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Main article: Orion (mythology)Orion in the 9th century Leiden Aratea. Orion's current name derives from Greek mythology, in which Orion was a gigantic, supernaturally strong hunter of ancient times, born to Euryale, a Gorgon, and Poseidon (Neptune), god of the sea in the Graeco-Roman tradition. One myth recounts [[Gaia]]'s rage at Orion, who dared to say that he would kill every animal on the planet. The angry goddess tried to dispatch Orion with a scorpion. This is given as the reason that the constellations of Scorpius and Orion are never in the sky at the same time. However, [[Ophiuchus]], the Serpent Bearer, revived [[Orion]] with an antidote. This is said to be the reason that the constellation of Ophiuchus stands midway between the Scorpion and the Hunter in the sky. | Main article: Orion (mythology)Orion in the 9th century Leiden Aratea. Orion's current name derives from Greek mythology, in which Orion was a gigantic, supernaturally strong hunter of ancient times, born to Euryale, a Gorgon, and Poseidon (Neptune), god of the sea in the Graeco-Roman tradition. One myth recounts [[Gaia]]'s rage at Orion, who dared to say that he would kill every animal on the planet. The angry goddess tried to dispatch Orion with a scorpion. This is given as the reason that the constellations of Scorpius and Orion are never in the sky at the same time. However, [[Ophiuchus]], the Serpent Bearer, revived [[Orion]] with an antidote. This is said to be the reason that the constellation of Ophiuchus stands midway between the Scorpion and the Hunter in the sky. | ||
The constellation is mentioned in Horace's Odes (Ode 3.27.18), Homer's Odyssey (Book 5, line 283) and Iliad, and Virgil'sAeneid (Book 1, line 535). | The constellation is mentioned in Horace's Odes (Ode 3.27.18), Homer's Odyssey (Book 5, line 283) and Iliad, and Virgil'sAeneid (Book 1, line 535). | ||
Orion had a number of titles signifying the word 'giant': The Jews called Orion Gibbor, the Giant. "The Syrians knew Orion as Gabbara; the Arabians as Al Jabbar, both signifying 'the Giant', Gigas, giant, Greek title for Orion with Ptolemy, — and in Latin days occasionally Gigas; the Arabian word gradually being turned intoAlgebra (the prefix al- means 'the'), Algebaro, and, especially in poetry, Algebar, which Chilmead gave as Algibbar (Al Gibbar, 'the giant')". Our words giant and gigantic, and the word giga- (prefix meaning a billion) come from Latin gagas, Greek gigas. Orion is referred to as 'earthborn' because the gods Zeus, Hermes and Poseidon urinated into a bull's hide and buried it in the earth. In Greek mythology the gigantes were (according to the poet Hesiod) the children of Uranos and Gaea (the Heaven and the Earth). The prefix gi- of 'giant', is believed to come from Gaia, or Gaea, meaning earth, Gaea-antis. <ref>[http://www.constellationsofwords.com/Constellations/Orion.html Constellations of Words]</ref> | |||
==HGS Session References== | ==HGS Session References== | ||