ORI ON, in Greek mythology, was a gigantic hunter, and reputed the handsomest mart in the world. His parentage is differently given. According to the commonly received myth, he was the son of Hyrieus of Hyria, in Bceotia, and was called in his own coun try Kandaon. Another account makes him a sou of Poseidon and Euryale, while some state that he was Autochthono, or "earth-born." So immense was his size, that when he waded through the deepest seas he was still a head and shoulders above the water; and when he walked on dry land, his stature reached the clouds. Once on a time he came to Chios, in the YEgean sea, where he fell in rove with tEro or Merope, daughter of CEnopion. lie cleared the isle of wild beasts, and brought their skins as presents to his sweetheart; but her father always put off their marriage; whereupon *Orion, one day giving way to passion (when tinder the influence of wine), sought to take the maiden by force. (Enopion now called upon Dionysus (Bacchus) for help, who put out the eyes of the inebriate lover. Orion, however, recovered his sight in Lemnos, by following the advice of an oracle, and returned to Chios to take vengeance on (Enopion. Not finding
him, he went to Crete, where lie spent the rest of his life hunting in company with Arte mis (Diana). The cause and manner of his death are differently related. Artemis, say some, slew him with an arrow, because Eos, inflamed by his beauty, had carried him off to Ortygia, and thereby offended the gods. Others aver that Artemis, virgin-goddess though she was, cherished an affection for him, that made her brother Apollo fiercely indignant. One day, pointing out to her at sea a black object floating in the water, he told her that he did not believe she could hit it. Artemis, not recognizing her favorite, drew her bow, and pierced him through the head; a third myth makes him find his death from the sting of a scorpion. Asklepios (sEsculapins) wished to restore him to life, but was slain by a bolt of Zeus. After his death, Orion was placed with his hound among the stars, where, to this day, the most splendid constellation in the heavens bears his name.