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taurus mythology

Both Taurus and Scorpio are associated with ancient Egypt.

In mythology Taurus is often associated with the Greek myth of the bull-form taken by Zeus in order to win Europa. Taurus is also associated with the Greco-Roman goddess Aphrodite/Venus and sometimes also the goddesses Hera/Juno, Ishtar, Isis, Freyja, and Frigg and the gods Pan, Dionysus/Bacchus, Xolotl, and Quetzalcoatl. The astrological symbol for Taurus represents the head and horns of the bull.

The identification of the constellation of Taurus as a bull may be quite old. Dr Michael Rappengl? the University of Munich believes that Taurus is represented in the Hall of the Bulls in the caves at Lascaux. The paintings are approximately 16,500 years old. One of the painted bulls is near a cluster of dots that looks like the Pleiades, and which is the correct position over its shoulder to be that asterism. The same pattern is found in pits in the floor, which could have been filled with oil and lit to recreate the lights of the Pleiades inside the cave, though there is no evidence that this actually happened.

Greece Mythology

Ancient Greeks saw Taurus as Zeus. He was a lover of women, both mortal or immortal. Of course, he was sometimes hard put to escape the watchful eye of his wife, Hera. He also was unable to appear in his true form, as he would strike too much fear into the hearts of mortal men and women. Truth be told, he sometimes needed to be somewhat roundabout in his courting because he was pursuing women that ought not to be pursued -- such as young virgins or other men's wives. One of Zeus' favorite methods was to change himself into an animal of one sort or another, thus allowing himself to escape notice and get close to the woman of his choice.

One day, Zeus' eye fell on the beautiful maiden, Europa, as she was out playing with a group of girls by the seashore. Knowing that she and her friends would be terrified if a strange man or god approached them, he changed himself into a beautiful white bull. He then wandered up to Europa, who was so amazed by the beauty and gentleness of the creature before her that she forgot all caution. She petted and played with her new pet, forgetting about her friends.

They gradually moved further away, leaving her alone with the bull, who was Zeus. He lay down, and she eagerly climbed on the bull's back. This is what Zeus had been waiting for. He plunged into the sea and swam away with Europa clinging to his back. Europa called to her friends for help, but it was too late. Zeus took her to the island of Crete, where he changed back to his true form.

He took Europa as his lover, and she bore him three sons. Zeus hung the image of the bull in the heavens, where it represents love, strength and beauty.

Australia Mythology

Many ages ago, in the dream time of the aborigines of Australia, lived seven lovely ice maidens, daughters of a lofty, snow-topped mountain and the ice-cold stream that flowed from the hills. Although beautiful, they never warmed to the attentions of the mortal men who courted them. Then one day, Warrunnah, a na? but clever young man, beguiled two of the maidens and took them to live with him in his village. The others returned to their home in the sky.

Of course, it was not long until Warrunnah discovered the truth that the sisters were ice maidens; that their beautiful silvery tresses were like the icicles that hung from the trees in winter. He was disappointed, and took the maidens to his campfire and tried to melt the icy crystals. As the ice melted, though, the water quenched the fire. The vestals remained ice maidens, but their cold brilliance had been dimmed.

The two sisters were welcomed and well treated in the village, yet they became increasingly lonely without the other five, and they longed to return to their former home above in the clear heavens. They could see their twinkling sisters beckoning to them from afar.

Wurrunnah sent the maidens into the forest one day to gather wood for their campfire. And after a short while, they met a great pine tree, which happened to be a member of their own totem. The pine tree extended itself to the sky and allowed the maidens to climb up, up, up to the home of their sisters.

But the two never regained the brightness they had lost to Wurrunnah?s fire, and that is why there are five bright stars and two dim ones in the Pleiades.

As the Australian aborigines considered the Pleiades to be the campfire of the women, they also thought the campfire of the men to be the group we know as the Hyades, also in Taurus. The women were clustered together so that they might enjoy telling stories among themselves. Some of the men sat quietly by their fire, but others were boastful and roamed about, shouting to all who would listen - the original Bull session!

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