Chiron facts for kids

In Greek mythology, Chiron (pronounced KY-rən) was a very special centaur. Centaurs were creatures that were half-human and half-horse. Chiron was known as the "wisest and most fair of all the centaurs." He was famous for being a kind and caring teacher.

Chiron's Life Story

Chiron, Peleus, and baby Achilles

Chiron was well-known in Greek myths for his gentle and nurturing way of teaching young heroes. He learned many skills from the god Apollo, who raised him. Apollo taught Chiron about medicine, herbs, music, archery, hunting, gymnastics, and how to see the future. These lessons helped Chiron become wise and kind, unlike many other centaurs.

Chiron was especially skilled in medicine. People believed he discovered how to use plants for healing and how to make medicines.

Most centaurs were known for being wild and often unruly. But Chiron was different. He was intelligent, civilized, and kind. This was because his parents were the powerful Titan Cronus and the sea nymph Philyra. This made him different from other centaurs, who had a different origin.

Chiron lived mainly on Mount Pelion. There, he married the nymph Chariclo. They had three daughters named Hippe, Endeïs, and Ocyrhoe, and a son named Carystus. Even though other centaurs were sometimes driven away from their homes, people in the area still honored Chiron for a long time. Families known for healing were even thought to be his descendants.

Chiron's Unique Appearance

Peleus wrestling Thetis between Chiron and a Nereid. Side B of an Attic black-figure amphora, c. 510 BC.

Chiron's physical appearance often looked a bit different from other centaurs. This showed his special background and importance. In ancient Greek art, Chiron's front legs were human, not like a horse's. This was different from other centaurs, who usually had the whole lower body of a horse. This unique look made Chiron stand out and easy to recognize. It also showed his special family, as the son of Cronus.

Chiron was often shown carrying a branch with small animals he had hunted. He also often wore clothes, showing he was more civilized than other centaurs. Only a few other centaurs, like Nessus and Pholus, were sometimes shown wearing clothes.

Clay centaur figurine found at Lefkandi, dated to 1050–900 BC and thought to be an early representation of Chiron

A famous Roman painting, The Education of Achilles, shows Chiron teaching Achilles to play the lyre. In this painting, Chiron has a lower body like a full horse. His ears also look like a satyr's, folded over. This made him look more like a wild animal, similar to other centaurs. Perhaps Roman artists relied more on written stories that just called him a 'centaur,' rather than older pictures. This might have made them draw him more like other centaurs, even though he was special. Still, artists often showed his noble and wise teacher side. He still wore clothes and sometimes a laurel wreath, showing his noble and wise nature.

Chiron in Mythology

Chiron's Early Life

Jason and His Teacher by Maxfield Parrish (1909)

According to ancient myths, Chiron was born from the Titan Cronus, who had taken the form of a horse, and the nymph Philyra. His family was different from other centaurs, who were often born from a cloud created by Zeus.

After Chiron was born, Philyra left her child because she was ashamed. Chiron, who was like an orphan, was later found by the god Apollo. Apollo took him in and taught him music, archery, medicine, and how to see the future. Apollo's twin sister, Artemis, also taught him hunting. Chiron's calm, kind, and smart personality came from the lessons he learned from Apollo and Artemis.

Chiron became a great healer, knew about the stars, and was a respected prophet. He was known as the wisest centaur and a highly respected teacher.

Many famous heroes were his students, including Asclepius, Aristaeus, Actaeon, Achilles, Jason, and Medus.

Chiron was also closely linked to Peleus, the father of Achilles. Chiron saved Peleus's life when Acastus tried to harm him. He even found Peleus's lost sword. Chiron also helped Peleus marry the sea nymph Thetis.

He also welcomed the Argonauts, a group of heroes, when they visited him, as many of them were his friends and former students.

