Discover with us the Constellations Of Greek Mythology And Their Legends, enjoy all their magic by looking at the sky.
Since the beginning of time man has looked at the night sky and wondered about the stars. These points of light were once a mystery. Before man discovered everything we know today about the stars and planets, they used the constellations of Greek mythology to tell a story. The constellations are like a dot-to-dot puzzle. People connected the stars to form images of their gods. They also created some wonderful and mythical stories to accompany these celestial images.
Myths of the constellations on the Greek mythology
The constellation myths of Greek mythology are tales about gods and monsters, as well as villains and heroes. One might think that people no longer trust these stories, but if you look closely, you might find them sneaking into everyday life. For example, the 12 zodiac signs you hear about when talking about horoscopes have their origin in the constellations.
As scientists and astronomers have learned more about the universe, we look at the stars in a very different way. Still, the legends, gods and myths associated with these tiny points of light streaking across the evening sky remain fascinating.
Aries Constellation
Within the constellations of Greek mythology the sign of Aries, there are two distinctly different stories associated with the name. One is the myth of Aries the ram while the other is the story of the Greek god named Ares. When referring to the god, Aries is often spelled “Ares“. The zodiac sign of Aries is a combination of the two stories.
Ares is found in Greek mythology as a god of war. He had a sister named Athena. Athena was a goddess of war, but she was not exactly like her brother. She was a very disciplined and strategic goddess, while her brother was destructive and chaotic. The Greeks used Ares and Athena to represent the two sides of the war. One god had well thought out and specific plans, while the other was sporadic and unorganized. The Greeks thought that one side of the war was calculated and planned, while the other could be out of control.
Ares was well known to have a lust for blood. In other words, his thoughtless aggressiveness and chaotic behavior often resulted in others being injured or losing their lives. Some of these characteristics of Ares, although not as intense, have been associated with people born under the sign of Aries the Ram. These people are often thought to be spontaneous, daring, courageous and impatient.
Aries constellation mythology
Aries the ram is a constellation that can be seen from Earth. The Greeks believed that this group of stars was shaped like a ram’s head. The mythology behind Aries comes from a story about Jason and the Argonauts. Jason went on a quest for the golden fleece of Aries the ram.
He needed it to prove he was the rightful king of Iolcus. His uncle, Peleus, had taken the throne even though it was not his. In order to remain king, Peleus kept Jason’s father imprisoned. He would have killed Jason, but his mother pretended he was already dead. Once he came of age, he tried to claim the throne. He was sent on a series of missions to prove his worth, and finding the Golden Fleece of the Ram was one of the tasks included in the challenge.
Although Aries the Ram and the Greek god Ares have the same name, they have nothing to do with each other. Both come from Greek mythology, but the god Ares was often seen in the form of a vulture or dog when he was seen as an animal. There is a story in which he became a wild boar. He was in love with Aphrodite, but the beautiful Adonis was also in love with him. He used the form of a boar to kill Adonis, but he never became a ram. This is one of the most famous stories of Ares. Many of his tales are more or less the same as those of Roman mythology on Mars. Many consider them to be the same god.
Taurus Constellation
The myth of the Greek mythology constellation of Taurus is a classic story of how evil can be turned into good. According to the myth, there was once a bull named Cerus. Cerus was a very large and powerful bull, who roamed freely. The villagers were terrified of him. This was because he would trample the village for no apparent reason. No one owned him, and no one knew where he came from. He was not immortal, but many of the farmers thought he was simply because of how big and strong he was. Besides, no one could stop him. So, he continued to bring destruction to the village.
Cerus allows his emotions to decide how he behaves. This makes him an out of control bull. One spring day he was stepping into a field of freshly blooming flowers. This is where Persephone, the goddess of spring, found him. Although a bull cannot speak, Cerus seems to be able to understand her. It has a calming effect on the bull. The two form a bond and Cerus learns how to behave. The goddess of spring teaches him to use his strength wisely and to be patient.
The myth tells how every spring after that, Persephone returns to the village where Cerus joins her. She rides on his back as he runs across the land, and brings all the plants to bloom as he passes. Persephone returns to Hades each autumn, and Cerus the bull returns to the sky where he becomes the constellation Taurus.
