Today (22nd September) is – in the northern hemisphere – the Autumnal
Equinox; in the southern hemisphere, the Vernal Equinox. It’s the turning point
where, depending on which hemisphere you’re in, the days either become shorter
(north) or longer (south), due to the tilt of the Earth and its position
relative to the Sun. This point, where
the length of day apparently is equal to the length of night, is marked by the
ingress of the Sun into the astrological sign of Libra (in the tropical zodiac)
– the scales.
The constellation of Libra (Latin for “weighing scales”) was
known as Zibanu (“balance” or “scales”) in Babylonian times. Scales were sacred
to Shamash, the Babylonian sun god, who was also associated with truth and
justice, concepts that are still associated with the sign of Libra today. The Babylonians also called this constellation
the Claws of the Scorpion – the constellation sits next to that of Scorpio and
may have been considered to be part of the scorpion. The Arabic word for
scorpion is “zubana”, not dissimilar to the Babylonians’ “zinbanu”, which might
perhaps account for the “claws” becoming the ‘scales”.
In Egyptian mythology, Libra is represented by Ma’at, the goddess
of the scales who would, at the time of death, weigh the human soul against an
ostrich feather to determine whether or not the soul would reincarnate. Greek mythology gives us Themis, a
blindfolded seer who also carries a pair of scales. The archangel Michael, in Christianity, holds
the scales. In each tradition, the theme is balance, of keeping things – be
they social or spiritual – in order. But
the story that resonates most with me is the Greek story of the Judgment of
Paris.
It starts with the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. Eris, the
goddess of Discord (a “shadow” side of Libra), hasn’t been invited but decides
to gate-crash. She throws a golden apple down in front of all the goddesses who
have been invited. On the apple is
inscribed ‘to the fairest’.... and so we have perhaps the first beauty pageant!
Hera, Aphrodite and Athena are the front-runners, and ask Zeus to choose. Zeus,
in his wisdom (or some would argue, cowardice!), elects Paris, a Trojan mortal
to be the judge. Atop Mount Ida, the three goddesses attempted to bribe Paris –
Hera dangled the prospect of becoming king of Europe and Asia, Athena wisdom
and battle skills, and Aphrodite the most beautiful woman in the world. Paris chose Aphrodite’s gift – Helen, wife of
the Greek king Menelaus... and the rest, as they say, is history, at least in
mythological terms. The Trojan horse,
the “face that launched a thousand ships” ... even the idea of “who is the
fairest” comes up again and again – and not only in fairy tales such as Snow
White! |
| ‘Libra’ ©Alison Coals |
So many Libran qualities are illustrated in this myth
–beauty, harmony, attraction, negotiation and adjudication. And no surprise that Venus (the Roman goddess
most similar to Aphrodite) is the ruler of Libra! But “to the fairest”? That also taps into Libran ambiguity! The fairest in terms of the most beautiful,
or the most even-tempered? The most well-balanced when it comes to making
judgments? Libra, despite the association with beauty and attraction through Venus,
is more a sign of balance. It’s considered and reflective, more concerned with
“the other” (7th house) than
with the “I” (1st house). Libra is mediator, negotiator, and
diplomat.
The image on the left comes from my AstroArt series - watercolour and ink collage.
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