The SCORPIO Myth

Artemis was the daughter of the god Zeus and twin sister to Apollo. According to legend, as soon as she was born she asked Zeus for a hunter’s clothes and a hunter’s weapons. He gave her a wondrous golden bow and a quiver full of the finest arrows. When she was old enough she went to live in the wilds of Arcadia and devoted herself to hunting, sport and exercise. She had no other interests and definitely no time for men.
Orion was the son of Poseidon, the sea god. He was also a giant and so more than mortal but less than a god. He was immensely strong and very handsome, however he was guilty of what the Greeks called hubris, an overweening pride and arrogance. He thought too highly of himself and did not show proper respect to the immortals.
Artemis began to hear about this giant and how he claimed that, not only was he the best archer in the world, but the mightiest hunter. Artemis went in search of this boastful giant to suggest a competition to prove who was the best. She was surprised to find, when they finally met, that despite her indifference to all men she liked Orion.
They had much in common and talked for hours and hours about the finer aspects of stalking deer, trapping bears and the best way to train hunting dogs. They began to boast that with their combined power they could rid the earth of all wild beasts and monsters.
Apollo, the brother of Artemis, was very protective of his sister and fearing she would fall in love with Orion tricked her into believing that, behind her back, the giant was still boasting that he was a better archer than the goddess. Of all the immortals she was probably the worst one to get on the wrong side of. Once angered she was ruthless and showed no mercy. She summoned a giant scorpion to attack Orion. The battle was formidable, the giant just managing to keep his shield in between himself and the scorpion’s deadly sting. However, no matter what Orion tried, sword, spear or arrows, he failed to penetrate the scorpion’s armoured body.
Eventually Orion lost his footing and his shield flew from his grip and rolled away out of his reach. With frightening speed the scorpion struck, fatally poisoning the fallen warrior. As soon as the scorpion struck a veil lifted from Artemis’ eyes and she realised she had been tricked. Cradling her friend’s head in her arms she held him until all life drained from his body.
To atone for her mistake, the remorseful goddess sent her dead companion into the heavens. Seeing this, Apollo placed the scorpion alongside Orion in the sky where the mighty hunter is eternally pursued by the poisonous scorpion.