Editing Asclepius (section)

=== Education and adventures ===
[[File:Aesculap 147-.png|upright|thumb|Zeus-like facial features of Asclepius <small>(Melos)</small>]]

Apollo named the rescued baby "Asclepius" and reared him for a while and taught him many things about medicine.<ref>Diodorus Siculus, 5.64.6</ref> However, like his half-brother, [[Aristaeus]], Asclepius had his formal education under the [[centaur]] [[Chiron]] who instructed him in the art of medicine.<ref>Pindar, ''Pythian Ode'' 3.5 ff. (trans. Conway)</ref>

It is said that in return for some kindness rendered by Asclepius, a snake licked Asclepius's ears clean and taught him secret knowledge (to the Greeks snakes were sacred beings of wisdom, healing, and resurrection). Asclepius bore a rod wreathed with a snake, which became associated with healing. Another version states that when Asclepius (or in another myth [[Polyidus]]) was commanded to restore the life of [[Glaucus (son of Minos)|Glaucus]], he was confined in a secret prison. While pondering on what he should do, a snake crept near his staff. Lost in his thoughts, Asclepius unknowingly killed it by hitting it again and again with his staff. Later, another snake came there with an herb in its mouth, and placed it on the head of a dead snake, which soon came back to life. Seeing this, Asclepius used the same herb, which brought Glaucus back.<ref>[[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''[[De astronomia]]'' 2.14</ref> A species of non-venomous pan-Mediterranean serpent, the [[Aesculapian snake|Aesculapian snake (''Zamenis longissimus'')]] is named for the god.

He was originally called Hepius but received his popular name of Asclepius after he cured Ascles, ruler of Epidaurus who suffered an incurable ailment in his eyes.<ref name="Tzetzes">[[John Tzetzes|Tzetzes]], ''Chiliades'' [http://www.theoi.com/Text/TzetzesChiliades10.html#49 10.49, p. 712–714]</ref> Asclepius became so proficient as a healer that he surpassed both Chiron and his father, Apollo. Asclepius was therefore able to evade death and to bring others back to life from the brink of death and beyond. This caused an excessive abundance of human beings, and Zeus resorted to killing him to maintain balance in the numbers of the human population.

At some point, Asclepius was among those who took part in the [[Calydonian Boar]] hunt. Also, he was one of the [[Argonauts]].

[[File:Roman coin Asclepius and Hygieia.jpg|thumb|300px|Roman coin from Odessos showing Asclepius with Hygieia on one side and Gordian III's portrait on the other side (35mm, 28g)]]