Mythology of the constellation Taurus
In the constellations of Greek mythology the sign of Taurus can also be interpreted as the story of Zeus and the Phoenician princess Europa. In this tale, Zeus disguises himself as a snow-white bull with mother-of-pearl fangs to win Europa’s heart. Although he loved her, Zeus knew that his pious appearance would frighten the princess. So he decides to go to her in disguise.
Europa sees the royal bull one day when he is at the water’s edge. He stands out among the other bulls in his father’s herd. Approaching the creature, she knelt down before it. The bull allowed the princess to climb on his back. Once she had done this, she jumped to her feet and began to walk towards the sea. As soon as the bull reached the beach, he ran into the water. It was too late for the princess to get down. Zeus took her to the island of Crete where she returned to her original form.
The Greek god seduced Europa, and made the princess his mistress. He told her that all the land was hers now, for as far as she could see. This land became known as Europa. Europa and Zeus had three sons. These sons were Minos, Radamantis and Sarpendon.
Gemini Constellation
Many constellations have more than one story associated with them. People debate which myth influenced which one, but Gemini is different. There is only one myth associated with this constellation. Castor and Pollux from Greek mythology are the twins represented by Gemini. These two have the same mother. She is Leda, but each has a different father. Tyndarus is the father of Castor. He is the King of Sparta, and is married to Leda.
The Greek god Zeus is the father of Pollux. That is why one brother is immortal while the other is not. As a mortal, Castor will die. Pollux is immortal. This means that he will live forever. The two children were born from eggs after Zeus visited Leda disguised as a swan.
Mythology of the constellation Gemini
The two brothers were twins although they had different fathers. When they were young, they were handsome and adventurous. They enjoyed many adventures together, and were known for their curiosity and lively ways. Pollux had great strength. Castor was an excellent horseman. He competed in and won many Olympic Games. Other athletes worshiped him as a god. They had a beautiful sister. She was Helen of Troy, the very one fought for in the great Trojan War.
The boys fought in this war, and were Argonauts who joined in the quest for the Golden Fleece. It was after the quest when they found themselves involved in a fight between other young men. This led to a horrible battle where Castor was killed.
Castor dies because he is a mere mortal. Pollux was very upset about this. They had spent their whole lives together, and he was left alone. He didn’t want to go on without Castor, but since he was immortal, he couldn’t do anything about it. He turns to his father, Zeus, and asks for help. Zeus had to make a decision. He decided he didn’t want to kill Pollux so he could be with his brother. Instead, he makes Castor immortal. The two brothers were then able to stay together forever as Gemini, the constellation.
Cancer Constellation
Cancer is most commonly remembered for a simple myth. In this version, Cancer was a giant crab that was stepped on by Hercules while fighting the Hydra. Cancer was killed. It is such a simple story that one can sympathize with poor Cancer. According to the story, he pinched Hercules’ finger.
The other version of this myth tells of a giant crab named Crios. He was a guard of the sea nymphs in the kingdom of Poseidon. Crios was quite large and strong, and Poseidon blessed him with the wonderful gift of immortality. Poseidon, as well as many of the other Greek gods, went into hiding when Typhon, the god of monsters, terrorized the gods of Olympus. Crios was left in charge of protecting Poseidon’s daughters who were the nymphs of the sea.
Mythology of the constellation Cancer
Crios took his job as their protector very seriously. He would not let the sea nymphs out of his reach. It wasn’t long before the sea nymphs became restless. They were sure that Typhon’s danger had passed. They made an escape to the open sea. Crios still had to keep the other sea nymphs protected. This meant he could not go after Poseidon’s daughters.
He asked a giant squid named Vamari for help. Little did he know that this squid name translated to “vampire squid” or that Vamari had evil intentions. Vamari caught the escaping sea nymphs, but he also devoured them.
Vamari returned to Crios, and told him that although he did everything he could, he did not find the missing nymphs. Crios immediately knew this was a lie, and attacked Vamari. The battle lasted for hours, but Crios finally won. It was a victory for him, but he paid a price. He was severely crippled. As an immortal, he was forced to suffer in pain without ever dying. When he returned home, Poseidon realized how brave Crios had been. Poseidon relieved him of his pain while maintaining his immortality by placing him in heaven.
