Libra 10

Maât est, dans la mythologie égyptienne, la déesse de l'ordre, de l'équilibre du monde, de l'équité, de la paix, de la vérité et de la justice. Elle est l'antithèse de l'isfet (le chaos, l'injustice, le désordre social, ...).

Maât est une entité symbolisant la norme universelle : l'équilibre établi par le Créateur, la justice qui permet d'agir selon le droit, l'ordre qui fait conformer les actes de chacun aux lois, la vérité, la droiture et la confiance.

Maât est toujours anthropomorphe, comme la plupart des concepts abstraits personnifiés : c'est une femme, en général assise sur ses talons, ou debout. Elle est la plupart du temps vêtue de la longue robe collante des déesses et porte leurs bijoux habituels. Maât confère aux autres dieux certaines de ses qualités, mais ne leur prête pas son aspect et ne prend pas non plus l'apparence d'autres divinités. Son attribut est la plume-nom (la même est portée par Shou). Elle tient souvent le signe de vie. L'élément de Maât est l'Air et la couleur de sa peau est ocre jaune.
Au-delà de cette première approche, le concept est un peu plus complexe. Maât est d'abord de dimension divine : elle est la mère de Rê dont elle est aussi la fille et l'épouse, elle est aussi la sœur mystique de pharaon, elle assure l'équilibre cosmique et c'est donc grâce à elle que le monde fonctionne de façon harmonieuse. Elle est également la lumière que Rê apporte au monde.

De ce fait, elle est fondamentalement liée à l'institution pharaonique, le premier devoir de pharaon étant de faire respecter la loi de Maât dans toute l'Égypte. C’est pourquoi, sur les murs des temples, pharaon est représenté faisant l'offrande de Maât à une divinité : c’est dire que, dans ses actes, il se conforme aux exigences de la déesse. Ainsi, lorsque Séthi Ier, dans le temple d'Abydos, offre Maât aux dieux principaux, sous forme d'une statuette de la déesse, il leur démontre sa compétence ; en retour, les dieux lui procurent vie et domination (Osiris) et force victorieuse (Horus).

Il faut être conscient de ce que la mission profonde de pharaon relève de Maât : « in maât » (amener Maât, organiser le pays et assurer son unité), « der isfet » (repousser Isfet, notamment repousser les ennemis) ; la célèbre palette de Nârmer transcrit cette double mission. On peut évoquer aussi l'hymne solaire du Moyen Empire :

« Ré a intallé le roi sur la terre des vivants à jamais et à toute éternité de sorte qu'il juge les hommes et anéantisse Isfet. »

Précisément, et c'est sa seconde dimension, terrestre celle-là, Maât est aussi l'expression sociale et juridique de l'ordre établi et le symbole de la justice et de l'équité. Dans les faits, c'est le rôle du vizir, qui porte le titre de « Prophète de Maât », que de rendre la justice au nom de la déesse et donc de pharaon qui l'incarne :

« Pratique la justice et tu dureras sur terre.
Apaise celui qui pleure ;
n'opprime pas la veuve ;
Ne chasse point un homme de la propriété de son père ;
Ne porte point atteinte aux grands dans leur possession ;
Garde-toi de punir injustement. »

Dans la pesée de l'âme, Maât, aussi légère qu'une plume, est le contrepoids du cœur qui doit être aussi léger qu'elle pour que le ka, l'âme du défunt, puisse accéder au monde des bienheureux. Elle est représentée par une femme coiffée de la plume d'autruche ou simplement par cette plume elle-même.

À une époque plus tardive, « maât » signifie également la vérité ou la connaissance juste de soi.

Libra 9

Winged Eris, Athenian black-figure kylixC6th B.C.

ERIS was the goddess or spirit (daimona) of strife, discord, contention and rivalry. She was often represented specifically as the daimon of the strife of war, who haunted the battlefield and delighted in human bloodshed.

Because of Eris' disagreeable nature she was the only goddess not to be invited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. When she turned up anyway, she was refused admittance and, in a rage, threw a golden apple amongst the goddesses inscribed "To the fairest." Three goddesses laid claim it, and in their rivalry brought about the events which led to the Trojan War.

Eris was closely identified with the war-goddess Enyo. Indeed Homer uses the names interchangeably. Her Roman name was Discordia.

Libra 8

Cadmus & Harmonia, Paestan red-figure krater C4th B.C.,

HARMONIA was the goddess of harmony and concord. As a daughter of Aphrodite, she presided over marital harmony, soothing strife and discord; as a daughter of Ares, she represented harmonious action in war. Late Greek and Roman writers sometimes portrayed her as harmony in the more abstract sense : a deity presiding over the cosmic harmony.
Harmonia was born of Aphrodite's adulterous affair with the god Ares. She was awarded to Kadmos, the hero founder of Thebes, in a wedding attended by all the gods. Hephaistos, however, was still furious over his wife's betrayal, and presented Harmonia with a cursed necklace, which doomed her descendants to endless tragedy.
A string of family catastrophes caused the couple to emmigrate to Illyria, where they battled various local tribes to establish their new kingdom. Later the pair were turned into serpents by the gods and transferred to the Islands of the Blest, to live in peace and harmony for the rest of eternity.
In ancient Greek vase painting Harmonia appears in two scenes : firstly as the bride of Kadmos, and secondly as a goddess in the retinue of the bridal Aphrodite. Harmonia's opposite number was Eris (Lady Strife).

Libra 7

Libra means "The Scales" or "Balance", so named because when the zodiac was still in its infancy, some four thousand years ago, the sun passed through this constellation at the autumnal equinox (21 September). At the two equinoxes (Spring and Autumn) the hours of daylight and darkness are equal.

As a symbol for equality, the constellation came to represent Justice in several middle Eastern cultures. However, the Greeks had a different perspective; at one time Scorpius, which lies just to the east, was much larger, and the stars that make up Libra were then known as the Claws of the Scorpion.

Eventually, however, these 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 the Lord of the Underworld wished 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.

The name of the ruler of the Underworld was actually Hades. Hades was a brother of Zeus and of Poseidon; he was usually ignorant of the happenings of the Upperworld, only emerging rarely from his dark kingdom.

Deep beneath the earth, he owned all its mineral riches, but his favourite possession was a gift from the Cyclopes: a helmet that rendered him invisible. (Those familiar with Wagner's Ring Cycle will recognise the leitmotif, and a number of others in this story of Persephone.)

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).

