Know The Mythology Of Your Star Sign
We all know our own astrological sign. But you might not have known that the origins of astrology link back to ancient Greek mythology, with every sign of the zodiac representing a Greek god, goddess, or another important figure from mythology.
Author:Georgia AshcroftReviewer:Kelly HayesApr 05, 202253 Shares806 Views
We all know our own astrological sign. But you might not have known that the origins of astrologylink back to ancient Greek mythology, with every sign of the zodiac representing a Greek god, goddess, or another important figure from mythology. The history of astrology dates back more than four thousand years to the first great civilizations of the world. These societies used constellations to predict the changes of the seasons, climatic events, and as part of their religious worldview. This is the mythology of your star sign.
Learn The Mythology Behind Your Star Sign
You've probably wondered where all of the different animals of the Zodiac and their associated constellations originated from.
Many individuals are taken aback when they discover of the sometimes violent or lurid roots of their star sign, which some people identify with strongly.
The truth is that every zodiac sign possesses a distinct personality with features that are often seen inside one's own self.
In addition to predicting compatibility between couples through astrology, star signs were also used to predict compatibility between individuals. For example, those with the Fire element in their zodiac sign get along well with persons who have the Air element in their zodiac sign.
No matter what zodiac sign you are, we hope you enjoy these stories from the past!
Aries (March 21 - April 20)
The constellation of Aries, the Ram, is the first of the twelve constellations of the Zodiac.
In Greek mythology, it is the animal whose fleece was sought after by Jason and the Argonauts, and which was killed by them.
The major objective of Jason's journey was to locate the golden fleece of the ram, which would allow him to demonstrate that he was the legitimate ruler of Iolcos in Thessalay.
It had originally been handed to Nephele by Mercury, who had done so because her husband had taken a new wife named Ino, who was a persecutor of Nephele's children.
For their protection, Nephele whisked Phrixus and Helle away on the back of the magical ram, which took off in the direction of the east.
Helle drowned in the Hellespont (now the Dardanelles), which separates the Aegean Sea from the Sea of Marmara; Phrixus, on the other hand, made it safely to Colchis, which is located on the eastern side of the Black Sea.
Among the creatures that inhabit the night sky is the sign of Aries, which represents the golden fleece in essence, which has been immortalized by ancient Mediterranean civilizations.
Having sacrificed the ram, Phrixus then delivered the Golden Fleece to the king, Aeetes, who was delighted with it.
Following that, the Golden Fleece was the prize that was wrested from a dragon's clutches.
It remained there until it was captured by Jason and the Argonauts after Medea had drunk the dragon's blood.
Jason and Medea then left with the fleece, which they transported on Jason's ship, the Argo.
Upon Argo's return, this trophy was placed on the bridal couch of Jason and Medea, therefore sanctifying their royal marriage.
Taurus (April 20 - May 20)
The following is the story that inspired Taurus' symbolism:
Europa piqued Zeus's interest to an incredible degree.
With a wave of his hand, he transformed himself into a white bull and proceeded to walk towards Europa, who was collecting flowers in a neighboring field at the time.
Europa couldn't stop herself from stroking the bull; she then hopped upon the bull's back, and he transported her over the sea to Crete, thereby stealing her from her home.
Minos, the ruler of Crete, was the couple's only child.
A pact was struck between Minos and Poseidon, who agreed to grant him supremacy over the waters in exchange for a magnificent white bull in exchange for his assistance.
The gods were in agreement.
Although he was given the opportunity to sacrifice the bull, he chose to retain it for himself instead, substituting a weaker specimen in its place.
In retribution, the god turned to Aphrodite for assistance in devising a plan of reprisal.
Aphrodite cursed Minos' wife with an insatiable love for the white bull, which she couldn't control.
Pasiphae was unable to keep her desires under control and mated with the white bull.
As a result of this mating, the Minotaur was born, a terrifying beast with the body of a man and the head of a bull that preyed on the flesh of human beings.
A pact was struck between Minos and Poseidon, who agreed to grant him supremacy over the waters in exchange for a magnificent white bull in exchange for his assistance. It was surrounded by an impenetrable labyrinth, into which youngsters were thrown on a regular basis in order to satisfy its insatiable thirst for human flesh.
Theseus, the son of the King of Athens, volunteered to slaughter the Minotaur in order to save his father's life.
