Are there any interesting myths or stories about the Western Zodiac?

Question

I'm a fan of the manga "Fruits Basket." In it, they mention a story about how the Cat was tricked and denied the rigt to be a member of the Chinese zodiac. So I was wondering if there was anything interesting like that about the Western zodiac. I really hope so!

Answer 1

Try this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiuchus

There are in fact 13 zodiac constellation in astronomy but only 12 in astrology.

I don;t know why Ophiucus was denied a place in the astrological world - but I bet there's a fun story (it was formerly serpentius the snake!)

Answer 2

Pisces -- Greek/Roman --  (Two fish) Venus and her son Cupid escaped from Typhon by swimming through the sea as two fish.  

Aries -- Greek (the Ram) - The Legend of Jason & the Golden Fleece -- this ram could fly through the air.

Taurus - Babylonian original co-opted by teh Greeks (Bull) Jupiter turned himself into a bull to carry off Europa, daughter of the King of Crete.

Gemini - Greek (The Twins)  Castor & Pollux were twin brothers. Protectors of ships and sailors, who swore oaths by them: "By Jiminy!"



Cancer - (The Crab)  Greek - Crab, sent by Juno to kill Hercules, who squashed it with his foot.

Virgo - Greek/Roman) Maiden, goddess of farms and harvest, holding a shock of wheat.

Libra - Roman (The Scales)

Scorpius - Greek (the Scorpion).  It sent by the goddess Gaia to kill Orion when Orion boasted he would slay all the animals of the Earth;

Sagittarius - Greek - The Archer, a centaur (half man and half horse) archer named Chiron, shooting an arrow.

Capricornus - Sea Goat. Pan only partly succeeded in turning himself from a goat into a fish.

Aquarius - Water Carrier. Babylonian constellation.