His golden chariot was pulled by four jet-black horses. While he used the chariot to periodically visit the Upperworld, in order to seduce a beautiful nymph, he rarely wished the relationship to last. Until he saw Persephone, the daughter of Demeter and Zeus.

Demeter was the sister of Zeus and Hades, and one of the most important of goddesses as she was responsible for Agriculture, and all growing things.
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 mourns for her lost daughter and begs the other gods for help. So Theseus and Peiritheus (his brother) descend into Hades in search of Persephone, but are unsuccessful. In fact, they are held captive by Hades, and Heracles is sent to rescue them. He can only manage to bring back Theseus; Peiritheus is condemned to remain forever in Hades.
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.

Some accounts give Zeus a more noble reason for acting on his sister's behalf: that he empathizes with Demeter and wishes to rectify her loss. In any event, he 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.
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.

The Bayer stars are fairly dim, except for two two-magnitude stars, alpha2 and beta. The constellation has several objects of interest, including some fine double stars and an unusual variable.

Alpha Librae is also known as Zubenelgenubi, a derivation of an older Arabic name that translates into "Southern Claw" (i.e. of the Scorpion). The star is a wide binary of unequal stars (see below).

Beta Librae is called Zubeneschamali, "The Northern Claw". This white star has been described by some to be green in colour; Burnham points out that truly green stars are close companions to red stars (such as the companion to Antares), and beta Librae doesn't fit that category. Still, the impression apparently persists for some observers; you'll have to decide for yourself.

Double stars in Libra:
Alpha2 and alpha1 Librae form a very wide double with colour contrast: yellow and pale blue. Note that alpha2 is the primary: 2.9, 5.3; PA 314, separation 231".

Iota Librae is a multiple system:

The companion iota1a is a rapid binary with a period of 22.35 years, travelling in a retrograde motion.
Iota1B is a fixed wide companion: 4.5, 9.5; PA 111, separation 58.6".

Struve 1962 is a fixed pair of equal stars: 6.5, 6.6; PA 188 degrees, separation 11.9".

Variable stars in Libra:
Delta Librae is an Algol-type variable: 4.9-5.9 with a period of 2.3 days.
48 Librae (also known as FX Librae) is a noted shell star that may be dormant for many years, then show rapid activity.


The star has an exceptionally large rotational velocity, and (perhaps as a consequence) an equatorial ring of gases about twice the diameter of the star which rapidly expands.

天
秤



الزبن الجنوبي

الزبن الشمالية

الزبن العقرب

Brachium

Libra 6

Eventually 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. Hades was a brother of Zeus and of Poseidon; he was usually ignorant of the happenings of the Upperworld, only emerging rarely from his dark kingdom.

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).

His golden chariot was pulled by four jet-black horses. While he used the chariot to periodically visit the Upperworld, in order to seduce a beautiful nymph, he rarely wished the relationship to last. Until he saw Persephone, the daughter of Demeter and Zeus. When he took Persephone back to Tartarus, the deepest part of Hades, the Upperworld would change forever.

Deep beneath the Earth, he owned all its mineral riches, but his favorite possession was a gift from the Cyclopes: a helmet that rendered him invisible.
Demeter was the sister of Zeus and Hades, and one of the most important of goddesses as she was responsible for Agriculture, and all growing things. 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 mourns for her lost daughter and begs the other gods for help. So Theseus and Peiritheus descend into Hades in search of Persephone, but are unsuccessful. In fact, they are held captive by Hades, and Heracles is sent to rescue them. He can only manage to bring back Theseus; Peiritheus is condemned to remain forever in Hades.

Demeter is so distraught about the loss of her daughter she neglected her godly duties and no seeds sprouted. 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. Some accounts give Zeus a more noble reason for acting on his sister's behalf: that he empathizes with Demeter and wishes to rectify her loss. In any event, he convinces his brother Hades to give up Persephone, so that the Upperworld can again become green and lush.

Zeus 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. 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.

The Romans invented Libra and gave it importance as a constellation of the Zodiac. Libra was "the Scales of Justice" held by Julius Caesar. Later the scales became associated with Virgo, the Goddess of Justice. The Romans choose a scale because when the zodiac was still in its infancy, some four thousand years ago, the sun passed through this constellation at the autumnal equinox (September 21). That is, day and night were of equal length, and the day would begin to lengthen from that day on.

The ancient Greeks did not recognize Libra. Instead they saw it as part of Scorpius. Libra made up the two claws of the scorpion.

As a symbol for equality, the constellation came to represent Justice in several middle Eastern cultures.

The Egyptians also saw Libra as a set of scales, one in which the human heart was to be weighted after death, "the Scales of Justice."

In India, the constellation was called Tula, meaning "a balance," showed a man bent on one knee, holding the scales.

The ancient Chinese called the constellation Show Sing, "the Star of Longevity," but later generation changed the name to Tien Ching, meaning "the Celestial Balance."

Libra 4

Nemesis & Tyche, Athenian amphoraC5th B.C.

TYKHE was the goddess or spirit of fortune, chance, providence and fate. She was usually honoured in a more favourable light as Eutykhia, goddess of good fortune, luck, success and prosperity.
Tykhe was represented with different attributes. Holding a rudder, she was conceived as the divinity guiding and conducting the affairs of the world, and in this respect she was called one of the Moirai (Fates); with a ball she represented the varying unsteadiness of fortune--unsteady and capable of rolling in any direction; with Ploutos or the horn of Amalthea, she was the symbol of the plentiful gifts of fortune.
Nemesis (Fair Distribution) was cautiously regarded as the downside of Tykhe, one who provided a check on extravagant favours conferred by fortune. The pair were often depicted as companions in Greek vase painting. In the vase (right) Nemesis (Indignation) with her arm around Tykhe (Fortune) points an accusing fingure at Helene, who Aphrodite has persuaded to elope with Paris.
The ancient cults of Tykhe are described on a separate page.

Libra 3

In Greek mythology, Astraea (English translation: "star-maiden") was a daughter of Zeus and Themis or of Eos and Astraeus. She and her mother were both personifications of justice. Astraea was the last of the immortals to live with humans during the Iron Age, the final stage in the world's disintegration from the utopian Golden Age.

Fleeing from the wickedness of humanity, she ascended to heaven to become the constellation Virgo; the scales of justice she carried became the nearby constellation Libra.

