The Glyph and Myth of Sagittarius

Sagittarius is one of the few zodiac signs whose glyph and myths accurately represent and explain the sign’s mutable motivations, but there are additional factors including the fire sign’s ruling planets and element which also play an integral part, and once you crack the not-so-difficult code of those illustrations, you can begin to truly and honestly understand what it is that Sag wants and why Archers act the way they do.

Glyphs, myths, and planets can reveal a striking amount of reality about a sign. One can go as far as thinking of them as truth serums of sorts. In this section, I will gulp down as much of that truth serum as possible.

The cosmic Archer’s glyph is actually this constellation’s upward shooting arrow, and the higher part of glyph containing the arrow is a suitable symbol for Sagittarius’ hopeful and inspirational actions. Arrows commonly signify courage, as well as forward movement or direction, force, mobility and an overall positive outlook. And those are all notable Sagittarian qualities. Astro-Archers are almost always looking towards the brighter horizon, and almost never looking back because they are interested in the education and truth that is beyond their current surroundings.

Generosity, augmentation, fortune and excess – the characteristics and dominance of the planetary gas giant say quite a mouthful about Sagittarius, but it is the Greek and Roman deities, Zeus and Jove who best embody and typify the modern day Archer.

The splendor of Sagittarius is symbolized by Gustav Moreau’s “Jupiter and Semele”. For more on the myth, click here.

Jupiter was the chief leader of the Roman gods, the supreme ruler and overlord of the skies who rose to power after defeating the oppressive Saturn. Jupiter was a delegator, assigning his brothers Neptune and Pluto dominion over the sea and the underworld. This is a very significant aspect of Sagittarius as it relates to the emotions, as the two latter divinities direct very opaque worlds and water signs. Jupiter chose to rule the heavens as a sky god, because it allowed him to be above everything and everyone else. This includes death and the oceanic depths. Now, as it pertains to Sagittarius, such a mindful distinction is almost always present, as these people are not traditionally what you would call ‘introspective’.

The shifty Zeus could never be caught, and the thrill of being trapped further provoked more and more romances. Sagittarius loves to role play, change course, and refasten themselves into anything their imagination can create (which is why there are so many Sag actors), but they also require some friction, some modern version of Hera to rebel against in order to feel inspired, even though they also need copious amounts of space and freedom. If no one is chasing Sag trying to enforce some boundaries while they themselves are chasing their dreams of expansion, then how can they transcend their limits? Put more simply, Sagittarius has an urgent desire to outwit someone and live dangerously (even if their definition of danger is constantly shifting).

And there you have it, a small portion of Sagittarius’ inner truth by way of fully-loaded figures from myth. If you’re hungry for more information about the zodiac’s only mutable fire sign, then you simply must get a copy of my ebook, Sagittarius: the Wildfire, or the entire 12 chapter astrology anthology, The Zodiac Abstract.

Interested in learning more about your sun sign, then check out my Birth Chart Readings section for information on the types of readings I offer.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Salvador Dali’s “Sagittarius”