Bulfinch’s Mythology · Chapter
Orion explained
Orion, son of Neptune, is a handsome giant and mighty hunter who loves Merope but is blinded by her father Oenopion after attempting to take her by force.
What happens
Orion, son of Neptune, is a handsome giant and mighty hunter who loves Merope but is blinded by her father Oenopion after attempting to take her by force. Guided by Vulcan's servant Kedalion, Orion regains his sight from the sun-god. He becomes a hunter and favorite of Diana, but Apollo tricks Diana into shooting him. Diana places Orion among the stars, along with his dog Sirius and the fleeing Pleiads, who were turned into pigeons and then a constellation by Jupiter.
Themes in this chapter
Hubris and Divine Retribution
Orion's violent attempt to seize Merope leads to his blinding by Oenopion, a punishment for his hubris.
Love and Transformation
Orion's love for Merope and pursuit of the Pleiads result in transformations: the Pleiads become pigeons and stars, and Orion himself is placed among the stars after death.
Mortality and Immortality
Orion's mortal death is transcended by Diana placing him among the stars, granting him a form of immortality.
Characters to notice
- Neptune
Father of Orion, gave him power over the sea.
- Vulcan
Took pity on the blinded Orion and gave him Kedalion as a guide.
- Phoebus Apollo
Sun-god who restored Orion's sight; later tricked Diana into shooting Orion.
- Diana
Favorite of Orion; accidentally killed him and placed him among the stars.
- Jupiter
Turned the Pleiads into pigeons and then into a constellation.
- Atlas
Father of the Pleiads.
Key passages
“Orion was the son of Neptune. He was a handsome giant and a mighty hunter. His father gave him the power of wading through the depths of the sea, or, as others say, of walking on its surface.”
Orion, the son of Neptune, was a handsome giant and skilled hunter who could walk on water or wade through the sea.
Introduces Orion's divine parentage and supernatural ability.
“The blinded hero followed the sound of a Cyclops’ hammer till he reached Lemnos, and came to the forge of Vulcan, who, taking pity on him, gave him Kedalion, one of his men, to be his guide to the abode of the sun.”
The blind Orion followed the sound of a Cyclops' hammer to Vulcan's forge on Lemnos, where Vulcan pitied him and provided Kedalion as a guide to the sun.
Describes Orion's journey to regain his sight.
“One day, observing Orion wading through the sea with his head just above the water, Apollo pointed it out to his sister and maintained that she could not hit that black thing on the sea. The archer-goddess discharged a shaft with fatal aim.”
Apollo tricked Diana into shooting Orion by pointing out his head above the water and challenging her archery skills.
Apollo's deception leads to Orion's accidental death.
“The waves rolled the dead body of Orion to the land, and bewailing her fatal error with many tears, Diana placed him among the stars, where he appears as a giant, with a girdle, sword, lion’s skin, and club.”
Diana mourned her mistake and placed Orion's body among the stars as a constellation, depicted as a giant with a girdle, sword, lion's skin, and club.
Orion's transformation into a constellation.
“The Pleiads were daughters of Atlas, and nymphs of Diana’s train. One day Orion saw them and became enamoured and pursued them. In their distress they prayed to the gods to change their form, and Jupiter in pity turned them into pigeons, and then made them a constellation in the sky.”
The Pleiads, daughters of Atlas and nymphs of Diana, were pursued by Orion and prayed for escape; Jupiter turned them into pigeons and later into a constellation.
Origin of the Pleiades constellation.
