Did you ever wonder where the expression “the dog days of summer” originated? What does it mean? When I’m conducting research for a novel, I discover so many fun facts, and I stumbled on this one while researching ancient Greece.
We often say the dog days of summer, referring to the hottest days of summer when even a dog chooses not to move around outside in the heat. However, the expression originated with the Ancient Greeks and had nothing to do with real dogs.
The Greeks noted that Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, rose and set with the sun for 40 days in the summer, the hottest time of the year. A shining star and the sun together magnified the heat! According to Greek mythology, Sirius was the dog of Orion, so they called Sirius the dog star. The bright dog star next to the sun created 40 days of intense heat known as the days of the dog star.
Sometime in 1500s England, the expression, the dog days of summer, was penned.
So, as long as it is hot outside, why not relax with your canine companion and a good book? Choose from Alison’s seven Books!
Oh, and I’m almost finished with my research for a historical novel set in . . . you guessed it: ancient Greece! 😊
