SAGITTARIUS

 

SAGITTARIUS

22 November to 22 December

Spectrum: Stone Topaz. Colour Purple.

SAGITTARIUS is a mutable sign and of the positive or active element of FIRE shared with the signs of Aries and Leo. The element of Fire gives the qualities of enthusiasm and vitality and the ability to forge ones’ way through life with spirit and enthusiasm. There is an intensity to fire living that precipitates a full, rich and generous nature. Sagittarian influence puts a great deal of self into life but sadly sometimes there is too much zeal and not enough caution and reflection, as when the fire jumps out of the confining grate to spread dangerously through the room. This is the sign of eager and pulsating life that needs careful monitoring and direction in order to be successful and productive, for its mutable quality means that it can just dash hither and thither using up the fire energy and enthusiasm without producing anything worthwhile. The zodiac signs of Gemini, Virgo and Pisces share this mutable quality that constantly wants to adjust to a new situation. The ruling planet of Sagittarius is the purple giant Jupiter who adds his weight to the efforts of becoming expansive and freedom loving at this time of year. We can enjoy the jovial influence as we prepare for the coming festive season of the Solstice Point of Capricorn, heralding the turning of the season and for some the calendar year. Now is a good time of year for us all to be a little more fiery and enthusiastic whether pursuing sport or some other physical activity or just running around preparing for the gift giving of the holiday season.  We can join the heavy time of Scorpio to the serious matters of Capricorn during this change-over time. What we must consider in all the dash and hast is whether we are over stepping the mark, going too far, intruding on the space of those more quieter souls. It is a time of year to cultivate calmness, patience and awareness so that we have a better chance to share with others our joy and enthusiasm for life, to cultivate optimism and a broader picture of what can be.

Sagittarius is the natural philosopher, the traveller, teacher, lawyer and sport-person. As the Centaur shoots his arrow, so the Sagittarian influence of this time of year turns our minds to distant fields of interest and expectation, with a desire to discover new territory, whether travelling or searching for gifts or inspiration. Whatever the preference or pressure of circumstance and expectation, make it a time of some out-door activity, or an interest that increases a sense of personal freedom and room to move and be. Roam wild and free if you can or seek a book or visual in which to escape and nurture your dreams. But in the push and search for greater freedom, be careful of spreading your mind and energies in too many directions, thus ending up just muddled and exhausted.

Horse of the Sea

We are rising up out of our internal darkness of Scorpio into the Light of Sagittarius. It is here that Hercules will pursue his NINTH LABOUR that of hunting the Stymphalian birds who live in the salty marsh. Hercules is attacked by 3 of these birds and fights them off. However, there is a great number of these birds hidden the light of the Sun, when they fly up into the sky after being disturbed. At twilight, Hercules clashes a pair of cymbals given to him by Athene, goddess of Wisdom, to drive the birds out of the marshes. Hercules rids for good with his arrows these annoying birds of emotion; emotion that clouds the light of reason. So we must guard our thought and speech that might be driven by such clouds of unruly birds blocking our reason; guard against cruel gossip, self-centred chatter or giving out information where it is of no use. We are working our way through a preparation month towards the Light of Capricorn Solstice festivities. Can we clear our vision to get a greater appreciation of our goal. Here is a lesson of just ‘Being’, the quiet that allows the waters of soul to settle and clarify. Restrain the speech, control the thoughts, allow for moments of silence – a strange liberation from the wild world outside. Break the chains of influences for a moment, feel the freedom. Stillness always comes before a rebuilding and renewal. There are many truths besides the ones that we harbour so close to ourselves. Shoot down blinding emotions with your arrows of perception.

Greek Marble Centaur & Eros 

2^nd Century Roman copy.

