posted March 17, 2005 07:48 PM              

I don’t know if anyone has seen this, sorry if you have, but I find it really interesting, fair enough if you don’t though. Just wanted to share it with you.

btw Some of them are kind of weird, so please don’t get mad at me

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Aries
Aries - Latin for "the Ram" (Krios in Greek), not to be confused with the Greek war-god Ares. Aries the ram is connected with several different possible rams in mythology.

However, the most common association in ancient sources is that this is the friendly ram with a golden fleece that carried Phirxus and Helle across the Straight of Hellespont. During the trip, the ram unfortunately managed to drop Helle (who was later rescued by Poseidon) but the ram made it safely through with Phirxus. At the end of the journey - the ram voluntarily shed its golden fleece, gave it to Phirxus as a remembrance, and then went away to the stars. Other versions say that Zeus placed the ram in the heavens after it had been sacrificed to him and then skinned. This is the ram whose golden fleece inspired the legendary quest by the original Jason and the Argonauts of Greek mythology.

Taurus
Taurus - this constellation takes its name from the Greek Tauros, meaning "the Bull." In the most ancient versions, Zeus (chief Olympian god) fell in love with Europa, daughter of the king of Tyre. For some strange reason, Zeus transformed himself into the shape of a beautiful white bull in order to attract Europa to him. Even more oddly, his rather unusual plan worked perfectly. Europa was so taken away with the beauty and gentility of the white bull that she climbed onto the white bull's back. Europa was then carried away by Zeus (still in the form of the bull) to Crete. Later versions say that the bull was merely a messenger of the god, Zeus - who then delivered Europa to Zeus on Crete.

Gemini
Gemini - "Gemini" is the Latin translation of the Greek Didymoi, "the Twins." Many potential candidates were suggested as Gemini's original twins, but many ancient sources attribute them to being Castor and Pollux.

Pollux and Castor were twin brothers. They were the twin sons of a mortal woman Leda – however they had different fathers. Pollux was a son of the chief Olympian god Zeus, and thus Pollux was immortal and would live forever. Castor was the son of a mortal man, and he could die. Their love and devotion for one another was legendary, and they never separated from one another.

The two brothers, Pollux and Castor, took part in many adventures (i.e. they were involved in the Jason and Argonauts Golden Fleece thing). One day in battle, Castor (the mortal brother) was about to die. So Pollux asked his father, Zeus, for the permission to die along side of Castor. It was Pollux's great desire that the brothers might remain united even in death. Instead of allowing Pollux to die, Zeus decided the two brothers would now share in the immortality of Pollux and remain together forever. However, in order for this to happen, Pollux and Castor would have to forever alternate between the light and the dark. For the rest of eternity, the brothers would spend one day on Olympus and then the next day in Hades.

Cancer
Cancer - "the Crab" (Karkinos in Greek, Cancer in Latin); according to most ancient authorities, the crab was one of Hera's animals. This particular crab was the crab which was unceremoniously crushed by Hercules in his 2nd of 12 labors.
*edited

Leo
Leo - Latin for "the Lion", called Leon in the original Greek. No controversy here. Ancient sources relate that the Lion was known as being the King of all the beasts. Most of the ancient sources, likewise identify this lion as being the beast known as the Nemean Lion, which Hercules had to dispose of in the 1st of his 12 Labors.

Virgo
Virgo - "the Virgin" in Latin, whose Greek name was Parthenos. Confusion and chaos run wild in the naming of and mythology behind the constellation of Virgo (I bet that drives Virgos crazy!). Ancient sources do agree on associating Virgo with the maiden aspect of what's called the "tripartite Mother Goddess" (maiden, mother, crone). After that, it's anybody's best guess as to who Virgo was.

According to Theony Condos (Star Myths), Virgo was associated with Dike, Demeter, Tyche (Fortuna), Thespia, Kore (aka Persephone), Eileithyaia (goddess of childbirth), Athena, and Hecate.

Granted, the most popular association is with the goddess, Dike (meaning justice). During the Golden Age of humanity, the gods lived among mortals. Slowly the morals of humanity deteriorated and the gods began leaving one by one. Dike (daughter of Zeus and Themis) was the final goddess to give up on humanity and leave earth.

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posted March 17, 2005 07:49 PM              

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Libra
Libra - Latin for "the Balance" or "the Scales", from the equivalent Greek word Zygos. This sign was originally called, "the Claws", which were attached to the constellation Scorpio; the later idea of a balance most likely derived from the relative equality of day and night at the autumnal equinox. According to Michael Macrone (By Jove) at first Scorpio held the scales in his claw, but then the scales were transferred to Virgo, who used them to weigh competing claims and thus to dispense her justice. Looks like in ancient times, poor Libra just kept getting jockeyed back and forth... back and forth... back and forth... Seems as if the ancients had trouble making up their mind about Libra.

