Greek Mythology Constellation Myths

Theme In ancient times, human studied the stars for guidance in planting crops, navigating the high seas even telling time. As the seasons changed, people noticed fixed groupings of stars moving through the sky known today as constellations. Looking at these star patterns, people pictured animals, heroic figures even monsters.

Orion

Characters- Orion ORION was the legendary great hunter of the Greek mythology and with the ability to walk on water by his father Poseidon.

Characters-Artemis ARTEMIS is the daughter of Leto and Zeus, and the twin of Apollo. And the goddess of the wilderness, the hunt and wild animals, and fertility.

Characters- Apollo APOLLO was the great Olympian god of prophecy and oracles, healing, plague and disease, music, song and poetry, archery, and the protection of the young.

Characters-Gaia GAIA, known as Earth or Mother Earth. She was an early earth goddess.

Plot Orion was a talented hunter and son of the god Poseidon. He was so proud of his ability as a hunter that he boasted of his ability to kill anything. Artemis, the great hunter of goddess. Upon seeing Orion for the first time, she saw the talent of his hunting skill, and desired to hunt with him. As an Olympian goddess, this was extremely inappropriate, and her brother Apollo knew that if Artemis hunt with Orion, she would lose her power and image as a great goddess, and Apollo determined to keep his sister from Orion.

Plot Then, Apollo asked Gaia, Mother Earth, to help him. Later, Gaia, sent the scorpion to kill the hunter who threatened her creatures. And so, one day when Artemis was busy elsewhere in the world, Apollo sent a giant scorpion to attack Orion. Orion fought the scorpion bravely, but wasn't able to win the fight, so he attempted to flee. Being the son of the sea-god, Orion attempted to flee the scorpion by running into, and on top of, the ocean.

Plot However, Apollo cheated Artemis to kill Orion by asking her showing the skill of hunting. Orion then killed by Artemis. When Artemis learned what happened, she was very upset with her brother, and together they put Orion's body into the skies so that she could always remember him. Afterwards, however, Apollo also put the scorpion into the skies as well, calling it Scorpio. So, in the Greek sky, whenever Scorpio started to rise during the change of seasons, you could see Orion going down on the other horizon.

Callisto

Characters-Callisto CALLISTO was a nymph of Artemis. Transformed into a bear and set among the stars, she was the bear-mother of the Arcadians, through her son Arcas.

Characters- Zeus ZEUS was the god of the sky and ruler of the Olympian gods. He is married to Hera, but is famous for his many affairs.

Characters- Hera HERA is Zeus wife and sister. Most stories concerning Hera have to do with her jealous revenge for Zeus's infidelities.

Characters-Arcas ARCAS was son of Callisto and Zeus. As soon as he was born, his mother was changed into a bear by the vengeful Hera.

Plot Callisto was a nymph who was associated with the goddess of the hunt, Artemis. While Callisto spent her days and nights with Artemis, she caught the eye of Zeus. Callisto became pregnant, and wandered off to have her child alone. Hera decided that this was the time to exact her revenge. She gripped Callisto's hair and threw her to the ground where the new mother was transformed into a bear.

Plot The child that Callisto had had grown up to be a fine hunter himself. When Arcas was out hunting as a young man he encountered the bear. Callisto recognized the youth as her son. Forgetting her present form, she tried to come near him, but her arms were now strong, furry paws, and her once voice was now a rumbling growl. The bear scared Arcas, and he took aim at her with his spear. Zeus then intervened. He placed Callisto in the sky as the constellation Ursa Major, or "great bear," and then took Arcas and placed him in the sky near his mother as Ursa Minor, the "little bear."

Andromeda

Characters- Cassiopeia CASSIOPEIA was Andromeda's mother and king Cepheus’ wife, who bragged about her beauty to the degree that she considered herself better-looking than the sea-nymphs.

Characters- Andromeda ANDROMEDA was the daughter of Cassiopeia and Cepheus, the king of Ethiopia. Andromeda's mother claimed that they were more beautiful than the sea nymphs

Characters- Poseidon POSEIDON, the God of the sea, protector of all waters. Poseidon is the brother of Zeus.

Characters- Sea Monsters-Cetus CETUS was a sea-monster sent by Poseidon to ravage the land of Ethiopia as punishment for Queen Cassiopeia's hubristic boast.

Characters- Cepheus CEPHEUS was king of a land called Ethiopia in Greek myth. He had a wife named Cassiopeia and a daughter, Andromeda.

Characters- Perseus PERSEUS was one of the most celebrated of the Greek heroes. He spied the princess Andromeda chained to the rocks as a sacrifice to a sea- monster. Perseus slew the monster, and rescued the girl, bringing her back as his bride.

Plot King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopea of Ethiopia had a beautiful daughter named Andromeda. The Queen was very foolish and boasted that she was more beautiful than the goddesses of the sea. Poseidon, god of the sea was very angered so he sent the sea monster Cetus to destroy the Ethiopian coast. King Cepheus asked for the oracle that Poseidon could only be appeased if sacrificing his daughter, Andromeda to the sea monster. King Cepheus sadly chained Andromeda to a rock on the shore.

Plot At this time, Perseus saw the princess. At first glance, Perseus instantly fell in love with Andromeda. Upon hearing the story of the princess, Perseus decided to save her. The monster then appeared and savagely rushed toward the helpless princess. Perseus arrived and pulled out the head of Medusa. The monster Cetus was immediately cursed and his head turned to stone. Perseus released the princess Andromeda.

Plot By saving the princess Andromeda, Perseus asked to marry the princess. However, Cepheus and Cassiopeia, refused their marriage and tried to kill Perseus. Therefore, Perseus taking out the head of Medusa, turned everyone against him also the king and the queen into stone. After their death, Andromeda and Perseus were placed among the stars as the constellations. The monster who was sent to ravage Ethiopia was also turned into a constellation, Cetus. Cassiopeia was placed among the stars, situated between the constellations Cepheus and Andromeda. However, they had her placed with her head downward.

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