Zubenelgenubi

Alpha2 Librae



Distance (Light Years) 77.2 ± 1.9
Visual Magnitude 2.75
Color (B-V) 0.15

Names For This Star

Other names for the star are Elgenubi, Kiffa Australis, or Elkhiffa Australis.
Zubenelgenubi and Elgenubi derive from the Arabic name Al Zuban al Janubiyyah, "The Southern Claw." This name reflects the fact that the stars of Libra once formed the claws of the Scorpion, Scorpius, the next Zodiac constellation to the east.

The alternative names Kiffa Australis and Elkhiffa Australis are a partially Latinized version of the Arabic name Al Kiffah al Janubiyyah, "The Southern Pan (of the Scales)."

Description of the Star

Zubelgenubi is a white A3IV subgiant star having a diameter of about twice that of the sun and a luminosity of about 38 times that of the sun. It has a companion separated by 231 arc sec from the primary star. This corresponds to a projected distance of 5500 AU.
It is suspected that the star has an additional close companion as well orbiting with a period of 20 days or so, according to Burnham.

Libra 2

ASTRAIA (or Astraea) was the virgin-goddess of justice. During the Golden Age she dwelt upon the earth with mankind, but was driven away by the lawlessness of the later Bronze Age. Zeus then placed her amongst the stars as the constellation Virgo.

She was closely identified with Dike, the goddess of justice, and with Nemesis, the goddess of rightful indignation.

Hesiod, Works and Days 172 ff (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C8th or 7th B.C.) :[N.B. In the following passage Nemesis withdraws from earth in response to the growing corruption of mankind. In Aratus and Ovid it is Astraia.] "Would that I were not among the men of the fifth age [i.e. of the five ages of man], but either had died before or been born afterwards. For now truly is a race of iron, and men never rest from labour and sorrow by day . . . [And they will deteriorate over time so that :] Strength will be right and reverence will cease to be; and the wicked will hurt the worthy man, speaking false words against him, and will swear an oath upon them. Zelos (Envy), foul-mouthed, delighting in evil, with scowling face, will go along with wretched men one and all. And Nemesis (Just Retribution) and Aidos (Respect), shrouding their bright forms in pale mantles, shall go from the wide-wayed earth back to Olympos, forsaking the whole race of mortal men, and all that will be left by them to mankind will be wretched pain. And there shall be no defence against evil."

Aratus, Phaenomena 96 ff (trans. Mair) (Greek astronomical poem C3rd B.C.) :"The [Constellation] Maiden (Parthenon), who in her hands bears the gleaming Ear of Corn. Whether she be daughter of Astraios, who, men say, was of old the father of the Astron (Stars), or child of other sire, untroubled be her course! But another tale is current among me, how of old she dwelt on earth and met men face to face, nor ever disdained in olden times the tribes of men and women, but mingling with them took her seat, immortal though she was. Her men called Dike (Justice); but she assembling the elders, it might be in the market-place or in the wide-wayed streets, uttered her voice, ever urging on them judgements kinder to the people. Not yet in that age had men knowledge of hateful strife, or carping contention, or din of battle, but a simple life they lived. Far from them was the cruel sea and not yet from afar did ships bring their livelihood, but the oxen and the plough and Dike herself, queen of the peoples, giver of things just, abundantly supplied their every need. Even so long as the earth still nurtured the Golden Race, she had her dwelling on earth. But with the Silver Race only a little and no longer with utter readiness did she mingle, for that she yearned for the ways of the men of old. Yet in that Silver Age was she still upon the earth; but from the echoing hills at eventide she came along, nor spake to any man in gentle words. But when she had filled the great heights with gathering crowds, then would she with threats rebuke their evil ways, and declare that never more at their prayer would she reveal her face to man. ‘Behold what manner of race the fathers of the Golden Age left behind them! Far meaner than themselves! But ye will breed a viler progeny! Verily wars and cruel bloodshed shall be unto men and grievous woe shall be laid upon them.’ Even so she spake and sought the hills and left the people all gazing towards her still. But when they, too, were dead, and when, more ruinous than they which went before, the Race of Bronze was born, who were the first to forge the sword of the highwayman, and the first to eat of the flesh of the ploughing-ox, then verily did Dike loathe that race of men and fly heavenward and took up that abode, where even now in the night time the Maiden is seen of men."

Pseudo-Hyginus, Astronomica 2. 25 (trans. Grant) (Roman mythographer C2nd A.D.) :"[Constellation] Virgo. Hesiod calls her the daughter of Jove [Zeus] and Themis. Aratus says that she is thought to be daughter of Astraeus and Aurora [Eos], who lived at the time of the Golden Age of men and was their leader. On account of her carefulness and fairness she was called Justice, and at that time no foreign nations were attacked in war, nor did anyone sail over the seas, but they were wont to live thier lives caring for their fields. But those born after their death began to be less observant of duty and more greedy, so that Justitia (Justice) associated more rarely with men. Finally the disease became so extreme that it was said the Brazen Race was born; then she could not endure more, and flew away to the stars."
Ovid, Metamorphoses 1. 148 ff (trans. Melville) (Roman epic C1st B.C. to C1st A.D.) :"Last [of the Ages of Men] came the Race of Iron (Proles Ferro). In that hard age of baser vein all evil straight broke out, and honour fled and truth and loyalty, replaced by fraud, deceit and treachery and violence and wicked greed for gain . . . Honour and love lay vanquished, Astraea, virgin divine, the last of the immortals, fled away."

Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica 2. 356 ff (trans. Mozley) (Roman epic C1st A.D.) :"[The setting of the Pleiades in November marked the beginning of the stormy season :] At no other season of the year does fiercer fear sway men’s hearts; for then does Astraea urge her plea, then does she implore Jove’s [Zeus’] anger against the nations, and leaving the earth importunes Saturnus’ star with her complaints. Then follows the darkling Eurus (East Wind), and with his brethren thunders upon the Aegean main, and all the sea strains shoreward."

