Chiron

, a centaur, half a man and half a horse, son of Philyra and Saturn, who had changed himself into a horse, to escape the inquiries of his wife Rhea. Chiron was famous for his knowledge of music, medicine, and shooting. He taught mankind the use of plants and medicinal herbs: and he instructed in all the polite arts the greatest heroes of his age; such as Achilles, Æsculapius, Hercules, Jason, Peleus, Æneas, . He was wounded on the knee by a poisoned arrow, by Hercules, in his pursuit of the centaurs. Hercules flew to his a istance; but as the wound was incurable, and the cause of the most excruciating pains, Chiron begged Jupiter to deprive him of immortality. His prayers were heard, and he was placed by the god among the constellations, under the name of Sag it tar i us. Hesiod , Shield of Heracles .— Homer , Iliad , bk. 11 .— Pausanias , bk. 3 , ch. 18 ; bk. 5 , ch. 19 ; bk. 9 , ch. 31 .— Ovid , Metamorphoses , bk. 2 , li. 676 .— Apollo dor us , bk. 2 , ch. 5 ; bk. 3 , ch. 13 .— Horace , epode 13.