Editing Ophiuchus (section)

==History and mythology==
There is no evidence of the constellation preceding the [[Classical Greece|classical era]], and in [[Babylonian astronomy]], a "Sitting Gods" constellation seems to have been located in the general area of Ophiuchus. However, Gavin White proposes that Ophiuchus may in fact be remotely descended from this Babylonian constellation, representing [[Nirah]], a serpent-god who was sometimes depicted with his upper half human but with serpents for legs.<ref>White, Gavin; ''Babylonian Star-lore'', Solaria Pubs, 2008, p. 187f</ref>

The earliest mention of the constellation is in [[Aratus]], informed by the lost catalogue of [[Eudoxus of Cnidus]] (4th&nbsp;century&nbsp;BC):<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |author1=Liddell, Henry George |author2=Scott, Robert |dictionary=A Greek-English Lexicon |publisher=perseus.tufts.edu |url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Do%29fiou%3Dxos |title=ὀφιοῦχος}}</ref> {{blockquote|To the [[Hercules (constellation)|Phantom]]'s back the [[Corona Borealis|Crown]] is near, but by his head mark near at hand the head of Ophiuchus, and then from it you can trace the starlit Ophiuchus himself: so brightly set beneath his head appear his gleaming shoulders. They would be clear to mark even at the midmonth moon, but his hands are not at all so bright; for faint runs the gleam of stars along on this side and on that. Yet they too can be seen, for they are not feeble. Both firmly clutch the [[Serpens|Serpent]], which encircles the waist of Ophiuchus, but he, steadfast with both his feet well set, tramples a huge monster, even the [[Scorpio (astrology)|Scorpio]]n, standing upright on his eye and breast. Now the Serpent is wreathed about his two hands – a little above his right hand, but in many folds high above his left.<ref>translation by Mair, Alexander W.; & Mair, Gilbert R.; Loeb Classical Library, volume 129, William Heinemann, London, 1921 [http://www.theoi.com/Text/AratusPhaenomena.html theoi.com]</ref>}}

To the [[ancient Greece|ancient Greeks]], the constellation represented the god [[Apollo]] struggling with a huge snake that guarded the [[Oracle of Delphi]].<ref name="Thompson">{{cite book |last=Thompson |first=Robert |title=Illustrated Guide to Astronomical Wonders: From Novice to Master Observer|date=2007|publisher=O'Reilly Media, Inc.|isbn=9780596526856|page=326}}</ref>

Later myths identified Ophiuchus with [[Laocoön]], the [[Troy|Trojan]] priest of [[Poseidon]], who warned his fellow Trojans about the [[Trojan Horse]] and was later slain by a pair of sea serpents sent by the gods to punish him.<ref name="Thompson"/> According to [[Roman era]] mythography,<ref>Hyginus, ''Astronomica'' 2, 14, Latin Mythography, 2nd&nbsp;century&nbsp;AD</ref> the figure represents the healer [[Asclepius]], who learned the secrets of keeping death at bay after observing one serpent bringing another healing herbs. To prevent the entire human race from becoming [[Immortality|immortal]] under Asclepius' care, [[Jupiter (mythology)|Jupiter]] killed him with a bolt of [[lightning]], but later placed his image in the heavens to honor his good works. In medieval [[Islamic astronomy]] ([[Azophi]]'s ''[[Book of Fixed Stars|Uranometry]]'', 10th century), the constellation was known as ''Al-Ḥawwa''', "the snake-charmer".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Snake-Charmer|url=https://brickthology.com/category/snake-charmer/|access-date=2022-02-01|website=Brickthology|language=en}}</ref>

[[Aratus]] describes Ophiuchus as trampling on [[Scorpius]] with his feet. This is depicted in Renaissance to Early Modern [[star chart]]s, beginning with [[Albrecht Dürer]] in 1515; in some depictions (such as that of [[Johannes Kepler]] in ''[[De Stella Nova]]'', 1606), Scorpius also seems to threaten to sting Serpentarius in the foot. This is consistent with [[Azophi]], who already included [[Psi Ophiuchi|ψ&nbsp;Oph]] and [[Omega Ophiuchi|ω&nbsp;Oph]] as the snake-charmer's "left foot", and [[Theta Ophiuchi|θ Oph]] and [[Omicron Ophiuchi|ο&nbsp;Oph]] as his "right foot", making Ophiuchus a [[zodiacal constellation]] at least as regards his feet.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.icoproject.org/cons.html |title=Manuscript reproduction |access-date=2019-07-17 |archive-date=6 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190506142015/http://www.icoproject.org/cons.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> This arrangement has been taken as symbolic in later literature and placed in relation to the words spoken by God to the serpent in the [[Garden of Eden]] (Genesis 3:15).<ref>[[Edward Walter Maunder|Maunder, Edward Walter]]; ''Astronomy of the Bible'', 1908, p. 164f</ref>

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File:Azophi Ophiuchus.jpg|Ophiuchus in a manuscript copy of [[Azophi]]'s [[Book of Fixed Stars|''Uranometry'']], 18th&nbsp;century copy of a manuscript prepared for [[Ulugh Beg]] in 1417 (note that as in all pre-modern [[star chart]]s, the constellation is mirrored, with [[Serpens Caput]] on the left and [[Serpens Cauda]] on the right).
File:Sidney Hall - Urania's Mirror - Taurus Poniatowski, Serpentarius, Scutum Sobiesky, and Serpens.jpg|Ophiuchus holding the serpent, Serpens, as depicted in ''[[Urania's Mirror]]'', a set of constellation cards published in London c.&nbsp;1825. Above the tail of the serpent is the now-obsolete constellation [[Taurus Poniatovii]] while below it is [[Scutum (constellation)|Scutum]].
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