Statius, Silvae 1. 4. 2 (trans. Mozley) (Roman poetry C1st A.D.) :"Kindly Astraea hath regard for pious folk, and comes back reconciled with Jove [Zeus]."
Nonnus, Dionysiaca 41. 212 ff (trans. Rouse) (Greek epic C5th A.D.) :"Virgin Astraia, nurse of the whole universe, cherisher of the Golden Age, received Beroe [i.e. the goddess of the city of Beruit, which was famous for its law-courts] from her mother [Aphrodite] into the embrace of her arms, laughing, still a babe, and fed her with wise breast as she babbled words of law. With her virgin milk, she let streams of statutes gush into the baby’s lips, and dropt into the girl’s mouth the sweet produce of the Attic bee; she pressed the bee’s riddled travail of many cells, and mixed the voiceful comb in a sapient cup. If the girl thirsting asked for a drink, she gave the speaking Pythian water kept for Apollon, or the stream of Ilissos, which is inspired by the Attic Mousa when the Pierian breezes of Phoibos beat on the bank. She took the golden Cornstalk [i.e. the star Spica which Virgo holds in her hand] from the stars, and entwined it in a cluster to put round the girl’s neck like a necklace."

Nonnus, Dionysiaca 41. 263 ff (trans. Rouse) (Greek epic C5th A.D.) :"[Aphrodite addresses her daughter Harmonia :] `[Zeus] promised . . . that he would commit the precepts of Justice (Dike) to one of the cities allotted to me. I wish to learn whether the gift is reserved for land of Kypros or Paphos or Korinthos or Sparta . . . or the noblemen’s country of my own daughter Beroe. Have a care then for Justice (Dike), and grant harmony to the world, you who are Harmonia, the saviour of life! For I was sent here in haste by the Virgin of the Stars [Astraia] herself, the nurse of law-abiding men; and what is more, law-loving Hermes has passed on this honour to me, that I alone be enforcing the laws of marriage may preserve the men whom I have sown.'"

Image T32.1 (below) : A figure labelled Astrape, "lightning bolt," stands beside the throne of Zeus. She is perhaps the same as Dike-Astraia, for she is represented with the accoutrements of a star-goddess--wings, bright aureole and flaming torch. The star-god Eosphoros was depicted with the same in Apulian art. The goddess of justice also appropriately bears the thunderbolts of Zeus with which he destroys the wrongdoer. From the Perseus Digital Library, www.perseus.tufts.edu (accessed Sep 2000) : "To the left of the palace [of Zeus] stands a winged female figure wearing a short, semicircle-patterned chiton with a shoulder cord that leaves her breasts bare, as well as scroll and white dot-decorated foot coverings. Her name, Astrape, is inscribed above her head, and she has a diadem, earrings, a double-stranded necklace, and double-coil bracelets on each wrist. In her right hand she is holding a flaming torch; in her left she carries a yellow thunderbolt tinged with purple. A white, yellow, and purple nimbus appears over her head. A lily-like flower grows on the groundline in front of her."

Libra 1

La Balance est une constellation du zodiaque traversée par le Soleil du 31 octobre au 22 novembre. Dans l'ordre du zodiaque, elle se situe entre la Vierge à l'ouest et le Scorpion à l'est.

La Balance désigne également un signe du zodiaque correspondant au secteur de 30° de l'écliptique traversé par le Soleil du 23 septembre au 22 octobre. C'est dans ce sens qu'il sert au repérage des déplacement planétaires, encore utilisé en astrologie.

C'est une constellation modeste qui ne contient aucune étoile de première magnitude. Elle était jadis considérée comme les pinces du scorpion (ses étoiles en tirent leur nom). Dans la mythologie classique, elle était la balance d'Astrée, la déesse vierge de la Justice, la déesse elle-même étant représentée par une constellation voisine, la Vierge.

Comme le nom des étoiles principales de cette constellation l'atteste, la Balance était à l'origine (chez les grecs en particulier) considérée comme les pinces de la constellation du Scorpion. On pense qu'il s'agit des romains qui ont introduit cette constellation. Elle apparaît dans le Calendrier julien en 46 av. J.-C.

Libra is the seventh astrological sign in the Zodiac, originating from the constellation of Libra. In western astrology, this sign is no longer aligned with the constellation as a result of the precession of the equinoxes. In astrology, Libra is considered a "masculine", positive (extrovert) sign. It is also considered an air sign and is one of four cardinal signs.[1] Libra is ruled by the planet Venus (Which also rules Taurus). It is governed by the 7th House (House of Love & Relationships).

Individuals born when the Sun was in this sign are considered Libra individuals. Under the tropical zodiac, the Sun enters Libra around September 23 - 24 and exits around October 22 - 23. Under the sidereal zodiac, it ends on November 15.
Libra, (The Scales of Balance), is the only symbol of the zodiac that is inanimate (it is not represented by an animal or person).

In mythology Libra is often associated with the Greek Goddess of Justice, Themis,[6] the Greek mythological figure of Atalanta (meaning balanced), and Astraea (daughter of Themis), who ascended to heaven and became the constellation of Virgo, and carried the scales of justice, the nearby constellation of Libra.

Libra is also associated with the Greco-Roman goddess Aphrodite/Venus and sometimes also the goddesses Eris/Discordia,[citation needed] along with Hermione/Concordia, Hera/Juno, Ishtar, Freyja and Frigg, and the Aztec god Xolotl.[citation needed]

The astrological symbol for Libra represents the scales. Many modern astrologers regard it as the most desirable of zodiacal types because it represents the zenith of the year, the high point of the seasons, when the harvest of all the hard work of the spring is reaped.

The brightest stars in Libra form a rectangle:

α Librae, Zubenelgenubi ("southern claw"), a visual binary;
β Librae, Zubeneschamali ("northern claw");
γ Librae, Zubenelakrab ("scorpion's claw");
σ Librae, Brachium an eclipsing variable.
α and β Librae are the scales' balance beam, and γ and σ are the weighing pans.
σ Librae was formerly known as γ Scorpii despite being well inside the boundaries of Libra. It was not redesignated as σ Librae until 1851

Cetus 2

β Cet (Deneb Kaitos / Diphda) الضفدع الثاني queue du monstre. Deneb Kaitos, Diphda, Difda al Thani, Rana Secunda ; de l'arabe ذنب (ðanab), « queue », et du grec κήτος (kètos), « baleine » ; de l'arabe الضفدع الثاني , « la deuxième grenouille » ; étoile variable.


Menkar (α Cet) مِنْخَر nez. Menkar, Menkab, Mekab, Monkar ; de l'arable منخر (minxar), « narines » ; de l'arabe منكب (minkab) « épaule » ; de l'arabe منقار (minqār), bec ; étoile variable.

ο Ceti Mira Ceti, Collum Ceti ; du latin mira, « merveilleuse » ; prototype des étoiles variables de type Mira.