Chiron's Famous Students

A lekythos depicting Chiron and Achilles

Chiron was a famous teacher who helped raise many future heroes, including:

• Achilles – The son of Peleus and the sea nymph Thetis. Peleus was friends with Chiron, who had saved him before. When Achilles was old enough, Peleus brought him to Chiron. Chiron took him as a student and fed him special foods like the meat of lions and bears to make him strong. Chiron even gave Achilles his famous name. Later, Achilles shared Chiron's medical knowledge with his friend Patroclus.
• Aristaeus – His father, Apollo, brought him to Mount Pelion to be raised by Chiron. Aristaeus later became a god of useful skills like beekeeping and cheesemaking.
• Actaeon – The son of Autonoë and Aristaeus. He became an excellent hunter thanks to Chiron's lessons. One day, while hunting, he accidentally saw the goddess Artemis bathing. She was angry and turned him into a stag (a male deer). His own hunting dogs didn't recognize him and sadly attacked him. To comfort the grieving dogs, Chiron made a statue of Actaeon.
• Asclepius – The Greek God of Doctors. Artemis killed Asclepius' mother, Coronis. But Apollo saved their son, Asclepius, from the funeral fire and brought him to Chiron. Chiron raised him and taught him the art of healing. Chiron's daughter, Ocyrhoe, saw his future and death. Because she shared this secret, Zeus turned her into a mare. Asclepius became so skilled he could even bring people back from the dead. Zeus, worried about the balance of life and death, struck him down. Later, Zeus brought Asclepius back as a god to please Apollo.
• Jason – The leader of the Argonauts was, in some stories, raised by Chiron. Jason's father, Aeson, was imprisoned by his brother Pelias. To protect baby Jason, his mother Alcimede pretended he was stillborn and secretly gave him to Chiron to raise. Jason's son, Medus, also became one of Chiron's students.
• Medus – Medus, whose mother was Medea, was also raised by Chiron. He later became the first king of the Medes.
• Patroclus – He was also said to be a student by some writers, though other ancient stories don't mention this.

Chiron's Death

Chiron and Achilles by John Singer Sargent (circa 1922–1925)

Chiron's noble character is also seen in his death. Even though he was immortal, he chose to give up his immortality after being badly wounded. This act allowed Zeus to free Prometheus, who had been punished for giving fire to humans. Since he couldn't die naturally, Heracles helped arrange this with Zeus.

Chiron was accidentally hit by an arrow belonging to the hero Heracles. This arrow was tipped with the powerful poison of the Hydra. This happened during a fight between Heracles and other wild centaurs. Chiron, the master of healing, could not cure himself from this terrible wound.

Because of his great pain, Chiron willingly gave up his immortality. Zeus felt pity for him and placed him among the stars in the sky to be honored. The Greeks identified him as the constellation Centaurus.

In Ovid's poem Fasti, the hero Hercules visits Chiron's home. While Chiron is looking at Hercules' weapons, an arrow dipped in Hydra venom falls and hits Chiron's foot. Chiron tries to heal himself with herbs but cannot. After nine days, with a sad Achilles watching, Chiron becomes a constellation in the sky.

The Precepts of Chiron

The Education of Achilles by Donato Creti, 1714 (Collezioni Comunali d'Arte di Palazzo d'Accursio, Bologna, Italy)

There was once a teaching poem called Precepts of Chiron, but it is now lost. However, some parts of it still exist in old writings. These parts show that Chiron taught about the ancient ways of humans, gods, and nature. For example, he advised, "First, whenever you come to your house, offer good sacrifices to the eternal gods." This shows he taught about respect and tradition.

Images for kids

• 

  Chiron and Achilles, tapestry by Rubens (17th century)

• 

  Achilles Handing over to Chiron by Donato Creti

• 

  The Centaur Chiron Teaching Geography to the Young Achilles

• 

  The Education of Achilles by Eugène Delacroix (circa 1862)

• 

  The Education of Achilles by Bénigne Gagneraux (1785)

• 

  Jean-Baptiste Regnault: The Education of Achilles (1782). Lithograph copy (1798)

• 

  Chirone insegna ad Achille a suonare la cetra by Rinaldo Rinaldi (1817)

• 

  Statue of Chiron in Volos, Greece

See also

In Spanish: Quirón para niños

• Chyron, a synonym for lower third television graphics
• Chyron Corporation, named in reference to Chiron
• 2060 Chiron, a small Solar System body named after Chiron