The Constellation of Sagittarius, lying behind the Tropical sign of Sagittarius is depicted by a Centaur. This Centaur should not be confused with the greater Centaur called Chiron, the healer who harbours the ‘Southern Cross’ star formation within his form. The Saggi Centaur has been known as both the ‘Strong One’ and the ‘Illuminator of the Great City’. He has also been called a ‘Minotaur’. Further back in history this constellation was associated with the Sumerian god of waters and called Enki of the city of Eridu. Another god coming from the celestial waters is the ‘Bistea Neptunis’, totem of the long haired magicians known as the Merovingians. There is some connection here with the sea god Pallas of the Grail legends. Pallas’ daughter Elaine has been nominated as the ‘Grail Bearer’ from whom descended the families of the ‘Knights of the Round Table’. Perceval is another hero of history who went on journeys of discovery, like the Knights Templar. Perceval, the good knight, is searching for the Grail, that cup that contains the mana or soma of heaven and which pours out to give us a boost of good health and wisdom. Maybe it is the wisdom held in the stars that circle over our heads continuously night after night, year after year, twinkling their magical influence down to us on Earth. What messages of the past and future do they carry? Bit like Comet 3IAtlas!!

The Eye of Planet Jupiter

AAL’S LABYRINTH HISTORY An Alternative Viewpoint…..contd. #71

FOURTH CENTURY BC (399-300)

4C BCE       The Chinese produce the earliest known atlas of comets, called the ‘Book of Silk’, it is a silk ribbon about 5 feet long illustrating 29 forms of comets and listing various types of catastrophes that they herald. The work will be discovered in a Chinese tomb in 1973 CE. (81)

The Mawangdui silk, a 'textbook' of Comets

from early Chinese observation

                    Babylonian horoscopic techniques are introduced into Greece early in this century following Alexander the Great’s victory over Babylon. (46)

Babylonian sky observation

390 BCE          CELTIC tribes of Europe attack and sack the Italian city of Rome.

 

c380              EUDOXUS OF CNIDUS (c408-c355 BCE) as a Greek geometer and astronomer  gives an explanation of the motion of Sun and planets around the Earth. His work is equal in accuracy to the work of Nicolas Copernicus of nearly 2000 years in the future. In geometry, Eudoxus establishes the principles that laid the foundations for the work of Euclid (330 BCE) and he introduced an ingenious system of 27 nested spheres in an attempt to explain planetary motion. Eudoxus was born and died at Cnidus, Asia Minor. (12) Eudoxos’ calendars indicate a Greek zodiac and in his work ‘Phainomena’ on spherical geometry, he divides the Ecliptic into twelve signs. [323]

Eudoxos studies the heavens

                  CAMBRA tribal queen of the Sicambrians provides the heritage which is to become the female line of the Merovingian dynasty of the future (417 CE). The Sicambrian peoples came originally from Scythia, north of the Black Sea and were referred to as the 'Newmage'. They will eventually combine with the tribes of the Frankish peoples to produce the Merovingian line of descent. (131)

 

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SCORPIO

 

SCORPIO-EAGLE

23^rd October to 22^nd November

Spectrum: Stone Opal, colours magenta, maroon.

SCORPIO: the sign of strength and sensitivity, the result of being of fixed quality like Taurus, Leo and Aquarius, combined however with water like Pisces and Cancer. This fixed-water combination produces a deep and complex personality, and a strong, often difficult life situation; the reason being that this sign is in contact with the very essence of the life force and the cosmic energies that drive our world and our being; the mysteries of life and the universe. However, not all so influenced are aware of their potential in either personality or in this time of year, when these energies are more emphasised. Some understanding of the complications to be dealt with may be arrived at from a study of the three symbols associated with Scorpio, that of the Scorpion with the sting of self-protection, that of the Serpent capable of shedding its old skin for renewal, and that of the Eagle, majestic and noble bird soaring towards the light of heaven to create distance and perspective on the lesser things of life in favour for the higher achievements that can now be perceived. 