Zeta Ceti ( ζ Cet ) Le ventre du monstre.: بطن κήτος


η Cet Deneb Algenubi, Dheneb, Deneb ; de l'arabe الذنب الجنوبي , la flûte du Sud.

γ Cet Kaffaljidhmah ; de l'arabe الكف الجذماء (al-kaf al-jaðmā’) « la main lépreuse (?) » ; étoile binaire.

ι Cet Schemali, Deneb Kaitos Shemali ;de l'arabe ذنب كايتوس الشمالي (ðanab kāytūs aš-šamāliyy), « La flûte de Cetus du Nord » ; étoile variable.

Cetus 3

Tiamat

In Babylonian mythology, Tiamat is the sea, personified as a goddess, and a monstrous embodiment of primordial chaos. In the Enûma Elish, the Babylonian epic of creation, she gives birth to the first generation of gods; she later makes war upon them and is split in two by the storm-god Marduk, who uses her body to form the heavens and the earth. She was known as Thalattē (as variant of thalassa, the Greek word for "sea") in the Hellenistic Babylonian Berossus' first volume of universal history, and some Akkadian copyists of Enûma Elish slipped and substituted the ordinary word for "sea" for Tiamat, so close was the association.

Though Tiamat is often described by modern authors as a sea serpent or dragon, no ancient texts exist in which there is a clear association with those kinds of creatures. Though the Enûma Elish specifically states that Tiamat did give birth to dragons and serpents, they are included among a larger and more general list of monsters including scorpion men and merpeople, none of which imply that any of the children resemble the mother or are even limited to aquatic creatures.
Within the Enûma Elish her physical description includes a tail, a thigh, "lower parts" (which shake together), a belly, an udder, ribs, a neck, a head, a skull, eyes, nostrils, a mouth, and lips. She has insides (possibly "entrails"), a heart, arteries, and blood.
The strictly modern depiction of Tiamat as a multi-headed dragon was popularized in the 1970s as a fixture of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game thanks to earlier sources conflating Tiamat with later mythological characters, such as Lotan.

Apsu (or Abzu, from Sumerian ab = water, zu = far) fathered upon Tiamat the Elder Gods Lahmu and Lahamu (the "muddy"), a title given to the gatekeepers at the Enki Abzu temple in Eridu. Lahmu and Lahamu, in turn, were the parents of the axis or pivot of the heavens (Anshar, from an = heaven, shar = axle or pivot) and the earth (Kishar); Anshar and Kishar were considered to meet on the horizon, becoming thereby the parents of Anu and Ki. Tiamat was the "shining" personification of salt water who roared and smote in the chaos of original creation. She and Apsu filled the cosmic abyss with the primeval waters. She is "Ummu-Hubur who formed all things".

In the myth, the god Enki (later Ea) believed correctly that Apsu, upset with the chaos they created, was planning to murder the younger gods; and so slew him. This angered Kingu, their son, who reported the event to Tiamat, whereupon she fashioned monsters to battle the gods in order to avenge Apsu's death. These were her own offspring: giant sea serpents, storm demons, fish-men, scorpion-men and many others. Tiamat possessed the Tablets of Destiny, and in the primordial battle she gave them to Kingu, the god she had chosen as her lover and the leader of her host. The Gods gathered in terror, but Anu, (replaced later, first by Enlil and, in the late version that has survived after the First Dynasty of Babylon, by Marduk, the son of Ea), first extracting a promise that he would be revered as "king of the gods", overcame her, armed with the arrows of the winds, a net, a club, and an invincible spear.

And the lord stood upon Tiamat's hinder parts,
And with his merciless club he smashed her skull.
He cut through the channels of her blood,
And he made the North wind bear it away into secret places.

Slicing Tiamat in half, he made from her ribs the vault of heaven and earth. Her weeping eyes became the source of the Tigris and the Euphrates. With the approval of the elder gods, he took from Kingu the Tablets of Destiny, installing himself as the head of the Babylonian pantheon. Kingu was captured and was later slain: his red blood mixed with the red clay of the Earth would make the body of humankind, created to act as the servant of the younger Igigi Gods.
The principal theme of the epic is the justified elevation of Marduk to command over all the gods. "It has long been realized that the Marduk epic, for all its local coloring and probable elaboration by the Babylonian theologians, reflects in substance older Sumerian material," E. A. Speiser remarked in 1942 adding "The exact Sumerian prototype, however, has not turned up so far." Without corroboration in surviving texts, this surmise that the Babylonian version of the story is based upon a modified version of an older epic, in which Enlil, not Marduk, was the god who slew Tiamat, is more recently dismissed as "distinctly improbable", Marduk in fact has no precise Sumerian prototype.

Andromeda

Paul Gustave Doré, Andromède,1869.

The Boast of Cassiopeia (Κασσιόπεια) is a story from Greek mythology, associated with Perseus. The story is set in the royal household of Aethiopia (not to be confused with Ethiopia, the modern name of Axum). King Cepheus (Greek for gardener), and queen Cassiopeia (Greek for cassia juice), had promised their daughter Andromeda (Greek for ruler of men) to the nobleman Phineus.

Cassiopeia, having boasted herself equal in beauty to the Nereids, drew down the vengeance of Poseidon, who sent an inundation on the land and a whale-like sea-monster, the whale-like Cetus, (whom some modern writers and filmmakers replaced with the Scandinavian Kraken), which destroyed man and beast.

The oracle of Ammon announced that no relief would be found, unless the king exposed his daughter to the monster. Thus duly she was was fastened to a rock on the shore. Perseus, returning from having slain Medusa, found Andromeda, and slew the monster by turning it into stone with Medusa's head.

Perseus then set her free, and married her as his reward, in spite of Phineus. At the wedding a quarrel took place between the rivals, and Phineus was turned to stone by the sight of the Gorgon's head (Ovid, Metamorphoses v. 1).

Andromeda followed her husband to Tiryns in Argos, and became the ancestress of the family of the Perseidae through Perseus' and Andromeda's son, Perses. Perseus and Andromeda had six sons (Perseides): Perses, Alcaeus, Heleus, Mestor, Sthenelus, and Electryon, and one daughter, Gorgophone. Their descendants ruled Mycenae from Electryon down to Eurystheus, after whom Atreus got the kingdom, and include the great hero Heracles.

After her death she, Cetus, Cephus, and Cassiopeia, were placed by Athena amongst the constellations in the northern sky, near Perseus.

