Capricorn: The Greek Myth Behind Your Sign
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Capricorn: The Greek Myth Behind Your Sign

Capricorn the sea-goat and the Greek myth behind it.

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Capricorn: The Greek Myth Behind Your Sign

Capricorn: December 22 - January 19

The Greek myth behind the Capricorn constellation goes back to the birth of Zeus. When his mother, Rhea, the mother of the Olympian gods and goddesses, was about to give birth, she traveled to the Greek island of Crete. There, they were met by his grandmother Gaia, the great mother of all, the primal Greek Mother Goddess, who helped Rhea give birth and make sure that Zeus was safe before returning to Mt. Olympus.

Zeus was taken to Crete so that his father, Cronus, the god of time, would not eat him. Cronus had eaten the children that Rhea had before Zeus out of fear that, one day, his children would be stronger than him and they would take his place ruling over the gods. When Rhea returned to Cronus, she held a rock swaddled in a blanket. Without even examining it, he took the rock and swallowed it whole, thinking that he'd gotten rid of the baby who threatened him.

As time passed, Zeus was nursed and raised by the ash nymphs Adrasteia and Io and the goat nymph Amaltheia. He grew to be the strong, invincible, and swift ruler of the gods that we all know today. Eventually, Zeus came and defeated the Titans, banishing Cronus to the underworld for all time, the same way that Cronus had done to his father.

Remembering the nurturing that he received on Crete, he created the constellation of the Capricorn, a sea-goat, after the nymphs Adrasteia, Io, and Amaltheia to show his gratitude. He took the horn of Amaltheia and created the cornucopia, or "horn of plenty." It did not matter how much people took from the horn, it never ran out of food or drink. This was another representation of the nurturing of the nymphs.

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