Chiron

Apollo and Artemis taught the young Chiron music, medicine, hunting, prophecy, gymnastics, and other arts. Their instruction gave him knowledge beyond that associated with the other Centaurs. Chiron had a man’s torso and a horse’s body, but he was wise, gentle, and cultured rather than violent or fierce.

He became skilled in healing and well versed in prophecy, music, and physical training. Hyginus says that he was the first to use herbs in the medical art of surgery. He later taught the young sons of heroes. His pupils included Achilles, Asclepius, Actaeon, Heracles, and Jason. Ancient accounts also name Chiron as the teacher of Jason, Achilles, and Asklepios.

The sons of heroes were entrusted to Chiron for training and instruction. He was the only immortal among the Centaurs, although later accounts say that he eventually died and went to the lower world. One account connects his death with an accidental wound from Heracles. Another says that he was wounded when he removed from the body of the Centaur Elatus an arrow shot by Heracles. Chiron could not die from the wound. He later gave up his immortality when Prometheus took on its burden, and he was placed in the heavens as Centaurus.

Peleus fell asleep during a hunt on the mountain with Acastus. Acastus had been unwilling to kill him because he had purified Peleus after Peleus accidentally killed Eurytion. He had also heard a false accusation that Peleus had tried to seduce his wife. During the hunt, Peleus secretly cut out the tongues of the animals he killed and placed them in his pouch. Acastus and his companions gathered the remaining animals and mocked Peleus, believing that he had caught nothing. Peleus then showed them the tongues and declared that he had killed as many beasts as he had tongues.

While Peleus slept, Acastus abandoned him. He took Peleus’ sword and hid it in a pile of cow dung before returning home. One passage describes the sword as a magic weapon made by Hephaistos. Peleus awoke disarmed and alone. He found himself surrounded by wild Centaurs, who were about to kill him.

Chiron, the Centaurs’ king, intervened and saved Peleus’ life. He discovered where Acastus had hidden the sword, found it, and returned it to Peleus. Peleus escaped from the Centaurs with his weapon restored. The same tradition identifies Chiron as the Centaur who later taught Achilles, Peleus’ son, and gave him the spear associated with Peleus.

Rhea discovered Cronus in a secret union with the Oceanid Philyra, daughter of Oceanus. Cronus took the shape of a stallion to conceal himself, and he mated with Philyra in that form. From their union, Chiron was born.

Chiron had the torso of a man and the body of a horse because Cronus had taken a horse's shape when he fathered him. He was immortal, unlike ordinary mortals. He also differed from the other Centaurs in character. He was wise, gentle and cultured, rather than wild or lecherous.

Chiron became skilled in healing and in the use of herbs. He learned prophecy, music and gymnastics, and Apollo and Artemis instructed him in these arts. He became known as a teacher of Greek heroes and as the son of Cronus and Philyra. He was also linked with medicine, botany and pharmacy, and herbs were named after him. Some tellings instead made him one of the other Centaurs, born from Ixion and Nephele.

After Chiron's birth, Philyra changed her form to escape her shame. In one telling, she became a tree. In another, she became a flower or a mare. One tradition identified her with the linden tree, whose name was connected with hers. The transformation ended her union with Cronus and left Chiron as an immortal Centaur with unusual parentage and a nature unlike that of the rest of his kind.