The 12 Zodiacal Signs and their legends.

THE 12 ZODIACAL SIGNS AND THEIR LEGENDS

Hi my dear readers, I am here leaving you a brief introduction of the origin of the zodiac. This is a shorthand version of what I have read along with many different textbooks, to help you better understand the origin of each zodiacal signs on your future studies.

Signs of Fire

Aries

This Sign ruled by Mars represents the ram that accompanied him during his trip with Phrixus and Helle when they left their native country for Colchis, later this ram happened to become the famous Golden Fleece of Jason and Argonauts. Aries gets its name from Ares the Greek god of war that the Romans worshiped under the name of Mars, ruling planet of Aries.

Leo

This Sun-ruled Sign represents the Lion of Nemea, a creature of unknown origin whose skin was impenetrable, Hercules was sent by Hera to kill the Lion and had to strangle him and then skin him with his own hands to assassinate him. Hercules dressed the lion's skin as a shield and symbol of glory until the end of his days.

Sagittarius

This Sign ruled by Jupiter represents the Centaur Chiron, known as the medic of the medics, tired of his condition of immortal, decided to change it by the salvation of Prometheus. When the deal was formalized, Prometheus asked, "Why did you do it? Now that you're dead, no matter how tired you are, you will not be able to change it ..."

Earth Signs

Taurus

This Sign ruled by Venus represents the form adopted by God Zeus (a white bull with gold horns) to distract and abduct Europa, Zeus mingled with the cattle while Europa and her entourage picked flowers near the beach, she saw the Bull and caressed his sides and, noting that he was meek, she mounted on him. Zeus took advantage of this opportunity: he ran to the sea and swam to the island of Crete carrying Europe on his back. Already in Crete, Zeus revealed his true identity, and Europa became the first queen of the island. Zeus recreated the shape of the white bull in the stars that are now known as the constellation Taurus.

Virgo

This Sign ruled by Mercury represents Astrea, the virgin Goddess, and daughter of Zeus and Themis. She helped her father as a bearer of lightning during the war with the Titans. In return for her loyalty, Zeus raised her to the sky and placed her among the stars, giving rise to this constellation and end to the presence of humans of the last immortal of the Golden Age.

* Curious note: Until 1970 it was believed that Virgo was ruled by the mythical and non-existent Vulcan planet.

Capricorn

This sign governed by Saturn is the representation of the Amalthea Goat, which nursed Zeus when his mother Rhea hid it from the sight of his father Cronus who wanted to devour him. After time passed, the now adult Zeus fought against the Titans wearing an armor made with the skin of this mythical goat, which later becomes the Aegis, the shield of Zeus forged by Hephaestus, god of fire. First Zeus donated this shield to Apollo, and then to his daughter Athena, goddess of war. The astrological sign presents a hybrid animal: a goat with the fish tail that symbolizes the nutritive waters where the being is born to raise to the highest degree of spirituality.

Air Signs

Gemini

This Sign governed by Mercury represents the twins Castor and Pollux, sons of Zeus. The tale is Zeus transformed into a swan seduced the Goddess Nemesis who, under the spell of the "King of the Gods", laid an egg from which the twins were born. Pollux was immortal, not so his brother Castor. When Castor died, Pollux offered his immortality to save his brother.

Libra

This Sign governed by Venus is the representation of the scale of Dikē, the Goddess of Justice who carried a balance of gold given to her by Zeus to judge the souls of the warriors, a myth is now diffused according to which the balance represents Julius Caesar carrying it together with his sword.

* Note: The Myth of Julius Caesar might consider wrong because by the time Greece was taken by the Romans and were very ancient representations carved temples with the constellation of Libra being represented by a balance was common.

Aquarius

This sign ruled by Uranus is the representation of the Greek legend of Ganymede, the cupbearer of the gods and pourer of Olympus. The young Ganymede was a hero and a Trojan prince (Not Greek) was prominent and renowned for his incredible beauty. Zeus impressed by the perfect male figure of the young man became an eagle and kidnapped him on Mount Ida in Phrygia (now Turkey) and took him to Olympus to become one of his lovers. The father of Ganymede missed his now immortal son so much that Zeus created the constellation of Aquarius in his honor.

Water Signs

Cancer

This sign ruled by the Moon represents a giant desert sands crab that was sent by the same Goddess Hera to help the Lernaean Hydra in its task of murdering Heracles in a fierce battle that lasted 7 days and 7 Nights. It was so impressive the work of the monster invoked by the Goddess that she elevated it to the sky to turn him into the constellation.

Scorpio

This sign ruled by Pluto represents an old legend according to which the Goddess Artemis (The Moon) was hunting in the forests and, when she is seen by the giant Orion, this one chases her in the middle of the night trying to abuse of her. Artemis, to defend herself, claimed for the help of a small scorpion which was trampled by the gigantic hunter and immediately was poisoned, when they died both by Artemis, she asked her father Zeus to place them in the sky and him, placed them in front of another so that they no longer fight. When the constellation of Scorpio rises from the horizon, the constellation of Orion hides on the other side fleeing of the animal that caused his death.

Pisces

This sign ruled by Neptune represents the gods Ares (God of War) and Aphrodite (Goddess of Love) fleeing the Olympus rivers transformed into fish during the war against the Titans. The Titan Typhoon chased them to the limits of Greece where a fisherman catches them in a small basket and they swim side by side in opposite directions. At the end of the Olympian war, Zeus drew this memory in the sky symbolizing what that humble man who helped the Gods saw in his basket.