Orion and Scorpio
1600x1300mm
oil on canvas
2026
First mentioned:
Iliad ca. 750-700 BCE
The story of Orion the hunter
Zeus, Hermes, and Poseidon once came to the house of Hyrieus, an old man who welcomed them despite his poverty. When they asked what he desired most, he confessed that he longed for a son. The gods granted his wish, and Orion was born from their divine power.
As he grew, Orion became renowned for his strength, beauty, and skill as a hunter. He fell in love with Merope, the daughter of King Oenopion, and sought to marry her. Enraged, the king punished him by having him blinded while he slept.
Orion wandered into exile until he learned that the rays of the rising sun could restore his sight. Accompanied by a Cyclops, whom he carried on his shoulders to serve as his eyes, he journeyed eastward. When the first light of dawn touched his eyes, his vision returned.
Seeing clearer than ever, Orion came to love Artemis, goddess of the hunt. They shared a deep bond through their love of the wilderness and the hunt. But Orion's pride eventually angered the gods. He boasted that he could kill every creature on Earth. Gaia, the Earth herself, sent a scorpion against him. In the ensuing struggle, the creature struck Orion with its venomous sting, killing him.
Artemis mourned her beloved and asked Zeus to place him among the stars. Zeus agreed—and placed the scorpion in the heavens as well, forever pursuing Orion across the night sky, but never quite catching him.