There is something rather settled at this time of the solar cycle, a feeling that changes are imminent but not yet ready to be brought into the light, so we are restless whilst being stuck. Now the still waters can run deep, turbulence below the calm surface, if indeed we have not already turned to frozen ice emotionally because we can’t get our own way. Let us not forget that this is a Mars ruled sign with the great Pluto running a close second in planetary rulership – strong forces that need a conducive outlet. Rather than being at war with either ourselves or the other person, let’s look for constructive things to pour our energies into. Physical and emotional energy flows better directed into sporting interests, creative emotional expression like art and dance, or into healing those with pain, as a professional or just as a kindly listener. Other channels are through research into the mysteries of life, by either the scientific or occult road, or through innovative industry. The answers found are then ready to share with others as guidance to better living. Or perhaps some detective work, looking for where a problem lies so that it can be exposed and a solution found. So many areas of useful expression of such powerful forces that should not be allowed to go to waste. During this time of year look for something deep and meaningful to do or research, something that contributes to the wellbeing of all, as well as our own development and transformation into a better expression of our own self. Turn things around by eliminating all that is no longer of use or relevance to good living; avoid possession and extremes.

Proud Eagle

The Sun’s journey through the deep darkness of the zodiac sign of Scorpio has the purpose of introducing us to our own deep, dark inner self, that part of us that needs to be contacted in order to really know who we are and thus perhaps understand a little more of the our world and the next. We are now with our hero Hercules as he enters upon his EIGHTH LABOUR. This is the Labour of slaying the Hydra of Passions. The wisdom advice is to ‘kneel in humility and to conquer by surrender’; a not easy to achieve piece of advice. This Hydra has many heads symbolising all the hungers and passions that drive us through life and which need to be conquered or in alchemical terms, ‘sublimated’. The main head is immortal, a source of Light, and the hardest to tame or subdue. Exposure of the many headed monster to the sun and wind will weaken its resolve and power and thus assist in over-coming it. Under the sign of Scorpio we must look at the polarities of life a little more closely, expose them to our awareness and thus integrate the light and dark aspects of life within us in such a way that they are rendered less damaging to ourselves and those around us. Some say that there is a polarity of 7 vices and 7 virtues; others say that the monster has 9 heads of destruction or health. Our labour will require the utmost of patience over a long period of time, in humility and discrimination, in effort and observation, but the battle must go on in order to eventually find the healing Light of Wisdom and Joy. True magic is the expression of pure soul through the medium of Earthly matter which we must work with during this incarnation whilst avoiding the scourge of greed and selfishness. The Scorpion/Serpent/Eagle are the three stages we must work through in order to pass our tests of life and desire successfully and earn our right to true knowledge. 

Hercules battling the Hydra

Artist Pollaiuolo c1475 CE

In our ongoing quest to avoid the ‘Serpent of Illusion’ held in the hands of the constellation Ophiuchus, we learn that we do have the ability of squeezing it into non-existence, the way baby Hercules did. Hercules has the same reputation and was once called Izdubar and at another time Saltator the Leaper. However, it is Ophiuchus the healer and serpent holder that attracts our attention now and who was nominated by the Greeks as Aesculapius the god of healing herbs. His Serpent has been turned into the caduceus rod used even today for the symbol of turning pain and discomfort into well-being. Some say that Ophiuchus was trained by the great Centaur Chiron. It is pretty certain that Aesculapius was the ship’s surgeon aboard the Argo on a voyage to discover the ‘Golden Fleece’.

Persephone also called Ishtar is the maiden or goddess who was charged with the ordeal of taking a trip to the ‘underworld’. In modern language, this is a trip into the mind to uncover the dark recesses of our thinking and emotions, so appropriate to this time of year and perhaps leading to a new awakening when we travel through the coming sign of Sagittarius. Some of us can take the trip with Persephone and find the pomegranate seeds of wisdom, some of us might accompany Ishtar in her pain of losing her partner and having to sacrifice much in order to find him. Either way we have some great lessons of discovery and learning to be found. Eve also woke up to view certain ways of the world when she ate the apple hiding the five star symbol at its core. Use the rites of Halloween to make your own inner discoveries about other dimensions of life. Here is the challenge of Venus as the goddess of love and war dancing with Mars the god of combat and victory. They need each other eternally.