Ariadne, Minos' daughter, and her ball of thread assisted him in finding his way into the labyrinth and killing the Minotaur with a club before navigating his way out again through the strand of thread he had discovered.
Gemini (May 21 - June 21)
Castor and Pollux were twins who were born to the same mother, Leda, but to two separate dads, Castor and Pollux.
Tyandarus, the king of Sparta, was the father of Castor, and Zeus, the father of the Gods, was the father of Pollux, who was seduced by Leda when she was in the guise of a Swan.
In the course of their exploits, they encountered each other on the Argonauts' hunt for the Golden Fleece or fighting alongside them other in the Trojan War following the alleged theft of their sister Helen of Troy.
Both Castor and Pollux were born mortal, while Castor was born immortal. The twins were born strong, attractive, and identical in every way save one: Castor was born mortal and Pollux was born immortal.
Since then, they have remained together under the sign of Gemini, where they have remained since.
When the days turned into weeks, the weeks changed into months, and the months turned into years, faith came to a brutal end.
Castor ultimately died, causing his eternal twin brother Pollux to be ripped apart by griefafter spending their whole lives together on the battlefield.
He begged Zeus for permission to surrender his own life in return for his brother's, and Zeus granted his request.
Zeus was so moved by their love that he decided to bestow upon them both the gift of immortality, as well as honor them by designating them as stars among the constellations.
Cancer (June 22 - July 22)
Cancer, which is taken from Latin, literally translates as crab.
The link between Cancer and water may be traced back to the beginnings of astrology.
The crab's image has its roots in Babylonian mythology.
This symbol was symbolized by two turtles in ancient Egypt.
Crabs are associated with a small chapter in Greek mythology, which explains why they were subsequently placed in the zodiac.
Cancer, represented by the enormous crab Carcinus, only had a small role in Hercules' Twelve Labors of Hercules.Hera was moved by the crab's loyalty and bravery, and she decided to immortalize it in the night sky.
Hercules wished to slay the many-headed Hydra, a giant sea creature that lived in the marshes of Lerna and had a thousand heads.
Hera, the goddess who assigned Hercules to these duties, despised him and actively supported his failure on a number of occasions.
During Hercules' struggle with Hydra, Hera sent a nearby crab to assault Hercules in order to divert his focus away from the battle.
A prominent toe was grabbed by the claws of the little monster without a moment's hesitation.
The crab was killed as a result of Hercules' kick, which was so powerful that it was launched into the air.
According to some tales, when the crab managed to take hold of Hercules' toe, barely disturbing the rhythm of his tremendous struggle with Hydra, Hercules crushed it with his foot.
Hera was moved by the crab's loyalty and bravery, and she decided to immortalize it in the night sky.
However, none of its stars shone brightly since the crab had failed to dothe mission assigned to it.
Some academics have speculated that Cancer was a late addition to the tale of Hercules in order to make the Twelve Labors correlate to the twelve signs of the Zodiac, as implied by the name Cancer.
Leo (June 22 - July 22)
It was a ferocious creature who dwelt in Nemea's caves, and it was hunted by lions.
The Lion is traditionally thought to be the offspring of Typhon (or Orthrus) and Echidna. However, this is not always the case.
It is also claimed to have descended from the moon as a result of the union of Zeus and Selene's children.
It was impossible for any weapon to pierce or graze through the Lion's skin.
His teeth and claws were as hard as iron, and he had no mercy on anyone.
That is why the Lion was thought to be impenetrable at the time.
He had been dispatched to Nemea in order to scare the inhabitants with his raging.
The Lion attacked and murdered people and flocks in his territory.
Hercules' first of twelve labors was to slaughter the lion of Nemea, which was the first of his twelve tasks.
He brought several arrows to use against the lion while on the hunt for it, not realizing that the lion's golden fur was impenetrable until he saw it.
He tracked down and killed the lion.
When the arrow rebounded harmlessly off the creature's thigh, he realized what he had learnt about the fur.
The huge Nemea lion was killed and then put between the signs of the zodiac by Zeus after his death.
At some point during the battle, The Lion damaged Hercules' armor and chewed off one of his fingers.
Last but not least, Hercules startled the beast with his club before suffocating it to death with his incredible power.
Following the lion's death, he attempted to skin it with a knife from his belt, but was unsuccessful.
