Orion (Ωριων) one of the greatest hunter's in Greek Mythology. Once a follower of Artemis, that was later turn into a constellation by Zeus after death.
Myth[]
Birth[]
Stories of Orion's birth vary. He is generally held to have been the son of the god Poseidon, who gave him the ability to walk on water. Other sources indicate that he was born to Gaea and a cowhide that was either ejaculated or urinated on by Zeus, Hermes and Poseidon
Blindness[]
One day while he was visiting Chios, he saw and fell in love with the princess, Merope. Her father told him he may marry her if he could clear the island of wild beasts. Orion did so, and asked again for her hand in marriage. Her father still told him no, and he tried to kidnap her in a flurry of anger. He was blinded in the process, and was exiled from Chios, treated like a criminal.
Having asked how he could regain his sight, he followed the instruction of a Satyr and wandered across the sea towards the dawn, eventually arriving at the forge where Hephaistos worked, and pleaded for help. Hephaistos told Cedalion to escort him to palace of Helios. Cedalion did so, and Helios restored his sight. Orion then went back to Chios, wishing to kill the king. He offered his daughter to Orion, but Orion didn't care for her any more. Before he could kill him, he became distracted, and the king hid underground.
Death[]
There are many differing accounts of how Orion died, though most agree that after Orion's death, Zeus turned him in to the constellation Orion. In one, Orion and Artemis became hunting partners, and hunted many animals and monsters together. Apollo, either jealous of his sister's infatuation or wishing to keep her vow, sent a scorpion, Skorpius, to kill him. The scorpion stabbed him in the heel, killing him.
In another myth, Apollo, who was jealous of Artemis' relationship with Orion challenged Artemis. He said she couldn't hit the target out in the sea, which was actually Orion swimming. Accepting the challenge, Artemis hit him with perfect accuracy, killing him.
In another myth, Gaea sent Skorpius after Orion because he was boasted that he could kill earthly anything.
In yet a fourth version, when Orion went boasted that he would kill any animal on Earth that crossed his path, Artemis sent the scorpion for though she is a hunter, she is also a protector of animals.
Zodiac[]
After the scorpion was killed, Skorpius he was placed in the sky as the costellation Scorpio.
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| Others : | Aeneas • Agenor • Cycnus • Hippolyta • Memnon • Orion • Orpheus • Polydorus • Pythagoras • Semele • Theseus | |
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