Apollo and Asclepius

Apollo, the god of light, fell in love with the mortal princess Coronis. When a white crow brought news of her infidelity, Apollo in a rage turned the bird’s feathers black and had his sister Artemis slay Coronis. Regretting the violence, Apollo rescued his unborn son, Asclepius, from the funeral pyre and entrusted him to the wise centaur Chiron. Under Chiron's tutelage, Asclepius became the greatest healer the world had ever known. His skills grew so profound that he eventually mastered the art of bringing the dead back to life. However, this mastery upset the cosmic balance. Hades complained that his realm was being emptied, and Zeus feared that mortals would become equal to gods. To preserve the natural order, Zeus struck Asclepius down with a thunderbolt. Heartbroken and vengeful, Apollo killed the Cyclopes who forged Zeus's lightning. In the end, to appease Apollo and honor the healer’s virtue, Zeus placed Asclepius among the stars as the constellation Ophiuchus and elevated him to the status of a god.