Leo Constellation
The myth of the constellation Leo tells a complicated story. It is also known as the myth of Leo, the Lion. The story is generally credited as part of the ancient story of Hercules and his 12 trials. It was in Hercules’ first trial that he was given the task of finding and then killing the lion of Nemea.
This lion was huge and powerful, and its skin could not be penetrated. Hercules does not realize that the lion’s skin is so tough. He tries to kill it by shooting arrows at it. This does nothing but anger the lion.
Mythology of the Greek constellation of Leo
Hera has appeared throughout Greek mythology as the godmother of many of the great monsters. This includes the Lion of Nemea. Hera was the one who begged Tartarus and Gaia to create Typhon. He is the father of the lion. Some versions of the legend speak of Hera, along with the moon goddess Selene, nursing the lion of Nemea. This shows that the lion had a stronger connection with Hera than Zeus.
In fact, the lion received its name after Hera sent it to Nemea to live. She did this because she was angry with Zeus. Nemea was the place where Zeus’ sanctuary was located. With the indestructible lion there, it was almost impossible for anyone to go and worship Zeus.
This story helps explain the creation of the Leo at the Constellations and the Greek Mythology. Hera felt guilty that the lion was hunted and killed. She may even have taken pity on it. She decided to let the lion of Nemea live among the stars with Selene, who had always adored him.
Virgo Constellation
In the constellations of Greek mythology the sign of Virgo is one of the most difficult to understand. This is because Virgo does not represent a single story or even a single mythology. Virgo’s history spans Greek mythology as well as Babylonian and Roman mythology. In addition to being a combination of several different takes on her fame, many people misunderstand her name.
Most assume she is a fertility goddess because the name Virgo is similar to the word “virgin.” She is considered a fertility goddess in the sense of making crops fruitful, but has very little to do with the growth of mankind.
Although many people assume that Virgo refers to the word “virgin,” the Latin definition of the word “virgo” means self-contained or self-sufficient. According to astrology, those born under the sign of Virgo are individualistic and self-sufficient. Their ability to nurture themselves comes from the idea of not needing others for fulfillment. They find it easy to satisfy others because they have already created fulfillment for themselves. Virgo must refer to a nurturing type of person.
Taking a look back through the history of the Virgo myth according to various cultures, one can see how differently a great goddess can be viewed. Several of the goddesses referred to as Virgo were considered fertility goddesses. They were goddesses of the harvest. This shows Virgo as a caretaker of humanity through her gift of fertility. The constellation Virgo is seen as a woman holding a piece of corn. This reinforces the idea that she is a harvesting mother in mythology.
Mythology of the constellation Virgo
In the most popular Greek myth about Virgo, the seasons are explained. Persephone, the goddess of spring, is abducted by Hades. He is the god of the underworld. Once her mother, the goddess of the harvest, realizes that she is missing, she ruins the harvest out of desperation. In the end, Persephone is allowed to return to the world for six months of each year. During this time she must help her mother with the harvest. This story coincides with that of Virgo, with the constellation being visible from March through August.
The Babylonian mythology story of Ishtar is quite similar. The exception is that Ishtar’s husband, Tammuz the harvest god, is taken to the underworld. She follows him only to find herself trapped as well. Other female figures in mythology that represented Virgo are Astraea and Dike from Greek mythology and Erygone from Roman mythology.
These females represented justice rather than being associated with the harvest season. This makes some sense when you realize that Libra with its scales of justice follows Virgo in the zodiac.
The first incarnation of Virgo comes from Babylonian mythology. This would be Nidoba, the goddess of grain. This version is consistent with the idea that Virgo is a life-giving caretaker as well as a self-sufficient figure. In time, the Babylonians turned their worship to Nabu. Nabu was a god of justice and wisdom, once again linking the idea of harvest and justice as a symbol of Virgo.
Libra Constellation
One cannot speak of the Greek mythology constellation myth of Libra without referring to the myth of Virgo. Virgo and Libra are connected in a way that two other constellations are not. Much of this has to do with the debate over what exactly Virgo represents, but to fully understand Libra, one needs to know that Astraea, the Goddess of the Stars, is the figure in the constellation of Virgo. The constellation Libra is a set of scales. These scales belong to Astraea.