Scorpio
Scorpio - Latin for "the Scorpion" (Skorpios in Greek). This fearsome Scorpion figured in an argument between the wild, untamed, virgin goddess of the hunt, Artemis and the legendary gigantic Greek hunter, Orion. There are at least three versions as to the reason for this argument between Artemis and Orion. However, in each version of the story, Artemis used her Scorpion to sting and kill the hunter Orion.

In the earliest versions of the myth, Artemis was apparently quite in love with Orion. However, because Orion was in love with the goddess Eos (goddess of the Dawn) - Artemis arranged for Orion to be killed by the Scorpion out of her sense of spite, rage, and jealousy. In another version, Artemis used the Scorpion to kill Orion in revenge for having raped her. In still another version, Orion had boasted to the gods that he was such a great hunter that he could single-handedly kill every last animal on earth. Artemis, goddess of the hunt, used her deadly Scorpion to prove Orion wrong.

Sagittarius
Sagittarius - "the Archer" in Latin, called Toxotes in Greek. Of all the 12 zodiac signs, Sagittarius has what likely could be considered as the most controversial and/or disputed origin. Most modern sources (and apparently some ancient sources) like to identify Sagittarius, the archer, with a kindly mentor centaur (horse with a man's body from the waist up), Chiron (or Cheiron). Most centaurs were wild, warring, lustful beasts. However - kindly, wise Chiron was the exception to this rule, and he was a teacher/mentor to many of the Greek heroes (such as Achilles, Jason, and Asclepius).

Not so fast... says Theony Condos in the book, Star Myths. Two of the most ancient, surviving sources - Eratosthenes (1st/2nd century CE) and Hyginus (1st century BCE) - say this is not necessarily correct. These two ancient authors identified the constellation of Sagittarius, the archer, with a mythological satyr by the name of Crotus.

In mythology, satyrs were creatures depicted as having the body of a man, tail of a horse, and the legs (or horns) of a goat. Like centaurs, satyrs were normally wild, warring, lustful beasts. Like Chiron, the satyr Crotus was an exception to the rule - and Crotus was said to be a satyr having a peaceful nature. Crotus lived on Mount Helicon, he delighted in the company of the muses (sounds like fun), and he was known as being an avid hunter. In mythology, Crotus is credited with the invention of the bow. (Eratosthenes points out that centaurs, such as Chiron, did not traditionally use bows.) Crotus was also considered to be the swiftest of the forest and accomplished in his musical skills.

Capricorn
Capricorn is a wee bit confusing. Capricorn - Capricornus is a Latin compound of "she-goat" (capra) and "horn" (cornus), which translates the original Greek Aegocerus, "goat-horned." It is associated with being a Goat Horn, however it is also traditionally depicted as being a "sea goat" (a goat with a fish tail).

According to Theony Condos (Star Myths) the only ancient allusions to Capricorn are in relation to astronomical explanations (i.e. no regular Greek myths explaining why this constellation is in the sky.). Astronomical sources place this as being Aegocerus (goat - horned) who accompanied Zeus when battling the Titans on Mount Ada. Aegocerus allegedly invented the trumpet and then blew his trumpet in battle which caused panic among the Titans and so they fled.

There is a meager attempt in this version of the story to reconcile the "sea-goat" by saying that Aegocerus discovered the trumpet in the sea. The depiction of a sea-goat appears to be a hold over from an earlier Egyptian source.
According to Michael Macrone (By Jove) some later sources may have associated Capricorn with a goat that fed the infant Zeus as he was being secretly raised on Crete, the goat whose horn became the original "cornucopia" (horn of plenty).

Aquarius
Aquarius - called by the Greeks Hydrochoos, "the Water-Pourer." "Aquarius" is a Latin translation of the Greek name. According to the most ancient sources, Hydrochoos was considered to be Ganymede, the beloved cupbearer of Zeus (the chief Olympian god). Other later versions say that Aquarius was Deucalion, a Greek Noah, who was (with his wife) the only survivor of a great flood.

Pisces
Pisces called Ichtyes ("the fishes") by the Greeks, "Pisces" being the Latin translation. In the constellation of Pisces there's a big fish and a little fish. Aphrodite and her son, Ichthus (some versions say the god Eros was her son), were being pursued by a huge monster fish by the name of Typhon. In order to escape their nasty, monstrous pursuer, Aphrodite turns herself and her son into fishes. Together they then hid from the monster fish, Typhon, in the Euphrates River. Aphrodite (symbolizing in this case "the great mother") is the big fish and Ichthus is the small fish…

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This has some info as well. http://www.comfychair.org/~cmbell/myth/myth.html

posted March 22, 2005 11:12 AM              

I'm so in love with all those mythical interpretations. I've always loved mythology, but never really good at remembering all those names! But they are all great. And so happy they mentioned that about Libra, eventually needed between Virgo & Scorpio! I've known that little factoid for many years and keep it in mind since I have a huge Virgo/Scorpio connection in my Chart.