William Tyler Olcott

“ The The "V"-shaped group of stars in the constellation Taurus is known as "the Hyades," and has attracted the attention of all mankind. Its stars outline the face of the fierce Bull that lowers its massive head to gore the giant hunter Orion, and the ruddy first magnitude star Aldebaran, the lucida of the group, marks the eye of the enraged creature. ”

“ Martin, in The Friendly Stars, gives us the following facts concerning this beautiful star: "Aldebaran is the fourteenth star in order of brightness in the entire heavens, and the ninth among those seen in our latitude. It is what is known as a standard first magnitude star. It gives us about one ninety billionth as much light as the sun, but at the same distance as the sun we would get from it forty-five times as much light as the sun gives us. ”

“ Pliny called them collectively "a violent and troublesome star, causing storms and tempests raging both on land and sea."
Spenser thus describes their setting:
And the moist daughters of huge Atlas strove
Into the ocean deepe to drive their weary drove. ”