Ouroboros of Tutankhamon

Egyptian Pharaoh 14^th century BCE

AAL’S LABYRINTH HISTORY An Alternative Viewpoint…..contd. #70

 

Greek god Dionysius

vase painting

c415 BCE        PROTAGORAS (c490-421 BCE) a Sophist at the time of Critias. In reaction to the ‘ass’ of contradicting ideas of the preceding Greek philosophers, the Sophists recognised that each person had his own experience and therefore his own reality. The result being that all understanding is according to subjective opinion and moral standards held; understanding arises from convention and knowledge is relative. In response the Sophists concluded in favor of a flexible atheism or agnosticism in metaphysics and a situational morality in ethics, all was open to humanly created conventions and that invisible deities no longer existed. (19)

Marduk & Tiamat of Babylon

410 BCE          Earliest known individual birth chart or horoscope, of a Babylonian birth, is recorded. It is probably based on the constellation zodiac rather than the tropical zodiac. (46) which won’t come into common before the 4^th century CE. 

Orvieto Cathedral marble bas-relief ‘Creation of Eve’

by Lorenzo Maitani 14^th century 

c400               Compilation of a second version, of the first of the 5 books of Moses. The Hebrew ‘Bereshit’, ‘In the Beginning’. It will be called ‘Genesis’ when translated into Greek in the Third Century. (9). It is taught that Adam is the first man and from him was created Eve. The first Greek translation of the Hebrew ‘Book of Law’ was said to be the ‘Septuagint’ of the time of. Ptolemy II Philadeplus (c347-285 BCE).

                    At the end of the 5^th century BCE, Hestia of Mount Olympus is replaced by the rule of Dionysius.(33)

Hestia, goddess of the sacrificial fire.

LIBRA

 

LIBRA the SCALES

22^nd September to 23^rd October.

Spectrum: Sapphire.  Blue, Rose, Green.

LIBRA the sign of the scales, of equilibrium, of equal balance and a turn of the wheel in response to having achieved a point of realisation with the Equinox, one of two yearly points of equal light and dark. Thus, the sign symbol is of the Scales that tell us of a weighing point in this seventh sign of the Tropical Zodiac. It usually needs two to keep the balance and at one level this means a good relationship with one other. This is a cardinal sign, a quality shared with three other signs, Aries, Cancer and Capricorn to mark the four cardinal points of our Earth orientation in which we live and have our being. Libra is of the AIR quality which it shares with Gemini and Aquarius, so we are in the realm of thought and communication here, sometimes productive and sometimes remaining in the realm of ideas and plans and wishful thinking. Generally, the combination of cardinal-air produces people who have a great need for making relationships both personal and social, they need to circulate and share their thoughts and dreams and hopeful meet with those who can provide the impetus to give these desires some sort of external expression, an expression of the potential for harmony and sweetness in the world. But wow-betide those who too long oppose this fruitful situation, for the Libra person and the gentle Libra quality can turn into a fighter when it is seen that the balance of the world is too much out of kilter for too long. Venus is the beautiful planet of morning and evening, that is closely associated with the sign of Libra as well as that of Taurus. Both signs carry the desire of Venus for refinement and happiness in life, sadly the constant search for such an ideal state can lead in Libra to constant indecision or heavy bickering and criticism. The uncongenial is not easily tolerated; the learned and artistic thought of with fondness.

This is the time of year to strive for companionable and happy situations, a time for creating pleasant atmospheres for all to enjoy themselves basking in pleasure and ease. A time to revamp the outdated wardrobe to buy something pretty and of value. It is time to welcome your fellow travellers on this little blue planet. Look for what compliments rather than aggravates, whether in relationships or circumstances and surroundings.

We are now in opposition to the first sign of our solar cycle, that is ARIES. We are at the calm centre of the cycle before it swings in the opposite direction, according to the seasonal change. For those of the Northern Hemisphere this is from external work of Virgo to internal understanding and growth of Scorpio, whilst for those of the Southern Hemisphere it is a movement outwards into life after a period of wintery internal searching. We are at the fulcrum of the year between Virgo and Scorpio, two signs that need some deep thought and understanding on a cosmic level.

