in ASTRONOMY, one of the planets of our solar system, revolving at the distance of more than 900 millions of miles from the sun. See ASTRONOMY Index.

in CHEMISTRY, an appellation formerly given to lead.

in HERALDRY, denotes the black colour in blazoning the arms of sovereign princes.

one of the principal of the Pagan deities, was the son of Caelus and Terra, and the father of Jupiter. He deposed and castrated his father; and obliged his brother Titan to resign his crown to him, on condition of his bringing up none of his male issue, that the succession might at length devolve on him. For this purpose he devoured all the sons he had by his wife Rhea or Cybele: but she bringing forth at one time Jupiter and Juno, she presented the latter to her husband, and sent the boy to be nursed on Mount Ida; when Saturn being informed of her having a son, demanded the child; but in his stead his wife gave him a stone swaddled up like an infant, which he instantly swallowed. Titan finding that Saturn had violated the contract he had made with him, put himself at the head of his children, and made war on his brother, and having made him and Cybele prisoners, confined them in Tartarus: but Jupiter being in the mean time grown up, raised an army in Crete, went to his father's assistance, defeated Titan, and restored Saturn to the throne. Some time after, Saturn being told that Jupiter intended to dethrone him, endeavoured to prevent it; but the latter being informed of his intention, deposed his father, and threw him into Tartarus. But Saturn escaping from thence fled into Italy, where he was kindly received by Janus king of the country, who afflicated him to the government: whence Italy obtained the name of Saturnia Tellus; as also that of Latium, from latro, "to lie hid." There Saturn, by the wisdom and mildness of his government, is said to have produced the golden age.

Saturn is represented as an old man with four wings, armed with a lyre; sometimes he is delineated under the figure of a serpent with its tail in its mouth. This is emblematic of the serpents, which roll perpetually in the same circle. Sometimes also Saturn is painted with a wand-glas in his hand. The Greeks say, that the story of his mutilating his father and destroying his children is an allegory, which signifies, that Time devours the past and present, and will also devour the future. The Romans, in honour of him, built a temple, and celebrated a festival which they called Saturnalia. During this festival no business or profession was allowed to be carried on except cookery; all distinctions of rank ceased; slaves could say what they pleased to their masters with impunity; they could even rally them with their faults before their faces.