The Heavens in Myth

The Milky Way Heracles was born of Zeus and a mortal woman, Alcmene. Just before Heracles was born, Zeus boasted that a son of his blood would be born that day and rule over the House of Perseus. Hera in jealousy, arranged with Eileityia, the goddess of childbirth, to delay the delivery. Eilethyia outside her bed room with her legs and fingers tightly crossed, effectively blocking delivery. Zeus switched with an other woman who was having his child but wasn't due yet.

Zeus got Athena to bring the child to Hera, saying she found it outside the city and asked Hera to to pity him. Hera bared her breast to the baby but Heracles sucked with such force that Hera pulled her breast away.

The milk spurted across the sky and became the Milky Way.

All are constellations. Perseus and Andromeda came to Greece and reigned there. But the prowess accomplished by Perseus in Ethiopia was so extraordinary that the gods decided to commemorate the whole family putting them among the stars, and that is why there are constellations named Perseus, Cepheus and Cassiopeia.

Andromeda, who nobody could dissuade of leaving parents and country in order to follow her husband, was added to the stars, they say, at the request of Athena, and is today a constellation and galaxy. And also the sea-monster was placed among the stars, and is today the constellation called Cetus.

My HomePage

Last Modified on: