The constellation Scorpius jumps out at you from the July sky—much like the deadly insect that jumped out at the ancient Greek, Orion.
Orion was not only the most handsome of men; he also thought himself the greatest of hunters.
“The world has never known a hunter as mighty as I,” boasted Orion. “I will hunt all the wild beasts of this earth until not a one roams the land.”
Apollo overheard Orion’s boasts and, wishing to cause him trouble, reported what he had heard to Mother Earth.
“I will show Orion the foolishness of such vain claims,” said Mother Earth. “I will place in his path the tiny scorpion to bring his giant pride down to size.”
One day Orion was hunting with Artemis, the goddess of the moon and of the hunt. As Orion stalked a wild beast, a scorpion stung him in the foot and killed him.
“Oh, great Zeus, I loved the powerful Orion!” exclaimed Artemis. “I beg you to honor him and place his image in the stars as a constellation. In this way I will still see him every night as he crosses the skies.”
“Zeus, if you place the prideful Orion in the skies you must do equal honor to the tiny scorpion that brought him down,” demanded Mother Earth.
Zeus placed both Orion and the scorpion in the skies but wisely kept the enemies far apart. It is for this reason that when Scorpius is high in the summer skies Orion is nowhere to be seen. In the winter Scorpius retreats and Orion then rules the heavens.
