Sagittarius (constellation)

Originally posted to Shrubbery, 19 Oct 2003

Sagittarius, the ninth zodiacal constellation, represents a centaur, the half-man half-horse beast of Greek mythology. The centaurs arose when Ixion, king of Thessaly, lusted after the goddess Hera. Zeus caught wind of this and sent a cloud representing her in her place. The result of this tryst was Kentauros, who in turn mated with the mares of Thessaly and created the race of centaurs.

Exactly which centaur is represented by Sagittarius is debatable. Some say it is the wise Chiron, teacher of Achilles and Jason (he might be the constellation Centaurus, though). Others say it is a drunk, violent centaur battling with the Lapiths.

Another centaur story involves the hero Heracles. His second wife Deianira had been abducted by the centaur Nessus after he had offered to carry her across the river Euenus on his back. Heracles shot the centaur with a poisoned arrow, and in revenge the dying Nessus told Deianira to save some of his blood to use as a love potion if she ever suspected Heracles of being unfaithful. Later, when Deianira suspected another woman of coming between her and her husband, she washed a piece of Heracles' clothing in the blood to win him back. When he put it on, however, the blood poisoned him. In his agonies Heracles built a large funeral pyre and threw himself on the flames. Since he was part immortal he couldn't die, but Zeus rescued him from his pain and took him up to Olympus as a god.