Origin of the Myth

Four constellations are associated with the myth, and their relative positions create a scene which may be the origin of a proportion of the myth. Viewing the fainter stars, visible to the naked eye, renders the constellations as
A large man wearing a crown (upside down with respect to the ecliptic. (The constellation Cepheus)

A smaller figure, next to the man, sitting on a chair. Due to the proximity to the pole star, it is visible the whole year, although sometimes upside down whilst in the chair. The greeks considered that this was an undignified position (being upside down, and also the normal way up, in a chair), and must be a suitable punishment for some crime. Since the punishment was one of losing dignity, vanity is a suitable crime. (The constellation Cassiopeia)
A maiden, chained up, facing/turning away from the ecliptic.

(The constellation Andromeda)
A sea monster just under the ecliptic. (The constellation Cetus)
The constellation Pegasus is next to Andromeda, and may also be the origin of the part of the tale concerning Andromeda's rescue.
The genealogies in the myth possibly have their origin either in history, or in propaganda asserting an historic royal claim, such as a connection to Perseus.

The Myth in Art

Sophocles and Euripides (and in more modern times Corneille) made the story the subject of tragedies, and its incidents were represented in numerous ancient works of art.

Cetus 1

Cetus (pronounced /ˈsiːtəs/, latinized form of Ancient Greek κeτος - kētos, “whale, any sea-monster or huge fish”) is a constellation of the northern winter sky, in the region known as the Water, near other watery constellations like Aquarius, Pisces, and Eridanus.

This constellation's star is Mira (or ό Ceti), the first variable star to be discovered. Over a period of 331.65 days it can reach a maximum magnitude as high as 2.0m, one of the brightest in the sky and easily visible to the unaided eye, then drop to 10.1m and back again. Its discovery in 1596 by David Fabricius further dented the supposed unchangeability of the heavens and lent support to the Copernican revolution.

Other stars in the constellation include :

α Ceti (Menkar);

β Ceti (Deneb Kaitos), brightest in the constellation;

τ Ceti, the 17th closest star to Earth.

The ecliptic passes close to the constellation boundary of Cetus, and thus the planets may be in this constellation for brief periods of time. This is even more true of asteroids, whose orbits usually have a greater inclination to the ecliptic than planets. The asteroid 4 Vesta was discovered in this constellation in 1807.

History

This constellation has been known since antiquity. In Mesopotamia, it was identified with the primordial cosmic female principle, the sea-monster Tiamat.

In Ancient Greece, together with the constellations above it, (Andromeda, Cepheus, Perseus, Cassiopeia, and possibly Pegasus), this may be the source of the myth of the Boast of Cassiopeia, with which it is usually identified.

In certain earlier Greek legends, it also represented the gates (and gateposts) of the underworld (considered to be the area under the ecliptic). As such, together with other features in the Zodiac sign of Pisces (including Pisces itself, as well as prominent stars behind Cetus), it may have formed the basis of the myth of the capture of Cerberus in The Twelve Labours of Heracles.
According to the Arabs, one of the hands of the Pleiades (Al-Thurayya) extended into part of the constellation Cetus. The Arabs also saw two pearl necklaces among the stars of Cetus. One pearl necklace was fully tied together and undamaged, but the other pearl necklace was broken and its pearls were scattered. Another generation of Arabs, like the ancient Hebrews and Greeks, portrayed an enormous Leviathan-like sea creature among the stars of Cetus.

Zodiaque de Ptolémée.

Le zodiaque classique de l'astrologie grecque, tel que défini par Ptolémée, est tropical, c’est-à-dire qu'il est divisé en 12 portions égales de 30°, en commençant par le point vernal. Ce système est encore utilisé aujourd'hui par l'immense majorité des astonomes occidentaux.
L'astrologie sidérale, quant à elle, définit les signes du zodiaque à partir des vraies constellations.
En effet, le phénomène de précession des équinoxes, découvert en 130 av. J.-C. par l'astronome grec Hipparque, révèle un décalage entre les deux systèmes, d'environ 1° tous les 70 ans. De ce fait, une personne n'aura pas le même signe astrologique selon qu'elle utilise l'astrologie tropicale ou l'astrologie sidérale. Une personne est dite native d'un signe lorsque le Soleil se trouvait dans ce signe au moment de sa naissance. Par exemple, si une personne est dite "Bélier", en astrologie tropicale, cela signifie que le Soleil se trouvait dans le secteur zodiacal du Bélier au moment de sa naissance (et non dans la constellation, celle-ci s'étant peu à peu décalée avec la précession des équinoxes). En astrologie sidérale, pour être dit "Bélier", il faut que le Soleil se soit trouvé effectivement dans la constellation du Bélier lors de sa naissance. Plus simplement, l'astrologie tropicale utilise le zodiaque tel qu'il était aux alentours de l'an 150 après JC , tandis que l'astrologie sidérale utilise le zodiaque actuel.

En effet, à cette époque, l'équinoxe de printemps avait lieu lors de l'entrée du Soleil dans la constellation du Bélier. Cependant, lorsque les Grecs ont adopté l'astrologie, ils ignoraient le phénomène de la précession des équinoxes (contrairement aux Chaldéens), et sa redécouverte par Hipparque n'a pas été prise en compte par Ptolémée, lequel à donc théorisé au début de l'ère chrétienne un zodiaque dit tropical, encore utilisé aujourd'hui en Occident, qui ne correspond plus aux données astronomiques (le point vernal se trouvant aujourd'hui dans la constellation des Poissons).

Il y a donc une controverse entre les astrologues tropicaux et sidéraux. Étant donné que l'astrologie ne repose sur aucun fondement scientifique, il est impossible de trancher le débat entre le zodiaque faux des tropicaux et le zodiaque vrai des sidéraux, l'efficacité d'un des deux systèmes n'ayant jamais été démontrée.

Presque tous les astrologues, qu'ils soient sidéraux ou tropicaux, sont d'accord pour diviser le zodiaque en 12 signes de taille égale. Cependant, certains sidéraux considèrent qu'il faut définir la taille des signes proportionnellement à l'étendue réelle des constellations dans le ciel.
Du fait de la précession des équinoxes, le premier signe du Zodiaque, le Bélier, débutera le 21 mars pour les tropicaux, le 30 avril pour les sidéraux.