This causes much debate about both constellations. If the scales used to represent Libra are Virgo’s, Virgo has to be associated with justice. The problem is that many people think Virgo is a virgin, and this has nothing to do with justice. To keep things from getting confusing, one needs to learn more about the mythology of Libra.
The scales as a symbol
There is no doubt that the symbol used to represent Libra in the constellation is a set of scales. Everyone agrees that the scales are a sign of justice. These scales can even represent temperance and balance along with the dark side of Libra-related astrology. The dark side is the opposite of temperance and balance. Those born under the sign of Libra need to maintain balance and not give in to the chaos around them.
All this information helps to link the Libra constellation with Virgo. Astraea was known as a virgin goddess of justice who served as a caretaker of humanity. The label of the caretaker refers to the true meaning of “Virgo”. The Virgo figure holding the corn is Astraea. The scales of justice found in Libra are hers, and it slides to her side. This keeps the two constellations and their stories connected.
Mythology of the Greek constellation of Libra
Astraea was an important goddess in Greek mythology. She is known as the Goddess of the Stars or the Star Maiden, but is recognized for being the last immortal to have lived on Earth among humans. She eventually left due to disgust at the evil and brutality of humanity.
No one knows for sure who her parents are. EOS and Astraeus or Zeus and Themis. She is usually shown as having wings and carrying a torch along with the scales of justice. She aided Zeus in battle, and is sometimes seen carrying his thunderbolts. Many people believe that it is Astraea’s likeness that is found on the tarot card of justice. In the illustrations on the card she is shown standing next to the throne of Zeus while holding his thunderbolts and a torch. The name “Astrape” appears above her image.
Astraea is commonly regarded as the goddess of justice, but can also be referred to as the virgin goddess. She is believed to have taken the Golden Age of Man with her when she went to the heavens in disgust. Once mankind realized what they had done wrong, they wished for her return to Earth. They hoped she would bring back the Golden Age. Astraea may not be one of the best known gods or goddesses, but she appears in many Greek epics, throughout English literature, and in poems such as Ralph Waldo Emerson’s poem named after her.
Scorpio Constellation
In the constellations of Greek mythology the sign the myth of Scorpius comes from the story of Scorpius versus Orion. Orion was the son of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. He was a great hunter, and he knew it. His boastful ways often irritated the other gods. This eventually became his downfall, as well as the reason for the Scorpius at Constellations Greek Mythology.
Orion was the lover of Eos. She was the goddess of dawn. Orion liked to brag about his conquest of Eos, which made her very angry. Orion kept bragging about what a great hunter he was. He claimed he was going to kill every creature on Earth.
Normally, Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt, would have been offended by this claim of superior hunting skills. She would have quickly put anyone in his place, but she was very much in love with Orion. She thought he was charming.
Mythology of the constellation Scorpius
Apollo, the sun god and god of animal herds, was the brother of Artemis, and did not appreciate Orion’s claim. Gaia, the great goddess of Earth, also did not like Orion’s boasting. Apollo and Gaia discussed the situation, and decided that Orion had to go. To accomplish this, Gaia made a giant named Scorpion who would hunt her hunter. Once Orion learned of this, he knew he would lose. He decided to flee, but Scorpius pursued him at the Constellations Greek Mythology.
This myth has two different endings. One says that Scorpius killed Orion. The other says that Artemis thought he was shooting Scorpius to save Orion, but actually shot Orion by accident. Orion dies in both versions. Zeus had seen all this. He is the god who placed Scorpius and Orion in the sky as constellations. He made sure they were 180° apart to make sure they could no longer fight.
Sagittarius Constellation
As we will see in the constellations of Greek mythology the sign of Sagittarius is often misunderstood as is Virgo. Most stories conclude that the myth of the constellation Sagittarius is the story of the centaur Chiron. Centaurs are considered beasts in mythology because they are half horse. The ancient Greeks, on the other hand, had great respect for horses. They were hesitant to make the Centaurs completely evil.
