Kallisto was changed by Hera and placed among the stars. In poetry, she symbolises transformation and celestial immortality.

Kallisto (Callisto) experienced tragic fate as an Arcadian nymph and follower of Artemis who was raped by Zeus, became pregnant, and was subsequently transformed into a bear—either by angry Artemis for losing her virginity or by jealous Hera for attracting Zeus. Her son Arcas nearly killed her while hunting before Zeus placed them both in the sky as constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor (or Boötes). This story appears in multiple versions with significant variations, reflecting evolving mythological traditions. For students analyzing transformation myths and divine-mortal relations, Kallisto exemplifies the victimization of mortal women caught between divine powers—punished for rape she did not consent to, separated from her child, and transformed into animal form. The bear transformation connects to Artemis' association with wild nature and the boundary between human and animal. The constellation aetiology made Kallisto's story astronomically significant, ensuring its widespread familiarity. Ovid's treatment in the Metamorphoses emphasizes her suffering and injustice, while earlier versions focus more on the constellation explanation. References to Kallisto invoke themes of transformation, sexual violence, unjust punishment, mother-child separation, the cruelty of divine jealousy, and constellation mythology. Her name meaning "most beautiful" adds irony to her fate, as beauty attracts dangerous divine attention. Understanding her myth illuminates Greek anxieties about female sexuality, divine power, and wild nature.