‘Justitia’  1556

By Maaten van Heemskerck

With a complex of stars and constellations in the background we find a complicated mythology to keep us busy on our travels. The ancient Egyptians knew of the sign of Libra and associated it with their concept of MAAT which in turn symbolises the philosophy of balanced judgement, equality and justice. This concept is based on a uniting of the rational mind with the intuitive love of an awakened heart. We are entering on the SEVENTH LABOUR of our Solar Hero, that of climbing a mountain to catch a wild boar of desire. After a drunken party with his centaur friends, Hercules following the boar on his hunt, climbs to the snow peaks and traps the animal. This act signifies that pleasure for its own sake must be replaced with a conquering of emotional desire, as Libra must do, in order to achieve a balance in life between the physical and divine senses, which manifests as intuition. Spin a beautiful web for yourself halfway between Earth and Heaven and maintain the balance between two poles of force forever bombarding one. The Boar is a symbol of the 'Great Mother' seen in the goddesses of love and wisdom, Artemis and Isis and needs our respect. This all-encompassing ‘Great Mother Goddess’ is also associated with the constellation Virgo which we were introduced to last month. Virgo, the corn mother Demeter has a daughter Persephone, the latter hinting at our coming visit to the underworld in the next sign of Scorpio.

‘The Angel’ 2017

By Benjamin Victor, sculptor

As an angel, Virgo’s wing is marked by the star Vindemiatrix: as the wheat bearing maiden Virgo holds a sheaf of wheat with one of its ears marked by the great star Spica who has some links with the star Sirius. Virgo is also associated with Princes Erigone who hung herself in grief at the death of her father Icarius. The story is of King Icarius, recipient of the vine stock from the god Dionysius. In his lack of wisdom Icarius gets his workers drunk. They turn in frenzy and slay Icarius. The gods place the king in the sky as the ‘Bear Watcher’, constellation ‘Bootes’ holding the bright star Arcturus companion of bright star Spica, known as the ‘Singing Sibyl ‘or the Pearl Princess, who can irradiate the soul of man. But sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between Spica and Arcturus mythology.

There are rumours that Virgo as Isis, scattered her wheat ears to form the ‘Milky Way Galaxy’, and at other times nurses her son/sun god Horus who is to become the Christ figure. For ancient Semites this goddess is Ishtar, for the ancient Egyptians her other aspect is Hathor the cow goddess.

Another god called Apollo took on the disguise of a Black Raven during a conflict between the gods and giants. This bird of the sky is known as Corvus riding on the back of the constellation Hydra the Water Serpent, sometimes called Tiamut. In Greek myth this Raven, along with a White Dove, is associated with the Great Flood of ancient times. It is also related the Mountain of Parnassus in Greece, that Mountain that gave birth to the Muses. Others have associated these birds with Noah and the Ark, riding the same Great Flood.

The Hydra is a representative of the ‘Dragon of Aetes’ who plagued the ship of the Argonauts as they journeyed to find the Golden Fleece of Colchis. It is this Hydra Dragon that gave the name of ‘Dragon’s Head and Dragon’s Tail' to the Lunar nodes, those points at the intersection of the Moon orbit with the Ecliptic circle. This monster of a water serpent stretches across 95 degrees of our celestial sphere, from the constellation of Cancer to that of Scorpio where we will visit next..

‘Argo Ship’ 19^th century

By Konstantinos Volanakis

AAL’S LABYRINTH HISTORY An Alternative Viewpoint…..contd. #69

 

Dance cycle  of the Sun-Moon-Earth

c432               METON Athenian astronomer, who establishes the Sun-Moon-Earth cycle of 19 years and which will be named after him. Thus is created a new calendar which replaces the ancient lunisolar cycle of eight years, called the ‘Octaeteris’, and which has been used up to this time. (15. 46)

                       The new ‘Metonic’ Lunisolar cycle of 6,940 days (19 solar years) is found to be almost equivalent to 235 synodic lunar months. The use of this calendric cycle facilitates the intercalation of a 13^th lunar month into the Greek calendar which normally consisted of only 12 lunar months or 354 days, not quite enough to fill that year based on a Solar year. (102).

