This constellation is tied up to the figure of a shepherd that he
takes the name of Boote, that probably derives from the Greek word
"boutes" that it means "cattleman", but also "boor." Some believe
that such name means " who push forward the ox", since the Great
Wagon of the Greatest Orsa seems to be pulled by oxen. For the Greek
this constellation was also called "Arctophylax", that is "superviser of
the bear, reported obviously to the Greatest Orsa.
Arato it represents him as a man that makes to turn the orsa
around the pole.
Subsequently the astronomers considered of affiliation of the shepherd
the near Hunting Dogs.
His/her star brighter, as well as the fourth star brightest of the
whole celestial time, it is Arthur, from the Greek word "arktouros"
that it means "guard of the bear."
According to Eratostene the shepherd would be Arcas, child of Zeus
and Callisto, daughter of Licaone, King of Arcadia. This last one day
having Zeus in person to lunch wanted to verify of his true identity:
he made in pieces Arcas and he mixed his meats with those of a mixed
grill to see if her father had recognized the origin of it.
Zeus immediately acknowledged the iniquity and killed
lightened all the children of Licaone that he was turned then
into wolf. With care the top god picked up the pieces, his son
recomposed and he entrusted him to the Pleiade Maia so
that she grew him. Meanwhile the mother Callisto was turned
into Orsa, perhaps from Zeus to make her escape from the angers of
his wife Era or perhaps really from this last for revenge,
or perhaps still from Artemide. Arcas became adult and during a
wisecrack of hunting he met his mother in the form of orsa: this
last to manifest him joy in to see again gave out a little comforting
verse, that the unaware child started
to pursue her for to kill. Callisto ran away and she was sheltered
in the temple of Zeus whose access was forbidden to the profanatoris,
punishment their death. To avoid her such punishment Zeus put in sky
her child and she, that, come to knowledge of the true identity
of the animal, he became custodian.
According to Igino the constellation would represent Icaro: he isn't
the man that with the wax wings fell approaching
too much himself to the sun, but the
one to which the god Dioniso taught to cultivate the grapevine and
to make the wine. One day Icaro offered some new wine to the
shepherds, but they were felt badly and, thinking he would try to
poison them they killed him.
The dog of Icaro learned the sad event and it made also
intend to its daughter Erigone that for the desperation she
hung to the tree where the dead body of her father lay.
Also the dog died of pain to have lost both its masters.
Moved Zeus put in sky the figure of Icaro (represented by the
Boote), of his daughter (represented by the Virgo) and of
the dog (represented by the Greatest or Smaller Dog according
to the interpretations).