Heracles was instructed by Athena to skin the pelt with one of the lion's own claws.
The Nemea lion was killed and then put between the signs of the zodiac by Zeus after his death.
Virgo (June 22 - July 22)
The majority of the goddesses associated with the sign of Virgo were either fertility goddesses or goddesses of the harvest, as the case may be.
Because of her fecundity, Virgo is considered to be the caregiver of mankind, which fits with the zodiac sign's outlook.
This comprises the goddesses Ishtar (from Babylonian mythology), Isis (from Egyptian mythology), Ceres (from Roman mythology), and Demeter (from Greek mythology) (Greek mythology).
The constellation Virgo is shown as a lady clutching an ear of corn, which is supposed to be a nod to the legend of the Harvest Mother.
One well-known Greek tale is the goddess of Spring, Persephone, being kidnapped by the deity of the Underworld, Hades, and taken to the Underworld.
The young goddess' mother Demeter discovers this and, as the goddess of the harvest, she becomes depressed and resolves to spoil the crop in order to relieve herself of her sorrow.
Finally, the Spring goddess was permitted to return for six months every year to assist her mother with the harvest.
This corresponds to the constellation Virgo being visible exclusively from March to August, which is when the solar eclipse occurs.
Astraea is reported to have been "put in the skies" after departing Earth after her journey.
In the Virgo myth, Astraea is likely the most intriguing character to study since she is a virgin who represents justice and serves as a caregiver for humanity.
The goddess is claimed to have been "put in the skies" when she left Earth, which is most likely why some mythologists believe she is the constellation "Virgo" in its entirety.
She is said to have become the constellation Virgo, and her scales of justice, according to many mythologists, formed the constellation Libra.
Libra (September 22 - October 23)
The scales, which represent Libra, are based on the Scales of Justice, which were carried by Themis, the Greek embodiment of divine law and tradition.
Lady Justice was modeled after her, and she became the inspiration for current representations of the character.
Libra is the only zodiac constellation in the sky that is represented by something other than a living being.
Throughout history, the other eleven signs have been depicted by either animals or legendary beings to symbolize them.
Libras are the children of Venus, and as a result, they are graceful, charming, and well-adjusted individuals who appreciate and appreciate beauty.
They despise routine and would rather engage in an intellectually stimulating debate than perform mundane tasks.
They are artistic but also logical, sensitive but also cautious and uncertain, and they are a mix of the two.
However, once they have decided on a goal, they have no more hesitations and are able to express their latent drive.
They are capable of being brilliant thinkers, artists, and diplomats, among other things.
According to legend, Themis, the Greek goddess of divine law and custom, had the Scales of Justice, which inspired the design of the scales.
However, while their passion for beauty and pleasure might take them down the path of hedonistic living, they can also live a fashionable and altruistic lifestyle without being entangled in the frivolities of the everyday world.
Due to the fact that they are not emotionally tied to money and seek more intangible successes, they make trustworthy bankers or stock brokers.
It is because of their community-oriented mentality that they may quickly become embroiled in a dispute in order to soothe the parties in the name of justice; as a result, they make good mediators in many situations.
They oppose the dominance of the powerful over the poor and trust in the power of ideas to overcome any obstacles.
Scorpio (October 23 - November 21)
In the Greek mythology, the zodiac sign Scorpio represents Orion, the son of Posiedon and Euriale, who, after enraging the Goddess Artemis (Goddess of Hunting), is punished by the Gods. This is the explanation of the sign Scorpio.
According to legend, Artemis, who has fallen in love with the attractive and talented huntsman, invites him to accompany her on a hunting expedition.
A rape attempt by Orion, who is well known for his violent demeanor and lack of control, causes the Goddess to misinterpret Orion's intentions, resulting in the anger of the gods for his sacrilege.
In another version of the mythology, he takes the opportunity to brag about his hunting prowess by displaying arrogantly the hundreds of trophies from his kills to Artemis.
As a thank you for being such a loyal partner of the Gods, the scorpion was immortalized in a celestial constellation. In all versions of the narrative, the Gods have decided to punish him by sending a scorpion to do fight with him, eventually killing him with its lethal venom.
The scorpion, who was a steadfast ally of the Gods, was memorialized in a constellation.
