Aries : Myths and Legends
Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, represented as the Ram. In the myth of the golden fleece, the ram was given by Nephele to Phrixus and Helle. To escape the wrath of Hera, the pair fled across the sea on the back of the ram. Helle fell off and was drowned, giving her name to the Hellespont, but Phrixus arrived safely in Colchis. There he sacrificed the ram to Zeus who placed it in the constellations.
The Mythology: Jason and the Argonauts went on an Odessey in search of the Golden Fleece. The ram had originally been presented to Nephele by Mercury when her husband took a new wife, Ino, who persecuted Nephele's children.
To keep them safe, Nephele sent Phrixus and Helle away on the back of the magical ram, who flew away to the East. Helle fell into the Hellespont (now the Dardanelles), but Phrixus made it safely to Colchis on the eastern shore of the Black Sea. Phrixus then slew the ram and presented its Golden Fleece to the King, Aeetes. Later Jason captured the fleece.
