Sirius astrological symbol was listed by Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa. Many cultures have historically attached special significance to Sirius, particularly in relation to dogs. It is often colloquially called the "Dog Star" as the brightest star of Canis Major, the "Great Dog" constellation. It was classically depicted as Orion's dog. The Ancient Greeks thought that Sirius's emanations could affect dogs adversely, making them behave abnormally during the "dog days," the hottest days of the summer. The Romans knew these days as "dies caniculares", and the star Sirius was called Canicula, "little dog." The excessive panting of dogs in hot weather was thought
MV Sirius Star tape specified that an unspecified cash ransom was to be delivered to "Sirius Star", where it would be counted using machines that were able to detect counterfeit bills. On 20 November, the pirates demanded a ransom having set a 10-day deadline. Mohamed Said stated: "We do not want long-term discussions to resolve the matter. The Saudis have 10 days to comply, otherwise we will take action that could be disastrous." The then Foreign Secretary David Miliband ruled out the UK paying any form of ransom, saying "There is a strong view of the British Government, and actually the international community,