The tenth sign of the zodiac is represented by the Goat, a sure-footed animal who scales the heights by taking advantage of every foothold.
In ancient times, the Goat was depicted as part goat and part fish, with its front half the goat and its back half the fish. In many old drawings and engravings you will see the Goat pictured with a fish tail, and in some astrology books Capricorn is known as the Sea-Goat.
The Sea-Goat in the Babylonian religion was a great and revered god named Ea, who brought learning and culture to the people of Mesopotamia. In the valley of Mesopotamia, irrigation of land and crops came primarily from the flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Because of this, people believed there was an ocean of fresh water underneath the earth. The god Ea lived in that ocean. Every day he came out of the underground sea to dispense his wisdom, and every night he returned there.
By the time of Greek and Roman culture, Capricorn had become associated with the god Pan, a sporting and lusty creature who ruled over woodlands and fields, flocks and shepherds. Pan was a man from the waist up and a goat from the waist down. He had goat ears and goat horns. Pan was fond of music and was famous for playing the pipes. His shepherd’s pipe, called a syrinx, was actually a nymph who had rejected his sexual advances. Pan turned her into a musical instrument, saying that if he could not have her one way she would be his in a new guise.
In time, Pan became known as the god of Nature. Certain qualities of Pan’s—sexuality, impudence, a love of nature––have become part of the character of Capricorn.
In ancient times, the Goat was depicted as part goat and part fish, with its front half the goat and its back half the fish. In many old drawings and engravings you will see the Goat pictured with a fish tail, and in some astrology books Capricorn is known as the Sea-Goat.
The Sea-Goat in the Babylonian religion was a great and revered god named Ea, who brought learning and culture to the people of Mesopotamia. In the valley of Mesopotamia, irrigation of land and crops came primarily from the flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Because of this, people believed there was an ocean of fresh water underneath the earth. The god Ea lived in that ocean. Every day he came out of the underground sea to dispense his wisdom, and every night he returned there.
By the time of Greek and Roman culture, Capricorn had become associated with the god Pan, a sporting and lusty creature who ruled over woodlands and fields, flocks and shepherds. Pan was a man from the waist up and a goat from the waist down. He had goat ears and goat horns. Pan was fond of music and was famous for playing the pipes. His shepherd’s pipe, called a syrinx, was actually a nymph who had rejected his sexual advances. Pan turned her into a musical instrument, saying that if he could not have her one way she would be his in a new guise.
In time, Pan became known as the god of Nature. Certain qualities of Pan’s—sexuality, impudence, a love of nature––have become part of the character of Capricorn.