This led Chiron to become a centaur well known for his gentle ways. He was an accomplished archer, physician, musician, and was tutor to Jason, Achilles, and Hercules.
Hercules accidentally shot Chiron and wounded him. The arrow had been dipped in a poison that inflicted suffering on the centaur. Even Chiron, a great physician, could not find a cure for his great suffering. As an immortal, Chiron could not escape pain with death. Instead, he decided to offer himself as a substitute for Prometheus. Prometheus was being punished for giving fire to man.
He was chained to a rock where an eagle came every day and devoured his liver. Each night the liver would grow back. Jupiter had agreed to Hercules’ request that if a replacement for Prometheus could be found, he could be released. Chiron took Prometheus’ place and renounced his immortality. Jupiter placed him among the stars as a reward for his kindness.
Mythology of the constellation Sagittarius
This story is the myth behind a constellation, but it is not Sagittarius. Contrary to what many believe, it is actually the story of the constellation Centaurus. Sagittarius actually refers to Crotus. Crotus was a satyr who lived with the muses on Mount Helicon. He had the legs and horns of a goat with the torso and head of a human. Like Chiron, Crotus was a skilled hunter and musician. He is credited with the invention of the bow in Greek mythology.
Crotus was the son of Euphemius and Pan. His mother had suckled the muses with whom he lived. In addition to being the first to hunt with bow and arrow, he introduced the clappers. Crotus was devoted to the arts of the muses. He clapped his hands when they sang. This became a sign of acclamation that was preferred to verbal praise. The muses commemorated Crotus’ diligence in asking Zeus to find him a place among the stars. This becomes the constellation Sagittarius at Constellations Greek Mythology.
One can easily see how Sagittarius and Centaurus can often be confused. They have much in common. Both Satyrs and Centaurs are known to be boisterous, wild and lusty creatures with little regard for good manners or authority. Chiron and Crotus are both exceptions to their races.
They are talented when it comes to the sciences and arts, and both were educated and knowledgeable about humans. They look similar, and both hunt with bow and arrow. Each has the torso and head of a human with the lower half of a beast. Centaurs had four legs, while satyrs had two.
Capricorn Constellation
The zodiac sign of Capricorn is commonly seen as a sea goat or as a regular goat. A sea goat has the front half of a goat with the tail of a fish. Both creatures are appropriate to find a Capricorn symbol. The Capricorn story involves both.
The myth begins with Pricus. He is a sea goat and the father of the entire race of these creatures. Sea goats are known for their intelligence and honor. They live in the waters of the sea near the shore. They think and speak, and the gods favor them. Pricus is connected to Cronus, the god of time. Cronus created Pricus, and both have the ability to change time.
The myth of the constellation Capricorn begins with the sons of Pricus. These young sea goats discover how to reach the shore. They are naturally drawn to land. Their offspring use their goat-like forelegs to drag their bodies to the sandy shore where they can bask in the sunlight.
The more time they spend on the shore, the more they resemble a normal goat. As they evolve, they lose their fish tails. The tails become hind legs and they can no longer talk or think. They have become the goats we have today.
Mythology of the Greek constellation Capricorn
This is very annoying for Pricus. He is determined to keep his children from going to the shore. He fears that if they keep doing this, the young sea-goats will never return to the water. They will become mindless land animals. After the loss of several kids on land, Pricus uses his ability to go back in time. This forces his kids to return to the sea. Everything except Pricus returns to where he was before. Pricus is the only one unaffected.
Being able to remember the young sea goats that landed and evolved, Pricus tries to tell them what will happen. He forbids his children to set foot on dry land, but no matter what he tries, the sea goats still find their way to the shore, where they become normal goats. He makes several attempts to reverse time and change their minds, but it doesn’t work.
Pricus finally realizes that he will not be able to control the fate of his kids. He knows that trying to keep them at sea simply won’t work, no matter how often he “starts over.” He resigns himself to the idea of being alone and stops investing the time. Instead, he allows the young sea goats to live out their destiny. Feeling miserable, Pricus asks Cronus to allow him to die.
He cannot imagine being the only billy goat left. Cronus does not comply with his request, but he does grant him the ability to live immortally in heaven. This becomes the constellation Capricorn. As Capricorn, Pricus can watch over his children from the stars.
