Cancer
the Crab
The association of Cancer with water dates
back to the very dawn of astrology and the Ancients believed
at one time that Cancer was the first Sign of the Zodiac
because this was the entrance of life from the heavens to
the primal ocean mother. Its actual placement within the
Zodiac, however, relates to a relatively minor chapter in
Greek Mythology and is associated with the one of the legendary
Twelve Labours of Heracles (known to the Romans as Hercules).
As his Second Labour, Heracles went to do battle with the
fearsome, nine-headed serpent monster known as the Hydra
that lived in the marshes of Lerna.
During the fight, all the animals favoured
the hero but a giant Crab sent by the Goddess Hera (Queen
of Olympus and the one who had dispatched Heracles to perform
his twelve tasks, hoping he would not survive them) emerged
from a cave and took a claw-hold upon the toe of the hero,
thereby drawing his attention away from the Hydra. Due to
this distraction, Heracles very nearly lost the battle but,
after crushing the life from the unfortunate Crab, returned
to the fight and eventually defeated the serpent. Impressed
by its loyalty and courage, Hera (who frequently encouraged
Heracles' failure in his appointed labours) placed the image
of the Crab in the night sky. Since the Hydra had been a
favourite of Hera, it was equally honoured upon its death
and placed in the heavens, not far from the location of
Cancer.
There are varying reasons to explain why
the constellation of Cancer contains no bright stars. One
is that the creature was too badly crushed by Heracles and
another is that although Hera applauded the Crab's valiant
effort to turn the tide in favour of the Hydra during the
battle, it did nonetheless fail in its task and therefore,
the Goddess withheld the award of distinctive illumination.
Thus, it is the most inconspicuous constellation in the
Zodiac.
Among the stars of Cancer is a small grouping
known as the Asses, which appear on the back of the Crab's
shell. According to legend, Hera had driven the God Dionysus
insane and he roamed through Egypt and Syria in the midst
of his madness. He attempted to recover his sanity by visiting
Dodona in order to ask the Oracle of Zeus what he should
do. As he came to a large swamp, he encountered two Asses,
captured them and rode them over the swamp, thereby avoiding
getting wet. Upon reaching the other side, Dionysus realized
that he was cured and rewarded the Asses by placing them
in the heavens. Another explanation for the Asses grouping
of stars in the constellation of Cancer states that during
the war between the Olympians and the Titans, Dionysus,
Hephaestus and the Satyrs rode into battle upon Asses. Their
braying and the confusion they caused made the Giants flee
and for these reasons, they were given a place in the heavens
on the Western side of Cancer.
Some sources suggest that astrologers later
added the Crab to the ancient Hydra myth in order to have
the Twelve Labours of Heracles reflect the Twelve Signs
of the Zodiac. However, it is difficult to associate all
of Heracles' tasks with the Zodiac and it seems almost certain
that the Crab did indeed figure in the original version
of the legend of Heracles' Second Labour. In Malaysian myth,
Cancer was the "First and Only Crab" which existed
long ago. This huge crustacean lived in a deep hole in the
sea and was so large that her comings and going caused the
ocean tides. |
