Virgo (♍︎;Ancient Greek:Παρθένος,romanized: Parthénos; Latin for "virgin" or "maiden") is the sixthastrological sign in thezodiac. It spans the 150–180th degree of the zodiac. Under the tropical zodiac, theSun transits this area between August 23 and September 22 on average.[2] Depending on the system of astrology, individuals born during these dates may be calledVirgos orVirgoans.[3]
The constellation Virgo has various origins in differentmythologies. In most myths, Virgo is depicted as a virgin maiden[7] associated with wheat.[8] InGreek andRoman mythology, Virgo is related toDemeter, the Greek goddess of the harvest and autumn, or her daughterPersephone, queen of theUnderworld and goddess of spring.[9]
Another association is with the myth of Parthenos, which explains how the constellation Virgo came to be.[10] According to this legend, Parthenos is the daughter ofStaphylus andChrysothemis, and sister toRhoeo andMolpadia.Apollo impregnated Rhoeo, and upon discovering her pregnancy, her father, assuming it was from an unknown suitor, locked her in a box and cast it into a river. Parthenos and Molpadia, fearing their father’s wrath, accidentally allowed a valuable bottle of wine to be broken by one of their swine. In terror, they fled and threw themselves off a nearby cliff. Apollo saved them, placing Molpadia inCastabus, where she became the local goddessHemithea, and Parthenos inBubastis, where she was worshipped as a local goddess. Another version of the story posits that Parthenos was Apollo’s daughter, and the constellation commemorates her early death.[10]
In another Greek myth, Virgo is associated withErigone, theAthenian maiden and daughter ofIcarius. After Icarius was murdered by his shepherds in a drunken rage, Erigone hung herself in grief, and her dogMaera committed suicide.[11]Zeus orDionysus placed them in the sky as constellations: Erigone as Virgo, Icarius asBootes, and Maera asCanis Minor.[12]
InEgyptian mythology, the Sun’s presence in Virgo marked the beginning of the wheat harvest, thus linking Virgo to the wheat grain. InChristianity, the birth ofJesus to avirgin inBethlehem is symbolically connected to Virgo. The ancient Zodiac began with Virgo and ended with Leo.
InHindu astrology, the comparable sign to Virgo isKanya, which also means "maiden."
^David Groome, "Astrology", inParapsychology: The Science of Unusual Experiences, eds. David Groome and Ron Roberts, 113–27, 2nd ed. (London:Psychology Press, 2016), 116.
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°....
.svg)