                EUKTEMON as a Greek astronomer, re-establishes the Solstice and Equinoctial points of the calendar year and in so doing, discovers the unequal length of the seasons. Euktemon constructes a tropical calendar based upon the Summer Solstice at one degree of the constellation Cancer. What is to become the regular zodiac of the Ecliptic will appear later at a future date. (46)

Democritus 

c430         DEMOCRITUS (c460-370 BCE) Greek philosopher, born at Abdera in Thrace travelled in the East. He wrote many physical, mathematical, ethical and musical works, but only fragments will survive into the future. Following on from Leucippus, Democritus constructed a complex system in purely materialistic terms, in which the world is composed exclusively of uncaused and immutable material atoms; a unitary changeless substance of infinite variety in expression. (19)Democritus ‘Atomic System’ assumes an infinite multitude of everlasting atoms, from whose random combinations springs an infinite number of successive world-orders in which there is law but not design. His system, derived from Leucippus, will be developed further by Epicurus and Lucretius.

                   According to Democritus exoteric teachings, man died, his soul perished but matter remained.  As a consequence of this new thinking, mythology and self-animated substances will become abolished from intellectual concepts. (19)

c425               DIOTIMA/Deotyma is known as the wise woman of Mantinean, Greece, who taught Socrates about love. She also showed him the system of ‘dialetic’ or dialogue as a method of  teaching.  This method Socrates will develop further as his own teaching aid and become famous for.

c420                SOCRATES (469-399 BCE) Legend says that the oracle at the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi claimed Socrates to be the wisest of all men. His school or movement, began the first ethical period in the search for knowledge of self, of what is right and wrong, and what constitutes the soul.  He believed in submerging the individual to the interests of the state.  Socratic philosophy comes to us through the dialogues of his student, Plato, whose work ‘Phaedo’, is a discourse upon the immortality of the soul. In his search for what is good and virtuous, Socrates developed further the ‘dialetical’ form of argument. It is discussion based on investigation and opinion and which is aimed at revealing a man’s fundamental ignorance and so freeing him to make a better effort at the search for truth and knowledge. (6.19)

Deotyma [muse of Socrates] 

by Josef Simmler 1855

VIRGO

 

VIRGO the VIRGIN SOUL

22^nd August to 22^nd September

Spectrum: Sardonyx. Navy & Grey

VIRGO as the sixth sign of the Tropical Zodiac, carries the symbol of wheat or the wheat maiden. She is the maiden of the harvest that takes place at this time of the year in the Northern Hemisphere where her symbol originated. Wheat is associated with the Greek Elysian Mysteries of long ago for those interested in a deeper meaning. Virgo is a mutable or adaptable sign like those of Gemini and Pisces, but now we have the element of Earth. The result is a Mutable Earth quality that allows its owner to be practical but also able to adjust to the needs of necessity as they occur. The receptive quality of the sign tends to make its humans quiet and even shy; in circumstances, there may be a holding back until the lay of the land becomes clearer and judged as to whether a threat is to be detected or not, for there is a need to protect one’s physical and mental integrity. The desire of this sign is to give practical and material service where it is deemed of greatest mutual use and benefit. Virgo is most associated with the planet Mercury, the same planet that rules Gemini. This gives the two signs an interesting connection and one may see this in the brain and the bowels talking and responding to each other in an effort to maintain the working economy of the physical body. As the saying goes, ‘you are what you eat’. Both Gemini and Virgo are orientated towards communicating with the world, albeit from different perspectives, one in airy thoughts and the other giving earthy practical expression to such thoughts. 

