Leo Constellation Myth

Unfortunately, the evidence about myth and ritual at Mycenaean and Minoan sites is entirely monumental, as the Linear B script (an ancient form of Greek found in both Crete and Greece) was mainly used to record inventories, though the names of gods and heroes have been doubtfully revealed. Sigmund Freud introduced a transhistorical and biological conception of man and a view of myth as an expression of repressed ideas.

Aires
Aires is the first sign of the zodiac. In Greek mythology, the story of the Ram begins in Thessaly. The King of Thessaly had two children named Phrixus and Helle who were beaten by their stepmother. The god Hermes became angered by this and sent a ram to carry the two children to safety. Tragically, Helle lost her grip and tumbled from the ram into the narrow strip of water between Europe and Asia, which was named Hellespont in her honor. It is now the Dardanelles. Phrixus, on the other hand, arrived safely to the shores of the Black Sea where he sacrificed the ram and gave its fleece to a sleepless dragon for safe-keeping. Later, Jason and his intrepid Argonauts recovered the prized fleece and returned it to Thessaly .



Amphilochus
Amphilochus was the younger son of Amphiaraus and Eriphyle and the brother of Alcmaeon.

Eriphyle persuaded Amphiaraus to take part in the Seven Against Thebes raid, though he knew he would die. His wife had been persuaded by Polynices, who offered her the necklace of Harmonia, daughter of Aphrodite and Ares. Amphiaraus reluctantly agreed to join the battle and asked his sons, Alcmaeon and Amphilochus, to avenge his death. In the battle, Amphiaraus sought to flee from Poriclymenus, the son of Poseidon, who wanted to kill him, but Zeus threw his thunder and the earth opened to swallow Amphiaraus together with his chariot.

Alcmaeon killed his mother and exiled himself. Amphilochus became a prominent seer, and founded several oracles most importantly Mallos in Cilicia, and (with Mopsus), the oracle of Apollo at Colophon.

Ares
ARES was the great Olympian god of war, battlelust, civil order and manly courage. In Greek art he was depicted as either a mature, bearded warrior dressed in battle arms, or a nude beardless youth with helm and spear. Because of his lack of distinctive attributes he is often difficult to identify in classical art.

Though often referred to as the Olympian god of warfare, he is more accurately the god of bloodlust, or slaughter personified: "Ares is apparently an ancient abstract noun meaning throng of battle, war.

Among the Hellenes, Ares was always distrusted... Although Ares' half-sister Athena was also considered a war deity, her stance was that of strategic warfare, whereas Ares's tended to be one of unpredictable violence. His birthplace and true home was placed far off, among the barbarous and warlike Thracians, to whom he withdrew after his affair with Aphrodite was revealed.

Eros
Eros was often the focus of artists and poets in ancient times...but he had a lot of influence on god and goddesses as well. Stories abound about his interference in their lives. He's supposedly the son of Aphrodite and Ares..his more common name is Cupid. More than bein a heart throb himself, because he was a constant companion to his mother,

Aphrodite, he became pictured as a the cute, cuddly cherub - Cupid.

He linked up with Psyche..whose name means 'soul' and this became the beginning of how love and soul became permanently united.

Gemini
In classical Greek mythology, the stars in the constellation of Gemini were named Castor and Pollux, known collectively as the "Dioscuri" or "Sons of Zeus."

Although Leda was mother to both, the twins had different fathers. Pollux was the son of the chief Olympian God, Zeus, who had changed himself into a swan in order pursue the lovely Leda. Thus, Pollux was immortal. Castor was the son of Leda's husband, Tyndareus, King of Sparta, and thus destined to die.

According to legend, they were hatched from an egg and were were brothers to the beautiful Helen of Troy (over whom the Trojan War was fought) and also brothers to Clytemnestra, Queen of Mycenae.

Castor and Pollux were known to be well-educated, strong and daring, while remaining gentle individuals. They were celebrated as healers, physicians and protectors of humankind.

Castor and Pollux were also Argonauts, being among the crew who sailed with Jason in the Quest for the Golden Fleece. During that voyage, a fierce storm threatened the mission but abated as a pair of stars appeared over the heads of the twins. Since that time, seamen have called upon the brothers for protection from peril and the eerie

lightning phenomenon sometimes called Saint Elmo's Fire has long been regarded as the spirits of the twins playing in the sails. It is considered by sailors to be a most favorable omen.

Castor and Pollux were also counted among the number who fought at the Siege of Troy.

Castor (a horseman) and Pollux (a boxer) fell in love with beautiful sisters, daughters of Leudippus, who were already betrothed to suitors. According to the myth, these suitors, named Idas and Lynceus, were reputed cousins of Castor and Pollux by virtue of Poseidon, God of the Sea, who was rumored to be their father. The twins challenged Idas and

Lynceus in battle and slew their rivals, but Castor was mortally wounded by Idas in the process. Overcome with grief, Pollux wanted to commit suicide.

