The Crab Drawn into a Battle
Compared with the other zodiac constellations, Cancer is not particularly bright and can be difficult to spot in the night sky. Its myth is much the same—brief and easily overlooked, appearing only for a moment during one of Hercules’ famous labors.
In the eastern part of the Peloponnese lies the region of Lerna, an area of lakes and marshes surrounded by damp wetlands. The air was said to be filled with mist and the smell of decay. Ancient Greeks believed that the depths of these marshes were connected to the Underworld, and few dared to approach them.
Deep within the swamp lived the Hydra. It had nine heads, and its breath was deadly. More troubling still, whenever one of its heads was cut off, two more would grow in its place, making the creature nearly impossible to kill. Then, one day, Hercules was sent to defeat the Hydra. The marshes of Lerna soon became the site of his second labor.
It was within this battle that the story of Cancer briefly appeared.
As Hercules entered the swamp, the enormous Hydra emerged from the water and mud. Its massive body stretched across the marsh, and every movement churned the surrounding waters.
Hercules quickly discovered that simply cutting off the Hydra’s heads was useless. Each time he struck one down, two more would grow from the wound, making the monster even harder to defeat. Realizing this, Hercules soon found a way to stop the Hydra. After cutting off a head, he burned the wound with a torch so it could not grow back. As more heads were destroyed, Hercules slowly took control of the battle.
It was at this moment that a crab appeared in the swamp.
Some versions of the myth say that the crab was sent by Hera to hinder Hercules. Others suggest that it was simply a creature living near Lerna that became drawn into the chaos of the battle.
As Hercules and the Hydra fought fiercely, the crab approached and clamped its pincers onto Hercules’ ankle, causing him to cry out in pain. Yet Hercules possessed immense strength. The crab’s attack had little effect on him. He merely lifted his foot and stepped down, crushing the crab into the mud without even pausing the battle.
In the end, Hercules completed his labor and finally slew the Hydra.
The crab, however, was not entirely forgotten. Though it appeared only briefly in the story, it was later placed among the stars and became the constellation Cancer.
Observation Guide
Compared with the surrounding zodiac constellations, Cancer is relatively faint. It lies between Leo and Gemini and can be identified by tracing a line from Regulus toward Pollux.
Near the center of Cancer lies M44, also known as the Beehive Cluster. According to ancient Chinese records, this region appeared as a hazy patch of white light resembling ghostly fire, which led to its name, the Ghost Mansion.
The Beehive Cluster is an open star cluster containing roughly 1,000 stars. The brighter stars are concentrated near the center, while the fainter members are spread farther out, giving the cluster its loose structure.
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Easter Egg
when a sudden pain jolted him awake.
A crab had grabbed his tail with its pincers and wouldn't let go.
Desperate to get rid of it, Crocquado spun around in circles,
trying to fling the crab away.
