Orion

Orion was a legendary giant huntsman in Greek mythology who was immortalized as a constellation in the night sky by Zeus or Artemis. His story varies across ancient sources, with multiple versions of both his birth and death.

The major episodes in Orion's mythology include his birth in Boeotia, his encounter with Merope in Chios (whom he raped), his subsequent blinding by Merope's father, the restoration of his sight on Lemnos, his hunting adventures with Artemis on Crete, and his death—either by Artemis's bow or a giant scorpion's sting (which became the constellation Scorpius). Most ancient accounts include only some of these events, making it difficult to determine whether omissions represent brevity or conflicting traditions.

Orion first appears in Greek literature in Homer's Odyssey as a mighty hunter whose shade Odysseus encounters in the underworld. While Hellenistic and Roman mythographers preserved elements of his story, no complete literary account of his adventures exists comparable to those of other Greek heroes. The fragmentary nature of his mythology has made it a rich subject for scholarly interpretation regarding Greek prehistory and mythological traditions.

In ancient Greek culture, Orion served multiple purposes: he was known primarily as a hunter of legendary adventures, represented the constellation bearing his name, received hero veneration in Boeotia, and was credited in one origin story with creating the current geography of the Strait of Sicily.