Les 21 constellations des planètes

A cause de leur inclinaison par rapport à l'écliptique, les planètes ne sont pas cantonnées dans les 13 signes solaires. Les 7 planètes (on exclue Pluton, à l'orbite trop excentrique au sens astronomique du terme) traversent en tout 21 constellations, les huit supplémentaires étant la Baleine, le Corbeau, la Coupe, l'Hydre, Orion, Pégase, l'Écu de Sobieski et le Sextant

Zodiaque

Le Zodiaque (du grec zôon, signifiant « vie », et « diakos », signifiant « roue ») se compose de douze signes de 30° chacun. Il se déroule le long d’une bande circulaire ceinturant le système solaire, s’étendant de 8° de part et d’autre de l’écliptique (le plan de rotation de la Terre autour du Soleil). Au cours du cycle annuel, le Soleil traverse successivement les douze secteurs. Cependant, une querelle, relativement récente, s’est produite à propos du mode de détermination des signes. Elle oppose les tenants d’un Zodiaque tropical à ceux défendant un Zodiaque sidéral. Pour examiner cette question, qui fournit l’occasion de présenter un certain nombre de données traditionnelles, commençons par définir ces deux Zodiaques.

Le zodiaque Sidéral

Le Zodiaque sidéral est basé sur les constellations d’étoiles « fixes » et est employé en Astrologie hindoue (Jyotish) par exemple. Le schéma suivant le décrit :

Note : la bande est le Zodiaque. Les degrés portés au-dessus du schéma correspondent à une division par 30° de l’écliptique. Les constellations sur le Zodiaque sont entourées.
Au cours de leur parcours annuel, le Soleil, la Lune et les planètes traversent les différentes constellations. Lorsqu’ils transitent dans un secteur défini par une constellation, ils appartiennent au signe de cette constellation. Il a été reproché, de manière fort injuste, au Zodiaque sidéral d’être « anti-scientifique » dans le sens où son découpage en sections de 30° ne cadrerait pas avec la taille réelle des constellations. Pour prendre un exemple, la constellation de la Vierge y occupe environ 40°, tandis que celle du Scorpion a une envergure de seulement approximativement 7°. Il serait en conséquence absurde de reconnaître que, par exemple, le Soleil transite environ 30 jours dans le signe du Scorpion, soit autant que dans le signe de la Vierge dont la constellation est pourtant cinq à six fois plus large. Toutefois, cet argument, d’ordre purement quantitatif, ne s’accorde guère avec la Tradition. Reprenons les fondements du Zodiaque, qu’il soit tropical ou sidéral. Les directions de l’espace ont une nature qualitative. Elles correspondent à certaines propriétés. Les signes du Zodiaque ne font qu’exprimer la nature de ces directions. Le Bélier signale par exemple l’apparition, la mise en lumière, le Taureau l’attachement, etc. Les astres n’ont par eux-mêmes aucune influence sur les destinées humaines, dont ils ne font que figurer le cours (voir à ce propos la loi d’analogie). Estimer que la traversée « stricte » d’un groupement d’étoiles par une planète amène cette dernière à « s’imprégner » de « rayonnements » émis par ce groupement est contestable et procède d'arguments pseudo-scientifiques.. Dès lors, pourquoi rechercher des mesures de dimensions des constellations pour établir les zones « d’influence » ? Le découpage en douze signes égaux correspond à l’application du duodénaire à la sphère, le douze constituant un nombre symbolique important relativement à la manifestation(1). Chaque constellation du Zodiaque n’est là que pour donner une indication sur les propriétés du secteur de 30° où elle se situe, peu important sa taille réelle. La transposition de l’argument cité contre le Zodiaque sidéral aboutirait à un genre d’affirmation comme les feux de circulation sur une route n’ont un effet que sur la largeur de leur poteau… Ces feux ne font qu’indiquer une autorisation ou une interdiction de passer sur une frontière les débordant largement. Il en va de même des constellations relativement au Zodiaque sidéral. A ce sujet, on ne saurait trop insister sur le fait que c’est le terme de signe qui se trouve employé pour désigner les secteurs zodiacaux, ce qui paraît révélateur.
Il a été également reproché au Zodiaque sidéral de ne comporter que douze signes, alors que treize constellations y figurent apparemment. Une partie de la constellation du Serpentaire (Ophiuchus, le porteur de serpent), située entre le Scorpion et le Sagittaire, est en effet traversée par l’écliptique. Antérieurement, il y a deux ou trois millénaires, l’écliptique ne traversait pas cette constellation. L’orientation de l’écliptique varie lentement au cours du temps, ceci expliquant cela. Est-ce à dire que le Zodiaque sidéral de douze signes soit devenu obsolète ? Nous ne le pensons pas. En premier lieu, rappelons que le fondement du Zodiaque demeure la division duodénaire de l’écliptique, le nombre douze symbolisant traditionnellement la réaction du yin à l'activité du yang, donc la production de la manifestation, domaine concernant l'Astrologie. Les constellations ne servant qu’à désigner les propriétés de chacun des douze secteurs de 30°, peu importe qu’un de ceux-ci soit occupé à la fois par le Scorpion et le Serpentaire. Ceux-ci peuvent bien indiquer conjointement les valeurs dévolues au secteur dont ils forment l’emblème. Un point important est à préciser à cet égard. Actuellement, depuis les années trente, les constellations du Serpent et du Serpentaire sont distinguées par les astronomes. Le Serpent y est scindé en trois parties, la tête et la queue formant deux constellations tandis que la partie centrale est rattachée au Serpentaire. Il va sans dire que ce genre de division ne présente pas d'intérêt relativement à la Tradition, puisqu'émanant de personnes ne la connaissant pas. Chez les Grecs, les Hébreux et les Arabes, Serpent et Serpentaire n’étaient pas divisés, formant l’une des plus importantes constellations de la voûte céleste. Pour conclure sur la présence double de constellations dans le secteur du Scorpion, soulignons les analogies de sens existant entre ces deux constellations, le Scorpion étant un signe fortement marqué par le symbolisme du serpent (du moins un des aspects de celui-ci, le serpent étant un symbole fort complexe). Ainsi peut se régler le problème du Serpentaire, treizième constellation de l'écliptique et non treizième signe zodiacal.
Des problèmes similaires pourraient se poser s’agissant du chevauchement des constellations du Verseau et des Poissons, d’une part, et de celles du Capricorne et du Verseau de l’autre. Ces problèmes s’évanouissent si l’on raisonne selon les principes que nous venons d’indiquer. Rappelons à cet égard que les moyens intellectuels de la Tradition n’ont absolument rien à voir avec l’approche scientifique contemporaine, ce qui ne leur enlève nullement leur valeur, nonobstant la volonté monopolistique de cette dernière. L’Astrologie traditionnelle obéissant strictement aux lois du symbolisme, elle ne saurait constituer une science moderne, ce que soulignent avec raison tant les scientifiques modernes que ceux qui connaissent la Tradition.
Une autre difficulté concernant le Zodiaque sidéral réside dans la détermination de son point de départ. Nous laissons ce point aux représentants traditionnels employant ce Zodiaque.

