Her star chart (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine, Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg).

One of the 88 IAU constellations.

Etymology and History

The Greek constellation ...

Origin of Constellation

Babylonian

Greco-Roman

Aratos

Near it there circles a figure like a man toiling. No one is able to say definitely [65] what it is or on what task the man is intent, but they just call him the man on his knees; again, labouring on its knees, the figure looks like a man crouching. From both his shoulders arms are raised and extend in different directions to a full stretch. He has the tip of his right foot above the mid-point of the tortuous Dragon’s head. (Kidd 1997)

Eratosthenes

Var. 1 (Τοῦ ἐν γόρασιν): It appears to be Heracles trampling the Serpent underfoot. The hero can be clearly seen brandishing his club and wrapped in his lion skin. It is said that, on his quest for the golden apples, he killed the snake that had been placed there as a guardian. Hera had placed it there precisely so that it would confront Heracles. This is why, once this extremely perilous task had been completed, Zeus deemed the ordeal worthy of remembrance and placed the image among the constellations. On one side is the snake, raising its head; on the other, Heracles, trampling it underfoot, immobilising it under one knee while crushing its head with his other foot, brandishing his club in his right hand as if he were about to strike it, while his left arm is wrapped in his lion's skin. He has a shining star on his head, one on his right arm, one on each shoulder, one on his left elbow, one at the end of his arm, one on each side -the brightest being the one on the left flank-, two on the right thigh, one on the bent knee, two on the calf, one on the foot, one above the the right hand, called ‘the Mace’, and four on the lion's skin. In all, nineteen.

Var. 2 (Τοῦ ἐν γόρασιν): It shows Heracles trampling underfoot the Serpent. One <distinguishes clearly> the hero's posture, protected by his lion skin. It is said that he <set out> in search of the golden apples, and killed <the snake> which had been put there as a guard, at the cost of many difficulties. For the snake had a great many different voices, was of exceptional size, of impressive strength, and sleep had no hold on it. <...> This Heracles has a star on his head, one on his arm, one shining on each shoulder, one on his left elbow <...>, one on his calf, <one> under his right hand called ‘the Mace’. Thirteen in all.

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Hipparchus

Hyginus, Astronomica

Eratosthenes says he is Hercules, placed above the dragon we have already mentioned, and prepared to fight, with his left hand holding his lion skin, and his right the club. He is trying to kill the dragon of the Hesperides, which, it is thought, never was overcome by sleep or closed its eyes, thus offering more proof it was placed there as a guard. Panyassis in the Heraclea says of the sign that Jupiter, in admiration of their struggle, placed it among the stars; for the dragon has its head erect, and Hercules, resting on his right knee, tires to crush the right side of its head with his left foot. His right hand is up and striking, his left extended with the lion skin, and he appears to be fighting with all his strength. Although Aratus says no one can prove who he is, nevertheless we shall try to show that we can say something reasonable.

Araethus, as we said before, calls this figure Ceteus, son of Lycaon, and father of Megisto. He seems to be lamenting the change of his daughter to bear form, kneeling on one knee, and holding up outstretched hands to heaven, asking for the gods to restore her to him.

Hegesianax, however, says that he is Theseus, who seems to be lifting the stone at Troezene. Aegeus is thought to have put [corrupt] and a sword under it, and warned Aethra, the mother, not to send him to Athens until he could lift the stone by his own strength and bring the sword to his father. And so he seems to try to lift the stone as high as he can. In this connection, too, some have said that the Lyre, placed nearest this sign, is the lyre of Theseus, for he was skilful in all the arts and seems to have learned the lyre as well. This, too, Anacreon says: Near Theseus, son of Aegeus, is the Lyre.

Others call him Thamyris, blinded by the Muses, kneeling as a suppliant; others, Orpheus, killed by the Thracian women because he looked on the rites of Father Liber.

But Aeschylus, in the play entitled Prometheus Lyomenos , says that he is Hercules, fighting not with the dragon, but with the Ligurians. For he says that at the time Hercules was driving away the cattle of Geryon, he journeyed through the territory of the Ligurians. They joined forces in trying to take the herd from him, and pierced many of the beasts [?] with arrows. But after Hercules' weapons failed, worn out by the number of the barbarians and lack of arms, he fell to his knees, already suffering from many wounds. Jove, however, out of pity for his son, provided that there should be a great supply of stones around him. With these Hercules defended himself and put the enemy to flight. And so Jove put he image of his fighting form among the constellations.

Again, some have said that he is Ixion with his arms bound, because he tried to attack Juno.

Others say he is Prometheus, bound on Mt. Caucasus. (Mary Ward 1960)

Geminos

Almagest Ἐγγόνασι.

Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

Mythology

Weblinks

References

• References (general)
• References (Babylonian)
• References (ancient Greco-Roman)
• References (medieval)