Virgo is the sign of the worker giving attention to detail and conscientious service. Likewise, observation and exactitude are of importance at this time of year but from a quieter or back-room presence, rather than out front in the limelight like our predecessor Leo. For now we are gathering our harvest in more than one way as we make preparation for the coming Equinox of Libra, one of the four major points in our Solar cycle of the Earth year. During this month, be neat and precise and conscientious, both in practical work and in spiritual commitment, as you prepare for this coming event of change and rebalancing. Spiritual purity is reflected in clean living and this is a time for all to give extra attention to health and hygiene habits which are particularly important to the person with Virgo strong in their astrological chart at this change of season time. Make the home and the work place a happy environment and enjoy what has to be done to make the routine of life and living go smoothly. Be charming and modest without allowing touchy irritability to interfere with making good relationships with others. Help others to be neat and tidy and to enjoy working with their hands, to be creative and productive.

Gina Jacklin ceramic sculpture

exploring the geometric beauty of a barley root.

And so we engage with the SIXTH LABOUR of Hercules as we transit the Sixth Zodiac Sign of Virgo. Now it is time for our Solar Hero to confront the Queen of the Heavens and her lunar aspect. She is Queen Hippolyte leader of the Amazons and who is tricked to give up her girdle of Venus, the sacred symbol of struggle conquered, pregnancy and birthing, of unity. Hercules needed the girdle and the Queen, according to cosmic law, peacefully handed it over. But Hercules slayed her anyway. Why? Hippolyte was the bearer of gifts of love, sacrifice and faith, but Hercules could not see this and would have to atone for his ‘sin’ another day. This day of atonement will come sooner than expected when Hercules has to enter into the belly of a sea monster to rescue the damsel Hesione. This act reinstates the cosmic balance and Hercules is redeemed. Virgo in her two aspects of Hippolyte and Hesione represents the ‘womb of time’ where the soul is nurtured to reveal its hidden spiritual reality. Thus we are indicated to work on our awareness and awaken our consciousness to other realities besides ourselves, as Hercules was forced to do after he failed to see the reality of his first situation with Hippolyte. There was no need to kill Hippolyte, if he had been able to understand her. Hippolyte for her part had to be told to relinquish her prised unity, she acted under compulsion of an order not from love. Intent is of greater import than the act and will fine tune your body as a ‘Temple of the Soul’ rather than for it to be simply a material vehicle of physical pleasure. Virgo as a sign of beginning transformation, requires the cultivation of mind through applying tolerance, compassion and charity, all summed up in the myth of the Mermaid or Fish Goddess or again in the wheat goddess Demeter, measurer of the Earth, gatherer of the corn. 

Wheat Field

Hesione, another aspect of Virgo, is a Trojan princess who is to be devoured by the sea monster Cetus and we recall the mythology of Andromeda and Cetus. Virgo is also associated with the Cup or Holy Grail that carries the spiritual essence of life represented in the constellation ‘Crater’ riding the back of the Hydra. It is the mixing bowl of the Euphratean goddess Ishtar, whose dual nature personifies the planet Venus in its form of morning and evening star. Ishtar is the princess royal who descended through seven hells in order to rescue her lover Tammuz. By the time of the Romans, this mixing bowl or Crater had become the ‘Cup of Apollo’ the sun god who carried the elixir of life.

Lying close in this part of the sky is the Great Mother Bear known as the constellation Ursa Major. It is also known as the ‘Bier’ or ‘Coffin of Lazarus’, followed along by three mourners known as the stars of the bears tail. This constellation is also known as Callisto the daughter of the King of Accadia and ancestor of the Accadian Greek Bear Race. The seven major stars of the Bear send out seven beautiful rays of light spinning and weaving their energies through the galaxy. The Egyptians knew this constellation as Taurt the Hippo and ‘Mother of Birthing’. The Druids worshipped this constellation as Artemis the ‘Great Mother Moon Goddess’ whose other aspects are Ceres, Demeter and Hecate, to name but a few. The tail of the great bear swings around the pole of our Earth and marks out the four seasons for the early sky watches. The tail points to the four Northern cardinal directions according the coming of Spring [East] Summer [South] Autumn [West] and Winter [North].