Leo
The Myth of Leo the Lion: THE LEON NEMEIOS (or Nemean lion) was a large lion, whose hide was impervious to weapons, which plagued the district of Nemea in the Argolis. King Eurystheus commanded Herakles to destroy the beast as the first of his twelve Labours. The hero cornered the lion in its cave and seizing it by the neck wrestled it to death. He then skinned its hide to make a lion-skin cape, one of his most distinctive attributes. Hera afterwards placed the lion amongst the stars as the constellation Leo.


Libra
Greek Mythology - Libra - A better known story for Libra is that the stars of Libra came to represent the Golden Chariot of Pluto. The story of Pluto's abduction of Persephone is a widely known Greek myth, perhaps because it has such a strong astronomical association.

Pluto's (or Hades') Golden Chariot was used whenever hewished to visit the Upperworld, usually to seduce a nymph. But when he took Persephone back to Tartarus, the deepest part of Hades, the Upperworld would change forever.

It was considered imprudent and dangerous to mention the names of certain gods and goddesses. Thus the Furies, or Cronies, were called Eumenides (Kindly Ones), and Hades was called Pluto (Rich One).

Persephone was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. Hades is so enamoured by the beauty of Persephone, he wants her for his own, so takes her by force down to his kingdom, where she becomes the Queen of the Underworld.

Demeter is so distraught about the loss of her daughter she decides to forbid any seeds from sprouting. A vast drought spreads throughout the Upperworld. Zeus becomes vexed, for he is owed a certain tribute, and if the drought continues his tribute will not be forthcoming. Zeus convinces his brother Hades to give up Persephone, so that the

Upperworld can again become green and lush.

Hades agrees, provides that Persephone hasn't eaten anything since her arrival. Alas, she had consumed six pomegranate seeds, so Hades claims she cannot return.

Zeus will have none of it, and rules that she must forever divide her time between the Upperworld and the Underworld; four months out of the year she must stay with her husband, while the rest of the year she may visit her mother, in the Upperworld.

Pisces
Pisces-Greek mythology tells of a powerful and menacing god, Typhon, who aimed to overthrow Zeus as king of the gods. Typhon managed to banish all of Zeus' community of gods to Egypt, where they lived in exile.

One day, Aphrodite and her son Eros were strolling along the riverbank when they sensed Typhon pursuing them. They quickly jumped into the Nile and transformed into fishes to escape, binding themselves together by a cord to ensure that they did not become lost. Zeus eventually overcame Typhon's threat, but Aphrodite and Eros continue to flee as

fish in the night sky.

The Greeks and their Roman predecessors also associated Pisces with Poseidon/Neptune, Tyche/Fortuna, Morpheus and Thor, and the constellation is said to have historical links to Helen of Troy and the Trojan War.

Thus every year the world retreats briefly into a cold and forbidding place, until the 21st of March, when Persephone is allowed to emerge from the Underworld, bringing Spring with her.


Sagittarius
Sagittarius The Archer Myth: Sagittarius is the Centaur Archer-Chiron. He was famous for his wisdom and healing abilities. Kings would send their young to him for education as he had great knowledge, being a cross between animal and man.

He was kind and caring and an excellent archer, musician, and physician, and tutored the likes of Achilles, Jason, and Hercules. Chiron was once accidentally shot with an arrow by Hercules. The arrow had been dipped in the poison of the Lernaean Hydra, and inflicted great suffering on Chiron--so great, in fact, that even the talented physician could not cure himself. But because of his wisdom, he had been granted the gift of immortality from the gods..and couldn't die either.

In order to find relief, he offered himself up as a substitute for Prometheus whom Zeus had punished for giving man fire. He was chained to a rock and each day an eagle would eat his liver out. It would regnerate every night and the whole horrible sequence would start over the next day.

Jupiter had agreed, at the request of Hercules to release Prometheus if a suitable substitute could be found. So Chiron replaced Prometheus and for his goodness, Jupiter placed him in the sky...the summer sky.



Taurus
Mythology of the Taurus - In one myth, Theseus of Athens travels to Crete and (with the help of Ariadne) slays the dreadful Minotaur...a flesh-eating monster who had been locked in a Labyrinth and reported to have the figure of a man, but sporting a bull's head which could breathe fire.

Underworld
The Underworld in Greek Mythology was the place that mortals passed onto after they had passed away, but it was very much a place for the living as well. The Greek poets were not specific in describing it. Homer considered the Underworld a place of shadows. Nothing there was completely real. The existence that a spirit endured there was one of a bad dream.

Virgo
Myth of Virgo The Virgin: Astrea was daughter Zeus and Temis, being because one titánide and personifying next to its mother to justice. According to other sources, she was daughter of Astreo and Eos.

She was also the last immortal that lived between the humans during the golden Era of Cronos, leaving the Earth last in the Era of the bronze. Zeus raised her to the sky, locating it by near constellation Libra.


Leo Constellation Myth