Magic Forums

by: User309899 on Jun 12, 2014

It took me a while to organize this and type it all up, so enjoy!

I will be posting links after I'm finished with this, you're welcome to take a look.

Part 1

Katasterismoi is the Greek word for "Constellations".

Of these the twelve signs whose risings intersected the sun's at dawn were known as the zodiakos (zodiac) or zodiakos kyrklos (circle of little animals). The constellations, as they were described in Greek mythology, were mostly god-favoured (or cursed) heroes and beasts who received a place in the heavens in memorial of their deeds. They were regarded, as semi-divine spirits, living, conscious entities who strode across the heavens.

Here I will be identifying the zodiacs and individual constellations. Their names and how they came to be from the perspective of the Greeks. There are different stories about how the constellations came to be, and Ill happily type them all up for you to read.

Andromeda Constellation

Name: Andromeda

Andromeda - A Princess of Ethiopia, daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia. Her mother offended the gods by boasting that the girl was more beautiful than the Nereids. Poseidon in wrath sent a sea-monster to devour the girl. When she was chained to the rocks, the hero Perseus spied her, slew the beast, and carried her off as his wife. The gods as a memorial, set the whole family amongst the stars as constellations.

Aquarius Constellation

Name: Hydrokhoos (Water-Bearer)

Ganymedes - A handsome Trojan prince. He was seized and carried off to heaven by an eagle sent down by Zeus, to become the cup-bearer of the gods. The eagle and boy were subsequently placed amongst the stars as the constellations Aquila and Aquarius.

Deucalion - An early Greek king who managed to survive the great Deluge that was sent by Zeus to destroy mankind. Because so much rain fell during his reign he was represented amongst the stars as the Water-Pourer.

Cecrops - An early king of Athens who was the first to pour libations in honour of the gods. In memory of this he was placed in the heavens as the water-pourer Aquarius.

Aquila Constellation

Name: Aitos (the Eagle)

Eagle of Aphrodite- When Zeus wished to seduce the Goddess Nemesis, he transformed himself into a swan, and bade Aphrodite pursue him into her lap in the guise of an eagle. In this way he accomplished his seduction and in memorial placed an eagle and swan amongst the stars.

Eagle of Prometheus - An eagle which was set by Zeus feed on the liver of the chained Titan Prometheus. When Heracles freed him from his chains, he slew the eagle with an arrow, and Zeus placed the pair amongst the stars as Aquila (eagle) and Sagitta (arrow).

Eagle of Zeus (1) - The eagle which Zeus sent to snatch the handsome Trojan youth Ganymedes up to heaven. The boy and eagle were placed amongst the stars as the adjacent constellations Aquarius and Aquila.

Eagle of Zeus (2) - An eagle which appeared to Zeus as a sign of good omen when he was sacrificing on an altar prior to the commencement of his war against the Titans. To commemorate the event he placed the eagle and altar amongst the stars as the constellations Aquila and Ara.

E agle of Zeus (3) - When Hermes was wooing the goddess Aphrodite she spurned his advances. Zeus, pitying his son, sent an eagle which snatched away her sandal and delivered it the God, which he used to barter for her favours. The eagle was rewarded with a place amongst the stars.

Meropes- A King of Cos whose wife was killed by Artemis for spurning her worship. When he was about to commit suicide in his grief, Hera transformed Meropes into an eagle and placed him amongst the stars in the form of Aquila.