Pseudo-Hyginus Draco

This figure stretches its huge body between the two Bears. It is said to be the serpent that guarded the golden apples of the Hesperides, was slain by Hercules, and placed among the stars by Juno because it was in her service that Hercules sought it out. It is believed to be the serpent that watched over the garden of Juno, for Pherecydes says that when the marriage of Jupiter and Juno took place, Terra came bearing golden apples on branches. Juno admired them and asked Terra to plant them in her gardens, which extended to Mount Atlas. Because the daughters of Atlas continually snatched the apples from the trees, Juno was said to have placed the serpent there as a guard. And this is signaled by the fact that above this figure, the likeness of Hercules appears, as Eratosthenes notes. Thus anyone can deduce that this figure is, indeed, to be identified as that particular serpent.

Some, however, say this is the serpent thrown by the giants at Minerva when she fought against them, and that Minerva snatched up the serpent as it lay coiled and flung it to the stars, where it was fixed at the top of the firmament. There it appears to this day with coiled body, as if recently placed among the stars.

Draco has a star on each side of the head; two on the eyes; one on the chin, and ten scattered along the rest of the body. Thus there are fifteen stars in all.


- Pseudo-Hyginus, The Astronomica, Book 2 (Theony Condos translation)