Some tropical astrologers believe the current astrological age is theAge of Pisces,[6] while others maintain that currently it is theAge of Aquarius. It is the sign that is accustomed to living withparaplegia, since it knows how to achieve independence.
"A cord joins the tails of Pisces, the two fishes", fromAtlas Coelestis
While the astrological sign Pisces per definition runs fromecliptic longitude 330° to 0°,[7] this position is now mostly covered by the constellation of Aquarius due to the precession from when the constellation and the sign coincided. Today, theFirst Point of Aries, or thevernal equinox, is in thePisces constellation.[8][3] There are no prominent stars in the constellation,[3] with the brightest stars being of onlyfourth magnitude.[9] One star in the constellation,Alpha Piscium, is also known as Alrescha, which comes from theArabic:الرشآء,romanized: al-rišā’, meaning "thewell rope",[10] or "the cord".[9] The constellation, however, is different from the astronomical location where the sign occupies space. The constellations in earlier times were primarily used as markers to help determine what influence was in the sky. Nevertheless, the sign of Pisces remains in the 30-degree span of 330°–0°.
Ptolemy described Alpha Piscium as the point where the cords joining the two fish are knotted together.[9] The astrological symbol shows the two fishes captured by a string,[11][12][13][14] typically by the mouth or the tails.[15] The fish are usually portrayed swimming in opposite directions; this represents the duality within the Piscean nature. They are ruled by the planet Jupiter (Neptune in modern astrology).[11][16] Although they appear as a pair, the name of the sign in all languages originally referred to only one fish with the exception ofGreek,[17] Ukrainian, Polish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Russian, Dutch, Swedish, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Italian and Portuguese. Pisces is themutablewater sign of the zodiac.
According to oneGreek myth, Pisces represents the fish, sometimes represented by ashark, into whichAphrodite (also consideredVenus)[21] and her sonEros (also consideredCupid)[21] transformed in order to escape the monsterTyphon.[3][22][19] Typhon, the "father of all monsters", had been sent byGaia to attack the gods, which ledPan to warn the others before himself changing into agoat-fish and jumping into theEuphrates.[9] A similar myth, one in which the fish "Pisces" carries Aphrodite and her son out of danger, is resounded inManilius' five-volume poetic workAstronomica: "Venus ow'd her safety to their Shape."[21] Another myth is that an egg fell into the Euphrates River. It was then rolled to the shore by fish. Doves sat on the egg until it hatched, out from which came Aphrodite. As a sign of gratitude towards the fish, Aphrodite put the fish into the night sky.[9] Because of these myths, the Pisces constellation was also known as "Venus et Cupido", "Venus Syria cum Cupidine", "Venus cum Adone", "Dione" and "Veneris Mater",[21] the latter being the formal Latin term for mother.
The Greek myth on the origin of the sign of Pisces has been cited by English astrologerRichard James Morrison as an example of the fables that arose from the original astrological doctrine, and that the "original intent of [it] was afterwards corrupted both by poets and by priests."[22]
Purim, aJewish holiday, falls at the full moon preceding the Passover, which was set by the full moon in Aries, which follows Pisces.[23] The story of the birth of Christ is said to be a result of the spring equinox entering into the Pisces, as the Savior of the World appeared as the Fisher of Men. This parallels the entering into the Age of Pisces.[24]
An astrological age is a time period inastrology that parallels major changes in the development of Earth's inhabitants, particularly relating to culture, society and politics, and there are twelve astrological ages corresponding to the twelve zodiacal signs. Astrological ages occur because of a phenomenon known as theprecession of the equinoxes, and one complete period of this precession is called aGreat Year or Platonic Year[25] of about 25,920 years.
The age of Pisces beganc. AD 1 and will endc. AD 2150.[b] With the story of the birth ofChrist coinciding with this date,[26] many Christian symbols for Christ use the astrological symbol for Pisces,[27] the fishes.[28] The figure Christ himself bears many of the temperaments and personality traits of a Pisces,[29] and is thus considered anarchetype of the Piscean.[30] Moreover, thetwelve apostles were called the "fishers of men", early Christians called themselves "little fishes", and a code word for Jesus was the Greek word for fish, "ΙΧΘΥΣICHTHYS".[28] With this, the start of the age, or the "Great Month of Pisces", is regarded as the beginning of the Christian religion.[31]Saint Peter is recognized as theapostle of the Piscean sign.[32]
In the January 1970 edition of theAvengers (No. 72), thesupervillain groupZodiac introduced the member "Pisces" whose abilities allowed him to live underwater, which included fins, scales and gills.[36]
In the 1979 sports fantasy filmThe Fish That Saved Pittsburgh, the fictitiousbasketball team the "Pittsburgh Pythons" turn to astrology after a continuous losing streak, and fill the roster with players born under the astrological sign of Pisces. They are reborn as the "Pittsburgh Pisces" and enter into a championship.[37]
Oscar J. Kambly, inventor ofGoldfish crackers, designed the cracker's signature fish shape as a tribute to his wife, a Pisces.[38]
^The dates during which the sun is in Pisces, as with all the signs, is dependent on the leap year cycle; the dates February 19 to March 20 are given byEncyclopedia Britannica.[19] Other sources give the beginning on February 20,[2] and ending on March 21.[39]
^There are some discrepancies in when the astrological ages begin and end. The variation in the "Age of Pisces" is said to be from AD 1 until AD 2150, AD 498 to AD 2656, and 100-90 BC until AD 2680 according to the interpretations of Neil Mann, Heindel Rosicrucian, and Shephard Simpson, respectively.
Astronomical Applications Department (2011).Multiyear Computer Interactive Almanac. 2.2.2. Washington DC: US Naval Observatory. Longitude of Sun, apparent geocentric ecliptic of date, interpolated to find time of crossing 0°, 30°....
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