Helen of Troy by Evelyn De Morgan 1898

The soul of man-woman

https://www.rosicrucian.org 

AAL’S LABYRINTH HISTORY An Alternative Viewpoint…..contd. #68

 Athenian College as depicted by Raphael 16^th century CE

c465               ANAXAGORAS of Clazomenae (c500-428 BCE) Greek Ionian philosopher who teaches at Athens. He is the teacher of Euripides, Pericles and possibly Socrates.  Anaxagoras believes that all matter is composed of ‘seeds’ or minute particles. He explains the true nature of eclipses.  Towards the end of his life Anaxagoras will be exiled from Athens for his ‘impious’ teaching that the sun is a white-hot stone and the moon to be composed of earth and merely reflected the sun’s rays rather than having a light of its own. Anaxagoras believes that matter is infinitely divisible; that any piece of matter, regardless of how small it is, contains portions of all kinds of matter; he believes that order is produced from chaos by an intelligent principle. Anaxagoras posited that the universe is constituted of an infinite number of minute, qualitatively different seeds moved by a transcendent primordial Mind known as ‘Nous’. (12.19.114)

Anaxagoras studies Ecliptic cycles.

c460               EMPEDOCLES (c490-430 BCE) Greek philosopher and poet, born at Acragas, Sicily. He writes ‘On Nature’, a work in which he agreed with Parmenides that there could be no absolute coming into exist or ceasing to exist; that all change in the world is the result of two contrary cosmic forces, ‘Love and Strife’. These forces separate and mix to create four everlasting elements, Earth, Water, Air and Fire. This doctrine of four elements will become central to Western thought for 2000 years through its adoption by Aristotle. (6) Much of Empedocles work derives from ancient Orphic sources. (6.162)

c455               SOPHOCLES (496-406 BCE) a Greek playwright of genius whose tragedies are destined to become looked upon as the high point in Attic drama. His play ‘Oedipus Rex’ is one of the most influential plays ever written and records a powerful conjunction of character and destiny. The relentless recognition of hidden truth, in this work, its paradoxes of human knowledge and ignorance, will provide Aristotle [361 BCE) with his model tragic plot of his ‘Poetics’. Far into the future, the work ‘Oedipus Rex’ will be the inspiration for Sigmund Freud to write, ‘The Interpretation of Dreams’ (1900 CE) a work which will give a mythic prototype for Sigmund’s ‘Oedipus’ complex, and a central feature of the future millennium of 20^th century psychoanalytic theory. (102)

Oedipus. Painted by Giroust 18C CE

c454               HERODOTUS (b.c.484 BCE) known as the father of factual history. A Greek born in Asia Minor, he is a great traveller of the known world of his time. He will be remembered in the future as being an authority on the ancient Persian wars and which archaeological research will eventually confirm.  Herodotus gives much information on the customs and practices of the Egyptians of his time. (6) Herodotus is the first major source of Egyptian history from antiquity. His works are based on the viewing of monuments and on interviews conducted. Herodotus said ‘the priests told me it was Men (Menes, meaning the first influx of light) who was the first king of Egypt. (49) Herodotus identifies the Egyptian god Thoth, with the Greek god Hermes. Many Greeks, such as Thales, Solon, and Pythagoras, will take initiation into the Egyptian Mysteries when on their travels to that land. In this way, the ancient knowledge will be transmitted on to the Hellenic world of Greece. (277)

c440               ICTINUS Greek architect, who with others, designs and builds the Parthenon on the Acropolis of Athens. Ictinus is also architect of the ‘Temple of Apollo Epicurius’ at Bassae, Arcadia. This is the first appearance of Corinthian architecture. Ictinus also works on the ‘Telesterion’ or ‘Hall of Mysteries’ at Eleusis. (102)

c435               EURIPIDES (c484-406 BCE) youngest of the three great Greek tragedians, the other two being Aeschylus (480 BCE) and Sophocles (c455 BCE). Euripides’ world view reflects the political, social, and intellectual crises of late 5^th-century Athens. (102)

Herodotus, historian & traveller. 

2C CE Roman copy of earlier Greek bust.