Cancer mythology, i.e., the myths about Cancer the Crab, fourth among 12 zodiac signs is a story of conspiracies hatched and conspiracies failed among the two members of one single family gone against each other to the extent of one trying to kill the other.

The whole thing started with Zeus falling in love with Alcmene, the queen of Tiryns. Obviously Zeus’ wife Hera would never like the idea of Zeus going to another lady for satisfying his romantic urge. But who could ever stop Zeus for whom falling for females was rather a rule than exception? They met and made love with each other.

Alcmene gave birth to Zeus’ son Hercules who came up to be one of the strongest men on earth, though Hera could never come to terms with his existence alive as she had always hated his mother as her rival. So she conspired to kill him. But Hercules never fell prey to her designs, by dint of his sheer strength in his body.

Ultimately Hera sent the ferocious water-serpent, Hydra to kill Hercules. A terrible fight between the two started. Hydra was finding it very difficult to down Hercules. So Hera sent the giant crab Cancer to distract Hercules and thus help Hydra. Cancer abided by her and went to the battle field where it started nipping at Hercules feet.

But Hercules was not to be affected by such minor distractions though he got irritated and smashed the shell of Cancer under his foot. Cancer was killed and Hera felt obliged by its sacrifice. In order to reward it for its loyalty and sacrifice and placed it as a constellation in the sky.

This is how the Cancer mythology, i.e., the myths about Cancer the Crab, fourth among 12 zodiac signs goes that can be found in the sky as a constellation between those of Leo and Gemini.