Ptolemy and Precession.

The classical zodiac of Greek astronomy as defined by Ptolemy is tropical in nature, defining the signs relative to vernal equinox regardless of the position of constellations. Western astrology traditionally uses this system.
Sidereal astrology ties its signs of the zodiac to the actual constellations.

The precession of the equinoxes, a phenomenon discovered c. 130 BC by Hipparchus and known to Ptolemy, results in a shift between the two systems of about one degree every 70 years.
The vernal equinox lay near the beginning of the Aries constellation around 500 BC, consistent with a Babylonian origin of the system.
While classical tropical astrology is based on the orientation of the Earth relative to the Sun and planets of the solar system, sidereal astrology deals with the position of the Earth relative to both of these as well as the stars of the celestial sphere. The actual positions of certain fixed stars as well as their constellations is an additional consideration in the horoscope. (Over very long astronomical time scales, these fixed stars are of course themselves far from stationary.)

Aries

Aries First sign

Fire, Masculine

Lou ( la longe) : 婁宿 Wei ( le ventre) : 胃宿

Alpha Ari : راس حمل
Beta Ari : الشرطان

Gamma Ari :

Delta Ari : بطين

טלה

Martis

חזק

牧羊

March 21 April 20

Ram or Golden Fleece.

In Greek mythology, the ram carried Athamas's son Phrixux and daughter Helle to Colchis to escape Ino. When the ram reached Colchis, Phrixux sacrificed the ram and hung its fleece in the Grove or Ares. This fleece turned to gold and later was the quest of Jason and the Argonauts.

The constellation name was common in Greek, Babylonian and Egyptian cultures.

The ancients needed a marker of some sort to indicate the beginning of spring. The only stars occupying that particular place on the Zodiac at that time were those dim ones we now recognize as Aries. Around 1800 B.C. the position occupied by Aries on the Zodiac band was an important one, and will be again in the distant future. It marked the beginning of spring and was known as the First Point of Aries

The brightest star in Aries is Hamal, from the Arabic Al Ras al Hamal, meaning "the Head of the Sheep." The ancient Greeks from about 1580 B.C. to 360 B.C. oriented the construction of many of their sacred temples in relationship to Hamal.

The Chinese knew Aries as a dog, Kiang Leu. Later they knew it as Pih Yang, or "the White Sheep."


Aries, The Ram [Middle English, zodiacal sign Aries, from Latin aries, ram, zodiacal sign Aries], is on the Meridian on December 10. The second smallest constellation of the zodiac, is composed principally of only three lackluster stars. Aries is seen as a ram, an animal prized by the nomadic tribes of the Middle East. The zodiacal symbol represents the head and horns of the animal.

Around 4000 B.C. the Sun was in this constellation on the winter solstice, which for some cultures marked the beginning of the year. By 1800 B.C. because of the apparent shifting of the sky due to precession, the Sun came to be in Aries at the beginning of spring, which was true in Europe until the change from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar at the end of the 16th century.

Since the second century B.C., when the astronomer Hipparchus mapped the heavens, the vernal equinox and the point in the sky where the Sun lies at that instant have been known as "the first point of Aries." The beginning of the astrological period called Aries coincides with the first day of spring, March 21, but because the precession of the equinoxes continues, the Sun today is actually in Pisces at the beginning of spring and does not enter Aries until April 19.

Others call Aries ‘The Lamb,' although it is a Ram-like creature comparable to the Capricornus Goat-like creature giving rise to a fish. In the New Testament the Greek word for Lamb is very similar to the word Aries, look at them for yourself.

1) Aren, ar-ane’, a noun the nominative case of which is found only in early times, occurs in Luke 10:3. It is perhaps the same as Arrhen, ar’-hrane, or Arsen, ar’-sane probably from airo, male (as stronger for lifting); a lamb (as a male).

2) Arnion, ar-nee’-on, is a diminutive in form originally Aren, ar-ane’, a lambkin, the Lamb of God for sacrifice, redemption and divine vengeance; the One to whom all judgment is committed; see Rev. 6:1 also; Lamb of God is Christ slain as a lamb from the foundation of the world; is seen in a position of sovereign glory and honor, as Leader and Shepherd of His saints; one who is to sit as the Lamb at the right hand of God the Father where he is in Rev. 4 and 5; as the Conqueror of the foes of God and His people; as the Head of His spiritual Bride; as the luminary of the heavenly and eternal city.

3) Amnos, am-nos’, a lamb figuratively of Christ the expected One. It is apparently a primary word; a lamb. Revelation 5:9,10,12 "…has redeemed us to God by thy blood …Worthy is the Lamb that was slain."

The different types of Lambs of the Bible.
1) The Lamb’s Book of Life with the names of God’s elect.
2) The wrath of the Lamb in Revelation 6:16, a Lamb showing wrath.
3) The Lamb who is husband of the wife, the bride:the Church as the "Bride of the Lamb."
4) The Lamb whose blood overcomes Satan and the saints’ testimony to Him.

The astrological symbol shows the Lamb facing backward with one paw on the Band, which at one end holds the two fishes of Pisces, and the other end is bound to the neck of Cetus, the Sea-Monster--a varying picture of Satan, the great leviathan of the Scripture. As in the first chapter of Job, God constrains Satan where he cannot do more than what He allows him. Thus Christ is with one hand upholding the Church and also controlling and restraining Satan. Even in Revelation the power of Christ will chain Satan one day.

(Note: It looks as if Cetus had broke the Band, where Aries is a piece of the Band separated, and the two bands of Cetus are being held by the Ram, and Taurus is the other end of the Band which forks off to Auriga upward and to a break above Orion from Gemini.)

Of interest is in Daniel 8:3-8, the word ram in Hebrew is ‘ayil, ah’-yil, from the same as Heb. ,‘uwl, ool, from an unused root, to twist, be strong; properly strength, hence anything strong, specially a chief (politically); also a ram (from his strength); a pilaster (as a strong support), an oak or other strong tree.