Aquarius Constellation
In the constellations of Greek mythology the sign of Aquarius tells the story of Ganymede. He was a young prince who was considered the most beautiful young man in Troy. Ganymede worked as a shepherd of sorts, as did many young heroes of the time until his destiny was revealed. He was tending flocks for his family on Mount Ida, in a grassy area. Ganymede was tending his father’s sheep there one day when he was spotted by the Greek god Zeus.
It must be understood that during ancient Greece, it was a social normality for an older man to take a 12 to 19 year old as his mistress. In the story of Ganymede, he was approximately 15 years old when Zeus found him. Zeus thought the boy was irresistibly beautiful, and decided he wanted the young man for himself.
Disguised as a giant eagle, Zeus swooped down from Mount Olympus to Mount Ida. He used his talons to snatch Ganymede and carry him back to Mount Olympus. It was here that Zeus wanted Ganymede to stay and be his mistress and servant. In these social situations, the older man often played the role of mentor to the young man, but this was the Greek god Zeus. He gets exactly what he wants. Zeus decides to make Ganymede his own personal cup bearer. Ganymede will bring drinks to Zeus whenever the god wants.
Myths of the constellation of Aquarius
Ganymede essentially becomes a slave to Zeus. Zeus needs to offer a gift for Ganymede’s father to make up for taking the child. He decides on a herd of the best horses available on earth. This was more of a gesture of common courtesy, as the father probably could not have said anything against the Greek god.
Ganymede was not so happy with this situation. He had had enough, so he decided that he would pour out all the ambrosia, wine and water of the gods. He also refused to remain the personal cup bearer of Zeus. The myth says that all the water fell to Earth when it was poured. It caused many days of flooding rains and caused massive floods that affected the whole world.
Zeus’ first thought was to punish Ganymede for this behavior, but after much thought, he realized that he had been unkind to the young man. He decided to make Ganymede immortal in the form of the Aquarius at Constellations Greek Mythology.
Pisces Constellation
The myth of the constellation Pisces tells only a basic story. There is nothing to argue with when it comes to the general idea of the legend, but there are a few different endings to the story. The Greek myth tells how the monster Typhon descended to Olympus. He threatened all the Greek gods and goddesses. This caused them to flee their home. As Typhon approaches, Aphrodite and her son Eros realize that they need a way to escape. Eros is represented in Roman mythology as Venus and Cupid.
This is the place in the story where one can decide what ending one wants. In one version of the myth Aphrodite and Eros are turned into fish, and swim to safety. The other version still has them turning into fish, but two other fish come and take them to safety. Either version works. They are very similar, and Aphrodite and Eros escape Typhon safely thanks to the help of two fish.
The two fish were later placed in the sky as the Pisces at Constellations of Greek Mythology to honor them. This makes one believe that there were two more fish in this myth besides Aphrodite and her son because during Typhon’s attack on Mount Olympus, many of the other Greek gods took the form of animals to escape. Jupiter became a ram, Apollo a raven and Diana a cat. None of these gods were given the honor of being a constellation.
Mythology of the Greek constellation of Pisces
The myth of Pisces always refers to two fish. Some versions of Typhon’s escape describe the tails of these two fish that have been tied together. This was done so that they would not lose each other. The constellation of Pisces shows two fish with their tails tied together.
Syrian mythology has a similar story of two fish that were called the Ikhthyes. In this story they are said to have rescued Aphrodite and Eros. Later, a similar myth arose that told of a mysterious and large egg that appeared in the Euphrates River. It was here that two fish named Aphros and Bythos found the egg and brought it to shore where they were able to help it hatch. Aphrodite was inside the egg as Astarte, her Syrian counterpart. The two fish in this version of the story are often depicted in classical art as men with fish tails.
All of these stories involve some kind of fish saving some version of Aphrodite from the Euphrates River. Each tale also has the helpful fish becoming the constellation Pisces. This legend also explains the Syrian tradition of not eating fish. There has been some debate about the relevance of Pisces mythology to Christian beliefs, where the fish is often seen as a symbol of Jesus Christ, but in this case, the fish is referring to the story of the “Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes”.