As with the other constellations, Orion is converted into a constellation by Artemis and placed directly opposite the constellation of his archenemy, so that the two remain forever locked in combat.
Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21)
The constellation of Sagittarius is represented by the zodiac sign of Sagittarius, which originated in the culture of the Sumerians and was subsequently adopted by the Greeks and then the Romans, who caused some misunderstanding over the constellation's legendary beginnings.
According to several cuneiform writings, the Sumerian god of battle, Nergal, was shown as a hunter and an archer, as well as other forms of combat.
When it came to the Romans, the Archer was Chiron, the intelligent centaur who had served as a tutor to Jason, Achilles and other great heroes. However, the association of Sagittarius with Chiron is incorrect because he was initially connected with the Centaur stars.
Some authors, however, made the mistake of conflating Chiron with Sagittarius as early as the Alexandrian and subsequently Roman times.
Originally, the constellation of Sagittarius was constructed to direct Jason and his companions to the Golden Fleece, which they eventually found.
The muses requested that Zeus install him in heaven, and so he was, in the process of displaying his marksmanship, placed in heaven.
In truth, the fabled Crotonic, son of the goat-god Pan and Eufeme, the Muses' nurse, was the figure who first appeared in Greek mythology and served as the character's inspiration.
Because he was the kid of a hybrid goat, he was most likely a satyr (a human being with the ears, tail, and hooves of a goat) and a centaur, according to the legend.
Crotus, a satyr who resided on Mount Helicon and was credited with inventing the bow and arrow, was also known for going horseback hunting.
In response to the muses' request, Zeus placed him in heaven, where he could be seen practicing his archery while awestruck by the divine light.
Capricorn (December 22 - January 19)
Capricorn, a weird goat, was the subject of several stories among the ancients.
His form is frequently associated with Zeus (Jupiter in Roman mythology), the god who reigns as the supreme being.
People in Mesopotamia believed that Capricorn was the sign of the Sea-Goat, who they believed was a god named Ea, who provided them knowledge and civilization.
It was thought that Ea resided in the ocean and that he came out of the sea every day to keep an eye on the land, returning to the water at night to do so.
Historically, Capricorn was linked with the deity Pan, who was a man from the waist up and a goat from the waist down, according to Greek mythology.
He was the son of Hermes and a Nymph from the woodland.
After his mother abandoned him because she was appalled by his looks, he was nurtured by nymphs.
Pan worked as a sheep and goat herder and was also a gifted musician.
After helping Zeus in his fight with Typhon, Capricorn was immortalized by Zeus, who transformed Capricorn into a star constellation in gratitude.
His libidinous disposition also pushed him to chase pursue the nymphs, who would normally flee in fear when they saw him approaching on the horizon.
One of them, Syrinx, pleaded with the gods to be transformed into a reed, which Pan used to make the well-known Pan flute, which is still in use today.
Pan himself was once on the run from the monster Typhon, and he attempted, but failed, to transform himself into a fish to get away.
He did, however, lend his help to Zeus during his battle with Typhon, and as a thank you, Zeus immortalized him by changing him into a constellation of stars.
Aquarius (January 20 - February 18)
Aquarius is sometimes connected with Ganymede, a youthful and lovely prince of Troy, with whom Zeus fell in love and with whom he spent the rest of his life.
Ganymede was chosen to be the cup-bearer to the gods, so Zeus disguised himself as an eagle and transported her.
Hera, the wife of Zeus, was envious of the young prince and treated him as if he were a lesser being.
In the face of his wife's fury, Zeus chose to have Ganymede join him on his journeys, accompanied with a golden cup of nectar from the sun.
In his youth, Ganymede was a nice and sympathetic young man, and when he noticed that the inhabitants of Earth were without water, he felt sorry for them.
Zeus ultimately granted him permission to assist the people after he pleaded with him for the opportunity.
He poured down rain over the ground, quenching the thirst of the people in the process.
Aquarius brought down rain onto the world, quenching the hunger of the people. As a result, he was worshipped as the deity of rain, Aquarius.
Aquarius was seen as a beneficial sign by societies that lived in drought-stricken countries, such as the Greeks and the Egyptians.
Cultures that were prone to floods, such as the Babylonians, on the other hand, viewed Aquarius in a negative manner.
Many people draw parallels between the legendary relationship of Zeus and Ganymede and the real-life romance between Emperor Hadrian and Antinous.
