| Scorpio | |
|---|---|
 | |
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Other Names |
Scorpius, Scorpio |
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First Appearance |
Greek Myth |
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Created by |
Greek Myth |
Origin[]
Scorpio (♏︎) is the eighth astrological sign in the zodiac, originating from the constellation of Scorpius. It spans 210–240° ecliptic longitude. Under the tropical zodiac (most commonly used in Western astrology), the Sun transits this sign on average from October 23 to November 21. Depending on which zodiac system one uses, someone born under the influence of Scorpio may be called a Scorpio or a Scorpionic.
Scorpius is a zodiac constellation located in the Southern celestial hemisphere, where it sits near the center of the Milky Way, between Libra to the west and Sagittarius to the east. Scorpius is an ancient constellation whose recognition predates Greek culture; it is one of the 48 constellations identified by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the second century.
Scorpio is one of the water signs, the others being Cancer and Pisces. It is a fixed, negative sign. Scorpio's colors are deep red, maroon, black, and brown.
In Greek mythology, several myths associated with Scorpius attribute it to Orion. According to one version, Orion boasted to the goddess Artemis and her mother, Leto, that he would kill every animal on Earth. Artemis and Leto sent a scorpion to kill Orion. Their battle caught the attention of Zeus, who raised both combatants to the sky to serve as a reminder for mortals to curb their excessive pride.
In another version of the myth, Artemis' twin brother, Apollo, was the one who sent the scorpion to kill Orion after the hunter earned the goddess' favor by admitting she was better than him. After Zeus raised Orion and the scorpion to the sky, the former hunts every winter but flees every summer when the scorpion comes. In both versions, Artemis asked Zeus to raise Orion.
In a Greek myth without Orion, the celestial scorpion encountered Phaethon while he was driving his father Helios' Sun Chariot.
Public Domain Literary Appearances[]
All published appearances of Scorpio before January 1, 1930 are in the public domain in the US.
Some notable appearances are listed below:
- Hesiod, Astronomy Fragments
- Phaenomena
- Astronomica
- Fasti