) long weasel-like animal is a possible contender [6]. [Maybe mourn - mourners dress in black].

The French have matin, for morning from the Indo-European root *má-¹  'Good; with derivatives meaning 'occurring at a good moment, timely, seasonable, early.' Derivatives: mature, maturity, immature, premature, (these words from Latin maturus, seasonable, ripe, mature), matinee (from French matin, morning), matins (morning prayer), matutinal (in the morning; early, from Latin Matuta, name of the goddess of dawn, Latin matutinus ‘of the morning’), mañana (from Latin mane, in the morning), Manes (or Mani, from Latin Manes, perhaps from manis, good, he was a Persian prophet and founder of Manichaeism. His religious movement professed that the world is a fusion of the equal but opposite forces of good and evil). [Pokorny 2. ma- 693. Watkins] Spanish manana.

Apollo sent out a raven to fetch water, the raven got back late, because he waited for some figs to ripen, he waited for the opportune moment, the timely moment, until the figs were mature, from Latin maturus, meaning 'seasonable, ripe, mature', 'the decisive moment at hand'. Latin used the cras from which we get the word procrastinate, 'postpone until the morrow'. When Spanish speakers say 'manana', they mean tomorrow, or an indefinite time in the future.

"The beginning of the day is mane ‘early morning,' because then the day manat ‘trickles’ from the east, unless rather because the ancients called the good manum (hand): from a superstitious belief of the same kind as influences the Greeks, who, when a light is brought, make a practice of saying, 'Goodly light!'"  [Varro: On The Latin Language, p.177.]

Corvus, the Raven, is often considered a part of the threefold constellation; Corvus, Hydra, and Crater. Latins had the title Emansor for Corvus, relating to Apollo sending out the raven to fetch water. The title, Emansor, is related to the word 'emanate', from Latin ex + manare, to flow out, and also the word 'moor²' meaning swampy land, and 'maar' a volcanic crater lake (Crater). Apollo sent out (emanare) the Raven (Corvus) with a cup (Crater) to fetch water (Hydra from Indo-European root *wed-¹, water).

"The raven gets its name, corvus or corax, from the sound it makes in its throat, because it utters a croak" [6]

The word raven is related to retch, from Old English hraecan, to clear the throat. Polish kruk, 'raven', krakac, 'croak (like a raven)', English croak [7]. The onomatopoeic deep, guttural croak of the raven.

When Typhon came rushing toward Olympus, the gods fled in terror to Egypt where they disguised themselves as animals: Apollo (Phoebus) became a raven.

"Corvinus, winner of spoils and a name, aided in combat by a bird which hides beneath a bird's exterior the godhead of Phoebus " [Astronomica, Manilius, 1st century AD, p.67.]

The Corvinus Manilius refers to is Valerius Corvinus, a Roman politician, the story goes that he got the name 'Corvinus' when under attack by an enemy, a raven flew down from nowhere, perched upon Valerius's helmet, and began to attack his foe. A title, referring to this incident, for Corvus, was "Pomptina, from the victory of Valerius when aided by a raven on the Pontine Marsh" [Allen, Star Names], the word 'marsh' is related to 'maar', a crater lake. There are a number of stories from different cultures about how ravens 'aid in combat' with gods. There are scientific studies on ravens and wolves associating in foraging strategy [8]. In the book Mind of the Raven, biologist Bernd Heinrich says ravens and wolves (Lupus) work in tandem: they rely on wolves to kill, and to open carcasses (which might be one of the reasons why wolves are described as ravenous?). Ravens have been reported to alert wolves to potential food sources and to danger. The Inuit believe ravens help them hunt caribou, polar bears and seals by dipping their wings in the right direction.

The name Bran, from Welsh Brân, from brân, raven, refers to gigantic Celtic god and ruler of Britain. After he was mortally wounded in battle his head was buried in London where it served as a protection against invaders [AHD]. Some believe the still-current practice of keeping ravens at the Tower of London is associated with this story of Bran [9]. Bran is an archetypal British Celtic hero, and it has been surmised that he is the root of the character known as the Fisher King from Arthurian romance [10], Bron or Bran the Blessed. The raven brought the cup (Crater, also representing the Holy Grail) to Apollo. "Boron also says that it was the Rich Fisher, named Bron, who was the brother-in-law of Joseph of Arimathea, and that it was he who brought the Grail to Britain". Hebrew Corban means a gift or votive offering for the god, also the name given to the Treasury of the Temple at Jerusalem [11]. Corbenic (also Carbonek and Corbin) is the name of the castle of the Holy Grail in the Lancelot-Grail cycle and Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur. It is the domain of the Fisher King and the birth-place of Sir Galahad [12].

© Anne Wright 2008.