As a matter of truth, Antinous was granted the location below Ganymedes so that he might be taken to Emperor Hadrian by Zeus, just as he had carried Ganymedes to Mount Olympus before.
Pisces (February 24th - March 20)
According to early Greco-Roman mythology, the narrative of the Pisces constellation is based on the horrific defeat of the Titans by the Olympian Gods, which is represented by the sign of the fish.
Following the power battle, Gaia (Mother Earth) married Tartarus in the lowest depths of the Underworld, giving birth to Typhon as a result of their unexpected union in the Underworld.
One hundred dragon heads with burning eyes and a mouth filled with black tongues adorned Typhon's body, which was as powerful as the Titan's themselves.
According to Hesiod, he was the most terrifying creature the world had ever seen.
As a kind of retaliation for the Titans' deaths, Gaia dispatched Typhon to kill the gods on Mount Olympus.
Fortunately, Pan, the shepherd god, foresaw the monster's approach and alerted the other gods, giving them just enough time to morph and go into hiding before the monster struck again.
Jupiter assumed the appearance of a ram, Mercury the form of an ibis, Apollo the form of a crow, Diana the form of a cat, and Bacchus the form of a goat.
They were hung in the northern skies to celebrate the day of Venus and Cupid's resurrected bodies. Venus and her son Cupid, on the other hand, were taken completely by surprise while swimming on the banks of the Euphrates River in Babylon.
They were converted into fish after appealing with the water nymphs for safety, and their tails were connected together with a string to ensure that they would not be separated.
As Typhon closed in on them, they dived into the depths of the river to avoid being destroyed.
According to another legend, two fish emerged on the riverside and rescued Venus and Cupid, who were stranded.
Conclusion
According to theory, the constellations that symbolize the 12 astrological signs each take up one-twelfth of this belt, yet in fact, the shapes and sizes of these constellations are not properly proportionate to one another. They have also shifted in geographical position since the Babylonians initially established the zodiac sign system some 450 years ago.
The Sun would be in the constellation of Sagittarius on January 1, 2021, rather than the constellation of Capricornus. However, according to tradition, a baby born on that day would still be classified as a Capricorn.
Unlike Capricorn, which is symbolized by a horned goat, the majority of the zodiac signsare represented by an animal. They termed their zones in the sky zodiakos kyklos, which means "circle of animals," and ta zodia, which means "the small animals," according to the ancient Greeks.
Each zodiac sign is also represented with a symbol, such as an arrow for Sagittarius or the reduced ram's horns for Aries, for example. These symbols are said to have developed somewhere during the Middle Ages, however, their exact origins have never been determined. It is up to us to seek the truth, just as there are many different interpretations of the significance of the zodiac signs.
Jump to
Learn The Mythology Behind Your Star Sign
Aries (March 21 - April 20)
Taurus (April 20 - May 20)
Gemini (May 21 - June 21)
Cancer (June 22 - July 22)
Leo (June 22 - July 22)
Virgo (June 22 - July 22)
Libra (September 22 - October 23)
Scorpio (October 23 - November 21)
Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21)
Capricorn (December 22 - January 19)
Aquarius (January 20 - February 18)
Pisces (February 24th - March 20)
Conclusion
Georgia Ashcroft
Author
Georgia Ashcroft is a seasoned astrologer and spiritual practitioner with over 5 years of experience. She holds a Master's degree in Physics from Princeton University, enriching her astrological insights with a deep understanding of scientific principles.
Georgia's published works encompass insightful analyses of astrological phenomena, including zodiac signs and horoscope interpretations, establishing her as an esteemed figure in astrological circles.
Beyond astrology, Georgia is passionate about tarot and regularly incorporates its wisdom into her spiritual practice.
Kelly Hayes
Reviewer
Kelly Hayes is a seasoned journalist with over 10 years of experience, specializing in news reporting and horoscope analysis. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from New York University, enhancing her credibility and expertise in the field.
Kelly's writing style is characterized by clarity, depth, and a commitment to delivering credible information. Her published works across various platforms showcase her knack for engaging storytelling and insightful analysis.
Readers trust Kelly's expertise in both current events and astrological interpretations, making her a sought-after authority in journalism.
Apart from her professional activities, Kelly enjoys exploring new cultures, practicing yoga, and engaging in philanthropic activities.
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