Astrology is something that intrigues many people around the world. But, have you ever stopped to think about where it came from?
Many may think that signs are just an invention or something “silly” that people like to share. However, the origin of signs tells us a lot about the history of humanity. Furthermore, astrology demands a lot of study on the part of its experts. So, nothing fairer than a little respect, right?
Astrology is an area of knowledge that has existed for millennia. When rulers needed to make big decisions, they turned to astrologers for answers. Furthermore, astrology proved to be a necessary tool for ancient people, as it helped when studying the stars and planets.
In this sense, we are going to tell you the historical origin of astrology and also of all horoscope signs. Each sign represents a celestial body and is used to explain some personality trait. Shall we find out everything about the origin of signs?
Origin of astrology
Like everything related to the stars, astrology was created to try to understand the cosmos. Even without any type of technology, these practices were carried out in an attempt to understand the passage of time and the influence of the cosmos. A good example of this is Stonehenge, in the United Kingdom, which was created more than 3 thousand years ago to follow the seasons and the movement of the sun.
Astrology emerged some time later, about a thousand years later. The Babylonians came to the conclusion that there were 12 “parts” of the cosmos. These twelve parts are known today as the signs. Furthermore, by observing the stars, the Sun and the Moon, it was possible to count the passage of time within a year. Later, this passage of time began to be controlled by the Julian and Gregorian calendars.
This knowledge gained by the Babylonians ended up being perfected only by the Greeks and Egyptians, some time later. Furthermore, these evolutions led to the creation of the zodiac, a Greek word that means “circle of animals”. Very suitable, isn’t it? Furthermore, each of the signs is represented by a symbol or animal that is part of some mythology. Shall we meet them?
Origin of signs and horoscope
Aries
Aries is known for being the first sign of the zodiac. He is represented by the myth of Ino and Frixo. Ino, the second wife of King Atamas, was planning the murder of Phrixus, one of the king’s sons. Phrixus survived because his mother, Nefele, sent a ram with golden wool to save him. After the successful rescue mission, the animal ended up being killed by Phrixus, named after Zeus. His wool was buried in the orchard of Ares, god of war, and Zeus placed the ram among the stars. Thus, the sign of Aries emerged.
Touro
Zeus, as you probably know, is the king of the gods and the main leader of the Greek pantheon. Furthermore, he has a reputation for being a little “sappy” with his achievements. Despite being married, Zeus had several affairs out there. One of these cases was with Europa, daughter of Agenor. The god of the heavens ended up transforming into a white bull to get the girl’s attention. Furthermore, his plan ended up working and the two end up together. Proud of his mind, Zeus placed a Bull in the sky. Or rather, in the stars.
Twins
Fruits of yet another outing by Zeus, Castor and Pollux are the stars of the sign of Gemini. Born from an egg, with one being immortal and the other not, they proved they were children of Zeus by falling in love with committed girls. Furthermore, during a clash with the girls’ fiancés, Castor ends up being hit, causing great outrage in Pollux. After a few attempts, it was realized that the two could not continue together. Therefore, to keep them always side by side, Zeus transferred them to the stars. More specifically for the constellation of twins.
Cancer
Guess what? That’s right, another child of Zeus. The god’s bastard was about to complete one of his tasks, when he was attacked by a large crab. Furthermore, the animal was sent by his stepmother Hera, who despised him for being one of her husband’s offspring outside of marriage. Hercules, obviously, won the battle against the animal. However, Hera thanked him for his services by sending him to the stars to become the constellation Cancer.
Lion
In addition to being part of the Cancer constellation, Hercules is also responsible for creating the Leo constellation. One of his tasks was to free Nemea from a large and terrifying lion. Certainly Hercules carried out his task perfectly. Furthermore, he tore off the lion’s impenetrable skin and used it as an all-weather cloak. Proud of his son, Zeus drew a lion in the sky using the stars.
Virgo and Libra
The history of these two signs are interconnected. In Greek mythology, Virgo, or Virgin, is one of the daughters of the goddess Themis and Zeus. Furthermore, Themis is known for being the goddess of justice. Her daughter Astreia, known for being a virgin, was tired of so many wars. Furthermore, she ended up witnessing injustice, which worsened her upset with humans. Therefore, she ended up falling ill and, when she returned to Olympus, she begged Zeus to take her life. After that she was placed in the constellation Virgo. Themis, who had a great role in the history of Astreia, is the one who uses scales to weigh the souls of men when they were making the passage to the underworld. According to legends, the scales referred to eternal pleasure or pain. In honor of the goddess, the scale symbol represents Libra.
Scorpion
A case of jealousy between two sons of Zeus ended up causing the creation of this constellation. Artemis and Apollo, twins and gods of the moon and sun, respectively. Once, Artemis formed a friendship with Orion, which enraged her brother with jealousy. So he sent a giant scorpion to kill him. Upset by the loss of her friend, Artemis asked Zeus to place him in a constellation. And so it was done!
Sagittarius
Sagittarius got its name because of an accident. Unintentionally, Hercules hit the centaur, half man and half horse, the wisest in the world with an arrow. Chiron lost his life and Zeus gave him a constellation. The stories seem a little tragic, don’t they? Plus, Zeus is in them all!
Capricorn
Zeus is certainly a god who appreciates intelligence. The Capricorn constellation, for example, was created because of this. His story begins with Pan, calmly playing his flute. Despite the calm, Pan ends up being attacked by Typhon. As a tactic to escape the monster with hundreds of arms, Pan throws himself into the water and turns half of himself into a fish. Therefore, appreciating his intelligence, Zeus immortalized Pan in the constellations.
Aquarium
Aquarius, as in everything it sets out to do, is different from all other signs. This sign was named in the Middle East, so it is a little different from the others. However, the story of its origin remains very Greek. Ganymede was a beautiful boy, however, his beauty only brought him pain. Zeus ended up falling in love with Ganymede and kidnapped him. After being taken to Mount Olympus as an official “servant” of the gods, Ganymede was immortalized in the stars, as one of Zeus’ great loves. Furthermore, he is the one who carries the aquarium that waters the Earth.
Fish
Finally, the last sign of the zodiac is Pisces. Typhon, who we saw earlier, who terrified Pan, was absurdly afraid of water. Inspired by Pan, Aphrodite and Eros transformed themselves into fish to escape the monster, who despised water most of all. Furthermore, Athena, enchanted by the wisdom of Aphrodite and Eros, immortalized the moment with the two fish that adorn the heavens.
So, did you enjoy learning more about the origins of signs? So check this out: Elements of signs: meaning of Fire, Earth, Air and Water
