[quote]Originally posted by HighMaxOmega
Well, I'm doing research on the used constellation names and such, and here's what I found:
Well done, mind if I add to it?
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Andromeda is a constellation, but more importantly, Andromeda, in mythology, was the name of the daughter of Cepheus (also a constellation). :O And lo, what's the FM king's name? Cepheus!
She was also chained to a rock to be sacrificed to a sea monster for her mother's bragging; she was then saved from death by Perseus, whom she later married.
Awwwwww.
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Cygnus is the swan. In mythology, gods became swans to get others to find them more likable. Hmm... that seems like the dilemma most of the characters were in, no? They had no friends - and Tom fit the part perfectly.
Zeus seduced Leda, who gave birth to the Gemini, Helen of Troy, and Clytemnestra, all while in swan-form.
Orpheus turned into a swan after he was murdered, and was placed into the sky next to his lyre.
Then, this king named Cycnus had a love affair with Apollo's son, Phaëthon. Phaëthon tricked his dad into letting him ride the Sun Chariot, but Zeus got pissed and blew him up. Cycnus was sad and kept divining into the the river Eridanus to find his remains and give Phaëthon a proper burial. He dove so often he turned into Cygnus and can be seen in the sky to this day.
And it, with some of the other zodiac signs are some important part of the origin of the Stymphalian Birds, which were one of Heracles' twelve labors.
In China, the constellation signals the once-a-year bridge, which unites the (literally) star-crossed lovers Niu Lang and Zhi Nu.
And there was another Greek tale where three people named Cygnus all ended up becoming swans.
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Cancer is the crab. Duh. In mythology, it is commanded by Hydra to attack Heracles (Hercules) and it bites his foot - needless to say it was killed the instant after it did that. Not much of a connection here, but C-Bubble was like a little kid biting at your foot at times... >.>
Like you said, it's part of the origin of the Lernaean Hydra, one of the Twelve Labours of Heracles (Hercules). Although Hera sent it during the fight, not the Hydra.
Because of it's position in the sky, especially during the Winter Solstice, it's said to have been the Akkadian Sun of the South. Then it became associated with the fourth month (roughly June-July by today's standards) and was known as the Northern Gate of Sun. It doesn't show many stars, so it was often considered a "dark sign".
Interestingly, it has a connection to Alchemy, in that Cancer became associated with the process of dissolution.
Also extremely badass.
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Lyra is the Lyre, an instrument played by Apollo, god of music. He was able to play music so well that people had to stop and listen. Harp Note's music makes people stop - but because it is painful, not extremely good. :P
The constellation used to be a vulture before it became a lyre. Not important, but whatever.
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Libra are the scales. Hm, no connection to mythology whatsoever, but on the autumnal equinox, the sun passes through the constellation, when the hours of day and night are equal.
Not much to be said, since Libra is the youngest of the Zodiac. Only thing really, is that it was once part of Scorpio (the claws) and then after that, part of Virgo (the scales) Only after that did it become its own.
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Gemini shares an interesting connection - once, the two boys loved each other. Okay. Then, one died, and the immortal half-brother wished to follow his twin into Hades. So Zeus then decided the two would share the two realms of Hades and Olympus, alternating each day, much like how Pat and Rey alternate in the same body.
I didn't find much on this one, so I'm just gonna go with what you've said above.
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Taurus represents the bull, which was Zeus' form when he took Europa away to Crete, like how Bud hijacked the truck - though Bud didn't do it out of love.
When he abducted her, you mean? This was also when Zeus fathered Minos, just as an aside.
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Ophiuchus (Ophiucus in-game) is the constellation of the snake keeper, found holding the Serpens constellation.
And there are many theories on who it represents. Just to take from Wiki here...
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The most recent interpretation is that the figure represents the healer Asclepius, who learned the secrets of keeping death at bay after observing one serpent bringing another (which Asclepius himself had fatally wounded) healing herbs. To prevent the entire human race from becoming immortal under Asclepius's care, Zeus killed him with a bolt of lightning, but later placed his image in the heavens to honor his good works. It has also been noted that the constellation Ophiuchus is in close proximity in the sky to that of Sagittarius, which has at times been believed to represent Chiron (the mentor of Asclepius and many other Greek demigods), though Chiron was originally associated with the constellation Centaurus.
Another possibility is that the figure represents the Trojan priest Laocoön, who was killed by a pair of sea serpents sent by the gods after he warned the Trojans not to accept the Trojan Horse. This event was also memorialized by the sculptors Agesander, Athenodoros, and Polydorus in the famous marble sculpture Laocoön and his Sons, which stands in the Vatican Museums.
A third possibility is Apollo wrestling with the Python to take control of the oracle at Delphi.
There is also the story of Phorbas, a Thessalonikan who rescued the people of the island of Rhodes from a plague of serpents and was granted a place in the sky in honor of this deed.
Rich histories, those are.
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